Nesting for Hope: Adapting Your Home for Parenthood

**Collaborative Post**

Becoming a parent for the first time is like nothing else. You’re undoubtedly going through a rollercoaster of emotions right now as you prepare for your little one to arrive. While it might seem like there are a million things to learn, take a deep breath – you’ll do most of your learning along the way. 

But, it’s still important to be as prepared as possible for your new arrival, especially when it comes to creating the ideal environment for them at home. There are practical aspects of getting a home baby-ready, but there are also emotional factors to consider. 

Let’s take a look at some of the essential adjustments you should be considering to create a warm and wonderful environment for your little one from the moment you bring them through the front door for the first time. 

Should You Bring a Gift to a Gender Reveal Party?

**Collaborative Post**

Over the years, gender reveal parties have taken the UK by storm. For many expectant parents, it’s a joyous event where they share the exciting news of their baby's gender with friends and family. But as these celebrations grow in popularity, many guests find themselves wondering, "Should I bring a gift to a gender reveal party?" “Do you take a gift to a gender reveal?”

If some people are confused between a gender reveal party and a baby shower, let’s clarify these questions and the expectations surrounding gender reveal gifts, so you can attend these special events with confidence.

5 Things You Need as a New Parent

 **Collaborative Post**

Becoming a new parent is one of life's most exciting and overwhelming experiences. Bringing your baby home for the first time is a huge wave of emotion and amidst the joy, there are essential preparations that can help ease the transition into parenthood. From practical things such as having the home ready to welcome a tiny baby to those things we perhaps only sometimes think about such as having life insurance or a will drawn up to protect you and your new family. 

Here are five crucial things you need as a new parent to ensure a smooth and secure journey for your growing family.

Are You Ready for Another Child? 3 Things to Consider...

**Collaborative Post**

Having a baby is a huge decision whether it is your first, second, or fifth! It can be a daunting decision to make as often lots of things will change and there are lots of things to consider too, all of which should of course be discussed with your partner. Perhaps you have mixed feelings about wanting a second child? If so then you need to carefully work through the way that you feel so you can make sure that you are making the best decision for both you and your family.

Making the decision about having another baby is not something that can be rushed and there are lots of things to consider. Of course, there are the practical and financial side of things to think about, but there are also a few questions you need to ask yourself (and your partner) first, here are 3 things to consider when thinking about having another baby. 

10 Things To Consider When Bringing Your Baby Home

**Collaborative Post**

AD: You have got through the pregnancy, the labour and are ready to bring your new bundle of joy home, but leaving the hospital and having sole responsibility to care for your new precious bundle can be a daunting and scary experience, especially the first time around. Whilst bringing home a new born is an exciting and transformative experience, it's also a big responsibility, as you are now responsible for the health, safety and well-being of your new addition. But as most parents will tell you, the days go by so quickly and before long you will be in a routine and feeling much more settled, but never be afraid to ask for help if things don't start feeling easier either.

Here are some things to keep in mind when bringing your baby home:

Ultimate Winter Guide to Strengthening Your Babies Immune System

 **Advertisement Feature**

As a parent, you of course want your baby to be as healthy as possible. One of the best way's to achieve this is by boosting his or her immune system. With winter coming, you may be concerned about cold and flu season, especially with a baby or small child. Although it is common for babies to catch viruses and get sick, this can happen less frequently, and symptoms can be milder, if you focus on strengthening their body's ability to fight things off. 

Baby multivitamin drops are one of the ways that can help, and there are some other things you can do as well. Keep reading below for advice on keeping your little ones as happy and healthy as possible this winter. 

BABY Born Interactive Doll **REVIEW**

Evelyn has reached that age where she adores dolls and babies so when we were recently offered the chance to review one of the dolls from Zapf Creation I knew Evelyn would be only to happy to help!

We received the BABY Born Interactive doll.

The BABY Born Interactive doll is a hard bodied doll which comes with plenty of accesories. Included in the box with the BABY Born is 1 body suit, 1 hat, 1 plate with spoon, 1 bottle with lid, 1 potty, 1 dummy, 1 nappy, 1 portion of porridge, 1 friendship bracelet each for your child and the doll and a birth certificate.

The BABY Born interactive doll is a good size and weight which definitely makes this doll feel more realistic than other dolls we have had. It feels sturdy and has movable arms, legs and head. One of the reasons we went for a hard bodied doll is because Evelyn likes to take her dolls everywhere including the garden and the bath! BABY Born is able to do all this and be easily wiped down is needed which is a big bonus. 

The BABY Born doll has several interactive features including the ability to cry, wee and poo, the doll is for children age 3+ although as Evelyn is only 2 she wasn't to interested in these features just yet and was happy to just pretend. As I mentioned the doll is aimed at children age 3+ and Evelyn is only 2 but she got on just fine with the doll and really loves playing with it. We did have a go at making it cry but found it quite difficult and I would imagine a child would find it quite difficult to apply enough pressure to make tears appear on their own so this may require some help from a grown up.

I would have loved to have had a few more nappies/ portions of food for the baby in the box as the set does only come with 1 of each of these and they were used quite quickly. However I have noticed you can purchase these separately so if you are thinking of purchasing this doll I would definitely recommend purchasing some of these at the same time to go with your doll. 

The BABY Born Interactive doll is currently priced at £44.99 and we think its definitely a worth while investment. I can see Evelyn spending years playing with this doll and with so many accessories to buy for it and outfits to change there is always plenty to add to your child's doll. It is great for role play and imaginative play and being such a sturdy doll is made to last. 

Do your children like dolls? 

xXx

Weaning Memories with HiPP #MilkMoments

Both Evelyn and James are little food monsters now but I still remember the weaning stage with the both, so when I was recently asked by HiPP to share my weaning memories I was excited to recall my memories.

Weaning with both James and Evelyn could be described in one word and that is "Messy" but it was also an enjoyable time. We went with the motto of "Food is fun until their 1" and tried to approach weaning in a fun and relaxed manor which seemed to work for us all.

 ( Lunch time! James and Evelyn enjoying lunch, James is 5 now but still enjoys all kinds of foods and eating lunch with his sister! )

With James we used more purees and blended foods which went well but it did take a little longer for us to then transition on to more solid foods. When Evelyn came along I opted to do the baby led weaning route and we started on solid foods such as scrambled egg and soft bits of carrot, banana and she loved toast fingers. Weaning was one of this big milestones that makes lots of mums nervous as before this baby has been getting all of their nourishment for milk be that breast or formula. Now suddenly it is down to us to provide some of that nourishment through food.

A lot of the purees you can purchase come with added vitamins and minerals which did put my mind at ease a little with James. With Evelyn we were doing BLW which often left me worried that she wasn't getting all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients her body perhaps required as she would often leave food or only try little bits of what I gave her. That was when I discovered follow on milk!

Follow on milks are designed to complement the weaning diet while your baby is getting used to a variety of different tastes and textures.  They are higher in iron and vitamin D than standard infant formulas which can really be a help if baby is not eating many iron-containing foods and is therefore at greater risk of iron deficiency, and to help protect baby against becoming vitamin D deficient.

If you have been or are breast feeding but are considering using a follow on milk to replace or compliment food and breastfeeding HiPP organic have been researching breastmilk for over 50 years so you can rely on them to include the ingredients your baby needs to grow strong and healthy. HiPP Organic Follow-on-Milk includes the essential ingredients your baby needs including iron for cognitive development, vitamins A, C and D for the immune system and  PRÆBIOTIK® a source of allgosaccharldes

As a mum myself I often look for the advice and guidance of other mums and 10/10 mums who tried HiPP organic follow on milk with their babies said they seemed happier which is extremely encouraging. 

If you are about to start weaning or want to give HiPP organic follow on milk a try for yourself why not enter our giveaway below to win a HiPP organic follow on milk hamper!
The hamper will include a tin of HiPP follow on milk, a storage tin with handy scoop and scoop leveler to ensure you are getting the correct measurements, a selection of weaning food goodies 6m+ and a cuddly toy for baby!

Enter here -

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to UK residents only. All entries will be verified and any entries seen to be false or incomplete will be disqualified. Prize will be sent from company/pr directly and I cannot take responsibility for the arrival of this prize.  

The Department of Health recommends that you breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first six months of their life; at around six months you can start to wean them on to solids and start to combine breastfeeding with bottle feeding. HiPP Organic understands that all babies are different and some mums might want to transfer to bottle feeding earlier than others. HiPP Organic would always advise that you speak to your midwife or health visitor before changing your feeding method. For more information on milks, please visit the HiPP Organic Website http://www.hipp.co.uk/milks-important-notice.

** this post was written in collaboration with HiPP organic. 

Sharing some advice for new mums.

I was just 19 when I had my first baby James and boy was I scared. I had no clue what I was doing and when they handed me my tiny baby boy I felt clueless to the situation and the pain and 18 hour labour certainly didn't help towards that clueless haze I was in.

After a sleepless night at the hospital my husband came to collect me in the morning and after a quick check over and a bit of paper work we were signed out of the hospital, handed our baby in his new car seat and sent on our merry way. Im pretty sure as soon as we stepped out of the hospital doors both me and my husband looks at each other in the hope that the other knew what to do with this baby we had just been handed!

(James just a few hours old!)

It was all going to be this giant learning curve and new adventure for us both in which we would have to learn as we went, pick up new skills and adjust to life as parents. Being quite young not many of our friends had babies which made the journey even harder as it felt like we didn't have many people to turn to for advice, we soon both learnt our own parents were invaluable for such advice!

Now as a mum of 2 I am most certainly still learning, still adjusting and still often turn to my mum or other friends with babies for advice. However I have learnt a few things on the way and so today I thought I would share a few of those thoughts with you, so here they are.

• When you first come home don't feel like you have to allow everyone round to visit straight away. Its ok to say no and its ok to need some time to bond and recover as a family. Its so easy to feel pressured into feeling like you must let everyone round as soon as you are home but that's not the case and people will understand that you need some time to settle home. 

• Check out your local area for mum and baby groups or sessions as these can be a great way to meet new mums and get out and about. Sometimes being a new mum can feel quite lonely so meeting others who are going through the same thing as you can be an easy way to meet lots of mums in one place. If you have a local Sure Start centre these often run baby groups such as baby massage, mum and baby groups, young mum groups and stay and play sessions.

• Pyjama days are fine, whilst going out to baby groups and play dates is a great way to meet new mums and get out and about its also ok to admit that some times you just need a day to yourself. It can be a lovely opportunity to just spend some one to one time with you and your little one with no pressure to get ready and be out and about and organised.

• Don't be afraid to tell doctors/ midwives or health visitors exactly how you are feeling! When I had James I knew something wasn't right with the way I was feeling but I was so worried that if I told someone they would try and take my baby away that I didn't say anything. Eventually my husband persuaded me to speak to a doctor who said I had mild post natal depression and offered lots of help, support and advice. These people are there to help and support not judge or intimidate so please do feel like you can talk to them if you need to, they won't know whats wrong or be able to help if you don't. 

• Don't feel guilty for taking some "me time", your a mum and a human not a robot and we all need a little time to ourselves to recoup and sleep (mostly sleep lol!). I used to feel so guilty about even leaving James for a few hours with my mum, it felt like I wasn't doing what I was suppose to and I was in some way failing by letting someone else care for him. Now I can look back that was most certainly not the case and by giving myself some me time I could be a better mum to my baby as I was more relaxed, had caught up on sleep and had managed some time being me rather than "mum". 

• Try not to compare your babies milestones to everyone else's baby. Its so easy to get lured in to comparing your baby to others of similar age and then worrying if they are different. How much milk are they having, how many teeth, are they walking, sitting, crawling, do they sleep through the night are questions I am sure we all ask and so will many other mums. Whilst its great to compare stages and milestones for a bit of fun please don't worry if your baby is different, all babies develop and learn at different rates so unless you feel there is something seriously wrong try not to worry. 

Most of enjoy your baby! They certainly don't stay little for long and before you know it they are heading of for school and you are left wondering where your little non sleeping milky monster went and how time went so fast! 

Do you have any top tips to share for new mums?

Please do share below in the comments I would love to hear them. 

xXx

Evelyn - 14 Months Old.

Evelyn is now 14 months old and when describing her one word spring to mind.... DIVA!

This little lady knows what she wants and she wants it NOW!

Im pretty sure having James and him being such a calm, chilled out and relaxed baby set me up for a serious fall when Evelyn came along. It was like sitting on a calm beach where you had spent the last 5 years just chilling out, enjoying the sun and living life at your own pace them BAM a massive tornado just sweeps in and shakes your whole world around, yep that was Evelyn arriving lol.

Ok Ok so I may be exaggerating a little above but she is so much harder than James was, Evelyn is in to everything and I mean everything well everything except her toys and things she is actually allowed to touch. Her particular favourites include pulling out TV cables, attempting to eat her brothers LEGO, opening every cupboard in the kitchen and dangling off the stair gate!

Evelyn recently had her 1 year check (at 13months old) with the health visitor and they were very happy with her progress. She is right on target with her development and they had no concerns or need to see her again unless I wanted to get her weighed at clinic. She weighed in at a huge 26lbs but also measured in at a rather tall 81.5cm and so is apparently perfectly proportioned.

Oh and did I mention we now have a WALKER!!! Yes this past month Evelyn has been growing in confidence and initially with a little help from us began to stand alone and then take a few shaky steps between me and her dad. Fast forward a few weeks and she was doing it all by herself and now you can stop her, the first sign of trouble to be had or an escape to be made and she is on her feet and off she goes.

Her vocabulary is still quite limited as she only really says dada, mama and dog but she has her own ways of communicating with us through pointing etc so she still certainly knows how to get what she wants. .

The last 14 months has gone by so quickly and I cant believe my little baby isn't really a baby anymore, more a confident independent toddler with a total diva attitude. I am loving watching her grow and she seems to learn something new every day at the moment. Her relationship with her brother James is still just as strong as the day she came home and they still sit and play together most days. James really enjoyed reading to her and Evelyn is always the first one to get a hug and kiss when James come out of school each day!

(Jumping over the waves on holiday last week!)

I am feeling truly lucky to be able to watch these to grow even if they do drive me up the wall sometimes!

xXx

OXO tots products **REVIEW**

You may have seen a few months ago we reviewed some products from the OXO tot range include a divider plate and beaker which we loved, if you haven't seen the review you can find it HERE.

Well OXO tot very kindly sent us some more of there products to try out as Evelyn is getting bigger and moving on to a whole new range of feeding and drinking utensils!

We received the Flippy snack cup, Fork and spoon set and the training cup. 

First of all we tried the fork and spoon set which is priced at £7.00, Evelyn has been showing some interest in feeding herself with cutlery and these looked like a good size for her to try with. 

In fact the set was fantastic!  The smooth yet non slip grippy and chunky handles offered Evelyn the perfect handle to get a good sturdy grip on both the fork and spoon and help her navigate around her food. The spoon has a deep centre meaning food actually stays on the spoon and the fork has a great wide surface area for holding food too. This cutlery set makes a great starter set for toddlers to get used to using cutlery before moving on to more grown up cutlery. 

Next up we tried the Flippy snack cup which is priced at £6.00, I was really excited to try this as Evelyn likes to launch her snacks especially out of the pushchair and then cries when all her food is gone (baby logic hey!?). 

The Flippy snack cup features a soft flexible opening which gives little hands easy access to the goodies inside but stops even the smallest of snacks escaping! The snack cup also comes with a lid which is great for when you want to pop the snack cup in your bag or when not in use to keep the product inside fresh. The Flippy snack cup features a small tea cup style handle on the side which a non slip surface and is the perfect size for little hands to easily grab hold of. 

Evelyn was a little miffed at how to get the contents out from the cup at first and looked a little confused at why I was handing her something she couldn't get. However after a few tries and me showing her how it was done she soon had the hang of it and now it comes everywhere with up! A must have purchase for anyone! 

Finally we tried the training cup priced at just £6. Evelyn has been getting on really well with her OXO tots beaker (which you can see in the previous review post, link at the top) and so I thought it would be a great time to introduce the training cup (Evelyn is 13 months old). 

The training cup features a translucent lid insert with perforations around the perimeter which controls the flow of liquid when a child tilts the cup to drink. There are also non slip grips on either side of the cup to make it easier to a child to hold on to. The training cup has a 200ml capacity. 

 Whilst I don't expect her to be perfect at using it I would like her to be familiar with the training cup as it will eventually hopefully help with her transition from beaker to normal cup in the future. Evelyn actually got on better than I expected and knew exactly what to do with the training cup, we did have some spills etc and I am still holding the cup for her whilst she drinks but we will keep using it so she becomes familiar with it and hopefully more confident with using it. 

Overall we have been thoroughly impressed with the products we have tried from the OXO tots range and have found them fairly priced and high quality.

Do you use any OXO tot products? 

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.

Caboodle change bag **REVIEW**

I have to admit I am a bit of a change bag addict so when I noticed a review opportunity for the Caboodle every day changing bag I jumped at the chance!

Since becoming a mummy a handbag is something that I have done without instead opting for a change bag that can fit both mine and babies things in. I like my change bags to be spacious, hard wearing and in a design that isn't to babyish.

Upon receiving the Caboodle everyday change bag my first thoughts were that it looked huge! There seemed to be plenty of room for both mine and babies needs plus extra. In fact after some investigation we discovered you really can fit loads in this bag! I managed to fit all of my essentials (phone, purse, keys etc) plus Evelyn's essentials (nappies, wipes, change of clothes, snacks, beaker, muslin cloths, and a toy) and we still had more room!

If you still aren't convinced check out this video from the Caboodle website showing you just how much you can fit inside a Caboodle every day bag.

The bag is made from a coated nylon which makes it perfect use for a change bag as it can easily be wiped clean when needed. I received the change bag in the cream with black spots colour way however I felt that the cream was more of a beige / very pale brown colour rather than cream.

The bag features 2 front pockets which are fastened with poppers (I would have preferred zip pockets for safety but the bag does contain several other zip compartments), a main compartment which is fastened with a zip and several internal pockets. The bag even comes with a matching changing mat, bottle insulator bag and even a "grubby stuff" bag to place dirty clothes etc inside to keep them from getting the rest of your changing bag dirty so it really does contain everything you need!

The price of this bag is just £24 which I feel is a complete bargain for such a stylish, modern and spacious changing bag.

Why not check out the other designs available via the Caboodle website here - www.caboodlebags.co.uk

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.

Happy 1st Birthday Evelyn!!

Yesterday was Evelyn's 1st Birthday!!

Im not going to lie plenty of tears have been shed, happy tears of course for my beautiful blossoming little girl who is growing so quickly before my eyes. There were of course a few sad tears mixed in there, knowing my tiny baby girl is growing she is becoming more and more independent and doesn't "need" mummy for half as much now!

Evelyn of course is loving all of the attention  and has been thoroughly spoilt by all of our lovely friends and family. We held her a little Gruffalo tea party on the weekend and you can see that HERE.

I cant believe this tiny baby girl I brought home from the hospital....

Has become this very cheeky 1 year old little lady with a mind all of her own....

This year has been tough, we have all had to adjust to becoming a family of 4 and James has done us so proud in becoming an amazing big brother. 

There have been tears and tantrums from Me and Evelyn! But more than that there have been so many more smiles and love filling this house and filling our hearts. Its been an amazing first year Evelyn and I can't wait to see you grow even more over the next year. 

xXx

Top tips for swimming with children.

Swimming is something I have always thought to be a really important skill for a child to learn, after all it can save their life! 

I have taken both my children from young babies and James absolutely loves being in the water now (in fact we can't get him out most of the time!). I know that taking a young baby swimming on your own can be quite a daunting experience so I have shared below some of our top tips and advice for swimming with your child and building water confidence. 

- Get your children used to the water at home first in the bath. Encourage them to splash about and make being in the water fun, sing songs and play games. This will help build up your child's confidence in water in a relaxed environment in their own home. 

- Attending swimming lessons can really help build children's confidence in the water and not only that but they can really help build up your confidence when taking your child swimming on your own. The instructors at these lessons will often teach you lots of helpful hints and tips on keeping safe in the water and encouraging your baby to enjoy the water more and more. 

- The first couple of times you take your baby/ child swimming don't expect to be in the pool long. Being in the pool (especially if its a little busy) can be quite overwhelming for small babies and children and often quite tiring. When we first started taking James we found around 20 minutes was plenty of time in the pool, we gradually increased that time and now at 5 I think he would stay in the pool all day if he could!

- Using a buoyancy aid can also help your child gain confidence in the water. We found the SwimFin to be the perfect buoyancy aid as it kept the child in the optimal swimming position and only offers the amount of support your child requires. It is also shaped like a shark fit and so children will love wearing it and as they bound around the pool they are gaining confidence and often learning basic swimming skills such as reaching with their arms and kicking their feet to move faster. 

- Take a towel or if you have one a hooded poncho style towel to the pool with you and leave it pool side (somewhere it will remain dry). As I am sure you have noticed when you get out of the pool its REALLY cold, babies especially will really feel this so having a towel to hand when you get out will mean they stay warm until you get them dressed.

- My biggest top tip would be to stay relaxed and calm, enjoy the experience and bonding time with your child. Have lots of fun and remember your baby will pick up on your mood so lots of smiles and encouragement whilst in the water will mean they will feel more happy and relaxed to be there. All children will develop and learn in there own time and confidence will come over time so just stick with it.

Do you have any top tips for swimming with babies or children?

xXx

This post was written in collaboration with our SwimFin review.

Puddle Ducks swimming lessons **UPDATE**

Evelyn has been enjoying her Puddle Duck's lessons for 4 weeks now (where does the time go!?) and she has honestly come on leaps and bounds since that first lesson.

After mentioning about a sign being placed outside to make it easier to find, we were thrilled to see a lovely big clear sign directing us to Puddle Ducks on our arrival! The changing rooms are always lovely and warm as is the pool so no worries about babies getting cold! 

Jen our teacher has been lovely as I am sure are all of the Puddle Ducks teachers, she is fantastic with the babies and you can tell by the way she runs her classes she is enthusiastic and really cares about all the children at Puddle Ducks. Having such a lovely teacher really does put your mind at ease especially when taking your children swimming for the first couple of times when both you and your child may be nervous.

In our lessons Evelyn has been practicing lots of submersion and turning techniques as well as exhaling water and blowing bubbles. Only last week Evelyn, with a little help from Jen swam under water through a hoop and out the other side to mummy kicking her little legs behind her bless her!

The classes cover lots of techniques that as well as learning and perfecting in class you can also take away from the pool and practice in your own time, as well as really focusing on babies confidence in the water being the best it can be. Evelyn has started dipping her mouth in to the water to copy me when blowing bubbles.

For us so far Puddle Duck's swimming lessons have been great, they have been fun and Evelyn has learnt through fun, song and rhyming as well as being on her way to learning some basic techniques that could potentially one day save her life!

If you are undecided about joining Puddle Ducks with your little ones I would say quite literally just take the plunge and do it! From what we have experienced so far we are sure you will love the lessons just as much as we do!

Make sure you come back and check out how she has got on in another few weeks.

Why not pop over to the Puddle Ducks website and check out what lessons they have to offer to cater for you - www.puddleducks.com.

xXx

Salcura Bioskin Junior Products **REVIEW**

Both James and Evelyn have suffered from eczema from very young. James seems to have outgrown his mostly with just a few patches flaring up now and again in the summer. However Evelyns seems to be showing no signs of disappearing any time soon and we have tried LOTS of creams from the doctors with not a lot of success. 

So when we were recently offered some Bioskin Junior products from the lovely people at Salcura I jumped at the chance but I was quite skeptical if it would really help. 

"Bioskin Junior Active Therapy range is a two-step system ideal for those prone to eczema, psoriasis and severely dry skin. Designed for use by children and babies aged 3 months and over, and by anyone with very sensitive or delicate skin. Using only naturally active ingredients, they work with the skin to aide its own natural healing process."

We received the full range of Bioskin junior products which includes - 

- Bioskin junior daily nourishing spray

- Bioskin junior outbreak rescue cream

- Bioskin junior bath milk

- Bioskin junior conditioning shampoo 

- Bioskin junior face and body wash

As you can see from the range above there is something for every situation for day to day use. 

The outbreak rescue cream was the one I was most intrigued to try, we have been given steroid creams by the doctors before which do help clear up flare ups but these can only be used for short periods of time, then once we stop using it the flare ups usually return soon after. 

The outbreak cream is a replacement for these steroid creams and unlike steroid creams there is no time limit on usage and it can also be used on the face! It has a thick smooth texture that applies easily and gently to the skin. 

The outbreak rescue cream uses 96% natural ingredients and contains no steroids or harsh chemicals. 

Another product included in the range was the Bioskin daily nourishing spray and I immediately thought what a great idea having a spray is! Evelyn is now a very wriggly 11 month old who does not sit still long enough for me to rub cream in (and its probably quite sore when her eczema is bad). 

The daily nourishing spray contains Sea Buckthorn for nourishment & cell regeneration, English Lavender to calm & balance, and Rosemary for its ability to support collagen development and eliminate free radicals.

The spray was also easy to apply and very quick to absorb into her skin which meant no waiting around for cream to dry or absorb as this was just a few minutes. We will definitely be using this daily from now on. 

All of the bath items (the bath milk, face and body wash and conditioning shampoo) were great. They had a fresh gentle scent that didn't smell chemically or overpowering at all. They all were a great addition to our normal bath time routine and definitely made Evelyn's skin feel smoother and softer (including her hair!). I did feel the bath milk was quite pricey for how much you received as it did get used up quite quickly as Evelyn often shares a larger bath with her brother so we used more of the product, however it did work so this was just a personal opinion. 

(Evelyn enjoying using the shampoo and bath milk.)

I have to the products REALLY worked! After only 1 week of using the products Evelyn's eczema had clearly visibly improved. Her skin was a lot less red and rough, much smoother and softer and she was no longer going mad to itch every 2 minutes. 

If you are undecided about trying the Bioskin products, Salcura even offer a 30 day money back guarantee so if within this time you decide the products don't work for you and you are not 100% satisfied then you can contact Salcura for your money back! 

You can find out more about the entire Bioskin junior range via their website here - www.salcuraskincare.com. 

Have you or your children ever suffered with eczema or severely dry skin?

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.

Babymoov Muslin cloth challenge.

The lovely people at Babymoov have recently set us a challenge to share 10 uses for Muslin cloths and sent us some of their new design muslin cloths to get us started!

Since having James I very early on realised Muslin cloth's were going to be my best friend and they were the item I stocked up on most (besides nappies and wipes) before Evelyn arrived. I quickly realised just how versatile muslin cloths are and just how many uses they have, so I have shared some of our favourite uses below.

Burp Cloth. The most obvious but soaking up and catching sick and spills, especially useful if like me you have a sickie baby or a baby who suffers with reflux. Muslin cloths most definitely changed us from numerous outfit changes per day, they are super absorbent and can be washed and dried easy and quickly.

Sun shade. With the unpredictable British weather you may often find yourself caught short without a sun shade or parasol when out and about and the sun decides to make an appearance. You can get different sized muslin cloths and I found the larger sized ones worked great as a temporary sun shade draped over a pushchair to keep the sun off baby.

Illness. When your baby is suffering from a cold I have found rubbing a small amount or vapour rub in to a muslin cloth and they tying it securely to the cot helped relieved blocked noses and help baby sleep a little better.

Cleaning. When your muslin cloths start getting a little dirty, stained and well used they make great dusting cloths too

Dens!  The larger muslin cloths make great sheets for making dens or hidey places.

Picnic's. Muslin cloths can also make great little blankts for impromptu picnics or if the grass is slightly damp. They are also handy to lay on the floor at the beach if your little one is a little unsure of the sand on their toes.

Babywearing. We adore baby wearing but sometimes tiny newborns need a little extra support around the head/ neck area as their little heads and necks are so weak. I found rolling up a muslin cloth and tucking it into the carrier/ sling behind babies neck to provide a little extra support worked wonders.

Comforter. Some babies Evelyn included love snuggling into a comforter when they sleep. Its obviously not advised to have anything in the cot/ moses basket whilst baby is small. However now Evelyn is a little older she loves having something to rub against her face as she drifts off to sleep. The Babymoov muslin clothes are so soft so are perfect for the job!

Swaddling. When babies are small they often love to be swaddled to sleep and it helps them feel all safe and secure. Muslin cloths are especially useful for swaddling in the summer as they still keep baby nice and cool whilst being swaddled.

Changing mat cover. You never know with babies when or where you are going to need to change them and this often happens when you are about and about and have no option but to use public changing facilities. However do you really know how clean these are? I often use muslin cloths to lay down on the changing table as a barrier between Evelyn and the changing table just as an extra precaution.

The muslin cloths we received for this challenge are part of the newly designed muslin cloth sets from Babymoov. These were designed by 5 blogging mums and come in 5 funky, unique designs to choose from. We received the 4 seasons design and I loved the pastel colours incorporated in to the design making them really pretty.

Each pack comes with 3 muslin cloths 1 size 80cm x 80cm and two size 60cm x 60cm and come presented in a lovely stylish box, these would make a lovely gift for any new or expecting mum!

Do you have any other uses for Muslin cloths? Please do share below!

xXx

Time to dress up costume **REVIEW**

There is something so adorable about babies dressed up in cute costumes and lets face its there is only a short period of time we parents can get away with it before they start to say no!

So when I was recently offered the opportunity to try out this SUPER cute owl costume from Time to dress up I simply couldn't resist!

The costume arrived swiftly and well packaged, it was wrapped beautifully in dotty tissue paper and then inside its own handy plastic reusable bag inside. I found this bag to be perfect for keeping the outfit in when not in use to keep it safe.

The owl costume is made up of a bodysuit with is fastened with a zip and several poppers. It features open feet and hands and is fully lined. It features different shades of blue and green "ruffles" around the neckline as arms to look like owl feathers. There are also 2 orange "feet" which again are lined and are simply slipped on to the feet like shoes. There there is the head piece which is worn like a hat and it fastens under the chin with a simple velcro strap. All pieces are fully lined and really high quality!

I really liked the face the body suit part of the costume was fastened with a zip to the back making it easy to get on and off, but it also had poppers around the leg meaning I didn't need to remove the whole costume for a quick nappy change.

Another bonus with this costume is that it is machine washable which is almost essential I find with childrens, especially babies clothing as Evelyn is forever spilling food/drink on herself!

Look how cute she looks! 

The only small issue we had was that the feet didn't seem to stay on very well as Evelyn isn't walking yet and as there is no strap to hold the feet on, just an elasticated band around the ankle they seemed to slip off. Im sure this wouldn't have been an issue if Evelyn was walking and the feet do feature a non slip sole so that babies can walk around without slipping in them.

The sizes do come up quite large so if you are thinking of ordering I would definitely say order the size of clothing your child is wearing now and you will get plenty of use out of the costume!

Time to dress up have so many beautiful, funny and very cute dressing up outfits for boys and girls including some of these -

As well as the high quality costumes Time to dress up also offer a range of accessories such as capes, tutus and wands for all our your dressing up needs. They also offer FREE delivery on all orders over £30.

You can check out their full range via the website here - timetodressup.co.uk.

Do you ever dress your baby or child up? Whats your favourite costume from the time to dress up 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.

We Grow Together!

Im writing this with tears in my eyes, not because im sad but because im so proud to be your mum.

Together we have been through some pretty tough patches but some damn amazing ones too! Whoever said parenthood was easy could never have been a parent, its the most exhausting, challenging, emotional job in the world yet it offers up the most rewards!

James when I became your mummy I was so scared I felt like a child myself at just 19 how could I possible raise you to be the beautiful boy I knew you could be. Having you meant I had to grow up but that's just what we did James we grew together! I taught you to clap, to walk, to talk, You taught me to love, care and become a mum.

I often look back and wonder if I did enough for you, did we go to enough baby groups? did I teach you enough, did you socialise enough? did I feed you right? enough? all these questions running around my head but you could make it all right with a simple "love you mummy" and I think we did ok James. You are excelling at school and despite your tantrums you are a beautiful young man who never fails to make everyone around you smile with your witty come backs and general cuteness.

Im still learning from you now James, when I applied for your school last year I had endless sleepless nights, it was such a big decision that was going to shape your young life. How could I make that decision by myself? But you guided my through you came with me to the school visits you told me what you liked, I researched until I could read no more and now you have been at school almost 1 year I can see how happy you are and I think we made the right choice!

Evelyn when I was pregnant with you I stressed so much, how could I find anymore love in my heart when it already felt over flowing for your brother. How would James cope with having a brother/sister? How would I cope with 2 children? But when they placed you in my arms and clique or not I loved you so much and my love for you and James wasn't shared, it felt like my heart grew bigger and I was filled with more love.

Although I had learnt so much with James me and you were on a whole new learning curve, me as a mummy of 2 and you as a baby sister. James was besotted by you and you loved him too. James could make you smile in an instant and I knew you were a mummy's girl as I was the only one who could settle you when you cried. It felt amazing to see you and James growing together and I am amazed at how quickly you are learning new things with the help of your loving brother.

Its true what they say all babies are different and you totally proved that! You have tested us out with very little sleep and cried and cried with no real explanation. I like to think of those as your "little diva" moments because you are usually so calm and relaxed and can always offer up a smile.

There are things that you have both taught me in life and on of those things is that sometimes it is the smallest things in live that bring us the biggest smiles, the largest amount of love and make us realise just how precious life is.

xXx