Top picks for Starting School

Somehow the time has come to start getting everything ready for school.  There are only a few weeks left until we have to get out the navy sweatshirt and smart black shoes and send Dylan off to school and I am not feeling ready in the slightest emotionally.  I am trying to make sure that I am physically prepared though, so that all I have to worry about as it gets even closer is the supply of tissues I will need as I leave him in his classroom.

Lunchtime

Whilst Dylan will be enjoying school dinners, many children will be taking packed lunches, and Archie will be carrying his lunchbox into nursery.   Here are some of our top picks for lunchtime buys

We know Little Life for their toddler backpacks, but they also make brilliant lunchboxes and bottles. Their animal characters work across the ranges and the lunchbags are easy to carry and insulated.  Archie will be taking his new crocodile lunchbag (£9.99) to nursery packed with all his favourite snacks, and his crocodile bottle (£6.99) will be on hand all day to keep him hydrated.  The straw flips out and it is easy for a toddler to open and close the lid independantly.

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Beach Times

We love the beach (you may have guessed this already), and we have our beach bags ready to go with all our essentials, all summer.  I can grab the bags, hang them on the buggy and just go which is perfect when you have two toddlers in tow!

 We have been sent some lovely bits which have found a permanent place in our beach bags, the first of which is a pair of personalised towels for the boys from Stuck on you.

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Pushchairs to look out for in 2014

As you may have noticed, I have a bit of a thing for buggies.  As a non-driver, they are my only set of wheels and I love discovering new brands, new designs and spotting them out and about.  After having the opportunity to test a few, I do feel like I know my stuff too, and the Baby Show last weekend only served to fuel this obsession.  I thought I would share my top 5 for 2014 - new colours, styles or updates for the year that I think are going to be big

First up is the icandy Raspberry.  I bought a Cherry when I was pregnant with Dylan and still love it now.  Icandy pushchairs are noticeable, well made and I love the beautiful colours for this new design.  The Raspberry is new and is a from birth stroller that will be available from spring/summer this year.  It can be world or parent facing and folds incredibly compactly with the seat still on.  It lies flat and I mean completely flat which makes it suitable for a newborn, or for those rather odd babies like mine who will not sleep on their back even in a buggy! The black chassis is classy and makes the coloured hood really pop, and there is a silver aluminium option too.  With interchangeable colour packs that come in 7 gorgeous shades, the buggy can change with the season or your mood.  I love the black chassis, and for me the lush(red) or sunflower(yellow) are the best colours - bright and unisex.  Everything seems so well thought out from the adjustable handle, the way it folds with the handle in the air, and the hard case at the front of the buggy for storage.

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Instagram Ideas

I am a huge instagram fan and have to admit to being on there several times a day.  I am nosy by nature and I love seeing snapshots of other people's lives.  I also love posting my own pictures - the ones I am proud of, the ones that sum up my day and pictures of the wonderful things I see (and eat).  Adding filters can add something extra to a photo and some of my favourite pictures are on my instagram account.

As nice as it is for them to be floating around the virtual world, I also love physical memories.  There are so many companies now that make beautiful things from your Instagram photos and I have been busy checking them out.  Here are 13 fantastic options to get you started:

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Troublesome Teething

At 7 months old, my littlest man still has that adorably gummy little smile.  His first tooth is yet to poke through and I am quite happy with things that way for now.  Despite the lack of a little toothy-peg, teething is well and truly under-way and we have the dribble, rosy cheeks and constant urge to chew everything.

It is hard to put the sleepless nights and grumps down to teething when he is still too young to communicate but I don't doubt that it is playing a rather large part.  I thought I would share what is helping us through the tough teething times though.

Dribble Bibs

With winter on its way, I need to make sure Archie does not have a soaking wet patch on his clothes and we are using bibs to soak up the inevitable dribble.  I am a huge fan of the bandana style and there are so many out there, that you can get ones to match every outfit.  I find the bibs that are backed with fleece are best for keeping Archie dry and we now have quite a selection.  We were sent a Neckerchew for Archie which is a bandana bib with a teether built in the end of it and now that his motor skills have developed, he is loving it.  The fact that the teether is built in means no dropping it out the buggy in a dirty carpark, or losing it in the car, and it is fully machine washable.  It did take Archie until 6/7 months to have the co-ordination to use it properly but we find it great for travelling with.  The bib is not quite as absorbent as some of the others we have used but it is well worth investing in one for convenience, and you can always stick another bib underneath if your child is super dribbly.  They are all reversible and so go with loads of outfits.

Teetha

Bonjela is great, but babies teeth come through in different orders and I used to find myself applying it to Dylan's entire mouth.  With Teetha powder, I just tip it in Archie's mouth and it instantly calms him.  He seems to like the taste of it and it is really easy to carry in the nappy bag, my handbag and even my purse (I like to be prepared!).  We keep the Calpol for the really bad days, but Teetha is our go-to solution for everyday teething woes.

Sophie Le Giraffe

This toy has been around for years, but I was dubious when Dylan was small and I didn't believe the hype.  I decided to splash out the £10.99 this time though and see whether Archie would get on with it, and it is now a handbag essential.  Despite both my boys preferring to chew a finger over a refrigerated ring, Sophie is a hit and Archie finds her easy to hold and chew.  No matter how they hold it, something will fit in their mouths and as soon as I started squeaking it, his little arms start going in excitement.  I am well and truly a convert to Sophie and it was definitely an investment I would make again.

Amber

When Dylan was a couple of months old, I bought him an amber teething necklace.  At 25 months, it still sits round his neck and has become a part of him.  I honestly can't say whether it works or not, but we have never had a sleepless night from Dylan's teeth and despite copious amounts of dribble, the whole process of teething was rather easy.  We have been sent a Baltic amber anklet for Archie from Amber Anklets and I don't think we will be taking it off in a hurry.  It has fallen off a couple of times, I am not sure whether his ankles are a little skinny or whether his desire to chew his own toes means he pulls it, but we are being more careful now and it seems to be staying put.  Each bead is individually tied on, which means that even if it does break, there are no little pieces rolling around to be eaten.  Dylan has been wearing his necklace for nearly 2 years though and it is still completely intact.

Breast Milk

If all else fails, breast feeding provides such a comfort to my little man that it is more than just sustenance, and the milk contains properties that help relieve the discomfort.  Archie is still fed on demand and I know that on a difficult day he may feed a little more but it is worth it to give him some relief from the teething horrors.

So that is my teething survival kit, is there anything you would add?

Disclaimer:  I was sent an amber teething anklet and a neckerchew free of charge but all other items mentioned have been purchased by myself.  All views and opinions are completely my own.

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