It's been a fun-packed week for the adorable Ella Jordan, who had her first-ever trip to a farm with her parents, former Strictly Come Dancing stars Ola and James.
In their new column for HELLO!, the couple tell us all about their family day out, Ella's favourite animals and how James even got into a chat about breastfeeding with other mums!
We also hear about their daughter's latest milestone (it involves food), her sweet bond with her grandma and how little Ella is in a clingy phase right now. "We can't even go to the toilet without Ella crying," says James. "She comes with us," adds Ola.
MORE: Baby Ella is adorable on first shopping trip with parents James and Ola Jordan - exclusive video
WATCH: Ella's first trip to a farm
There was also a worrying accident in the Jordan household when Ella fell and hurt her face, getting a nose bleed just before we spoke on the phone. The 14-month-old had stood in her potty, wobbled then fallen face-first onto the tiled floor.
"She's fine now and having a cuddle," James told us. "She's got a bloody nose and a massive bump on her head. She slipped and didn't have time to put her hands out."
"It's the shock more than anything," says Ola. "It's quite scary seeing your baby with blood coming out of her nose."
Oh, poor Ella! We're glad to hear she is ok now. Parents up and down the country will know just how it feels when your little one injures themselves.
MORE: James and Ola Jordan emotional as daughter Ella attends first baby class
Ella's trip to the farm
Now that we're coming out of lockdown, James and Ola are keen for Ella to experience lots of new outings, and a farm trip was top of the list. In the last three weeks, their little girl has joined her first baby class and gone shopping!
"She loved it," says James. "It's somewhere very local. It's not like a proper zoo or anything – it's a local farm." Ola teases him, laughing: "They don't have pigs in the zoo, James."
Ella meeting a lamb during her trip to the farm
Ola adds: "We'd never been anywhere like this before. It was quite nice weather so we thought we'd go. The first animals we saw were the pigs but Ella wasn't that interested. Then she saw a lamb close up and she was like, 'Ooh, what's this?'
James tells us: "She tried to stroke the animals, but me being me… they're animals at the end of the day and she has little fingers. She wasn't nervous about stroking them which is good. But, I mean, I don't trust dogs – as much as I love dogs, it takes one second with a child, so I'm a little bit cautious around animals and babies. She really liked meerkats and the chicks."
We ask if Ella was scared around any of the animals, it being her first farm visit. "No, not as much as mummy and daddy!" reveals James. "I think we were more scared of the animals weren't we Ola?"
Ola tells us: "Ella loves the freedom. She just loves walking around. There was a green where people were sitting and eating and she was coming up to all the people. She wasn't worried about walking away from mummy and daddy. She just loves being out."
MORE: Ola Jordan gushes over 'unbreakable bond' with husband James after becoming parents
© Photo: InstagramElla and mum sharing a sweet moment together
The couple are really looking forward to taking Ella to restaurants when lockdown eases further on 17 May.
Ola explains: "With the weather, it's still difficult to go for lunch with Ella because you don't know if it's going to rain. I'm looking forward to the restaurants opening so I can take her for a meal. I want her to get used to that restaurant life, eat, sit by the table, because she's not used to that yet."
James gets into a breastfeeding discussion
It's not what you'd expect to happen, but James found himself in the middle of a chat about breastfeeding at the park this week.
He says: "The funniest thing that happened this week was we started talking to these other two mums with their children and got on the topic of breastfeeding.
"This one mum started saying, 'Oh I was really worried because I didn't breastfeed my little girl, I really tried,' so I started talking about the pressure that women are under."
Ola comments: "I'm like, look at you, the expert now!" and James replies: "I felt sorry for her because it seemed like she'd put herself under an immense amount of pressure that she didn't breastfeed. I said, 'Well some people can't, that's a biological fact'. They say breast is best but if you physically can't do it, you can't put yourself under that pressure - and women shouldn't put other women under that pressure either."
It's great to hear a man sticking up for us ladies! We so rarely hear guys speak about the issue in public.
MORE: Ola Jordan reveals pandemic heartache many mums will relate to
© Photo: InstagramElla looking adorable in her bedroom
Celebrating grandma's birthday
This week saw the family visit James' mum for her birthday, her first since his father passed away.
Baby Ella with her grandma
James says: "We went to see my mum for my birthday and all had a lovely time together. My dad was massively missed by all of us but it was so nice to get together."
James also told us how Ella and his mum have a lovely relationship. "Oh it's amazing," he says. "If I facetime my mum, Ella literally runs and takes the phone and starts kissing the phone, which is really cute. They're very close."
Ella's latest milestone
Ola tells us how her daughter is getting more and more into her food. "I'd say she's enjoying more food now. She has a big bowl of porridge with fruit in the morning. She wasn't into bread before but is now.
"It's the different textures… with harder food, she doesn't like it. She can't be bothered to chew a bit of chicken in her mouth for example. She wants the food to be soft. Her favourite foods are pasta, cheese sandwich, still spaghetti Bolognese."
The couple also reveal a funny episode from this week concerning McDonald's.
Ola revealed: "We stopped at McDonald's the other day – very naughty I know – and Ella was sitting in her car seat and I gave her a chip and she didn't even want to try it, she just chucked it! I was like, 'Really, you don't want a chip?' I gave her another one and she still didn't want a chip and chucked it! So she is not a fan of McDonald's, I can tell you that."
Thinking about couple time
Due to lockdown and being with mum and dad 24/7, Ella has understandably got a little clingy with her parents.
"The problem with lockdown," says James, "Is because we've been with Ella all the time and haven't been working, as soon as we disappear, she has a proper meltdown."
Ola and James are planning to gradually get Ella more used to them going out, as so far, they haven't left her with anyone for very long.
© Photo: Getty ImagesFormer Strictly dance professionals Ola and James
James tells us: "I started running a couple of months before my dad died, just to help clear my head, and I said to Ola, 'It would be nice like the old days if we could go running together'. I said, 'Let's drop Ella at your sister's for half an hour'.
"Her sister is really good with children, has had two herself and we said, 'She's going to cry but don't call us unless she is absolutely uncontrollably hysterical.
"We got about four minutes away down the road and her sister called and went, 'Look, you've got to come back, she's a mess'. So I had to run back. As soon as I walked in the door she immediately stopped." We feel their pain!
"We always said if we had children we'd find time to have our own time," explains Ola.
James agrees: "Yes, we need to start doing that more. Leaving her for five minutes, ten minutes and keep going back. We do need to do that otherwise it's going to be really hard for us."
RELATED: Ola Jordan unveils stunning post-lockdown hair transformation
