Pitter Patter Raindrops...

Those of you who know me, know that I am a huge fan of slings! This time round, we started the day we brought Ace home from the hospital and I even overcame my impatience and learnt to wrap (albeit using a stretchy wrap)! One thing I always found annoying when I used to carry Honey in a sling, was the Great British weather. Warm days were easily tackled by wearing fewer clothes but cold and even worse, wet days were a pain in the proverbial!

This came to a head on one particularly foul weathered pre school run where I discovered that my waterproof coat was no longer waterproof! I was soaked, Ace was soaked and I immediately knew what had to be done. I was already the lucky owner of an Angel Wings hoody which I wore whilst pregnant and have been wearing pretty much constantly since Ace was born too but whilst it it warm and packed full of useful features, I needed something to keep myself and Ace warm AND dry.

I researched babywearing raincoats all day and put them in and out of my online basket more times than I could count but eventually, online reviews and photos suggested that the Mamalina soft shell jacket should meet my needs. I ordered from Slings and Things and received it in double quick time, complete with free chocolate (yessss)!

Since the coat arrived, it's been thoroughly tested by our inclement weather and has passed with flying colours. It came with a pregnancy insert, as well as a babywearing insert which can be worn zipped into the front or back of the coat and has a tiny hood for baby built into it! The coat is adjustable in lots of places so it can be used with babies and toddlers of all sizes and it can also be worn without the insert if you don't have anyone to carry.

A coat like this is definitely an investment and if it's not something you are willing or able to invest in, here are some other ways I've tried to stay dry while babywearing:

- Wearing a bigger raincoat. This is easy to do if your husband/partner wears a larger size than you and he's not using his coat or has a spare. If not, you might consider buying an inexpensive waterproof a couple of sizes too big, specifically for babywearing.

- Putting your child's raincoat/poncho over their head and wrapping it around the sling or carrier.

- Use a specially designed baby carrier waterproof cover like a Bundlebean or a Tomy Freestyle.

- Purchase an insert/expander panel for your current coat. Next did one for their cagoule  last season (you might find one on Ebay) and Zip Us In make inserts which are supposedly universal (but do check, as I couldn't make it fit my old waterproof coat).

- Carry a birdcage umbrella. Not particularly useful if you need to be hands free but an effective way to keep the rain of baby and you!

Mummy and Ace wear... Mamalila soft shell jacket 

Bottle it up...

A few months ago, we told you about Miniature Music and today, it's the turn of the other class that has us going back time and time again!  We've blogged about Tatty Bumpkin on numerous occasions, it's a children's yoga class based around stories (adventures) which takes a multi sensory approach.

Ace has now graduated from Baby Bumpkin and we are currently attending Baby Bumpkin Explorers which is a lovely class that caters for babies on the move! Once a month, we attend family Tatty Bumpkin, which is for big kids, their grown ups and their younger siblings.

I digress, as today it was all about creating! I booked Honey in to the Christmas sensory bottle workshop, where she took her job very seriously and worked tirelessly to create 3 new toys for her little brother. The bottles are designed to stimulate little ones senses as they lift, shake and turn them. Honey used plenty of glitter and sparkle (as she knows that Ace is secretly a magpie), as well as some noisy rice and some bouncing water beads. The bottles are different sizes and weights to add to the fun and learning. Andrea provided all the resources we needed and was also available to help and guide the creative process. We also left her with rather a lot of tidying up and glitter removal to deal with but I don't think she minded, as everyone was having so much fun! 

Ace was really chuffed with his presents and seemed to favour the noisy rice bottle on first play. Unfortunately for him, Honey has now confiscated them as she wants to wrap them up and put them under the tree!

Honey wears... Polo neck top by Mini Club @ Boots

Ace wears... Leggings by Blade and Rose

Honey wears...

I have been trying to launch our Instagram pre-loved selling page for a while now, but every time I upload items, lots of them sell quickly even though I haven't publicised the page or followed anyone yet! If you have a little boy younger than Ace or a little girl younger than Honey or know someone who does, keep an eye on the page over the next few weeks! 

honey_wears

Honey and Ace wear... Christmas jumpers from Next

Shine Bright...

When I was expecting Honey, we waited with baited breath to see if we were going to welcome the little girl I so hoped for and as soon as we found out it was going to happen, I was straight on the internet ordering our travel system! I have a Fiat 500 so had done lots of research into which buggies would fit in the small boot and the Quinny Buzz 3 was by far my favourite BUT I REALLY wanted it in Blush Pink (which will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me).

It's a lovely pushchair, really sturdy and has been on loads of adventures with Honey and is now doing the same with Ace (because real men wear pink don't you know) but when I chose the colour, I didn't really think about sticky fingers eating rainbow snacks and using the seat as a napkin...

Enter The Sparkling Pushchair Company! I was lucky enough to win a free clean in a competition on their Facebook page and was excited to see what a difference a professional clean could make. I had previously washed the seat fabric in the washing machine but could still see greasy marks from the aforementioned rainbow snacks and with the hood being such an awkward, rigid shape, that had never been washed and was really grubby. 

Arranging to have the buggy collected was simple and a mutually convenient time was quickly arranged via Facebook messenger. Darren arrived at our house during the agreed time slot and explained the non toxic, baby friendly cleaning process and timescale, asked me to show him any particularly dirty spots then expertly loaded the Quinny into his car, ready for the off! 

A few days later, I received another message from Laura letting me know that it was all done and suggesting a drop off time. Once again, Darren arrived as agreed and returned our (now sparkling) pushchair!

Unfortunately, the photos aren't as dramatic as some you will see on their Facebook page (example below) but I was really impressed and also loved that the frame, wheels and basket had obviously been given as much attention as the seat and hood! 



Ace is now not allowed anywhere near the buggy with snacks (this will last for approximately one week or until I want to stay out shopping for longer and need to bribe him) and I'm really glad it's cosy toes time so at least the seat has a chance of staying sparkling for longer than a day!

Ace wears... Hoody by Make Your Marque

Bags of fun...

I don't know about you, but in our house, snacks are a big deal! Honey has her own cupboard where she goes to grab a snack (she does have to ask first but she gets to choose whatever she wants from a carefully selected box) and when we're out and about, she knows where to buy her favourite snacks. 

One thing that does get on my nerves, is those little plastic clips you use for sealing half eaten packets, they're brilliant but I find I either forget them and end up with soggy, leftover crisps or lose them. That's where Nom Nom Kids can help, the makers of our favourite reusable pouches have come up with a new snack bag which seals snacks tightly to keep them fresh. We have used them for everything from carrots to crisps, as well as apple and satsuma slices and everything stayed just as fresh as when they were filled!

 

Honey instantly fell in love with the bags and enjoyed helping me choose what to put in them, she also took responsibility for packing them and choosing which ones she and Ace would have at snack time. With a little practise, Honey was able to open the bags by herself which is a huge bonus in my book, as I love anything which encourages independence! The size of the bag means that I can get away with splitting a packet of biscuits or carrot puffs between the two of them rather than taking two packets and the best bit is that Honey hasn't even noticed! This not only makes them fab for portion control, but also for budgeting as you can buy bigger packets of things and share them out, instead of buying ready prepared snack sized portions, which usually works out cheaper overall.



Honey's not the only fan, when she had a snack at a friend's house last week, her friend Rory totally abandoned his bowl and asked for his snacks to be put in one of the monster bag and came back for at least three refills! That's a 10/10 review right there and we left the pouch for him to use in future!














I can safely say that this is another triumph for Nom Nom Kids and the bags are a total toddler must have. Ours are currently in the dishwasher preparing for their next use, I wonder what we'll put in them next!

*Although we were kindly given some snack bags to test, all opinions expressed in this blog are my own.

Honey wears... Bunny tights by Mini Boden

Push it Real Good...

Yes it's a cheesy song from the 1980's but it's also a local Mum's meet up from 2016! Cheltenham Maman's website is going strong and she is also organising lots of wonderful events in our fabulous town. As well as all that, alongside The Bump to Baby Chapter, she is also helping to bring local Mums together by hosting regular 'Push it real good walks' around Pitville Park.

It's a very relaxed, totally free wander round the park with plenty of chatting. The walks end at one of the park's wonderful coffee shops where some people buy a coffee and stay for more chatting and others say goodbye, depending on what the rest of their day holds!

There are Mums with bumps, buggies, slings and toddlers so it really is for everyone. Everyone is really friendly so don't worry if you don't know anyone else who is going! If you haven't already been along, be sure to like Cheltenham Maman on Facebook so you'll be the first to find out future dates and to anyone going on Monday, we will see you there!

Honey wears... Denim jacket by Next
Ace wears... Striped top by Toby Tiger

Cradle to Crib...

One of Honey and Ace's recent adventures involved 'wearing clothes in the park' (Honey's words). Honey and Ace were offered the opportunity to model some hand made clothes for new company Cradle to Crib. Cradle to Crib is a locally based (Stroud) boutique clothing company focused on durability, affordability, and above all else, rethinking our approach to children's clothes. The idea is that once you child outgrows their items of clothing, you send them back to be repurposed and in return, can earn cash back or credit.

On the day, Ace was bemused but generally compliant, Honey tried out being threenager but has chatted about how much fun she had ever since, so it obviously wasn't as traumatic as she made it seem on the day!😂 Fab, Cheltenham based family photographer Mouse About Town captured the cutest photos, which was no easy task as the children all had very different ideas about which direction they wanted to go in!

We were very kindly given the gorgeous clothes that both children modelled and are super impressed with the quality. The colours are really vibrant and the fabrics used are sturdy yet soft and they have washed really nicely too (plus they didn't need to be ironed, bonus)! The labels even have QR codes on them linking to the website which the IT geek in me loves!

We wish Amber the best of luck with her new venture, why not head over to her website and see if anything catches your eye?

*Although we were very kindly given the clothes worn during the photo shoot, all opinions expressed in this blog are my own.

Honey wears... Unisex striped trousers by Cradle to Crib

Ace wears... Green Rocker top by Cradle to Crib

Photo Credits to Gill Thomas @ Mouse About Town

The next step...

So, Honey has completed her first term at pre-school already! It started well, she raved about her first day and then things took an unexpected turn and we had tears at drop off and an anxious girl worrying before every session. The staff were fab and agreed with us how they would deal with her fretting during the day and at home, we decided to use a sticker chart to help her work towards having 'brave days'.

She really rose to the challenge and needless to say, she now thinks pre school is not so bad at all and gives us a blow by blow account of everything everyone did and said  during the day. We now also get snippets of stories and songs she's been learning, as well as reminders to use 'pinchy fingers' when writing and 'listening ears' although strangely, she doesn't always take her own advice on that one!

On Monday, we were invited to go and watch Honey's class re-tell a story they'd been learning (see below for a preview) and it was so lovely to see her joining in with all the activities and routines. When we left at the end of her last day of term, it was a mark of how far she's come that there were no tears of relief that we'd arrived, only beaming smiles and (very loud) goodbyes to all the staff! She's already talking about her Autumn half term challenge and while she's looking forward to the extra 'home days', I'm hopeful that she will hit the ground running when she goes back.



Honey wears... Pinafore dress by Jojo Maman Bebe

Music to my ears...

There are certain classes that we loved so much when Honey was small, that we have either kept going to as she's got older or returned to now that we have Ace. Miniature Music is one of those classes.

As a music class, Matilda (for ages 0-4) is awesome! Zaphira uses real instruments which children of all ages are encouraged to pick up and experiment with and a mix of original songs and childhood favourites with a twist. As a parent and child group, it is amazing as the class is priced per family and not per child, it's also drop in so you don't pay if someone is poorly, you're away or just can't get out of the house in time one week! There is time set aside at the end of each class for free play with all the instruments and guess what, there's always tea and cake too!

As well as the ever popular Matilda classes, there are two new classes on offer, Owly and Croc (3 years and over). Ace volunteered to be a poster baby for Miniature Music's new Owly classes (for babies 0-6 months) and he had a great time being snapped alongside some gorgeous baby girls while enjoying songs, play and instruments.

If you haven't already tried Miniature Music, why not head over to their website or Facebook page for the latest class times, venues and prices.

Ace wears... Dungarees by Gap Kids

Photo credits to Zaphira Cormack

Bird is the word...

It was my sister's 27th birthday last week and where better to celebrate than at Birdland, one of her favourite childhood haunts? We got there just after the park opened and parked in the car park on Rissington Road then headed in painlessly, having bought tickets online (you save 10%) and having secured a free ticket for Honey from Explore Gloucestershire (offer valid until March 2017).

Almost as soon as you enter, you come face to face with the fabulous penguins! We spent a good half an hour here climbing up and down the steps, watching them waddle and swim and listening to the feeding time talk.

Honey had a cursory look at the other birds (stopping to stand on one leg in front of the flamingos) but was really excited to visit Jurassic Journey and led us all there as soon as she could! She was obsessed with the dinosaur sound stations and kept making us take her back there, she also enjoyed peeking at the dinosaur models through the hide slots but I think her favourite Jurassic activity was the Dino Dig where she got to use brushes to uncover dinosaur bones and fossils in the sand pit.

Another highlight for Honey was the Encounters Area where she got up close and personal with some giant tortoises (yes, she tried to ride on one), held a newborn chick and chased a flock of chickens (not really one of the activities offered but she enjoyed it all the same)!

The toilet facilities were limited but clean, the cafe menu was small but with something to suit everyone and the play area was tidy, safe and has equipment suitable for a range of ages. There were plenty of picnic tables dotted around the park so we were able to give Honey her lunch when she asked and we were also able to embarrass my sister with cake and singing (she didn't ask for that but it would have been rude not to - lol)!

Overall, a great day out and a lovely way to celebrate with family.

Honey wears... Straw hat by Tu at Sainsbury's

Pizza Friday...

Pizza Friday 'make your own pizza workshop' kept popping up on my Instagram feed over the summer, so with mere hours of the holidays left, we decided to give it a go. We arrived at Wayside Farm Shop and Tearoom near Evesham and secured ourselves a large table perfect for pizza construction! While we ordered some drinks and waited for the pizza oven to fire up, Honey made herself at home in the play corner which had a great selection of books, toys and even a blackboard wall.

Honey was intrigued by mozzarella cheese but we managed to suggest a few other toppings she might like to add too and we were all thrilled when everything arrived on plates and in bowls ready for us to put together. Honey loved spreading the tomato, sprinkling the cheese and arranging her toppings and she even added some things she wouldn't normally choose to eat at home, which was a bonus. Her favourite part was taking the pizzas outside to be cooked in the incredibly hot pizza oven, at over 300 degrees, the pizzas were ready in under 2 minutes!

You'll be pleased to know that the pizzas were absolutely delicious, as was accompanying salad, in fact we were so full that we didn't eat again until the next morning! The service we received was exemplary, everyone we encountered was so friendly and couldn't do enough for us and we are watching their Facebook page with bated breath in the hope that Pizza Friday returns in the future!

Honey wears... Denim shirt dress by Next

Grand plans...

We set off on our way to Weston full of grand plans to go to the beach, but when your best friend has a garden like this, there's no need to leave it! Ace had his first go on an outdoor swing and Honey fired her first water pistol! Sometimes all you need is friends.

Honey wears... Sandals by Timberland

Leave it to fete...

There's nothing better than a country fete on a hot summer's day and there's nowhere more suited to a country fete, than Lower Slaughter! As a child, I used to paddle in the river there and have happy memories of country walks and being treated to ice cream, which is pretty much how our day went today!

I'd had a conversation with Honey about how much money she could have and what she might be able to spend it on but when she won the boat race early on, that went out of the window! She spent her winnings on cake, face painting, bouncy castle jumping, a sticker book and even a pony ride, although she did save the rest for her money box!

Honey had a picnic lunch by the river, while the grown ups frequented the barbecue stand and enjoyed some delicious, locally sourced beef burgers. The weather really made this the most perfect, British summer day, well that and the Antiques Roadshow theme tune pumping out over the PA system...

Honey wears... Floral top by Next

I've got the Quay...

On a recent trip to Gloucester Quays, it struck me how much Honey has grown up since Ace arrived. She is so independent at home and occupies herself happily while I feed, bathe and put Ace to bed, as well as numerous other times throughout the day. She also loves to help me prepare her meals and has her own cupboard which she chooses her cups, plates, bowls and even snacks from! 

While we were at the Quays, she fell in love with a little handbag in Next, it was only £1 so I told her she could have it if she went and bought it herself. She happily trotted off and conducted the whole transaction with me watching from the sidelines, the young man behind the counter was fantastic with her and she came away very proud of herself.

She also loved having her feet measured in Clarks, again the sales assistant there was brilliant and communicated directly with Honey, asking her name and age and giving her clear instructions. Unfortunately, we didn't find any shoes in store that day but Honey loved looking for 'number 8 shoes' wherever we went after that!

As shopping experiences go, Gloucester Quays was pretty toddler friendly. Honey enjoyed having her photo taken on the Rugby scrum sculpture, doing a spot of drawing at White Stuff and snacking on toasted tea cakes at Costa. Gloucester Docks are just outside, so next time we head that way, we will make sure we have time to have a look at the boats as well.

Honey wears... Denim shorts by Next

If you go down to the woods...

I am very lucky to have some very kind hearted and talented friends, one of whom gave up some time during the summer holidays to provide some Forest School fun for Honey and some of her friends. Anyone who knows Honey, knows that she loves to pick up sticks, stones, leaves and just about anything else that's a bit grubby so she was in her element here!

By far her favourite activity though, was the rope swing! She loved taking turns with the other children to push and be pushed and mentioned several times on the way home that she'd like a swing like that in her garden!

From a professional point of view, it was great to see how many learning opportunities can be gleaned from the most simple of outdoor spaces and from a parental point of view, it was amazing to watch Honey co operate with and communicate with the other children. 

Honey wears... Cardigan by F&F

At the river...

We are really spoilt with the all new Pitville Park so don't really need to roam far from home to have a whole host of fun, but when some friends of ours were staying at a Caravan Club site in Broadway, we wanted to try somewhere closer to them.

Abbey Park in Evesham, is right next to the river where there is plenty of space to spread out on the grass so you can set up a base and either supervise from afar or tag team supervision (depending on the age of your children and whether or not you have an 11 year old super nanny on hand). We took our own snacks and drinks down with us, but town is only a very short walk away so it's not the end of the world if you stay longer than expected and need to refuel!

Having visited during winter, I knew that the play equipment would easily occupy an 11 year old and a 3 year old but the summertime addition of the splash park was fantastic and really made the day special! 

Parking in the conveniently located Riverside Shopping centre car park is just £1 for the whole day but be sure to arrive early as by 11:30am on the day we went, all the spaces were taken and we had to find alternative parking (Aldi car park is just a short walk away and you can claim back your parking fee if you do some shopping in store before you leave).

Honey wears... Peppa Pig playsuit by F&F

In the valley...

There's something for everyone at The Valley just outside Evesham. Grown ups can enjoy the shipping outlets (including Fat Face, Mountain Warehouse and The Works) and children can ride the miniature railway or play on the wooden fort (or both - why not?) 

There's a fab farm shop on site, as well as a choice of child friendly eateries. Honey also enjoyed a game of outdoor snakes and ladders and on dry days, children can take a spin on the pedal tractors. 

Honey wears... Bunny coat by Hatley

Getting rid of the evidence...

So it's going well with the cloth nappies, we tend to use all 5 nappies from the starter pack in one day, then wash them in with a normal load and hang them out to dry for some sunshine stain removal. I still don't know how i'll get them clean when the sun disappears but i'll cross that bridge when I get to it! 

I said I wasn't ready for reusable wipes, but when the opportunity to try Cheeky Wipes at a bargain price came up, I couldn't say no! You get two boxes, one for clean wipes and one for mucky wipes, a stack of wipes (like mini face cloths) and two bottles of essential oils. After clearing a space for the boxes and filling them up as instructed, I waited. About half an hour later, Ace cried because he had a wet nappy. I used a wipe from the clean box and put it in the dirty box and guess what? Nothing. Yup,  Ace was fine, I was fine and the world didn't end! Again and again I used them, for wiping Honey's mucky hands after lunch, cleaning the table after painting sessions and removing sick, dribble and other bodily fluids from the laminate floor and every time, nothing happened! 

It took me a while to use them for poo but after one of Ace's poonami's there were no disposable wipes left in the packet so I had no choice and yup, you guessed it... Nothing happened!

I'm not quite sure what I expected, but they're fine! You need to make sure you stick the mucky ones in the wash and refresh the water and essential oil every couple of days, otherwise it starts to smell a bit when you open the lid, but apart from that, they're easy to use and just as effective as disposable wipes.

Once again, we are taking a mix and match approach. The kit also included a set of special travel bags for clean and mucky wipes but they are currently sitting in the cupboard and probably won't make it into the changing bag, disposable wipes are just so convenient and well... disposable!

Ace wears... Easy fit nappy by Tots Bots

Let's go to the beach...

A day at the beach without hours worth of driving sounded too good to be true, but the recent heatwave seemed like the perfect time to try out the Cotswold Country Park and Beach. After packing the sun suits, towels and beach toys, we made the 40 minute drive from home to the Country Park just outside Cirencester. Entry and parking costs £5 per adult and £3 per child over the age of 3 (peak season) and there are two beaches to choose from once you're inside. 

We started by paying a visit to the toddler beach, which is overlooked by a large lawn and picnic benches, as well as a small play area. Once Honey had explored, we decided to move over to the main beach for the rest of the day. We arrived about an hour after the park opened and easily found a large spot to set up camp (literally, we had a tent and everything). A quick survey of the area revealed another (larger) play area, volleyball court, plenty of picnic benches and even barbecue spots! A short walk around led us to a shop, cafe, traversing wall and water sports centre extra charges apply). 

Honey had a great time paddling in the lake, which has a clearly defined swimming area and is patrolled by a team of trained Lifeguards. She also enjoyed making sandcastles on the beach which, although it was a little bit hard to sit on (being man made from compacted sand rather than a naturally occurring beach), was clean and well kept. Toilet facilities are basic but fairly clean (considering how much sand and water there is outside) and are situated at either end of the main beach but I'd recommend taking a travel potty as they are quite a hike with a soggy toddler desperate for the loo! We took our own picnic to keep costs to a minimum and had a lovely lunch listening to children chatter and play in the sunshine. 

This is a great place for families or groups of friends wanting a day out together and i'm sure we will head back there next summer when we'll have a soggy toddler AND a soggy pre-schooler to contend with!

Honey wears... Whale skort by Mini Boden

If you're nappy and you know it...

A while ago, I saw an advert on Facebook stating that by using just one cloth nappy per day, I could save 900 nappies going to landfill by the time Ace is ready to potty train. I'd never thought about a mix and match approach, I always imagined it'd be all or nothing, disposables or cloth, but why not use both? 

I started off by speaking to the lovely Andrea who often brings her cloth nappy information stand to Cheltenham Sling Meet. She ran through all the lingo (liners, boosters, wraps etc) and answered all my questions about changing and cleaning cloth nappies until I had no more excuses - I was in and actually getting excited about nappies!

We are fortunate in Gloucestershire because the council fully supports the environmental benefits of using cloth nappies and provides an incentive scheme to get you started. I opted to have my £30 voucher sent to Tots Bots, a Glaswegian company who sell awards winning reusable nappies and for an additional £20, they supplied me with 4 Easyfit All in in One nappies, 1 two parter for night time, a roll of flushable liners and a wet bag. That's £90 worth of nappies and accessories for a £20 investment!

The nappies took a while to get here and I could feel myself losing interest again but as soon as they arrived, I couldn't wait to get started! The nappies in the starter pack are gorgeous, bright colours and Honey immediately took it upon herself to suggest which colour Ace should wear next and also to learn how to put them on him. She was later able to show Daddy what to do, which she was very pleased about! 

During the first few days, there were times when the contents of the nappy migrated off the liner (to put it nicely) and I began to wish I could just throw them away but a (normal) wash and a spell on the line in the magical sunshine later, and they were ready to go again.

A lady I follow on Instagram keeps posting pictures of her super cool, patterned nappies (including a new Joules one) and I can see that this has the potential to go the same way as slings and end up being something I enjoy (can you say that about nappies?) and be willing to invest in.

As for disposables, they definitely still have a place. I'll be using them whenever the cloth nappies are in the wash, as well as when we're out and about (otherwise I'm going to have to start lugging a suitcase around with me). I don't think I'm quite ready to try reusable wipes yet... But never say never!

Ace wears... Reusable nappy by Tots Bots