Selling your House with a Baby

To clarify: that's, selling your house when you have a baby. Not selling the baby along with the house...
Selling a house when you have a young child is not much fun! From estate agents' photos to house viewings it's an endless cycle of cleaning and clearing! Here are some of the things we have learnt:
1. Make sure you are both home when the estate agent comes to take pictures, that way one of you can hold the baby while the other moves all of the baby paraphernalia out of each room before photos are taken - your whole house doesn't need to be spotless; just the areas being photographed!

There is so much stuff behind that door!

2. It can be a nice idea to leave some toys out, so that your house looks family-friendly, but make sure they are neat and organised. We left some foam play mats out downstairs and a few toys in her room. Her highchair went under the stairs though as it made the area around the table look cluttered. 

3. Try to organise an open house, so that you can have most of your viewings on the same day (preferably while someone else looks after the baby, if at all possible). That way you only have one lot of tidying to do.
4. For viewings, put bulky items like prams in the car boot to keep the hallway clear. We also put Little Miss' highchair away each time, along with some of her bigger toys, like the ball pit.
5. A cute, smiley baby might be just the thing to sell your house, or at least make it memorable, but keep some scented candles on hand to cover up any unfortunately timed bad odors...

Moving House

Moving is definitely not something I envisioned doing with a baby. When we bought our current house, we expected to stay in it for 5-10 years, but a few months ago my husband received a job opportunity we couldn't turn down. So over the summer holidays we will be leaving Kent and moving up to Oxfordshire!

I was a bit upset when I realised Little Miss would never even remember her first room. The room I spent months sat imagining her in. The first space that was ever hers. But moving does at least give me the opportunity to plan a whole new nursery. We are going to rent for a year before moving into our new house, where she will have a bedroom suited to a two year old.

I'm apprehensive that moving will play havoc with the sleep cycle we have only just settled into. A new room will probably mean more sleepless nights, but hopefully it won't take her too long to feel comfortable again.

Moving will mean more open spaces, better primary schools (or at least more chance of getting a space at one, once we're away from London) and hopefully a park in walking distance. Even though this move was prompted by my husband's job, we are doing it for Little Miss too. We think moving further away from London will be good in the long run.

The biggest hurdle will definitely be moving away from my parents though, as Little Miss is so close to them and has been spending three days a week with them while I'm at work, but she will now be at nursery full time. This is definitely the aspect of the move I am finding the most scary - there will be no more impromptu drives over to see them, or round-the-corner babysitters! But we couldn't make this change without their support and encouragement. And the occasions when we do see them will be even more special because they are less frequent.

Has anyone else done a big move with a young baby? If so, do you have any tips?

Eleven Months Old

Where has all that time gone? I can't believe we are less than a month away from Little Miss' first birthday. Party plans are already underway (as well as a few other big changes), but here's a quick update from the last month.

She Has
6 teeth, still. No more this month.
Started offering things to us, although she doesn't always let go if we try to take them!
Becomes obsessed with the straps on her pram. She loves climbing up to play with them.
Not breastfed for a month. She now has two bottles a day.
Been to the zoo again, and to a farm.

She Can 
Stand unsupported for about 5 seconds
Sleep through the night!Walk holding one hand for support, although she's not that interested in doing so, so I think it will be a while yet until she is walking on her own.Point when she would like something. It's lovely being able to tell what has captured her attention. Do a great hand movement if someone says the word spider, although she thinks it's another type of wave, rather than an animal!Dance! She likes bopping up and down to music and waving her hands.


She Loves
Spending the day with Nanna and Gramps while Mummy is at work
Splashing in the paddling pool
Strawberries and peaches
Going in the swing (and she has started to cry if I take her out before she is ready!
Balloons and she's making a good attempt at saying the word, too.
Her books. Especially 'Guess How Much I Love You', which she always points to.
Shaking toys to make a sound.