Dear So and So...........

I love this meme and reading my lovely sisters entry over Would Like To Be a Yummy Mummy reminded why. So this week I decided to pen to paper, or fingers to laptop and get mine down.  If you want to join in, Its every Friday and is run by the Fabulous Three Bedrrom Bungalow.

Dear Neighbours,
I have asked you before but will kindly ask you again.  Please, please can you close your door instead of slamming it like your life depends on it.  Our flat shakes like we've struck by an earthquake and it's getting increasingly annoying.  It's really not that difficult.  Turn around and close the door.  Not quietly or gently, just normally like normal people do
From your very perturbed  neighbours

Dear Bump
Please can you turn over.  Dangling your feet downwards is not the right position for safely entering the world.  I will endure the discomfort whilst you wiggle and squiggle into the right position.  I will even stand on my head if it helps, you only have to ask.
Love your ever hopeful and very excited Mummy x x x

Dear Nausea
Seriously, enough already.  I have suffered your persistence for nearly 26 weeks and I'm worn out.  Perhaps you could disappear tonight whilst I sleep so I can enjoy what little time I have left of this pregnancy
From your very sick and tired owner x

Dear Bottom
Please stop spreading.  I know it's necessary to gain a little padding to balance the bump but you're going too far.  If you continue we will be topple backwards, there's definitely no chance of going forward now as you are already too big.  I'm doing my best to support you but fear I'm fighting a losing battle
From your seriously swollen feet

Dear Friends and Family
Please do not buy me chocolate, no matter how much I beg.  Not only does it increase the nausea but it is also contributing to the above.
From a very desperate me x

Postman Pat if you're listening, I look forward to you delivering some responses

Donna................x

Silent Sunday

What Makes the World Go Round?

Globee Ltd, is a family business founded by David and Harriot Sinclair and it was established to promote and develop a new and innovative souvenir gift range introducing and perhaps reintroducing many of the world’s most exciting and vibrant cities to a truly global audience.

With my love of anything a little bit quirky these are right up my street, so was more than happy to review one for them.  We opted for the 4 inch London map as we live in greater London and it's our much loved capital.

The globe is honestly not quite like anything I've seen before and I genuinely love it.   Not only is it manufactured to a high quality with beautifully illustrated maps, therefore looking fabulous, it's also been a lot of fun.  William is only 22 months and can now point out where Buckinham Palace and Daddy's office is.  He's been taking great pleasure in learning and it will be even better when we take him to see places and mark them on our little map.

These are great little gifts and with a RRP of between £14.95and £29.95 depending on the the size, they really don't break the bank.  Fun, educational and a little unique I for one love them and would have no hesitation in recommending them to others.  

Pride of Place on Williams' Shelf 

Click here to take a look at the great variety of other globes and money boxes available from Globee Ltd, I' thinking they make a perfect gift for Christmas.

All comments and opinions in this review are purely my own

Donna...x

A Maternity Must Have

Today I was delighted to receive a pair of these beautiful navy maternity pyjamas to review on behalf of Melba London.  With my current non maternity pair stretched to their very limit, they couldn't have come at a better time.

Everything about them oozes quality and style, from the packaging to the chic design but for me the biggest selling point is the sheer comfort factor.

The PJ bottoms are designed to sit under bump and they have a soft buttermilk ribbon  to enable fit adjustment for maximum comfort. They are a generous size and with a wide leg fitting hide your bottom if like me you have a bit of extra padding. The ruched sides on the top ensure these pyjamas will fit throughout the duration of pregnancy, whilst the mock wrap detail enables easy access for breastfeeding once your gorgeous bundle arrives.

I can certainly vouch for them being super soft and light weight and being made from 100% Cotton and machine washable they really do have it all. The RRP is £34.99 and although for some this may seem expensive they are designed to last all the way through pregnancy and beyond as suitable for breast feeding too.  I admit they are a luxury but there are not many things that provide comfort during those last difficult months and for me they are worth every penny.

I have taken a few snap shots of me in them too show you how they fit the non super model type.  Pleas excuse the porn star pose I was trying to get a skinny shot, mmmmm didn't quite succeed but never the less you'll get the gist of how beautifully they fit.

Comfortable and Stylish

Super Comfortable Waistband

So there you have it.  If you need a little luxury in your life or have a luxurious wife you would like to treat, I can not recommend these enough.  

Check out Melba London, for more gorgeous maternity must haves. They  sell everything from nightwear and maternity essentials to breastfeeding tops.  

The words and opinions in this review are all my own

Donna.....x

Toilet Training Our Way

William is 22 months and nearly two weeks ago I took the decision to start our toilet training journey.  Having feared this part of toddler hood for as long as I can remember, I can now say it wasn't as bad as I'de imagined.  I have been told many times that all children are different so wanted to share my positive experience.  Not to gloat.  I'm not like that.  I am well aware things could change at any minute but I wanted to give other parents about to embark, some reassurance that it is not always to be feared.

I'm a toilet training virgin, so am definitely no expert but as always choose to do things my own way with the guidance of my fabulous sister and the support of some lovely ladies, to name but a few, The Boy and Me, Two Point Four Children and Cafe Bebe,

For the six months running up to D-day I tried to prepare William for what was coming. At any given opportunity he escorted us all to the toilet and watched us go about our business.  He then took great pleasure at popping his head around the door and telling anyone who cared to listen exactly what he'de witnessed, "Yay Mummy Poo" or "Daddy Wee".  He would then return to flush the loo and wash his hands.    From time to time he'de ask to sit on the loo and simulated the plop noise of poo hitting the water or god forbid push your bottom forward to take a peep for himself.   All a bit embarrassing but never the less it seemed to help him develop and understanding, so I stuck with it.

The night before D-Day I tried to explain to William what was going to happen.  I talked about not wearing nappies and having pants.  I'm not sure anything went in but it felt like the right thing to do.  I had decided not to use a potty instead opting for a Baby Bjorn Toilet Trainer and stool. Comfortable and secure William had no concerns about sitting on it.

I can not recommend this seat enough

Next morning as promised I removed his nappy, which as normal, was still dry.  I took him to the toilet and popped him on the seat whilst trying to explain the new way of doing things. To his delight I had filled the shelf with books so he was more than happy to sit on board and wait for the inevitable whilst mummy read a story.

After 12 hours of not weeing, it didn't take long before a little trickle started to appear.  I was so excited I squealed, William gleamed with pride and the wee abruptly stopped.  "surely that's not it?" I thought but being new to it all it helped him off and slipped his new teeny tiny pants on. Of course that was not it and 5 minutes later came the first of many accidents.  I soon learnt not to get excited until William had finished weeing so as not to interrupt the flow.  Instead we both did big Cheshire cat grins until he'd finished at which point we clapped and I encouraged William to say "I did it"

Breakfast came and went and I kept taking him to and from the toilet, but nothing.  Then at about 10.00 the accidents really started, one after the other.  There seemed to be wee everywhere and I began to question whether he was ready.  It was at this point I changed my tactics.  I decided to leave it longer between taking him so he didn't get frustrated, regulate his drinking times so I could better judge when he needed to go and spend longer periods in the loo trying to encourage him to go.

I honestly felt like I spent two days in the loo and stunk of wee but I was determined to keep going.  William delighted at watching the wee come out, so kept showing me his little fellow mid stream often spraying me  or the rest of the bathroom.  We read books, played games, sang and even played with Mummy's Stickers, anything to distract him and keep his little bottom firmly on the seat.

Very tiring but rewarding none the less.  If he tried to have a tantrum which he did at times, I did not panic about upsetting him or putting him of using the toilet.  I explained his behaviour was not acceptable and used the time out cushion as I would with any other tantrum.  It did the trick and he soon realised mummy was serious and it was better to cooperate and read stories than hang out on the cushions.

Day three I ventured out, only as far as the coffee shop at the end of the road but naively I thought we'de cracked it.  In hindsight a bit presumptuous, the outing ended with a rather large poo and a John Wayne walk home as Mummy was completely unprepared.

Day four something changed.  William kept asking to go to the loo and although unable to differentiate between wee and poo he was getting the idea.  It was his first completely dry day.  I felt really encouraged so decided to venture out again on day five, this time to buy a folding toilet seat for on the go.

My OH and I went together to our local retail park which only has six shops, including, boots, M&S and Mothercare so it should have been ok. Well I couldn't have been more wrong, it was a disaster.  Although we didn't have any accidents, we were utterly fraught and I managed to drop William in the loo in M&S as none of the shops had the seat I was after.  I was disgusted at how dirty the loos were and just wanted to go home.

What the day before highlighted was that I needed to get organised.  If William was not going to use a potty he definitely needed a toilet seat as I don't have the strength to hold him over the loo.  The next day we ventured out again and with a new positive attitude and our new Cushi Traveller Toilet Seat in tow, outdoor adventures were suddenly achievable.

Our Life Line for Out and About

With indoor and outdoors pretty much conquered William had his first day at nursery today without a nappy.   Although he's dry at home it was going to be  huge challenge for him to tell the staff he needed to go and to get used to their toilets.  He exceeded my expectations and only had two accidents.  When he got home he immediately told me he needed a poo and went straight to the loo.  Later he even asked to get out of the bath with Daddy to have a wee.  I was so proud I nearly cried.

So that's our story so far.  Like I said before I'm no expert.  I don't necessarily think there's a right or wrong way of toilet training but for me my way worked.  I have been hideously sick throughout the whole of this pregnancy so I think William has thrived on the attention from me and this has no doubt helped in our quest.  It has been hard work, I've felt like i've stunk of wee and at times I nearly gave up.  But with help and support of all you lovely mummies I can genuinely say it was no where near as bad as I imagined, so thank you

This is how you do it!

My Top Tips

1. Skip the Potty. Personally I would always opt to skip the potty as I can't see the point in training them twice.  I fully appreciate however that they work for many people and this is just personal preference
2. Clear a week in your diary and be prepared to stay in for a few days.
3. Be Open. Allowing William to watch and learn and get familiar with the toilet seat and pants prior to D-day helped him prepare for what was to come
4. Be consistent - I think it's important that children understand what is expected of them and that the goal posts do not move.  Once you start don't go back and be firm if you have to, not in a harsh way but they can quickly manipulate you if you let them. 
5. Be organised.  Buy pants and toilet seats etc before you start
6. Make it fun - Read books, play games and sing songs to pass the time.
7. Be prepared for setbacks.  I haven't got this far yet but am a realist and know they're sure to come

If you're thinking about starting toilet training all I can say is go for it.  If you are all ready for a challenge it might not be as bad as you're expecting and if it is, there is more advice and support out there than you ever could've imagined..........Good Luck!

Donna.............x 

Silent Sunday

                                                                                                                       .Donna.......................x

Beauty and The Bib

At 22 months William is a competent and independent little eater, however he still manages to get all manner of stains on his little tops, as seems to miss his little mouth. So you can imagine how delighted we were when Beauty and the Bib asked us to review some of their lovely bibs.  

The fist of the two we received was the William Morris laminated bib.  It features a gorgeous print on a vintage shape, trimmed in dark green. It's made of wipe clean laminated cotton to front, terry towelling on the reverse and is interlined.  The overall quality is impeccable and the packaging, including the white organza gift bag it was presented in only adds to the luxurious feel.  

William couldn't wait to put it on and more importantly is happy to wear it as it doesn't rub his delicate skin on the back of his neck, like many other bibs in the past have done. You can click on the image to enlarge, then hit the back button to return to post.

The second bib was the Bees on the Blue Star and like the William Morris is gorgeous.  The attention to detail and quality is fantastic.  Again presented in an organza bag with pretty ribbon  it makes for a really lovely gift.  It's made from two layers of quality cotton terry towelling with interlining and has a soft and comfortable velcro closure.  I haven't tested this one on William as thought it would be more appropriate for bump due in 9 weeks, but here are some photos to give you more of an idea of how lovely it is.

Overall we love both of the bibs and would not hesitate to buy more or recommend them to others.  The bibs retail at between £8.00 and £9.00 and given the quality I think they are well worth the price. We give them a huge 10/10.  To see more beautiful Beauty and the Bib products click here, don't just take my word for it try one for yourself.

Donna...........x 

The Winner Is.......

I am delighted to to announce the winner of the fantastic Wooden Toy Shop UK  7- in-1 Activity Centre is.....

Emma Clement @beachpebble.  

Well done and enjoy is looks like a lot of fun and should certainly keep that little toddler of yours entertained.

I will be in touch shortly to advise how to claim your prize

For those of you who missed out, don't worry, the wonderful team over at Wooden Toy Shop UK run lots of fabulous comps, so keep a regular eye on their facebook page and twitter profile.

Congratulations again to Emma and thank you all for entering

Donna..................x

Old MacDonald & His Bright Green Deer

My happy little helper was delighted to receive an adorable bright green deer to review on behalf of Happy Hopperz.  With a sick mummy and toilet training to contend with it was a welcomed gift and one he couldn't wait to put to the test.

Not since the past crazes of the Rubik's Cube, My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch Kids & Space Hoppers has the children's toy market seen a product that has the potential to capture the imagination of a young child as much as the recently launched 'HappyHopperz®' range.

Described by a leading children's website as "seriously cool" the HappyHopperz® are a collection of bright, inflatable animals that not only rival the space hoppers of the 1970's but take the bouncing experience to a whole new level. With ears & horns for children to grip on to and feet to steady the bounce, these wonderful animals come in a variety of different styles and colours that give 'Old Macdonald' a run for his money!

What did We Think? 
I was pleased to see the products are made from EU approved phthalates free PVC & contain no heavy metal elements. They are also CE tested & approved.

The instructions claim the Happy Hopperz need five breaths to blow them up.  We were up for the challenge so leaving the pump aside, I took  deep breath and 1,2,3,4,5, voila... it was inflated, a good start.  Putting the bung in was a bit fiddly as there is no anti air release cap so it took a few attempts, but once inflated that was it, ready to go.

Once fully inflated I tried to demonstrate the principle of bouncing, to which my happy helper responded "No Mummy, Reindeer Wee Wee" at which point he dragged his new beloved inflatable by the antlers to perch on the loo with him.  Not quite it's intended purpose but never the less very funny!

With an empty bladder it was time to bounce and bounce we did.  Over and over again whilst mummy attempted to sing Old Macdonald which seemed to fuel the bouncing further.  

Now as much as my little one loves his new deer the recommended age is 3.  William is 22 months and although he is sturdy with good balance he did have a few near misses where he toppled off.  Having read other reviews I do not believe it to be a fault of the product, simply that really William is below the recommended age.  In my opinion he is still safe to use it whilst supervised and having taken a few extra safety precautions like clearing the area and bouncing on the carpet not solid wood floor.  We have not tested outdoors yet but can only imagine how much fun bouncing around the park will be, I'll let you know how we get on,

What We Would Change?

The only other thing I would say is placing and removing the bung is a little fiddly.  There is a very inexpensive bung remover available for similar toys which in my opinion would be a useful additional accessory.

Overall this toy is fantastic and with a huge variety of stockists and a RRP of  21.99 its good value for money and easily available.  We give it a 9/10 and look forward to doing a lot more bouncing!

For further information check out Happy Hopperz  and see for yourselves the huge range of colours and styles available.

Happy Hopping

Donna.............x

Silent Sunday - One Photo No Words

Donna.............x

Sanitary Towels Are Most Definitely Not Stickers

Day two of toilet training and in a desperate attempt to entertain my tiny tot on loo for a few moments longer whilst awaiting the imminent arrival of a poo, I handed him a tin containing two sanitary towels.  Not ideal I thought, but what the hell if it distracts him then surely it's ok, just this once.  After a few moments of the open and shut game he'de invented, he bored and natural progression led him to explore the contents of one of the packets.  Again, not really an age appropriate activity but still, he seemed distracted and things were going so well I decided to turn a blind eye.

Soon curiosity prevailed and the packet was open "Wow wee Mummy, a sticker" he delighted at telling me. Mmmm how do I explain, I thought, but before I had the chance my mouth engaged and the words "yes, that's right darling, Mummy's sticker" came out.  With hindsight, a "no that's mummy's and not for little boys to play with" would have been a more appropriate response.

However, the "stickers" had to be stuck and where better to stick them than to mummy's arm, head or shoulder and so the game began.  William squealed with excitement as he stuck the "sticker" all over me and inwardly I smiled at how much pleasure our silly game was providing.  In the midst of all the fun the door bell rang and I remembered the window fitter was coming to measure a window.  I quickly whisked my toddler onto my hip and ran to answer the door.

Having opened the door and begun to politely engage in necessary small talk, William piped up at the top of his lungs "Mummy Sticker".  Oh good lord, I'de only answered the door with the worlds most enormous sanitary towel stuck to, well where? I couldn't quite remember, oh yes, somewhere it should never go....my head! I tried to grab it, but having been manufactured to have enough stick to prevent it falling out your underwear and causing unnecessary embarrassment, it was not a simple task, especially given it was stuck to my hair.  Thankfully after a few frantic tugs I managed to remove the offending article.

Now bright red with shame and looking like i'de been dragged through a hedge backwards, I smiled confidently and offered the chap a hot drink,  Not surprisingly he declined, instead opting to measure the window and be in and out in record time. I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, but one thing I know for sure is, when he returns to fit the window I will remember to check the mirror first.

Let this be a lesson to you all, sanitary towels are most definitely not stickers!

Donna.....................x

Mum's Half Hour Episode Three

Here as promised a live stream to the Mum's Half Hour show.  Remember you are still in with chance of winning a years supply of Startrite shoes, submit your question now!  

Good luck and hope you enjoy the show!

#

Donna...............x

10 Things You Don't Know About Me

I was tagged in to this fun Meme by my fabulous friend over at Mummy Mummy Mum.  The idea being that I share ten things about me so you can get to know me better.  So here goes,

1. I love musical theatre and dream of being a west end star!
2. I met my husband at 17 but didn't get married until 14 years later
3. I never thought I could have children and now I have 1 toddler and a bump
4. I'm terrified of spiders
5. I hate to buy tampons or condoms as get very embarrassed 
6. I've had many minor car crashes and am the worst driver I know
7. I love being a nurse and feel grateful to have a job I enjoy so much
8. I always forget peoples birthdays
9. I cry as a way of relieving stress and letting off steam, it always makes me feel better!
10. I love animals and should have been a farmers wife sporting fuscia pink Hunter Wellies

So that's all you need to know about me......

I'm going to tag the lovely

@Multiplemummy, 

@MummyanBeastie, 

@Therealsupermum and 

@AllAbouttheboys

This Meme was started by Me and My Kiddiwinks pop over to nose over a few more you never know what you might find out...

Donna...x

Mums Half Hour Episode Three: Join Me Live

Show date: 12th August

Show time: 1:30pm

This Friday I will once again be running a live stream of the Mums Half Hour Web TV show through my blog.  The panel will discuss going back to school, separation anxiety and how to get organised for the new term

Seeing your child go off to school for the first time can be one of the proudest and yet emotionally difficult moments as a parent. Whether you’re a working or stay-at-home mum, separation affects us in different ways. Going back to school, after spending the whole of the summer holidays with your children, can be hard for them and also for you.

As well as the stress of separation alone, going back to school requires almost as much planning as the summer holidays themselves, from getting your children back into a sensible bedtime routine to making sure you that all their school clothes, shoes and supplies are sorted.

No one understands these issues more than the  panel of mums for the next episode of Mums Half Hour. Joining us live to discuss and answer your questions live for episode three, are Janine Moore, Jayne Everson and Emily Carlisle.

This webTV show will be live and interactive, with the panel taking your questions and thoughts so if you have something to say, they want to hear it!

For another chance to win a year’s supply of Start-rite shoes, either log ontowww.youtube.com/startriteshoes and submit a question along with your contact details or leave a question on my blog on the day.

For more information visit www.youtube.com/startriteshoes

Hopefully I'll see you there

Donna.....x

Win a Wooden Toy Shop 7 in 1 Activity Centre

WoodenToyShop.co.uk sells a huge range of high quality wooden toys from legendary toy brands such as Le Toy Van, Pintoy and BigJigs and they have kindly provided me with one of their 7 in 1 Activity Centres worth an amazing £62.95 to give away to one of you lucky people!

This toy really does have it all; it’s an abacus, a shape sorting toy, an easel, a magnetic white board/chalk board, an alphabet, colour, food and animal block flipper and a colourful clock!

Children won’t know which way to turn and which activity to choose, but whatever they select, they will love this wonderful wooden toy, which comes with a detachable roll of paper for young Picassos who are ready for their next masterpiece.

All in all, it looks like a brilliant and robust activity centre and if I wasn't running the competition I would be entering myself!

So how do you enter?  It's simple:

1. Follow this blog on google follower and leave a comment on my blog saying you have done so
2. Like Wooden Toy Shops FB and leave a comment stating which of their products your like best

For extra chances you can:

1. Like my FB page 
2. RT "I want to keep my toddler entertained and #win a 7-1 Activity Centre with @woodentoyshopuk and @notyetayummymum http://bit.ly/n00Y2x "

Please leave separate comments for each entry and a means of contacting you either email or twitter address.

The winner will be selected using randomiser on Wednesday 17th August at 8pm

Good Luck and thank you for entering

Donna..................x

Maxi Cosi Tobi Safety Harness Concerns

When undertaking product reviews it's vital to be honest and not just say what companies want to hear so as to send you more products.   We can only effect the efficacy and quality of products we test if we give honest accounts of our experiences with them.  So why am I telling you this? Well  last August, just before William turned one we bought his first forward facing car seat.  He previously had a Maxi Cosi  Cabriofix and we loved it, so had no reservations trusting the brand again for his next stage seat. 

After much deliberation and countless hours trawling internet reviews, we settled on the Maxi Cosi Tobi.  We liked the special features it offered; mainly the stay open harness system, the base which positions the seat higher up in the car so the child can get a better view out of the window and the colour indicator showing the seat is properly secured.  

Maxi Cosi Tobi

We paid £140 for the car seat and considered it reasonable for a product from a well renowned and trusted brand.  Some of the reviews we read highlighted a problem with children being able to slip their arms out of the harness, but naively we thought it was due to incorrect use or that the reviews were written by the small percentage of people who you can never please and love to moan. 

The first time we used the seat without William wearing a coat it became apparant there was an issue with the straps. No matter how tight we pulled them, they did not sit flush on his chest and his little shoulders kept slipping out.  As it was getting colder he mainly wore coats so it was not an immediate issue and we thought as he grew it would resolve.  

The seat had many good points, mainly the height in relation to the window and the ease of stripping and washing the covers but the safety of the straps remained a bit of a worry.  We persevered thinking William would grow into it and took extra care to ensure we pulled it as tight as possible over his shoulders. We often checked the seat was adjusted to the right height and always ensured the green indicator was highlighted but somehow the straps still did not safely secure over his shoulder.  Instead they slid down which allowed him to wiggle his little arm free.  "Mummy arms out" are not the words you want to hear when cruising down the M25 and was the incident that prompted us to take action and replace the seat.

After deciding to write this review, I once again read other peoples reviews of the seat and was horrified to hear so many people having the same problem as us. There are mentions in some reports of trading standards being involved and that the seat may have been withdrawn in America due to safety concerns.  I can not confirm the credibility of these comments but will certainly be investigating further and would be very keen to hear your experiences, so if you have time please leave me a comment.

I will link Maxi Cosi into this post, as like I said earlier, it's important to highlight our concerns especially in relation to child safety.  This is not to in anyway discredit them as Like I said previously I was very happy with my cabriofix but if this is a common problem then I'm sure they will want to know about it as child safety is as important to them as it is to us.

I look forward to hearing your coments

Donna..........x

  

Silent Sunday

Donna.......x

Pink Lining Yummy Mummy Bag

The fabulous people over at Pink Lining UK kindly sent me a  Yummy Mummy Grey Doves Laminate bag to take along to the Play Day I recently hosted in Richmond Park and I can't wait to tell you all about it.

I have always admired their bags but didn't buy one for my first as I considered them too feminine and girly.  Not for me as I'm very much a girly girl, but I was blessed with a son and as the logo states the bags have beautiful pink lining, not really suitable for a boy I thought.

Now pregnant second time round and having found out we're having another boy, I realise its not about the gender of the baby.  I am the one that uses the bag and as I love everything about being a woman why shoudln't I have a beautiful baby changing bag?  Well the answer is I should and now I do thanks to Pink Lining.

I could barely contain my excitement when posty delivered a big white box sporting the Pink Lining UK logo.

No Guessing What's in Here?

When I opened the box I was delighted to be presented with this.... it felt like Christmas!

My Beautiful Pink Parcel

I quickly unwrapped it and was amazed by its Yummyness.  With a pale green background, decorated with grey doves, red hearts and daisy print, coupled with a cupcake patch on the front canvas pocket with Yummy Mummy stitching above and two canvas side pockets with delicate bows, it's truly gorgeous.

But there's more to this bag than how beautiful it looks.  Complete with all the following internal fittings, it has everything a Yummy Mummy bag needs and the wipe clean material and detachable shoulder strap make it entirely practical without compromising on style.

But that's not it, you also get a padded water resistant change mat and a zip wet bag.

Bag, Changing Mat and Zip Wet Bag

They really have thought of everything and I absolutely love it, I can not thank Pink Lining UK enough. 

It retails at £75.00 which I consider to be competitively priced and worth every penny.  If you're thinking of buying a changing bag then ladies I can not recommend this enough.  Click here if you want to have a peek at all the other available Pink Lining products. I bet you can't help but make a purchase.

Thank you again Pink Lining, I might "Not Yet" be a Yummy Mummy but with this on my shoulder I'm well on way to becoming one.

Donna................x

Although I was given this bag free of charge it did not sway my opinion. The views expressed are entirely my own.

Our Fabulous Play Day

Following my previous post about National Play Day, today was the day we met with some old and new friends including Richmond Mummy, Mummy and the Beastie and Sarah Superfluous in stunning  Richmond Park, to celebrate the joys of letting children play outdoors. It was a scorcher of day but a few large trees provided necessary shade and comfort. 

The lovely people over at Pink Lining UK kindly provided me with a gorgeous Yummy Mummy bag for the occasion and it definitely made me feel like one, so a big  thank you to them.  After filling it up with all our necessaries we headed off to the park.

My Gorgeous New Bag Courtesy of Pink Lining UK

With the tent and tunnel popped up and the picnic box and toys unpacked the fun began.  The children were so happy.  You could see the joy in their faces as they ran free.  The squeals of delight said it all and with trees for me to hide behind when the nausea kicked in, the great outdoors catered for us all. 

There was no structure to our day and dare I say no tantrums or stress.  The children just played happily together.  Chasing around with the miniature pushchair, hiding in the tent and knocking each other over with the many inflatable items we lovingly blew up.  As for the Mummies, I for one enjoyed the rest, the luxury of sitting back with "bump" and watching my gorgeous boy scamper around with his new and old friends.  

The ease of entertaining  toddlers is halved when they have company and with so many toys and children, the grown ups were almost redundant, a beady eye to keep them safe was all that was needed.

Interestingly when we talked about why we don't let our children play outdoors as much as we did as children, there was a common theme, fear. Of what? well I guess, everything.  It seems we live in a world of worry, so much so, we protect our children by keeping them inside and locking the doors.  I appreciate the world is not as safe as it used to be, but we can not hide away and let our beautiful children miss out on being outdoors.  

Aside from making new friends, today reinforced why outdoor play is so vital for children. We all had happy, relaxed and at the end of the day very tired children, what more could we ask for?  Like so many, some days I'm lazy, at the moment I'm sick, but I am lucky enough to have an amazing park right on my door step and I will continue to make every use of it. 

Before I  finish I must also say a huge thank you to Savlon for the first aid supplies. I always recommend taking a first aid kit out when you have children, I am a nurse after all and after our tiny terrors ran through the stinging nettles and tripped over those little feet one two many times the essential supplies came in very handy. For more information on the huge variety of products available from Savlon please click on the link below

So that's it, our play day, a fun relaxing day.  Thank you to everyone that came along and to our wonderful children, because without them there would be no need for this post, they are after all what it's all about.

Donna............x

MUMenTUM

Hello Again Ladies

Well we seem to have ourselves a little situation. This baby of mine has decided he likes salt and vinegar crisps, the stronger the better. The upside for me is the sharp/bitter twang temporarily relives the foul taste in my mouth and subsequently the sickness, the downside is the impact on my ever expanding bottom.

Talking about bottoms, I haven't really had any more success with exercising. My friend gave me a ball and I tried to rock on it for the the first time. Rock I did not, roll.... straight off it I did, with a definite lack of elegance.

So once again the only continued success is my pelvic floor exercises, something I know I;ll be grateful for in a few months time.
Hope all you othe MUMenTUM ladies are all doing better than me

Donna...............x