What Blake Wore: Rosy Rosie Sausage Dog Romper

A few weeks ago I was sent a lovely Romper from a fab company called Rosy Rosie. 
Rosy Rosie sell a range of products for babies, children and adults. 
Rosy Rosie was set up by Rowena a few years ago thanks to a suggestion from her supportive husband 
and enthusiasm of two small daughters. 

Blake has many sleep suits that we received from friends and family members but were mainly in  newborn, up to a month and 0-3 month sizes. 

Blake is now fitting into size 3-6 months clothing and one of things I knew I wanted him to have was a romper. 
I think rompers are such a good idea as sleep suits are more quicker to grow out of due to the feet. 

I am a fan of finding high quality clothing for Blake even though I know he wont be able to wear
outfits for too long as he will soon outgrow them. 
I want him to be able to wear clothing that wont just fall apart after the first wash. 


Rosy and Rosie have just what I want when it comes to clothing for Blake. 
First of all the quality is of a very high standard I could tell this straight away with the romper as it
is made from such lovely material. 

I chose the Sausage dog romper it is a super soft organic cotton romper with an appliqué 
sausage dog design on the front and back.
It is made from 100% organic cotton and has an envelope neck and poppers on the inside leg for easy
changing day or night. 

Sizing is generous so I know that Blake will be able to get a lot of wear out of this. 
I received the romper in size 3-6 months which was the last in stock and is only now
only able to be brought in size 0-3 months.


Rosy Rosie not only sell a fab range of high quality rompers in thier baby section but also 
accessories such as muslins, hats and blankets as well as handmade leather shoes and
toys. 
I have my eye on the blue octopus rattle. 

The rompers start at £20 but the sausage dog romper is £24. 


My 1st Mothers Day

So yesterday was my first Mothers Day and it was such a lovely day. 
As Blake sleeps through the night he was still fast asleep when I woke at 9am. 
Stuart first of all made me breakfast in bed of pancakes with strawberries and nutella and a mug
of coffee in my favourite mug. 
He than ran me a bath and sorted out Blake whilst I relaxed with a facemask and then
did my hair and make up.


I received two wonderful presents from Blake a fab navy pen which has lots of sparkly diamanté's. 
I love writing so this was an ideal gift for me I am always jotting down notes etc on a daily basis. 

My other gift is this beautiful necklace that says "You are the Mum everyone wishes they had" 
I love this kind of thing and it is something I will treasure forever. 


I also of course received a lovely Mothers Day card from Blake which I will be keeping forever.
I just had to take a photo of it next to our block calendar to remember the date always.  



We then popped out to town to a little cafe called Cookies which we have never been in before for lunch. 
Its a lovely little place that does coffees and cakes and the usual lunch bits such as salads, jacket potato's, 
omelettes and also main meals such as scampi, chips and peas.
As it is in such a secluded area it was nice to be able to eat our where it wasn't busy as most
places usually are on Mothers Day. 

After we had enjoyed our meal we had a little browse in some of shops and I brought some storage baskets for Blake's room. 

Once home Stuart let me rest and put my feet up for a bit and then I played with Blake on
while he was on  his tummy time mat.
He is now starting to get use to the mat and liking it a little bit more now that he can lift his head. 






After playtime I had cuddles with Blake and read him a story before putting him down in his moses basket to sleep. 

Stuart then cooked me a lovely Mothers Day dinner of Lamb shank in mint gravy, roasted vegetables and garlic mash. 
This was then followed by a yummy raspberry roulade. 





We had dinner rather late as we were full from our lunch so after that I had a bit of time on my new laptop, which 
I brought on Saturday purposely for blogging. 
I then enjoyed a hot chocolate before heading to bed. 

I'd love to know how you all spent Mothers Day and what you got from your little ones
or even what you got your mum. 



How to give up three vices this month

You might think that New Year is the best time to try to quit something, but when it comes to 
unhealthy habits there's really no time like the present.

 There are lots of new methods right now to take on some of the most common vices, and lots of places you can go for help too. Here are three 
examples that you'll feel much better for facing this month.

Using transport instead of walking

The average person in the UK spends around 360 hours a year travelling.
 But while some of those journeys necessarily involve cars, buses and trains, there are also lots of missed opportunities to take a walk.

 This kind of gentle exercise is a great way of improving your overall fitness, and the fact that 
you get fresh air and sunlight means that it helps to improve your mood too.
 Now that spring is on the way, it's definitely a good time to start thinking about whether those 'essential' bus rides are really that essential, or whether you wouldn't be happier taking a stroll down to the shops than driving. If you'd like a modern twist on this fitness process, get yourself a pedometer and measure how many 
calories you burn. 

Smoking

Smoking is a difficult habit to kick.
 The effects of nicotine addiction mean that it can be a stressful and 
uncomfortable transition from smoker to non smoker.
 However, there are ways to make things easier along the way.
 Obviously nicotine gum and patches are a big help, and some people have suggested 
recently that e-cigarettes are the best way of weaning yourself off harmful tobacco products.
 They give your hands something to do, and supply a dose of nicotine, so giving them a try might be just what you need to help break the smoking cycle. 

Junk food

Another one of those habits that can be really hard to shake is eating junk food.
 A good way to start is to remove the element of temptation - clearing out your cupboards of unhealthy snacks and staying away from the confectionery aisle in the store. 
You could also try alternative healthy snack foods to help reduce your cravings throughout the day, and make the effort to cook some meals from scratch. 
There's a great deal of satisfaction to making your own food as opposed to relying on ready meals, and 
it also helps you to see exactly what's going into your dinner.

GumiGem Silicone Teething Necklace

Gumigem sell a range of award winning baby proof mummy jewelry designed to look amazing, but with baby in mind. 
As babies love to grab and pull of jewelry its not good especially as they love to put things in their mouth and you don't want small pieces coming off as well as worrying about that you don't want your best jewelry destroyed.

Gumigem is a UK family based business who produce silicon jewelry aimed to provide Mummy's with stylish accessories that babies can also entertain their hands with. 

The jewelry is made from silicon (like you would find a dummy to be made of) so it is soft and flexible. 
Gumigem can withstand hot temperature so can be easily washed in hot water or placed in your dishwasher. 


When I was told I could choose a necklace from their range I had to go for the Gemini Hepburn design. 
The Gemini necklace's are designed so that they are flat little pebbles. 
They come in a range of colors and I chose the Hepburn design as its a classic black and white which will go
with whatever you are wearing. 
Its great for keeping little hands entertained while baby wearing or when feeding.
Its also great for chomping on to when your little one starts teething. 

Each Gemini necklace is: 


Height of Pebbles -  5cm
Width of pebbles - 3cm at widest
Thickness of pebbles - 6mm at deepest
Long Cord 90cm easily cut cotton to a desired length, with breakaway clasp.

Blake loves playing with this necklace whilst I feed him or when he is having a cuddle with me. 
Its a great distraction for him as he at the stage where he doesn't seem to know what to do with his hands.

I love the classic design and the fab concept of Gumigem. 


If your a Mum do you have a Gumigem necklace? If not its definitely something 
I would recommend if you have little ones around. 


Mothers Day: Getting Personal

I am a huge fan of personalized gifts for every occasion and I have been very lucky with Getting Personal sending me some lovely personalized items which would 
make ideal gifts for your Mum this Mothers Day.
What I love about getting personal is that they have the perfect personalized gifts for people
with a range of of budgets from as little as £3.99 you will find the ideal gift for your Mum. 

I chose a range of items that I personally love and know that other Mum's out there will love too. 

First of all I have chose a non personalized item which I love as I am a total stationary addict 
and also want to keep organised so the Busy B My Weekly Planner is a fab gift for Mum's who love that kind of thing. The weekly planner comes with a magnet so that you can put up your plan for the week on the fridge. 
There is room for each day of the week and a section for your To Do list which is fab for busy Mum's like myself. 


£9.99


Now onto the personalized items first up as I love having photo's dotted around our home so 
the engraved glitter cubed frame trinket box is an ideal gift for me. 
The beautiful silver frame trinket box with diamante framed lid has a sliver frame with a room for a photograph on all four sides. 
To make it an extra special gift you can have it personalized with a message with up to 42 characters,
over 3 lines
Mine says : 
"Mummy
lots of love 
Blake" 
I am planning on putting photos of Blake in all four the frames. 


£19.99


Next I chose the engraved vintage jewelry box with decorated legs. 
I love vintage and shabby chic items and plan on using this to keep a few of my favorite pieces of 
jewelry in. I feel that the stock images from their website make it more easier to show you
how beautiful it is. 
You can personalize it with up to 100 characters and mine 
says: 
"Mummy
Happy 1st Mothers Day 
Lots of love 
Blake"
£19.99

I just adore how beautifully designed it is especially the feet and the pattern around the top of the box. 


Last of all keeping with the shabby chic theme I chose this personalized pink ditsy patchwork cushion. 
The left of the cushion is taken up by pretty pink polka dots, the middle a pretty turquoise and pink floral pattern and the right a crisp white waffle effect. 
Each print is separated by pink and white ric rac. 
The back is hot pink and can be personalized with a loving message. 
I chose to have mine with my name on.

£26.99

This cushion currently is sat on my dining room chair but as I am hoping to get a new sofa and a 
new bed soon I am trying to decide where to put it. 


All of these fab items can be found on getting personal's mothers day section on their website.

Handy appliances to improve your lifestyle

In a world where we're presented with hundreds of new products every day, it can be confusing to decide
on the items that we actually need. 
Life can be made much more easier around the home with certain 
appliances, rather than try them out only to be disappointed, take a look at this guide on what you 
should invest in and why.

Dehumidifier - for clean, drier air

A dehumidifier is beneficial to both your health and your house!
 By extracting moisture from the air, humidifiers can prevent mould 
growing on your clothes in damp cupboards and eliminate any bad smells 
caused by the damp. 

This also means that you won't be breathing in any nasty air that might cause 
problems to your well being. 
You can find one to suit the size of your house and budget, and it will save you  costs of sorting out mould problems in the long run.


Dishwasher - eco friendly and quick

Some of you may not realise that advancements in technology mean that dishwashers can actually save money on your water bills and are more eco-friendly than using the sink tap.
 It's often easy to leave a tap running or letting plates soak before having to change the water again, but a dish washer does a quick cycle in one go! 
Even if you have a small kitchen (like we do) , you can get slim models or designs that are built into your units. It also saves on arguments after dinner about who is going to do the washing up.

Slow cookers - cook while you're at work

If you have a house full of people or your a busy Mum then a slow cooker will save you loads of time in the evening.
 Chuck your ingredients in for a spicy curry or a meaty stew in the morning and by the time you all get home, you just need to set the table and serve your delicious, hot meal.
 Check online to find lots of recipes!

 In fact, there are plentiful kitchen gadgets that can make cooking a whole lot easier -
 juicers, electrician whisks and steamers are just a few.

Although these pieces of equipment might seem expensive, there is always a budget option and you will 
see it as a wise investment after reaping the benefits.

Your home should be your haven, so make sure you 
make life as comfortable and safe as possible with a few well thought out purchases

Blake 12 weeks old

Over the last two weeks Blake has still been sleeping well for approx 8/9 hours at night and
then for a few hours here and there throughout the day.
He is not taking as long to settle at night although he still does try and fight it from time to time. 

He is still drinking his milk well of 180ml every 3/4 hours and is gaining weight how he should be. 
I got him weighed last week and he now weighs 11lb 7oz which is ideal on the graph. 
We are still using disposable nappies til his legs start to get more chunky. 

We went to our first mum and baby group last week at the local community centre for story and rhymes which Blake loved and he got his first sticker for being a very good boy. 
I need to start going to more of these groups so that he will be around other babies and children. 

We also went to the library and got Blake registered there so he now has his own library card and we
have taken out a few books to read to him. 

He is getting much stronger and now can lift his head up more when having tummy time on his mat which he is starting to get use to. 

Today we tried out our baby carrier as I feel we need to start doing baby wearing as he is very clingy baby at the moment and wants to be held all the time when he is awake. 

Last of all he is now moving onto size 3-6 months for vests and sleep suits as 0-3 months no longer fit him anymore as his feet are right near the bottom. 
He is still able to wear his tops and trousers in 0-3 months for a little longer and he also has some of his socks 
being too small so need to start using some of the bigger ones we have for him. 

This week will be my first Mothers Day which I am looking forward to. 
I am going to start changing my updates on Blake to monthly updates so his next update will be on or around the 16th April when Blake will be 4 months old which is pretty scary since how time is already flying by. 





Mothers Day: Bunches

When it comes to Mothers Day I love the idea of the traditional gift of flowers.
Flowers are a gift that is suitable for every occasion and Mothers Day is no exception. 
My favorite company for sending out amazingly gorgeous flowers has to be Bunches. 
Bunches provide a wide range of high quality flowers and gifts that are fab prices. 
I have always received excellent service from Bunches and delivery has always been prompt. 


For the purpose of this post I was sent the gorgeous Fairy tail bouquet. 
This luxurious  bouquet brings with it a wonderful splash of colour and features beautiful pale pink Roses surrounded by exquisite pink Oriental Lilies and hot pink Gerbera.
Glossy Salal leaf and white Gypsophila provide a lovely contrast to the shades of pink and give the arrangement a fairytale finish.

As you can see this bouquet would make a real treat for Mothers Day and priced at £32.99 I recon it
is worth the price. 

I have always found Bunches flowers to last ages and like the ones I have received in the past is of outstanding quality. 

If you are thinking of buying flowers for your Mum this Mothers Day than pop over to Bunches
to see what they have on offer. 

Don't forget Mothers Day is 15th March. 

Updating our bathroom decor ideas

Recently I have been thinking of changing the decor in our bathroom and adding a more shabby chic look to it. 
To do this I am thinking of buying a few new accessories. 

I am thinking of some wicker baskets to keep my make up, skincare and bath bits in 
as its getting rather cluttered. 
 I love wicker baskets and plan to get some for Blake's bedroom too. 
I think this 4 drawer tower is fab idea if it will fit. 



I also want to get a pedestal mirror so that its easier for me to do my make up, as 
the one we have at the moment keeps falling off the side when we have the window open. 

I think a new bath mat is a good idea at the moment we have a white one which is rather boring considering 
all of our bathroom is white so it be nice to brighten it up a bit. 
I think one in a pale blue would be lovely. 

Artificial flowers are another idea I like the sound of to have on the window sill. 



I am also thinking of a trinket style box like this one to put some bits in.



 Last of all this glass bottle which I could fill with colorful sand or maybe my favorite shower gel. 


One of things that I do love about our bathroom is that we have LED spotlights.
We also have LED spotlights in our kitchen as well. 
In our previous homes we never had spotlights in any of our rooms so its rather nice to have 
them both in our bathroom and kitchen. 

If your thinking of making a big change to your bathroom and are able to change things such as the lights 
I'd recommend spotlights in your bathroom and also if you are able to I love the idea of having waterproof strip lights in there. I think the striplights would look fab on when you have your main lights out and when your laying back in the bath with your candles lit and having a relaxing pamper session.

Mothers Day with Asda

I am a huge fan of Asda as you probably know by now so when my inbox pinged with a press release
of what they have on offer for Mothers Day I was excited. 
Under £5
The under £5 range of products includes George make-up, body oils and creams as well as
some face masks to make Mum feel pampered this Mothers Day. 



Asda also has the Mum's breakfast in bed kit which contains heart shaped  napkins, toast stencil, a little menu card and heart shaped confetti.  




Foodies
For the foodies Asda has got a range of Champagne, chosen by you heart crumpets, chosen by you decorate your own heart chocolate and an extra special photo frame memory box which contains chocolates. 


Pop in store or have a look online today to see what other items are available to treat your mum this Mothers Day. 



February Degustabox

For those of you not familiar with Degustabox they are a food box subscription service and 
every month they select and send out an exciting range of new and limited edition products from
a range of fab foodie brands.

The box this month has 7 food items and 2 drink items. 



First of all I'll start with the drinks Laimon Fresh is  a refreshing lightly sparkling, lemon, lime and mint flavored soft drink. 
Laimon Fresh can be drank on its own or can simply be mixed with white rum to create a tasty Mojito cocktail. 
I tried this the other day and wasn't too keen really and would have much preferred this to be fizzy.

Next is Peanut Hottie the first peanut butter hot drink. 
The distinct peanut butter taste, aroma and color are the results of real american peanuts blended together,
to create a smooth, velvety, indulgent hot drink. 
This is a great alternative to tea and coffee. 
I am looking forward to trying this out and not had a cup as of yet but have seen this around and it sounds
lovely since I am a huge fan of peanuts.  

Laimon Fresh £1.99
Peanut Hottie £3

Next is Whole Earth's Three Nut Butter. 
which combines the wholesome nutty goodness of cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts. 
It's made with the finest natural ingredients  and made with no added sugar.
I've yet to try this but will give it whirl. 

Melba Thins, crisp toast for night owls and early birds. 
The perfect snack to add a range of toppings to. 
with 10 packs of 5 these are a fab treat day or night. 
I am looking forward to giving these a try. 

Schwartz flavor shots are recipe bases containing a unique blend of herbs, spices and seasonings infused with sunflower oil to help create amazing tasting meals. 
There are 8 different recipes to choose from. 
I haven't tried these and probably wont. 
The reason being I am not keen on the oil in them as I am on an healthy eating plan
where I tend to not have too much oil in my diet. 


Jack Links is the worlds best selling meat snacks company. 
The range includes Jack Links beef snack which is a deliciously convenient to eat bar aimed for busy people,
looking for a healthier snack on the go.  
I'm not really keen on the idea of these snacks but my hubby loves it. 


Whole Earth Three Nut Butter £3
Melba Thins £1.39
Schwartz flavor shots £1.40 for 2
Jack Links beef snack £1.39

Beet it sport! is a natural nitrate brand in the world. Beetroot shots and bars contain  c400mg of dietary nitrate. 
the benefits include lowering blood pressure and improving sports performance. 
I'll be honest here and say I hated it, I think its something that some people will love
and others will hate a bit like marmite.
 My reason being I don't really see beetroot as something that should be 
in a flapjack type bar. I love beetroot and I love flapjacks just not together. 

American Muffin Company produces some of the most deliciously and delectable gluten free, wheat free muffins, cakes, brownies and cookies. 
My box contained the muffins which were really lovely, soft and very tasty both me and Stuart enjoyed these. 

Last but not least is my favorite item in the box Chocolate. 
Lily O'Brien's Ireland's best loved chocolatier, has launched a new range 
of luxury snacking pouches for chocolate lovers looking for an indulgent treat.   
Try the Cocoa cookie crunch, crunchy chocolate biscuit pieces smothered in smooth and creamy milk chocolate. 
I really enjoyed these and they were such a treat and I polished off the pack pretty quickly so the photo contains the empty packaging, oops!
 
Beet It Sport £1.85 for 2
American Muffin Company:
Muffins, brownies, cookies and cakes £2.50 for a box of 6
Lily O'Brien's  £2.60  
This month you can get £3 off the Degustabox when quoting the following code: 
H8MC5


http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website
http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook
http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

A simple guide to copying with arthritis

Arthritis can be a painful and frustrating condition, turning everyday tasks into real challenges. However, there are certain things you can do to make coping with this medical complaint easier. Here are a few of the most important.

Adapt your home
It’s crucial that you feel confident and able in your own home. With this in mind, you might benefit from making a few changes to your property. For example, it helps to make sure everything you need is within easy reach and, if you have arthritis in your hands, it’s a good idea to fit lever taps to make them more straightforward to turn. You may also want to consider installing handrails to help you get up and down your stairs, or even fitting a stair lift. Adjustable beds and riser recliner chairs can be a big help too. Adjustamatic offers a range of these products and each comes with in-built Cyclo-Therapy technology. This massage function can relieve pain and promote blood circulation. It can also help you to relax and may enable you to get a better night’s sleep. You can take your pick from a number of different settings, ranging from gentle to vigorous. Being able to access soothing massages at the press of a button is a comforting feeling.



Eat healthily

Everyone can benefit from eating healthily, but this is especially important if you suffer from arthritis. Making sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs is vital, and by eating a balanced diet you can control your weight. Meanwhile, if you’re overweight, you may benefit from slimming down. Too much weight places extra pressure on the joints in your feet, ankles, knees and hips, increasing pain and mobility issues.



Try to stay active

Staying active when you have arthritis may not be easy. However, it’s important to make an effort. This can help to reduce and prevent pain. It also serves to improve your range of movement, boost your muscle strength, minimise stiffness and increase your energy levels. Of course, given the nature of your medical condition, it’s vital that you choose suitable exercises. If you’re not sure about this, you can ask your doctor for advice.




Look after your joints

Another top tip is to take good care of your joints in order to limit any further damage. For example, it’s important to try to reduce the stress you place on your joints while carrying out tasks like lifting and moving. To achieve this, you can use larger, stronger joints as levers. For example, rather than putting the pressure of opening a heavy door on your hand, let your shoulder take the burden. Also, you should avoid gripping items too tightly. Try to use padded handles to widen your grip where possible. You can also check out Observer.com about edibles that could help with pain relief, if you would like to try adding a natural supplement into your daily routine.


In addition, don’t sit in the same position for long periods of time. Instead, make sure you take regular breaks so that you can move around. Having a riser recliner chair in your living room at home can make this much easier. You calso 

*Guestpost

Milton Sterilising and hygiene products

As a Mum I know the importance of sterilising your baby's bottles,teats, lids, dummies, toys etc.
After all during your baby's first year of life he/she is at their most vulnerable to illnesses.

When it comes to Blake's bottles, teats, lids and dummies I use a microwave steriliser for me this is the most easiest and quickest form of sterilising.  

I also make sure that I clean his changing mat regularly and this is when Milton antibacterial surface wipes come in handy. I also use them to clean most surfaces that I know he will be in close contact with. 
The wipes are extremely handy when out and about and I keep a pack in my changing bag. 
They are ideal for use on highchairs, toys, changing mats,potty, baby bath, kitchen work tops, door handles and public facilities such as restaurants, telephones and toilets.


When Blake was first born we stayed in hospital for 3 days due to me having a c-section whilst there
due to struggling with breastfeeding I began mixed feeding him. 

The hospital let us use a small cup to feed Blake rather than a bottle and they gave us a sterilising unit 
for cold water sterilising his little cup.

Milton sterilising tablets are ideal for cold water sterilising all you have to do is wash bottles, teats, lids, dummies etc like you would do with any method of sterilising.
Then fill the sterilising unit with 5l of cold tap water adding one Milton tablet. 
Close the lid and in 15 minutes everything is ready to use. 
There is no need to rinse and items can stay in the solution until needed for up to 24 hours. 

Mothers Day with Aldi

This year is my first Mothers Day, I am really looking forward to it as Stuart got to have a Fathers Day card from the bump last year, which I never got the chance for Mothers Day. 

When it comes to special occasions such as Mothers Day Aldi is the place to go to find some fab 
budget gift ideas.

This year Aldi has a fab range of Mothers Day special buys at a range of fab prices no matter what yours or your little ones budget is. 

The Mothers Day special buys are in store whilst stocks last as of 1st March so you will need
to get there fast if there is something you have your eye on. 

They have a fab range of cards which are about £1.99 each, below is an example of one of the many designs
available. 


Aldi also have a 3 piece make up bag set in a range of different color's and designs
so that you are sure to find one that is perfect as an ideal gift for make-up mad mummy's. 
£4.99


Aldi also has a range of comfy Ballerina slippers in a range of colors so that Mum 
can sit back and relax in comfort this Mothers Day. 
£2.99
A women can't have too many bags so ensure this Mothers Day your Mum's latest is this
Ladies Patch Leather Handbag. A stylish yet practical bag that is made from real leather. 

Other Mothers Day items available: 

- Square Mothers Day Card and Bottle Bags 79p 
- Large Mothers Day Card and Medium gift bags £1.29
- Handbag Pocket Puzzles £1.49
- Gift Books £1.99 
- Easy World Craft Books £2.99
- Ladies Printed scarf £3.49
- Ladies Umbrella with Frill £3.99 
- Mothers Day Tea Time gifts £4.99
- Ladies sleep tee 2 pack £7.99 
- Ladies fashion Watch £9.99 
- Sherpa Fleece £12.99
- Ionic Hairdryer £15.99
- Premium Travel Case £17.99
Remmington Sleek and Smooth Straightener £19.99