Just the Three of Us

I feel like its been a really long time since I have sat down and just rambled about my little bug Harry.  I think its because he is no longer a baby so typical milestones happen less often and life is generally more consistent.  However for my lad and his magic ears there are so many milestones that I just don’t realise he has surpassed and I have found myself sitting and realising that for a kid that couldn’t hear just over a year ago he is doing pretty darn well!!

Harry can now say SO many words and understands pretty much everything that you say to him.  He will point out objects in picture books if you ask him to find something, his favourite books being anything Peppa Pig (ew) or Thomas.  If you ask him to put his shoes on you are generally faced with a big fat “NO” but it confirms he knows exactly what you want him to do, he just doesn’t want to do it like any other two year old! 

Being two and a half is really quite hard according to Harry.  Those of you with 18-20 month old babies who think they have entered the so called “terrible twos”, I promise you that you have seen nothing yet, the daily meltdowns are REAL people.. get your gin ready!!  Yes I am that mum with the screaming wild one unwillingly strapped in his pram because he wants to run off in town.  Don’t you hate the judgey looks from passers by!?  They clearly have never had a 2.5 mini person.  He is a terrible eater which stresses me out daily, he is defo one of those so called beige eaters and won’t touch fruit or vegetables at home.  We have really started to crack down on it though and I’m becoming quite strict with his snacks and treats.. any advice would be gladly received #stressedmumissues

However alongside the tantrums and mayhem, confusingly, comes the most loving moments.  Harry will often run opened armed and unprompted to embrace us in a huge bear hug and he blows us lovely kisses every night once hes tucked up in bed.  He has so much to say when I pick him up from his childminders and babbles away in his own little language whilst dropping the words “garden” and “park” in here and there.

Harry is and always has been a typical boy, in the sense that he loves nothing more than cars, trains, diggers and planes.  The day is never complete unless hes got one scraped knee and a ton if dirt under his fingernails!  He is finding the balance between play fighting and actually fist fighting and so far its not going too well!  He doesn’t quite understand how to tickle someone and its more like pinching and scratching but he really doesn’t mean to be so aggressive

Sitting and looking back at how Harry has evolved makes my heart feel so warm and fuzzy and I still get that bubbly proud feeling in my tummy when I tell people I have a little boy whom I am so fiercely proud of  

I feel like life is really great as a family of three right now and although people around me seem to be extending their families left right and centre I’m so content with my two boys, my team that seems to be growing ever stronger by the day.

Whats in my Changing Bag | Toddler Edition

Now Harry is a full on boystrous 2 year old the contents of my changing bag have somewhat changed.  I do find that if we are going on a whole day out then I will need to take Harry's own mini rucksack stuffed with toys to keep him busy in, but other than that I find that my Pacapod Mirano is just fine to pack with what we need for everyday use.  It is super spacious and has these excellent little detachable pods that you can use to separate your essentials

One of those essentials is a couple of Huggies® Little Swimmers® swim nappies and as I happen to be one of their "Get Set, Splash" bloggers this year I will tell you a little bit about their exciting new design!

The UKs No.1 baby swim pant brand Huggies® have teamed up with Disney© Pixar’s Finding Dory movie (eeek I am so excited to go and see this with Harry!) to encourage mums, dads, aunties and uncles to have more spontaneous water play.
Swimming doesn't have to be a planned activity and it doesn't always have to involve going to a sports centre, it can be as simple as a paddle at the local park or even a splash about in the paddling pool.

 I have always loved Little Swimmers® i find they provide enough protection for Harry to splash about happily without swelling and becoming uncomfortable on his sensitive skin.  They also rip away easily at the sides which I find essential for changing an active toddler!

I love what Huggies® Little Swimmers® are campaigning for here, I think water based play is really important for your childs development and to feel safe around water but it needs to be a fun and less stressful experience.  The new Huggies Little Swimmers are covered in Disneys signature characters from Finding Dory, Harry absolutely loves pointing out the "fishys" when he is wearing his!

Harry's nanny lives down at the seaside and I know the minute we get there he wants to run into the sea and we are also taking him on holiday to Spain later in the year so I know Little Swimmers® will be coming with us everywhere this summer!
We are also really lucky and have a couple of splash parks where we live so jumping in for a paddle and to cool off is often on the agenda when the sunshine decides to grace us with its appearance

Here is what else is in my toddler changing bag:

• Waterproof phone case (to capture all those splash filled memories)
• Swim Shorts
• Wipes
• Anti Bac
• Kate Spade Purse
• Topshop Makeup/essentials bag
• iPhone 6 Plus
• Hair ties
• Tangle Teaser
• Pen
• Toy train
• Chewing Gum
• Towel (I have this stowed away in the basket of our pram all summer for if we fancy a dip in the water!)
• Crackers
• Water bottle
• Raisins
• Sun Cream

Will you be doing more spontaneous swimming this year??

*As a Huggies Little Swimmers "Get Set, Splash" blogger I did collaborate with them for this post, but as always my opinions are always honest and entirely my own!

Fathers Day Gift Guide 2016

I really love putting together gift guides and I am constantly reading other peoples for present inspiration.  But instead of finding a bunch of stuff online that I would buy for the Dad's in my life, I thought I would ask my other half Scott to pick some of his favourite things for me to recommend to you guys in 2016's Fathers Day Gift Guide. 

Mont Blanc Legend EDT:  I am a sucker for a good men’s fragrance, but its such a personal thing it can be hard to get right when picking for someone else.  Montblanc EDP is probably the nicest scent I have ever smelt, it is simply divine and I can pick it up as soon as Scott sprays it without it being overpowering or heady.  For me this is a middle of the range men’s fragrance price wise but it is definitely a luxury fragrance that I think ever man will love, whether its your dad or your other half

Pampeano Personalised Belt*:  My other half has been a huge fan of these belts for a long time now and he is rarely seen without his holding up his skinnies.  He loves the bright designs that add another element to his outfits and this limited edition British Flag number is his favourite.  Its design was created to celebrate Team GB's participation in the Olympic games in Rio this year, and is perfectly fitting for the big Royal Birthday too.  I also got it personalised with Scott's initials embossed onto the belt loop to add an extra special touch.  (Pampeano also do some stunning ladies belts, I have my sights firmly set on this leopard beauty)

Lush Fathers Day Range*:  I was lucky enough to go along to an exclusive event (it was just me and one other blogger!) at our local Lush store, where they treated us to demonstrations of their latest range for Fathers Day.  I actually had never thought about shopping in Lush for men’s gifts but I’ve completely changed my mind as I think the products for the men in your life are really quite special.  Their Smuggler's Soul Shampoo bar was one of the stand out products for me as it was such a simple product and very compact which I think every bloke appreciates.  I also adored the fragrances available and loved how they came in different strengths depending on your tastes.  But my absolute favourite product from the range was the DAD bath bomb, mainly because it looks super fun, smells delicious and spells out Dad when placed on the surface of your bath water - perfect right?!

Ronnie Fieg Diadora Trainers:  Is there a word for wives and girlfriends of trainer hoarders?!  If there is please let me know, because that's me.  My partner is obsessed with trainers and has like 100 pairs which to be honest I hate but this pair of Diadora’s are actually rather nice!  Every man appreciates footwear as a gift and Scott has assured me that these are a good buy, and they have also recently been featured in GQ!

Personalised Photo Mug:  These types of mugs aren’t for everyone but we love them in our house especially with the more modern fun designs Photobox has come up with.  It is a small gift with a lot of thought, great for those of you on a budget.  I love the design of this one Scott received from Harry, and the inside of the mug is gold which makes it look more expensive than it is!  Photo box are also offering customers up to 30% discount and £10 off all orders over £40 using code 40SAVE10 ending this Thursday

Bayliss & Harding Sports Range*:  I have really grown to love Bayliss & Harding products ever since trying one of their shampoos and these minis are brilliant for Dads who like to take care of their skin and are great travel essentials.  They smell great and they also come packaged up in this cute camper van wash bag which I know my Dad would love.  This set includes hair and body wash, aftershave balm, face wash and shower gel in a citrus and mint scent

Brixton Supply Snapback Hat:  Scott loves a hat and can usually be caught wearing one most days when we are out and about, his favourite one being this Brixton Supply snapback.  Its plain but stylish without being too “rude boy” and I feel like its a real safe gift to buy for fashion conscious dads as the sporty look seems to be well and truly back in

Fathers Day Card:  We are a card family and we write soppy notes and essays in every one we give to each other so I think a good card is really what makes a great Father Day and this one from Not on the Highstreet is perfect from my little boy to give to his Daddy

What are you buying your Dad/Dad's for Father's Day this year??