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Sunday 26 October 2014

Reasons To Try Out Baby Wearing & Slings As A Parent

Slings and baby wearing are two words I had absolutely no idea about when I first became a mum to James. However when I fell pregnant with Evelyn a friend of mine had mentioned it was something she had been looking into and after doing a bit of research myself I was totally sold! 


Baby wearing is something I only discovered this time around and it wasn't even something I had heard of when I had James. Since finding out about it and getting our first wrap we have been converted and it has been a life saver for quick trips like the school run and getting that closeness Evelyn craves 

Saturday 25 October 2014

Bright Starts - Roaming Safari Vibrating Bouncer **REVIEW**

Both my babies have loved their bouncer chairs so I would say if you are expecting its definitely a product worth getting! There are so many to choose from out there and one of those available is this one.... 

The Bright Starts Roaming Safari Vibrating Bouncer


The Bright Starts bouncer is brightly coloured and features a range of animals over the seat cover. The bouncer also has a easy to remove toy bar with 2 hanging toys. Unfortunately the toys cannot be removed from the bar which is the only downfall for me but isn't really a major issue. 



The Bright Starts bouncer also has a vibration feature which gently vibrates the seat offered calming movements for baby. The vibrations always sends Evelyn to sleep! The bouncer features a soft cradling seat which is fully removable and machine washable which is a big bonus for us as Evelyn is  always dribbling and being sick, Therefore its great to know you can pop the covers on and off when needed. 


Evelyn really likes the Bright starts bouncer and it seems to offer a slightly more upright position than other bouncers we have tried, which seems to suit her more as she gets older. The 3 point harness means that baby is nice and secure and this bouncer is suitable from birth up to around 20lbs. 

If you are looking for a very reasonably priced bouncer which has some lovely features then you should check out this bouncer from Bright Starts! 

Check out the Bright Starts range via the  Kidsii website here -  www.kidsii.com/brightstarts

xXx

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

Wayfair - ABC Storage boxes **REVIEW**

I don't know about you but since having children I am always on the look out for storage, Its a constant battle between me and the toys that seems to multiple rapidly! 

So when the lovely people at Wayfair offered to send us the ABC storage boxes to try out I knew they would be put to good use!


Wayfair.co.uk is the online destination for all things home, They offer a zillion things home with a huge selection of home furnishing and decor in a wide range of styles and a range of prices to suit everyone. 
Wayfair make it easier than ever before to find exactly what you want all from the convenience of your owl home via their website and online shop.

The ABC storage boxes arrived quickly and well packed to protect them from any damaged and it definitely worked. The boxes are made of a hard wearing a sturdy card with the largest box measuring 24cm H x 24cm W x 24cm D and the smallest box measuring 18cm H x 18cm W x 18cm D.
The boxes look fantastic, which for us in a big thing as alot of James toys are downstairs in our living room so its nice to have his toys tidied into something that looks good too. 

The boxes open and close via an easy to use elastic cable and button which makes it easy for James to open and close by himself. 
I was a little worried that being card and not wood or plastic these wouldn't be very sturdy but I didnt need to worry. The boxes are very sturdy and can hold lots! Inside the boxes are plain white and there is plenty of room for lots of toys. The smallest box held about 25 of James small toy cars with a little room to spare! 
The JIP ABC storage boxes are a fab addition to our home and James loves them! It has given us lots of storage for all of his toys and it doesn't look out of place in our living room, This would also look fab in a bedroom or nursery! Priced at just £23.96 (price correct as of 25/10/2014) I think these are fab value for money. 

The ABC boxes are also available in Pink from the Wayfair website HERE
Here is a picture of James who is 5 stood next to his boxes so you can get an idea of size - 
Wayfair.co.uk offer so many more fantastic items including lots more storage solutions and much much more. Check out their website here - www.wayfair.co.uk

What is your favourite item from the Wayfair website? 

xXx

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

Naturally Cool Kids - Vapour Stick **REVIEW**

As the cold weather creeps in and winter is upon us those pesky coughs and colds start creeping in, especially for those with children at school as the same cold just seems to circulate around the school.

The lovely people at Naturally Cool Kids have put a new twist on an old product.... The vapour stick! 
The Vapour Stick is designed to help clear little airways with as little mess and fuss as possible. The Naturally cool kids vapour stick contains all natural products including natural butters and essential oils and contains no petroleum!

The Vapour stick has a very easy to use twist function at the bottom and this maneuvers the vapour stick inside up and down. This means no mess or fuss and James was able to apply it himself. It also meant it was easy to apply at night time without having to worry about mess. 
The vapour stick got a big thumbs up from us! The first thing I noticed was the smell and it definitely wasn't as over powering as other vapour products I have tried, This was a big plus especially with using it on children. I also loved the fact it was mess free and James could apply this to himself (hes 5 going on 15 and wants to be Mr Idependant! lol). 
Another plus was that the Naturally Cool Kids vapour stick is suitable for use for children aged 3 months + so it meant both James and Evelyn could use it. 
James recently suffered from a cold and this really helped him sleep in the night and he was happy to use it and apply it himself with no fuss (I did help him apply it to his back of course). 

This super handy little vapour stick is a must have for when those nasty colds rear there ugly head! Its suitable for use by vegatarians and is soy, peanut oil and dairy free. 

Naturally Cool kids have lots of other products to check out too and you can see them all here on their website - www.naturallycoolkids.com

Do your children suffer from colds in the winter? How do you usually fight it? 

xXx

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

Friday 24 October 2014

Fisher-Price Rainforest Sit-Me-Up floor seat **REVIEW**

Evelyn is at that awkward stage where she really wants to sit up but isn't quite ready to do it by herself. When we lay her on her play mat she wants to be up (we've even had mini sit ups in the attempt to get up lol!). 
So when we heard about the Sit-Me-Up floor seat from Fisher-Price it looked like just what we were looking for. 




The seat offers Comfort and fun all in one. The supportive, upright seat which has soft fabric and a wide, sturdy base lets baby see and interact with the world around them. It also features two detachable toys which allow baby to sit up and play.The fabric is completely and easily removable and machine washable. 



I loved the funky and bright design of the seat and that the toys were detachable so that we could swap and change them with other toys we have so she didn't get bored with the same toys. The toys included were bright, colourful and nice and chunky for little hands to grab. The butterfly had crinkly wings and the other toy make a great teether for her to chew on.



The Sit-Me-Up seat also fold flat and is really lightweight so easy to take along with you or fold away for storage. We have been taking it along to my mums and it is so easy to fold down and then pop back up again with just 1 hand its been great.



I would highly recommend this seat to anyone! It has been fantastic for Evelyn and has solved her frustration at wanting to sit up. The supportive and comfortable seat has meant she is able to sit up and play with her brother and have a good look around, without one of us having to always be holding her upright. 



The seat is priced at £39.99 although it is currently available from Smyths for £34.99! (price correct as of 24/10/2014). 

The Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up floor seat is suitable from when baby can hold their head up unaided up to 11kg.

You can purchase the Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up seat from smyths here - www.smythstoys.com


Find out more about the great items Fisher-Price have to offer via there website here - www.fisher-price.com

xXx

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

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Munchkin LATCH bottles **REVIEW**


Munchkin have recently released a new range of bottles called LATCH these bottles are specifically designed to mimic breastfeeding. 


So what makes the Munchkin LATCH bottles so different from all the others on the market? Well its the teat that mimics the breast! The unique LATCH accordion teat moves and functions most like the breast, helping ease baby's transition from breast to bottle and back.

The LATCH teat stretches, moves and pumps, so baby can LATCH and feed just like on the breast. These bottles also features the unique LATCH anti-colic valve - a base venting, one-piece valve that prevents air bubbles traveling through the milk, reducing the chance of colic.


The first thing I noticed about these bottles was that the teat seemed softer and more flexible than other bottles we had tried. With previous bottles we have tried Evelyn has struggled with the flow of milk and it has either been to slow and she has worn herself out trying to get the milk out quick enough or to fast and it just spills down her chin. 
With these bottles she seemed to be able to adjust to slow of the milk herself and was able to happily finish her bottle with no frustration or dribbles.

Here is a short video clip of how the Munchkin LATCH bottles work - 


If you are looking for a bottle that may help with that transition between breast and bottle or perhaps you wish to combination feed then I would highly recommend trying out the LATCH bottles!

You can find out more about the LATCH range and more via the Munchkin website HERE.

xXx


Sunday 19 October 2014

Halloween Crafts - Hand-print Spiders!

Over the next week will be posting various arts, crafts and baking activities  you can enjoy doing with your little ones in the run up to Halloween! 

Have you seen our post for Pumpkin Painting? If not check it out here - Pumpkin Painting Blog Post.

So today we had a go at making some fun, funky spiders using our hands! 

All you will need is Plain paper, Black paint and a paint brush!

Using the black paint, paint your child's hand ensuring it is all completely covered in the paint. 



Now gently (with the child's fingers spread apart) place the child's hand onto the paper and apply gentle pressure to ensure the paint is transferred to the paper properly. 


Repeat this with the second hand ensuring where the 2 thumbs meet on the paper they slightly overlap to create the body. 

Now add googly eyes or draw/paint some eyes on.

Ta-Da you have your spider.





You could tape a piece of string or wool to the back and hang them up for funky Halloween decorations if you like. 

xXx


Saturday 18 October 2014

Pumpkin Painting! An alternative to carving! - Halloween Crafts

Do your children see the pumpkins in the shops and insist they want one, Yet you know full well if you buy one it will be you sat for hours trying to scoop out the middle, and then attempting to carve something that resembles a face !?!

James always seem to want to buy a pumpkin as they appear in the shops, So this year we came up with the idea of painting our pumpkin rather than carving it!

Painting it meant that James could create it all by himself with whatever design he liked!



To make you own painted pumpkin you will need...

A pumpkin (of course lol!)
Paints,
PVA glue,
Embellishments such as googly eyes, ribbon and glitter if you want to add these (these are not essential).

A handy hint is to make the paint stick to the pumpkin better mix a little PVA glue into the paint.

Make sure you give your pumpkin a quick wash and ensure it is dry before you start. Then just let your child's creativity run wild!

Here is the pumpkin me and James made -




Of course you can get as creative as you like with yours! 

If you have a go don't forget to share your pictures on our Facebook page HERE there will be a spooky edible treat for the best one!! 

xXx

Thursday 16 October 2014

September Degustabox **REVIEW**

You may have noticed for several months now we have been reviewing Degustabox! 

This monthly food and drink subscription box brings you a range of different food and drinks to try each month. The box brings you a wide range of products from brands you may or may not of heard of. We have never been disappointed with the contents of our boxes!! 

Priced at just £12.99 per month which includes delivery, This box offers a great value for money with the contents always far out weighing the price you pay for the box. There is also no commitment so you can cancel your subscription at any point if you wish to (we don't think you will want to ever cancel though!).

Here is what was in this months box -

Burts Lentil Waves 


These super crunchy crisps are flash fried in the Burts Devon kitchen and are full of flavour! They are currently available in the 2 flavours shown above (thai sweet chilli, sour cream and onion and lightly salted). I loved the crunchiness of the crisps and my personal favourite was the Sour cream and chive flavour. RRP 69p per 20g pack.

Jordans Simply Granola


Jordans new simple granola is a simple blend of cruchy baked oats with a hint of honey. I have been having this for breakfast with milk and it is lovely! It fills me up and gets me going for the day. If you are really a breakfast kind of person how about mixing this with some yoghurt for a mid morning snack. RRP £2.69

Bahlsen Pick UP! 


If you haven't tried these yet you need too!! These crunchy biscuits sandwich a delicious thick layer of chocolate! They are so chocolaty and moreish they really curb that chocolate craving. These biscuits are the perfect size to add to a lunch box or picnic basket! RRP £1.69 per pack of 5.

Crabbies alcoholic fruits


Alcoholic Fruits is a new range from Crabbies containing really fruity fruit flavours with no ginger! There are 3 flavours in the range and these are Black Cherry, Zesty Lemon and Raspberry and Rhubarb. We were sent the Zesty lemon in our box and it was really nice, It offered a zesty flavour and you could really taste the lemon! I am now on the hunt for the raspberry and rhubarb flavour! RRP £5.99 for a pack of 4. 

Carnation Cook with it!


Carnation Cook with it is a versatile cooking creme that can be used to make a wide variety of savoury sauces to compliments meals. It can be used for so many things from carbonara to curries, quiches to soups. This Carnation cooking creme is made using fresh milk and with half the fat of single cooking creme! Keep an eye on the blog for a recipe using this coming soon! RRP £1.65.

Elizabeth Shaw Mint Thins


Elizabeth Shaw chocolates make a regular apperance in our Degustabox and we are definitely NOT complaining! There are so many yummy things in the Elizabeth Shaw range and these are no exception. These thin pieces of chocolate are topped with little pieces of mint which give them a lovely fresh flavour. These would make a great alternative after dinner mint offering! RRP £2.50.

Righteous Dressings


Righteous dressings are made using only 100% natural ingredients. They contain no additives, preservatives or thickeners. The dressings we tried were Raspberry and sweet basil dressing, Lemon and mustard seed dressing and our personal favourite Mild English blue cheese & cider dressing. RRP £2.49 per 225ml bottle.

Little Miracles Drinks


These organic drinks are made with a blend of organic tea and fruit juice as well as ginseng and acai.These drinks are sweetened with agave and each drink is less than 90 calories! I was a bit unsure as to whether I would enjoy the flavours as im not a tea drinker at all, However these offered a lovely druity refreshing taste that tingled the back of your throat. Great to have on hand as a quick pick-me-up. RRP £1.59

LaVieja Fabrica


This marmalade is made using the traditional method that is over 170 years old! It is made using only the best Seville oranges and it is produced in a way to keep the integrity of the fruit at its best. This marmalade has a lovely zingy flavour and you can really taste the delicious Seville oranges! 


As usual the box contains several vouchers and coupons for money off products included in the box so if there is something you really like in the box you can purchase more!

Fancy trying out Degustabox for yourself? 

Why not check out Degustabox yourself via one of their pages linked below and order your own box to try!.


xXx

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

Wednesday 15 October 2014

NibNibs **REVIEW**


NibNibs are a Yorkshire based company who are passionate about nibbling and love creating moreish quality snacks that are full of the very best of everything. NibNibs personally source all of their ingredients and always ensure they are the finest quality and wherever possible most definitely British.




We were sent a selection of Mini Nibs to try out in a range of flavours. 

Mini Nibs cheddar and onion straws


The Cheddar Cheese and onion flavour mini nibs have a deliciously moreish taste! They have a subtle hint of onion in them and a lovely crunchy texture. 

Mini Nibs cheddar cheese straws


These are James favourite! They have a tasty cheddar cheese flavour and crunchy texture that makes you just want to keep eating them! These are perfect for a treat/snack for children as the flavour is not too strong.

Mini Nibs cheddar and spicy chilli straws 


I was unsure if I would like these as I am not a big chilli fan, however the chilli flavour is quite subtle and gives a slight taste of chilli with a warm sensation at the end. 

Mini Nibs salt and pepper jumbo peanuts. 


These peanuts really are JUMBO and are really coated in a generous helping of flavour! The salt and pepper really give these a real kick and make a nice change to ordinary peanuts. I would say these are aimed more at the adults though.

James usually comes out of school peckish and the cheese straws have been great to keep in my bag for him to have a few when he comes out of school. The handy little pots don't take up to much room in your bag and the lid keeps everything fresh and sealed inside. 

The handy 65g pots are great for having to hand for when you feel peckish in the evenings. They would also make a fab addition to any buffet table!

Do you fancy winning a selection of NibNibs to try out yourself? Well now is your chance! Simple enter using the rafflecopter form below and a lucky winner will be announced on 13th November. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xXx

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

Monday 13 October 2014

Spider-man GoGlow Pal **REVIEW**

Like most 5 year old boys James is a huge Spider-man fan! 

So when we were given the opportunity to try out the Spider-man GoGlow pal I knew it would be a bit hit with James. 
The Spider-man GoGlow pal is from Worlds Apart and is a soft style toy which has eyes that glow! You simply press gently on Spider-man's tummy and his eyes light up letting off a soft glow that offers a comforting light to help your child gentle fall asleep, and thanks to the auto switch off function the glow switches itself off after 15 minutes, So no worrying that its going to be left on all night! 

The GoGlow pal also features suckers on the hands so if you don't want your child to hold it in bed it can be stuck to any smooth surface such as a headboard, bedside table or window. 

The GoGlow pal requires 3xAAA batteries which are included but are easily accessed when you need to change them.

As I expected James LOVED his GoGlow pal! The timing of it arriving actually came at a really good time for us as we have been trying to encourage James to go to the toilet in the nights by himself, but he doesn't like walking from his bed to the light because of how dark it is. The GoGlow pal gave him a little confidence to walk over as it lit the way a little for him. Its definitely still work in progress with the toilet situation but this has definitely improved it! 



I really liked the fact you are able to use the sucker pads on the hands to stick him on a smooth surface, but that they are also soft enough to be able to take to bed and cuddle. 

As well as Spider-man the GoGlow pals come in a range of characters including Thomas the tank, Ninja Turtles, Hello Kitty and the Toy Story alien! See the range of GoGlow products HERE.

GoGlow pals are available to buy from Tesco, Argos, Smyths, Amazon and Toys R us and prices vary. 

Why not pop over and check out the Worlds Apart website and find out about all the other fantastic and fun products they have! You will find some great ideas for christmas gifts! 

xXx

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

Sunday 12 October 2014

Happy 5th Birthday James!

Yesterday was James 5th Birthday! 

Wow where did that time go!?! It only seems like yesterday I brought home from hospital my tiny 7lb 7oz baby boy yet here he is now 5 and in school! 

I have watched him grow from that tiny newborn, to taking his first steps, then heading off to nursery and most recently school. He has made me so proud and has managed to make me smile every single day. 

We started the morning opening presents, then had a treat of McDonald's for lunch before heading off to bowling and then boys had a play in the arcade afterwards! He invited one of his friends along and we had a fab time. 

Here are some photos from our day...







So James thank you for being an amazing son and fantastic big brother to your sister but most of all thank you for being you and making every day a little more fun, a little more exciting and filling ours hearts with a little more love each day!

Happy 5th Birthday James!! 

xXx