PRETTY YOUNG THING : parenting

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LIFESTYLE: GETTING OUTDOORS WITH NATIONAL TRUST

27 January 2020

Croome

If you follow me on Instagram you might have noticed that we've joined National Trust. It's only £6 each or £10 for a couple a month which I think is a bargain. Some of the National Trusts are up to £12 each and some are even more depending on where you go. You also get discounts into other local attractions.

We've had some wonderful days out. We only joined in January and have been to 5 National Trusts so far! It's such a fab day out, Amelia loves being able to run around the grounds and exploring the houses. It's nice to get outdoors and try some new places! They are so clean and have loads of walks and trails to choose from. The staff are all wonderful, so friendly and helpful. They have great facilities and the cafes do lovely cakes!

I'm so excited for it to warm up and for us to explore our local National Trusts. We are really lucky to have quite a few in the surrounding area. Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House are literally up the road.

If you are doing the 1000 hours outdoor challenge then you should really look at National Trust membership, it's just lovely being outdoors! Getting some fresh air and exercise and I love that Amelia is so comfortable and loves being outside and exploring. Kids are free up to 5 years old and the some of the sites have playgrounds and woodland play areas for the kids to get involved. They also have trails and activities for the kids to take part in and during the holidays they have even more fun going on.

They also have beaches and forests which you can visit using your National Trust membership which I'm looking forward to checking out!

Baddesley Clinton

Charlecote Park

Hanbury Hall

Packwood House

LIFESTYLE: THINGS TO DO WITH A TODDLER NEAR SOLIHULL THIS SUMMER

16 July 2019

With the summer holidays nearly here I thought i'd share a few days out that we have done recently or intend to do over the next few weeks. It can be overwhelming choosing things to do especially during the summer holidays as places can get really busy and you can end up spending loads of money trying to fill your weeks with things to do with the kids. As Amelia is only 1 we don't have to worry about the school holidays just yet but it's nice to have a few things planned whilst the weather is good! Most of these days out are affordable and within 2 hours of Solihull/ Birmingham.

DAY AT THE BEACH - Our nearest beach is Weston Super-Mare which is about a 2 hour drive and I think it's totally worth it if the weather is good! There's a huge beach so the kids can make sandcastles all day long. Loads of arcades, fish and chips and donkey rides! Such a good day out, you just need to fill the car up but don't really need to spend loads of money. Why not bring a picnic along!

If you don't fancy a 2 hour drive then try Bosworth Water Park, its about 45 minutes away from Solihull and they have huge lakes, sand, peddle boats, mini golf! It's great, we went a few weeks ago on a really sunny day and it was fab, Amelia had a dip and played in the sand! We brought a picnic along too! The only thing is the car parking is quite expensive so take that into account.

If you don't drive but fancy a day on a beach then head into Touchwood because their Safari beach is now open!! They have loads of buckets and spades, deck chairs and it's free!!

Amelia absolutly loves feeding the ducks! We take her to Brueton/ Malvern Park in Solihull town centre. We head over to the Parkridge nature reserve where they sell duck/bird seed for 50p a bag and go along to feed the ducks. Sometimes we bring a picnic and make a day of it and sometimes we just go of an afternoon to kill some time.

St Nicholas Park in Warwick is one of my favourite things to do in the summer. It's a great day out! The parking is cheap, bring a picnic (there is a little cafe) Theres a sandpit, climbing frame/ park and the paddling pool, theres also some fairground rides. This is such a great cheap day out especially when the weather is good!

Strawberry picking, we did this right at the beginning of the season and we want to do it again. Another cheap day out! We went to Manor Fruits Farm over Tamworth way but theres a few dotted around. We liked Manor Fruits because they had a little cafe and kids bouncy castles too!

FARM - This is Umberslade farm which is our absolute fave! It's such a good day out, theres loads to do pony rides, tractor rides, holding the small animals, brushing the ponies, feeding the calfs! It's about £9 for an adult but such a lovely day out, you can spend all day there, theres a cafe and the prices are reasonable or theres loads of picnic benches to bring a packed lunch!

We also liked Atwell Farm, this was a bit cheaper but I found there were less animals. They so however have a huge soft play area, a good playground and outside bouncy castle, fire engine and tractor for the kids to play on. There's a coffee shop and gift shop too!

Sheldon Country park is fab too! They are currently renovating the kids playground but it's meant to be ready for the holidays. The farm is free and its small but cute. Theres a little tea room here.

A few days out we have planned over next few weeks include, Alton Towers Waterpark, I want to visit a Lavender Field for cute pics obvs, Strawberry picking again and Stratford Upon Avon Rec.

Is there anywhere else we need to check out this summer? We are trying to keep to a budget so not mega expensive places. What do you have planned for the summer?

LIFESTYLE: AMELIA 9 MONTH UPDATE

16 August 2018

Amelia is going to be 9 months old in a couple of days so I thought i'd do a little 9 month update.

She's crawling now, shes into everything! She's going so well with her eating, shes loving food right now. Amelia is still teeny tiny, shes just gone into 3-6 months clothing.

She's doing so well, shes super chatty and she's got such a cheeky attitude. I've just gone back to work and she's going to her nanny's two days a week. She loves going and I think it's really good for us to have a little separation. She's gone up to the next group in Gymboree which she's loving. I love that she can just go and crawl and get into everything, it's so cute.

Amelia has been to her first birthday party, it was her friend Jack's 2nd birthday!

REVIEW: HAPE BABY DRUM

26 July 2018

A few weeks ago Amelia was sent this lovely Hape Baby Drum in the post. We've been loving it so I thought i'd feature it in a full review.

Hape are the worlds largest producer of wooden toys! They have a huge range of toys for all age groups!

The Hape baby drum is such a lovely product, it is made from quality materials so is super strong and has passed vigorous testing so is really safe for babies from 6 months.

The Drum has some really cool features. It flashes bright colourful lights when used. You can bang it like a normal drum and it makes a loud drum noise or if you roll it, it will play a funky beat which is supposed to engage your baby and encourage them to crawl after the drum!

Amelia has just started crawling and loves following her drum around the living room! She loves rolling it and dancing along to the little tune that it plays, she can bang the drum but she much prefers the funky tune. She can pick it up really easily because it's light, she likes rolling around the floor with it. It's bright and a fun toy to play with! It would make a lovely gift or perfect for your own little one!

Get the Hape Baby Drum from Smythstoys.com it's on offer for £16.99*

* this post contains a pr sample

LIFESTYLE: TRAVELLING WITH A BABY: IS THE FAR EAST TOO FAR?

25 July 2018

Image Credit

When you welcome your firstborn, you may think that your far flung jaunts abroad are no longer a possibility. Since your little darling arrived, you might think you need to book yourself on a package holiday, venture to a Balearic and succumb to the all-inclusive resort. While there’s nothing wrong with such a holiday, you might yearn for the freedom of organising your own foray overseas with your little brood in tow. But is this even possible?

Holidays by their very nature should be relaxing. Allowing a tour operator to take on the responsibility of booking your flights, organising your accommodation, sourcing excursions and even handling the airport transfers can be tempting. This way, all you need to worry about is making sure you’re packed, ensuring the passports are in date and finding your way to the airport. However, where’s the fun in that? While Lanzarote is a delightful place to while away a fortnight, you want more adventure to your trip. You remember when you were in your early twenties and you thought nothing of packing your forty five litre backpack and taking the first flight you could to embark on a backpacking jaunt around South America. Now you have a little one, do you have to wave goodbye to such a holiday?

You simply need to think a little more outside the box and put your offspring at the centre of every decision you make. The Far East is an excellent option for those families who hanker after a more far-flung and unique destination rather than a mundane Greek island. Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and China are all relatively safe and cater to tourist families. Take a look at how you can travel to the Far East with a baby and still have an incredible travel experience.

Basics

It doesn’t matter where you are heading on holiday, there will inevitably be a major alteration in your little cherub’s routine. This can make for an eventful first couple of days. To try and limit the impact of jet lag, new smells, the flight, and a new bed, try and keep everything else the same. Take his or her favourite snacks on the flight, ensure you have a favourite bit of muslin or toy to help add a touch of familiarity to your trip no matter where you are and remember to keep talking to your little one. If you are forever chuntering away to your offspring about the weather, the view or general chit-chat, keep doing it. Doing everything in your power to maintain a sense of normality will prevent your baby from feeling stressed. Babies pick up on their parent’s vibe, so try and stay relaxed and enjoy the trip you have planned.

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Before You Go

Before you even set foot on the plane, you should be planning a few more aspects to your holiday than you might have done in the past. While on your gap year you may have set off without a hostel booked and you winged it once you landed, now is not the time to repeat that experience. Now that you are older, hopefully wiser and perhaps a little more mature, you need to be thinking about the needs of your little one. If you’re venturing to Singapore, consider a hdb room rental for the entirety of your visit. This means you will have a solid base, you can be sure to secure a cot and all of the space you need for your young family, and you will have the flexibility to cook your little one’s meals. If there are any allergies in your brood, this could be vital to ensure their safety when abroad.

You may want to arrange travel within a country before you go. Bullet trains in Japan, and some in China can be booked in advance meaning that you won’t have to endure long queues at the airport. Japan even has rail passes making your travel easier once you have your itinerary planned.

It’s vital to at least have a skeleton itinerary in place before you head off to your chosen Far Eastern destination. If you fancy taking in the vista from the Great Wall of China, make sure you choose the most appropriate part of the wall for your family. Badaling, while touristy, is relatively flat and easy to navigate. Other sections, like Juyong, are ridiculously steep and would be treacherous for little feet. Use your common sense when booking excursions and considering how best to utilise your time.

Climate

With a little one in tow, make sure you aren’t venturing halfway across the globe during monsoon season or when the heat is sweltering and unbearable. While you might be able to cope, the chances are that your little darling could be at risk from heatstroke. Even with suncream and a hat, Far Eastern temperatures can hit forty degrees which would mean staying indoors. This hardly makes for a great vacation experience.

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Family Friendly Fun

If you fancy a jaunt to Japan, you will have a wealth of family-friendly activities on your doorstep. The wonderfully exclusive Studio Ghibli Museum only allows a set number of visitors in each day and is protective over its exhibits. If your family adores My Neighbour Totoro or can’t get enough of Ponyo, this excursion could be a memorable addition to your Japanese Odyssey. Alongside the Studio Ghibli Museum, you could also visit Disneyland in Tokyo. Similar to Florida and Paris, this super camp and glittery theme park of fun is the stuff of dreams for little ones. You could be shaking hands with Mickey, meeting up with Pluto and making friends with the seven dwarfs.

In Singapore, you might want to embark on a world first as a family. Opened in 1994, the world’s first nocturnal zoo means you can take part in a nighttime safari to explore the wonderful creatures within Singapore’s greatest animal attraction. Hugely popular, you can observe tigers and lions in vast natural reserves, created with animal welfare in mind.

You might prefer to head to Jurong where you could take your little brood to the Science Centre. Who’d have thought you could squeeze in an educational visit while on holiday. The interactive exhibits are engaging, and you might even have the chance to head to the in-house observatory to gaze at the stars through their enormous Kepler refractor telescope.

In Phuket in Thailand, you might want to take a trip to the magical and recently renovated world class aquarium to explore the underwater creatures that roam the surrounding oceans. The exhibits are well maintained, the creatures are looked after, and you might even be able to sneak in to watch a feeding time. There is a huge and fully immersive tunnel to walk through, and all of the signage and displays are written in English as well as Thai meaning that you can get the most out of your aquatic experience.

If you are considering a more self-planned holiday abroad with your family, consider venturing to the Far East. The people are welcoming, you can enjoy immersing yourself into a new culture once again, and you can relish the opportunity to enjoy the style of travelling you couldn’t get enough of when you were young, free and single. Just because you have a little one doesn’t mean you can’t see the world. On the contrary, with a little thought, some extra planning, and a clear itinerary, you could enjoy the most unique and wonderful family Far Eastern adventure.

*COLLABORATIVE POST

LIFESTYLE: THE BOOK PEOPLE

Amelia recently received some lovely new books from The Book People, Amelia has loads of books and she loves playing with books but we also read books before she goes to bed. I love having a big selection of books as reading them gets a little repetitive and I like having so many to choose from.

The Book People have a really good selection of books and a lovely selection of baby books,* we recently picked out a few books for Amelia from their handpicked range. The Petite Boutique Collection is lovely, inside you get 2 books, one of which comes with a Nursery rhymes cd, a pram book and a growth chart. It all comes inside a lovely tote bag. I love the style of the books, they look fab and Amelia really likes the Peekaboo book, she loves looking in the little mirror. The colours are really nice and the stories are really easy to read. The RRP is over £20 but head over to The Book People and get it for less than a tenner!

We also picked out the Baby Touch Hello Baby book by Ladybird. This is a touchy- feel book which Amelia is a little young for but she loves the colours of the book. It's light so it's easy for her to hold. I can't wait for her to notice the different textures in the book. It's such a lovely book for £2.99, it's such a bargain.

We also have the 35th Anniversary edition of Oh Dear by Rod Campbell the author of Dear Zoo. It's a lovely story. It's a lift-the-flap book. The illustrations are lovely, it's such a nice book.

The Book People have a lovely selection of baby books, they are so affordable and really competitive prices. The handpicked range is lovely and all of the books sound amazing. They have some really good offers on and the website is so easy to use. They have lots of information about the books! you can search by age, format, price or offers. I will definitely be ordering some books from The Book People as I think the books are such great prices and they have such a good range to choose from.

* The books were sent to use from The Book People, I have not been paid for this blog post.

PARENTING: BATHTIME WITH BAMBO NATURE

19 June 2018

We recently went along to a blogger event at Kelmarsh Hall with Bambo Nature Uk, You can see my full post here all about the lovely event we attended and all about the brand. We were gifted lots of lovely products from their range including some of their skincare bits and pieces. I thought i'd review the skincare products as we've been using them alot recently.

Bambo Nature have an amazing range of products including Eco-Disposable nappies and wipes. As well as their nappies and wipes they have released a new vegan, cruelty free skincare range.

The Bambo Nature range is accredited by several certification organisations that guarantee the safe use and environmental friendliness of the products. The Nordic Eco-label on the Bambo Nature range is your guarantee that the products are certified to be environment-friendly.

The brand are not just accredited by the Nordic-Eco Label but also Asthma and Allergy Denmark and Dermatology tested. This means these products are less likely to cause any irritation, eczema or allergy on babies skin. Unfortunately for us we have found that Amelia does seem to be allergic to the nappies and wipes but she has very sensitive skin and i'm actually allergic to a lot of more natural products so I wouldn't let that put you off. We have tried some of their skincare range which so far so good... no allergies. The brand have actually won loads of awards for their products which you can check out here on their website.

First up is the Splish Splash Bath Oil, this is made with mild, natural oils that help maintain the skins moisture balance and leave it soft. I really like this bath oil as it's not greasy and leaves Amelia's skin feeling really soft and smooth. I love using the bath oil to do baby massage, I tend to do it just before bathtime, the oil heats up well by rubbing the hands together and it is really easy to rub into the skin. Amelia has very sensitive skin and has allergies and eczema so I have to be careful when using new skincare products on her. We haven't had any issues with the Bambo Nature skincare products which is great.

My favourite product is the Bath Buddy hair & body wash, again it's great for Amelia's sensitive skin. I love that I can use the one product all over so I don't have to mess about using different products. It's so gentle that it doesn't irritate her eyes so it doesn't matter if a little water goes in her eye. The wash leaves her hair looking really nice a clean and it smells good too even though it contains no perfumes, this minimizes the risk of allergy.

I'm loving the Bambo Nature skincare range, and love that it's all Vegan and really sensitive and gentle for perfect for newborn baby skin. As I mentioned above Amelia has Eczema and we have tried other skincare brands and shes had bad reactions to products or they have really dried her skin out but we've found that the Bambo Nature skincare is great for her skin and it leaves it feeling super soft but also really clear.

*this post contains pr samples

PARENTING: PRODUCTS WE USE WHEN AMELIA IS POORLY

16 June 2018

Amelia is now 7 months old and shes had a few coughs and colds. It's such a horrible feeling when your baby isn't well and you feel like there's nothing you can do. I thought i'd feature a few products we've used when Amelia has been poorly and a few tips on how to make them a little more comfortable.

I found that Amelia is most uncomfortable during the night so when she has a cold or cough I would use the Calpol Vapour plug in her room. You just plug it in and you replace a cartridge each night which releases vapours into the air, this eases breathing during the night, we've found it works well for Amelia.

We've been using a few products from Snufflebabe to help relieve Amelia when shes been poorly, I really like the Nasal Spray and find this works really well at clearing her blocked nose. I find it's a bit easier to use that the nasal drops.

We have also been using the Snufflebabe nasal drops, it's a saline solution which you can use along side the nasal aspirator or on it's own to clear blocked noses. This just makes baby more comfortable as you can't really get a baby to blow their nose which is usually all they need to do.

I feel like the Nasal drops and nasal spray really clear the nose and throat of mucus and help Amelia to breathe much easier and stops her nose from irritating her.

Honestly she's not a huge fan of having the saline put in her nose and usually kicks off but she feels much better afterwards. My favourite thing about the Snufflebabe products is they are suitable from birth ( apart from the vapour rub which is 3 months) as some products have weight restrictions and some are from a certain age and when your baby is sick you just want a product on hand that you can use right away without worrying about whether shes old enough or big enough to use it.

Similar to the Snufflebabe vapour rub is the Mustela Chest Rub, we were sent this a while ago and have recently been using as Amelias had a few colds, I like this because it's a cream not a balm and it rubs into the skin really easily. Again it's suitable from birth which is great. The pine scent promotes comfort and relaxes the baby. I love that it comes in a tube as usually vapour rubs come in a pot that you have to stick your finger in and I prefer a tube that you can squeeze product out.

These are a few of the products we have been using with Amelia, alongside Calpol if shes really uncomfortable but I think these products are great at helping move mucus and relieving her and making her more comfortable. Another thing we do when shes snuffly is bring her into the bathroom and either run and hot shower or bath and this helps them breathe easier too. I usually put some relaxing music on my phone and light some candles and we will chill out. We have also tried some baby massage as this can help them breathe and unblock any mucus that is stuck.

* this post contains pr samples.

EVENT: BAMBO NATURE BLOGGER EVENT AT KELMARSH HALL AND GARDENS

25 May 2018

A few weeks ago we were invited along to a blogger event to learn all about Bambo Nature UK and their brand and products.

We were invited along to Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens in Northampton for a wonderful afternoon of activities. The day included learning all about the brand and their products and how the brand is really eco-friendly. We also got to learn some Reflexology and baby massage with Tiny Toes. We had a wonderful buffet lunch which was really tasty and they also had a photographer there throughout the day taking photos not just of the event but also of the babies and families which was lovely. You can see from my blog post that we got some absolutely gorgeous photos of Amelia. The event was really well organised with the kids in mind so there was really good facilities and lots to keep the kids entertained.

Bambo Nature is a Danish Brand of eco-friendly disposable nappies and gentle baby skincare. The Bambo Nature range is accredited by several certification organisations that guarantee the safe use and environmental friendliness of the products. The Nordic Eco-label on the Bambo Nature range is your guarantee that the products are certified to be environment-friendly.

The brand are not just accredited by the Nordic-Eco Label but also Asthma and Allergy Denmark and Dermatology tested. This means these products are less likely to cause any irritation, eczema or allergy on babies skin. Unfortunately for us we have found that Amelia does seem to be allergic to the nappies and wipes but she has very sensitive skin and i'm actually allergic to a lot of more natural products so I wouldn't let that put you off. We have tried some of their skincare range which so far so good... no allergies. The brand have actually won loads of awards for their products which you can check out here on their website.

At the event we got to take part in a little taster session of some Reflexology and Massage with Tiny Toes, they are a based in Northampton and offer lots of services aswell as baby reflexology. We got to learn about massage and ways in which you can use this to relieve baby and comfort them when they feel unsettled. It's also a good way to bond with baby and soothing simulation through massage is scientifically show to aid childhood development.

The brand also have a range of skincare products which includes their brand new Splish Splash Bath Oil, a Snuggle time body lotion, Love Balm Soothing Cream and Bath Buddy hair and body wash. We are so excited to try the range and I will be featuring the products in a full review once we've given them a proper try for a few weeks. The range is all suitable for sensitive skin and full of natural and organic ingredients. They are free of perfumes, dyes and parabens and certified eco-friendly, vegan and dermatologist tested. So far we've only tried the bath oil and we love this so far but we are super excited to give the other products a try. I love the packaging and the products are really affordable.

We also got to learn massage on their feet and how this can also comfort baby, we got to learn a shorter routine just for their feet which you can perform anywhere. I really liked the baby massage and reflexology and have been looking into local groups as it's something i'd love to do with Amelia. She seemed to really enjoy it and i've actually had a look online at some other reflexology and massage videos as Amelia's been a little unsettled this week as she has a cold and I really feel that this is helping her to relax and actually helping her to wind down to relieve her congestion.

Also throughout there was a lovely photographer Natalie from Imaging Eye Photography who took some amazing photos and we were lucky enough to get some really nice shots of the three of us and some lovely ones of Amelia.

We had such a lovely day, lunch was amazing. We got to learn loads about the brand, the PR girls were so lovely and everyone really loved Amelia and it was so nice to bring her along to an event and mingle with other mums. There was crafts going on for the older kids and lots of tea and biscuits for the mums, it was fab. Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens are beautiful and we will be returning as the grounds were amazing and i'd love to go back and have a good look around.

Thank you to Bambo Nature UK for the invite, we had such a lovely day!

PHOTOS TAKEN BY NATALIE - IMAGING EYE PHOTOGRAPHY

BAMBO NATURE UK - TWITTER : @bambonatureuk
- INSTAGRAM: @bambonatureuk
- WEBSITE : www.bambo-nature.co.uk