Single Mummy; One In A Million

Is is possible to ever get over an Ex?

2012-01-27T20:21:00.000Z

I became a mother at the end of 2009. I've been single since the father and I broke up, it will have been just over 3 years. It did end on bitter terms.

I am constantly questioning what if. I would like to know if it is ever possible to completely get over someone you have been with for so long?

When I told him I was pregnant, he said he didn't believe me. We went back and forth saying we would work it out but sadly it ended on bitter terms. He was at the hospital after when our son was born, and did see Jack until he was about 3 months old.

I suffered extreme postnatal depression after I had Jack; the delivery wasn't exactly how I imagined, and only now have just started getting back on track.

This guy is one of the longest relationship's I have had; I can't seem to get him off my mind. It wasn't the best relationship - most errors were on his part; but I was so stupid I forgave him. But I can honestly say I did love him.

Since we broke up, he has dated a couple other girls. I've been internet stalking him (horrible, I know). It's the only way I can get some comfort knowing he is still around. I just wish I could talk to him just so I can explain how I am feeling and maybe that will get him out of my mind?

I can only wonder what it would be like if I was still with him? Should he have stuck around and supported me through the rough of my postnatal depression? Did he do the right thing to leave me and move on?

What I can't get off my mind is how he acted while at the hospital with me. He constantly told me he loved me. Even when I'm not on the internet, I can't stop thinking about him. I'm with our son constantly, so it's difficult to erase him from my mind. He has erased me from his, though, and it hurts immensely. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get over him?

Face of the day!

2012-01-27T11:43:00.000Z

On my face:
Clinique anti-blemish solutions liquid makeup - 01 fresh alabaster
Natural collection pressed powder - neutral (reduces shine to give a matter finish to skin)
Sleek Makeup blush - Pomegranate

On my eyes:
MUA eye shadow Shade 24 - Pearl (all over lid)
MUA eye shadow Shade 30 - Pearl (outer corner and crease)
MUA eye shadow shade 16 - Matt (brow bone and to blend from crease)
Bourjois Maxi Frange Waterproof mascara - 51 Black
Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl - Black

On my lips:
Lush bubblegum lip scrub (rub a little into your lips to scrub them smooth and soft)
Rimmel London lipstick 058 drop of sherry
Barry M limited Edition Lip gloss

Could you be my Valentine?

2012-01-26T11:36:00.002Z

I made this online application form for a bit of fun. I don't expect anything to come of it; just thought it would a laugh!

Please don't take this to seriously.

I will post my favourite response's after Valentines day.

Enjoy!

Loading...

Jacks top 5 Apps for his iPod Touch!

2012-01-24T11:40:00.000Z

For Christmas I gave in and brought Jack his own iPod touch. He loves it! At 3 he knows how to turn it on, play games and listen to music! He knows how to turn the volume up himself and also how to lock it when he has finished! He knows more than I do!!

Here are his top 5 applications (which I installed on his iPod for him!)

1. At number one; there is no surprise but it' Thomas The Tank Engine. This app allows him to complete puzzles, control a train around a track and also matching. He loves doing the puzzles and guessing what engine it will be!

Thomas The Tank Engine app for the iPod Touch
Images taken by myself from apps
©2012

2. At number two; is Toca Doctor. He loves his game! It's aimed at children between 2 and 4 years. There are a number of fun mini games which all involve different parts of the body. He loves mending the bones in the leg and also catching all the bugs from the hair!

Toca Doctor app for the iPod Touch
Images taken by myself from apps
©2012

3. Coming in at number 3; is Talking Larry! This little white bird copies everything which Jack says in a high speed and high pitched voice! There are also 3 different buttons you can press. One to feed him, one to make him bow and the other is to fire him (as Jack calls it) He finds it so funny and loves talking to him. I sometimes hear him having a full conversation with it!

Talking Larry app for iPod Touch
Images taken by myself from apps
©2012

4. At number 4 is Humf! Jack loves singing and dancing to the theme tune which is played at the start of this app. His favourite game is where Humf and Loon are blowing up balloons. He loves to blow them up and let them go laughing at the noise! There are 9 games on this app which is good value for money.

Humf app for iPod Touch
Images taken by myself from apps
©2012

5. And at number 5 is a hair dresser game called Toca Hair Salon; or the 'hair one' in Jack's words! At first Jack didn't like this game, he said it was to loud (I think he meant the start up credits!) I often find him turning the volume up really loud and running away from it! He loves playing with different characters doing their hair using the scissors, shaver, hair dryer and even the coloured spray cans to change the hair colour.

Toca Hair Salon app for iPod Touch
Images taken by myself from apps
©2012

A quick and healthy dinner idea using Jus Roll pastry.

2012-01-15T14:36:00.001Z

I thought I would share with you something which is rather yummy! I like to include lots of vegetables!
You can easily change the toppings you use on this. It's like a pizza but a lot yummier! You could serve with a nice salad, jacket potatoes or even home made chips!

You will need:

Jus Roll puff pastry
Baking sheet
Small amount of oil
Herbs
Tomato puree
A choice of toppings (sweetcorn, ham, peppers, tomatoes, chorizo, mushrooms)
Cheese
A little milk and a pastry brush

First I un-roll the pastry and lay it on a greased baking sheet and spread a think layer of tomato puree onto leaving about 2 cm gap around the edge. This will create a lovely crispy edge.

I then chop up all the toppings. I have found it's best to cook the sweetcorn before using it as it lets out a lot of water and this makes the base soggy. Then, I start to layer the toppings onto the base. Once all the toppings are on the base, I then sprinkle a little cheese over the top.

Chorizo, sweetcorn, green pepper and plum tomato

Ham, green pepper, sweetcorn and plum tomato

I use a little milk on a pastry brush and start to brush it around the edge of the pastry, this will give it a nice golden colour.

Then I put it into the oven on gas mark 7 for about 18 - 20 minutes or until the pastry edges have turned golden.

Once it's cooked I like to sprinkle it with some ripped basil and serve it warm. This can also be enjoyed cold.

Night time training

2012-01-06T21:27:00.000Z

Tonight I decided Jack was ready to go through the night without any nappy or pull up on.
He has gone to bed in a pair of pants and his pyjamas.

I did put a water-proof bed sheet on (just incase) and spoke very calmly to Jack before he went to sleep. I encouraged Jack to go for a wee before he went to bed. I then explained if he needed a wee in the night to get up and go to the toilet and if he was to have an accident then to come in and wake me up. *Fingers crossed* it's as easy as the daytime training was.

I'll keep you updated!
If you have any tips or advice I would love to hear them. Please post them in a comment below!

Child Support Agency (CSA)

2012-01-05T11:25:00.000Z

I would like to share with you my ongoing battle with the CSA. I have been battling, trying to get a payment from Jack's dad for nearly 3 years; no joy. I still don't have a regular payment and don't believe I ever will.

First he is employed, assessment is made and a deduction of earning order is set and a few monthly payments are received. He then goes on to leave that employer and finds new employment. I then have to wait another 6 months for wage details to be sent in, during this period he leaves employment. And so on and so on. During this time I was asked if I had any contact with him and if I knew anything about his situation, address and contact number. Why should I start doing their job and have contact with a man I don't want in my life? I felt as if they were forcing me to have contact with him. This whole employed then not employed has gone on for about 2 years. They told me they can't force him to stay in a job (but in some degrees they can) They say they can take driving licences off them and set up court hearings - never once has any of this enforcement action been taken.

How long does someone have to wait before some action is taken against a non paying parent?

About 6 months ago he denied Jack was his child and the CSA contacted me. They said they couldn't do a free DNA as he had made a few payments in the past; which in their eyes; they see he has accepted he is the father. He is on the birth certificate, if he had any doubt then he should have asked for one when Jack was born! I told them I had nothing to hide and if he wanted a DNA test then he could go right ahead! They informed me if he did want one it would have to be funded out of his own pocket - funnily enough; that was the last I heard on that matter!

Currently he has told them he is self employed but has failed to send in his company books and other relevant documentation. I am sat wondering how long he can drag it out this time? Surely they can trace him through his company name and tax code? I know and understand it is harder to trace someone who is self employed and the information they produce may not be true as they dot declare everything and this will affect the amount paid to me. Surely there is something they can use to trace his income?

I can't understand how and why he has been allowed to get away with not paying it. Every time I call up (which is almost every other week) and ask whats going on in the case they tell me they are in contact with him and waiting to get more details about his situation. Why not just demand a payment from him! I can't say I am really bothered by the amount; I just want him to pay for his child!

I did contact my local MP but because I didn't have a "high" amount of arrears and the parent was in contact with the CSA and being compliant they couldn't help me move my case along.

It's almost like they don't want the parent with care to get ANY financial support for the child. I didn't ask to be a single parent but they are penalising you because they are the only company out there which can get maintenance as the courts no longer take cases on.

If I stopped doing everything for Jack like feeding him, clothing him and looking after him I am almost sure I would be looking at a case of child neglect? Isn't he neglecting his child by not paying for things the child needs?

I personally feel that any non resident parent who ISN'T paying for their child should have all reproductive organs removed! That way they would stop leaving a trail of children they don't pay for.
Parent's with care are then left suffering as they are relying on the state to help them raise the child.

I would like to hear any other views on this matter. These are just my thoughts and what has happened to me. I am not in anyway saying this is how other cases are treated or handled.

My top 5 Christmas products...

2011-12-12T17:53:00.000Z

...from Lush!!
I wanted to share with you the top 5 products I like from the Christmas range at Lush. I hope to get some of these for Christmas, maybe even a lovely gift set!

Snow Globe Soap

"A snowy dome of soap with an uplifting lemon myrtle and lemongrass fragrance.
We make this blue soap in a big dome shape and puts lots of balls of white soap in it, to look like a snow globe that’s just been shaken up. When we cut you a slice from it, it means that no matter where we go through with the knife, you’ll get an interesting slice with white and blue shapes.
And as your nose goes to smell it and expects to smell mint (because that’s what everyone does with blue winter soaps), what you get instead is a burst of uplifting citrus and lemongrass.
Just what you need in the depths of winter when all about you is cold and bleak.
Shake up something a little different in your bath or shower and escape for a little while."

Cinders Bath Bomb

"A ballistic to evoke sitting by a crackling open fire, drinking a glass of warm punch.
A real Christmas time ballistic that fights the chill and brings peace and comfort. Lie back, letting the water support your body, and listen to the fire as the smell of warm fruit punch fills the room.
Almond essential oil, sweet orange oil and cinnamon leaf oil give a smooth fruity scent with a touch of spice. It lifts the mind and lingers on the skin
We’ve also put popping candy in this mix, which gently crackles in the water, giving you a bath with sound effects. If you really want to hear them go, then dip your head underwater for the full cacophony.

Have a Cinders if you want to hide away from the big bad world and feel the warming comforts of home. Great too if you just want to blow away the cobwebs in your mind, or the dust and soot from your body."

Snow Fairy Shower Gel

"Our winter temptress shower hair and body gel that’s bursting with fruit fragrance and has a sparkle of ice through it.
Now we must confess, it’s a mystery to us why this one particular product should become our number one Xmas bestseller. It’s not your classic hippy dippy Lush herbal offering. Instead it is an intensely sweet, fruity pink shower gel loved by people everywhere.
Snow Fairy refuses to be pigeonholed. All sorts of people fall for her charms. We never fail to be amazed at the wide array of people who seem to love this pink confection. We have photos and letters from you, telling us your little girl likes it, it’s your gran and granddad’s favourite, your brother pinches it, etc,etc. We were even once sent a photo of a bunch of soldiers using it in the barracks showers!
So don’t write Snow Fairy off as pink and girly. Its smell of candy floss and pear drops transports all of us back to days of standing in the sweet shop with our pocket money clasped in our fist, trying to decide what to buy.
Grab her and take her into a shower near you – you may have found a friend for life."

Abombinaball Bath Bomb

"Our big ,shy snow monster ballistic, with a scent of peppermint oil, vanilla absolute and orange oil.
Abombinaball snowmen are rare and exotic ballistics. They don’t hang around for long, so snap one up whilst you can.
Our little icy friend will come out to play any time you choose to have a bath.
He’ll erupt in your bathwater first in a burst of golden yellow that leaves your bathwater an electric green. He then evades capture as he goes around your bath fizzing and giving off puffs of fine white foam. Just when you think you’ve worked out what he is and where he’s coming from, he suddenly lets off jets of blue slipstream and makes haste across your bath, suddenly disappearing from wherever it was he came. Leaving you soaking in a delicately scented, alpine green bath and wishing and hoping that you get to see him again one day soon.
Capture yourself a few before they vanish again."

The Melting Snowman Bath Melt

"Our little snowman is about to shuffle off this mortal coil – but not before you get one last bath from him as he disappears for another year.
It is a short but glorious life that our Melting Snowman lives. He may not have long to go, but boy is he going to make a grand exit.
Exquisitely fragranced with a blend of oils containing vanilla absolute and sweet wild orange, giving him a deep marzipan fragrance with notes of rich fruit, reminiscent of Christmas cake and figgy puddings. Which means he smells exactly the same as our bestselling Snowcake soap.
But if it isn’t enough to smell of our most popular Christmas fragrance, he’s also got a body made of water-softening bicarb of soda, cocoa butter and shea butter. This means that when the heat gets to him and he finally melts away, he fizzes those wonderful butters through your bathwater, leaving you soft and moisturised. What a way to go !
His legacy is your great skin – which means he lives on in the memory of all who knew him."

My little Santa!

2011-12-10T11:10:00.000Z

We went shopping yesterday and Jack couldn't resist trying on the Christmas hats! We ended up buying a pair of reindeer antlers each. I managed to take a picture of him wearing this Santa hat which had a beard attached! Perfect photo for when he is older!

FREE photo calendar from Truprint!

2011-12-08T17:31:00.003Z

Click image above to go directly to the offer page

Stuck for gift ideas? Know someone who has everything? Got someone tricky to buy for?

Why not make someone a personalised calendar? All you pay is £1.99 P&P. All you need is 12 photographs to put on each month. Amazing gift for a special family member.

To claim:

New customers register with Truprint using the form on the webpage; existing customers click login
Receive your unique code, click through and enter when prompted
Choose the kitchen calendar, upload your photos and create your gift
Make your way to the checkout where your free calendar credit will be applied automatically

PLUS you also get 40 FREE 6"x4" prints!

See website for full terms and conditions.

StorkUp - Social shopping for Mums

2011-12-06T11:01:00.001Z

Shopping for baby and children's products can be confusing, time-consuming and expensive. With so many products and stores to choose from, where do you begin?

"Amazing Kids' Products. Handpicked By Mums."

StorkUp makes this process so much easier. Now you can discover, share and shop for products - all in one place. The popularity ranking of products on StorkUp is solely based on the experiences of other mums like you. After all, when it comes to kids' products, mums are the real experts!

Discover

If you are seeking inspiration (or don’t know where to begin) then you can turn to our crowd-sourced catalog, where every item has been discovered and added by a mom like you. The product range will constantly evolve, revealing the most popular items as well as highlighting current trends.

Collect

With StorkUp you can save products from any online retailer without leaving their site. This is perfect if you are browsing your favourite sites, and need an easy way to keep track of your potential purchases.

Organise

With StorkUp you can create lists for day-to-day purchases as well as special events, like a new arrival. If you choose, you can share your lists (or even just individual products) with friends and family. Which is perfect for gifts and occasions when others want to lend a hand.

Join StorkUp today!

Giant Jenga Game

2011-12-06T00:34:00.000Z

Garden Games asked if me and Jack would be interested in reviewing a Giant Jenga Game they had. Of course we said yes! I love Jenga and couldn't wait to see how much bigger this would be to the standard one you can buy in the shops. Once the order had been placed I was kept informed as to when the item had been picked and dispatched. I would highly recommend ordering from Garden Games. They were quick and kept me informed each step of the way. They have a wide selection of reasonably priced garden toys on their website.

Mega Hi-Tower from Garden Games

A few days after ordering Mega Hi-Tower it arrived well packed in a large cardboard box - my goodness it was heavy! I opened it, unpacked it and me and Jack set to work building a tower inside the house as it was a typical English day outside! The bricks were packed nicely in a strong water-proof zip bag which had a strong carry handle. The bricks are made of a high quality wood and are a perfect shape to hold and handle.

I opted for us to build a tower as Jack is a little to young to understand how to play Jenga plus; I thought if it fell then there wouldn't be much room to move out the way and I didn't want any accidents! I can see this being a big hit with all the family when the summer comes!

After Jack had used all of the 58 bricks we decided to build some tunnels for his toy train to go through. The wooden bricks are easy for him to handle and stack in a number of different ways. He really enjoyed building the tower and the tunnels for the trains. This really helped him used his imagination.

I then thought about what else we could use the bricks for and I came up with building a chair for Jack to sit on. We called it King Jacks thrown. He really enjoyed helping me build it and took a lot of time and care placing the bricks in the right place making sure he didn't knock any down.

I would recommend this for any family as there is so much fun to be had. This will defiantly be used a lot more when the summer comes at parties and BBQ's. You will defiantly be seeing a summer review!

Thanks to everyone at Garden Games!

Family Quest

2011-11-21T18:22:00.000Z

Ahoy!

Download the Family Quest app from the Apple’s app store – you can download it here: (http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/family-quest/id469438410?mt=8)

Family Quest has been created to help all the family work together to reap rewards that everyone can enjoy. The app allows you to add all of your family members as your pirate crew so you can complete everyday tasks to earn virtual gold coins. Those gold coins can then be redeemed against family rewards chosen by you!

You could choose rewards such as a day out at the farm or a ride on the local steam train. Maybe even a trip to a theme park. You choose how many gold coins each reward is worth, then it's up to you and your pirate crew to earn the right amount of treasure to complete the Family Quest.

Joining the world of smartphones can be overwhelming so mobile network Three, along with the UK's largest network of mum bloggers, BritMums, worked together to show mums up and down the country the benefits of internet on the go. After brainstorming app ideas with mums from Oxford to Manchester, the best ideas were voted on via Three's Facebook page and the idea for the Family Quest app was a clear favourite. Congratulations to all the mums that took part, especially the winning Ipswich crew and Jax.

If you want to know more about Three visit www.three.co.uk, or for more info about BritMums head to www.britmums.com

Junior Style Designer Children's Clothing Sale

2011-11-20T22:26:00.000Z

Hi everyone!
Junior Style are holding a Designer Children's Clothing Sale from 24th November - 26th November; Thursday 10am - 7pm, Friday 10am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. You can browse a wide selection of children's designer clothing and accessories they have on sale, you could sale a huge 75% off brand names!
Featuring brands:

Timberland
Uggs
No Added Sugar
Munster Kids
Diesel
Bamboo Baby
Converse
Bebe by Minihaha

You would be crazy to miss out on this fantastic sale! It's only £1 admission.

Peppa Pig Competition!

2011-11-08T17:32:00.000Z

Tesco Books Blog are hosting a Peppa Pig Competition. The prize is one of five Peppa Pig bundles which includes a copy of Peppa Pig Time for a Story, Peppa Pig Pirate island Sound Book and the Peppa Pig 'International Day' DVD. This is such a fantastic prize and I am sure any Peppa Pig fan would love a chance to win this!

It is really easy to enter the competition, all you need to do is leave a comment on their blog saying what animal you would like to be and why. You could also ask your children too for extra entries. Competition closes on the 18.11.11 so get those entries in!

See Tesco Book Blog for full terms and conditions.

Good luck!!

Is Our Kids' Creativity On The Decline?

2011-10-27T16:36:00.000+01:00

A third of parents feel that handheld computers and TV have had a negative impact on creativity *
Just 10 per cent of parents get time every day to do creative activities with their children*
Professor of early childhood education, Angela Anning suggests top tips for fuss-free creativity

Research commissioned by BIC® Kids has shown that more than a third (34 per cent) of British parents believe electronic gaming is having a negative impact on child creativity, followed by concern over what their what friends think (28 per cent). The education system, family influences and computer work were also cited as barriers to a young mind’s creative nous.

The research also revealed that in today’s hectic lifestyle, parents can find it hard to find time doing activities with their children – one of the simplest ways to inspire creativity. From the 2,000 parents surveyed, just 10 per cent spend time each day doing creative activities with their children. Under a third of parents (28 per cent) set time aside to be creative once a week, with two per cent of parents admitting to never doing this.

When ranked on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the lowest score, 40 per cent of parents gave their children a score of between 1-5 for their creativity. And it seems children are concerned about their drawing abilities too, with a third (36 per cent) of primary school aged children confessing concern to their parents about what others will think of their art work. This rated higher than concern about what others think of their appearance (33 per cent) and school grades (31 per cent).

When asked what the most important qualities are to instil in children, a third (29 per cent) of parents said ‘self-confidence’ and 22 per cent said ‘common sense’. Only 16 per cent thought it was important to instil creativity and imagination in their children.

Angela Anning, Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Leeds, who is working with BIC® Kids said, “It’s interesting to see that creativity ranked third in what parents perceive to be important qualities to instil in their children. Whilst this is still a high score, the ability for creativity to fire the imagination and boost their development can’t be underestimated. Creativity, even the simple pleasures if drawing and colouring, instils confidence and helps develop a sense and understanding of our surroundings. It also plays a central part in many careers, so encouraging children to get creative while they’re young will put them in good stead for their future.”

Yolande DeTrogoff, marketing manager at BIC said, “We always like to find out more about how kids and parents like to get creative together. It’s really important for children while they’re young and we want to make it as simple, safe and fun as we can. It’s great to see that the simple pleasures of colouring and drawing still ranked as one of the number one most enjoyable activity these school holidays, ahead of video games and TV.”

Angela Anning offers parents her top five tips to boost kids’ creativity:

Be interested in your children's creativity and join in on the playfulness
Create the time and space for children to be creative - at the kitchen table, in front of the tv, in the bath...wherever.
Vary the resources your children have to play creatively according to their ages – paint, felt tips, puppets, small figures, boxes, fabrics, wooden spoons, etc.
Tune into your children's individual stories and interests and talk about them - animals, monsters, fairies, engines, cars, etc.
Have fun together exploring music, dancing, painting, drawing, stories and playing.

Notes to editors

* Survey conducted by One Poll (August 2011) with a sample size of 2,000 parents with children of primary school age

BiC® Stationery – a history for everyone, everywhere

BiC® was founded in 1950 by Marcel Bich, with the introduction of the first high quality ballpoint pen, at an affordable price. Today, the BiC® Cristal® pen, with its distinguished transparent hexagonal barrel, has become the world’s preferred choice of ballpoint pen.

The company’s greatest strength has always been to understand the needs of the consumer and to find technical solutions that deliver tangible benefits. Subsequently, BiC®’s pens can be seen in the homes, office and schools of people around the globe. The range of pens has grown to suit all ages and lifestyles including executives, children, men and women, allowing the choice of pen to be as individual as a person’s handwriting.

Waybuloo Pumpkin Stencils

2011-10-19T16:02:00.002+01:00

Hi all!!

As you can properly tell, I love Halloween and pumpkin carving.

I have made some more pumpkin stencils for you. This time they are characters from Waybuloo. I can see my collection is growing fast. I have In The Night Garden and Peppa Pig stencils too.

If you have any requests, please mail me and I will try my best to make the stencil for you.

De Li Pumpkin Stencil

Nok Tok Pumpkin Stencil

Yojojo Pumpkin Stencil

Lau Lau Pumpkin Stencil

My birthday wish list!

2011-10-17T22:30:00.000+01:00

So not long until I turn 24 (have I really been around that long!) I think it's fair to say I have had a rather eventful 24 years!

I have put together a wish list of things I would like.

1. Apple iPhone 4S white

2. A Ford Focus ST in orange

3. A pair of Jimmy Choos in size 5

4. Stila In The Light makeup palette

5. Tickets to Lady Gaga's 2012 tour

6. A holiday (sun, sea and sand!)

7. A ride on the London Eye

8. Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Peppa Pig Pumpkin Stencil

2011-10-11T17:48:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone.

This year I have had a go at making a Peppa Pig pumpkin stencil. Last year I did 4 In The Night Garden stencils. I hope this one is as good!

If you don't know how to carve a pumpkin I have some tips which you can read here.

You are welcome to print as many copies of this as you like, or share with your blog readers. All I ask is a link back to my blog!

If you do a pumpkin this year, please share a picture with me as I would love to see!

Keep your eyes peeled for my attempt at this Peppa Pig pumpkin next week!

Peppa Pig Pumpkin Stencil

Infacol have a Facebook competition to win £500 premium hamper!

2011-10-04T15:22:00.000+01:00

When Jack was bottle feeding he suffered from trapped wind. I tried many different over the counter products and by far Infacol was the best at relieving him. I would give him one dropper to him before each feed and continue to use for several days. I saw a change in the time it took him to bring his wind up and he didn't cry after a feed.

Trapped gas bubbles changing into
larger easier to pass gas bubbles.

Infacol gently helps a baby bring up wind as it's active ingredient - simeticone - helps the little trapped gas bubbles join into bigger bubbles which a baby can easily bring up as wind - helping relieve the pain.
Clinically proven Infacol is the UK's number one selling treatment for wind, infant colic and griping pain, It is suitable to use from birth onwards (unlike gripe waters) and is sugar, alcohol and colorant free with a pleasant tasting natural orange flavour.

Infacol are running a competition over on Facebook giving you the chance to win a £500 premium hamper full of baby goodies. The purpose of the competition is to help raise awareness of Colic and to reach people in a fun and interesting way. To enter all you need to do is answer three really simple trivia questions about Colic.

Good luck!!

Mookie Scuttlebug Review

2011-05-31T15:05:00.004+01:00

Note: Watch the cute video at the end of this post!
Jack was sent a Scuttlebug to test and review. When it arrived I expected loads of bits of put together. The box it arrived in was small and lightweight, I thought bits may have been missing! I opened the box to find the Scuttlebug neatly folded up.

I removed it from the box and read the instructions which were included; all you needed to do was unclip the front wheel, lock it into place and do the same with the two rear wheels and the bike was ready to use! It literately took seconds to put up and put down (obviously you reverse the technique)!

The bike itself is sturdy and very light weight. Jack is able to control the bike with the handle bars. The height of the bike is perfect for Jack. He loves wizzing around the yard and house on it! The Scuttlebug has specially designed wheels which make it suitable for inside and outside. The wheels provide a smooth and noise free ride.

The Scuttlebug helps develop balance and steering skills. This is a big plus as Jack is learning to control the bike while he is having fun. I have already noticed him steering the bike in the direction he wants to go. The manufacture recommends this bike is suitable for children aged 18 months to 3 years (maximum weight is 20kg) I wish Jack had one of these bikes when he was younger! We have a big bulky bike stored in the garden; I can't fold it or put it away so it just sits there getting wet and slimy! Jack has never really seemed interested in it. The Scuttlebug folds down flat which means I can store it easy.

Jack loves the eyes on the Scuttlebug and he always wants to ride it whenever we go anywhere; because it's lightweight I don't mind him riding it out and about. If he gets tired it's not to heavy to carry. The colours are very bright and the design is a Bumble Bee. There are different colours and designs.
I would defiantly recommend this to my friends and I hope Jack doesn't grow out of it too quickly.

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Three uncovers Britian's 'Midnight Mums'

2011-05-23T13:27:00.001+01:00

Half of all UK mums (48%) admit to going online in the depths of the night just to get everything done, according to research by Three. With many resorting to catching up online at night, a third of mums (33%) now get less than six hours of sleep!

The survey of 3,000 mums across the UK found that they are avid internet users, with a third (28%) going online for at least an hour a day. As well as looking for parent advice and activities for children, the top online activities are E-mail, online banking, staying in-touch with friends on Facebook, looking for money saving tips and vouchers, as well as reading the news.

Research confirms that mums are always on the go, with most mums (82%) now having less than an hour of 'me time' a day, leaving the majority of mums (78%) stressed on a daily basis.

Three is working with celebrity mum Denise Van Outen and reaching out through NCT members, to help show mums the benefits of smartphones and having internet on the go - as the research indicated that mums can save 135 hours a year by having the internet while out and about.

Mobile internet on smartphones help mums keep connected and gives them the freedom to be online for both work and play, wherever they are, and at a time most convenient to them. Thanks to Three's All-You-Can-Eat data they can now do this without worrying about the cost.

Speaking about how mobile internet can help the modern mum, Sally Horrox from NCT said: "NCT wants people to have a parenting experience that enriches their lives and gives them confidence. Sharing information with a network of parents is a great support and benefit in parenthood, and this is what NCT is all about. The many ways that mobile internet is helping parents make connections is a great additional support for parents."
"We've noticed more of out members accessing out site and newsletter on their phones, which is one of the reasons we've launched out NCT Babychange app, helping parents save time when looking for quality baby changing facilities."

Celebrity mum of one, Denise Van Outen added: "My daughter has just turned one and keeps me constantly busy, so I can certainly empathise with busy mums."
"I love the internet and often tweet or go online late at night when I get some down time. Becoming a smartphone savvy has been a great eye opener and I've enjoyed making dead time, such as standing in shopping queues and waiting for friends, more productive. With the help of some amazing apps I now have instant access to my E-mails, bank accounts, news and travel updates at my finger tips."

Sylvia Chind from Three explained: "Our research shows that mums are particularly stretched for time and are really optimistic about how mobile internet could help them claim some of this time back. We want to share hints, tips and tricks on what mums can do with mobile internet to help their lives run more smoothly."
"We want to reach out to as many mums as we can. Our aim is to give mums confidence and peace of mind when it comes to using the mobile internet and smartphones, which is why we offer truly unlimited data on both pay as you go and contract plans."

Three is also launching a nationwide competition to find the UK's Busiest Mum. There is the chance to win an all-expenses-paif family holiday to the Caribbean for one deserving mum and her family. There are also BlackBerry smartphones available to time. To enter visit Three's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ThreeUK.

**Research was carried out by OnePoll in March 2011 for Three. The research was carried out amongst 3,000 mums with children under 16 years old in the UK **

Blog Link Exchange

2011-05-22T13:21:00.000+01:00

Hi lovelies,
I am looking to find new blogs to read. I would love to exchange blog links. If this is something you would be interested in please post your blog address in a comment and I will add it to my list called 'More lovely blogs' and I hope you would display my link on your blog in a similar way.
I can't wait to see all of these lovely blogs which are about! It doesn't have to be parent related as I am always looking for new craft or cooking ideas.
Hope to get some links soon!

Free Potty Training Reward Charts

2011-05-14T15:31:00.000+01:00

After last night, we have had a few accidents (which is expected) but had a few more wee's on the potty. I wanted to reward him for weeing on the potty but didn't want to use sweets or chocolate. I found a few websites which had some lovely free reward charts on which you simply print out. I thought the benefits of using a reward chart would show Jack that he has successfully used the potty by sticking on a lovely gold star. I am hoping this will help boost his confidence while using the potty. You could use a similar reward chart for anything; maybe for behaviour, sleeping or potty training.
I wanted to share these sites with you. Another way to save a few pennies!

First up is for potty training and has a selection of different characters on (Cars, Diego, Disney, Dora & Thomas)
Next, this site has a wide selection of charts suitable for all areas which can be rewarded. There is also advice and coupons which can be used along side the reward chart system.
There is some simple ones on this site which you can let your child colour in.

Below is the reward chart we have decided to use.

Proud Mummy Moment

2011-05-13T21:18:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!
Well earlier today I was stressing that Jack wasn't understanding the concept of using a potty.
I had been searching in internet for alternatives and seats which I could put on the toilet. I decided to buy a ThermoBaby Kiddyloo. A bargin at only £19.99! It's a seat which attaches to the toilet and has a step to allow him to climb on when he needs to go.

ThermoBaby Kiddyloo from www.samueljohnston.com

While we were shopping in Tesco's this evening; I asked Jack if he wanted Mummy to buy nappies. He said no. We discussed wearing "big boy knickers" (as I called the pull up pants "big boy pants") He seemed to like the idea and started saying he was going to be a big strong brave boy!
This evening when I was getting him ready for bed I asked if he wanted to wear "big boy knickers" to bed and he agreed. I asked him to try have a wee on the potty before he went to bed. To my surprise he pulled down his "knickers" and did a wee! I praised him lots and told him he was such a clever boy. I also explained he needed to tell Mummy in the morning when he needed a wee.
I hope he continues to enjoy using the potty and toilet seat when it arrives.
Any advice on how I can keep up using the potty? I didn't want to start bribing him with anything. Maybe I could reward him with a sticker chart or something?