Mummy & Me - July



It's becoming Noah's "thing" to never smile when we take a photo together. If I take one on his own it's all smiles and silly faces but when I try to take a nice one of us together well then I get faces like this! Ha ha. I tickled his legs, sang funny songs, blew raspberries on his neck and would he smile? Would he heck! So here are our photo's from July! August I aim to have a smile!


Nicola... Life Through My Eyes

Noah - 20 Months Old


Character
20 months old and hasn't it flown by. Noah's personality and humour just blooms every month. He is so witty and comical and will do anything to make you smile and laugh. I find this so endearing. He's very social, humorous, gentle, inquisitive, energetic and caring. On the flip side he's very short tempered when he can't figure something out, has a short attention span and is stubborn when he wants to be. I don't know where he gets that from, haha. 



Size
He now wears mainly 18-24 month clothing with the odd 12-18 month t'shirt. I weighed him this week and he weight 1st 12lb. 26lb! He is still slim, slender and I think tall for his age. 




Health

On the health front he has been fine thankfully. No colds and no sick bugs. He's still on 12 teeth and I'm wondering when more are going to come through. 



Feeding

Three set meals, a snack, two big bottles of cows milk and a flask of water. That is what Noah normally eats and drinks during a day. I try my best to keep his diet balanced but I do like to treat him every now and again. Thankfully I have been fortunate with his eating as there isn't much he doesn't like and he's a huge lover of fruit, veg and cheese. 



Sleep

He usually sleeps 8pm-8am and has a 2 hour nap after his lunch. This is ideal for us and though he's had a few days where it's been hit and miss he tends to keep to that routine. 



Speech
New word for this month is "YEAAAH!" He knows half a dozen words and I've noticed that he tries to repeat me a lot more recently. He isn't putting two words together just yet and does still babble from time to time.

He can also say go, choo choo, poo poo, choc choc. 




Milestones and new tricks
Noah can now give two thumbs up! This is literally my favourite thing ever because he knows what it means too! When he approves of something he will give you a thumbs up and I can't help but laugh and smile.

He can point out a variety of different pictures in books. We are going to be introducing flash cards soon.


He is trying to repeat everything that I say now and is really trying.

He can scroll through videos on my iPhone and press play. Nerd in the making.




Favourite things this month
Surprise egg videos, tidying up, putting things in the bin, playgroup, playing out, going for a walk, swings, song time, visiting family, apples, cars, vehicles, trains, sirens, aeroplanes, kisses, thumbs up, the cats, sticker books, splashing in puddles, running, jumping and watching videos of himself. 




My Changing Bag Essentials


I know that these type of posts aren't for everyone but I personally love them. There's something I find very enjoyable about peeking into someone's changing bag and seeing what they travel with. Do they pack lightly or are they like me and pack everything and the kitchen sink?


Noah is now 20 months old and I can usually get away with packing lightly but on days out I certainly need to make sure I take everything that we might need. It's better safe than sorry as it would be just my luck that the one item I forgot would be the one item that we need.


Above you will see my ultimate essentials and nothing more as I didn't want to include that half eaten pack of wotsits or those three odd socks that have been lurking in the deep dark corners of my changing bag for the last two weeks! I'll spare you that much! 


My Changing Bag Essentials.

We use reusable nappies so I always pack a couple with a wet bag and resuable wipe pouches. A spare pair of shoes, hat, spare clothes, bibs, dummy, water bottle and bubbles! Then of course my bits and pieces such as my purse, phone and lip balm. 



Last but certainly not least I have to mention packing snacks and lots of them. Snacks are vital for days out with a toddler or young child and is probably my number one essential. Noah's favourite snacks at the moment are Raisins, Pasquiers Brioche, cheese and apple. 
Noah loves snack time so we make sure we pack a different variety of foods on our trips out and always have something on hand. No one wants to see a toddler when he's "Hangry!"

What are your handbag essentials? 



- This is a PR collaboration. 

Project 365 - Week 30 - 30/52


19th July - 25th July / Week 30


200
Noah usually goes to visit his Nanna on a Sunday but we've decided to alternate it now so then it's not all the time. Sunday we took Noah to soft play and he had an absolute whale of a time. I even got in the ball pit with him! 


201
Monday was a funny old day and we totally missed playgroup as Noah had a rough night and then slept in. I didn't feel like rushing around like a headless chicken so we had a nice chilled out day instead. 

202
I felt guilty that we didn't go to playgroup on Monday so I decided to take Noah to Stay and Play on Tuesday. Trust us to turn up and be the only one's there! It didn't stop us having fun and I dressed him up in a few outfits. Here he is as Dr Kelly! Ha ha. Nick met us there after he finished work and then we went out for a carvery for tea.

203
Wednesday my Mum and Sister came to visit for the day. The weather was dreadful so there wasn't much we could do. We took Noah to a sensory room for an hour or so and then went for a walk. The raspberry bush near the allotments on our street had finally started to fruit so I've picked a punnet here and there. Noah wolfed them down and ate so many that his nappies smelt of them! 


204
The weather has been dreadful for most of the week. Where has summer gone? This has led to us having numerous rainy day activities. What's a raining day without a Teddy Bears picnic?


205
I love our Friday afternoon's when Nick finishes at lunch. We have a bite to eat together and then go out just the three of us. 

206
Saturday we did our usual. Went for a nice long walk, a trip to the park and then we visited family and had a cheeky takeaway! We didn't get up to anything extraordinary this week but it's been fun none the less. 

What have you been up to this week?



Competition - Win a 3 month supply of Waterwipes



Nothing in the world is as delicate or as precious as your baby’s skin. A newborn’s skin is five times thinner than an adult’s skin and is much more sensitive too. Yet, despite this, without knowing it, many of us expose our babies’ skin to chemicals every day, stripping baby’s skin of its vital moisture, leaving it irritated and sore. 




WaterWipes are the only wipes in the world that are as gentle on your baby’s skin as pure water. Scientifically formulated to be as kind to delicate skin as cotton wool and cooled boiled water – but much more convenient – the only ingredients used are 99.9% purified water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract … and that’s it. 

Most parents change their baby’s nappy up to 10 times a day. Imagine wiping unsuitable ingredients on your baby’s skin 70 times per week, and then locking them in with a nappy. WaterWipes are suitable for babies with other sensitive skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, which is why they are the only wipe ever to be approved by Allergy UK. 

I have partnered up with WaterWipes to offer you guys the chance to win a 3 months supply of WaterWipes, that's 12 packets! Fall in love with the world’s purest baby wipe for the world’s most sensitive skin.



To enter simply use the entry form below, good luck!




1. 1 prize of 12 packets of WaterWipes.
2. Prize supplied directly from the PR.
3. Competition ends 17/8/15
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.
5. UK entries only.


- In partnership with WaterWipes

Cloth Nappy Q&A


I was pretty late to using cloth nappies but at the end of last year I decided to finally make the switch. Since ditching the disposibles I have not looked back and I really kick myself for not trying them sooner, better late than never! 

First off let me say that I am by no means an expert when it comes to cloth and I am still learning something new everyday but that hasn't stopped me wanting to put together a little Q&A type post. I love talking about real nappies and I want to share some of the tips that I have picked up a long the way. 

Over the past week or so I have been sourcing all types of different cloth related questions from various social media channels. Remember I am by no means an expert and these are just my opinions, what I have done, do and what has worked for us.




I'm thinking of using cloth nappies, what should I do first?
My advice to anyone who is thinking about using cloth nappies is to buy one or two nappies to begin with. I say this because you may like the idea of reusable nappies but once you are using them they might not be for you. Give it a trial run first and then if you love using them and it works for you then buy more.

What do you need to get started?
I would say you need around 15 nappies if you intend to wash every other day. This means you would need around 30 inserts too if you have decided to go for pocket nappies (some nappies have inserts included, others don't) You will need a nappy bin too to store the soiled nappies. There's so much more than you can buy but this will set you up nicely in the beginning.


What was the first nappy you bought?
I took my own advice and bought a couple of internet cheapies first. The first I bought was this super cute white minky number from Dudeybaba. It's a pocket nappy which came with an insert to pop inside. 

What is your favourite brand of nappy?
Out of the ones I have tried I would have to say my absolute favourite is Bambino Mio, their Miosolo's in particular. I not only love the designs but I love that they are an all in one nappy (AIO) which means that the insert is actually stitched onto the nappy which makes stuffing and washing so much easier.

What type of nappy do you use and why?
I use a mix of all in one and pocket nappies both in popper fastening and velcro. I have both because I started off with pocket nappies with poppers to begin with as they are they are they are great starter nappies and probably the cheapest too. I recently started using all in one nappies and have to admit I do prefer them over pockets.

How many nappies do you have in total? 
The last time I counted I had 35 and my stash mainly consists of Bambino Mio, Baba+Boo, Dudeybaba and Tiny Nippers. Considering I have only been using cloth nappies for a few months I think that's a good start! It's more than enough now but I can't help but buy more. 


Do you have a wash routine?
Every two days I put all the soiled nappies, inserts, liners and wipes (everything in my nappy bin) into the washing machine. First of all I put them on a cold rinse, sometimes twice. Then I wash on 40oc or 60oc for 2.5 hours with a scoop of non bio. Once the cycle has finished I then give the nappies an extra cold rinse. To dry them I put everything on a clothes horse and they usually dry within 24 hours. Then they are ready for stuffing!   


How do you deal with the poo?
Just like I would with a disposable but I simply put the poo in the toilet and flush! I don't need to touch anything, it usually just falls straight into the water or I just use a bit of tissue. There is some huge misconception about cloth nappies and poo. It's always one of the first questions I am asked and I don't see the big deal. You don't touch wee or poo any more or any less than you would with a disposable nappy.

If you are considering using cloth nappies or are wanting to switch I say give it a go! What's there to lose?! 

Project 365 - Week 29 - 29/52



12th July - 18th July / Week 29


193
Sunday. Noah spent the afternoon with his Nanna at a hot air balloon festival then we drove over to pick him up. We had some dinner and then went on a two mile walk through the woods. Such a nice, easy going day. I love family days like these.


194
Monday is playgroup day! We were late as always despite getting ready in good time. I blame the cats, don't ask! When we finally made it there Noah played with his friends and had a blast bombing it around the place. After song time we all went into the soft play area where Noah showed off his diving skills, or should I say lack of! He is such a klutz!  



195
Noah loves to sleep and enjoys long naps but he's never been one to fall asleep on the floor, in his high chair or while playing. In fact he has never done that, ever. He likes to sleep all cosy in his cot and even asks to go up himself. So when this happened two days on a trot I was very surprised. I had changed his nappy before I took him up for a sleep, I kissed him on his forehead and he instantly fell asleep. Precious moments.



196
My good friend Cassie surprised us on Wednesday by sending Noah a little surprise from her holidays. I wasn't expecting anything so when I discovered this little cutie in the mail it did bring a smile to my face. Noah spent the afternoon in the garden with his pirate friend in his pocket.



197
I was looking forward to Thursday all week because my Mum and Sister were coming to visit us for the afternoon. They missed their first train but once they arrived we headed out for a walk to the park and for a bite to eat. The weather was gorgeous and it was lovely being together. My sister emigrates to Los Angeles soon so moments like these are fleeting and it's very bittersweet.  


198
Friday we didn't get up to anything very exciting but we did pop to the shops to pick up Noah some treats. At the moment he is obsessed with sticker books! It's like reliving my childhood all over again. 



199
Saturday we decided to pay a visit to Thornton Hall Farm for the first time. A day out like this is ideal for us as we are all such animal lovers and love being outside in the fresh air too. Noah had so much fun greeting and being gentle with the animals but the most fun he had was riding on the toy tractors and pointing out all the machinery! He's such a boys boy! We will definitely be visiting again soon, it's our new favourite place. 


What have you been up to this week?

MicroBarBox - Review


If you know me at all you will know about my love of subscription boxes. From food subscription boxes through to pregnancy boxes I have tried and tested many. Some of which are fantastic and simply genius while others are a great idea in theory but just do not work. 


Today I would like to introduce you to a relatively new subscription box called MicroBarBox

As you can probably guess from the name MicroBarBox is a minibar in a box! It’s a monthly indulgence to either yourself or another. It’s full of boozy tipples and edible treats, wrapped up beautifully and a surprise each time. They describe it as “that Friday feeling in a box" and I am here to let you know what we thought. 

So let's take a look inside the May box that we were sent for the purpose of this review. I was so excited at this point as we decides to open it on a Friday night as a treat!



On opening there was a variety of alcoholic miniatures, mixers, snacks and a recipe card (which was double sided with ideas!) I thought this card was such a fantastic idea because I wouldn't of known what to mix with what and I wouldn't of thought to been that adventurous either! 



I was very happy with the variety of drink and snacks, there was something for both Nick and I to enjoy. We decided on making the Rhubarb Collins which was incredible and didn't taste like an alcoholic beverage at all and Nick improvised with the gin and made his own creation. 


What we thought.

We loved the concept behind MicroBarBox as it's not just a good idea in theory but one that works too. It certainly is that Friday feeling in a box!

I like how you can subscribe to different types of boxes over a period of time that suits you. You can buy one single box as a one off or sign up to multiple. This freedom is something I think all subscription boxes should offer.

They sell giftcards! I will keep in mind for the future as I think it would make a rather unique gift for birthday's and Christmas and a rather fun one at that.

The first box is just £14 and I think the service is good value for money.


What do you think of MicroBarBox? Is it something that you would enjoy? If you want to try it out for yourself use the code "CGD1STBOX12" at the checkout to receive your first box for just £12. Cheers!  


- We were sent this product for the purpose of this review. However all opinions are my own. 


Project 365 - Week 28 - 28/52


5th July - 11th July / Week 28


186
Noah went out for the afternoon with his Nanna on Sunday, as usual. Once we was back I introduced him to the £10 dollhouse I managed to win on eBay. He's loves it!

187
Monday we managed to make it to playgroup although a little late. I met up with my friend and her two boys and I just had to sneak this photo of them all playing dress up. So cute. 


188
Tuesday my Mum came to visit and we planned a lovely walk and lunch out but it was raining pretty much all day. We did manage to nip out for a quick walk but it was a shame that we weren't able to make the most of our day. Good old British weather!

189
It never gets old seeing Nick and Noah together and I have half a dozen photo's like this. I can't help but snap away when I see moments like this. 


190
Thursday we had miserable weather in the morning but it did perk up in the afternoon. We played out in the garden and then went to the park after Noah's nap. A laid back sort of day. 

191
Friday the warmer weather returned and we had lots of family fun in the sun. 


192
We had a lazy Saturday visiting family, it was a nice day. Here is Noah being cheeky as ever. He shut the front door on me and ran off giggling. Little monkey!