Friday 29 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Dark


Easter Crafts

Here we are, it is Good Friday and we are settling in for a day of arts & crafts.

I signed up for a secret Easter Bunny in one of groups on facebook, we were allowed to spend £5 and it was just buying for the children. My lovely Easter bunny was very thoughtful and sent lots of bits for us to make.



We were very lucky to receive :

*Easter Masks

* Easter Basket Making Kit

* Easter Finger Puppets

* A hat and apron for Easter baking

* Some little Easter eggs to give us the energy for all this creating!!




Gracie decided that the first thing we were going to do today was make the Easter finger puppets.

As with most craft kits there were a few bits missing and the sticky bits they gave us weren't quite sticky enough so we had to improvise a little.

We did manage to create four little finger puppets, two chicks, a bunny and a lamb.

Gracie informed me that this was one for her and each of her sisters, although I don't think Layla is quite old enough for finger puppets.





It was Freya's turn to pick the next activity. She decided on masks.

Again there were bits missing, naughty naughty, it meant that there were only two masks instead of three.

Elise very kindly let her little sisters make them.

Mummy came in handy, threading the string through the holes.


We now have Easter baskets left to make but the kids have taken a little break to eat a couple of easter eggs and refuel :)

What is everyone else up to this weekend? I hope snow isn't ruining peoples plans.

xxxx
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Thursday 28 March 2013

100 Likers Giveaway

As promised, now that I have reached 100 likers on Facebook, I am going to run a little Competition for you all.

The prize up for grabs is as follows :

* A Cadburys Buttons Easter Egg
* A Packet Of Cadburys Mini Eggs
* 2 Malteser Bunnies
* 3 Cadburys Creme Eggs
* A Packet Of Haribo Jelly Bunnies


To be in with a chance of winning these goodies all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below, please make sure you read the terms and conditions. The competition will close at midnight on April 4th. Good luck to everone who enters.


a Rafflecopter giveaway ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions

Graco Evo Mini's First Outing

When the Graco Evo Mini pushchair arrived I couldn't wait to take it for a spin!! It was pushed up and down the living room while we waited for it to be time for the school run.

Strapping Layla in was very simple. I really like the fact that the harness has suitable padding around it, making it comfortable to have over your little ones. And even though Layla is quite small for her age, the seat padding made her look and feel nice and secure.

Layla was very happy sat in it, laughing away and because of the substantial size hood she was well covered from what little sunshine there was.


As you can see from the picture above, she had plenty of room. The only problem I had was that the material of the seat and the material of her snowsuit meant that she slid around a little.

Gracie held on to the frame whilst I pushed. She found it a little too tall for her small arms, she had to stretch a little to reach.




This pushchair is extremely light, so easy to manouever, even with Gracie holding on to it, Going up and down the kerbs was no problem, I even managed it when I was holding on to the handle with one hand. The handle height is just about right, I am 5ft 1 and it was comfortable enough for me, although it would be better if you could adjust the handle height.

The best feature I have found so far is the basket. I can't get over how spacious it is for a lightweight stroller because with most other buggies you find that the basket is either too small or not very accessible. As you can see from the photo below, I managed to fit it two school bags and two lunch boxes, still with room for more.


All in all a very successful first outing, I am looking forward to the next few weeks of testing, kids on half term next week, so lets see what we can get up to!!

xxxx



Wednesday 27 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Swimming


Weigh In

Yesterday I decided I would go and get Layla weighed. It got me thinking about how often I go and do this.

When my eldest was born I took her to get weighed and measured once a month, as a first time mum I think I was worried that I would get told off if I didn't.

When my second child came along I didn't get her weighed quite as often and never got her measured after the initial midwife checks. This I put down to having a toddler in tow so not as much free time on my hands.

When Gracie arrived, she was weighed a bit more in the beginning because it took her a while to regain her weight but after the first couple of months, it was just one on the list that I never got round to, even less time and not enough hands springs to mind.

And then we have Layla. She has been quite a sicky baby, so I get her weighed around every 6-8 weeks just to make sure she is doing alright.


It is funny how things change the more children you have, you know a little bit more with each child you have, you become a little bit more relaxed with things and I don't know about anyone else but I always feel like I am being told off by the health visitor for something because I don't follow all of the guidelines that are mentioned for parents.

How often do you take your children to get weighed?? Is it something you feel you need to do?? Would love to know your thoughts on the subject.

xxxx
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Tuesday 26 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Candle


Toddling with the ToddleTug

I'm sure a lot of parents have faced the struggle of not having enough hands. Well when trying to convince Gracie to hold my hand to keep her safe whilst I try to push the buggy, I could really do with that third hand!!

So when the lovely people at BuggyTug said they were looking for people to test the ToddleTug I jumped at the chance.

Gracie is now a fully fledged independent toddler who thinks that she doesn't need to hold mummy's hand any more, so much prefers to hold on to the frame of the pushchair, well most of the time. The problem with this is that she ends up tripping over the wheels of the buggy or finding herself having to stretch to reach the frame to hold on.



That is where the ToddleTug comes into its own. It is a simple yet very effective product, a long red strap that has a metal ring one side and a handle the other. All you need to do is wrap it around the frame of your pushchair and slot the handle through the metal loop, easy peasy.

I wish it had been around when my other children were younger. It means that Gracie no longer trips over the wheels of the pushchair, she doesn't have to outstretch herself to hold on because the ToddleTug remains at her level and because the material it is made from is stretchy, Gracie can feel like she is walking by herself without being away from me.



The only snag I found was that I like Gracie to walk on the side of me that is farthest away from the road, which meant swapping the ToddleTug to each side of the pushchair when needed but it so easy to do  that it really is a minor problem. Priced at just £3.99 I would be happy to purchase two to have one either side of the pushchair.

You can also purchase BuggyTugs and TeddyTugs in their shop for the same price, or if you wanted they also sell the TugTrio which is one of each strap for just £7.99.

Disclaimer this ToddleTug was sent to me for reviewing purposes, all opinions are my own.

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Monday 25 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Funny Face


The Toadstool are looking for Toy Reviewers

As you can see from the title The Toadstool are looking for toy reviewers, you could be a mum, dad or maybe even a grandparent.

The Toadstool are a site that provide high quality pre school toys that will stimulate your child's creativity and learining. The toys range from soft to wooden to traditional, all being educational.



I would love to be picked to be one of their toy reviewers along with my four mini testers. As a mum to four girls, we have plenty of opportunitites to play with all sorts of different toys which are aimed at all different ages. A big favourite in our house at the moment is role play, we have been princesses, chefs, nurses and even builders like daddy.

If any of my lovely readers think that I would make a good toy reviewer, I would really appreciate you leaving a comment to show your support.

My First Impressions of the Graco Evo Mini

So for those of you that follow me on twitter and facebook, you will know that I was 1 of 5 lucky people chosen to test the new Graco Evo Mini pushchair.

The pushchair arrived on Friday afternoon and it was quickly removed from it's packaging and set up.

So what's in the box :

Graco Evo Mini seat unit in Grenadine/ chassis
Back wheels
Front swivel wheel
Hood
Raincover
Instructions


It was very easy to set up, simply clicking the wheels and hood into place and a couple of poppers to do up on the hood and basket. It was all clearly illustrated in the instruction booklet, so took all of 5 minutes to piece together.

Once put together, I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious it was, yet still remaining lightweight. With a lovely padded seat and a simple toggle cord for reclining on the back, meaning that it virtually lied flat, I could see how someone could use this pushchair from birth. The adjustable straps means that it suitable right up until your child is around three years old, although I must admit I found it a bit fiddly changing the height of the straps through the seat padding, what is it they say,  "practice makes perfect".

The basket is a decent size, normally strollers have small or inaccesible baskets but this one is ideal for school bags or maybe some shopping.

One of the Evo Mini's main features is it's one hand folding system. It is a simple process, there is a big button in the centre of the handle with a small button on the left hand side of the big button. You just pull the small button to the right with your thumb as you push up on the big button with the rest of your hand and push the handle forward. It literally folds in half, making it a very compact fold. 


My 3 year old couldn't wait to sit in "her" new pushchair, infact once sat in it, she remained in it for the afternoon whilst watching the TV, a good way to test it I thought.


As first impressions go, the Graco Evo Mini certainly made a good one with me. I made a little YouTube video, just to show the pushchair in a bit more detail. 

I am looking forward to taking the pushchair out for a spin and seeing how my mini testers find the ride. Watch this space for more updates, where might the Graco Evo mini visit??

xxxx


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Saturday 23 March 2013

The Grand Unveiling Of The Graco Evo Mini

So yesterday the doorbell went and there was a UPS delivery van outside my door. I wasn't expecting a delivery so I was intriqued to find out what was in the massive box that had just been given to me.

I think these pictures give you a pretty good idea :

 The Graco Evo Mini had arrived

Time to piece it together :


And start checking out the features :


The picture to left shows :

 the toggles that are used to recline the seat unit                      
 the padded seat

 the spacious basket




The picture on the right shows :

the foam handle bar and button for collapsing

the pushchair in all its glory

the pushchair when folded down



Finally we had to let our little testers have a try in their new wheels :


Really looking forward to putting this pushchair through its paces over the next month.

xxxx


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Friday 22 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Water


Getting your child to take their medicine

This week poor little Gracie has ended up with a urine infection, which meant antibiotics were in order. These need to be taken 3 times a day for a week.

Now we adults know that this is necessary to make your child better but how do you explain that to a toddler that doesn't want to take her medicine?? She has already made it quite clear she is not a fan of the flavour they have given her, even though I have tried to let her know that unfortunately we were not given a choice!!



Even though I have had four children I have never found the solution to getting them to take their medicine without them either complaining, fighting or refusing to take it.

Does anyone have any good tips on this subject??

xxxx

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Thursday 21 March 2013

Parent's Evening

So on Tuesday it was time for Parent's evening again. I think every parent worries a bit about what the teacher is going to tell them, you keep your fingers crossed that your child is being good and not struggling!!


My eldest always gets a glowing report, I hate to say it but she is more clever than me, only in year 2 and already working at year 3 level, I think I might struggle to help her with her homework soon!!

My 5 year old however got a mixed report, she is also a clever little monkey but can be a little naughty at times, showing off to her friends, this I was surprised at because she is normally the shy one, school is obviously bringing her out of her shell. And strangely, the other thing that was noted down was that she is always hungry, not sure if they thought that I starve her at home?? I did continue to tell her teacher that she has been this way since birth and has the classic case of eyes bigger than belly.

All in all this time round there wasn't much to worry about, phew!!!

Have any of you had parent's evening recently?? How did it go??

xxxx

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Wednesday 20 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Spring


Easter Crafts

So this year for school Freya has got to make an easter bonnet and Elise has to create her own Easter garden.

I've been walking round the shops this morning to see what ideas I can come up with to help them. Here's what I bought today :


Do your kids have to make things for school at Easter? If so what are they making this year, please share your crafty ideas.

xxxx

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Tuesday 19 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Sea


The Original Big Body Bib Review

You may have noticed my post a couple of weeks ago showing you what I had got through the post.




I received an Original Big Body Bib to put through it's paces. I have been using it on Layla for a couple of weeks, so I'm now going to share my thoughts with you.

This company was founded last year, these bibs were originally made for the owners two sons to use but they soon realised this idea was too good not to share with others.

I have to admit I love the concept. I don't know about you but Layla is always managing to spit her food down her clothes rather than on her bib, so the idea of this bib intrigued me, could it work??

The great thing about this bib is that it's adjustable. It has a set of poppers to adjust the waist size and a set of poppers to adjust the length. Just to prove how adjustable this bib is, I took photos of each of my other daughters wearing it :

Here we have my 3, 5 and 7 year olds each modelling the bib, they are all of average size and as you can see it is only just starting to get too short on my 7 year old, so you know the bib will last well.

I love the materials they chose to make it out of, cotton one side and fleece the other. The one I received has a cute pig design on the front and yellow fleece back with yellow poppers. This sort of material means that even when they spill drink down it, your child stays dry because the fleece absorbs it. It also means that when washed it is very quick drying, infact it comes out of the washing machine practically dry already.

It has been through the wash several times now and I have had to use stain remover at times, you know the dreaded orange stains!! The stains come out no problem and the bib has kept it's shape and size perfectly.


As you can see from the picture above, Layla's body is completely covered, it really does work, I have had a lots less washing since using this bib as it manages to completely cover her tops and where we do a mixture of spoon feeding and blw, believe me there is a lot of food that gets dropped.

Overall I couldn't recommend this bib enough, it is a great twist on the idea of a bib. The only negative I could find was that there was only one popper to fasten around the neck, it could have done with a couple more to make it tighter on Layla. I would love to see them made with sleeves as well!!! I think because of the design, it works well for babies right up to older children who maybe struggle to feed themselves.

Why not go and check out their website where you can pick from in stock bibs or even customise your own bibs, you can even pick which colour poppers you would like!!! And please go and say hello on their facebook page and let them know what you think.

xxxx

Disclaimer : I have not been paid for this review, I was allowed to keep the bib after, however all thoughts and opninions expressed are my own


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Monday 18 March 2013

#SnapHappyBritMums Tears


Suffering with eczema

One of the things I passed on to my children was something I really wish I hadn't, eczema.

I suffered quite badly from it when I was younger, I was literally covered from head to toe in it, I itched constantly and it looked awful!!

My 7 year old and 3 year old had it mildly as babies but they seem to have grown out of it, so I am hoping for them thart it doesn't come back.

My 5 year old still has it but not as bad as me, it remains on the creases of her knees and elbows but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get any worse for her.

Then there is the baby of our family. So far she only has it in one place but I think it is the worst place, her face. Everyone always comments on how sore it looks and just give general looks of feeling sorry for her, which I hate because she is fine. At the moment we are using Eucerin but it is making little difference. However the constant change in weather and temperature really doesn't help, added in with a constant cold, her immune system isn't at it's best to fight it. It doesn't look to bad in this photo as the flash has taken the redness out but it covers the whole of both her cheeks.



I'm hoping the warmer weather arrives soon as that always seemed to ease my eczema.

Do any of your children suffer with eczema? Do you have any creams etc that you would reccomend?
Please let me know.

xxxx

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Saturday 16 March 2013

Rain rain go away

So we get rid of the snow and in it's place is the rain. I don't know about you but I always struggle to think of things to do with the kids when the weather is bad.



Today we have spent the morning dancing around the living room like loons, listening to music videos on the television. It turned into a battle of old versus new, the kids were picking One Direction and Justin Bieber and I was picking out the old faithfuls like Backstreet Boys and nSync, turns out they quite like mummy's music.


What do you do on rain days??

xxxx




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