• baby - motherhood - parenting - pregnancy

    Not quite a water birth

    Today Edward is 10 months old! Pregnancy, birth and his first months are passing in a whirlwind. I always meant to write more about his birth last March before I forget. I had a straightforward pregnancy apart from the usual worries over test results and swollen ankles. I was tired during the first trimester, felt full of life during the second trimester and tired again during the third trimester. From 30 weeks Edward was breech so after an unsuccessful ECV I was booked in for an elective caesarean at 38 weeks. Edward was born at 9.41am and I’ve not thought…

  • Christmas - pushchairs - Quinny Caster - Quinny Zapp Xtra - reviews - sleeping

    Sleeping beauty – Quinny Zapp Xtra style

    The latest QuinnyCasters challenge is to photograph our little ones in their Zapp Xtras in an interesting or unique environment. Sadly I’m a Zone 3 suburban mum and the most exciting place we usually go is Brent Cross. However when I was looking through my recent photographs I found this: My son snoozing in his Quinny Zapp Xtra at our favourite coffee shop on the Isle of Wight where we spent Christmas. We’ve used the footmuff every day since we bought it as it’s so useful and keeps him snug. He’s wearing his little monster outfit and sucking on his…

  • clothing - reviews

    Dirty washing

    It’s no real surprise that having a baby equals a lot of washing. The machine is on almost every day washing muslins, babygros, trousers, tshirts, socks. Since Edward has started crawling I seem to do even more washing and his clothes seem to attract dirt – a typical messy boy! So I was happy to try some new washing liquid when approached. Halo Heavenly soft is a non-bio liquid designed for mums with new babies to wash all their clothing in as well as people who have sensitive skin. Halo Proactive Sports Wash is designed for sports wear clothing and…

  • baby - eating - reviews

    Organix baby food {review}

    Organix have recently launched some new baby foods and we were lucky enough to be sent some samples. We tried jars of vegetable and chicken masala and carrot, parsnip and beef hash; Banana Baby Biscuits;  Multigrain Ricecakes; and pouches of sweet potato, red peppers and swede, butternut squash, sweetcorn and carrots, and parsnips, spinach and broccoli purees. We’ve been trying them over the last few days and Edward loves them all! What more can I say?! We’ve previously tried some of their other ricecakes, breakfast cereals and fruit pots which Edward just devours by the spoonful. I’ve always tried to…

  • baby - maternity leave - nursery

    What a difference a day makes

    Yesterday we visited a nursery and a childminder. Today I asked to return to work part-time. How did this come about when just a few weeks ago I had decided I didn’t want to return to work? After speaking to  friend I realised that it would be easier to return to work and see how I felt rather than not go back but have to find a new job if I was bored/needed the money.  I only decided this over Christmas so we’ve spent the last few weeks contacting nurseries and childminders who’ve all got long waiting lists. I wondered…

  • baby - post-pregnancy - pregnancy - reviews

    Body Confidence for mums

    What’s your post-pregnancy body like or is that question too personal? It can’t be as bad as mine, and coupled with the festive season I really need to diet! Fortunately for me a DVD landed on my doorstep just after New Year which might just have the answer. Unlike the usual celebrity-endorsed fitness DVDs, The Y Plan Body Confidence has been produced by health and fitness professional at the London YMCA Fitness Industry Training team. Body Confidence for mums The DVD consists of 6 ten minute work-outs, (including aerobics, body-sculpt, dance, cardio-kick, Pilates and toning), which will help shape-up, tone…

  • crafts - handmade - Recycled crafts - sewing - tutorial - vintage

    Making momentoes with Julie Arkell

    Just before Christmas I was lucky enough to take part in a workshop with Julie Arkell. If you haven’t heard of her, where have you been! She’s a London-based contemporary artist who is well known for her papier mache dolls and I was really excited to find she was running a workshop at Sally Bourne Interiors. I spent all day with Julie and a group of like-minded women and it was fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever spent a whole day sewing but it was amazing, lovely to sit around a table, sew and chat. Julie’s recent work reflects vintage…

  • baby - The Gallery

    The Gallery – body parts

    I haven’t participated in The Gallery for ages but I couldn’t resist this week’s prompt – body parts. I have lots of pictures of Edward showing varying degrees of beautiful baby chubbyness. However, we’ve recently put up a stair gate and I couldn’t resist this picture: Not many body parts fit through those bars!