Boots Mother's Day Gift Ideas

With Mother's Day just around the corner I know many of you yummy mummy's will be eyeing up a few treats you are hoping to have presented to you whilst you are kicking back and relaxing on the sofa for the day (yeah right)!  Here are a few things I have been lusting after in case you are stuck for ideas for what to buy your/a mum!

One gift you can't really go wrong with is fragrance and Prada Candy £67.50 for 80ml is one of my faves! It's such a feminine floral smell which is perfect for day and night

The Anti- Blemish Clinical Clearing Kit £20 from Clinique is perfect for stressed out hormonal mummy skin which a lot of us suffer from, and Boots are offering a free gift when you buy 2 or more Clinique products until 29th of March!

Us mummy's also suffer from dry skin since all our time is dedicated to our babies and not on our skincare regime! Therefore the Hydraluron Moisture Booster £16.66 from Indeed Labs is a real essential to helps keep us hydrated and reduce the need for us to constantly moisturise! Its also on sale from its usual price of £24.99

I am all about candles, I find them really relaxing and the Yankee Candle in Vanilla Cupcake £19.99 is my top scent right now! It smells complete delicious but it does unfortunately always give me cravings for a sweet treat!!

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water £4.99 is a complete dupe for the much loved Bioderma Crealine and is fantastic for removing makeup quickly and it's super gentle on your skin. It's also a really quick way to cleanse your skin which is fab for mums who are rushing to get to bed to catch some extra z's!!

Being a mum to a newborn (can I still call him that?!) I don't often get a chance to paint my nails so this SensatioNail Gel Manicure Starter Kit £45 would be the perfect gift! It includes a Pro 3060 LED Lamp which cures nails in seconds!

What are you hoping to open on Mothers Day??

Harry's Weaning Journey: Baby Rice

At 15 and a bit weeks we decided that it was time to start giving Harry something other than just formula. Actually it was more Harry's decision than ours as he was quite frankly just plain bored of milk! He started becoming very difficult to feed after only 3 or 4 ounces which resulted in him not really taking enough in and getting hungry wayyyy before his next feed was due. He had also started to really watch us when we were eating and drinking - another sign that your baby could be ready to start weaning. He can also hold his head up very well and sit in a supportive chair quite comfortably. The guidelines are still to hold off weaning until 6 months but there is no way out little chap would wait until that long, plus my parents started us off at Harry's age and we all turned out fine. If any of the food doesn't agree with him then I simply won't give it to him for a while and try again another time

The first stage of our weaning journey is baby rice.. Probably the least exciting thing I have ever tasted (yes that's right I tasted it, if it's going in my little boys mouth I decided I need to try it first!!) We have gone for the Aptamil Organic Baby Rice mainly because it's the same brand as his formula so it seems to make sense to follow suit.

We tried to give it to him before his early morning bottle at 7am but the first spoonful did not go down well, he cringed and cried a bit so we gave him a couple of spoonfuls between gulps of milk which seemed to work a lot better and he started to enjoy it! None of it was spat out at all once he got the hang of how to "chew" and swallow it!

If you are thinking of starting the weaning process you will need a few bits of equipment.. Nothing fancy don't worry!

We have a couple of packs of weaning spoons, I find the soft tip ones are the best. Some storage pots and bowls in various sizes, all with lids making them perfect for travel and all microwave safe. We also have little freezer storage pots for when I start making Harry's food, these are fantastic as they are the perfect portion size so you're less likely to waste food.

I will be giving him baby rice with his early morning bottle for a couple of weeks and trying it with his afternoon bottle too, then after this I will introduce other flavours. I went out and bought Annabel Karmel's weaning book upon Sarah's recommendation for when we get started on the proper food! It is jam packed full of information, tips and recipes and has a meal planner which I will try to follow! I can't wait to see what flavours and textures Harry likes best!!

BEABA Lotus Bath Thermometer*

Harry is all about baths! He absolutely loves that time of day when he gets to be naked, free and most importantly splashing about in the tub!

One thing I was super nervous about before giving Harry his first bath was the temperature, and how on earth I would know if it was too hot or too cold for my precious baby boy. I had read that the best way to check this is to simply dip your elbow into the water, but for me this just didn't cut it! So when I was given the chance to try out the BEABA Lotus Bath Thermometer I was delighted and knew right away this was a product I was going to love!

The thermometer floats like a lotus as the name suggests and has an electric probe on the bottom that tests the temperature at the hottest point if the water. The perfect temp for your baby's bath is between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius, so we always make sure it is between those temperatures.

You can also use the Lotus Bath Thermometer to gauge the temperature of the bathroom by just popping it on the side of the bath tub, the recommended temperature is 22 degrees Celsius so your bubba is nice and toasty when you take them out of the water!

This combined with our BEABA Bath Recliner means bath time for us is now completely worry free, meaning my Harry is a very happy and warm little chap!

You can find a retailer to buy your own Lotus Bath Thermometer on the BEABA website, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook! 

Do you worry about the temperature of your little ones bath?? Does your baby love baths as much as Harry??

ASOS Giveaway: Dress That Bump in Style..

When I was pregnant I found it impossible to shop for occasion wear. 9 months is a pretty long time so you're pretty much guaranteed you'll need to dress up at least once during your pregnancy!

The only place I could ever rely on for something comfortable, fashionable and most importantly flattering, was ASOS!  They have a pretty extensive maternity range compared to the typical high street store and they have just released this beautiful range of lace bodycon dresses to really show off that growing bump!

The empire line cut dress is made from stretchy poly lace, designed to fit any size and shape bump, and has a cute ribbon waistband.  No longer are you restricted to boring black as it comes in a choice of 5 fondant fancy hues, all of which are gorgeous! My personal favourite is the pastel blue - particularly perfect for that baby shower or a Spring wedding!

It can easily be dressed up with some (comfortable) heels and a cute clutch or dressed down with tights and a cardi making it perfect to wear a handful of times during your pregnancy

You can purchase one directly from the ASOS website for £40 but be quick as I think this one is going to be a fast seller!!

For a chance of winning one of these gorgeous lace dresses, in the size and colour of your choice, all you have to do is leave me a comment about why you would love to win one!  This giveaway is running for 1 week only (t's & c's below) and the winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter at random.. Good luck!!

What do you think of the ASOS Maternity range?? Do you struggle when it comes to dressing your bump??

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Harry at 3 Months

Wow, how time has flown.  I sound like a blogger mummy broken record but honestly time has zoomed by and my teeny tiny baby has now grown into a little man!!

The past 12 weeks have been the most challenging and emotional I have ever experienced, whilst also being the most amazing and incredible!

Being a mummy no doubt the is HARDEST thing I've ever done!!

The love I feel for my little star is completely indescribable and just when I think its reached its peak he does something that makes me love him even more!!!

Height/weight: Bad mummy hasn't had Harry weighed in ages. We seem to be constantly busy with appointments for his ears etc! We will be getting him weighed next week! I can safely say that he is a bit of a chunk though!

Daily: You can read about Harry's current routine here

Mornings are my favourite time spent with my little dude. No matter how the night has gone there is nothing better than seeing my sons smiling face when I go into his room to get him up! It reminds me why I LOVE my job as a mummy!!

I think H has started teething which means he has been a bit if a grumpy pup for the last few days but we have been giving him calpol and plenty of things to stuff in his mouth and chew on!

He is completely besotted with his playmat and will spend a good hour bashing and shouting at all the dangly toys! 

He's such a smiley character I adore spending my days with him

Bedtime:  Harry still loves his baths and has really hit until the swing of the bath bottle bed routine. He goes down no trouble at all once his belly is full! We don't hear from him again until 11pm where I give him his dreamfeed. He is still taking a good few ounces at this time so I don't see him dropping that feed anytime soon. He has however dropped his night feed *dances around the room* ! We are still having to get up for him in the early hours as he cries in his sleep but popping his dummy in usually soothes him back into lovely slumber! 

Eating: Little H is all about the milk and will take a full 6 ounces every 4 hours usually starting at 7-7.30 am

He is on Aptamil First Milk formula with added coleif for his colic. We will need to wean him off that starting next week but coleif saved our lives!!! It was amazing!

Clothing: Harry's 0-3 month clothes are getting a little tight to say the least, so the 3-6 month stuff will be making an appearance very soon! I'm looking forward to getting him in some of his lovely new clothes but I must say I will miss him being so tiny!!

My fave shops are still The Little White Company and John Lewis for really good quality clothing but Tesco and Next do some really cute bits too at fantastic prices!

Milestones: Little H is a proper smiler now and is well on his way to laughing too!

He can hold his little toys now and has started to put everything in his mouth!

A big milestone for Harry is that he has started to take some of his daytime naps laying on his back! This is a huge achievement for a baby who loves his tummy time!

He's so so close to rolling over and we keep trying to make him by giving him little pushes!!

H can hold his head up quite firmly and I am SO excited for when he can sit up!

Hearing: We put Harry's hearing aids in everyday for as long as we possibly can. They are quite frustrating for us as they give off a lot of feedback (like the sound of a microphone when you hold it to a speaker) We are concerned that he will end up with ringing in the ear permanently but the audiologist assures us that it won't.

We still don't know how much/if he can hear but be does seem to respond when we chat to him or make certain sounds a bit more with the aids in. He also seems a bit more vocal himself with them in!

I still say a silent prayer everyday that they are working for him or that a miracle will happen and he gets his natural hearing back!

miamoo Travel Set

Harry's all about perfect skin and he absolutely loves being pampered and preened! So when I was given the opportunity to try out some miamoo baby products I jumped at the chance!

Little H has been very lucky in terms of his skin so far and hasn't suffered from any dryness, rashes or baby acne so I love that miamoo's products are jam packed with natural ingredients and free of nasty parabens and synthetic colours and fragrances.

I received the Travel Pack which contains splasy wash, fresh locks, baba oil, huggy lotion, spritz and wipe, cheeky cream and a wash cloth. All those delicious products are all contained in a clear zippy bag - perfect for on the go!

Splashy wash is a 2 in 1 bath product that can be used on the face and the body. It smells of citrus and feels really gentle yet cleansing on Harry's little bod!

We use fresh locks shampoo on Haribo's tiny mop of hair! It smells of lavender which is actually my least favourite scent but for some reason I really like how it smells on Harry! The lavender also helps to relax and soothe baby to promote a good nights sleep!

After bath time we spritz a little baba oil all over little H's body.. Not something he enjoys unfortunately! It contains sweet almond and lavender oils which nourish the skin and are perfect for a bedtime baby massage! I am determined to make Harry enjoy this ritual!!!!

I tend to use huggy lotion on Harry's skin in the mornings before we get him dressed for the day. It sinks into his skin almost immediately leaving it ready for me to put his clothes on quickly before he gets too chilly! It also smells really good!!

The spritz and wipe spray is a fantastic little product which I use to freshen up Harry's bits between nappy changes! It's full of really nourishing ingredients which really help to cleanse baby's skin

Last but by no means least is the cheeky cream which is my favourite product in the whole set! In fact it may be my favourite product that Harry owns! Again it is a multifunctional product, a barrier cream that can be used on face, hands and bottoms!! I mainly use it on Harry's cheeks as they tend to get a little dry from central heating, wind and the everyday elements that life throws at him. The cream works wonders and really soothes his face instantly!

You can get your hands on a miamoo travel set for £15 directly from their website but because they are lovely people they are offering my readers 10% off - just use the code Blog13 at the checkout!

Man Date

This week Harry took a very special trip to London to see his buddy Grayson aka Sqeaky G, with Sarah and Albie in tow!

Read all about it from Grayson's very own point of view over on Hannah's blog!

The Mummy Tag

I was tagged by Emma to do the Mummy Tag, a great way to find out more about us mum bloggers!

1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?

I'm on maternity leave until Oct 2014 so right now I am a stay at he mum but I will be returning to work

2. Would you have it any other way?

I definitely think I will be ready to go back to work when the time comes.. I quite like the routine of having a job and also having my own pocket money! Harry has the most amazing nanny lined as well up so he will be just fine!

3. Do you co-sleep?

Nope. When Harry was first born he wouldn't sleep in his Moses so there were occasions when we let him sleep on us in the night but we both didn't think it would be good for him or us to co sleep properly. I actually don't have anything against it though and I think it can be a lovely thing to do if you're comfortable with it. I do however think that it can create bad habits and will cause problems when trying to get your baby to sleep alone

4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?

Harry loves his cot mobile! He spends a good hour in the morning playing with it! If you're having a baby then you should definitely get one to keep them entertained so you can get dressed/have a nap/drink a strong caffeinated beverage

5. How many kids do you plan on having?

I think I would like just 2 children but right now Harry is all we need and we are quite content with just him for a few more years! 

6. Date nights? How often do you have them? 

Not all that often but this weekend Mr H is whisking me away on a romantic spa weekend for a Valentines/new mummy treat! I may take the opportunity for copious naps

7. Your child's favourite show?

Little H is actually a telly addict already.. Whoops! He is also most definitely his fathers son as he is all about watching football!!!! Help me.

8. Name one thing you brought before you had the baby and never ended up using?

Most of his newborn clothes! They grow so so fast in those early days/weeks so Harry didn't get much wear out of his tiny wardrobe! Oh and of course his Moses basket was a total waste of money as he never slept in the damn thing

9. Your child's favourite food?

Ummm... Milk!? He also really likes drinking the bath water!!

10. How many cars does your family have?

Just 1 right now but I will be getting a new one soon.. Although I hate driving!!

11. Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now?

What a depressing question. I actually don't have a clue about my weight gain during or after as I don't own any scales!

12. Dream holiday with your kids?

Errr.. Disneyland of course!!!!

13. Dream holiday without your kids?

Probably still Disneyland!! Or the Maldives

14. How has your life changed since having kids?

My life is totally different now but I love it. I now wake up every morning with a huge sense of pride for my little family! Being a parent has it's extremely stressful times of course but the overwhelming feeling of love for your baby is indescribable

15. Finish the sentence "It makes heart melt when..."

My little bubba talks to me!!!! I just want to squidge him so hard and eat his little chubby cheeks!!

16. Where do you shop for your kids?

I have an unhealthy addiction to The Little White Company so when I can afford it I will splurge for Harry in there. Most of the time his clothes come from supermarkets, Mothercare or Next

17. Favourite make-up and skincare products?

Estée Lauder double wear foundation and concealer is a must to mask those new-mummy dark circles and MACs Pure Zen lipstick is to die for.

I have been using Origins skincare now for the past month and I am planning a post all about it as I think it's fabulous!

18. Huggies or Pampers?

I have only ever tried Pampers! 

19. Have you always wanted kids?

Yes I have!

20. Best part of being a mum?

when you become a mum you seem to enter this new and exclusive exciting club! Us mummy's stick together and I have already made so many new friends from becoming a member!!

Oh and also when you get stopped out in public by a stranger overly appreciating how cute your little boy is!

I tag the following yummy mummy's..

Shaz

Jen

Liz

Lara