Ghetto Fabulous - Fruit & Veg

We all want out baybays to eat the best they can (insert precocious quote about them being fresh slates for an organic, vegan life here), and per my previous post I cook everything for the Princess myself. I shop Waitrose and Ocado, and frankly if I bought all the fruit and veg the Princess consumes from there, well frankly I'd be out of pocket a mani pedi combo a week. We're blessed to have a great local market nearby (West Londoners - Shepherds Bush Market - check it out. Truly ghetto, limited fabulous) - and most places I've lived in Sydney, New York and London have something similar. Even when we were in Chelsea/ Earls Court - North End Road is only moments away!
Get yourself down to the market with the buggy/ pram/ stroller once a week. Get a latte on the way. It's a great walk and bit of exercise for you and the bub, the produce is way cheaper and also they only sell what is in season (none of this ripen at home rubbish - basically frozen/ unripe stuff picked half a world away), and frankly I find the quality better. Take your own bags to save the environment too.
Take a look at what I bought for £8-something this week at my local market, and yes, they are plums not tomatoes. You'd pay 2 to 3 times as much at a supermaket for that! The money saved enables you to buy organic meats for your little one (and sneak in a mani from the grocery budget too!!).
K, getting off my ghetto soap box now. x

Ghetto Fabulous Toys (and some non-ghetto ones)

We have lots of 'it toys' in our house, and of course we've not one but two types of Sophie. But nothing can compare to the big, bright 'Happy Birthday From All of Us' helium balloon that's been in our lounge room for the last two weeks. The Princess is enamoured. I'm talking literally 30 minutes straight of staring and smiling and more recently pulling the string so it bounces up and down (what fun!). I thought this may just be a Princess thing, but no, I had 3 baby friends over yesterday, all about 7 months - and they were all equally awe struck. We had 4 babies just staring and smiling at the balloon for 10 minutes. If it wasn't so adorbs it'd be creepy.
Get yourself to a balloon shop/ florist/ hospital and buy one for your baby - they'll worship it for weeks. The Princess does try to bite it though so just be careful it doesn't pop and scare the bejesus out of them.
Other ghetto fabulous toys:
- yoghurt pots for stacking and knocking over
- tupperware for banging
- muslins
- key
- your hair... if you can stand it. I can't!

And just to be serious, here are a few of the Princess' favourite store bought toys in case you're looking for non-ghetto inspiration:

For UK Mummys - are you in the Boots Parenting Club?

If you're not you're missing out on loads of points (10 points per £ on baby purchases) that you can buy fabulous things for yourself with that don't have to come out of the household budget! Also, embarrassingly, I heart a coupon and they send you loads. OK so we're not getting rich this way but 50p off Pampers here and there won't kill you. Also, you get free stuff. Just this week I got a no strings attached free Cow and Gate weaning sample pack (see pic). The Princess has only eaten freshly made stuff from my kitchen so far but I reckon these are better than a kick in the teeth so I'll keep em for emergencies. I'll use the free spoon fo shiz. Ask at Boots about signing up.
xx

Ghetto Fabulous Tip: Helping Congested Babies Sleep

If you've been following my blog you'll know the Princess had her first bout of gastro last week. Nature is being pretty freaking mean because suddenly the peach has a bit of a snuffly nose too. She was having trouble sleeping last night and it got me thinking - when I have a blocked nose I like to sleep on extra pillows to elevate my head (sexy). We all know pillows are a massive no no (suffocation risk) - so enter the ghetto fabulous tip. Two big books under one end of the cot (see pic below) - obvs the end her head's at. I also filled a bowl with water and put a few drops of tea tree oil in to help decongest her as it evaporates into the room. All has worked a treat so far. Smooches to the Princess for a speedy recovery.

PS: make sure to put the bowl of water somewhere you won't accidentally kick it over in the night, like under the cot (as seen in pic).