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The Launch Of Forever Friends New Range At The Ritz

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Did I tell you I went to brunch at The Ritz last month? Well I did. It was to check out the new range of Forever Friends products launched by Golden Bears.

Let me tell you brunch at The Ritz is pretty good:

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Brunch at The Ritz
Forever Friends were pretty cool when I was younger. Everyone had one of the pencils/pencil cases/mini bears. If you had a school valentine gift it was normally FF themed.

It was great to see the new products and to learn a little more about Golden Bear as a brand. The new line of products include some fabulous additions for babies. I particularly liked the soothing sounds bear which has a soft warm glow and various white noise type sounds to lull your baby to sleep. There are also snuggly type toys with the little tags attached which babies loved to play with. I especially liked this fellow:

Forever friends baby range

Although there was no way I’d have wanted to take him on the tube home.

There are also toys suitable for older children, Izzy liked this one which you can slip a photo into ( its secured so won’t pop out ) and I think that’s suitable for toddlers and young children. Both my girls love to squeeze him.

It was a really lovely morning both visiting The Ritz ( a new experience which unfortunately won’t be a regular one ) and seeing the Forever Friends range. Go check it out.

Jumping In Muddy Puddles

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A little while ago we were sent some Muddy Puddles goodies to review for Izzy and Chloe but the weather has been pretty good for the last few months so we haven’t had a chance yet to try them BUT I think the products are so fab that I wanted to share them with you while you still get the opportunity to snap them up before the real autumn and winter weather hits us.

First up there is this 3 in 1 coat, snuggly onesie and mac which we were sent for Chloe:

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Now we have actually used this, well one part of it at least whilst at festivals throughout the summer. The fleecy inner suit was ideal for the cooler evenings especially later in the summer when we were at The Big Feastival. It was lovely and cosy and she seemed happy in it.

It’s great quality and although it seems quite expensive at £59.00 I think you have to look at the bigger picture and the fact that it’s essentially three separate products which altogether would cost you more than that.

Secondly we received these welly liners:

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Izzy loves wearing her wellies and although until this week it hasn’t really been cold enough for liners I’m sure they will be used very soon! She hates getting chilly and loves soft socks so I think this will be a big hit.

If you are looking to get things all ready for the change of seasonal wardrobes I highly recommend you go check the Muddy Puddles website.

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* As stated previously we were sent these items free of charge for the purpose of a review.

Sleep Deprivation

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It goes with the newborn territory doesn’t it? You need to expect to be tired for at least the first year of having a child but there’s tired and then there is TIRED.

Remember that almost haze you lived in for the first few weeks after your child was born? The hourly feeds/ numerous nappy changes .. at a time when your baby was just getting used to life on the outside and found it hard to settle. It’s to be expected in that fourth trimester.

We are still in that haze. 10 months on. We aren’t tired anymore, we are barely functioning. I look like a zombie or as a homeless man in my local city centre told me .. I look absolutely knackered – and this was from someone who sleeps on the actual street.

With Izzy we were tired a lot of the time but that was normal waking up to 2-3 times a night and having early mornings type of tired. This is on another level. These are actual sleepless nights and it’s a different kind of exhaustion I can tell you. It seeps into your bones ( bone tired) it can make you incredibly grumpy and hard to live with ( sorry friends and family) and it makes every day seem so very long and difficult. It makes things like anxiety harder, depression is more depressing and minor ailments such as a simple cold feel like the full blown flu.

I’m still breastfeeding but I think those days are certainly numbered now. It’s not the feeding that is the problem but being awake so much of the time means that those 3 night feeds completely drain me. I wake feeling hungover. Feeling angry. Feeling tired. Why won’t she just sleep?

Today we are trying some final adjustments to her bedroom – a new mattress ..a new sleeping bag maybe. Tomorrow she is booked in for Cranial Osteopathy – I will keep you posted on how that goes.

For now I just needed to vent. Sorry for the ramble. Send all the chocolate please.

Growth Spurts – How To Cope

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We are just coming through the other side of a growth spurt. Chloe has also just cut another tooth. I’ve been feeling unwell all week and I think it’s pretty much entirely down to the fact that I’m tired and drained.

Growth spurts in the first year are typically supposed to occur:

Between 1-3wks
Between 6-8wks
At 3 months
At 6 months
At 9 months

But this is just a guide and each baby is different. Chloe has had all of hers around 4 weeks early and I do wonder if this is because she was overdue?

Most growth spurts last a few days but can be longer. Our last one was roughly 8 days and it was hard. Possibly the hardest one so far. Chloe fed like a newborn and I really struggled with it. Last night she slept for 6.5hrs straight through without a feed for the first time in ages. I feel like a new woman today..well almost.

Tips to get you through a growth spurt:

1. Drink plenty. If water bores you then get juice, flavoured waters, decaffeinated tea etc etc. You MUST increase your fluid intake or you will feel awful.

2. Eat plenty. Don’t diet through a growth spurt. I’ve tried and it’s not fun. You need extra calories if anything so eat healthy and generously sized meals with snacks in between and of course ..puddings or cake.

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3. Sleep whenever you can. Or rest. Your body is effectively running a marathon at this time and it needs to recuperate.

4. Have long, lazy baths. Have your partner bring the baby into you for a feed and take him/her away when finished. Relax. If your baby wants more milk then you feel you are producing a warm bath can stimulate milk production.

5. Sore nipples? Put some flannels in the fridge to cool and use them to soothe your nipples. Also Lansinoh is great.

6. Treat yourself. Buy yourself a good book to read during feeds or watch a rom com and eat something delicious.

7. If your baby is on solids get them lots of small, heathy snacks to chew on if you absolutely need to get something done but try not to avoids feeds as a growth spurt is baby’s way of increasing your milk supply to cope with their growing demands.

8. Don’t give up on your worst day. Wise advice from a good friend of mine. Last week saw me once again close to wanting to stop breastfeeding. I didn’t and I’m glad. We are 8 months in and I’m thrilled we have done so well.

9. Up all night feeding? Go on social media and chat to other mums who are going through the same thing. Search for breastfeeding hashtags, growth spurt or zombie mums. There is ALWAYS someone to talk to. I’m @writingforfun if you want to follow.

10. Remember it does end. It doesn’t feel like it but it does I promise.

Any other tips? Let me know and I will add them to the list.

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OrganaMama – Review

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Subscription boxes are so IN right now. Ha. Everywhere you look there seems to be a subscription box, foodie ones, beauty ones and now mother and baby ones.

I am a huge fan. Receiving a box of new products to your door each month without having to go looking for them is a huge plus for me. Most of the products I receive I hadn’t heard of before so it’s a great way to discover new brands.

This month I was sent a box from OrganaMama to review.

Introducing OrganaMama – an exciting new subscription box in the UK! Every month we hand pick the best quality natural, organic, ethical & sustainable products for expectant & new mums and babies. We lovingly pack them up in beautiful reusable boxes, and deliver them straight to your door. It’s a healthy celebration of motherhood every month of the year!

So new brands..all organic, ethical and therefore entirely guilt free yes?

This was the box I received:

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The packaging is beautiful and is ideal for use as a memory box or sensory box for your child once you have emptied all the products out. I’m a sucker for a well packaged gift so they were onto a winner before I even opened it.

I was more than happy with the selection of products inside..

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1. Gwdihw Cheeky Cherub Balm – This was quite possibly my favourite product in the box. Gwdihw ( meaning Owl in Welsh and pronounced Goody Hoo )it’s a baby balm made from Coconut & Olive Oils along with Lavender and other natural ingredients. It smells lovely, you only need a teeny amount and it worked wonders on my little uns nappy rash.

2.Jack n Jill Toothpaste – this natural calendula toothpaste comes in a really pretty tube and must taste pretty good as Izzy seems to want to brush her teeth more!

3.Jack n Jill Silicone Finger Toothbrush – haven’t used this yet but it won’t be long as Chloe is starting to teethe.

4. Ulrich Notorlich Liquid Wash Detergent – This lemony ultra concentrated detergent is lovey and fragrant and a little goes a very long way.

5.Amiya UK Natural Cotton Fitted Cot Sheet – this sheet feels so soft and luxurious that I want one for my bed! Chloe is still in her Bednest but this sheet is sure to feel amazing when she moves into her cot.

6. World Playground Drum – this was a huge hit with both Izzy and Chloe, Izzy figured out how to use it in minutes whilst I with my lack of rhythm still struggle. Chloe lights up when we play it in front of her. Love this.

7.Contented Calf Recipe Book – I wish I’d had this before giving birth so I could have prepped some meals but I’m looking forward to trying some of the recipes out.

I will admit to being really impressed by this box, in looks and substance it is superior to most of the similar services I have seen.

Would make a really lovely gift for a mum to be or new mum.

They are £26 per month and there are a range of options available to choose from with different ages and styles.

Seven Days In The Maldives? Yes Please

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I’m not the type of blogger who writes about things which are in the news. Well not really. Occasionally something will annoy me or frustrate me but really that’s not what my blog is about. Today however I read the stories about the Duke and Duchess and their luxury holiday and it made me think. It really made me think.

You see before we had Izzy we travelled a lot. 4-5 foreign holidays a year was the norm. Izzy was unexpected shall we say and we were certainly not at all prepared for being parents. I remember conversations before she was born where we would chat about how when she was six months old we would feel comfortable leaving her with our parents and going on holiday just us two again.

Gambia 2010

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And our last pre baby holiday in Peniche 2011

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Of course that was before she arrived and turned our world upside down. She’s now 2.5yrs old and so far we have left really overnight to go to London and now we have two. Chloe is exclusively breastfeeding so it will be a while before that changes I imagine.

That’s what happens. Becoming a parent changes you. It changes how you think. Even if before you have a baby you insist you won’t change..you will. Even if after giving birth you insist you haven’t change you have. It’s impossible not to.

You may think from reading this that I think William and Kate have done something wrong. But I don’t. Not really. Actually not at all.

I wish I could do it. I wish I could go away and spend uninterrupted quality time with my partner. Because that’s important it really is.
In fact that relationship must be looked after, fed and watered or like a plant it will wither and die.

So why can’t I do it? Well the Maldives is a little out of my price bracket to start with but a cheaper holiday would easily be doable.
We have excellent childcare options with either set of grandparents where I know my children would be well looked after and I would LOVE that amount of time with my man.

But I can’t. Not now at least, probably not for a long time. I worry. I worry that my child will be upset or hurt or ill and I will be thousands of miles away with no way of returning home in a hurry and the thought of one of my children needing me when I’m not around..not just for one day but for seven fills me with dread.

I don’t think holidaying without your children is wrong, in fact in some ways it sounds wonderful. If you can do it I’m envious and I will admit that. We all NEED time without our children, just being adults, just being a couple and it doesn’t mean that we love them any less. I think I have to accept its going to take me a while to be able to do it but I’m aiming for a weekend away .. maybe in the UK next year. Start small 😉

I won’t holiday without my children. Not yet. That doesn’t make me a better mother than people who do. Just a different one.

Read this fabulous blog post by my lovely friend Sophie of Franglaise Mummy for a different view about her holiday without her little ones and how it helps her relationship. It may have made me slightly jealous.

Two Months Old

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You are two months old this week. TWO whole months, how did that happen?

I know people say times goes faster on your second but really it’s been like the blink of an eye.

Here are few words I wrote for you…

You seem so big now yet still so small
You are long like your sister
You are gonna be tall
You are calm and contended
You smile all day long
You are cooing and chatting
Like a beautiful song

You feed all the time
And guzzle too fast
It’s as if you worry
My milk won’t last
Your sister adores you
And hugs you all day
Chloe needs milk Mam
Is what she will say

I’m loving each moment
Of your changing face
I just wish it didn’t feel like
Some kind of race
Slow down please time
Don’t speed along
Let me savour each moment
Before it is gone

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I cannot begin to explain the joy you and your sister bring to our every day lives.

Thank you X

Where does the time go?

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After what seemed like the longest pregnancy on earth I cannot believe how quickly this past month has gone. Chloe is one month old already. Kind of scary.

On the day she was born:

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She feels like such a a huge part of our family that its strange to think of a time when she wasn’t here.

So what can I tell you about her first month?

She looks …still a lot like her sister but you can see her own little character starting to show through.

She weighs ..a whopping 9lb4oz. She started at 7lb8oz so she is doing pretty well.

She feeds.. A lot! Some days it feels like she barely leaves my breast but she has started to go for longer stretches during the night which is helpful. She cluster feeds mostly during the evenings and it can be very tiring but she will then sleep for 4 (once even 5) hours when she goes to bed which is a relief. I know this may not continue so enjoying it while it lasts.

She sleeps..still a fair portion of the day. She will have about 2 hours in the morning after waking at 8ish then she will have some awake time before a really long nap from 2.30-5ish and then she will feed and have very short naps up until 10/11pm before staying to settle ready for a longer sleep.

She wears..still some newborn and some 0-3 depending on the brand. She has some really cute outfits:

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She loves..being held up high on your shoulder or tucked down a tight top. Even when not feeding she likes to spend hours close to my chest just staring at her food source. Cuddles with Iz in the morning.

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She loves her bouncer and being snuggled in blankets. She absolutely loves her baths with me and Izzy. She likes her sling and her wrap and cosied up on her Daddy’s lap.

She hates..when she first goes in her car seat. Having to wait more than once minute for food and being stripped to be weighed. Being rudely awoken by her big sis wanting to play. Being winded late at night when she’s tired and grouchy.

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I love when she is so very full after a feed with milk on her cheeks and a dazed look in her eyes:

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We are all utterly besotted with her. We are so very lucky.

Sisters

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I had no idea how Izzy would react to a new baby arriving in our home. After all she is still very much my baby at 2year old. While I was pregnant she showered my bump with love and kisses but I didn’t think she really understood what it meant. On her first visit to see me and Chloe in hospital I followed advice I’d been given by other second time mums and made sure Chloe was in the cot so she could have a good cuddle with me first.. She didn’t spot the cot initially and after diving onto the bed to cuddle me (Ouch..stitches) I had to point out the baby lying just next to us. Her face was a picture. She exclaimed Oh baby.. And then awwww baby.

Her first cuddle..

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Since we have come home she has shown just how besotted she is with her baby sister. Every 5 minutes she runs over to check on ‘baby Chloe’ and is interested in every aspect of her life from feeding to changing nappies. Every new visitor gets dragged to see the baby as soon as they come in and in the morning her voice comes over the monitor demanding to see ‘baby Chloe’.

I never thought my heart could love as much as it does right now. I know the road ahead will be far from smooth.. I have sisters of my own and of course at some point they will fall out and squabble but I know how amazing the relationship can be and I’m so thrilled that they will have each other.

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