Baba and Boo - New Collection Review

We are still a proud household of real nappy users, and with another little person on the way, any extra money we can save is very important.  It won't be long until I have two little bums to change and I am using this as an excuse to increase my collection of beautiful fluff.

Baba and Boo are releasing a new collection of nappies as we speak and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to try them out!  Dylan was sent this gorgeous frog nappy in blue and green and he has been wearing it with pride these last few days.  The nappy has everything you would expect from Baba and Boo - great quality, simple pocket design and enough poppers to make the nappy truly birth to potty.  The design however is even more funky than their originals and we have taken this opportunity to teach the little dude a new word - Frog

We are really impressed with the nappy, as is Dylan, and it won't be long now until we can popper it down and put it on Squish!  I am adding the lovely yellow Fox nappy to my wishlist for now as I think it would be great to show off in the summer months.  Check out the gorgeous new Baba and Boo Nappies on their website now.

Disclaimer:  We were sent this nappy for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dylan's New Nursery

Moving house has taken a lot longer than it did last time and I am inclined to blame the 15 month old who has a rather different idea of unpacking boxes!  I am proud to say that one room in the house is now 'done' though and hopefully the rest of it is not far behind.  

Dylan's new nursery is bigger than his last one and was painted a dark shade of brown when we moved in.  Although the colour was lovely, all of his furniture is white, grey and light blue and so we decided to paint the walls before settling him in there.  At our last house, I spent a long time dreaming up my perfect nursery and lovingly cut out wallpaper shapes for a feature wall, matching the carpet and paint and designing the whole room around this wallpaper.

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Christmas with John Lewis (SP)

One of the first signs that the festive season is on it's way, is the iconic adverts that take over our TV screens.  From the traditional Coca Cola, to the mum-friendly supermarket chains, they can't help but put you in a Christmas-y mood.  John Lewis stole the show with their moving Christmas advert last year and have not disappointed this year either.

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Kiddy City'N'Move Review

When the Kiddy City'n' Move Stroller arrived, I had high hopes for it.  We have already reviewed the Kiddy Phoenix Pro car seat and were so impressed with it, and I was hoping that the stroller would be similarly functional, innovative and unique.

I was not disappointed and I have to admit that this may just be my new favourite pushchair.  The City'n' Move is easy to put together, lightweight and comes with all the advantages of your average stroller - umbrella fold, easy to manoeuvre, quick to put up and down.  The difference is though, that it also comes with the benefits a travel system might have. 

 The basket is large and spacious, and although the cross bar seems to cut through it, I found this great for storing a blanket and the raincover underneath, and the bags on top.  The stroller has a bumper bar, which does not need to be removed for folding, and Dylan loves

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Pregnancy the Second Time Around

Being pregnant for the first time is an exciting and nervous experience.  I remember reading blogs and watching pregnancy vlogs on a daily basis and I could always tell you exactly how big baby was, what stage in development he was at and anything else you may possibly want to know.  I became a pregnancy geek, with a bookcase full of information and always looking for an excuse to discuss the amazing feats my body was capable of.

During my first pregnancy, I spent every day admiring my growing bump.  I sat there with my hands on my bare belly feeling the little dude kick and spent hours in the bath chatting and bonding with my unborn child.  I planned colour schemes for the nursery, researched the meanings of names I liked and made list upon list of things we would need, things we might want, luxuries, essentials and brands I had heard good things about.  Every purchase was well thought out and every decision very conscious.

With my first pregnancy, I was incredibly cautious, never lifting anything above the recommended 5kg limit, never eating blue cheese or pate, never doing anything that may be on a 'forbidden' list.  I was adamant that I would do pregnancy perfectly and follow the text book.

My first pregnancy has given me a gorgeous little boy and I loved every single second of it.  The second time around though, I haven the very same little boy along on the journey, and things are going rather differently!

This time, I

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The Wonderful World of a Toddler

There is something magical about those precious newborn days and I treasured each and every milky snuggle and windy smile, but right now I am loving the wonderful world of toddlers.

As a baby, I impatiently awaited the next milestone, and for Dylan to learn a new skill or 'trick'.  Nowadays, he is surprising me every day with how much he picks up and how well he learns.  No two days are the same, and his cheeky personality is shining through more all the time.

It was only three short months ago that he sat immobile and played with his toys.  Now his days are spent exploring and he only sits still to eat or sleep.  He toddles from room to room, rearranging the house and finding the greatest pleasures in the simplest of things.  a plastic bottle or empty box can bring hours of entertainment, and one man's rubbish is clearly another's treasure!  Our new house has given him more freedom and space and he can

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Lollipop Lane Stroller Review

You may have seen that Lollipop Lane have a secret. . .  Well I was privileged to be one of the first to know about it and now it is out, I can tell you more. Lollipop Lane have developed their very own range of strollers in their signature style and we are in love with the gorgeous colours!  As a matter of fact, as I write this, Dylan is fast asleep in his right next to me and has been for the last 2 hours, which is a testament to how comfortable they are!

We have the stroller in 'Harbour' and have been putting it to the test these last couple of weeks.

When the stroller arrived, I put it together

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26 Weeks Pregnant

The weeks seem to be flying by and I really don't feel ready for another baby yet so I am hoping that things start slowing down now and that Squish is happy to wait out another 12 weeks at least in my tummy.  Bump growth is definitely slowed although when I look at pictures from my last pregnancy I think they are very similarly sized for the same stage.

On the Inside

I am pretty sure this baby is

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Joovy Ergo Caboose - An Introduction (Review)

Whenever I hear of a new pushchair company entering the UK market I am immediately interested. As a non-driver I find I get very excited over the only sets of wheels I can take for a spin. At the baby show I discovered Joovy – an American company who make double and triple pushchairs with a unique design. Many of their pushchairs have built in buggy boards, perfect for toddlers who can mostly walk, but need a secure place to stand on long journeys and when they get tired.

Joovy have sent us an Ergo Caboose in preparation for the arrival of Mr Squish in the new year and we have been testing it out with only the one child as I get the feeling that navigating the world with a double will be very different to the singles I am used to.

The Ergo Caboose has a front seat with two seat positions, and a small parent facing back seat which can be tucked in and leaves a large toddler step with handles which are inside the pushchair still and so not in the way at all when you are pushing. If you have a younger child, the pushchair comes complete with a car seat adaptor which fits most car seats and means you can have the little baby up high and parent facing whilst the older child looks out at the world. The pushchair has a huge hood giving lots of shelter for nap times and from the sun, and a back hood which can zip on or off depending on which set up you are using.

The front seat has a choice of bumper bar or double drink holders.  Dylan loves having something to hold on to so that he can peer out, and we also use bumper bars to attach books for when he needs a rest so we are saving the cup holders for now. The design is funky and I love the red colours of the seats. I found the pushchair really easy to put together and only used the instructions for a couple of bits.

My first impression was that the Ergo was really easy to push around, and was as light and easy to manoeuvre as the travel system and strollers I am used to. I did find however, that going up kerbs was rather tough and I ended up leaning on the handlebars quite a bit to raise the front wheels. I think this is due to the entire weight load being at the front of the pushchair and am hoping it will even out once I have a car seat and squishy baby at the back to balance it.

The first trip out with the Ergo and we popped to the shops to pick up a few bits. I found the pushchair perfect for this as I could easily balance a shopping basket on the back which is always something I struggle to do, and could actually pick up everything we needed! The basket is huge as well so held all the carrier bags on the journey home.

I love that the pushchair is not as big and bulky as some other doubles, and I love that they have not compromised on basket size as with two babies you have twice as much to carry around! I really like the parent organiser on the handles as I have a tendency to lock myself out the house, I think this will be the perfect place to carry a spare key! The fact that the pushchair has several combinations means it will last a long time as once Squish is out of the car seat, Dylan will be old enough to use the toddler seat/ step at the back.

I am not so keen on the lack of recline in the front seat as Dylan is used to lying flat for his naps. It doesn't seem to be bothering him however and he can sleep in the dark with the huge hood. I do think for a younger child though I would prefer the seat to go a bit further back. I like how easy the pushchair is but I do prefer the baby to lie flat so don't think I would be happy having him in a car seat all day long, and there is no option for a carry cot on this model.

I definitely see us making use of this pushchair, but probably not as our sole pushchair as for long days out I would prefer for both of my children to be able to sleep flat. (A lot to ask from a double but I believe it is best for them). I am looking forward to giving it a proper test in February when the little one is here and will write a proper update about using it as a double pushchair then.

The pushchair is sold without seat covers but it does have a mesh base underneath which is designed to spread the child's weight.  The raincover is also sold seperately, You can check out the price of everything on the Joovy Website but as a guide, the basic pushchair is £366, not bad at all for a double pushchair that holds a car seat ,and £530 covers the pushchair and all accessories.


Disclaimer:  I was provided with an Ergo Caboose and accessories for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Garden Fun with a WigWam - Review

As I have mentioned before, we are refusing to be beaten by the cold weather and have spent just as much time playing outside as ever recently.  Playhouses have sent us a wigwam and with the move to a bigger house with a bigger garden it was perfect timing.  In between bouts of rain or when we just need to let of steam, Dylan and I have been exploring our new garden and playing plenty of peekabo with our new tent.

Although marketed as suitable for over 3's, I see no reason why a younger child cannot enjoy playing supervised with the wigwam and my 15 month old loved it!  Hopefully it will last him a good few years as his imagination grows and it becomes an army base, a hideaway from jungle monsters or even his own little den. the wigwam is covered with a waterproof PVC nylon fabric meaning should the showers start we can cower inside and enjoy a biscuit or two! It can be left outside

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Making your Maternity Clothes Last.

Being due mid August in my first pregnancy,  my maternity clothes consisted of summer dresses, vests and shorts.  This time I am going to be big over the winter and so a whole new wardrobe is needed.  I have been trying to think of creative ways to make my summer maternity clothes wearable again, as buying a whole new set is certainly a cost I can do without!  I have invested in the staples - some comfy jeans, long sleeved tops and jumpers, but have been making the most of my existing maternity clothes and wearing them in different ways.

So here is a little summer dress (from Matalan) I wore during my pregnancy with Dylan, dressed for autumn.  I originally wore it on it's own with just some pretty sandals but this time have dressed it up with tights, a shirt, a belt and a cardigan.

I have a couple of pairs of comfy maternity shorts (from New Look), and again have used leggings and autumny tops to make them into outfits suitable for the

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Autumn is Here!

With the evenings getting darker and the weather getting cooler it is safe to say that autumn has well and truly arrived.  Moving house has coincided with the thick winter duvet coming back out, the heating being put  on a timer to come on every morning and evening and the foot muffs being zipped back on to the pushchairs.

Dylan is the proud owner of his very first cosy coat after spending last year in full body snow suits and my scarf collection is hanging by the door waiting to keep me snug.  Winter boots, mittens, hot chocolate, Christmas films, slippers and cosy nights by the fire are the things I look forward to and so far my autumn treats are not disappointing! 

Winter is not all about being cuddled up inside though and with two of us suffering from cabin fever if we don't get out all day it is safe to say we are getting plenty of

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Little Dish Pasta Range Review

Little Dish sent us some meals last week for Dylan to try and we have had the perfect opportunity for him to try them out.  I have been busy organising and packing this week and cooking him a proper meal at the end of the day has been the last thing on my mind.  The handy bags of  filled pasta take only a few minutes on the hob and can be served straight out of the saucepan!  I have found however (and Dylan agrees) that they taste better with a little sauce and we have been making an easy tomato sauce using a tin of chopped tomatoes with a few herbs for seasoning.

The range has two choices, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli (my favourite) and Tomato and Cheese Tortellini.  They come in the perfect size for little mouths and although they are aimed at slightly older children, Dylan had no problem demolishing a bowl of them!  The packs can be open for a couple of days which is good as there is more than enough for two meals in each bag (although not if

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Moving House

I have recently discovered that there is nothing more stressful than moving house.  I have moved before - several times in fact but I have never had so much 'stuff' to sort out and pack, and I have never had a toddler around to 'help' out.  

I was quite relaxed in the lead up to the big event, thinking how long exacvtly can it really take to pack up one's life?  The answer is

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24 Weeks Pregnant

I have reached 24 weeks and it feels like a milestone.  Using the rather crude term, Squish is now viable which means should he decide my womb is no longer comfortable, he would stand a fighting chance at survival.  We have had a word and decided that another 13 weeks at least would be lovely though so here is hoping he stays put!  Here is my 24 week bump in all it's glory:

On the Inside

I am finding sleeping a lot less comfortable and even with my lovely long pillow I still have to wake up to change sides every few hours.  I have also found that

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