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Monday 30 June 2014

3 weeks already!!

So my little lady is now 3 weeks old already!! 
Time is going so quickly its unbelieveable!

We had the midwife today and got signed off as peanut is finally up to her birth weight (and more!!) and is now weighing 8lb 2oz. It was a little emotional when we got signed off from the midwife as it made it feel like my little baby is no longer a newborn and we are starting a new chapter already. She did have to have some eye drops though for her eye as its a little sticky and gunky so im sure that will be a challenge trying to get eye drops into her eye lol.

She seems to be having a growth spurt at the moment and is feeding every 2 hours through the day! But she is still only getting up once in the night for a feed and usually goes from 11pm til 4/5am then has a bottle and back down til about 8am. Although we did have one night this week where she decided to get up at 3am had a bottle then woke at 4am screaming for another bottle lol. 

Shes growing so much already and must be getting longer as her newborn sleep suits are starting to get a little short in the arms and tight on the legs. 



James is still being a fantastic big brother although has been playing up a little lately for attention but it was to be expected I think after all he has had mummy and daddy all to himself for nearly 5 years!
He had his leavers play at nursery Friday which was a mix of Snow white and Cinderella and he was a huntsman. It brought a tear to my eye watching him knowing this was the last play he would be doing at nursery and just how confident he had become as he said his lines into the microphone (lines he has spent weeks learning I might add lol!) and dancing around stage.
He has also had both his school stay and play settling in sessions and loved them!! He cant wait to start in September and keeps asking if he can go to school yet lol. I have to admit this has made it a little easier for me as I know hes going to love it. Saying that I still cant believe my little boy will be starting big school in just a few months. 

 (Heres James as a huntsman in his play sorry its not very clear I was sat quite far away and I was juggling a whinging peanut and trying to hold the camera at the time lol) 


My 2 favourite people!

xXx

Saturday 28 June 2014

MAMA academy ambassador!

You may have noticed a new badge on my sidebar recently? 

I have recently become a MAMA academy ambassador and I am thrilled to be supporting this fab charity!


The aim of MAMA Academy is to equip all expectant mums and healthcare professionals with vital knowledge and education to give every baby the best chance of arriving safely and healthily. We want to help mums have healthy pregnancies and support midwives to aid consistency of maternity care right across the UK.

MAMA academy aim to reduce the numbers of stillborn babies in the UK by:
  • Raising awareness of baby loss.
  • Educating expectant mums and on health in pregnancy, complications and how to reduce the risks of stillbirth.
  • Assisting healthcare professionals by keeping them up to date with the latest practices, guidelines and research to provide consistent maternity care.
The MAMA academy team consists of various mums and healthcare professionals whose passion is to educate to help see the numbers of baby loss decline. If their information can help save just one baby then all the hard work will be worthwhile.

As you all know I recently gave birth to my little girl and I had such a positive pregnancy. I felt fully supported by all the midwives and health care team I came in contact with. My labour was an equally positive experience! I am so pleased to be part of the MAMA team to help aid mums to be hopefully have an equally positive experience! 

The MAMA academy website offers great helpful information for both mums and midwives and really is worth a taking a little bit of your time to pop over and have a read if you are currently thinking of getting pregnant or currently expecting.  

You will see lots more posts from me about this great charity in the near future so keep an eye out for them! 

xXx



Milton Steriliser **REVIEW**

We were recently sent a from combi steriliser to try out from the lovely people at Milton to try out and review with our new little arrival! 

I was really excited about trying out the Combi steriliser as I hadn't seen this before and have previously only used the electric steam type sterilisers with James so was intrigued by the cold water method of sterilising. 
The Combi can be used either with the Cold Water method (using sterilising tablets or fluid) or in the microwave.



The first thing I noticed was the colour! I loved the fact in came in a vibrant pink colour (it is also available in  turquoise and white) and thought this was a really nice touch as most sterilisers are just a standard white. The steriliser is compact enough that it doesn't take up heaps of space on the kitchen side (which is always a bonus for us as we don't have a massive kitchen). 

The steriliser comes with a pack of milton sterilising tablets and tongs as well as a handy leaflet explaining the methods you can use with the steriliser.

Both the cold water and microwave methods of using this steriliser are so simple to use! Watch this short video to see how the steriliser works. 

Another big plus for me was that it can hold ANY brand of bottles! It does hold slightly less bottles than some other sterilisers as I have found most hold 6 but the Milton Combi holds 5 however it is so quick to sterilise the bottles this really isn't an issue. The Combi steriliser sterilises from 2 minutes in the microwave and in 15 mins with cold water! 

Overall we really liked the Milton Combi steriliser, I loved the fact it came in a choice of colours and the quickness of the sterilising. It was easy to use and priced at around just £24.99 offers pretty good value for money! 

You can find out more about Milton and there whole range of products by visiting their website here ... www.milton-tm.com
What steriliser do you or have you used? Which method of sterilising did you find best? 

xXx

* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.. As a thank you I was allowed to keep the product.
* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.

Friday 27 June 2014

Sunsense **REVIEW**

The weather has been lovely lately hasnt it! Finally summer has arrived! 
So when the lovely people at Sunsense offered us some product to try and review I jumped at the chance. 

Sunsense sent us their Toddler Milk which is SPF 50+ so perfect to try out on James.
The Toddler Milk comes in a 125ml bottle and is priced at £14.96 or it is available in a 50ml roll on which is priced at £9.28.

We get through quite a lot of sun cream in this house as James LOVES playing outside and the first sign of sun hes demanding the paddling pool out and a bbq for tea. So when we were offered this cream to try I was intrigued to see what it was like compared to others we had tried. 

Upon opening it the toddler milk did seem runnier than a normal sun cream however this meant it did apply to the skin a little easier with minimal effort needed. The milk has a soft non greasy texture that is really easily absorbed into the skin and doesn't leave any sticky residue on the skin nor does it leave you looking really pale lol!! 


You really do only need a small amount and as I mentioned above it is really easy to apply which is a definite bonus when trying to apply to a wriggly 4 year old who just wants to run off lol!

This was James arm while applying and after application as you can see it really absorbed into the skin and left no residue behind. 

The Sunsense Toddler Milk is SPF 50+ and is also water resistant for up to 40 minutes! The milk formulation is specially designed for delicate skin so is perfect for use on small children whos skin maybe more irritable. 

Overall we really liked this product. It was easy to apply didn't irritate James sensitive skin and although it is a little more expensive than I would usually spend on a Sun Cream/Milk you really do only need a small amount as it goes a long way. 

Sunsense have lots of other products in the Suncare range so head over to www.sunsense.co.uk to check out all their products and to purchase your own. 

You can also find Sunsense on
 Facebook here .. Sunsense Facebook
Or Twitter .. Sunsense Twitter

Have you tried any of the Sunsense Range? Do you have any tips of how to keep kids protected in the sun? Let me know below. 

xXx


* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.. As a thank you I was allowed to keep the product.
* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.

Wednesday 25 June 2014

We have a NAME!!

Little peanut it now 16 days old and since she has been in my tummy has been known as "Peanut" however she now has a name!! 

I would love to introduce you all to ....

Evelyn Rose Howliston.
We will call her Evie for short but the above is her registered name. 

She also got weighed today and now weighs 7lb 12oz so only 3 oz off her birth weight (we are getting there slowly). She is sleeping really well and regularly goes from 11pm til 5am then back down after a bottle til around 8am! She is a complete mummys girl and loves her cuddles on mums chest. 

It still feels strange calling her Evie and im pretty sure I will still find myself calling her peanut all the time lol but atleast she is now registered! 
Jame has been such a good big brother has has helped so much even trying to feed and wind her (with my help of course) and giving her lots of those big brother hugs he is best at! 

xXx


Sunday 22 June 2014

Our Tesco BARGAINS!

Hello everyone,

Well Peanut is now almost 2 weeks old!! Time is going so quickly it only feels like yesterday I gave birth! However her wardrobe says differently lol! As we didnt find out what sex baby was until she was born all the clothes we had were unisex so once we found out she was a little girl the flowery, summer dresses were all to tempting and I just had to buy her lots of girly clothes! 

I popped into our local Tesco yesterday (we have a big Tesco extra locally) and they had a big sale on clothes and I managed to get some really good bargains for James and Peanut so thought I would share them with you. 

First up James clothes (James has developed a slight obsession with anything Spiderman, Batman etc lol!) ..

I got this Spiderman onesie for £5! Its quite thin so perfect for summer as James wont go to bed without anything on. The colours are really bright and James thinks he Spiderman wearing it lol! 

I also got this Batman Tshirt for just £4! 

Next up Peanuts clothes...

First I brought her this super cute seaside print dress! It is a lovely blue colour with small frills to the bottom with a seahorse, starfish and shell print pattern and a pretty blue flower on the chest. 
It cost just £2!

I also brought her these 2 cute sleep suits I really liked the unusual colours of them and they were just £4 for both! 

Next up is this 2 piece set, Its a little bit big for her at the moment as its 3-6 months but I thought it was really cute and a bargain at just £5 for set! 

I also managed to grab a pack of these bandana bibs for £1 for 2! 

I was really impressed with how mcuh they had in the sale in store (and theres even more online!!) and how cheap some of the items were! 

Why not check out the sale for yourself here .... Tesco F&F clothing sale!

Have you ever picked up any bargains from your local Tesco store? 

xXx

Thursday 19 June 2014

Project B **REVIEW**

Recently I was given the opportunity to review the Project B box over 3 months! 
Project B is a company that provides a monthly pregnancy box for expectant mums. The box is sent out monthly from 12 weeks pregnant right up til week 40 and contains lots of exciting products for you to try out during your pregnancy. 
Each box contains a range of products relevant to your stage of pregnancy as well as some helpful information cards which contain useful information again tailored to your stage in pregnancy.
You can find the review of the first box we tried here...

This month we reviewed box 6 which is aimed at people 35-39 weeks pregnant. 
After receiving our first box last month (and loving it!) I was really excited to receive this one and find out what was inside and I was not disappointed!

Inside box 6 was...

Eco2life - Cleaning spray and refill & Spontex wash-ups
This is a great cleaning spray for the bathroom and it has a lovely fresh fragrance that really sticks around. It was easy to use as it comes with a handy spray bottle and really left the bathroom smelling lovely and gleaming! Including the sponges to the box was a great little addition and definitely satisfied my nesting instinct lol!

No germs instant hand spray
I was really happy to see this is my box I've seen it a few times in stores such as Superdrug and Tesco but never got round to picking any up. I tried it out and it was great I was worried it would leave my hands sticky but it didn't at all! I popped this into my hospital bag it and came in handy when on the ward after having my little peanut.

Pampered Chef microfiber cloth
This is a lovely addition to the box and it is so soft! The colour was perfect as I had a little girl and it was great to use to wipe up her first milky dribbles as it was so soft against her delicate skin! Im sure this will get many uses as time goes on. 

Phytaoil stretch march treatment
I don't usually like to see samples in subscription boxes but the contents of the project B boxes really is worth far more than the £14 that you pay per month and so seeing a sample or 2 inside really doesn't bother me and it was nice to be able to try it out. I think my stretch marks are beyond treatment after 2 babies and think maybe these would be suited to a slightly earlier stage box. Saying that it was still nice to be able to try out a product I may have otherwise not have tried! 

Weleda Calendula baby lotion
I hadn't heard of this brand before receiving this (another reason why I really love subscription boxes as you find and get to try brands you may otherwise not have heard of or brought!). I am a little cautious about putting creams etc on babies skin at such a young age and so will be waiting until she is a little older to try it out on baby, However I tried this out on myself and it was lovely! It is a really light cream that absorbs into the skin really well and has a lovely fresh scent,

Yes! Nurse - 24 hour moisturiser 
I was really intrigued by this product when I saw it in the box as it came in a brown box with no real branding on it. When i opened it I was pleasantly surprised to see a lovely hand moisturiser. The moisturiser has a lovely consistency that isn't to thick and absorbs into your hands quickly leaving them feeling instantly a little softer! I have been using this daily since receiving it and my hands are definitely much softer so I would really recommend! The box also double as a little money box (perfect for saving up for your next pot of hand cream lol!) 

As well as all the great products the box also came with the usual 4 helpful cards with recipe ideas and helpful tips for your stage of pregnancy. I love the addition of these cards to the box as they are really interesting to read and they provide some really helpful tips and information! 


Overall I have really liked this box. The products have all been useful and it has given me the opportunity to try out new brands I wouldn't have brought before. I really look forward to receiving the box at the beginning of the month and finding out what goodies are inside each time.
Project B boxes are priced at just £14 a month! The products within the box are always worth much more and it really is great to have something to look forward to each month that is just for you! 

You can find out more about Project B or order your own box here...
or find them on Facebook here..
Have you tried the Project B box for yourself? Let me know what you think below!

xXx 


* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.. As a thank you I was allowed to keep the product.
* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.

Monday 16 June 2014

1 week old today!

Hello everyone,

Sorry I've been rather quiet on here the last week I've been getting used to life as a mummy to 2 beautiful babies! 
As you know my little peanut made her arrival into the world on 9th June and we have been spending some quality family time together. 
James has taken to being a big brother perfectly! He absolutely loves his little sister and is so eager to help out, feed her and give her lots of cuddles. 

She is 1 week old today and had the midwife yesterday and she now weighs 7lb 7oz! She still has no name yet although we have narrowed it down to a few choices (its just so hard to commit to one lol!) Her cord also fell off (YAY!) yesterday which was a big relief I always worry im going to catch it every time I change her nappy, It also means she can enjoy a nice bath.

She is such a sleepy baby and is currently sleeping from 11pm -5/6am only waking for a feed then straight back to sleep in the night. Im totally making the most of this before the teething, growth spurts and illness's that keep that awake all night start lol.

Hubby is back to work as of tomorrow and I must admit its a little daunting and scary realising im going to have to care for not 1 but 2 children and its all a new experience for us all. Im sure it will all be fine and its going to be a learning curve for us all and a case of getting a good routine behind us but most of all just enjoying it! 


Here she is wide awake today at 1 week old! I cant believe how quick that first week has gone! Slow down time! 

xXx

Wednesday 11 June 2014

NEW ARRIVAL!

I am totally over the moon to announce the safe (and quick!) arrival of baby Peanut born on 9th June at 1.52pm! Peanut is actually a little.... GIRL! weighing in at 7lb 15oz of squidgy cuteness.


Everythig went well with the labour and after arriving at the hospital at 12.30pm and a little confusion over what room I should be in, Evelyn swiftly arrived in to the world at 1.52pm after only 4 minutes of pushing with just gas and air into mummy and daddies arm for cuddles and skin to skin. We got home the same night (all be it very late) as James couldn't settle at nannies as he was too excited to meet his baby sister and we are enjoying being a family of 4!

James is absolutely besotted with his new little sister and loves giving her lots of hugs and kisses.
Here he is meeting her for the first time at around 12 hours old. 


I cannot thank the midwives, doctors and nurses at Southmead hospital in Bristol enough they were all AMAZING from the minute we walked in the door the the minute we left with our new little baby. 

So if im a little quiet on here over the next couple of days you know why but I will of course be posting lots of baby photos over on Facebook and Instagram still. 


Welcome to the world baby girl making our family of 3 into 4 and completing our family!

xXx

Sunday 8 June 2014

Sunday Fun at Grimsbury Farm!

We recently stumbled upon Grimsbury farm a very cute little farm hidden in Kingswood, Bristol. 

Here you will find a good variety of animals everything from birds and guinea pigs to classic farm animals like pigs and sheep! 

Here are a few pictures of the animals we discovered on our visit. 

Monday 2 June 2014

May Degustabox **REVIEW**

We Recently had the pleasure of reviewing a Degustabox!

Degustabox is a monthly subscription food box which is delivered to your door monthly! Each box contains between 10 and 15 products that you may or may not have tried before. The box costs £12.99 per month and this included postage and the contents of the box is always worth more than the £12.99 paid! 

I was really excited to try our Degustabox! Im one of those people who always thinks about trying new products and recipes but when it comes to the weekly shop I end up grabbing the same thing and the same meals, So having a box delivered monthly that really encourages you to try new brands and products you may not have thought about before is a great way to get anyone trying new things!

 Our Degustabox arrived promptly on time (we were given a delivery slot of 1 hour via text on the day of delivery with the option to change this date if needed). 
I was not disappointed with what was inside! There was a great range of products from drinks, snacks and meal based foods.
The box also contained a few promotional cards from some of the brands and also a sheet explaining what each of the products were and the RRP of them which i thought was great as it really showed how much you had saved! 
I thought I would share with you below some of our favourite products out of the box (although we enjoyed them all!)

First out of the box were the Elizabeth Shaw dark chocolate flutes (grabbed by my eager 4 year old lol) 
 These rrp at £2.59 per pack and I hadnt seen them before but they were delicious! As they are dark chocolate they really curbed that chocolate craving without consuming to many. I've grabbed another pack of these to pop into my hospital bag! 

I was really excited to see the Dr Oetker cake release spray in the box! 
Im not an amazing baker but I do enjoy occasionally baking for the family and especially with my little boy and buttering and flouring cake tins is so messy this will certainly come in handy! I will be doing some baking with my little boy this week so I will let you know how we get on with it.

I really liked the fact the box contained 3 products that could be used together to create a tasty meal. These were the Garofalo pasta (rrp £1.89), Cirio passata (rrp £1.35) and Cirio puree (rrp £1.10). 
These are products I use for cooking usually but brands I had never heard of before so it was great to try new brands and compare the taste. They were delicious!! I used them to make a Chicken, Bacon and Tomato pasta bake dish (Recipe and pics will be in another post) which was easy to make and tasted yummy!

My favourite thing in the box had to be the Cawston Cloudy apple drink!! 
It tasted like a grown up fizzy drink and it was so refreshing! It contains 70% apple juice mixed with sparkling water and you could really taste the fresh apples. These rrp at £1 each so are a little more expensive than other cans of fizzy drink but really are worth it for a treat! They have other flavours to so I will be on the look out for these to give them a try.

Also included in this months Degustabox were these products..
Unfortunately I couldn't drink the cider with being pregnant but hubby said they were really nice and refreshing and I will definitely be purchasing some to try once I've had the baby! 
The Kettle chips also came with a £1 off voucher to use against another purchase of these crisps at any waitrose store. 

The total value of the Degustabox this month was £21.46 so as you can see much more than the £12.99 you pay for the box. 
If you want to try your very own Degustabox you can head over to www.degustabox.com to order yours now! There is no commitment to continue your subscription and you can cancel at any time.

I even have a discount code for you to use against your first box just enter 3MB25 this will give you £3 off your first box! 

If you want to find out more about degustabox you can find them here ..
Have you tried a degustabox before? What did you think? 
Dont forget to pop back and let us know what you think of yours if you decide to order one! 

xXx


* I was not paid for this review. All opinions given are my own.. As a thank you I was allowed to keep the product.
* If you would like me to review your product or service, please email me on xJessLegresleyx@hotmail.com.