This post is the first in what I plan to be a every couple of months or so updates called “Loved and Looking“. These will be posts about stuff I have loved doing, discovering and buying, a recap if you like. Any details that have been passed to me by a PR or stuff I have been given is explicitly mentioned.
I don’t have time to keep a full diary but I will find it helpful as and when I sit down to write Baby G’s first year book of the things we’ve loved and whenever anyone asks where did you get that from I will be able to remember and find the links! If I like it maybe you’ll like it? Leave a comment and let me know. Looking is a heads up to what is on the horizon at Lancaster Towers, maybe folks reading this will be able to share useful links and tips to ease us through 2010. This is all connected to my #themeword for 2010 of ENJOYMENT and trying to stay focussed on the simple, great and good things there are in life. For me its about sharing – me with you and hopefully you with me, so here goes:
Loved
Unless you are new to my blog I’ve recently been pregnant and then breast feeding. I wore lots of maternity and nursing clothes the majority of which I bought from Love Maternity which I highly recommend, just got this fab new coat in their sale so if you want a bargain they are there but not for long! I was also given a dress and vest to try for Wonder Mummy which I really rated too, you can read my review here. The gospel on maternity fashions can be found at The Bumpwear Project so if you are sporting a bump everything need to know about clothing it is there.
I’m new to this having a daughter thing but everything about baby girls clothes is just fabulous! I love buying her clothes and choosing her outfits, I have far too many but Baby G’s Sophie 4 Sophie dresses are my favourites. Current total Sophie 4 Sophie dresses purchased to date are four & counting! If you don’t know about these, well, you do know – *warning they are addictive* I also love this ladybird outfit by Urban Elk which I bought from Lord and Lady Tantrum (a local Cheshire mum run business). I am also a HUGE fan of Catimini for both H and G which my mum mostly gets from the lovely Kirsty and Milly at Button Nose in Bramhall – how cute is Baby G’s coat? I love it so much I also have it in 9-12months size too – eek – I know that is bad!
It’s been a manic few months and if anything only going to get busier. I was given a months supply of Femibion to try by their lovely PR peeps, I suspect after going on about taking Berocca on Twitter a lot, being honest I was a bit sceptical, a multivitamin is a multivitamin isn’t it? Well actually it surprised me and I rate it. I’ve had a couple of nights out and one too many Martini plus we’ve had a few colds & toddler nightmares to increase the sleep deprivation to put it through its paces and it now is on my monthly big shop shopping list.
Adjusting to life with two kids has taken a while but we are getting there, I have realised quite how much I need both my hands which is quite challenging so have bought a baby carrier, from Claire at SnugBaby and as a family we are all really enjoying it. We now own more buggies and prams than we have children but they all have their purpose and time of use and the baby carrier gives us extra flexibility and I like to think its helping me burn off a few extra calories in my lose the baby weight mission! Bashfulness never wins any prizes so Baby G has been entered in the competition over at SnugBaby so if you have a second please could you vote for her by clicking on the badge below and then the little heart by us on the page? Thank you!
Another twitter discovery has been Manuka Baby which is run by the very lovely, of New Zealand origin, Alaina. I treated Baby G to one of her fabulous SleepSac’s I was feeling bit sad/guilty about the fact that all her sleeping bags had been slept in before by her brother and have a very definite car/boat/pirate/blue thing going on! Since then we have been tweeting and Alaina has lured me out of maternity leave to help support her with the marketing elements of her business for a few hours a week. I am loving being back in the marketing saddle and using that part of my brain again.
Looking
We are nearly at the end of February which means we are nearly at the final countdown for the Lego Discovery Centre which opens in March. The latest from the PR office is that tickets will cost from £7 are now on sale – call 0871 222 2662 to book. Full details on the site here.
We are looking forward to our first visit to Centre Parcs, we are Elveden Forest bound during a cheap “the kids are back at school” week. We’re off with our pals who’s toddler is a best friend of H’s so we are all looking forward to that. Baby G will be getting her first swimming experience too – I really hope she likes swimming ….
… as we are off on a family holiday to Egypt in March – eek – Family Lancaster along with our pals Family P are jetting off to sunnier climes for a week – the last year has been a tough one and after the last six months with a toddler and teeny we deserve it. Have a HUGE to do & to buy list just to get there! The kids passports are done – it was easier than expected, did the application online and took their photo’s myself using the PasPic service, you just upload them, they check they will meet the criteria and send you four passport photos back for the bargain price of £3.95 – simples! It will be the first time on a plane that isn’t the Manchester to Cornwall hop so all suggestions and links on this imminent challenge very welcome.
Lil’ H’s 3rd Birthday in April – we got him a micro scooter & balance bike for Christmas so struggling a bit with the gift ideas list. It’s building in my head, so far I have fancy dress outfits (especially hats!), a keyboard, a microphone, an easel, crafty things and bigger toy box on list – all suggestions and links on this one again very welcome!
The launch of Love it Love it Love it it is a new venture of one of my Twitter pals, launching in March 2010 and I’m very excited for her, she’s shared with me some of the stock she’s sourced and it rocks! Not only is the stock going to rock, I have no doubt it won’t be around for long so if you want the heads up on launch date become a Facebook fan or a Twitter follower - you can thank me later!
Not exactly looking forward to this but will start weaning Baby G when she turns 6 months in April *sniffs* my baby is growing up … will be learning about Baby Led Weaning and planning to take that approach, weaning with Lil’ H was one of my many parenting fails so there is plenty of room for improvement for this mummy!
Christ almighty, baby wearing and baby led weaning I’ll be in tie dye & Birkenstocks next! Never fear darlings it can all be done in Choo’s of the Jimmy variety! As you can see the to do list is HUGE so better stop blogging and get cracking!
Love, Claire x
