There's so much I'd like to change about our home. While I love where we live - it's close to family and friends, Bud's school, LM's future nursery, our toddler group and local amenities -our house could do with significant improvement to make it into our real dream house though.
Firstly I would love an extension. We have a large back garden so, if we were to build out into it, we wouldn't lose too much space. Ideally we would be able to extend on two levels but we have a semi-detached house and I suspect that we wouldn't get planning permission for this. A single storey extension would still work though and I'd love the chance to open up a large kitchen-diner space with room to eat as a family, entertain and a play area for the children.
Photo Credit: Studio Urban Blu/Homify
If an extension wasn't possible then I definitely think we would consider a conservatory on the rear of our property. The rear of our home is south-facing so a glass conservatory would create extra space and somewhere for the children to play, while flooding the back of our ground floor with light on the rare sunny days we get up North!
I struggle to carve out space to work and keep all my bits and pieces organised and I've been looking at wooden Summerhouses for the garden. I love the idea of having a little corner all to myself and I'm sure I would be able to be more organised that way. Knowing my children they would find a way to colonise it quite easily though! My dream Summerhouse would be painted Duck Egg Blue and have a gorgeous desk and chair, alongside some storage to keep all my files exactly where they should be. I'd make it the centre or all of the Garden Ideas I have in mind for our outside space.
Photo Credit: Garden Affairs Ltd/Homify
Smaller jobs that we really need to think about sooner rather than later include new windows, ours have hideous fake leading on them and we still haven't got around to replacing them in the five years we have lived here. Our current windows are still sound so it's hard to justify the cost until they need replacing.
I'd love to have shelves built into the sides of our chimney breast at some point. Custom made shelving would utilise the space so much more efficiently and mean that we could add our television and media boxes to them, freeing up some space in our lounge. I love the idea of having shelves which exactly fit DVDs and books, it would look so neat! Storage is generally an issue in our home so I'm always on the look out for clever ways to deal with this. I think these shelves would be perfect.
What's Happened? What's Happening? had a great response again a fortnight ago and we've both enjoyed reading all about your summer adventures, days out and holidays in What's Happened? We've loved seeing previews of forthcoming events in What's Happening? too. Each fortnight we will be choosing our favourites from the previous linky to showcase. This week there were two days out that really stood out to us and made us wish we had been there. The first of these was Happy Homebird's account of her family's visit to the Erasmus Darwin house in Lichfield, theGeorgian house that was once home to Charles Darwin's grandfather Erasmus Darwin and is now a museum dedicated to the interesting life he led. The images in this post really bring the museum alive and we love how hands on and interactive the museum sounds, our families both love days out of this sort and it will definitely be on or list to visit if we are in the area.
Photo Credit: Happy Homebird The second post we decided to feature was a festival with a difference, Jibber Jabber UK's write up of Upfest, Europe's largest street art and graffiti festival that takes place in Bristol is full of vibrant images that really highlights the art that we often overlook in our cities.
Our What's Happening? choice for this week is a great post from A Family Day Out that showcases some fabulous days out across the UK from Balloon Festivals to Fireworks Championships. Do head over and check it out for some fantastic Summer days out.
What have you been up to? What are you planning? We'd love you to link up your blog posts to What's Happened? - featuring events, days out, holidays, film, theatre and restaurant reviews and any other 'happeneds'. What's Happening? is the place for you to link your event previews, ongoing events and ticket giveaways. We read and comment on every one and share on Twitter, Facebook. Google+, Pinterest and StumbleUpon. We've created a brand new #WHWH Facebook Pageis where we'll be sharing all of your posts from now on so please head over and give it a 'like'. We've created a Pinterest board where we pin all of your posts, feel free to follow it.
On arrival we were greeted by the host, Ben, who took time to speak to the children and give them their own menus and crayons. He stressed that they were theirs to keep and take home with them which Bud and LM loved. I found his manner to be very welcoming and I liked that he crouched down to speak to the children at their level. It really helped my confidence in eating at the restaurant for the first time before we even sat down.
The children's menu was in the form of a leaflet which unfolded to reveal a big puzzle and colouring in sheet so both LM and Bud got busy with their crayons, while we ordered drinks. This really helped to keep them busy and entertained. Bud and LM both ordered apple juice from the selection of soft drinks and fruit juices on offer. They could also have chosen Bottlegreen fruit cordials or milk (plain or flavoured).
Children's main courses were a choice of ten options in total. This is a wider choice than many restaurants offer and I think the vast majority of children would be tempted by something on offer. We considered the Petit Croque et Frites (Cheese and Ham toastie with fries) for LM but opted for the Fab Fishcake instead. This is advertised as Salmon Fishcake and Frites but we asked for veggies to be added and it arrived with mixed peas and sweetcorn. The same vegetables were served with Bud's Poulet Goujons (Breaded Chicken Fillets and Fries). Both children tucked in happily, Bud more so when his requested ketchup arrived. He cleared his plate while LM ate all of her veggies and a chunk of fishcake. She was less keen on the excellent fries but I think this was because she was full rather than any reflection on their quality. Both the fishcake and chicken goujons were really tasty.
Dessert offered five options (although one of these was ice cream, with six flavours available alongside three different toppings!) I was pleased to see Fresh Fruit Salad on offer and thought one of my children might have opted for this. Instead LM chose Vanilla Ice Cream with Marshmallows. The ice cream was lovely with real vanilla seeds to be seen.
Bud chose the Fruit Ice Lolly (which was Apple and Blackcurrant flavour) and very much enjoyed it. After dessert Ben the host came over to offer the children some popping candy to try. This was a hit with LM but Bud wasn't so keen.
I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity.
We're so pleased to be working with Cuddledry as one of their Superbloggers this year and I'm sharing another of their fantastic products with you today. We're huge fans of poncho towels in our house as they are great for a quick cover up after leaving the pool or the beach and both Bud and LM have had them over the past few years. We were sent the Cuddledry Swim Poncho Towel for LM to try and have been putting it to the test over the past few weeks.
We only have a shower in our house which can make bathtime something of an undertaking. It's definitely a two person job but poncho towels stop us having little wet people running around having ditched their bath towels. We also use them at the swimming pool when it is simple to pop them on over wet swimsuits, ensuring the child who is waiting to be dried and changed stays warm.
The Cuddledry Swim Poncho Towel is bright blue, trimmed with either orange or lime green (we have the orange one. It's made from the beautifully soft Cuddledry mix of cotton and bamboo and is super-absorbent. Often LM is dry just from wearing this and doesn't need to be towel dried.
Our poncho towel has now been washed a few times and it's got even softer than it was new. It's so warm and snuggly for LM and she always grabs it before her shower so it's ready for her when she gets out. I think she'd sleep in it if we let her!
There are some nifty design features which show how much thought Cuddledry put into their designs. The deep v-neck makes it easy to pop on and off over your child's head and the poppers underneath the arms ensure that the poncho stays put rather than slipping around. You can simply unfasten them to take the towel off easily when it is wet.
We'd really recommend the Cuddledry Swim Poncho Towel. It's made getting dry after showering and swimming a much easier process for us and LM, we all love it!
To purchase the towel or see the rest of the range please visit www.cuddledry.com and to keep up with all of the Cuddledry news follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Baby gifts can be something of a minefield. You never know what to buy, will the new parents have it already? Will it be to their tastes? Often people opt for clothes, which are always useful and well received, but sizing and colour choice can be another minefield to navigate. I've drawn together a few suggestions to help you to choose a baby gift that will delight the recipients (hopefully!)
1. Clothes - This can be a tricky one as every new parent has an idea of their baby's style. I'm not a fan of pastel colours for my babies so I'm always delighted to receive brightly coloured outfits as gifts. Some parents only want creams and whites. Make sure you have a good idea of mum's style and you'll probably get it right for baby. I think quirky and unique items can be a great gift, like the Rubi & Boris* vest that we reviewed. If either mum or dad has a particular sporting interest then clothing reflecting this can be a really cute gift. We love track cycling in our house so Little E's Plain Lazy 'Can't Wheelie Yet' t-shirt* was perfect.
2. Toys - I'm always surprised how few toys we receive as gifts when I've had my babies. It seems like a fairly obvious idea but people tend to shy away from them for some reason. I think that you can't go wrong with a cute hanging toy like those from Lamaze and you can often pick these up for less than ten pounds. If you have a bigger budget then you could purchase a baby gym or playmat. Little E has a gorgeous Lamaze Maikai the Monkey baby gym* from House of Fraser's range of soft toys and he's been loving the bright colours of it and using it for tummy time over the past few weeks. It might be a good idea to check mummy and daddy haven't bought one, if you're planning a bigger purchase.
A photo posted by Pippa Ainsworth (@redrosemummy) on
3. A Rubber Duck
This is absolutely something that people don't think of when buying new baby gifts, whether for their own child or for that of friends or family. Every baby needs their own rubber duck and our friends at Cuddledry have created the Cuddleduck* perfect gift for a newborn. Available in original, pink or blue polka dots with sweet rosy cheeks, the soft natural rubber is non toxic and easy for babies to hold. It also has natural antibacterial properties and is phthalate free and non toxic, which makes it perfect for sensitive baby skin and means that it can be used as a teething toy too. It's a gorgeous little duck and Little E loves having his to splash around in his bath with.
5. A Book
I always like to give a book as a gift to a new baby as, in some way, it feels like it is giving the new arrival the gift of reading. I've created something of a tradition with friends and family and I do like to seek out baby-friendly books for parents or older siblings to share with their new baby. We've recently been trying out the Little Learners* range from Parragon Books and I think that their books make a perfect newborn gift. The finger puppet book of Baa Baa Black Sheep that we tried has been enjoyed by all three of my children, especially as Bud and LM know the rhyme so can 'read' it to their brother and waggle their finger puppet too.
6. A Special Soft Toy
Beautiful teddies definitely have a place on the baby gift list. Again, this is an option that a lot of people don't take which can mean that parents go out and choose their own. If you give a gorgeous bear (or other animal) you could be giving the baby a lifelong friend! I still have my monkey, which my parents bought for me before I was born. I adore this cute teddy from Silver Cross. His name is Timble and he's made from a super soft knitted fabric which is perfect for little hands. He'd be the perfect friend for any new baby, whether their parents have opted for a Silver Cross pram or not!
7. A Sleeping Bag
Baby sleeping bags are something of an essential piece of kit these days. They promote safe sleep and allow mum and dad to rest knowing that their baby isn't going to kick off their covers and get cold while they sleep. Little E can kick off his covers in about ten seconds flat so I love know he's wearing a sleeping bag, I did open it this morning to find he'd kicked off his pyjama bottoms though! There are weight restrictions on the first sleeping bags so they may not be suitable for a small newborn. The Gro-Snug* may be an option in this case which combines swaddle with first sleeping bag and also includes a room thermometer. If you're looking for a classic style sleeping bag, why not check out the My Baby's Name Is* range of super-bright, stylish sleeping bags?
8. Baby Toiletries
I fixed on a range of baby toiletries when I had LM and we've used them ever since but it's always nice to receive some lovely, luxurious products to use on your baby. I recently won a pot of Little Butterfly Soft as Moonlight Nappy Change Cream and it's a gorgeous product. It's keeping Little E's bottom super soft and it's mix of natural, organic ingredients is perfect for any problem areas of skin. I've even been using it on my dry hands and it's beautifully moisturising there too. The gorgeous packaging and effective product makes it a great gift. Little Butterfly have a range of baby toiletries, if you don't want to buy nappy change cream.
9. Something for Mum
Sometimes it's nice to treat mum instead of baby. In my experience baby receives lots and lots of gifts, which is as it should be, but I think us mummies need a treat too! Apparently push presents are becoming much more popular (I need to ask Ian where mine are!) There are so many ideas for a suitable gift for new mums but I love the idea of commemorating baby's birth in some way. If she has a bracelet that you can add charms to then Trollbeads have a gorgeous Mother's Rose Bangle which would be perfect for any new mum. You could even add to it on baby's future birthdays, after all it's the anniversary of when she became a mummy too!
10. A Baby Record Book
I have loved recording all of my children's milestones but I've never been able to do them with as much style as I have for Little E with our beautiful Illustries Baby Book*. This book is different to the usual 'cutesy' style baby books and is a book for the baby. It allows you to record their moments, for loved ones to write messages to the little one, and to store photos of all types. I will be completing the book for Little E as time goes by and passing it on to him when he's bigger. I can imagine this book sitting on his bookshelf when he's grown as a lovely record of his early days and one that isn't covered in teddy bears to embarrass him! It's available in coral pink, duck egg blue and yellow and grey if you're selecting it as a gift for a couple who don't know their baby's gender yet or want a break from traditional pink and blue.
==============================================
I've teamed up with Illustries to give one of my readers the chance to win a Coral Pink edition of the Baby Book. To enter the giveaway please complete the Gleam widget below. The blog post comment is compulsory and will unlock a range of additional entries. Please read the terms and conditions.
A recent addition to our DVD collection has been Bolts and Blips: Battle of the Lunar League which is a brand new cartoon from the creatorss of The Nut Job.
It is every bots wish to be able to compete in the coveted Lunar League of Robotic Sports! Bolts and Blip are no exception. They are your average everyday robots who dream of playing in the League, but when the pair finally get their wish, they quickly realise they are in over their heads. It’s time to discover what they are really made of as they battle against formidable foes such as the Tread Heads, Blood-Bots, Galaxy All-Stars, and the eccentrically evil Dr. Blood. On this adventure, Bolts and Blip will learn the true value of teamwork, believing in oneself and, above all, the importance of friendship.
Bud and LM really enjoyed watching the adventures of Bolt and Blip, it's a real adventure with warm and engaging characters and a solid message about friendship. There's a real rip-roaring battle with Dr Blood that Bud, especially, enjoyed. The fighting with water guns led to Bud and LM hitting the garden with their's. I think Bud was rather more pleased about this than his sister was!
Bolts and Blip: Battle of the Lunar League is out now and available from all usual stockists, including Amazon.
I've teamed up with Lionsgate to offer one lucky winner the chance to receive their own copy of the DVD. To enter simply complete the Gleam widget below, please read the terms and conditions. The blog post comment is compulsory and will unlock a range of additional entry options.
A few weeks ago we were invited to try a brand new range of baby sleeping bags from My Baby's Name Is with Little E. I'm a huge fan of using sleeping bags with little ones as they take the stress out of bedding, and make the whole process of getting your baby to bed easier. Bud loved his sleeping bags but LM didn't take to using them and always preferred blankets so I was hoping Little E would be more like his big brother than his big sister.
My Baby's Name Is are a new company which was created in 2014 by Syzmon Klos with the support of his wife Halina, and inspired by their baby daughter Matylda. Frustrated by the choice of sleeping bags available for their daughter he set about designing his own to combine a considered design approach with environmental materials sourcing and manufacturing quality.He aimed to create simple, functional sleeping bags in high quality fabric colours.
The sleeping bag arrived in a recycled cardboard gift box which makes it perfect to be given as a baby gift. It has space to write the name of the new owner on the box and I know I'd love to have received a baby gift like this for Little E.
On opening the box you are greeted by the sleeping bag which is available in two different weights - 1 tog and 2.5 tog - and a range of five colours. The colours are incredibly vibrant and bright, exactly what I love in baby wear.Each colour has a baby's name - Rebecca Red, Yasmine Yellow, George Green, Benjamin Blue and Gabriel Grey. The sleeping bags are plain but have a widely spaced quilted pattern to them. They are available in three sizes - 0-6 months, 6-18 months and 18-36
months.
We opted for the Benjamin Blue sleeping bag in 1 tog weight and 0-6 months in size. The cotton sleeping bag was beautifully soft cotton, lined with an even softer cotton inner. The blue isn't your typical 'baby blue' instead it;s a super bright Azure which offers a real colour pop. Who says baby items have to be pastel?
Thankfully Little E has dealt well with the transition to sleeping bags and seems happy and comfortable in them, especially in his 'My Baby's Name Is' sleeping bag. It's a gorgeous item and one that I think any baby would be happy and settled in. The sleeping bags are incredibly good quality, ours has been washed a few times now and the colour hasn't faded and the cotton hasn't bobbled at all. I'm sure it will last well until Little E grows out of it and be passed on to another baby then.
The range of 'My Baby's Name Is' sleeping bags gets a huge thumb up from me, and Little E.
If you'd like to see the full range you can check out the My Baby's Name Is website, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
Disclosure: We received the sleeping bag for review purposes.
