Our Holiday Packing List!

Hey All!

A few of you have asked me to post my holiday packing list for Arjun.  Remember though that it depends on the age of your child and also the destination and duration.

 

This packing list is for our holiday to Dubai for ten nights when Arjun will be 7.5 months old.

We didn’t take a car seat as the hotel provided us with one.

Here goes ...

 

Hand Luggage (we use a carry on suit case plus Arjun’s change bag)

Changing

·         Nappies
·         Wipes
·         Vaseline (we have been using this instead of nappy rash cream)/nappy rash cream
·         Nappy bags
·         Portable change mat
·         Change of clothes x 2

 Feeding

·         Bibs
·         Muslins
·         Sterilised bottles – we will be taking 4 for a 6.5 hour flight
·         Formula – we take ready made for convenience
·         Gaviscon – Arjun has reflux
·         Beaker with water
·         Meal pouches – with some extra incase of flight delay/late check in
·         Spoons
·         Arjun snacks – we will take some biscuits and Organix sweetcorn rings and carrot sticks
·         Weaning bibs

 Medical

·         First aid kit
·         Bonjela
·         A few Calpol sachets
·         A few Nurofen sachets
·         Ashton’s and Parsons teething powder

 Comforters

·         His blanket (that smells like home)
·         His favourite book – Animal Farm
·         His favourite teddy – currently Henry Hugglemonster
·         A surprise toy – one that he hasn’t seen yet
·         Water filled teether – his favourite at the moment

 Other

·         Antibacterial hand gel
·         A spare plastic bag for keeping dirty clothes/bibs/muslins in
·         Tissue

 
Check in Luggage

Medical

·         Gaviscon
·         Calpol sachets
·         Nurofen sachets
·         Baby talc
·         Infacol
·         Thermometer
·         Bonjela
·         Ashton's & Parsons teething powder
·         Waterproof plasters

 

Changing

·         A change mat – the Poundland ones are brilliant (My Golden Little Nuggets)
·         Nappies
·         Vaseline/change cream
·         Nappy bags
·         Wipes

 Swimming

·         Baby float
·         Swim wear
·         Swim hat
·         Swim nappies
·         Sunscreen
·         Towelling robes
·         Swim toys

Bath time

·         Bath wash – we use Simple
·         Hair brush
·         Face cream – we use Weleda
·         Towels
·         Nail cutter
·         Cotton buds
·         Massage oil
·         Toothbrush
·         Colgate

 Feeding

·         Formula cartons

·         Bottles
·         Feeding bowls – although with pouches you can feed from directly
·         Spoons
·         Beakers
·         Snack pots
·         Wipes
·         Muslins
·         Bibs
·         Weaning bibs
·         Ready made pouches – although Arjun is on solids, we will be taking pouches for convenience. For example sometimes Preetam and I don’t have lunch on holiday (after a hefty breakfast) so taking a pouch would be easy as Arjun would still need to eat.
·         Baby snacks – biscuits and baby crisps.  We will use fresh fruit when there.
·         Steriliser – we use a cold water steriliser with Milton sterilising tablets.  Hotels are generally happy to provide you with a steriliser provided you ask in advance.  I just prefer taking our own.
·         Milton sterilising tablets
·         Bottle brush
·         Fairy liquid to wash bottles and bowls – I take a little in a travel sized bottle

 Sleeping

·         Sleeping bag
·         Blankets – that smell of home

 Travel

·         Snooze shade
·         A few favourite toys
·         Baby carrier
·         Travel pushchair – our one is the Baby Zen YoYo

 Clothing

·         Short sleeve vests – we barely used them last time as it was so hot there was no need
·         Sleeveless vests – I just love how cute these look with shorts!
·         Short rompers – perfect for the heat. I'm taking five this time for ten days. I wish I had more but can't justify spending more on summer clothes when he's only going to get to wear them in Dubai!
·         Baby grows – we only used these for bed time
·         A shirt - he'll probably only dress semi smart one night for our anniversary!
·         T Shirts - plenty to pair up with shorts/trousers
·         Polo shirts - for slightly smarter wear
·         Dungarees
·         Cardigan/Jumper for the breezier nights
·         Shorts - taking five pairs
·         Joggers – for lounging in the room
·         Jeans – for the cooler nights
·         Chinos
·         Going home outfit
·         Pram suit for coming home
·         Socks
·         Sun hats – I love fisherman hats!
·         Shoes – even though he can’t walk, I’m a sucker for cute things!
·         Laundry bags

 Other bits that you may need (depending on your little one/destination):

·         Pacifiers
·         Breast pump
·         Nipple cream
·         Breast pads
·         Feeding cover
·         Bath support
·         Car seat

And, don’t forget baby’s PASSPORT! :)

I hope you find this useful! Let me know if I’ve missed anything! x

 

Half a year old already!

Hello all, 

Hope you're well!  

 

I can't believe Arjun has turned six months already! Boxing Day marked his six month birthday. Time is just flying and he's grown so much right before my eyes. It almost feels surreal. My tiny little baby has now grown in to a mini man ... Ok not quite but he's not far off!! 

 

We celebrated his six month birthday with a "banana cake"! He loved it and didn't hold back in demolishing it - proving to us that his baby led part of weaning is working! 

 

The last six months have gone by so quick but we've done lots and Arjun has developed so much. Every day he amazes me in different ways. I find his development fascinating. His personality is also shining through clear as day - he gets his hands on type attitude from his daddy and his perseverance from his mummy ;) 

 

I thought it would be nice to share a quick summary of things he's achieved in his little life x

 

Things we've done:

• Attended his first (two) weddings
• Had his first fun filled Christmas - amazing 
• Celebrated Guru Nanak Dev Jis birthday - we went to Snakes and Ladders with Arjun's friends 
• Met Santa and absolutely loved him! 
• Started swimming lessons at 11 weeks with Water Babies
• Had his first virus :( 
• Visited the Gurdwara (Sikh temple) several times - he finds it very peaceful  
• First trip to Brighton - he enjoyed people watching at the restaurant!
• First time visiting an aquarium - The Lost Chambers at The Atlantis in Dubai - he was mesmerised!
• Had his first Diwali
• Moved Arjun in to his own nursery (at four and a half months) 
• Had his first Halloween and celebrated with his baby friends 
• Experienced his first flight - he was an angel 
• Formed a routine
• Had his first holiday - we went to Dubai when he was five months old - it was amazing 
• Seen the beach for the first time  





Arjun meets Santa

Arjun with daddy at the Gurdwara on Diwali lighting a candle



Family holiday selfie x



Arjun admiring the view in Dubai
 

Arjun at Brighton Pier
 

Arjun enjoying the swimming pool in Dubai



Things he's learnt to do:

• Pick and shake toys
• Hold his own milk bottle (five months)
• Sit up (five months) 
• Kick his legs in the water 
• Eat his whole hand
• Swallow - started weaning at four and a half months. We went for a combination approach. His favourite food at the moment is porridge or toast!
• Poo/pee on the potty/toilet (obviously too little to tell us when he needs to go yet) - he prefers to be on the toilet when pooing as finds a dirty nappy uncomfortable plus it's much easier to clean after!

Arjun holding his own bottle x

Things he loves: 

• Choosing which toys to play with - I let him grab a few toys from his toy box each morning
• Animal Pants book by Brian Moses - he loves this book as it has full picture pages
• Bath time 
• Ball pit
• Watching anyone and everyone do the hoover!
• Charlie and the Numbers on Baby TV (and mummy singing along!)
• To scream when having fun 
• To laugh especially when spoken to 
• Dogs - he finds a barking dog the most hysterical thing!
• Children
• His nursery and his jungle friends 
• To dismantle his toys - he finds it more fun to break things than to actually play with them - definitely his daddy's boy. So inquisitive!  
• Music and movement baby group - a combination of nursery rhymes and baby sensory 
• To pose for the camera! I wonder where he gets that from! ;)  
• His turtle bath toy 

Arjun picking his toys

Arjun and our dog Bruno x

Arjun in his nursery

Arjun with Preetam's parents dog, Junior

Arjun enjoying bath time x

Arjun with my parents dog, Chico x

Arjun in the ball pit at Snakes & Ladders

Arjun "reading" his favourite book x

 

To do list: 

• Learn to roll - no real sign of this as yet!
• Learn to crawl! - again no sign of this happening anytime soon!
• Becoming more comfortable with being under water at swimming - I have a real phobia of going underwater and I hope he hasn't inherited that! :( He's pretty fearless otherwise. 
• Sleep training!

Overall, we've had a super exciting six months and I'm looking forward to watching Arjun grow and develop over the next six!

I'd love to hear about your baby's developments too :)

Finally, my sister in law sent me this article and I spent ages laughing! It's hilarious so thought I'd share: http://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahjewell/problems-youll-only-understand-if-youre-six-months-old?s=mobile

Thanks for reading x