What To Buy For A Child In A Man's Body?!

Over the past few weeks I have sat wondering what I should buy for my partner this Christmas....

I've browsed online for ideas, I've read endless blog posts full of suggestions of classy gifts - jewellery, designer threads, expensive watches, wallets, gift experience days....so many wonderful ideas.

For MOST men.

But for MY boyfriend?

No.

My boyfriend, despite being 40 years old, is the biggest child I know.

His "want" list directs me to sites with names like "Warlord Games" and "Miniature Heroes".....

He spends his time reading magazines covered in pictures of toy soldiers, and watching TV shows full of space aliens and super heroes...

Yes, my boyfriend is the Man Who Never Grew Up.

So while a pile of elegant gifts for the suave and sophisticated male will do just fine for most people's other halves this Christmas....I need to get a lot more creative.

So far, a Dr Who annual is about as much as I've been able to muster....

But then I discovered this snazzy little guy......

This remote control robot from www.paramountzone.com  is  - yes - suitable for children aged 3 and up.

BUT I know that Jon will LOVE him! He's a robot - which automatically makes him cool in the eyes of a fully grown 40-going-on-4 year old....he fires foam discs, walks wherever you direct him....AND...he even dances!!

And better still, he's currently on sale for just £22.95 HERE

So while your husbands and boyfriends are unwrapping cologne and dressing gowns this Christmas, spare a thought for me as I watch my boyfriend playing with his toy robot.....(Although I have to admit, a dancing robot is pretty cool....)

Patient.co.uk review

I was recently contacted by www.patient.co.uk and asked if I would be interested in reviewing their 'MyHealth Questionnaire' ....as I have been struggling with ill health quite a bit lately, I was very much up for this and intrigued to see how helpful this tool would be for me.

When visiting the www.patient.co.uk homepage, you will find the MyHealth Questionnaire at the top right hand side of the page. 

The questionnaire was very straight forward and was split into 7 sections each with a series of questions to answer.

They were:

1. About You:
   This section confirms the basics such as gender, marital status, number of children you have, etc.
   
   
2. Medical History:
   Pretty self explanatory - this section covers any health problems or conditions you have or have suffered with in the past.
   
   
3. Family History:
   This section asks for details of the medical backgrounds of your immediate family.
   
   
4. Lifestyle:
   This section confirms things as such as wether or not you smoke or have ever smoked, how much you drink, etc.
   
   
5. Biometrics:
   This covers the facts such as your weight, height, measurements, blood pressure etc. There is a "Don't Know" option for most of the medical aspects such as blood pressure etc.
   
   
6. Diet:
   This section asks how much fruit/veg you eat, how much sugary food you eat etc - all "technical" foodie terms are explained in basic terms if you hover over the question mark icon, which I found useful on some of them!
   
   
7. Stress:
   The final section is all about the stress you experience - asking if you have experienced anxiety or feelings of depression and so on.

There are constant prompts to answer questions truthfully....as tempting as it is to lie, you are only really lying to yourself as the programme can only advise you based on the information you enter!

Once the questionnaire has been completed, your Patient Q Score is calculated. This is where you are placed in a virtual queue of 100 people. 

If you score 1-20 you're placed in the risk zone. 21-60  is the transformation zone. 61-90 is thethe healthy zone and 91-100 is the the optimum zone.

The closer you are to 100, the healthier you are.

Once you have your score, you are given some tips and advice on what areas could use improvement and some suggestions on how to go about this.

You can then set yourself some personal goals , stating what you would like to achieve and how you intend to do that. You can also opt to receive email prompts relating to your goals.

All in all, I found the survey to be very simple to use and feel that it would certainly be beneficial if you are just looking for a very general round-up of your basic health and ways to improve it.

I was quite surprised though at how basic the medical history section was....the survey didn't allow me to mention that I had given birth 8 months ago (I believe it asked if I had given birth more recently than that....however I feel that anything as recent as a year would be relevant), and also didn't give me an opportunity to put across that I suffer with an auto-immune disease for which I am on regular medication (my condition was not one of those listed).

I think a section asking the patient to give details of any specific health concerns they have at present would also be beneficial....I personally would have welcomed the chance to run through a check list of symptoms or areas of concern, in order to get some feedback on health concerns I currently have.

However the recommendations I did receive were helpful, and the results I had seemed accurate for me - nothing I didn't already know but it can be helpful to see it in black & white....certainly spurred me on to make a conscious effort to improve my diet in 2014!

In summary, I found the survey to be very user friendly and I would certainly use it should I wish to set some goals to improve my general well being, but it's not something I feel useful for anything more specific than that.

To try the survey out for yourself, visit http://www.patient.co.uk/

Love Sleep Play: Baby Love & Care

How to help encourage baby speech development

By Cheryl Lock for Love Sleep Play

Although your baby won’t be able to start verbalising her thoughts until she’s around 7 to 12 months, she might start uttering those “ooh”s and “ah”s you’ve been waiting to hear. The activities and choices you make from her birth can put her on the right track in terms of baby development, and give her the tools she needs to achieve her speech development.

Making just a few small adjustments to your daily routine can make a big difference. Bear these in mind, and you’ll be well on the way to helping your baby form her first words.

Make everything a story

Even before your baby can start speaking on her own, she will recognise more language than you can imagine. Between the ages of 8 and 12 months, you might notice that she seems to understand what you say. For example, when you mention that “dada” is coming home, your baby might become noticeably more excited. Or if you tell your baby that you’re about to go outside together, she might squeal or laugh with delight.

That’s why it’s so important to make everything a conversation with your baby: You’ll help increase her understanding of the world around her. When you’re making dinner, tell her what ingredients you’re using. When you're out on a walk, explain all the animals you see or types of shops you’re passing. Be simple and specific in the words you use, and be consistent. If your family dog is a puppy today, don’t call him a pup tomorrow.

Pick the right books

You can’t go wrong with any kind of book, really, but picture books are especially good when it comes to helping your baby with her speech development. Use picture books as a way to reinforce the fact that everything has a name. Don’t be afraid to repeat the same objects, names, and photos over and over again.

Make it a two-way conversation

Even if your baby is only in the very beginning stages of her speech development and all she can manage is a few gurgles every now and then, be sure to take the time to give her an opportunity to join in the conversation. Ask questions and wait for her to respond. Even a seemingly meaningless exchange between you and your baby is teaching her that it takes two people to communicate and that you’re happy for her be part of the conversation.

Be careful with baby talk

You’ll probably soon start to notice that your baby chat takes on a form of its own. Infant-directed speech, as it’s sometimes called, is when a parent speaks to a baby in simple sentences, normally with a higher pitched voice and exaggerated intonation.

Although it has been shown that this kind of speech can help infants learn to speak, try not to get too carried away. Simple, exaggerated sentences are fine but try to avoid repeating “incorrect”, nonsense words that your baby might use while she’s in the middle of her speech development. Instead, repeat the word back to her correctly, and eventually she’ll pick up on the difference.

If you keep up these daily conversations with your baby, you just might be surprised by how quickly her speech develops.

Guest Post

Royal style: how to channel Zara Phillips' maternity look

With all the fuss that surrounded Kate Middleton's pregnancy, Zara Phillips was somewhat overlooked in the world of royal maternity fashion. However, since the birth of baby George and Kate's well-earned break from the press, all eyes are on now on Zara. Royalty or not, it's not easy to look elegant and refined when you're suffering from morning sickness coupled with insane cravings, but Zara still pulls off a timeless and feminine style. Here's how to channel her marvellous maternity look:

Avoid busy patterns

Be it a dress, trousers or a top, keep it simple with a block colour and avoid any crazy patterns. If you want something fun, go for a brightly-coloured dress like Zara did at the Glorious Goodwood racecourse in summer. The vibrant yellow is set off by the simple cut for a cheerful and oh-so-classy number.

Opt for feminine dresses

Learning to dress your growing bump in a way that still makes you feel fab rather than frumpy can be tricky. Zara's two-toned blue maxi dress which she wore to the Boodles Boxing Ball this autumn was flowing, feminine and very regal. Choose a design with an empire line to give you an hourglass silhouette that still shows off your bump. A v-neck is also a perfect way to add a pretty touch - just make sure it's not cut too low!

Keep it loose

The last thing you want to be wearing when you're pregnant is an uncomfortably tight dress, so copy Zara and go for something with a relaxed fit. This doesn't mean you have to compromise on tailoring: Zara looked royally chic in the loose navy coat and matching shift that she wore to Prince George's christening. You might not be able to justify wearing her fascinator to the shops, but you can certainly channel her classy look into your own maternity wardrobe. That said, unless you're attending the future king's christening, you're better off opting for a pair of comfy and stylish flat boots than Zara's towering heels!

With a bit of inspiration from the refined royal to update your look, here's to a very stylish pregnancy! 

Daddy Guest Post: Why I Don't Mind Working Weekends....

Working Sundays is now the norm for me.

 It has been an adjustment, but it's not all doom and gloom.

There are some bonuses. In lieu of Sundays off I get a weekday in its place and this is time to spend with Hayley and Tyne. We get to have days out having fun and going to nice places. I get to spend days (yes whole days) with my family and not just an hour before Tyne goes to sleep.

We don't just have to squeeze in an hour or two at night before bed. I get to sit and feed my son, his breakfast, lunch and sometimes tea. 

I get to experience the joys of daytime shopping during the week. Empty parks and restaurants you don't have to reserve a table for or queue at only to be told there are no high chairs available...

Before becoming a Dad my days off would be spent laying in bed recovering from the night before, possibly a lunch out, maybe browsing online or watching a movie....

But now feeding and cuddles are high on the to do list, playing is higher of course....just sitting with Tyne whilst he plays, or watches TV and relaxing and being with him is my favourite hobby now. 

Watching his facial expressions as he discovers a new feature on a toy, a new advert or programme, or pattern on the sofa he's never noticed before. 

There's always something new and fresh that we as adults may take for granted but to him it's new and wonderful. 

Be it watching TV with him (even the ads for Professional Negligence Solicitors and Loan companies offering to solve financial woes aren't annoying when seen through the eyes of a child!), trying new foods, having funny face competitions..it's all time well spent.

May be we should all take a leaf out of our children's books and start looking at things with fresh eyes and not just taking them for granted. I've tried, and I love it.

Review: BrotherMax Non-Contact Thermometer

You may recall me mentioning that a few weeks ago, Tyne was really unwell with a fever?

Anybody who has had a poorly baby will know that it can be terrifying when they have a fever, and trying to coax them into allowing you take their temperature can really make the situation worse.

Our thermometer is an in-ear one and, of course, Tyne hates it at the best of times but when he's feeling rubbish and has sore ears anyway - the last thing he wants is us sticking that thing in them!!

So when the Brother Max Non Contact Thermometer arrived, I was intrigued.

We are already BIG Brother Max fans in this house as you may recall from our Highchair review....

I wanted to test it right away - and thanks to the fact that the batteries are included (how rare these days?!) I was able to!

The thermometer reads both body temp and room temp and is very easy to use.

To read the room temperature, you simply press the button until the home symbol appears and then you aim and press - voila! That simple!

To take a childs temperature, you point the sensor at their forehead and ensure that the display is showing the Head symbol - then press the button and the temp appears!

Firstly I was pretty sure that it wouldn't work very well, and wouldn't give an accurate reading...so I took Tyne's temperature on his in-ear thermometer (with much fuss!) and then on the Brother Max thermometer - the reading was exactly the same.

I could not believe how simple this was to use! No fuss whatsoever - the child doesn't even need to know that you're taking their temperature! - and within a second, its done!

There are some great features too, including the backlight which allows you to read the temperature in the dark and the sound off feature which allows you to take a reading without waking the child.

I literally could not be more impressed with this thermometer, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to any parent.

Available from Boots & Amazon for £39.99

November NonaBox Review

Last week saw the arrival of our third Nonabox....and as always, as soon as I opened the door and saw the delivery driver standing there with it I felt a little twinge of excitement!

I know it sounds silly but I LOVE these boxes so much and get so excited about tearing into them to see whats inside!

I have subscribed for years to beauty boxes and never felt half as excited about the contents as I do with Nonabox!

So....what was inside this month?!

As always, the contents did NOT disappoint!

We received:

1) Jojo Maman Bebe Changing Clutch Bag - RRP £15.00

I have to say, as soon as I saw the Jojo Maman Bebe label I was excited as I`m a big fan of the brand!! The clutch bag is a lovely stylish design, and a great idea - it contains a changing mat and enough space for a few nappies and wipes, and mummy essentials - perfect for when you DON'T want to lug around your every day heavy, overloaded changing bag but just need a few essentials!!! I will definitely get a lot of use out of this, particularly if we go on cruises in the new year as I can always nip back to the cabin if I need anything other than what fits into this bag - ideal!!!!

2) Jojo Maman Bebe Pocket High Chair - RRP £14.00

This has to be one of the best ideas I've ever seen! The packaway pocket highchair is exactly what it says - a highchair that fits into your pocket!!

You fold it out and attach it to most chairs, so that you have a highchair wherever you are!

This will get a lot of use from me as when we're visiting my sister at dinner time, its difficult to feed Tyne as she doesnt have a highchair - now we can attach this to her dining chair and we're sorted!!!

3) Jojo Maman Bebe Rabbit Comforter - £9.00

This super cute little guy has barely been out of Tyne's hands since he arrived! He loves playing with material and sucking on things atm, and this rabbit is ideal and I know its safe for him to be playing with - he's also very cute!

4) Fireman Sam & Mr Men Books - RRP £2.90 each

These books are perhaps a little old for Tyne just yet, but no doubt he will enjoy them when he is a little older and I love that they're seasonal and Christmassy!

5) Plum Stage 1 Baby Porridge - RRP Approx £2.50

I was a little bit confused as to why we received a Stage 1 porridge as Tyne is now well into Stage 2, but I guess some babies his age may not be and its better to have a stage lower which he can still use than a stage higher which may go out of date before its used - so makes sense when I think about it! I like Plum as a brand so we will certainly use this.

6)Humphreys Corner Shampoo & Bubble Bath Sample Sachets

A nice little extra which will be fun to try out at bathtime!

Overall Verdict:

Once again, I am blown away by the high quality items in the box - highly trusted and sought after brand named items are included, with the contents being worth over £45 when the box only costs £25....great value for money!!!

I was once again very impressed with the box - and I am absolutely thrilled that we have been chosen to become long term Nonabox bloggers so will continue to review their amazing boxes!!

YAY!!!

To Subscribe to Nonabox from £25 per month (Or less with a long term subscription!), visit http://nonabox.co.uk/monthly-subscription/

Review: Baby Weavers Shuffle SP Car Seat

Over the last few weeks, I'd noticed that Tyne was seeming less and less happy spending time in the car.

As we spend quite a bit of time in the car doing deliveries for my craft business, this was becoming a bit of an issue and I started wondering if perhaps it may be because he was ready to come out of first car seat.

He was still using his Group 0 car seat, still rear-facing so all he could see was the back seat.

Luckily, with perfect timing, the lovely people at Kiddicare contacted us to ask if we'd be interested in reviewing a car seat from their extensive range....

We had a browse through their website, and from the many great options on offer we settled for the Baby Weavers Shuffle SP.

Choosing a car seat can be a tricky business, particularly for a first time mum like me as obviously it's not something I've ever needed to do before and the various Groups and age/weight limitations were somewhat mind boggling to me!

Luckily Kiddicare have a fantastic easy-to-use guide on their website which you can view HERE - I found this invaluable when deciding which car seat to go for!

So....why did we choose the Baby Weavers Shuffle SP?

I decided that it made more sense to me to go for a car seat that would last Tyne from now right up until he is 4 years old, it seems more cost effective than swapping and changing again and if he's anything like me he'll be a creature of habit - so will hopefully settle into and get used to his own car seat!

The seat has 4 easily adjustable recline positions, a 5 point safety harness, and a deep side wings for increased side impact protection.

The key points to this for me are that it has removable/ washable covers and an in-built alarm system which alerts us if the harness is released from the locking clip - I think this is such a clever idea as little ones are always playing with these things and how easy would it be for Tyne to undo the lock without us noticing?!

I also LOVE the design of this car seat - its funky and fresh without being in-your-face, and its very unisex so would be suitable if a little sister ever happens to come along too!

I'm really impressed with the car seat, and thankfully Tyne is much happier in it now that he's forward facing and able to look out of the window as we travel!

To browse the range of car seats and many other great items, visit www.kiddicare.com 

Competition: WIN A Night in on Morrisons!

Have a night in on Morrisons!

Morrisons M Kitchen dishes are lovingly developed by professional chefs, who provide tasty meals from the M Kitchen to yours, and to celebrate the relaunch of the M Kitchen range we’re sending one lucky competition winner a night in on us!

Now’s your chance to win a selection of Morrisons products, a bottle of wine and chocolate treats all guaranteed for a perfect night on the sofa and just in time for Christmas!

For further information, visit the M Kitchen blog for news, recipes, videos and insights from the M Kitchen Chefs at www.mkitchenblog.com

To enter the competition, complete the Rafflecopter form below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

Dressing The Baby: November

We've been keeping snug & warm as the winter approaches with lots jumpers to snuggle in and hats to keep us nice and warm!

One area we need to concentrate on though is shoes! You'll notice that throughout this post -Tyne has an amazing lack of shoes in all photos!

Mostly because he just will not keep them on!

I have been thinking about getting him some more lace-up styles though as these may be a little easier?!

I've been browsing a lot on Ebay and Treds  for baby converse and vans shoes so I may have to splurge a little before Christmas!

This super thick warm jumper is ideal for the cold days and looks gorgeous paired with bright blue chinos.

I love this grey cable knit hooded cardi from Miniclub at Boots - it's just gorgeous and goes with so many otufits!

I love it most with your Baby Baker jeans and the super cute bowtie and brace print vest that Uncle Derrick sent from the US, I believe he got it in Old Navy if I recall the tags correctly!

This super cute waistcoat, shirt and jeans set was almost forgotten about in the back of your wardrobe...its actually size 0-3 months so its incredible that it fits you! You wont get more than a couple of wears out of it sadly but its so gorgeous!

Recently we've putting you in your pram suit if we've been out for walks, and it looks so snuggly!

I love you in baby blue!

Your new personalised outfit from My 1st Years is another of my favourites - I love seeing you in anything with your name on and hats really suit you, plus I love that they make you look like a little tiny baby again!

And finally, I decided to include the outfit you wore today as its a little different from what you'd usually wear but it suited you!

It was a gift from a friend, and it is covered in lots of little robots - Daddy's favourite! - so its very boyish and you look very cheeky in it!

So thats my favourite outfits from November! I think next month we'll be seeing lots of red!! :)