Clay's 1st Birthday Cake - Rainbow Cake

Ton Ton is our nick for Clayton

Although Clay's birthday was last month, we did a bigger celebration when we went to London to meet up with our family during the Jubilee weekend. As my parents live in Hong Kong, it's not often we get to gather together like this.

I was planning to make a 3D bear cake for his birthday celebration, but I had to do a last minute change of plan when we were hit by a heat wave. It was soooo hot I just couldn't bear the thought of making a complicated cake! So I went for the simpler option instead - Rainbow cake.

It wasn't quite a rainbow as I've only used 3 colours, but I thought it was quite nice for a 1st birthday, and it was made with my delicious sponge recipe with a cute marble/ rainbow effect.

Everything was perfect until I decided, yet once again, to touch the cake while it was still hot. I tried flipping it upside down, to get the bow shape the right way up. But because the cake was still soft, and the top was not flat, the cake fell apart after being flipped over.

I guess that just shows that sometimes you can improve your personality, but you can never change it! I patched the top up with whipped cream and decorations, and it seemed like no one has noticed. The cake was moist and soft, but probably a bit too colourful to eat?

Anyway, it was lovely to have everyone there for his first birthday, and he had a lovely time.

Homemade Baby Food vs Baby Food in a Jar?

Image from Cow&Gate website

Since young I have been told that we were fed baby food from a jar. I never thought that it was wrong, nor do I ever wondered why I wasn't fed with homemade food for all my meals. In fact, I thought it was quite cute, the food smelled nice and the sound of the spoon clinking against the jar really bring back some flashbacks. So when it was my turn to become a mummy, my mind was set to buying baby food in jars.

But I was bombarded with opinions from other mums. 'Why don't you cook your own? It's very easy and you just need to freeze the rest' 'I only give homemade food to my baby' 'There are lots of additives in the jars aren't there? Best to cook your own' etc etc. 

Although annoyed, they have never changed my mind about feeding baby food in jars. If I grew up with these, why can't I feed my baby with them too? If I have cooked my own it would be plain mash of one or maximum two types of vegetables. With these jars, there is a huge variety and each with interesting ingredients, eg Shepherd's Pie or Banana Custard.

My first one was happy with the potted food I gave her. If it wasn't because my second one didn't like pureed food but went straight from milk to whole grain rice, I would have given him the same food. (Wasted all the jars I've bought, must pass them on soon)

On Monday Fiona Wilcock, an independent public health nutritionist and food writer, published a report called Lifting the Lid on Baby Foods. She investigated food practices by Cow & Gate, from the source, farmers, to processing and when the food reached the babies. After reading the report (it's very interesting, you should read it!) I'm tempted to make both my children go back to eating baby food in jars! (By Cow&Gate at least)

Not only does Cow & Gate stick to strict guidelines for making baby food, they have added their own additional guidelines to ensure that their baby food are of best quality and perfectly safe to eat for babies.

They made sure that their ingredients came from farmers who has "food for babies" in mind and works with specialists in growing baby grade food, in a location that has the least contamination with the perfect growing condition and still close to the processing plant to ensure freshness. Food are grown and reared for quality and safety, but not how they look, which means minimal pesticides, much lower than the legalised amount of 10 parts per billion (equivalent to a drop of water in two Olympic sized swimming pools) in baby food, although you won't be able to source them from a supermarket because of the looks (wonky apples, bananas that might be too straight, blemished skin on fruits, etc)

They do not use organic ingredients, as they are more focused on creating their own baby grade ingredients, which are even better. Did you know that there are no legal control on nitrates, mycotoxins or heavy metals in supermarket organic ingredients? And how safe do you think it is to eat free range chicken and egg, when they are free to roam and eat whatever is on the ground, which could be covered with contaminated soil?

Cow & Gate rear their chicken in a large barn that has plenty of room for the chicken to stretch and roam, which means that they have a life that is almost as good as a free range chicken, but no contaminated meat.

They also use no salt at all in their baby food, and there are no sugar in their savoury food. Sugar in desserts are minimal, but majority of their dessert recipes has excluded sugar already, while they are working on the rest to exclude sugar entirely from their range. There is no need for preservative because of the high heat (maximum of 125 degree Celsius) cooking after the food are jarred, ensuring longer shelf life.

Nutrients such as Vitamin C might be lost during the heating process, but they have preserved as much nutrients as they can at each stage, while nutrients lost weren't prevented as much from store bought ingredients we keep around in the room or fridge until we cook them.

I don't know about you, but after reading the report, and looking at our own lifestyle, I really do think that the baby food from a jar sounded much better than what we eat (salt, sugar, sauces...)

Disclosure: I was not paid in any way to write this post. I wrote it out of personal interest and a feel for redemption; all opinions are honest and my own

Morecambe Happy Mount Park and Cystic Fibrosis Trust Charity Event

Last Saturday was so hot it took us some time to decide where to go. Beach? The sun is too harmful for the kids. Picnic? Errmmm.. Blackpool water park? Probably too many people. And then hubby has found out that Morecambe Happy Mount Park has an aqua park inside, so we decided to go there.

Suncream slapped and spare clothes prepped, we went on a lovely road trip to the park. Lancaster and Morecambe are really beautiful places, we must explore more next time.

When we got there, we started seeing teddies with parachutes on falling from the gorgeous sky. After much speculation, we realised that it was a charity event held by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. 

The CF Trust team
Should have taken a pic of the firemen but I was too intimidated!

The children could buy a teddy for £1 - £5 each and donate it to the trust. They then queued for having parachutes put on their teddies for £1, and gave the teddy to the fireman who would then bring them up in the sky and gave the teddies a once in a lifetime experience! After the parachute 'jump', the teddies could get a bravery certificate too that has their name on.

I think this is the most fun and exciting charity event ever! How could we miss such an exciting opportunity? Abby picked a bear (to my surprise, the tiniest on the table), donated a pound, and went to queue up for the parachute. There were 12 parachutes available so each round 12 teddies got to go up high in the sky with the fireman. He was nice enough to tidy the teddies up before dropping them instead of just throwing them out. I do think he's been enjoying himself up there because it had to be much cooler that high up!

While waiting for Abby's to fall, another firetruck came into the park and opened up the panels revealing the hosts. We wondered whether they were gonna spray everyone nearby to cool them down? We didn't stay to find out though!

We were worried that Abby's teddy would fly really far away as it was so tiny. Luckily the wind kind of stood still for a bit and teddy swished its way down nearby. She quickly picked her teddy up and queued for the certificate. Look at how proud she is of Sophie the baby bear!

We went straight for the Aqua park after that as we were all boiling hot! Unfortunately Abby was still scared after some shampoo went into her eyes when she had a shower one day, so after hubby took Clay in for a splash, he had to carry Abby in as well. Good she's still young and not too heavy! The aqua park was fantastic with lots of features and plenty of spaces for children to run around.

After they have all cooled down, we had some lollies and went to the playground that was built for 7 years old or younger. Each child had to pay £1 to enter, but it made sure that the playground is safe without older kids going in to disturb them. Clay was enjoying his bike rides (lots of good sturdy trucks and bikes in the playground) while Abby just wanted to go on the train ride outside.

The train went around the playground 3 times. It was quite fast and rough for the good old me, and as I was sitting backwards, I was all dizzy when it stopped. But Abby was having great fun, she is fearless this one! Clay was waiting for us at the exit and laughed every time he saw us zooming pass.

The Kings Division Recruitment team has put up a soft assault course in the park. It looked quite easy but poor Abby was lost inside! We made up to her by letting her go on the trampoline and merry-go-round. By then the park was closing and we were all burned out.

The day's been fantastic and we ended it with a good meal at Nando's. Another lovely day out!

My Baby is One Today

A year ago, I was in the hospital pushing an 8lb baby out with epidural that did not work. I still remember a doctor (there were so many going in and out) telling me that the baby was suffering and I must push. It turned out that the baby was fine and the doctor actually specialised in C-section. I was her first natural case.

The first few months was hard. He would not feed without chewing my nipples off, and I almost gave up breastfeeding him a few times. His cries in the middle of the night echoed throughout the house, and we constantly wondered whether the neighbours have moved bedroom so they can get a better sleep. I was also getting upset as I was spending less time with my daughter and I felt really sorry for her.

Then suddenly, everything has settled down. We all got used to our life and routine, and time flew by so quick that it only seemed like yesterday when he was still a baby that could only lie in his cot, watching the sky.

One year later, this baby can already call dadee, mama and tzetze (big sister), waves at Baby Jake's brothers and sisters, hum out of tune songs, sit, crawl, stand, climb, walk with his walker, and stand on his own subconsciously. Within this year, he has grown so much we wish he could slow down a bit, stay as a baby for a bit longer. But seems like this baby can't wait!

No matter what, we wish the coming year will be filled with fun, excitements, happiness and laughter.

Happy Birthday! 

From your dearest mummy, daddy and sister xxx