Staying out for the summer! Mini adventures and music.
Well baby Teg (Tegan Tirion, 7 ½ months) is on the move. It happened all of a sudden last week, and once again it feels like we’re hurtling through these milestones at an alarming rate. Tegan is certainly not waiting for Mam to be ready and just getting on with it. She’s also been saying “mama”! (good girl!)
I don’t know where the last 7 months have gone, or the last year to be exact. I can still vividly remember this time last year when I was excitedly waddling around with the bump. I’m packing away lots of baby clothes already, and nearly at the end of my baby yoga sessions now she’s crawling and I’m constantly feeling sad, nostalgic, and hormonal. There’s such a huge difference between the little bundle we brought home in the February cold, to the little character that’s growing more into a determined little person each day. Thankfully, the joy and fun of each new stage is motoring us all on to the next challenge, and I’m being kept very busy making sure the bumps and falls are as few as possible.
Since I last blogged we’ve had a number of adventures: our first festival as a family was an interesting experience, especially in the mud at the Greenman festival, on the Glanusk Estate, Brecon Beacons. I was slightly worried about the camping experience, but she loved life under canvas, and all the new stimulation it provided. It was great having our friends camp next door to play with too. Thankfully, there was a tractor on hand to tow our camper out at the end of the weekend! Her first festival at 6 months, can you believe it – I was 17 before going to my first Glastonbury!
It was a small mercy that she wasn’t crawling a few weeks ago as we went to the Costa Durada at the beginning of September, the Gold Coast of Spain, and one of my favourite places, just south of Barcelona to a rustic cottage called El Hidalgo. The weather was amazing, and the challenge here was keeping Tegan out of the sun during the day, and cool at night in a stone cottage with no mod cons! Having plenty of family and friends around day and night was great company for us both, and what a highlight to see her enjoy the first experience of splashing in the sea. We had a lot of fun, and a diet of salad, sardines and sun did me a world of good too!
We went on one very memorable day trip recently to Cefn Mably farm on the outskirts of Cardiff. It’s a farm of small animals, and a soft play area and large café indoors too – so great whatever the weather. Teg got the frightners at the goose compound due to the unexpected and rather rawkus croaking, but otherwise, I think she enjoyed it!
Although she’s only a wee one, its felt a bit like a new school term since September as we’ve joined a few music groups which we’re both enjoying, and the week is starting to have more of a regular pattern. Singing is such a great tool day or night for calming her when distressed, soothing her before bed, and just having fun together. Granny is even introducing me to the myriad of verses to The Owl & the Pussycat!
Music plays an important part of most of our lives, and this house more than most as both myself and my husband work with music – him promoting, me with the radio – dusty stacks of vinyl are the joys and bane of our lives (we had to clear lots away for the nursery). I’m quite excited as I’ve been asked to DJ at a tots disco next year at Cardiff hideaway bar, Gwdihw cafe. I’ve accepted as I thought it would be a great challenge to gather some great tunes for her, for car journeys and for fun around the house. Please feel free to help me compile a big playlist of songs your children love by jotting some suggestions down in the comments.
To get us started, have a listen to a wonderful DJ & producer from Manchester, Andy Votel’s mix for children here http://www.daddybegood.com/archives/playing/andy-votels-mixtape
Of course children love all kinds of music, but there are some tones and sentiments that particularly grab their attention. My daughter loves songs like Twinkle Twinkle & Row Row, especially with the actions! A friend was telling me his children love the music of Flaming Lips & I can see how their psychedelic world of wonder would be great from a kids-eye-view.
So lets make a playlist together… and I’ll try and mix it (or get a professional to do it) and get some artwork as a little cover for it!
My little lady loves ‘wheels on the bus’, don’t they all! And Old macdonald, see saw jac y do, and dwy law yn erfyn for bedtime!
All of the songs from Nilsson’s The Point are magical but ‘Think about your troubles’ has got to be my favourite.
A bit of Rock and roll always goes down well. Ray Charles Mess Around.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqz876VkwwY. The Trashamen, Surfin Bird http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZThquH5t0ow. Call of the Wild – Johnny Cash Childrens album… ooooh. I could go on.
We enjoy listening to the Colours are Brighter compilation with our 7 month old Bill. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colours_Are_Brighter
Our favourites are “I am an Astronaut” by Snow Patrol, “David Wainwright’s Feet” by Half Man Half Biscuit and “The Monkeys are Breaking out the Zoo” by Belle & Sebastian.
We used to sing all the usual nursery rhymes, but when we used to go to a rhyme time class in London they used to play the Carpenters ‘Sing’. Even the kids who couldn’t really talk used to love joining in with the ‘la-la-la-la-la’ bit. Hey Jude was also another winner – more la-la-las! Will let uou know if i can think of any more x
Nearly forgot – i did the Baby Loves Disco compilation before i went on my 1st lot of maternity leave, will dig it out – i’m sure there are one or two ideas on it!!! x
‘Colours are brighter is a big hit with us too but the littlun mostly just likes the Hefner back catalogue, anything sung by Darren Hayman really. When is the tots disco? Great idea!
HI Beth sounds like a great idea – both my two absolutely love Laura Veirs album for kids called Tumble Bee it’s utterly brilliant and the littlest nelly (2 on thursday) just spins round and round in a circle as fast as she can when I play ‘Jump round spin around’ go and get it it’s brilliant.
Faling that both also love the Katy Perry album – she’s like the musical version of Calpol for my two
Big love to you and Tegan loving the blog xxxx
Our newborn loves three little birds by bob Marley and bongo bong by Manu chao.
Baby due a week today so no practical experience here, or of parenting generally (gulp). But just yesterday started thinking of a nursery playlist, a familiar coping tactic!
Two under consideration:
Lemon Jelly – Nice Weather for Ducks (or anything else off of Lost Horizons)
Gruff Rhys – Candy Lion
Betsi’s dad and I were discussing this the other day. Gruff Rhys’ Candylion obviously springs to mind, even before we saw the Andy Vottel playlist. We did think that it had originally been written as a song for a baby, as it’s so melodic and tuneful. However, my favourite would have to be Mynudd Hud, also by Gruff, such a lovely lullaby. Betsi’s dad Carl, and I, were fortunate enough to see Gruff playing at the BBC club at christmas in 2010, and Mynudd Hud was one of the highlights for us. It was a very special night, so when we sing it or play it for Betsi, it brings back very special memories, as well as helps to soothe her.
When our eldest daughter (now 8) was a baby we used to have Groove Armada – At the River on repeat at bedtime! It was great for soothing her to sleep.. but it did loose it’s effect after a while!
Jo
babipur
My sleep deprived brain made me forget a really good baby tune that we heard very recently,on the excellent new Euros album ‘Summer Special’, ‘Clap a Chan’ as soon as I heard this one I thought it would make a brilliant baby tune.
We love The Terrible Twos and also The Wiggles. Cool kids music that doesn’t drive you insane!
Archie loves any music when he was quite small we played him lots of belle and Sebastian and Bon Ivor mostly because it calmed us down too! Now he loves ‘if your happy and you know it!’ And claps in the correct place which has impressed us more than anything! Row row row is a favourite with actions too! He pretty much smiles at most tunes on the radio but the theme tune to peppa pig gets the best response!!