Me, The Man & The Baby: May 2010

Saturday, 29 May 2010

Are You Born A Writer?

I used to hate writing and I still do..well kind of.. Yes I know what I'm producing right now is writing but I dislike doing it as much as I enjoy it doing it. That probably makes no sense at all so let me explain.

At secondary school English was a subject I dreaded going too , I suppose in a way I found it boring and dull. I would of much rather of been in the ICT suite or in the art room . It wasn't like I struggled with the subject , I was a A* student.
I just didn't enjoy it , I hated the essays and I hated the thinking that I had to do to put to the words onto the paper.

I never found out if I would of got my A* at GCSE English, the thought of having to sit in a room for two hours freaked me out. I skipped the exam and went to a theme park for the day. Somehow I still managed to get a passing grade of C by the coursework alone.

These days I would happily sit for two hours writing , yes it has to be on the laptop and yes it has to be something I want to write about but I am writing , right now as I write this I'm thinking how therapeutic it is just pouring my words into this . I have found this my way of finding motivation for my uni work, making it about me and convincing myself that I am writing it for me , no one else. I always know in my head what I want to say and write but when it comes down to it I can never find the right words/ways to record them into a post.

Writing is growing on me , it's like some kind of food that at first you don't like the taste of but then it grows on you after time.
Seeing such fantastic reactions to some of the stuff I write really helps spur me on, it reassures me that what I produce isn't totally utter crap. There is so much I need to improve on , my grammar , my wording and even the topics I write about but at least I'm now enjoying it for what it is.

Reading back through this post it may not be of any sense to anyone but me, I blame the mountain of washing in the corner of the room that keeps distracting me. I must go shrink it down to a more decent size.

Thursday, 27 May 2010

I Want A Golden Ticket To The MADS!

The MADS are the first ever Mummy & Daddy Blogs awards which are celebrating the best of all those parenting blogs out there.
The winners of the 2010 MADS are going to be revealed at the MAD Awards Ceremony hosted by Butlins in September.

And why am I so desperate to go The MADS Awards Cermony?

I dont want to miss out on the tearful acceptance speeches , the dancing on the tables , the wildness of bloggers under one butlins roof and just the general excitement and buzz that it will create.

I would be so happy to watch some of my favourite blogs/bloggers win awards that they truly deserve.

Bringing Up Charlie , CafeBebe , Notes From Lapland , More Then Just A Mother , Baby Baby , A Mothers Ramblings , Violet Posy and Glowstars are blogs that I have been reading every since I started blogging just over a year ago , These bloggers are like mentors to me. Like Vic who has become a rather good friend of mine now. And then there's new blogs that I have come to read over the year such as New Mummy , Mellow Mummy , Young & Younger , It's A Mummy's Life and Baby Budgeting.

There's many more who reached the finals , check them out here.

It would mean so much to me if I was there in person to see my friends win their awards.

I want a golden ticket!

And if you want a chance to win one of the golden tickets and attend the awards ceremony in September then tweet - I want a Golden Ticket! @The_MADs – http://wp.me/pO1G4-kO #IwanttogototheMADs (1 entry)

Or blog about how the Mads & The Competition like I've just done (5 entries)

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Common Sense (or lack of!)

There's just some parents out there who majorly lack common sense. Now I know I'm not parent of the year , I may often forget to buy nappies leaving my child in a swim nappy ( which I learnt isn't waterproof outside the swimming pool! ) and often give him chocolate and cake but I WOULD NEVER let my child burn.

Reading this article about how a 5 month old baby suffered 20% burns left me sick to the stomach. The article said no arrests have been made , are they crazy? These parents were stupid enough not to take precautions and could of seriously damaged there child.

I know there are some people out there thinking that they might be new parents and just didn't know what to do.
But I think common sense should of kicked in, even I at 21 know the dangers of the sun and Me and Oli never set foot in front of that sun without the approiate protection.
I had Oli out in the garden a couple of day ago, it was boiling hot - not even I could bare the heat. He had no sun hat on as he had lost it as he usually does with anything not tied down , I did put lots of suncream on his scalp through the hair but I still couldn't help but to worry.
I bought him in and switched the TV on , I would much rather have my sun chilling in front of the TV then boiling in front of the sun.

I'm considering getting a gazebo so that Oli can play without me worrying about him. Where were these parents worries when they decided to take there Son to the beach with them?

The boy was naked and had blisters. Even if he had sun cream on he should of been protected from the sun, and if she couldn't afford any of that then she should of kept him inside.

I think she should be charged with neglect because that's what she did , you may say but she's learnt her lesson. But she should of never made that mistake in the first place.

Monday, 24 May 2010

The Baby Show

What better way to spend a Sunday then in a large NEC (Birmingham to be precise) full of air con and every essential baby item that you need right from pregnancy to the toddler years. Add a tweet up with some other bloggers and you have the perfect day out at The Baby Show.

We had Vic stay along with the gorgeous Mr A the night before so our Saturday was filled a BBQ & late night trampolining.

As soon as we entered The Baby Show (after a much needed subway lunch) we bumped into Claire & Luschka . We then met up with Jay who was with little small , who really does have the most gorgeous big brown eyes. We then met BumblingTweets & little Moo and went for drinks & muffins.

Some of the mumpreneurs/companies who we've come to know as friends were also at The Baby Show exhibitioning.

We met Cara from Snoozeshade who I know must of been busy for the whole weekend because the snoozeshade is a must have for every mother to be/parents of young children , I have one myself and you can see my review here.

We met Vicky from Cosatto who tweets you can see , after a few minutes on the stand I fell in love with prams - so cute with vibrant colours , I love prams that make you stand out from the crowd.

I was rather excited to see Annabel Karmel on her stand , so excited that I wondered over without telling anyone where I was going - but they soon found me!
We introduced ourselves and she took the time to talk to us , such a lovely woman. She even signed her for Oli and gave him a pack of fruit crisp which made a rather hot & fed up little boy rather happy.

Fisher Price had some grown up size versions of there baby toys made , Me & Vic tried out the baby bouncer - it actually vibrated too!

It was a great day and we got plenty of freebies - we've somehow ended up with enough fairy to do several months washing.

I cant recommend to you enough if your pregnant or a new parent how useful The Baby Show can be for you. There's plenty of bargains to be had as well stalls about cloth nappies , those baby essentials and even midwives on hand for any advice you may need.

Hotter Shoes

Would it be strange of me to say I've never really had a proper pair of grown up shoes?

My choice of shoes are usually some tattered skate shoes , animal print dolly shoes or flip flops. When I first saw the Hotter Shoes website I could never imagine me wearing a pair of those shoes. I would admit to thinking that the shoes were more for the older generation but then that was before I saw them and tried them on in the flesh.

I got sent these to try out...

What did I think?

I adore them! I dont think I've ever worn a pair of shoes as comfy as these before. Great for both cold/warm weather , went great with jeans and now its summer I've found myself wearing them with shorts/skirts.
The shoes are breathable which is a must have now that the sun has arrived. The comfort is fantastic , it's like your walking on air. The soft footbed makes it feel likes your not wearing any shoes at all , I've not suffered any blisters or tightness like I have with other new shoes.
There's plenty of room for my toes so they dont feel squashed and the shoes have moulded perfectly to my foot shape. You dont need to break these shoes in , ready to wear with comfort as soon as they arrive.

If your looking for a pair of comfortbale shoes then HotterShoes.com is the place to go. They really are Hotter Shoes!

And at the moment there's 10% off your order plus free P&P for all new customers.

Friday, 21 May 2010

Self Discipline

I am useless at disciplining myself. I suppose I always have been if I think about it.

In the past when I was revising for exams I would get bored after just a few minutes in or distracted by a txt from a friend asking if I wanted to hang out.

It's the same now , housework is not a enjoyable task - I know some of you enjoy it & I just think your plain weird! But now I've added studying into that mix.
So as well as making sure the men of the house have clean clothes I have to find time to study.

I know the time is available , there's those nap time slots that last a couple of hours , I know I should use that quiet time to study. But what do I do? I turn the TV on to the programs I like (usually CSI, Jeremy Kyle should of been axed a long time ago!) and I put my feet up and relax. I use it to blog & twitter without being disturbed.

I had to do a couple weeks of studying in one day because I left it to last minute , if I would of been more disciplined then that wouldn't of happened, I could of spread it over that available time I get.

Its not that I'm lazy , if only I could blame it on being lazy. I always find plenty of things to do but never the things that I must do.I have decided that maybe a set diary , like a list of what I should do and when my help me be slightly more organised.

Please reassure me that I'm not the only that's hopeless at self disciplining!

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

Huggies Mummy's Lunch

The lovely crew at Huggies who are sponsoring us for Cybermummy invited us over to a rather posh hotel in London for lunch.

Remember my desperate plea for traveling tips yesterday? Thank You ever so much for all your help/tips. I packed the pram full of toys/snacks/treats and anything else I could find that may entertain a one year old who does not like staying still. The journey there was everything I expected from Oli - Horrid , as soon as we got on the train he screamed to come out of his pram and then ran wild , bumping from seat to seat. When the driver announced we had arrived at Paddington I could of cried with relief!

Eating crisps - we must of got through about 6 packs of mccoys!

Coloring In

It was so exciting to finally meet the Huggies people and some fellow Mummy Bloggers. I came with the wonderful Vic from Glowstars who I met the other week and was kind enough to meet from the train to prevent me getting lost in the middle of London. I met Pippa from A Mother Ramblings , Kelly from A Place Of My Own and Tanya from Bump2Basics and of course there adorable children/babies. We also got to meet Catherine from Baby Genie who stormed in at 2pm declaring she was late, but Me & Vic got to have a drink with her and a great girlie chat.

Me , Catherine & Vic

Lunch was yummy & so was the desert , we were given a manicure - I now have bright pink nails and we also got some fantastic goodie bags , I'm loving the funky notebook - It's way too pretty to write in!

Vic getting a manicure

The journey back was not something I was looking forward too but Oli surprised me , he stayed in his pram for the whole journey back and was even quite playful. We read his books and did some colouring in. Even when I spyed a wet nappy leak (whats it with not having nappy change areas on trains, fold downs don't take up that much room!) there were no complaints from him.

Would of been rude to of gone to London and not bring back some Krispy Kremes!

Was a great day , Thanks Huggies & Thanks ladies!

Monday, 17 May 2010

Traveling With Toddlers

I really wanted to call this post traveling with babies, but I'm kinda coming to terms with my baby now being a toddler.

Now this post isn't containing helpful traveling with toddlers tips - sorry if that's the reason your here and I've disappointed you!!

It's me asking you for help , now I rarely travel with Oli other then in the car. That's a mission in itself but at least he's strapped in. Tomorrow Me & Him are traveling to London via train/tube.
Now I've been on a train before with Oli to London , not something I wanted to experience again in a hurry but I do have faith that this time will be ok as we have only one train to catch which goes from our station straight to London Paddington. But last time he was still my little baby and didn't really want to leave his pushchair.
But now he's found his feet, it's a whole different story!
I just know that when we get on that train he's going to want to get out of his pushchair and explore.

Always on the move!

Now it's a moving train and as much as I let him run wild in shops to avoid the aggro I dont want him to hurt him self/bug the other passengers.
But then I don't want to deal with him screaming and crying for the whole of the journey.
Seeing as he's going to be on the train more less straight after he wakes up I doubt he will want to nap.

I will of course load his Maclaren up with as many toys/snacks I can fill it with but he gets bored easily, I was pass him a toy and he will only play with it for a few minutes.
And I will of course let him stand against the window but then what do I do when he gets bored of that, cue screaming/crying because he wants to move around.

Dont let that sweet innocent face fool you!

I know its not quite a 10 hour plane ride but I bet these 2 and a half hours will seem like the longest 2 and a half hours of my life! Help!

Sunday, 16 May 2010

The Coolfan

The cool fan is the perfect way to cool children's food quickly & hygienically , why blow on the food and risk transferring bacteria across when you can simple use the coolfan.

We used it today at lunchtime when we had pasta bolgonese , I dished Oli's up first and then put it straight under the coolfan and switched it on.
I then continued to serve ours up on plates , I gave Oli's a quick stir in between and then continued on to get cutlery, sauces..etc..
By the time ours was ready , Oli's was at the right temperature for him which meant he was able to eat at the same time as us.

It has a great open design which easily allows you to fit any plate/bowl underneath and stir it which can decrease the cooling time.

The fan is made with soft blaes so it wont hurt little fingers , which is good as Oli was curious to what it was and wanted to have a little play. When those 'picky with food' days come we could use this to help encourage him to cool his own food before eating it.

We think it's a great little invention and will be put to good use in this house.

The coolfan is able in four fun designs (we have the blue one which has been nicknamed Bob by the boys!) and is currently available at a introductory price of £7.99 which includes batteries!

You can get yours from www.coolfans.co.uk

Are You Sleeping With Your Blackberry?

I might as well be sleeping with my mobile , It's the last thing I look at before going to bed but then it's also the first thing I look at when I wake up.

What am I looking for exactly?

Am I hoping it give me the answer to all those unanswered questions/miracle cure too all illness's?

Well I'm not , I am just feeding my social networking addiction. I admit now that I am somewhat addicted to twittering/blogging/other social networks – who isn't now a days?

But I do know how to control my addiction, I know who & what comes first. I will happily give Oli attention over my blackberry/laptop and so I should. It's my responsibility as his Mother and I don't want him to grow up thinking I loved my other 'babies' more then him.

Today's world is slowly being dominated by social networking and the world wide web. When I left school facebook was just slowly rising in popularity. Myspace/Faceparty were more popular and the place to be on the web. But things changed, more & more people got a facebook and today it is the place to arrange those last minute drinks and parties. It is replacing the birthday card , why go to the effort of buying/sending a card when at the click of the button you can say happy birthday.

People are using it to arrange Christenings/Birthday Parties – both of which I have been invited to via facebook. I'm not saying I agree with this , I'm still a traditional girl and would much rather send a personalized birthday card/invitation then use the cyberworld too. But it is the way the world is going. The last general election we could send in postal votes , it wont surprise me if come the next election we could do it online.

Blackberry's/iphones are helping us to take this addition out of the comfort of our living rooms/offices and into the real world. You can sit in a coffee shop and twitter away , yes this can be done with a laptop but then can you walk down the road whilst browsing the shops and twitter – No you cant do that with a laptop.

Are laptops going to one day be what cassette are too my time? Almost extinct? With the launch of the ipad and these phones that can pretty much do anything the laptop can will we still need them?

When I go on holiday I wont need to miss my laptop/PC as my blackberry can do what they can. I can take & share photos at the click of the button , check & send emails , check my social networks and of course make calls. But is calling on its way out? What would you rather do – send a quick email/tweet or phone. I shamefully would rather send a email or use twitter. Has being behind the computer for so long made me shy and forget how to talk on the phone? Probably.

Do you think social networking is becoming more a negative or a positive change in our lives & future and are you sleeping with your blackberry?

Saturday, 15 May 2010

Gender Disappointment

There was a article in The Telegraph the other day about gender disappointment and I just wanted to share my thoughts on it.

You know when you were younger and talked about future babies , did you talk about them as if you knew what sex you wanted? My friends did, I remember them all talking about how they would love little girls. I used to think they said this as they were girls themselves and the thought of dressing them up/styling there hair appealed them more then dressing a boy.

Me on the other hand wasn't really fussed by what sex my baby was going to be in the future, and I still had that attitude when I became pregnant. I didn't mind one bit if it was a girl or boy, all that mattered was that the baby was healthy.

At the 20week scan I was ecstatic to find out we were having a boy. My mother who some how tagged along wasn't. She made it clear from the moment she found out she was having a grandchild that she would like to be a girl. When Me & the other half came out of the room and announced it was a boy , her reaction was 'oh' . Not I'm happy for you, just 'oh' , her disappointment was clear by what she said and how she said it. So as I found out its not just parents that can be disappointed with the sex , it can also be other family members.

I often joke to the other half that we will carry on until we have one of each sex. But am I joking? If I had 3 boys would I really want to try again and pray its a girl? I say now that the sex doesn't matter and even with the second what I don't mind but will I be bothered by it the third time. I would love for the second baby to be a boy, but I think I'm saying that because we are already set up for a boy. There's not a thing of Oli's that we didn't keep!

What about you? Did you want a certain sex? Does your attitude change when you already have 2 boys and then want a third – do you wish that to be a girl?

Friday, 14 May 2010

Natural Beauty

A lovely Mummy blogger over in Australia has come up with Bloggers without makeup day , where we show the real us. The us that are not plastered in make up or hiding who we really are.

Read more about her fantastic idea here.

Now I'm not usually a makeup person , I dont have that thing where every morning I apply it. I do cover my face in foundation if there is even the odd tiny spot (which is most days!) .
I do wear it on nights out or if we are going anywhere nice - weddings, christenings, etc..
I dont wear lippy but I do smother my lips in pinky vaseline so maybe I am kinda conscious about my face and how it looks and I do need that vaseline/foundation to keep my confidence.

Want to see me make up free/natural morning face , well here it is.

Please excuse my dressing gown , I know it's 10am but I will get dressed and showered (see the greasy hair!) as soon as Oli naps!

So are you going to join in the Bloggers without make up day?

Add your link over at Mummy Mayhem

There's even a funky twitter hashtag for it -

Thursday, 13 May 2010

TidyTray

Have you ever gone to put your children in a highchair and realized it was filthy?

Wasted baby wipes trying to scrub clean the high chair surface?

Well there's a solution to that in the form of the Tidy Tray

We tested it out at our local family pub , It's quite a biggish busy pub and as many highchairs as there is , they get cleaned as much as they should. We could end up with a highchair which has just been used by some kid which has made it sticky & grubby. I know it cant be helped , and like me sometimes I leave highchairs in that state as it is wasting baby wipes.
Well out comes the tidy tray , pops straight over the tray of the highchair and covers it.

It creates a clean , safe eating surface for your child.

Oli happily eats straight off it, he likes the fact there's a little side storage for his bottle to go into. Handy for Mummy too as there's bottle being chucked on the floor repeatably!

Mummy also likes how small it folds up , easy to store in her handbag or the changing bag.

Like the BabyBornFree bottles I reviewed the other day, the tidy tray is also BPA/Lead/Phthalate free. So your child isn't being exposed to any nasty chemicals.

And want to know why I've been using it everyday on Oli's highchair as well as when we're eating out - I don't have to waste time scrubbing it down after! I just stick it in the washing machine at 30c or in the sink to soak.

You can buy your Tidy Tray from http://www.tidy-trays.co.uk/

Find them on twitter here -

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

The Toddler Years

It seems Oli has now made the transition from Baby into Toddler and it already seems to be a mission. These next couple of years should come with a manual because I know I'm going to need one. The strops and the attitude have already become unbearable.

How do they learn to have a attitude? Is is it something every baby has inserted into there brain at birth 'a naughty chip'.

The crying has changed , those desperate I want milk/nappy change cries have gone and have been replaced with 'I cant get what I want' so I'm going to cry about it. He seems to cry every time a door/stair gate is shut, I have to save putting any rubbish out until he's out of sight otherwise he gets upset.

I was hoping that I could get away with not childproofing the cupboards and that he would learn that no means no and that they are out of bounds. I was wrong! cupboard locks have been added to our never ending ikea wish list.

Its great that he's now walking, but he does want to walk everywhere. I will be pushing him out in his pram and he would scream to get out because he wants to walk with me. Which is sweet but how do I juggle a pram in one hand and a child in another?

He's also taking to biting and pulling hair , I was hoping the biting was just down to teething but am I making up excuse for something that could potentially become a big problem in the next year? And the hair pulling, am I just passing it off as phrases or should I be looking into do something now about it , I do tell him off and do say no - but when does no stop being enough?

If you have any tips/secrets on how you survived/is surviving the toddler years, please share!

Must go , he's trying to stick his book into the DVD player...

Monday, 10 May 2010

Little Blue Lines

When a lovely friend of mine asked if she could guest post on my blog , I could not say no! especially after reading her post, I look forward to passing your comments on to her.

Firstly thanks to Emma , who you all know as MeTheManAndBaby for letting me guest post - I've never done this before!

Its that time of the month again.....

....in the world of a girl trying to get pregnant.

I've woken today, after promising myself that I wouldn't do a pregnancy test until Friday , as that will be the 32nd day of my cycle, really, really wanting to do a test. You know, I've never ever ever taken much notice of my cycle, but now I know it as much you could anything. Its crazy really, isn't it?

I mustn't though - I've had the heartache far too many times of doing this & it being a negative result. This time I feel different though, we've been trying SO much (too much information? - sorry!) & I really want it to happen this month.

The choices;

If I do a test, and its positive, I shall be elated - but would I be able to tell my husband - I promised him this time I wouldn't do it.
If I do a test and its negative, I will be kicking myself for not waiting and will safe myself heartache today, but will still get it when my period arrives.

When you were trying to get pregnant, did you early test, or were you more patient?

I am such a patient person, normally - what is it about babies that make you (or, well me!) like this?! Its ridiculous.

I just don't know what I want to do! Hoping I'll see two little blue lines soon though!

Baby Born Free

Bornfree are bottles, cups & accessories that are totally free from of the potentially dangerous chemicals Bisphenol-A (BPA), Phthalates and PVC.

I lifted this from when the BabyBornFree website so you can know exactly what BPA is : BPA is a known estrogen mimicker that is used in the production of polycarbonate plastic. According to researchers, BPA may cause developmental and neurological problems if it leaches from plastic. Reports suggest that small amounts of BPA may leach into food or beverages stored in polycarbonate containers, especially when the contents are heated.

We got sent some BPA free bottles to try out as well as a BornFree trainer cup. Now Oli has turned one but he's not ready to come off the bottles just yet , he still likes to have his bottle of milk every few hours and it would be evil of me to take that comfort from his just yet.

But I'm happy to say I am no longer being evil by giving him those plastic bottle which contain potential dangerous chemicals. It wasn't until I looked more into BabyBornFree before this review that I really knew the dangers of baby bottles out there.

I have noticed a difference with these bottles compared to Oli's old bottles - he doesn't seem to have to suck as hard to get his milk, the flow is just perfect for him.

The training cup has been great for his squash/water , I like the funky orange colour as it helps me to find it amongst his pile of toys. I have started to introduce his milk to him via this cup in the hope I can start to slowly make that transition from baby bottle to cup. The flow from this cup is just as great as the flow from the bottles, easy & smooth. It doesn't spill which is a great feature , there's various cups out there that claim to be non-spill but they do. It's easy to clean and safe to put in the dishwasher.

Added bonus to these bottles/cups is that they have a unique BornFree venting system which was designed to reduce colic and ear infections.

Its a great feeling knowing that I'm doing right for Oli by giving him his everyday essentials via a safe BabyBornFree system.

You can buy these bottles/cups/accessories direct from the BabyBornFree website at www.babybornfree.co.uk

Sunday, 9 May 2010

Online Friends

Me & the man got into a conversation the other night about online friends , and it made me think about how I do actually have online friends and how they are as close to me as any friend can be.

I consider the twittersphere/blogosphere to be my family, as sad as that sounds its true. Apart from one close friend and Jon's family I really dont have anyone else who I can talk too or go to if I was to have a problem.

You may think I need to get out more, I do so dont worry! ;)

I would say if it wasn't for my twitter/blogging friends being at the other end when Oli was born I might of slipped into a state of depression, possibly suffering with PMT.
There was always someone online who would help with a problem or just say a few words which comforted me.
When I had Oli I has just moved to this town a month before so it wasn't like I had any friends other then Jonny's or knew any pregnant/new mums.
So having people there for me at the click of a button meant so much to me.

A year on and this hasn't changed , I consider twitter/blogs or emailing someone my first point of call when I have a problem or just need a few wise words.
Only yesterday I needed the help of a Mummy figure just to talk too and to see if my problem was normal or what to do. Within seconds of asking I had some fantastic Ladies offering me there help and putting me to ease.

Some of you may have friend/family at the end of a telephone you can talk too, I dont have a phonebook choc full of people like that but I do I have my online friends who I can tweet/email. And I know if I was to ever need a friend to talk to via phone these ladies would happily let me.

A few years ago I would of laughed at anyone that talked about online friends in the way that I had , but times are changing. The increased popularity of sites such as facebook and twitter are helping to keep friendships alive , make new friendships and keep in touch with them on a daily basis.

Thank You for being there for me!

xxx

Friday, 7 May 2010

The Baby Show - NEC Birmingham , 21st -23rd May.

If you're expecting, a new mother or even a mother with a toddler then The Baby Show is perfect for you.

It has everything you need under one roof, from prams to potty's. What makes it even more fantastic is that you benefit from show prices, much cheaper then Internet prices.

I went to the show back in February when it was in London, Oli was 10 month's and I found it just as useful as if he was a newborn. I talked to Midwives & Health Visitor's about Oli's eating/sleeping. We tried out new prams from Stokke & Britax . so I can say from personal experience that The Baby Show is a fantastic day out/experience.

You get to see some fabulous exhibitors some of whom are Mothers who created products to make our job as a parent easier , examples being the Snoozeshade & Mamascarf who both will be at The Baby Show.

There's plenty to keep you entertained over the weekend - baby and maternity fashion shows, Face of The Baby Show competition , cooking demonstrations and even play zones so the babies/kids will not get bored.

On the Friday 21st May , Katie Price will be there revealing her new baby range KP Baby and taking part in a Q&A session on stage.

The Baby Show takes place at the NEC in Birmingham between 21 - 23 May 2010 , opening at 9.30am and closing at 5.00pm daily.
See You There!

Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Do You Save?

Do you save? I dont & it's dawned on me that now I have a family of my own , it would be the perfect time to open up a savings account and start to put aside for our future.

Spare money recently has been going on treats such as games & take aways , but instead why dont we put that money in an account for those future expenses. One day we'll be getting married , we should be planning ahead now and start saving.

And what about Oli's future?

He's going to be at school before I know it & then hopefully University , that wont come cheap and what about a car for his 18th birthday?
If I was to start putting money aside now I can make these future plans a possibility.

Tips for saving money - which can help both me & you save for the future.

Do you drink/smoke? How about cutting this habit down , think about how your be helping your health as well as those extra pennies your be putting aside.

Sucker for late fees? Are you like me and constantly forgetting to take library books/rented DVDs back on time and getting fined for it? Well remember - set a alarm on your mobile! Those fines add up!

Do you shop at full price? Check out those bargain bins! Sales are a fantastic way to get things you need at a much lower price.

Taking the car to that shop just around the corner? walk because you know its good for you & your saving petrol , as well as the environment!

Going on holiday? Either book early or last minute to get the best deals & shop around for them.

Huge food shopping bill? Make a shopping list & only buy those essentials that you actually need.

Ready Meal fan? Bin them! So much cheaper to buy & prepare your own meals.

Utility bills through the roof? Check online to see if you can better deals elsewhere.

Open a savings account! Your be thankful for doing it when the future comes along.

This was a sponsored post.

Tuesday, 4 May 2010

Where Has My Baby Gone?

I've just realized its been a while since I blogged about Oli and his progress , So I thought I would bring you a little update. Well he turned One last month and is now nearly 13 month's , he can walk everywhere and is almost running.

He has favorite TV programs now such as Postman Pat , Dora & Little Einsteins.

He got his first pair of clarks shoes..

He has his hobbies which consist of swimming & kicking a ball around the park with Daddy.

He's big enough to roam the softplay area by himself..

His favorite foods are Curry , Chilli & Spag Bol - Just like his Mummy!

He has learnt how to be funny , he knows how to turn his bottle into a water pistol so that it squirts milk everywhere & here he is blowing raspberries onto his hand...

He has a attitude and knows how to use it , He screams & pulls a paddy if you shut a door or a stair gate stopping him from going somewhere.

He knows how to drink from a glass , in this photo he had just downed a glass of Mummy's coke why she popped to the toilet!

He finally has hair and it seems to be growing into a mullet! He.s turning into the typical man, he giggles when he farts & has rather smelly feet.

Where has my baby gone?

Monday, 3 May 2010

EZ combs

I got sent a EZ comb by Fuel My Blog to try out & review for JML

It's a product for the ladies of the house even though the man in my house had a good attempt at inserting it into his hair! The Ez comb is one clip which can give you 8 do's, it's simple and effortless but leave you with a great hair style.

This was my first attempt at inserting it into my hair and I'm quite pleased at how well I managed to do it. It was simple to pull my hair into place and insert the EZcomb at the same time. It's comfy to wear and doesn't dig into your head if you lie on it.

It's perfect to use under a bike/horse riding helmet or when your out on a run which is what I plan on using it for. It works on all hair types so it doesn't matter if your curly or straight , it will still work! It's a pretty design and is just right to wear either formerly or out on the town.

It comes with 2 in a pack in either a black & sandalwood or bronze & silver colour. Like all JML products it comes with simple to follow instructions , the EZ comb also has a online demonstration video which will show & explain how to do the many different styles.

Sunday, 2 May 2010

My Different Characters

When Kate from What Katie's Kids Did Next..! tweeted this earlier on today it got me thinking about how many characters I am actually portraying.

There's the shopper , as much as I like shopping the constant food shopping with the horrendous bill at the end of it , it is a shock to the system. The busy supermarkets with children screaming , people barging trolleys into you and your child refusing to stay in his trolley - It's a living nightmare. Then at the end of all that and you finally have the shopping in the trolley after fighting with your Other Half about what make of bread you want there's the scanning and packing. I'm exhausted by the time I get home.

There's never a job done when your a cleaner , constantly hoovering/mopping/polishing/scrubbing and what your not doing that your in housewifey mode. The pile of washing up that gets added to with each meal, the clothes pile that can be compared to Mount Everest and is only getting higher needs to be sorted into colours/whites and then put into the washing machine - but even when that's done your having to drag it into the tumble dryer/on to the line.

Being a Cook is one mode that I seem to always be in , no sooner have I got breakfast cooked , along comes lunch and as soon as I got that out the way along comes teatime. That food I bought is soon cooked & eaten and then the plates are sat there ready to be washed up - it's all a vicious circle!

I've recently added Student to this forever growing list , I have been meaning to cancel my course in the hunt for a job but I have decided that full time just wouldn't be for me just yet so I hope to find a part time job so that I can continue to be a student with the OU. My course officially started yesterday , I have already read 100 pages and forgotten already what it said #studentfail.

And lastly Mother , the one character that I wouldn't change for all the money in the world. This is one job no matter how tired & worn out I am from all the other jobs I will still put 100% into. Being a Mother isn't one that cant wait/be put aside. It's there all the time from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed, or like me in the middle of the night for that feed.

Your on the front line with this job , your a Mother in public and in private . Your a Mother 24/7.

What different characters do you have to be?

Cherizena Sticky Gingerbread Flavoured Coffee

Hands up , who likes coffee?

So that's like a hundred hands.. including you over there shaking because you have not had your coffee fill yet today.. Yes! I mentioned coffee!

Coffee specialists Cherizena have launched a a new sticky gingerbread flavoured coffee.

Created from Columbian coffee beans infused with sticky gingerbread flavour, with a sweet and spicy aroma, the new variety of coffee is available as beans or ground, and as decaffeinated or regular coffee.

This is perfect for any coffee fan , which I consider myself to be after after living off coffee ever morning since becoming a mother. Adding flavour to your coffee is a perfect way to spice up your morning/days & evenings.

As soon as we received it in the post the room was filled with this amazing gingerbread coffee aroma , couldn't wait to get the kettle on!

It tasted as good as it smelt , my taste buds were hit with this warming gingerbread flavour. It wasn't too sweet but then it wasn't too heavy. I could happily drink this everyday with a mid morning cake.

Sticky Gingerbread Coffee is priced £3 for a 125g pack from www.cherizena.co.uk

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