Noah at 3 Months

So what's he up to then? Well nothing amazing to anyone other than me! He's doing lots of screechy, shrieky noises like he's trying to talk which I love and we have shrieky conversations with each other.


He weighs 18lb's!! Nearly doubled his birth weight! I'm sure this isn't that amazing again to anyone other than me, but I still marvel at the fact that he is hungry hungry! The differences between girls and boys are really apparent to me. With Isla she toyed with her milk, regularly left ounces of the stuff untouched, she was quite content but I was a typical new mum, worrying that she wasn't getting enough and trying to ply every bit of each bottle down her throat. I'd note down every feed and tot up the total every evening and sigh over how she wasn't downing anywhere near the amounts that the books said a baby her age should have. I really don't know what I was worrying about, she was perfectly healthy and no scrawny baby! Noah is so different. He just eats and eats, to the point where I think weaning him earlier than 6 months might be necessary. This doesn't thrill me the same way it did the first time round as I know the stresses and strains it can cause, although if he likes food as much as he likes his milk then it won't be stressful at all!

This week he has also started blowing raspberries and he's trying to roll over - he gets on his side and then gets all annoyed and starts crying. He giggles lots when I'm tickling him or pulling funny faces. I love his giggles! I also love that he hears my voice in a room and searches for me with his eyes. He'll stop looking at whoever he's with (even daddy!) and look for me. He's also started grasping toys and rattles which means he's starting to play.

The one other major difference between Isla and Noah is the sleeping, but again I put this down to experience. I don't run to him when I hear a cry from him if he should still be asleep and he very cleverly gets himself back in the land of nod! I find this quite wondrous because it took Isla till at least 6 months to do this. He also goes down in his cot really well and can get himself to sleep with minimal help and rarely a 'sshhh' - I used to 'ssshhhh' like a maniac with Isla - until my mouth was bone dry!

Another thing that's different 2nd time round is that I don't freak out so much about his development like I did with Isla. When that weekly Babycentre email hit my inbox when Isla was a baby I'd worry if she wasn't doing some of the things it mentioned. This time round I know that these things will happen and that they happen at different speeds for all babies. I know that he will roll over and eventually sit up on his own. That's not to say that I don't encourage these things to happen but I'm just measuring him less against other babies and I'm looking forward to watching Noah grow in his own time. I am enjoying him as a baby more than wishing him older.

WIN a trip to Lapland to meet Father Christmas!

How would you fancy winning a trip to Lapland to meet Father Christmas for you and your little one? I think all parents would love to provide their kids with the chance of meeting the big man in the flesh. It would be a dream come true!

Well Transun have set up Father Christmas with his own Facebook Page and Twitter account and in between reading all the children's Christmas lists and checking on who's been a good girl or boy this year he's posting updates about life in Lapland with Mrs Claus and giving updates on the Elves and the reindeer!

So how can you win this treat?  Visit the Facebook page to enter the competition for one lucky boy or girl (and an equally lucky parent!) to spend the day with Father Christmas in Lapland. Entrants must upload pictures of themselves in the Christmas spirit and explain in no more than 20 words why they deserve to win.

The deadline for the competition is 11th December, so get entering!! Ho ho ho!!

 

BabyMel Big Slouchy Dot Bag - Review

I was recently asked to review a baby change bag. I'm not greedy and I already have a really good one, so I decided to ask a friend of mine who's just had gorgeous baby girl, Evie, to review it for me, so over to you Julie!

"When Sharon asked if I would be interested in reviewing the Babymel Big Slouchy Dot changing bag I was delighted, as I had just had my second child and was using my old free pram bag, which, to be honest, was doing my head in with its lack of pockets and design! So I excitedly packed up my Big Slouchy and started putting it to the test. 

Firstly it’s a good looking bag, with a funky black and cream dot design, that is not too girly, so my husband was happy to carry it as well.  The shoulder strap was really strong and a good length allowing the bag to be carried over one or two shoulders.  You can also attach it to the pram handle bar using the Babymel stroller straps.  These unique stroller straps are a great idea and very handy with our single handle bar pram. The only downside being I found threading the Velcro straps through the plastic hoops a bit fiddly and if you don’t do this then the Velcro doesn’t hold with the bag fully packed up.

Talking of packing up...the excellent size of the bag meant I was able to pack to the rafters with the baby stuff and my toddler’s bits and pieces.  There were a good number of inner pockets and a handy outer pocket for the things you need close to hand. I found this concealed outer pocket particularly good for my phone and car keys, so I didn’t need to rifle around for them when loaded down carrying a toddler and my baby in its car seat!

Inside the bag the removable insulated bottle holder is a good feature and was deep enough to fit two small bottles in it. The changing bag also comes with a well padded changing mat in the same printed design as the bag. It was surprisingly big enough to change my 2 year old on and comfy enough for my new born. 

The only thing I feel the bag could have benefited from was a separate compartment/detachable pocket to keep my nappy/wipes in so you didn’t have to take the whole bag with you.

Overall the Big Slouchy is a great accessory for any mum or dad who wants a hardy, good sized bag at an affordable price."

The New Babymel Big Slouchy bag retails at £55.

We were sent a Big Slouchy Bag to review free of charge. The opinions expressed in this review are nothing but honest.



Philips Avent Sterilizer - Review

When formula feeding, sterilizing the bottles becomes a nightly ritual for a whole year (uugh, I'd much rather have my feet up watching Corrie!) so you have to be happy with the equipment you use. I used an electric steam sterilizer when we had Isla 2 years ago and I decided that we'd do the same this time with Noah. I'm not against cold water sterilizing (very handy for when out of the house at my parents or on holidays) and I've never actually tried a microwave sterilizer so have no idea if they're any good, but I'll stick with what I know! Steam Sterilization is also the most effective at killing harmful germs.

I was sent the Philips Avent 3 in 1 Sterilizer to review and as soon as I switched to formula feeding I got started using it.

So, what's all this 3 in 1 business about? Well the machine has two baskets, and the idea is that you can use the big basket alone, or the small basket alone or use them both together stacked. In the early days with baby when there are more feeds you would use both baskets, but as the feeds drop then the need for both baskets would disappear. It's a great idea really. The machine is very streamlined and doesn't take up a lot of worktop space - which is at a premium in my kitchen.

The blurb says that it is suitable for all bottle types and as I don't use Philips Avent bottles, I wanted to know if I could easily fit my Tommee Tippee bottles in the baskets, and I'm pleased to say that I could get 5 bottles in there - which is all Noah needs in 1 day. They are pretty wide bottles but there was plenty of room. Obviously if we'd been using the straighter Philips Avent bottles then we'd have been able to fit 6.

Another important thing to consider when considering which sterilizer to buy is how long it takes to actually complete the task - this one takes 6 minutes which is pretty speedy - all good there then.

My gripes with the machine are that firstly the heating unit has the power lead going directly into it as opposed to having a one that you can detach. This makes it a bit of a pain when draining the water away from the water reservoir. A detachable power lead would be a much better design.

My second niggle is that the machine is that there is no display on it telling you how long ago the unit was switched on, so say if I put the bottles on to sterilize and my partner didn't realise then he may think they're not done and do them again or he may think they are done when they're not.

And my final gripe is that the heating element has tended to burn dry even when we've put the right amount of water in the reservoir. It has caused the element to discolour slightly. This hasn't affected its function though.

All in all, I would recommend the Philips Avent 3 in 1 Steam Sterilizer to new mums who are formula feeding. The Philips Avent 3 in 1 Steam Sterilizer retails at £59.99.

I was sent this product for free in order to write a review. My review is nothing but honest!

RIO - New Release on DVD and Blu-Ray

Recently Isla and I had a fab girls day out to London Zoo to watch RIO, the new movie about two Macaws! I was really looking forward to the day and I'd told her what we were going to do and she was looking forward to it too - especially about getting her face painted!

The morning took a bit of a turn when I had to decide to ditch nappies for the first time at Isla's request and I felt that this new development could marr our day but it didn't, and we did have a fab time!

We arrived at London Zoo and went to the mummy blogger private showing, where there was a face painter - Isla asked to have a goat (yes, she's quite stuck on goats since our farm holiday!) but was very satisfied with the beautiful Blue Macaw. She was also really enamoured with the plush toys of Blu and Jewel that she received! And now on to the film....

RIO is a high-flying animated comedy for the whole family. Blu is an exotic pet bird who believes he's the last of his kind. But when his owner learns about Jewel, Blu's female counterpart in Rio de Janeiro, they set out on the adventure of a lifetime. Even though he's never learned to fly, Blu befriends a group of wise-cracking city birds who help him find the courage to spread his wings and follow his destiny!

I loved it because I'm lucky enough to have been to Rio on holiday a few years before we had the children and the film really captures the spirit of such a fantastic city - I particularly loved the scenes in the Sambadrome - we had an amazing time there at Carnival!

Isla was brilliant - she loved the film and was riveted to the chair while it was on (only one trip to the loo!) and she was dancing to the samba soundtrack at the end. My worries about her not being able to sit in a cinema set up were upfounded! The final treat was when Roberta the Macaw came to see everyone. What amazing birds they are - such beautiful colours and brilliantly behaved considering she was faced with a room of excitable children.

We reckon this movie would make a fab Christmas Stocking filler!

Rio is released on 24th October and "Angry Birds Rio" has joined the home entertainment release celebration and is adding to the fun! Consumers who purchase the Rio Blu-ray and DVD can download 15 all-new exclusive levels of this most popular application of all time. These new levels are all PC, MAC, tablet and mobile phone (Apple/Android) compatible.

In addition to the Blu-ray Triple Play (£24.99), Rio is available to purchase on DVD with Digital Copy (£19.99) and Blu-ray 3D (£29.99).

Here are a couple of fun Rio related games for your enjoyment:
http://www.birds-vs-monkeys.co.uk/
http://www.rio-in-a-row.co.uk/

Click to View some RIO Activity sheets and games

Peppa Pig - International Day & Other Stories - Review & Competition

Isla is absolutely obsessed with Peppa Pig, if I let her she would watch it over and over again! Not to mention the numerous t-shirts, slippers, hats all emblazoned with Peppa. In order to satisfy her thirst for all things Peppa she even went to Peppa Pig World this summer and tomorrow is going to see Peppa Pig Live, so you see we have a true fan on our hands! So when we were sent 'International Day and Other Stories to review she was so excited and if I'm honest so was I because it has episodes with my favourite character - Grampy Rabbit! Who can resist a character voiced by Brian Blessed?! Needless to say this DVD has already been watched 4 times in 3 days so I think it has Isla's seal of approval. I love watching her reactions to the characters and hearing her giggle to the tales of this cheeky piggy!  

Entertainment One would like to offer one of my readers the chance to win a copy of this DVD. All you have to do is comment below with the answer to the following question:

Who is Peppa Pig's best friend?

(a) Zoe Zebra
(b) Rebbecca Rabbit
(c) Susie Sheep

Please leave contact details along with your answer so I can get in touch should you be the winner! Entries need to be in by 24th October.

And should you need any convincing that this is a great DVD, Check out the blurb.....

International Day and Other Stories

AVAILABLE TO OWN ON DVD FROM MONDAY 24^th OCTOBER 2011

Peppa Pig, the UK’s No. 1 pre-school character, returns to entertain your little ones this autumn in a brand new DVD Peppa Pig International Day and Other Stories.

Available from Monday 24^th October 2011 (£12.99 RRP, Cert U, Entertainment One) just in time for the school and nursery half term break, the DVD is packed with 11 fun-filled tales about Peppa Pig and her family with all the joy and laughter we’ve come to expect from this adorable character.

Peppa Pig is a loveable, cheeky piggy who lives with her little brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Peppa’s favourite things include playing games, dressing up, days out and jumping in muddy puddles. Her adventures always end happily with loud snorts of laughter.

Join Peppa Pig and her little brother George for the lead International Day episode, where Peppa and all her friends at playgroup dress up as different countries from all over the world, and 10 other adventures that will have the whole family singing Peppa Pig – Oink Oink!

EPISODE LISTING

International Day - Grampy Rabbit's Boatyard - Shake Rattle and Bang - Pottery -- Mr Fox's Van - Biggest Puddle in the World - Chatterbox - Chloe's Big Friends - Edmond Elephant's Birthday -  Gym Class

BONUS EPISODE - Paper Aeroplane

The Adventures of Isla & Noah - Fab Farm Holiday At Coombe Mill!

This September we rather bravely went on our first family holiday as a foursome! Noah was 10 weeks old and Isla is 2 and we all went to Cornwall, which isn't the most fantastic of car journeys. As the day of departure approached I had a feeling of dread! How was it going to work? Four of us in the car with all our luggage for 7 hours, what was I thinking when I booked this holiday??!!

Isla and Sheepy (yes that manky sheep had to come too!)

As it turned out my kids were FANTASTIC! We stopped twice both ways at the times when Noah needed feeding. Obviously we were at his beck and call and so had to stop for as long as it took to change and feed him - an hour both times in case you're interested, therefore making a 5 hour journey take 7 hours. Even more surprising that Isla didn't go stir crazy in the car. She slept for about 1 hour of the journey. The rest of it she chatted and sang songs and looked out the window and did some drawing.

Isla with one of the chicks

So we arrived at our holiday destination and couldn't have been happier! We were staying at Coombe Mill, which is a farm in North Cornwall, very close to Padstow and Port Issac (Doc Martin is filmed here apparently). I knew that Isla would love it from the minute that I read about it. There is a feed run 6 days a week to feed the animals on the farm and this involves going on a tractor. She loved doing this and so did I. It was brilliant walking around the farm in the fresh air and Isla loved seeing the animals up close. We fed the animals together - and we took up our scraps to the greedy piggies - who as soon as they saw the tractor would run the length of the fence to greet the farmer and his bucket of food! We also saw the deer run majestically across the fields - such beautiful creatures! Isla's favourite part of the feed run was feeding the rabbits and collecting the eggs! Collecting eggs even resulted in her eating her first ever egg - how could she not eat a boiled egg collected fresh that morning? I was elated by this as she is a notoriously fussy eater, she had 2 eggs that week!

What else did we do? We went swimming to a local pool when it was a rainy afternoon. We went to Padstow - didn't end up having Rick Stein fish and chips but we did have a cream tea AND a big ice-cream! We went to Newquay, had fish and chips and paddled on Fistral Beach. We went to Truro for a bit of a gander - this wasn't intentional we were heading for St Ives but realised we were a bit late to make the most of it and so stopped here instead. We also went to Polzeath beach to make sand castles and check out the hot surfers.

Of course she didn't write this, she's only 2!

And the time that we weren't gadding about North Cornwall was spent at the cottage which was well equipped for families. Mine and Tony's only gripe was that the bedroom was a little small for the four poster bed it had in it - the number of times we bumped our head on the overhead frame when getting up to feed Noah in the night was comical, but really that was the only thing and we are both exceptionally tall! We loved that the reception was stocked with some kids DVDs - Isla has developed an unhealthy love of 102 Dalmatians after a rainy Tuesday afternoon watching it twice! And if we hadn't of remembered our welly boots we would have found a pair our size to borrow. We also made use of the fab freezer with home cooked meals on our first night.

Noah's first ever trip to the beach!

Because we went in September after all the kids have gone back to school most families had children around Isla's age and babies. Everyone was so friendly and relaxed and sharing info on places they'd been that was good and also keeping an eye out for each others little ones and lending a swim nappy or two. All in all we had an absolutely fabulous time at Coombe Mill, Isla especially loved it and has developed a love of goats! We'd definitely go back - especially knowing that there are now Wallabies on the farm!

Here are a few more pics: