Joie Every Stage Car Seat Review

When you have a child one of the most used things which you will need is a car seat I think this is something which we used nearly every single day. Around 18 months ago we had to replace Jess's baby car seat and I did a lot of research into finding the best car seat for us because of course, it has to be something which works for you all. Jess spends a bit of time when she is going around in the car.  We chose the Jolie every stages car seat in the black colour this is one which is going to last her until she is around 12 years old or 36kg which is scary because it is such a long time away.

One of the reasons why we chose this car seat was because it has 5 different reclining settings this allows you to reface until 18kg which is around 4 years old.  You do have to wait till your child is around 9kg to forward face which approximately is 9 months old. 

We didn't reface once we got this car seat because Jess was a nosy child and she actually wanted to look out of the window we actually let her do this even though we know the benefits of having your child refacing for a longer period of time. There are another 4 settings which allow you to forward face which is amazing because this means that once your child is kicking the back of the actual car seat and this could be annoying to others you may want to change the setting.

Due to the fact that this car seat can last till your child is 12 you are able to adjust the headrest, it has 10 different settings and this is something we have found is pretty easy to be able to do. The sides also can widen which allows your child the room they need within the car seat. Of course, this is not a full car seat when they become older it becomes a high backed booster which fits in the guidelines within the UK when this occurs the 5-point harness gets tooked away and you use the normal seat belt which means that it is not in the way. Currently, we have to use the actual seat belt in order to keep the car seat safe meaning that it does not move. 

This car seat can actually be stripped down and the covers thrown in the wash which is something which we have had to do in the past because Jess can struggle with car sickness. This is handy as well if you have a small child in the car who could do the same I have also had to wipe it and found it drys pretty quickly which is amazing because if you are like us you are always using it. This car seat is very easy to actually install into your car and can be done in only a couple of moments which is great if you are like me and you might need to take it in and out to either put it in someone else's car or due to the fact that there has been a spillage. 

Jess must find this comfortable due to the fact that on more than one occasion we have found her sleeping in this for long periods of time while she has been travelling which proves this claim it even comes with thick padding on the shoulder straps and buckles meaning it is even more comfortable for the child. For sure this car seat is very well padded as well as being secure. 

I would recommend any parents who are looking at either purchasing their child's first car seat and are not bothered about been able to click it onto a pushchair. Or patents like us who were looking to upgrade their original car seat to purchase this item. I know it does seem expensive at close to £200 however it will last your child a long time and you can not put a price on their safety.  If you are not interested in rear facing you could look into the Jolie elevate 123 car seat another car seat I own foe a different car which I will do a review on at a later date.

Do you own the Jolie ever every stage car seat if so what are your thought? 

Charlotte xx

Days Out - Eureka National Children's Museum

Eureka! National Children’s Museum is somewhere where I visited as a child and can still remember elements of so when we found ourselves with a spare free weekend with no plans. We decided that we would take Jess for an amazing day of hands-on fun there is always a lot to play with the look and of course, learn about. Just because it is a Children’s Museum, it does not mean that it is not suitable for toddlers at 2 Jess had so much fun as you can see from her face on some of the pictures.  Halifax is only around 1-1 ½ hours away from where we are based which means that there was not too much time spent in the car travelling to our day out.

When we arrived, there is a large car park which is next to the museum which we found pretty easy to park in, and I think it cost us around £4 for 4 hours this is something which we did not think was too expensive. The museum is opposite the train station, so if you are travelling in by train, this is something to be aware of. When we arrived, we went to the wrong way as we did not notice the building, so you really need to keep your eyes peeled. Outside of the museum, there is actually a large play area which has sand pits as well, however when we visited it was snowing which meant that Jess was unable to play outside. When we visit again, I am sure this is an area which she will have so much fun playing in.

It could have been due to the time of year when we visited it was the start of December it was pretty quiet we did not have to queue . One thing which does make me happy is that there offer annual pass tickets as part of their normal entry price which means you pay once and can visit as many times as you want within 12 months. This for sure is something which is going make us want to visit again we are already planning to go back when Jess is a little bit older maybe in March/April time.

The first area we saw was the all about me gallery which is one which is one of the areas which I would say is the most interactive. This is an area which I would say is great for all ages as there is so much to play with. Of course, because I went with a toddler it does mean there were some of the things which she was not interested in because it went over her head. However, there is so much that the under 5’s can do as you can see Jess was brushing her teeth like she would at home. There is an area which maternity area which you can scan a dolls tummy which shows you the baby in the tummy like a real scan. This would be a great area to visit should your child become an older sibling. Jess is just starting to like babies, and she is always playing with the dolls which we have now at home.

The areas which Jess loved the most had to be the living and working gallery this is on the bottom floor. This area is exploring pretending kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, a garage which even has petrol pimps and a working car wash. If this is not enough, there is also a Mark’s and Spencer’s which is just like the real shop. There is a post office, building suite and a Halifax bank as well which has a million pound chair as well as a bank volt and a cash machine which is available for the young ones to play with. Jess as you can see loved the shop I think we did the whole weekly shop in this little M&S as well as her pretending that she was so posh and could afford to sit on the million.

The rest of the areas is split into 6 areas which desert garden, town, ocean, jungle, country and ice garden. These are areas which Jess adored because there was a lot for her to do and this is an areas which is made for the under 5s so it did not go over her head at all like some of the other areas had done.  Desert was one which Jess loved so much because of the fact there was something which you put balls in turned the wheel and the ball came out the other side. I think we must have lost a fair amount of time in their for sure she was having the time of her life.

Downstairs there is a SoundSpace and Soundgarden this is an area which we did at the end, so we did not spend a lot of time in it due to the fact our car park was running out. I think this area was a little bit too old for her, but this is something which she might enjoy more in the future when she grows up. There is a soft play area in the corner I think it is meant to be for those who are under 5 and some of the areas is for those who do not walk yet. This area was very busy and full of children who were over 5, so Jess did not really want to play in this area as older children can scare her.

Eureka is for sure worth the money it is £12.95 for adults, and because Jess is under the ages of 3, it was only £5.25. Of course, you get the free annual pass for the end of the year because we found that Jess was very tired at the end of the day she I don’t think made it out of the car park before been asleep. I can see you been able to visit your child is at least 10 years old. Even though we visited on the weekend it was not too busy Jess still got to see everything which she wanted. I love how this is so child-friendly, and they change parts of the museum every 3 months which means that it could be very different when you visit.

For sure I would recommend visiting Eureka, and I know we will be back in the next 12 months. Have you visited Eureka if so what were your thought.

Charlotte xx

Commuting With A Toddler

For most people this week will have seen them getting back into their routine which means that everyone has to be a little bit more organised as we all have to be out of the door with our children at some crazy early time. As some of you may know if you have read my blog for a long, you will know that I go to university an hour away from my house and commute on the train. This is something which common for some people because house prices are so high in York that it is cheaper for a lot of people to commute into the city.

Something which may shock you I take my two-year-old Jess on the commute as well the reasoning behind this is because I have lectures which start at 9 am and currently have to get the train around 6.30-7.20am depending on which station I get on at. If you have children who go to a private nursery, you may know that you can struggle to find one which is open before 7 am I think the ones around here there is only one of them which I know about. Another factor is that I can have lectures until past 5 pm and would have to ask a member of my family to pick her up which would make me feel like I was not part of her nursery experience. Whereas at the moment I can pick her up most nights and her Daddy works in York so can pick her up if I am unable to due to finishing too late.  

Of course, taking your toddler on the commute comes with challenges, of course, one of the first ones is that you have to make sure that she is ready in the morning which can be hard when she wants to stay at home and play with toys. Instead of getting ready for nursery which is not going to arrive at for a couple of hours but I think at the moment she is pleased to do it because they have a lot more toys there that I can ever give her at home. I know this is something which could change because at the moment loves going to nursery but over the summer when Daddy was away this is something which she struggled with.

Regarding being able to keep her entertained while she is on the train of course when it is bright which at the moment is it not very often, we can play games like what can we see outside the windows. We are lucky there are some different places which have animals on the side of the tracks so we know where to look for horses, sheep and chickens this is a game which Jess loves to play. Of course because some of the year like at the moment when we get on the train it is dark and this is not a game we can play we play peek a boo where she throws a blanket over her head and pretends that’s she can not see me which is always a fun game.Sometimes this can go on for the whole hour, and we have even had people who sit next to us join in.

Since she has gone upstairs into the big room singing is something which they do a lot more of so, of course, we have to have renditions of songs such as the wheels on the bus and old MacDonald. She does seem to get very annoyed if I get the words wrong I love been able to watch her grow up and learn more new songs some which I am surprised she can sing as they are complicated. Once she even got a random lady who was sat a few rows behind us kept joining in on the songs. 

Apps are another great way to keep her entertained at the moment she is still really enjoying playing on the Appelsin Town app which I reviewed way back in the summer. She has now learnt how to do more things on the app which means she is enjoying it a hell of a lot more than she was previously. I am always looking for apps which are educational for her I have an iPhone so it does mean that she can play on my iPad which means she does not drain my battery or use my data because for sure I know she would try and get on youtube or Netflix and watch either Peppa or paw patrol.

Do you commute with your toddler or frequently do train journey's how do you keep them entertained.

Charlotte xx

Tips For Dealing With Nappy Rash

It is horrible seeing your child have sore bum because you know how painful it would be if it were to happen to yourself. Today I am going to share with you some of the tips which I have done in order to help prevent her from suffering from a nappy rash and also what I do when she does actually get in because you can do everything to avoid it, however, sometimes this is not enough.

The first tip is to make sure that you change their nappy regular this might sound silly, but as they become older and closer to potty training when they are not filling nappy’s as often, this can become something which you can actually forget. It is recommended that you change either nappy every 3-4 hours which they are wake, of course, the last thing you want to do is to wake a small sleeping child.  Of course, should your child have a dirty nappy or have a full nappy you will need to change it and this could be more often than the recommended time. I will sometimes admit when I am busy whether it is commuting or on a busy day out I forget that she needs to be changed this often. At the moment we are potty training which means that she is not going in nappies as often which keeps them cleaner.

Make sure you get fragrance free baby wipes because adding too much fragrance to a babies bum can cause them irritation which is never good and can be a cause of nappy rash. It is recommended that you do not use too many baby wipes, however, keep their bum as clean and hygienic as possible. I use a mixture of brands ranging from Pampers, Huggies to ever supermarkets own brand and am yet to find a brand which has made her bum sore I would recommend all the ones which I have listed above.  I wipe at every change and of course when it is a dirty nappy I have to use more than one. It is recommended that you do use water and cotton wool but as we all know this is not convenient when you are on days out or change nappies where there may not be running water . For example I change Jess in the front room and would have to make trips to the kitchen while she would be laid on the changing mat.

I try and allow Jess to have some time when she is sore when she does not have to wear a nappy as this can make it worse. I know it is not always possible but letting her even 5-10 minutes per day when she has no nappy on can give her massive benefits when she is struggling with nappy rash,. Since we are doing potty training at the moment it does mean that we can actually give her a little bit longer because of the fact she usually tells us when we need to put her on the potty.

Finally I would recommend getting some kind of barrier cream such as sudacream or bepanthen  I have used both of these creams which have worked wonders when I think Jess if coming out with some nappy rash. I have been known to apply it when she is not even suffering with in order to keep her bum in the best condition which I can.  You can actually purchase everything you need in order to treat nappy rash from this section of Chemist4U- Nappy rash products

What are your top tips for avoiding nappy rash?

Charlotte xx

This post is in collabration with Chemist4U howver, all words are my own like always 

Protecting those precious teeth

Getting your toddler to brush their teeth can be a huge struggle this is something we have found usually when Jess is teething that she does not want to. Let's face it who would like to be put their toothbrush on an area which is already very sore thank gosh we do not actually remember what it is like when we get our teeth. I am very lucky having a child like Jess who actually really does like to brush her teeth and sometimes she will ask randomly during the day to brush her teeth.

Usually Jess will brush her teeth in a morning after she gets washed which is around the same time as I manage to brush mine I think it is important to do it at the same time every day as it gets her used to it been part of the routine and something which she is not going to forget to do. I know as she is growing up will put a small amount of the toothpaste we actually used adult ones but check that it is suitable for under 6-year-olds. This is something I was told I could do from my dentist as people can find to remove their child from children's toothpaste after the age of 6 because they are used to sweet flavours and not the harsh mint flavour. This is a tip which I would pass on to any other parent because for sure it is one which has saved us money not having to have two lots of toothpaste.

I let Jess brush her teeth herself the first time because I feel like it gives her a little bit more independence. This is not something which she needs more of but it helps her to feel like she is a big girl and something which she loves. Of course, because brushing her teeth is such a big job I do take some more toothpaste and make sure that she has done a good job because tooth decay is something which I do not want her to struggle with in the future.

Since Jess has had teeth we have used the wisdom toothbrushes. The reason for this is that they are small enough that toddlers can grip them meaning that they can have more control of the toothbrush making their cleaning skills even better which is always something that you want as a parent. I make sure that she does go to the dentist every 6 months one so that she gets used to having to go and doesn't become scared like I am. Also due to the fact that they can check her teeth which makes double sure that together we are doing a good job.

Taking care of your teeth is something important as they are the teeth you have for the rest of your life and you do not get a chance to change them without huge costs. This is something which I hope Jess keeps up as she grows and hopefully the products she uses to continue to work for her.

What do you use to clean your little one's teeth?

Charlotte x

Gift Guide - Toddler Stocking Edition

Toddlers are one of the easiest people I have to purchase gifts for this Christmas, of course, I have a two-year girl, however, some of these you could use for different ages or girls boys as well. I have decided that this year I am going to only going to do stocking gift guides the reason behind it is because I prefer to purchase people smaller gifts which mean so much to them. I will say that Jess this Christmas is going to get a toy kitchen I think from us as her main present because this is something which she adores at nursery and she loves pretending to cook for us all of the time as well.

In this gift guide, they are items which Jess already owns nothing is actually her presents the reason behind this is she was with me when I was photographing and some of her presents are actually hidden already.


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November Toddler Instagram Haul

As you know, I love shopping small business, and Instagram is a platform which allows me to do this more often. If you got onto my Instagram feed, you would see that half of it at least is a small business which is impressive because some of the ladies who run these companies do it on top of a full-time job which is crazy. They make these items on a night and weekends which shows that it is their hobby so if I can promote them all a little bit and support them I will.

The first company is actually one from Facebook and a company which is local to me, and it is B's boutique this is a company which I actually purchased some bows from way back at Easter time. When I was aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, I saw that she was doing these amazing Children In Need bows which I knew I had to purchase as I knew that Jess would be doing something for the occasion at nursery.  I knew I wanted to get her something a little bit different like a bow rather than just getting something off the shelf from Asda. When I went further down on her page, I noticed that she was also doing these remembrance bows and of course Jess is too young to actually wear a poppy, so I thought that if I managed to get her something it still shows that she cares even though she doesn't know what it fully means. I think both bows with postage only cost me £7 which is a steal when you think how long they will have taken to make and how much wear Jess is going to get out of them.

As you might remember way back in July I purchased a skirt with this same fabric, however, with the weather coming colder I knew that Jess needed a blanket which would keep her warm on cooler mornings when we are travelling. This is when I found Gladragscustomcloths which is a very small Instagram company with less than 200 followers. which has the exact fabric and offer to make buggy blankets which is the perfect size for what we wanted. The lovely lady actually purchased the fabric in as she had none in stock and in total it took less than two weeks I think for me to receive which is an amazing turn around for a small company. This cost me £20 however, I know that I am going to get plenty of use from this and Jess is not going to drag it along the floor like she used to with the bigger ones. I would recommend this company and if I require anything like this in the future I will return to this store.

I purchased again from prettypenguinclothing which is where I purchased the avengers skirt from in July. I still follow this amazing company so when they announced that they were doing to do Children in Need skirts I knew that I needed it because I think it is going be great for Jess as I knew nursury were going to do something for the occasion I think this skirt only cost me £8 with so much of the money going to the charity which is always amazing as this is what we are all raising money for. I picked this up in the size 12-18 and actually it is the same as the one which we had last year and it suited Jess so I know she is going to look super cute with this skirt this year. 

While I was looking on prettypenguinclothing I purchase another skirt I love Jess in black for some reason however, it is not a colour which you see a lot in toddler and baby clothing. So when I spied this skirt which is black with white and grey clouds on it I knew I had to purchase this. I can see this been teamed with a bright coloured tshirt and some tights. I did actually purchase this in 2-3 years which means that it is not going to fit Jess for a while but when it does I am sure she will look super cute and rock this outfit. I can not believe this skirt is only £8 and it is actually homemade. 

The final item which I picked up from prettypenguinclothing was this super awesome pink rainbow skirt which is in 18-24 months so I think it is going to fit Jess in the spring time at the rate she is going. I think this is actually one of my favourite fabrics which Jess has. It is something which I was going to get leggings in however, I decided to get it in a size up and be able to use it in the spring again this is going to be paired with tights. I think this is an item which is going to get plenty of wear out of. Again this skirt is only £8 and the company have a turn around of 2-3 weeks however, I actually got mine I think in around 1 week. This is a company which I would completely recommend. 

 The item item which I purchase is from a lovely company called Surviving Society which is ran by a lovely lady who I have made friends with over on there. When I saw that she had launched these tshirts I knew I had to have them because one this colour really suits Jess and you do not see a lot of this colour. The second reason was because tigers are something which are really love in the house it does not have anything to do with our local football team at all. The final reason I purchased this is because I really like to celebrate little companies where you purchase makes a huge different and of course if you have met Jess you will know that she is a fierce mini person I am even scared of her sometimes. 

Have you purchased anything from Instagram recently?  Also with it coming up to the festive season please leave me links to your favourite stores because I actually want to shop as local and small as possible this year. 

Charlotte xxx 

Toddler Book Advent Calendar

Jess is a child who is really not that bothered by chocolate and due to the fact that we end up leaving home very early in a morning she would not be able to eat the chocolate and I do not think that she would be that bothered when she gets home. Instead of actually purchasing her a chocolate advent calendar this year again I have decided to make her a book advent calendar as reading books is something which she really enjoys before bed.  I think it is a good way to be able to get new books into your children's collection you could do this by picking books up in the charity shop because you can get some very cheap good quality books doing this. You could also pick them up in the works when they do they £10 books for £10 offer which is what I did.

If you are unsure on the concept of this basically you select 24 books for your child wrap them up like a present. Last year I purchased some cheap gift tags and wrote the number on them and then you open the one which corresponds with the date like a normal advent calendar. You could write on the wrapping paper should you want and this is something which I might do this year I am undecided yet.

The books which are in Jess's advent calender if you want some inspiration in what books to purchase for a 2 year old are the following.

Home is where the heart is by Lisa Alderson & Alice King
The greedy dog by Alex Firth
I love you sleepyhead by Claire Freedman & Simon Mendez
Stop Monkeying around by Cupcake
Hungry Harry by Joanne Partis
What you doing in my bed by Daniel Bedford
What's in your pocket by Ruth Symons
My big shouting day by Rebecca Patterson
Bedtime for little bears by David Bedford
Hold Tight by John Prater
Grubs Pup by Abi Burlington 
Grub in love by Abi Burlington & Sarah Warbuton 
Who loves baby? by Julia Hurbery
Your the Best
I love you Daddy by Jillian Harker 
The very sleepy sloth by Andrew Murray 
This is my pet
Lion Practice by Emma Carlisle 
You and Me always
Bedtime Hullabaloo by David Conway
Shy Little Lion 
That's not funny bunny by Bethany Heines
Dog did it by Lynne Garner 
Bye Bye baby brother by Sheena Dempsey

What are you putting in your little ones advent calendar this year?

Charlotte x

Toddlerbike 2 Review

Recently we was contacted by the lovely people at Toddlerbike who asked us if we would like to review their toddlerbike 2. Jess is one of those children who love to be outside even when it is a little bit chilly and she loves been on ride on's she even got on one and started driving around mothercare on one of out most recent visits.

I was not actually in when the box which this bike arrives in and my parents thought that it was an empty box because it actually weight 0.8kg which is around 3x times lighter than other toddler bikes such as the Scuttlebug.  This means that it is not too heavy for toddlers to carry I have found Jess carrying her own which is always good because she can take it out herself in the summer. You could throw it under the pram and take it to the park should you want and should you have to pop in the car it would fit in with a pram in the boot as well.

This bike is designed for toddlers between the age of 18 months to 3 years so Jess is slap bang in the middle of the age that this is designed for as a two year old. This bike is really easy to control it has really narrow wheels and I think this could be the reason why Jess seems to be able to turn corners very easily meaning she for sure can get a speed on so I have to be careful she does not run me over.

The height of the bike is perfect Jess she can reach the handle bars without having to bend over too much or have to stretch which must mean that it is very comfortable for her which means she want to stay on it for longer which is always a bonus.  This bike is so hard wearing plastic and we have had mud on it and all I did was wipe it with a baby wipe so I would say it is super easy to clean which is great if like us you are still using it outdoors.If you have the space unfortunately we do not you could use this indoors.

Toddlerbike are waterproof, toddler proof and also come with a 3 year guarantee which is always handy with crazy toddlers like Jess who could break anything very easy.  I will be recommending these bikes to friends who have children younger than Jess because they are something which I think everyone will love and they are a small business who deserve more love.

The bike comes in three different colours  midnight blue, pinky pink and racing red. It does not break the bank coming in at £23.95 with free shipping to UK and Ireland. These would make a great Christmas present and should you want to order one I have a discount code for 10% off with the code Blog17.

Do you know anyone who would like this bike?

Charlotte x
 I was sent the product for the purpose of this review. As always opinion and photos are 100% my own.

Dear Dada- The Week Nothing Goes Right

Dear Dada

A couple of weeks ago Mummy was telling me all about Friday 13th and how people claim everything goes wrong on that date and you have bad luck. Well, I think me and Mummy have had a couple of weeks of the bad luck I can't wait for our luck to change.

It started last week when I got ill and mummy had to take time off which she really could have done without because I know how super busy she is. Then on Friday, the bus decided to break down on the way to nursery which meant that we were late and you know how much been late stress Mummy out. I think it was about half an hour late so that was never good. The train has been late a few times recently in the morning which and that she has been getting there 5-10 min late which doesn't help. I keep telling her there is nothing that she can do about that.

We had to take my pram back so it could get sent off because the wheels have started to play their tricks again which is not something which pleased mummy as pushing me got even harder. We got a replacement pram while it is away and within 20 mins of pushing it the back wheel has come off great when you have a commute like us. We managed to cope and get back to the station after nursery and take it back to get it swapped for a new replacement, however, I think mummy is scared it is going to happen again.

This week mummy realised she didn't send her ethics for her dissertation off when she thought she did instead she saved them which means that they are not going to be marked for another 3 weeks. Instead of being able to massage people she is going to have to continue reading around the topic. Then to top it off it took us 3 hours to get home on the bus on Friday this is one reason you need to get your bum home. I think mummy's week was complete when you told her that you were not coming home for another 3 weeks. She might have actually cried even though she will never admit it. I think we need to do some serious cheering Mummy up when you are back.

This weekend because of all of this we had a pretty chilled on I don't really think we left the house because mummy just wanted to catch up on some jobs which she needed to do. I know she went through some of my toys and clothing because I have so much and it is nearly Christmas again. So she needs to make room for all the new things which I am going to get if I am a good girl.

I hope I made your day when we Skype today and I was super cute at the end blowing you kisses and telling you I miss you. That is the truth Daddy I really miss you and can't wait to see you now. Don't worry this week will fly by because it's Halloween I can't wait to show you my outfit next week and if I am a good girl mummy might find somewhere to take me to see fireworks at the weekend for bonfire night.

I miss and love you so much Daddy

Love Jess xxx

Infacare Nightime Bubble Bath Review

Bubble bath is something which we get through a ton of in our house because as you might know Jess is such a water baby she seems to love to the water and if you offer her the chance to have a bath she will more than likely snap your hand off and have one. Usually, this does end up with me been covered in water but as long as she is having fun to me that is all that matters. We are lucky because Jess does not actually suffer from sensitive skin at all which means that we are pretty lucky that we can just pick up any brand of bubble bath usually based on the smell and use that. We have been known to use whichever has been the cheapest at boots or the supermarket depending where we have been shopping when we need more bubble bath. 

Recently I was contacted by Infacare to ask if I would like to review their nighttime baby bath and of course I took up there offer. It is a brand which we have used in the past because it was on offer and was one which I said that I would repurchase in the future, however, have not managed to get around to doing so. 

Infacare night-time ultra mild baby bath is kind to babies' sensitive skin and creates long lasting bubble this is something we found that was the case because even with Jess splashing around in the bath we found that there was still plenty of bubbles left when it was time for her to get out. This is something which really pleased Jess as she is a massive fan of bubbles and she does like a lot of bubbles and this is something which happens with this bubble bath. 

I can not say that this bubble bath did make Jess sleep any better because she already is a pretty good sleeper so I could not comment on this element. However, I have noticed that she does have a beautiful scent when she is getting out of the bath when she has been using this product. I have noticed that when she has been washing her hair it does not matter if some of the product gets in her hair she does not seem to be crying which means that it must be sensitive enough not to be upsetting her eyes. 

The bottle is a huge 750ml which means that is going to last a while which is always great for someone who is busy like me because it can be pretty easy to run out of bubble bath and forget to purchase it when you are somewhere which sells it. When this happens it does mean that Jess ends up having to use my Lush something I like to keep for a treat. I will be picking some more of this up when I this huge bottle does come to an end. It can be picked up in all major supermarkets and places such as Boots and Superdrug and retails for £3.50 for 750ml however, regularly can be found on offer. 

Have you tried this bubble bath if so what did you think?

Charlotte x

This post does contain a PR sample however, all words are my own as ever 

5 Toddler Halloween Outfits Under £10

It's hard to believe that picture above was taken nearly a year ago now and the time has rolled around and it is Halloween again in just over a weeks time. I am sure that I am not the only parent who is on the hunt for an outfit to send their child to nursery in however, do not want to spend too much money as they are going to wear it for one day only. Today I am sharing with you my top picks for toddlers to wear this Halloween which are under £10 so it means that they are unlikely to break the bank something which is very important I know at this time of year to parents.

The first outfit which I have chosen is this Frankie outfit which I think would be perfect if you had a boy, for some reason I feel like it is a lot harder to find some nice boy outfits for Halloween however, this is one which I really like. I feel like it is one of those which is not too cute however, it is a little bit scary without being too scary which means that your toddler will not want to wear it. This outfit is actually from George at Asda and is priced at £9. You have a whole outfit include a headpiece here which I think is more shocking due to the price all you would need to do is maybe put some face paint on your child's dace and they would be all set. It can be purchased from Asda here

 

The next outfit which I love is this Devil this is similar to the one which I have picked up for Jess I did want this one but could not get in her size. I love the way that it looks with the wings and the fact that this outfit would look perfectly fine with some black tights as the model has on because as we all know it can be pretty cold at Halloween. This for sure is one which I would be picking up if I was still on the hunt for an outfit finally girls can be villains too as well instead of just the boys because I for one have a villain daughter I think this one is £9 from Asda it's available here.

How cool is this outfit it is a mix of skeletons which screams Halloween to me and dinosaurs which is one of my favourite things as well. This is an outfit which is going to keep you warm because of the fact that it is a onesie or an all in one suit. I think for sure you would actually get a lot of compliments on this and this is something which your child could wear as dressing up outfits after Halloween. This is not one which is just for boys girls could wear this as well. This is one of the most expensive coming in at £10 however, I think it is one of my favourites. This again is from Asda I promise they have not sponsored this post, however, they are killing it with their outfits this year. You can purchase it here 

Ok I cheated a little bit this one is slightly over budget at £12 however, it is one which I am sure that you could get a lot of wear out of this after Halloween as well. It is a beautiful black cat which comes with the headband I think if you team this with a pair of black tights and you would have an amazing outfit. This is from Matalan and can be purchased here 

 The final outfit which I have chosen is this spider witch outfit again from Asda and this is one of the cheapest coming in at only £7. This for me is a typical Halloween outfit and is not too scary so the children who they will be playing with will not be scared and think they are going to attack them. For this price, you could even try and accessories this with an amazing witches broom or something to really create the outfit. You can purchase this here .

What is your toddler dressing up as this Halloween?

Charlotte x

Dear Dada- All the fun of the fair

Dear Dada

This week has been super crazy mummy has had two deadlines which means that she has been a little bit stressed but don't worry she managed to smash them because she is super awesome as you keep telling her. Don't worry I keep telling her how proud of her we are and I am been her little cheerleader like you told me to when things get hard and she is struggling.

This does mean that I have been spending more time in nursery this week so that's he can smash her work out. You know this is not something I mind doing because it means I get more time to play with my little friends and of course this is always good. This week I have been spending time with my key worker and while she does work on the computer I have been sat next to her again claiming I am doing my work. Clearly, I see mummy spending too much time studying and working because I think I need to start now. Mummy got a report of the manager who said that I am a great 2 year old and everything is fine with me which always make mummy feel a little bit better because I know she hates the fact I am in nursery so much.

Due to the fact that I have been such a good girl this week mummy and grandma took me to the fair. I loved seeing all of the bright lights and even been able to have chips with curry which is a treat for me before I went on a couple of rides which I choose. I went on a  plane which you can see and I adored I was so focused on driving and smiling. I went on a horse as well because you know I adore them I loved it again and I kept smiling my head off. I can't wait to be able to go to the fair with you again next year I will be a bigger girl which means that I will be able to go on, even more, things which will be so much fun.

This weekend mummy had to go to work on Saturday which meant that I spend a day with grandma which is always fun. I can't believe it is the last grandma Jess day till Boxing Day I going to miss them because I always have so much fun with them.

Next week should be fun at nursery because of the fact that it is a baking week and we are going to be making things for parents buy every single day. So we raise money for children in need so this is going to be fun.

Hope you having a good time only 1 month and then you back don't worry it will go fast I love and miss you

Jess xxx

GAP, TU & Mothercare Toddler Clothing Haul

Clothing is something which Jess needs more of at the moment because the seasons has changed and it is a little bit cold to wear some of the things which she has been wearing while the weather has not been that cold.To coincide with this Jess has actually gone up a size in clothing she is now in the 12-18 month section which means that of course, she needs more clothing.  The first item is something which we picked up when TU had their 25% off and this was these 5 long sleeved tops which are going to be great for teaming with leggings and jeans for nursery they seem to be of good quality which means that they are going to be able to withstand all the hammer which Jess will end up giving them. I love how they are so bright which means that they are going to be able to be teamed with some of her darker bottoms. I think in totally these cost me something like £8 which I thought was a bargain for such a staple. 

The next item is actually out of season and it is from Gap and it is these amazing looney tunes pajamas I saw these had had to pick them up because they remind me of something which I would have worn when I was little. I think that the grey makes the characters pop out even more which is something that I actually like. I have purchased these in 18-24 months which that they may fit her in the spring summer but I had to get them now because they were reduced to £3.99 something which I though was a bargain for this time of item. They are going to be something which Jess is going to get a lot of wear out of because she loves PJ's and she can even wear it if it is cold outside because she has a duvet and the heating will be on as well.

The next item is something which I purchased from Sainsbury's when they had their sale on and it was these fleecy pajamas which have Skye and Everest on the front. These are going to be perfect for when it is a little bit cooler than it is currently because they are going to keep Jess super snuggle and warm I almost which that they did them in my size because I would love a pair of these. I think she is going to love them because for one they are paw patrol and she still seems to be obsessed with the show. Anything at the moment which makes her want to put on pajamas is a bonus because she never seems to want to put them on for the fear of being sent to bed. I think I picked these up for around the £8 mark which does seem expensive however, I hope they are going to last very well and she is going to get plenty of wear out of them. 

Mothercare is not a store which I visit a lot for clothing for Jess however, we popped in to get her feet measured and this was when I picked up this shower raincoat. I did actually purchase it in the size 2-3 years which means that it is not going to fit her for a while however, this is something which she is always needing because living in the North of England you never know when it is going to rain. I love how this is not too thin because it means it is going to protect her from the wind as well. Jess is not a child who owns a lot of pink at the moment I thought this wouild be perfect for her. This was reduced from £17 to £11 and is going to be something which Jess gets plenty of wear from. 

The next item which I purchased for Jess was this beautiful swing dress from Sainsbury's which is a grey dress covered in Skye from Paw Patrol. Jess's favourite character is Skye so when I saw this online I knew I had to pick it up you may have actually seen Jess wearing this because of the fact she wore it on her birthday. This is one which we adore because it looks amazing on her it has long sleeves which means that her arms do not get cold and it can be paired with tights and boots and look like an amazing outfit that we have thought about it. This is something which she is going to get a lot of wear out of and when it becomes a little bit too short for her we can put leggings under and she will still be able to wear it. I think I picked this up for around £5 which is amazing because it is going to be one of our favourites dress we have in this age.

These leggings are again from GAP I saw them in the window and had to go in and find them if you can not tell they are snow white leggings. I adore the print that there is all over them I wish they did them in pajamas bottoms for adults because they are sure something which I would purchase. I adore these they are in a white/beige colour I think that these are going to be able to be teamed with a bright top or something plain. This is going to be something which she is going to get a lot of wear out of these on a weekend because Jess would ruin them in a nursury way to quickly which is not fun. These were on 30% off which means that there wear around £7. It reminds me that Gap is another shop which I need to visit more because they do some amazing toddler clothing.

These are another bargain which I picked up off in Mothercare and there were these 3 pairs of leggings I actually got them in 18-24 months because Jess has so many in 12-18 so she can grow into these. They were only £6 which means that she is going to be able to wear them for nursery because of the fact that I am not that bothered should they get ruined. I love the white pair which is very floral and butterfly they would look amazing with some of her plainer tops. The other two pairs are very plain a light blue pair and a pink which she is going to be able to wear with some of her busier tops. I am sure we will be getting a hell of a lot of wear out of these when they fit her which could be the springtime. I would recommend looking in mothercare as you can get some amazing bargains like we have I must visit more often because I forget how nice some of their clothing is. 

The final item which I picked up in Mothercare is these wintery pajamas which are very soft and have an almost fleecy bottom which makes me want them in my size as well. I think that these are going to be great for around the Christmas period because of the fact that they look so wintery. I can see Jess wearing these a lot in December and hopefully we will be allowed some pajama days which means that she can get even more wear out of them. I think it is essential to have some nice pajamas it is something you want to be comfy in as it helps you have a better nights sleep I have found. I think these were reduced to around £5 because of the fact they are from last Christmas rather than this season which is great because we would never know and it is such a bargain.

Have you picked up any nice toddler clothes recently?

Charlotte x

Bedtime Reading With Miffy

Bedtime is a time which some parents dread I know sometimes because I have a toddler who does not like to go to bed for the fear of missing something while she is asleep it can be a right old battle. At the moment she seems to want screen time just before going upstairs and this can mean we have a tantrum when we removed the iPad from her before bed. At the moment in order to win the battle with her we have been saying shall we go upstairs and read a story before bed.

This means that I am getting to give her a cuddle and she is having a little bit of quiet time before going off to sleep meaning, in theory, it should be easier for her to drift off to sleep. I have also have fond memories of reading before bed and I think this is what has made me want to read more for pleasure as an adult hopefully this is something which Jess will benefit from as well. I even seem to think when I was a young child that I had some of the miffy books as well so it is great to see an old character still around now. I have noticed since we have been reading stories before bed that she has learnt more words which is great because it means she has a wide range of words to choose from and her speech is coming on amazing this is something I am so proud of her for.

We were very lucky to be sent miffy at the gallery and Miffy the fairy to read as part of our bedtime routine and this is something which we are so grateful for. In the miffy at the gallery, she goes off and visits the art gallery as you would expect this is a story which is not too long in length meaning it is perfect at keeping her short attention span and also can be read in one go.

Miffy the fairy is a story of when miffy shares with us all the things which she would do if she was a fairy and all of the spells she could cast upon people. I wonder what different spells Jess would do if she had the powers to be able to do whatever she wanted. Actually, I bet I do not want to know this.

These Miffy books have a very good colourful illustration on the page next to them which means that the child's interest is always maintained which is good if you have children with short attention spans like Jess. I also find the length of these books amazing there are around 30 pages which means that it does not take too long to do the bedtime story before I scoop her into her cot and usually she is just about to drift off.

I love that these books actually allow us to spend a period of time together reading and away from all distractions it feels like it is a proper little bit of Mummy and Jess time which is amazing because sometimes I feel like we do not get enough of this at all. This is something we try and do most nights if Jess is not too tired and grumpy. I think I might have to hunt out more Miffy books in the future because I am really enjoying the two which we have currently

Whyourare you favourite books to read before bed?

Charlotte x
This post contains a PR sample however, all words are my own 

September Favourites

I do not know about you but I can not believe that the whole month of September has gone I think that I blinked and this month went it has been one of my favourite months which we have has I am unsure if this was because of the fact that Joe came home so we spent some time with him and it also, of course, was Jess's second birthday. I can not believe that I am now a mummy to a two-year-old I am not loving how fast my baby girl is growing up.

This month I have one of the most random collection of items which both me and Jess have been loving in the month of September.  The first item which Jess has loved is having this penguin cuddly toy I think that the reason that Jess loves it so much is that Daddy got this for Jess while he has been away so when she sleeps with it she now thinks of Daddy. I think every single night that she goes to be she will be cuddling it I have even seen her with this under her arm which is one of the cutest things I am sure this is going to be something which she loves more now that he has gone away. She loves that she can attack us with the penguin a little bit and I, of course, have seen her cook a meal for the penguin she tried to share breakfast with him the other day.

Another favourite of Jess's has been the book Dear Zoo this is one which I think that I have read a couple of times at least a night when she wants a bedtime story no doubt one at least this book. I think she has made me read it that many times that I know all of the words and I think it has got to the stage that Jess is the same with this book. I love that she is loving reading because it is something which I love for her to do because reading is an important skill which she is going to have for life. I remember always reading before bed.

One of my own favourites this month has been my planners I do actually have two I have one which is just for university which is a personal planner. This has all of my deadlines in so that I know when my work has to be in and then I also see when I have to be in if I did not have this diary I think I would be lost because I would never know where I needed to be at all. I have that much on sometimes I think I need my own PA. I also would like to mention that I do use a busy bee diary as well which helps me get organised on my blog because I do not have that much time to blog so I am scheduling a lot of post I am planning Halloween at the moment and Christmas without my planner I do not think I would be able to blog at all.

Jess has been loving a youtube channel which is called little baby brum this is a channel I think I first found them for her on netflix which shows nursery rhythms and this is something which she loves because they have started been to sing them even more at nursery. At the moment she is really loving the wheels on the bus and wind the bobbin up because I think they may be something which they sing a lot. While she has been watching this is she has started to learn even songs we did not know and she has even started to learn colours because of other videos which she has found on youtube I think she watches things which are been dipped into paint and then they say the colours. This is something which I have found to enhance Jess's learning and it is something which I am proud of her for.

The next couple of favouites I have to blame Joe for the first is the TV show shock I know I actually watched a normal tv show and that was the programme naked attraction. If you have not seen this is a show were you chose the person you want to take on a date and you see them fully naked. There are 6 people to start with and you whittle them down to one who you take on the date. I love watching this show because I feel like you can play along when you are watching it at home because you can say who you would get rid of. I think in a week we managed to watch something like 5 episodes I am sure this is going to be something which we end up watching more when Joe is back. I do not like watching it alone because it is not as half as fun.

The final item which I have been loving is the app fallout shelter this is something which I have had on my phone for a long period of time however, it was not until Joe came home and had been playing it I needed to play again. You have to build a shelter and make sure that you have enough power, water, and food you have to get weapons because there can be some attacks and you can not allow them to die. You can send them on some quests which allow you to get the weapons and the armor. This is an app which I will tell you it does actually drain your battery but it is one which I adore playing on the commute because I want a better valut when Joe comes back.

What have you been loving this month?

Charlotte x

Jess's 2nd Birthday Haul

As you might know on the 15th September Jess turned two I know where had my baby girl gone now she is a grown-up little toddler who loves been super independent. On the run-up to her birthday, I have been reading up on what other people had been purchasing for their toddlers because as you might know, Jess is rarely at home because she is in full-time nursery and this means she does not actually get a lot of time spent at home to play with toys.  So I thought I would share with you what Jess actually got for her birthday.

I am not bragging about what she got because I know she is a very lucky little girl people did not have to spend any money on her however they did and I am sharing with you the lovely gifts she got.
First of all is the card which we actually got Jess usually I wouldn't include cards in a post like this, however, I had it specially designed from the lovely handmade_by_bubblestorm on Instagram. Jess is paw patrol mad and I had been trying to find one which was paw patrol with daughter on with no much success so when I found this lovely lady I knew I had to purchase. I think either the crayon and colour of Skye it was £5 as part of an offer she was conducting one Friday. I would recommend checking her store out because she does amazing cards.


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