Piano, Rugby and Healthy Chocolate Spread

One of my favourite ways to entertain the babies is to play the piano to them. I play for myself every day, which they sometimes enjoy, sometimes join in with, and applaud as frequently as they scream in protest. But when I play nursery rhymes and tunes they know it is so rewarding when they show recognition at a tune and sing or dance along. Boy is finally at the stage where he can make requests too. For a long time I used to have to play the first few bars of song after song while he shouted NO! until I reached whichever one he wanted. Which could be anything from The Wheels on the Bus to The Entertainer. Now he can actually name the song he wants, which makes the whole process much more rewarding.

We worked our way through a bunch of In the Night Garden songs, the Waybuloo theme, Baa Baa Black Sheep and Frere Jacques. I finally stopped midway through Row Your Boat when I realised Girl was not squealing in delight, but squealing for help as Boy was "rowing" her rather over enthusiastically around the room. So if you do play any instrument, however badly, remember to put away the Bach now and again and see if you can pick out some nursery tunes for your wee ones. I love to let them have a bash too when they want to, and if I don't applaud con brio I am soon put in my place.

This afternoon B and I sat down to watch Scotland play France in the Six Nations rugby tournament. Though Scotland lost the game, and I lost my ever hopeful bet at the bookies, the game was eventful enough for Boy and Girl to both get the hang of shouting, cheering and clapping. Boy even clutched his hair in mock dismay when a young Scottish player grabbed a fine opportunity only to be denied by a gigantic French Ent. But the big grin and lack of genuine woe on his face betrayed the parrot fashion of his actions. Spending an hour and a half this way is quite eventful for our family, since this is the most exposure the babies are ever likely to get of TV sport. Unless Yojojo pretending to be a carrot and chanting om counts.

Today was also unusually successful food-wise. Boy finally asked for a beetroot biscuit after he realised that Girl had almost made her way through the entire batch. He even ate the whole thing. I also whipped together a genius home-made dairy free no-added-sugar chocolate spread recipe that I stole from Dr Oz:

Six medjool dates, half an avocado and four level tablespoons of cocoa powder, plus a little water to thin. Zapped with the hand blender, it looks like nutella, tastes really, really sweet and presto! Boy is eating dates and avocado! I scooped it into a pot and gave him the jug and a spoon to scrape it with. He was in seventh heaven and has been in a fantastic mood ever since. He even ate all his dinner, no fuss. There was a mild panic when we thought his toe was bleeding in the bath, but it turned out to be chocolate.

So despite losing a fiver I'd say all in all, today was a winner.

Vegetable Dog Treats for Fussy Boys

Just a quickie tonight as I am wrecked (said the mammy to the daddy...)

I went all Nigella and cooked up some beetroot biscuits in a desperate attempt to get some veggies (and therefore vitamins) down Boy's throat. I boiled up my own beets but you can use the ready cooked kind (not pickled!). You could also replace the beets with carrots, spinach or courgette for different colours and flavours.

The recipe (adapted from Annabel Karmel and www.weelicious.com):

Mix together a cup of plain flour with a teaspoon of baking powder, a small handful of grated cheese and a pinch of salt. Mix in one grated beetroot (I used a zester for a really fine shred) and two tablespoons of sunflower oil. Knead to a dough, adding a little water from the beets if needed to moisten it up. Roll out and cut into bite sized pieces. You could easily use a biscuit cutter for fancy shapes. Throw into a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes at a high heat.

I was quite pleased with the result until my friend came over for lunch and asked why I had made dog treats.

Later, Boy took one bite and looked like I'd poisoned him. I think he was expecting strawberry flavour because of the colour. However when Girl munched hers noisily in front of him he came back for another sniff, so I think I will try him again with these tomorrow.

He only has to eat 20 of them for one of his five-a-day. I should be on the food network channel.