Childrens Christmas Gift Guide

I heard a brilliant phrase when talking about buying Christmas presents for children, and it was to give 'Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read'.  When Chtistmas can become too commercial and too expensive, I think this is a great way to look at it.  Whilst we are not sticking strickly to the four presents, I am using it as a base for shopping for them and Father Christmas will be bringing them something they want, need and to wear and read as well as a few other little gifts.

I have put together a gift guide sharing some of the things we are getting the children this year, one present for each category for each child.  Some items we were sent and some I have bought myself but everything included is gifts we have genuinely chosen for the four of them.

For a one year old

Something she wants - Cora loves playing with the wooden toy kitchen we have so we have chosen this Hape dessert tower for her.  It looks so much fun with the pretty cakes and will be perfect for little toy tea parties.  Hape makes wonderful wooden toys for children of all ages and I know that this will get played with by all the children!

Something she needs - As Cora's hair is growing, so is her collection of clips, bows and bands.  I discovered the Hair Helper through blogging and thought it was such a good idea! I have ordered one to put on Cora's wall so that I don't have to spend ages rummaging for the perfect accessory in the morning! I think this will be great as she gets bigger and starts choosing her own too.

Something to wear - I have only recently heard of Hunter and Boo and I fell in love with this design straight away.  The products are made from organic cotton and follow the highest ethical code making sure social responsibility runs through the company from the cotton to the finished garment.  I love the whimsical design and the unisex prints.

Something to read - Cora has been sent a personalised book from Zebra book for Christmas. They sell a variety of personalised books for all ages and we could even choose the cover picture.  The books are handmade in Belgium using paper sourced from sustainable forests and all their co2 emissions are offset.  The book is beautifully illustrated and her brothers' each have a personalised story already so this is the perfect gift for her.

For a two year old

Something he wants - Finn loves playing with the wooden toys we have and so I have chosen the Plan Toys BeeHive from Babipur to add to his collection.  As well as being great for dexterity with the tweezers, I think this toy will grow with him (as well as being suitable for his little sister) as he practices stacking, colour sorting and making his own challenges.  It already has a place reserved for it on one of the shelves in his rainbow room.

Something he needs -  Finn only has one set of bed sheets at the moment which isn't always convenient so I bought him a new set of Duns organic cotton sheets from Eva's World.  I have also bought Cora a cot duvet and a similat set of bedding as she has always preferred sleeping in our bed to her own and I am hoping this might make her cot more appealing.  The duvet is the same as Finn's and is from Lanacare and filled with merino wool.  It is naturally breathable, antibacterial and will help her to regulate her temperature, keeping her cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Something to wear - Finn loves all things rainbow at the moment and I love these bright leggings from Florrie and Max.  They are handmade in the UK and an exclusive collaboration between two small businesses, Florrie and Max and the Princess and the Frock.  They are completely unisex and look so comfy!  We already have some of their other designs and are really impressed.

Something to read - Finn loves reading to his little sister and this board book 'Eco babies wear green' whilst maybe a bit young for him alone, is perfect for the pair of them.  I love the funny little details and I am sure it will give us lots to talk about too.

For a four year old

Something he wants - Whilst this gift is mostly for Archie, I know it is something that all four children are going to want to play with.  Both a necklace and a toy, this handmade camera pendant from Arlette Gold is laser cut from wood and is absolutely stunning.  You can look through the clear viewfinder and having a mum who is often quite attached to her camera I know that all four children will know exactly what to do with it!

Something he needs - With our ski holiday with Snowbizz looming, Archie is in need of some new thermals. The children live in them for the week, wearing them like an outfit in the creche and under their outerwear  on the slopes.  We always go for Marks and Spencers ones as they are good quality and fun designs, and the boys wear them as winter pyjamas after our week away.  I bought these this year for all three of them.

Something to wear - Tootsa Macginty is one of our favourite brands and their well made unisex clothes are designed to last.  I know that these trousers well get worn in turn by Finn and Cora.  The jeans are soft, warm and perfect to go with Archie's bright wardrobe.  This is a brand I love to buy and the children love to wear.

Something to read - I discovered this series of books in a Facebook group and I had to buy one to see what the fuss was about.  When Animalium arrived I went back online to buy two others from the series.  These books are beautifully illustrated, informative and really large (bigger than A4).  They are the kind of thing that will get so much use in our house as my boys love learning and finding out facts and the illustrations are just beautiful!

For a six year old

Something he wants - Dylan has decided he wants to be a travelling artist when he grows up and he is so curious about the world so we decided a while ago that we would get him a globe for Christmas. This smart globe is interactive and he can learn about countries, continents, people and cultures.  As well as the built in games and challenges, you can download the accompanying app to see more landscapes, animals and landmarks

Something he needs - Dylan seems to be on a permanant growth spurt so new pants and socks are always needed and our favourite brand for these is Maxomorra.  Ethically made from organic cotton they look comfy and wash well.  I bought these from Dapperbaby and Juicytots.

Something to wear - Dylan is a huge Star Wars fan (despite never having actually seen a film) and I know he is going to love these BB8 hi-tops.  Po-Zu have partnered with Star Wars to create a range of organic cotton vegan shoes perfect for children and adults.  These have a quilted rear panel, cushioned tongue and removable memory foam foot mattress.  They also have a zip down the inside to make them easy to get on and off.

Something to read - From the same collection as the Animalium book we have bought for Archie, I chose the Maps book for Dylan to go with his globe.  I can't stop flicking through as this book is absolutely beautiful! I am hoping it will satisfy his curiosity and I think it will be one that we sit down to look at together.

As I mentioned above, this is a mix of gifts we have bought an items we have been sent to include but every recommendation is genuine.  The items that were sent to us for inclusion are : The smart globe, The Star Wars high tops, the personalised story book, the Hape dessert tower, the Camera pendant, the Hunter and Boo clothing and the Lanacare duvet.

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Me and Mine in November

November has been the month that Autumn became Winter, even if not officially.  We started the month in light jumpers and thin tights, mild mornings and trips to the park after school  yet we are ending it wrapped up in hats and scarfs, with the heating on, candles burning and the anticipation of Christmas everywhere we look.  November seems to be very much a transition month and it has passed quickly and without standing out too much.

I don't feel like we have done much, but friendships have been established, play dates enjoyed, the outside world appreciated and all four children seem to have grown in the past four weeks.  We didn't manage to get a family photo on time, so this is a very last minute phone snap before the school run this morning - only three of us are dressed, the house is messy and not everyone really knows what is going on - we will always make sure we get a photo, even if it is by the skin of our teeth.

December will be full of excitement and magic, Christmas and fun and I feel like our simple November leads perfectly into it.  This month 

Becky is loving a night out with the reception mums from school, playing football, a day out with my big two boys and going to the Mother and Baby awards.

Ed is loving is new breadmaker, getting Sky for the house, discovering that we have underfloor heating in the kitchen and celebrating friend's birthdays

Dylan is loving arts and crafts with Aunty NatNat, a day in London with Mummy, preparing for the school Christmas show and asking 'who would win in a fight' questions about animals and mythical beings.

Archie is loving playing Pokemon cards, talking about Pokemon cards with his friends, drawing Pokemon and thinking about Pokemon related presents he can ask Father Christmas for.

Finn is loving scooting to nursery, getting himself dressed and undressed, chatting to the older ladies in the cafe and the new playgroup we have started going to.

Cora is loving carrying around her dolly, walking on the school run, splashing in puddles and having her hair brushed.

Hopefully our December photo will be a bit more organised!

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The Sony Xperia XZ1 - Initial Review

Blogging is what started my love for photography and when I look back at the photos from my early posts, I can see just how far I have come.  The cluttered backgrounds, odd angles and blurry limbs of a little Dylan feel like a lifetime ago and taking photos has become not just something I do to illustrate a blog post, but something I do because I love to.  I love taking the perfect shot, capturing just the right moment and learning more about using my camera. 

My DSLR is usually my camera of choice, but it is big and bulky, a pain to carry around and I can look quite odd when I pull it out my bag and start snapping away.  I need a phone that can take a good photo, photos that I want to share on social media, display on my blog and capture all those imperfectly perfect moments that aren't going to wait for a big camera.

We are testing the new Sony Xperia XZ1 which boasts brilliant camera techology alongside easy to use android technology (I am most definitely an android girl). It has lived in my pocket and my hand this last week whilst I get used to the camera, the features and the fun slow-motion videos you can make.  

We recently visited a little local soft play which has a (closed) theme park behind it so I stopped to take some photos of the little two running around outside.  It was a bright place but the day was dull and the sky was dark.  I love how well the camera captures the colours and more importantly how well it captures the moment.

One of my favourite features so far is the predictive photo taking.  Before I have even pressed the shutter the phone has taken a couple of photos and when I browse back through I can choose my favourite from the bunch. It means I am less likely to miss a sweet cuddle or the way they hi5. 

The phone camera can be used in either auto or manual, and this coming week I am going to be playing with the manual features a bit more.  These photos are all in the automatic setting so I just point and shoot, and they haven't been edited at all.

Having a phone with a great camera is important to me as it allows me to get in the photos more too.  Whilst most people are a little scared when I hand over the 'big camera', they are confident to point and shoot with a phone and it means I can get in the photos more too.  I want my children to be able to look back and see me in their childhood and I love these photos of me and my baby girl that my sister took on the Sony Xperia XZ1

What I really wanted to see is what makes this phone better than my other one, which is also a top of the range model of another brand.  Pretty much all phones now can call, text, browse the internet and host a huge range of apps and games.  Most of the features that get updated are things that I would be content having an older model of, but the camera is really important to me and the reason I upgrade every time I am able.  

In video mode on the Xperia XZ1, you can tap a little icon above the stop/start button which adds a slow motion clip into the recording.  It makes a tiny moment expand into five seconds worth of footage as it records 960 frames per second and you can do this as many times as you want during one clip.  I have so many ideas to try with this, but here is our very first go.  Again this video has not been edited other than the very start being cut off and I have uploaded it directly from my phone.

So far I am really impressed with the Sony Xperia XZ1 and whilst I won't be hanging up my DSLR, I am enjoying having a great little camera in my pocket.  

I will be writing a full review of the phone next week!

 I am working with Sony on a paid collaboration but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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I Think We Are Done

It felt like this day would never come, and in some ways I think I will always be broody.  As I see women walk past me, their prominent bumps ahead of them I feel excited for them, a little envious that they are at the beginning of this journey, they still have all the best bits to come.  I cuddle a newborn, and sniff that beautifully milky scent on the top of their head, hold them with their head resting in the palm of my hand, feel the weight of them curled up on my chest, and I feel desperate to hold my own baby in that way again.

But it isn't a new baby I want anymore.  It is the babies I already have.  I would love to go back in time just for a little bit, to savour those final moments of pregnancy, knowing how everything is about to change.  I would love to hold my newborn sons and daughter again, to take in all the small details that I may have missed the first time.  To feel the warmth of them, to watch their tiny fingers curl around mine.

I would love to be back in that new baby bubble, where nothing else matters, where you lose hours a day just watching them sleep. 

But I don't want to give up what we have now.  As Cora started taking steps, using her voice and becoming more independent, we are moving on to a new stage.  The end of nappies and buggies, slings and cribs is in sight, even if still a long way off, and new adventures will soon be possible. I want to visit new countries, watch our children enjoy and explore them without the limits of a baby.  I want to go on days out, visit theme parks without a pushchair in tow and I want to watch my children develop their sibling relationships just as they are.

Four is busy and loud but it isn't too busy or too loud.  We fit in our car and in our house, we can remember each child's name (although we may have to say the other three first). They always have a playmate or a partner in crime and it feels just right for us.  As much as I would love to do it all again in some ways, I don't want any more children, I think four is our number.

I am going to try and enjoy these final months of having toddlers in the house, celebrate those lasts because I have so many memories of the firsts, and the seconds and the middle ones too.  I know we have new adventures ahead of us and I can't wait to see what they are.

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