Soothing teething pains with Sophie the Giraffe

Teething is one of the great milestones of your baby’s development and memories of your baby's first big toothy grin will be treasured forever. Some babies sail through the process and are showing off their first teeth before you know it, but for others it can be a more uncomfortable time, causing distress to both you and your baby.  During this time, it is important that you offer your child safe items to chew on to relieve their urge to bite.

Tiffany cut her first tooth at 10months, though she had been experiencing symptoms of teething on and off from around 5 months old! (Poor us!!)

Little miss would chew on anything she could get her hands on...chew toys, books, the remote control, her fingers, my fingers, her daddy's fingers...but nothing seemed to comfort her and she would end up feeling very frustrated and upset!

One day I came across this little rubber chew toy on an online store and decided to give her a try.  She is called Sophie the Giraffe (picture below) and I am so glad to have found such a perfect chew toy! You may think Sophie looks like your average rubber giraffe toy, but she is actually an angel in diguise ;)

Sophie was first created in France in 1961 and has been a favourite toy in Europe ever since.  Her flexible, renewable, natural rubber materials and non-toxic paint mean Sophie the Giraffe is a safe and all-natural teething toy for your little one.  Sophie was designed to stimulate the senses and soothe sore, teething gums. Mothers recognize the benefits of this little giraffe almost immediately! Soft, light and easy to grasp, Sophie is perfect for little hands to hold and easy on aching gums. She even makes a delightful "squeak" when squeezed which can't help but bring a smile to any infant's face.

Here is a summary of Sophie's good points:

• Natural Rubber is safe for baby to teethe & chew.
• Lightweight & easy to grasp for tiny hands.
• Painted with non-toxic, food-grade paints.
• Stimulating to a baby’s senses with her soft colors & gentle squeak.
• Sophie the Giraffe is Phthalate-Free with NO Vinyl (no-PVC) and BPA free 
• Bumpy head helps soothe sore, teething gums.  
• Slender, flexible & soft - babies love manipulating & teething Sophie.
• Hand-made in France, Sophie the Giraffe is a classic!

Our Sophie

Tiffany has been a huge fan of Sophie from the first time she took her out of her box! She loves chewing on Sophie's soft flexible legs and making her squeak! It's amazing just how much fun a little rubber giraffe can be to a one year old! She even has the special privilage of being taken to the cot during bedtime! But the most important thing is that teething has not been such an uncomfortable milestone for us since the arrival of Mademoiselle Sophie.

I must admit, it isn't the cheapest chew toy around (since it is hand-made and hand painted), but the advantages really do outweigh the disadvantages in regards to this timeless creation! Sophie is our hero!

To see more reviews on Sophie the Giraffe or to purchase this lovely teething aid, click on the below link:

Walk this way baby!

Woohoo! Tiffany is finally OFFICIALLY walking on her own as of this week...or, I should say, she has finally gained the courage to walk on her own as of this week! Little miss has been standing up and 'cruising' since she was just 6 months old (she has always been an impatient little thing!) but by no means would she let go and try to walk on her own! So no doubt, I am the happiest mummy on earth this week now that my little cupcake has reached this important milestone!

All excited, I decided the time had come to buy some shoes for my little tot's feet and to finally get her accustomed to walking with shoes on. I must add that, to date, little miss has refused to wear any form shoes for more than 5 seconds! Any attempt to make her wear shoes would always result in her crying hysterically followed by her flinging the pair as far away as she possibly can! She would do the same with her socks too if she didn't have her sock-ons on (marvellous invention)! In fact if I forget to put the sock-on's on her socks she takes them off and not only that, she then hides them.  And don't think she just hides them anywhere, oh noooo, she puts them in places where I wouldn't dream of looking.. I have found socks, under mattresses, under the sofa, in plastic containers in the back of the bottom cupboards. It's just amazing how crafty she can be when she wants to...and she's barely a year old! hmmm

So I've done a bit of reading up on the subject of buying shoes for toddlers, and I was amazed to read so much conflicting information.  However, the majority of paediatricians recommend flexible leather-soled shoes for their flexibility (but preferably non slip socks or barefoot) till the age of 2. So after much deliberation, I bought her the following pair from Pediped.  Aren't they adorable? Now to convince the little miss....

For those interested in reading up on the subject here is a link that might interest you:
http://www.babyzone.com/baby_toddler_preschooler_health/worry/article/are-toddler-shoes-necessary