Mischief and Cuteness - T at 13 months

Here is what T has been doing since she turned 13 months old. Lots of very cute things and a few mischievous things...

• Dropping things deliberately and saying "uh-oh"
• Saying "woof" to anything that resembles an animal
• Making a sound like 'ther-yar' (There you are) and passing toys and food to us.
• Loves playing peekaboo (or 'a-bu' as she calls it)
• Flicks the corners of the pages of books or catalogues or telephone directories and loves looking at the effect this has as the pages flick rapidly.
• Shredding tissue - She's quite an expert at this.
• Sometimes does 'polishing' the floor first with any tissues she finds before shredding them.
• Within the past week or so has started to stand unaided for a few seconds and gradually built up to around 30 seconds or a minute. We have seen her take 1 step on two occasions too!
• She is so proud of being able to stand up alone that she gives herself a round of applause when she does it.
• High pitched ba-bye or night-night along with cute wave from the wrist.
• Picks up any object looking like a phone and says "hi-ya".
• Loves bathtime and splashes lots in the bath!
• Is starting to be able to point to her nose when we say the word 'nose'.

Boux Avenue Review

When the lovely people at Savoo got in touch to see if I would like to review some items from Boux Avenue, I responded with an excited YES! My underwear and nightwear wardrobe consisted of a mish-mash of my old maternity items that I hadn't got around to clearing out and some very old nightwear going back many years. So I was very much in need of something new.

A few days later a gorgeous gift box arrived containing my voucher. Boux Avenue gift wrap all orders in a Boux Avenue box containing beautiful lace print tissue paper and scented rose petals - simply gorgeous! From that moment I knew I was in for a treat.

Boux Avenue pride themselves on this signature gift wrapping service and it is fantastic that this is offered free of charge on all purchases. It helps make the whole experience feel so much more special whether you are treating yourself or buying a gift for someone. For anyone worrying about the eco-impact of additional packaging, Boux Avenue do offer the option of just having the outer delivery box. However, in our household any beautiful packaging always gets re-used in some way whether for wrapping other treats in or to use in crafts - I knew that nothing would to go to waste, so I could relax and enjoy the pretty packaging.

I had imagined being able to purchase a new bra and knickers set with the gift voucher but I was amazed to see just how far my voucher stretched. I opted for non-wired bras (as I still breast-feed twice a day so I didn't want to risk wired-bras interfering with that) and these were very reasonably priced. I chose this microfibre non-wired bra, which as well as being very soft and flexible is also very supportive. The other bra I picked out was the Corrine Lace-trim moulded bra  which is a really pretty style as well as being comfortable.

And it didn't stop there, I was also able to pick out some new pyjama trousers which I needed. Both pairs that I liked the most were on offer price so I was able to get both as well as a pair of mega-comfy Trudie Yoga pants. I chose the Shipwrecked gingham pyjama pants and the Shipwrecked lollies pyjama pants.



Shipwrecked gingham pyjama pants from Boux Avenue

The pyjama trousers were 100% cotton and had a roll-up feature where you could turn-up the legs if you wish to into a three-quarter length style. They also had an elasticated waist and an additional drawstring around the waist too.

and with legs buttoned-up for three-quarter length style

All items felt accurately sized to me. The trouser legs did seem a little on the long side but with the roll-up feature on the pyjamas this wasn't a problem.



Shipwrecked lollies pyjama pants from Boux Avenue

I have been wearing the yoga pants virtually non-stop since they arrived. They are just so comfy and have a lovely fold-down waistband which actually looks really flattering.

When placing my order online, I did have a few technical difficulties where the website just wasn't playing ball, but a quick phonecall to Boux Avenue's Freephone customer service number and they simply took the details and placed the order over the telephone for me. Leaving me very impressed with the high standard of customer service.

And if you pop over to Savoo's facebook page right now, they have a fantastic competition with a £250 voucher for Boux Avenue to be won. Just imagine all the lovely items you would be able to buy with that!
 
Disclosure: I was given a £50 gift card to spend on any items I wished online at Boux Avenue. The opinions given in this review are my own honest opinions.

New arrivals...

Look what arrived today!

And here's what was inside...

J and D had been given a £30 budget from The Toadstool to choose a toy as a thank you for helping out with the jokes on The Toadstool's facebook page. They are really keen to do a review post on their lovely new toys so keep an eye out for that soon!

Embracing the Eighties! #SpecialK30

To celebrate Special K's new formula with a 3 grain recipe and now made with wholegrain (the first change since 1983), Britmums and Special K are challenging bloggers to think about how they've changed in those past thirty years.

I thought I was too young to have truly embraced the 80s, but a quick look at the photo album proves that the 'too young' theory is all just wishful thinking and that I actually was (and still am!) more of an 80's girl than I realised.

So here's what I remember from the 80's:

My dynasty grin and jewellery!
And my little bro in his 1980's suit. I got to stay up late every Wednesday evening to watch Dallas and little bro here was even named after Bobby Ewing in Dallas (and yes, I was very nearly named Pamela!).

80's hair grips!
Banana clips, alligator clips and all sorts of big-bow style hair accessories were all the rage in the eighties. But my favourite...these tooth-sprung hairclip things - What on earth were they even called? And what on earth do I look like with them sticking out either side of my head?!!!?

Crimped hair and big hair were really in. I LOVED crimped hair but before I was allowed to crimp my hair with crimpers I used to beg mum to put my hair in plaits so it would looked crimped the next day.

 

Technology in the 80's 
Check out the telephone and TV sets of the 80's!

And here's the latest in Hi-Fi technology to listen to all your fave records. (Looks like I still hadn't got the hang of those hair-clips!)

Trafalgar Square pigeons
My kids don't actually believe me when I tell them that Trafalgar Square used to be packed with thousands of pigeons that would sit on you to be fed and then poo on your head! Well here's the evidence...(oh and there's poor little bro, not only named after a Dallas character but STILL stuck in that awful suit!)

The Red Arrows
With red being the iconic colour for Special K, here is something else Red that reminds me of the 80's. My mother used to pretty much stalk the Red Arrows and always dragged us along to watch their displays. As wonderful as the Red Arrows are, I think I saw enough of them in the 80's to last me a lifetime so that is something that we no longer do.

For old times sake, here they are in 1983...

Here come the shoulder pads!
I may well have been too young for shoulder pads at the beginning of the 80's but by the end of the decade I was well and truly embracing the shoulder pad. Here I am with a bow tie (!) AND shoulder pads.

and what's this...an oversized white suit complete with...huge shoulder pads!

So how have I changed?
I guess in many ways I have embraced the 80's far more than I realised because...

I still own my walkman (albeit now held together with sticky tape)

and my leg warmers (which I tend to wear under my trousers to keep my ankles warm in winter nowadays)

and here is one of my 80's hair-clips which now does a very important job of acting as a curtain clip to reduce draughts.

However, rather than having big hair or crimped hair, I am now on a mission of constantly trying to straighten and tame my hair these days.

But I still LOVE Special K - especially with the new improved recipe making it even healthier and tastier than before. These light crunchy flakes taste all the better knowing they are packed with those wholegrains and now contain barley as well as rice and wheat. I loved them in the 80's and I love them even more now.

So here I am fully embracing the new tasting Special K, whilst embracing all the things I loved about the eighties...cue big hair, big make-up, shoulder-pads and my very own big 80's-style earrings inspired by my favourite cereal then and now...

P.S. Ok, Ok, I confess I may have had to resort to stuffing breast-pads in my jacket for this photo but that is not so different to all the things we used to improvise with then, is it? (think bread rolls / loo roll / socks etc. stuffed under bra straps!)

P.P.S. My brother hates being called 'Bobby' these days opting for Bob or Roberto instead and I don't think he has worn another suit since the 80's. I don't blame him really.


This is an entry for the BritMums/Special K “How I’ve changed Linky challenge"

Aspergers, milk bottles and Karate

Today was grading day at Karate. Today was the day that both D and J were to get their new belts. This post was supposed to be a celebration one with a nice photo of them with their new belts and the proud smile.

It didn't turn out that way.

It wasn't J's fault. It was his Aspergers.

Day to day, we have to be careful to not let that become an excuse. We have to differentiate between the times when he can control his feelings, emotions and actions but chooses not to and the times when it is beyond his and our control.

This evening was one of those times. The two things that he can cope with least, happened in one big double-whammy.

Usual protocol for grading - turn up to location (albeit a different location to his usual karate lessons but we got over that hurdle about a year ago), take part in the grading lesson (where the most important aspect is doing your personal best in an environment of encouragement), shake hands with instructors and receive new belt. And this is how it went for D.

For J however, we hadn't realised that now he was on his yellow belt and in the 'intermediate' category that he was required to do a second lesson straight after to pass his grading and get his new belt.

As far as he was concerned he had fulfilled his part of the deal. He had turned up, on time, with the right attitude, taken part fully, done his absolute best and now the goalposts were being moved.

This was beyond his ability to cope. The combination of 'change' of plan to what he was expecting and the concept of 'unfairness' as he had already completed everything he had been required to do as far as he could understand just let to total meltdown.

He sobbed, he was totally inconsolable, he shouted, he raged.

We had to carry him out of there. Thankfully Daddy was there too - there was no way I could have done that alone whilst having D, baby T and all the karate bags there!

Initially I was cross. In that moment I so easily forget just how hard it is for him. I try to incentivise him with promised rewards, when that doesn't work I threaten punishments. I forget that in that 'mode' he is unreachable. None of these has any impact or effect.

Then I remembered. I remembered the time when I was around that age. When I had been looking forward to being milk monitor at school. The opportunity only came round about once a year, if that, and it was my turn. That day was my day. I was going to be the one who got to put the straws into those foil lids of those tiny bottles for all the children in the class.

Break time was approaching. My excitement was building. I had waited all year for this and then as I approached the crate, to my shock and utter dismay every single bottle had a straw poked through. Someone had done it already. Someone had stolen my job. It was my turn. How could they.

I sobbed uncontrollably for hours. They called my mum into school. I wouldn't tell anyone what was wrong. They debated about whether to call an ambulance as my sobbing was so intense and wouldn't stop.

That was what J experienced this evening. A change of plan that was unfair. Then I understood.

D was super - for a 7 year old he has such wisdom and understanding sometimes. We should have spent the evening celebrating his achievement, praising him for his accomplishment. But instead we kept everything low key because of J's disappointment.

So here is D's shout out. WELL DONE ON YOUR NEW BELT! We are so proud of you. When J is calmer, we will make a great big fuss of you and tell you how proud we are, but in the meantime thank you for being so understanding.

Well done D!

Pocket money spending at The Toadstool

I have written a post previously about helping kids learn the importance of money and budgeting, so when J was given a budget to spend at The Toadstool, it was a chance for him to put into practice some of the trade-offs involved and decisions to be made when spending pocket money.

As you may remember, J was asked by The Toadstool, a lovely online toyshop, to send over some of his favourite jokes which they then match up to some of their toys and share on facebook regularly. J has had great fun doing this and his younger brother has also helped out too. They don't manage to find jokes for every topic so The Toadstool have been filling in the gaps, but they have had fun doing the best they can.

So as a thank you for all his hard work, J was given a budget of £30 from The Toadstool to spend on anything he liked from their website.

As you can imagine, he was delighted. He immediately decided that he wanted to share his budget with D as he had also helped out with some of the jokes. I told them that if they wanted to they could buy a joint item to share up to £30 or they could split it and buy a separate item each.

I did also forewarn them that if they didn't find anything suitable for their age group (The Toadstool caters perfectly for children aged 0-7 and the boys are just beyond this now), that they could choose something for 1 year old T instead as they would still get the benefit of playing with her.

They set to work looking around The Toadstool. If you register with The Toadstool you can set up a wishlist to add your favourite items to and then you can narrow down your choice after that as you place things into your basket ready for checkout.

As they are both very confident using technology, I largely left them to it as they were able to navigate around the site themselves. There is the ability to look for toys by age group, and also to look for pocket money toys under £5 and under £10. Alternatively you can look at the toys by category such as 'wooden toys', 'soft toys' etc.

The Toadstool prides itself on stocking high quality educational and fun toys that are ethically sourced. The other HUGE plus is free delivery on orders in the UK.

Very soon, the boys found the section called 'cuddle' under the soft toys tab. J quickly set his heart on this cute Maud n Lil organic cubby bear. D loved the look of the Sorgenfresser 'worry eating' cuddly toys. He really wanted the Sorgenfresser Biff doll but at £25 he knew that it would take them way over the budget once added to J's choice of bear at £19.50.

Thankfully, he spotted a Sorgenfresser Mini Biff for only £12.50. This would take them to a grand total of £32. They had worked out themselves that this was over budget but they had become so attached to their decisions that they came up with a solution themselves by offering to pay £1 extra each from their money boxes to cover the £2 shortfall.

As they had been told at the outset that it was their own choice of toy to choose from The Toadstool, I agreed to their choices and to their idea of them making up the shortfall. Interestingly it most definitely isn't what I would have chosen.

Whilst these toys do look lovely, I find that our house is already massively overrun with cuddly toys and so they are always last on my list. However, both of the boys seem to have a real affection for cuddly toys and will happily choose them over any other toy!

Whilst most of their peers seem to have moved on to other current fads and famous plastic toy characters, my sons simply adore spending time with their much loved cuddly toys. So I'm pretty sure that Cubby Bear and Mini Biff will become treasured additional members of the family.

Disclaimer: The Toadstool have very kindly provided a budget of £30 to be spent on toy/s of our choice from their website. All opinions are our own and are our own honest opinions.

#Matilda Mae - Please spread the word and show your support

This post is mainly aimed at those we know in our day to day lives who follow our blog, as most of our online friends and fellow bloggers will already know of this. If you have wondered why I've been absent-minded, appearing as if my thoughts are elsewhere over the past few months, it is because they have been.

I have spent many moments of each day and night thinking about a beautiful baby girl and her wonderful family who have been through something so unthinkable and unimaginable. I have cried more tears in the past three months than I have in the previous 35 years of my life put together.

If you are able to, please spread the word to those you know to support the Auction to remember Matilda Mae...

And the skydive being done to raise funds for The Lullaby Trust / FSID...

 

Please do spread the word to your friends and family, on your facebook pages, to your work colleagues, church friends etc etc.

 

More info on Tots100 here and of course at Edspire - Our thoughts and prayers are with you. xxx