Home again, home again, Jiggedy jig!

We're back....

We've not been away, as such, but we've been back in hospital. Niblet got a strange version of impetigo, and ended up needing IV antibiotics.... I'm not 100% convinced that was what he had, but he's on the mend and seems to be responding well to the antibiotics. Fingers crossed that he carries on improving!

I had so many blog post ideas to do, that haven't been posted... it's been radio silence. Sorry about that!

I was meant to go back to school for our INSET (training) days on Monday, but being with Niblet in hospital made that somewhat impossible.... I'll have to catch up on what I missed when I go in on Friday.

Tea for Two Ten
Last week, there was a bank holiday on the Monday, and my husband invited some of his friends over for tea and cakes.... I hadn't realised that there would be 9 people, one of which was very anti-cake! I had fun baking, but very little time - only just over an hour, and I still had Niblet to look after, so if you want some quick cake ideas, read on!

My first bake was a classic scone... I used an old recipe my Mum gave me, which she got from Good Food, which a few alterations to make it suitable.

Simple Sultana Scones
350g self-raising flour , plus more for dusting
¼ tsp salt (I left this out to make it baby-friendly)
1 tsp baking powder
45g Pure Olive / Sunflower marg
40g Trex vegetable shortening
3 tbsp caster sugar
175ml milk (I used rice milk) with 1 tsp cider vinegar added
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 big handful sultanas (or other dried fruit)

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the fats, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Add the sultanas.
2. In a jug, mix the milk, the cider vinegar and the vanilla and set aside. You can warm it to body temperature, which is meant to help the rise, but I didn't bother.
3. Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then pat into a round about 4cm deep.
4. Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. By this point you'll probably need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four. Brush the tops with a little more milk, then carefully place onto a baking tray.
5. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/fan140C/gas 3) for a few mins to refresh. 

My next bake was going to be a Victoria Sandwich, but it didn't really work properly. It came out far too moist, and bits of the top stuck to the tin, so it wasn't going to work like that... How to salvage it? Betty Crocker Vanilla Frosting... I know, I know, it's a bit chavvy, but it tasted good, it was there when I needed it, and it doesn't contain anything we can't eat....

Vanilla Fudge Cake (AKA Disaster sponge!)
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
175g caster sugar
175g dairy free marg (I used Pure Olive)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3tsp Orgran egg replacer whisked with 6tbsp water.

Heat the oven to fan 180C.
In a stand mixer, cream together the marg and the sugar. Add the vanilla and baking powder and mix well. Add about 1/3 of the flour and 1/3 egg replacer. Mix well. Add the next third of each. Mix. Add the last bit of flour and egg replacer. Mix well, scraping down the sides to make sure it is all combined.

Pour the mixture evenly between two greased and lined sandwich tins, level out, making a slight well in the middle, to allow the cake to rise evenly. Don't do as I did, don't skimp on lining the tin. I didn't bother, I just sprayed it with cake release. This time, it didn't release! Bake for about 20mins, or until a skewer comes out clean from the middle of the cake. Turn the cakes onto a baking rack once cooked.

Allow the cake to cool thoroughly before icing. I used about 1/3 of the tub in the centre, and the rest on the top and sides. I then shaved some dark chocolate onto the top to make it look prettier.... It didn't look at all like a Victoria Sandwich, but it sure tasted good! I'd make it again like a shot!

My third cake was the minty brownies from Sweet Vegan. They were great... I didn't do a buttercream icing, I made a green water icing with a little peppermint essence. I added to much green though, and then look a bit too bright! They seemed to get brighter by the minute! I didn't do the chocolate topping either, as I didn't have any suitable chocolate. They still tasted yummy though, and I would recommend them.

Thar she sews!

A stitch in time saves...

Well, certainly not money if I keep buying fabric like this! I follow a blog called Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy! who do a monthly sew-along, on a boy theme. All the patterns come from a book called Sewing for boys. It's a lovely book, with some real variety of patterns. I can see myself making a lot of them.

I've watched other people post month by month, with wonderful items of clothing made for their little boys, and always felt a little bit too novice to take part. I love to sew, and tend to do a lot in the summer - the winter seems more appropriate for knitting!

Be brave

I decided that enough was enough. After all, what did I have to lose? Niblet ends up with a nice piece of clothing, and I get to share it with other people. This month's sew-along was the Luka Hoodie, which is a great little hooded jumper. The only downside is that the smallest size is age 2 -3... Niblet is 10 months, so it won't fit him for a while! Hey, nothing like getting ahead!

I really enjoyed sewing the hoodie - the cutting took one evening, and then the sewing itself was probably about 5 or 6 hours, broken up over a week or so. I even did my own covered buttons (which I've never done before!)

One thing that I struggled with was the final joining the lining to the outer - it was like a crazy piece of origami, and somewhere I managed to get a twist or six into it. I ended up unpicking the ends of the sleeves where the two where joined, untwisting, repinning and resewing. Realistically, it took me longer than any other stage in the pattern. There were some parts that I felt were somewhat badly worded, and took a long time, and several readings to work out, but it is an advanced pattern, so I'm chuffed that I finished it with only one problem area.

As part of the sew-along, you have to create an embellishment, or change the pattern somehow to personalise it. I had found this amazing elephant fabric, and decided that what it needed was a little felt elephant in the secret pocket. When I was a little girl, I had a lovely Clothkits jacket, which had lots and lots of pockets. Each of the pockets contained a little stuffed animal, and that jacket kept me entertained for hours on end. I wish I still had it! It was a lovely grey and black jacket, with (I think) a bright red lining. I know that my Mum spent hours working on it, and felt really special to have it.

So, here it is. My Luka Hoodie, age 2 - 3, on my ten month old! I love it, and am really glad I took the plunge! Note the cat, helping the photoshoot, and the sleeves, that were about 3 times the length that he needs at the moment!

Baby messy play and messy meals!

I feel like a washing woman!

Niblet really seems to have found his appetite at the moment, and is making the most of the wheat - he ate THREE baby weetabix this morning - the serving suggestion is for one!  He then had quarter of an apple - making the most of his newly sprouted bottom teeth.

For lunch, we had seeded wraps, with ham and salad. He had some of the Redwood Cheezly Soya Free, which he seemed to enjoy. I tried a bit, and couldn't get past the chemically flavour that it had. I've yet to try it heated though, so I'm hoping the flavour might improve! It looks and feels like a Cheshire cheese, rather then a Cheddar. Coming from an area of Devon renowned for it's Cheddar, I might be a little picky!

For supper, following on for the wheat fest, we had lamb and mint burgers from our local butchers. They are lovely, but have rusk in them, so we haven't been able to eat them for months.

But what does all this have to do with washing, I hear you cry?! Well, the mess... his eating goes everywhere, in every inch of his body, in every crevice of the highchair and the table, on the carpet, the cushions and probably on the light fittings if he could reach... He doesn't mean to, but it just goes everywhere in his enthusiasm...I should buy shares in Persil for all the washing I have to do! (Not to mention the fact that we are using real nappies, so are having to wash them too!)

Messy Messy Messy

I decided that as I had so much washing to do, I should just make some more! I wanted to do some messy play with Niblet, and have seen some great ideas online. My favourite at the moment are some of these:

These great ideas come from Growing a Jeweled Rose, which is a blog about messy play, and ways to make it more approachable... My favourite of her ideas is doing messy play in the bath or sink, to reduce tidying up... so simple, yet so effective - it made it much easier to do messy play, and helps me to be less reluctant about it. Her website is: http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/

One of my other favourite sites is The Imagination Tree, which is about more than just messy play. It covers all sorts of things to do with your little one, from arts and crafts, through to sensory play and discovery boxes / treasure baskets. It's another of those sites that you read, and wonder how on earth she finds so many amazing ideas whilst being a Mummy. Her website is: http://www.theimaginationtree.com/

One idea that keeps popping up online is making goop, gloop, sludge, whatever you want to call it, the mixture of cornflour and water (with colouring sometimes added). It makes use of the fixatropic nature of cornflour, allowing it to appear solid when prodded, rolled or poked, and then liquid afterwards. It's a great substance, but not so great when your baby has a corn allergy. I ummed and ahhhed for a while about what I could use instead... My original idea was rice flour, but they I thought that might be too grainy, and not smooth enough. So, I looked in my cupboard and spotted the potato flour... It has the same texture, so I thought it might react in the same way... I was right! It did! It was great....

 In a nice big bubbly sink, discovering the tap, and learning how it works!

 Yum! What's this gooey pink stuff? Shall I eat it? I know I've just had my lunch Mummy, but I still want more....

 Now, if I put the whole bowl into the sink, and add bubbles, how does it taste? Hmm. Pink. What about if I add the sieve to the mix?








Niblet did spend most of the time trying his best to eat it, but he also really enjoyed grabbing handfuls of it, and watching it run away again. I'm so glad I found a corn free alternative to make gloop!

Two steps forward, one step backward

Right now, it feels like that one step is huge, but never mind, we'll get to that.

We've been away again, which is why I'm slacking on the old blog posts. Sorry about that! Not that anyone other than me reads the blog yet anyway, so I guess no-one will notice! We've been up to visit the inlaws, who live in Wrexham, North Wales... I like to tease them that they are Welsh, but they protest that they were all born in and around Chester, in England!

It was lovely for Niblet to see his grandparents, and his great-grandparents. I don't have any grandparents left myself, so for my husband to have three is quite astounding! Niblet loved it - he loves to be made a fuss of and to play with new toys. He was a little daunted at times - when there were people walking towards him that he didn't know (or that he didn't like the look of), he just sat down wherever he was, and refused to move!


One step forward...

He's into everything though, and is getting really good at walking - it will be nice when he can do it unaided, although it will mean that I need to do some major de-cluttering! He's a bright little button too - he worked out how to undo a wooden bolt to get into a cupboard, and then worked out how to take out a wooden spoon that we had been using to jam the handles of another cupboard shut to stop him getting to it! I think the time has come to baby-proof!

We did put some corner protectors onto our side table, but he pulled them right off! He also used them as a teething toy! Funny, isn't it, how you can buy any number of proper teethers, and all he wants is the edge of a table, or whatever trousers I happen to be wearing!



Two steps forward...

We saw the gastroentirologist locally again. He was much more civil this time, and seemed even to be human. I think it helped having my husband with me, and being able to say that we had tried his suggestions (even if we don't like them). He seemed more open to discussing options with us, rather then just making me feel like a bad mother. It's funny, isn't it? When the so-called professionals aren't willing / able to find what is wrong with your baby, instead of sending you to someone who can, they belittle you, and make you feel that it is your fault?! Sorry, rant over.

Anyway... Niblet has put on weight - he now weighs 9.1kg (20lbs) which puts him back at the 50th centile for weight - he's not been there since he was nine weeks old... It's taken us a whopping 35 weeks!  Still, he's so much happier now, that I don't mind how long it has taken.

We discussed tests that had been run on Niblet, and we realise that he has never been tested for Coeliac, even though it seems the most obvious solution when there is a gluten intolerance. I'm not convinced it is that, but at least they are finally rethinking things, and trying things to improve his life. So, in preparation for testing, we need to re-introduce wheat and gluten, for the next 1 - 3 months. He'll be tested sooner if he is symptomatic, longer if he is not. I'm scared to do it, but oh so enjoying the bread.

Bread. MMM. BREAD! It's amazing, where have you been for the past 7 months? Oh how I have missed you. Sandwiches are back on the menu, Niblet gets to try Weetabix for the first time. Catering just got easier. My baking is now only vegan, not wheat free too. So why am I still so worried about it all?

Last time we introduced wheat to him, in a bid to re-introduce elimination diet foods, within one week he was miserable, two and he refused to feed at all. He was awful, and really hard work. He wouldn't eat, sleep, or be himself. He was clearly in a lot of discomfort, and I don't want to put him through that again. If it weren't for the fact that this is a means to an end, and maybe a diagnosis, I'm not sure I would reintroduce it yet.

We started back on wheat on Thursday. Today he's got much looser stools, and he didn't want any liquids or solids all day. He ate supper, but didn't have his bed time feed. It will be interesting to see what the next few days bring, but hey, a potential diagnosis? That's a step forward, right?

And one step back....

I found out tonight that my big brother has testicular cancer.

He's the healthy one of the family, he's the protector, the wild one that always wins out. He's got a new wife, and they've not got a baby on the way. He can't have cancer. It's just not fair.

I feel lost, and so useless. I don't know how I can help support them, what I can do to make sure he wins this battle too.

They live three hours away from me, near where the rest of my family live. These days, we're the only ones left in our birth-town!

He goes in on Thursday to have the testicle removed, and then he has recovery, before having to have a full body CT scan to check whether it has spread. He'll then need to get some sperm frozen so he can have more children, before having chemo to make sure that it has all gone.

I'm in shock. I saw him a week ago, and they were doing great. I wonder if they knew then? It must be so hard to be planning for your family's future whilst not knowing your own.

Please, do me a favour. Check your balls, or your partner's. Find out whilst it is still small, and there is still a good chance of doing something about it.

Busy, Busy, Busy....

Sorry, we've been away for the weekend. We went to see my brother and his wife in Southampton, and had a lovely time.

We went a bit foodie, and a bit crafty! On Saturday, we went to various shops to sort bits out, and I went for a drive in my brother's kit car... I thought I would be scared, but no! It was amazing! I wanted to go again.... in fact, can I have one?!!!

Jam and Jerusalem

We went to the pick your own too, which was great fun... We picked lots of raspberries, and some tayberries, which she made into jam. She is the ultimate domestic goddess - 6 months pregnant, a house being renovated, and still able to bake, cook and make jam on a Saturday. I envy her the multi-tasking ability. She also made us feel totally at home, and so welcome.

On Saturday night, I made a bench cushion for them, using fabric that she had been given - a lovely floral fabric that was already wadded lightly - I think it was a quilt top that someone had lovingly sewn, then given to a charity shop. It's nice to see it have a new life. Her sewing machine made me chuckle - it was made in 1979... it is older than I am! She was given it last year for her 30th birthday, and I think she is in love with it! It has orange floral top, and looks very retro! Amazingly, it is very similar to my machine, although it did struggle with sewing through the many layers of the quilt top!

Foodie Heaven

On Sunday morning, we went to Winchester Farmer's market, which was amazing. It was interesting to look at all the different foods (and to allow my husband to eat some things that he isn't getting at the moment!) We ate breakfast there - I had pulled duck with salad (I know, hardly breakfast food, but oh so tasty!) Niblet was in the sling on my front, and was determined to help me eat it... somehow I ended up with duck down my bra! Who said that life as a mother wasn't glamorous!!!

We bought a knuckle of pork - for a bargain price of £1.50! I couldn't believe it... It was free range pork too! I wish we had got more of them because they were such a good price. I used that for supper last night and again tonight... not bad... 5 portions of food for £1.50 worth of meat!

Two Day Farmer's Market Gammon

1 pork knuckle
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
6 black peppercorns
3 fresh bay leaves, screwed up to release the flavour!
1/2 tbsp smoked sweet paprika - not the hot one!
1/2 tsp English mustard powder
3 cloves

Put the pork knuckle in a pan with the rest of the ingredients and add enough water to cover the pork. Bring to the boil, and cook for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C.  I put some potatoes on to par cook as wedges, and chucked them in a roasting tin, with some dried mixed herbs. Put the pork onto the potatoes (or just into a roasting pan) and score the skin. You can take off the skin, leaving the fat, and add some honey or marmalade as a glaze.

Put the tin in the oven, and cook for about 30 minutes (until the potatoes are done!) If you have used a glaze, you might want to baste the pork part way through the cooking.

On day 1, I served it with some salad - it was too hot for veggies, but you could do some if you'd prefer.

Don't bin the stock you cooked it in, it's full of flavour! I fished out the peppercorns, bay leaves and the cloves. I took all the meat off the bone, and chucked the leftover meat and the bone into the stock again. This helps to build the flavour. I then put about 1 cup of kidney beans, 1 cup of cannellini beans and 1 cup of black beans in to soak in cold, unsalted water overnight.

In the morning, drain and rinse all the beans. Put these into the pan with the meat, the bone and the oniony stock. Bring it all to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for at least an hour. I did it for about 4 or 5 hours in total, which allowed it to reduce down quite a lot, and for the meat to become really tender. The onions melted into the mix, and helped to thicken it. You could do this in a low oven, on a hob or in a slow cooker.

On day 2, I served this with more wedges (I cooked extra the night before and just reheated them!) I also did carrots and leeks to go with it....

Yummy!

He's a double fatty!

He's done it!

Niblet has now managed to double his birth weight today - I am so pleased. Things have been hard work recently, but since (thanks to some super feeding overnight) he has managed to gain 4oz. In the preceding four days, he gained 5oz, which makes up for the 5oz he lost the previous week!

I'm really glad that he has gained well.

No more weigh ins?

The health visitor has suggested that we are no longer benefiting from the weekly weigh ins - for most babies, by 43 weeks, they would at most be weighed every couple of months. I agree that he doesn't get any bigger for being weighed, but I worry that we will miss him failing to thrive again if we don't keep measuring him. Am I getting too obsessed with his weight? I suppose it won't matter one jot as no-one does anything in reaction to his weight loses anyway. Maybe if we do monthly, we will just see gradual gain, instead of the standard three week cycle of gain, gain, loss.


Better feeding = a better night?

It will be interesting to see, but Niblet fed better and slept better during the day today. This ties in with our normal cycle, it just seems to take such a long time to come around each time. I am shattered. For the past two weeks, we have been on four or five wake ups per night, and a maximum of an hour's sleep during the day. It's not really enough for me to feel rested and relaxed. I am struggling to get back to sleep after the wake ups too - any ideas?

The health visitor offered to help us with some sleep training if we wanted, but didn't think it was a great idea to try to drop the night feeds until we are more certain what is going on. Thank goodness he at least is a sensible man who listens to mums. Every mum I speak to about him says that, so I am not alone in being glad that I agreed to having a male health visitor.

A frugal supper to finish off

Tonight we had a lovely meal - liver with bacon and onions, with carrots and boiled potatoes. It's one of my favourite meals, and is a cheap one too, as there is often reduced price liver (as no-one else seems to appreciate offal!)

Oh, and to make my day...
The health visitor said that he really liked the chocolate cake, which has got even better today - the flavour has improved a lot since the first day...It's like a ginger cake that just needs time to mellow... yum. There's none left now though!

It gets better, people! It gets better!

Day three of the cake

Wow. I thought it was good when I first made it. Then it was light and spongy, and fluffy cake with rich icing. Now three days in, and it is fudgy, and rich, gudgy and almost brownie-esque!

I am officially in love with yet another of Elizabeth Gordon's recipes...

Here it is for you all:

German Chocolate Cake (Taken from Allergy Free Deserts)

4oz free-from chocolate, chopped (I used dark, she says semi-sweet)
1 cup rice milk
1tsp cider vinegar
6 tbsp water
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 1/2 cups gluten free plain flour (she gives a special mix to use, which is in the book)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (I left this out)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup organic palm fruit oil shortening (I used Trex)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and line two 9 inch round cake tins. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or carefully use the microwave like I did!) Set aside to cool.

Make the buttermilk by mixing the milk and vinegar. In another bowl, mix the flaxseed and water. Leave to stand for 3 to 5 minutes.

In a stand mixer, cream the Trex until fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb, xanthum gum, salt and sugar. Add 3/4 cup of the buttermilk mix. Mix until the batter is moistened. Add the chocolate, the flaxseed mix and the rest of the buttermilk. Beat the batter for 2 mins, scraping down the sides (and checking the bottom of the bowl).

Pour the batter into the tins, and bake for about 35 to 40 mins, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins on a cooling rack. Turn the cakes out and ice (if you are sure they are cool... double check. Don't do what I did and end up with melted icing!)