Stage 3 Food Review: Aldi's Bebivita Litte Dinners Pasta Bolognese

Wow!  This had actual taste!  I says it is for 1-3 years but my almost 10 month old love it.  It had great texture, taste and smell.  They've managed to compensate for added salt really well and because it's Aldo, the price is excellent too!

I give it: 5 out of 5 stars

Stage 3 Food Review: Cow and Gate Little Steamed Meals Spaghetti Bolognese

Would have liked this to be meatier like a homemade Bolognese, but it was tasty enough and my LO liked it.

Could have used a stronger flavour though.

I give it:  3 out of 4 stars

Stage 3 Food Review: Cow and Gate Litte Steamed Meals Pasta with Tomato, Spinach and Cheese

We loved this one.  It was tasty and reflected what the ingredients were purported to be.  Nice texture for little teeth and gums to practice on.

I give it: 4 out of 5 stars

Stage 3 Food Review: Cow & Gate Litte Steamed Meals Creamy Cottage Pie

Not as enamored with this one.  It smelled fine and it tasted OK but lacked the richness I think a cottage pie should have.
Bear in mind that I want an alternative to family food to fall back on so I am judging from that point of view.
My 9 month old enjoyed it but wasn't as excited as I've seen him with other foods.
The portion size is generous and great for taking out and about and it was a decent stage three ready meal.

I give it: 3 out of 4 stars

Stage 3 Food Review: Cow and Gate Little Steamed Meals Chicken Pasta with Tomato and Mushroom

I generally like my LO (9 months) to eat family meals but there's no denying that having a ready meal on standby is fantastic.  Sometimes there's no time to cook or what you have prepared just isn't suitable for your baby.
So, with so many options on the market it helps to have an opinion or two when making a choice.

What I've noticed thus far is that a lot of brands all taste the same despite the different labels that suggest they're different.  And some of them don't taste anything like I expect them to given the ingredients.

Normally I tend to lean towards organic products for my boys but there was an offer on these Little Steamed Meals and I gave them ago.

The chicken pasta dish was a revelation.  It actually taste like I expect chicken pasta to (although no added salt that you'd expect in an adult dish, naturally) and my baby loved it.  Lots of texture but nothing too challenging, and a good portion size.  My son ate it all up.

It smelled pleasant to which can be an issue with baby food.  Given smell is such a part of taste it amazes me that baby food producers allow their products to stink!

The dish can be warmed briefly in the microwave or eaten as is.  Great for being on the go.

I will be buying this one again: 4 Stars

Thankful May!

2nd:  I am grateful for my beautiful home
3rd:  I am so thankful for Google.  Honestly, it's information, entertainment and time wasting all in one!
4th:  I am thankful for quality pre-packaged baby food.  Sometimes it makes all the difference.
5th
6th:  I am thankful for the time alone this morning to recharge
7th:  I am thankful that DS2 got chicken pox and got it over and done with
8th: I an grateful for the sound of birds in the late evening.  Reminds me of childhood.
9th:  I am thankful for two sleeping children and a peaceful evening.
10th:  I am so grateful for my washing machine and dryer.  Amazing inventions!
11th:  I am thankful for my John Lewis coffee and cake vouchers.  What a treat!
12th:  I am thankful my LO is getting back to his old self
13th:  I am so thankful and happy to be alive
14th:  I am thankful for a great GP service
15th: I am thankful for my gut instinct
16th: I am thankful for the gorgeous sunshine
17th: I am thankful for the time and urge to clean my blinds.  Long overdue but so worth it.

Chicken Pox aaarrrgghhh!

OK, so CP has been going around nursery since my youngest was born.  'Great' I thought, 'let's get it over and done with before I go back to work.'

But it took 8 months to catch it and right on the back of a chest infection and tonsillitis the poor thing (DS1 got it for the sake of clarity).

It started with a call from nursery to say they'd noticed a rash on his boy bits but they'd turned to blisters.  They'd googled it and thought it was nappy rash.

It was no nappy rash I'd ever seen and when I found a similar one on his back later I was sure chicken pox had finally visited.

Next day I was sure as the spots appeared over and over again.  We only had a touch of fever and for the most part he was pretty good.  His boy bits were medieval though! 

I made his baths with bicarbonate of soda and then discovered another recipe with salt, bicarb and tea tree oil.  I really think that helped the spots in the nappy area dry.  He refused to take his nappy off to let it all air.  I think it was modesty but I've not met a modest three year old!

All in all it was the cabin fever and his refusal to nap that was the worst so I think we got off lightly.

But I discovered one problem I think. Piriton Syrup does not make DS1 drowsy.  It makes his manic!  I couldn't work out why this ill boy took two hours to go to sleep but a brief google and I made the connection.  It happens to other kids too.

Honestly, he was naughty, loud, restless and all at bedtime.

So I stopped giving it to him but caved at two in the afternoon when he virtually begged me.  It's easier to deal with hyper in the daytime.  Luckily he was normal for bedtime and I didn't have the previous nightmares.

So here is my Chicken Pox first aid kit, prepped and ready for DS2...

1.  Calamine aqueous cream.  Calamine lotion dries and makes skin more itchy.  My son HATES any kind of cream and let me smother this one on. 
2. Bicarbonate of soda - helps spots to dry
3. Salt - has antiseptic properties in case spots threaten to infect
4. Piriton - except try the first dose long before bedtime in case your child has the opposite effect to drowsiness!
5. Calpol - the spots around his genitals really hurt him and helps with the fever.

With a 10-21 day incubation period I'm an on spot watch from Saturday!