Its all about the slime!

I've worked in childcare and early childhood education for years. Discovery/messy play has always been one of my favourite areas. Every activity you do with a child is an opportunity for learning but I find that a messy child is ultimately a very happy child.
One of my favourite things to make is slime. My son was introduced to it recently and he absolutely loved it. He sat for an hour and a half squishing it, pulling it, rolling it, dropping it and giggling at the plop it made.
Anyway, enough waffling from me. I just thought I'd pop the "recipe" up here for anyone that would like to give it a go with their little ones. :-)

There are no precise measurements in this. Its just always worked.

What you will need:
2 separate cups of water
Borax powder
White PVA glue
Food colouring
A bowl
Spoon

1. Put a spoonful of Borax into one of the cups of water and stir (no specific measurement, I just chuck a teaspoon of the stuff in).
2. Pour an inch of PVA glue into the bowl and add 3 tablespoons of plain water and stir.
3. Add a few drops of food colouring to your glue mix and stir until combined.
4. Add a teaspoonful of the Borax mixture to the glue mix and stir it until it starts to come together.
5. It will reach a point where it will look like its not going to work but keep going! At this point I like to get my hands in and mix.
Note: If you really do think "there's no way this is working" then go ahead and add another spoonful of the Borax solution.

That's it folks! Let me know if any of you try it.

What's your favourite messy activity to do with the kids?

A bit of appreciation for some of you lovely folk. :-)

The title says it all really! The people mentioned below have blogs that I enjoy reading but I think the people behind them are pretty great too. :-)

Bex at I Always Believed In Futures and Crystal at Crystal Says
When I first started my blog I hadn't a clue what I was doing! I had been reading blogs on and off for a few years and felt like I wanted a "go". I reached out to Bex and Crystal on Twitter and both were so friendly and generous with their time. I occasionally catch up with Crystal still and she's one of my favourite Twitter people. She just has this generous nature and wants to help however she can. Plus, she lives in NYC so I get jealous regularly! ;-)

Carol at Flitty Chick Fancies
I met Carol through a beauty swap a few months ago. They couldn't have paired me with a nicer lassie and her blog is always one of the first I catch up with when I get a spare 5 minutes. I'm really enjoying getting to know her and hope to catch a coffee with her one day if I ever find myself in/near Cork.

Michelle at Thou Shalt Not Covet
Michelle's blog is choc full of so many beauty products that I lust after, plus her Twitter feed regularly makes me laugh. Big thumbs up. :-)

Amanda at Amanda Niescior
I got to know Amanda a wee bit when she did my blog design (which I still love, months later). She's a young'un but has such a mature head on her shoulders. Super friendly, super happy and a funny wee lass. :-)

Leighanne at Bump And Beyond
I first "met" Leighanne when her wee baby Darcy was still cooking. :-) Now I love hearing how Darcy is doing and I especially love reading Leighanne's fashion posts. They give me plenty of ideas for my next shopping spree, too many ideas!

Shay at Two Tiny Terrors
Shay is just the sweetest. I love her Growing Your Own and Kids Crafts And Activities posts. I've worked in daycare for more years than I care to mention but its always good to check in with others for new ideas or ways to refresh old ideas.

Lindsay at Newcastle Family Life
I love reading her blog but I'm currently enjoying all the bumpy pics. I miss my bump! Also, on a personal level I feel like that she gets where I currently am to an extent as she was a single mum herself at one point. At some point I'd love to sit down and have a chat with her about it.

Keeley at Dragging Online
Keeley is an online only drag queen. She describes her blog as an outlet for her creativity. I love her fashion/celebrity posts and she has a certain wit that makes me chuckle as I read them. Definitely what you need at the end of a long day.

Tanya at Polka Dots And Cups Of Tea
Tanya has a beauty/parenting blog like myself so I get a good "fix" when I catch up on her posts. She'll often write a post about her children whatever the topic might be and it always strikes a chord with me, I "get" it. Don't tell her but I secretly read to see if Emma has written any more posts. ;-)

There are lots of you but these are the people that come to mind as I'm writing this post. Thanks for the blog posts, the inspiration, your time, your kind words, ta for all of it.

Why is it not ok to be single and happy?

This is a rant more than anything else, sorry folks! :-)


I have been single for quite a while now. Circumstances and my situation have partially dictated it but it has also been my choice.


I split from my ex when I was very early on in my pregnancy. It was a dark time for me. I had just got out of an abusive, controlling relationship and I was trying to keep it together for the unborn life inside me.


A few months ago I toyed with the idea of dating again but I chickened out. It probably has a bit to do with confidence but I also believe that I chickened out because its not the right time.


I'm not a woman that needs to be attached to a relationship. A relationship has never validated my worth and nor should it.


Recently people around me seem to be more forthcoming with their wee remarks about getting back on the horse, meeting somebody new, getting on with my life and many more.


Do people really think my life is at a standstill just because I'm not with a man? If I was with a man for the sake of it those same people would probably be saying that I was clingy, dependant, scared to be alone etc.. It seems that I can't win!


The final straw came at a mother and baby group a few weeks ago. I've known these mums since our babies were newborns. I know them all pretty well and some of them will be lifelong friends. One particular mum who I have a love/hate relationship with made a comment which just showed me how narrowed minded and ignorant some people can be. Her husband had been working away for a few days and she was giving out about it. She then said "I tell you, this going it alone is shit, boring even". I pointed out that my life is neither boring or shit.


I'm the happiest that I have ever been. I am enjoying life and living every moment. I'm finally self employed which is what I have wanted for years. I'm focused on being a great mummy but I also get to continue to do what I love for a living. I have bought a home and been working on that too. What part of all that seems like I'm treading water?


I can't believe that in 2014 people still seem to think that I'll only really have it all once I have a man.


Rant over.


Has anyone else experienced a similar attitude?

Style on a budget

I recently asked the Twitterverse what they thought of online stores like Just For 5 pounds. Those that got back to me were really positive. 

I'm a mum and a childminder. I love nice clothes as much as the next person but what I don't like is when I get the likes of "washable" paint on my clothes (it's never really washable!) and can't wear that piece of clothing again...not in public anyway! 

Online stores like Just For 5 Pounds solves that problem for me. They have some lovely pieces on their website and if they did happen to get ruined at work...it's ok! It was only a fiver! 

Just For 5 Pounds kindly offered to send me something in the post to review. I had no idea what I was receiving but I was pleasantly surprised! 

They sent me a lovely black soft feel blazer. 

In the photo it needs a quick iron but I wanted to get the photos taken before my wee man woke from his nap. 

It's one of those blazers that you could dress up or dress down. I wore it to lunch a few days ago with a nice white top and jeans. I got a few compliments from friends too which was nice. They're so used to seeing me in boring work clothes. :-) It has padded shoulders (but not Pat Butcher style!) just enough to give me a shape. It also has a cute wee nautical style button that was impossible to take a decent photo of but I tried!

See...cute! :-) 

I'll definitely be having a browse on Just For 5 Pounds in future. They're perfect for those that are shopping on a budget. 

Jellycat

There is plenty I want to say about Jellycat & their products but I'm trying not to waffle. :-) I was offered the opportunity to review three of their toys: the Bashful Beige Bunny, Clicketty Walter Whale & Octavia Octopus Jitter.

First off, the packaging of these toys is just too cute. They come in their own wee branded drawstring bag and my son had just as much fun with those as he had with the toys inside. He's at that age now where filling & emptying provides him with endless enjoyment.


Onto the products:


Bashful Beige Bunny - Small £11

This is one of the most plush soft toys I have seen on the market. I have a basket full of soft toys that my little boy has received since he was born, he is 11 months old now. He loves rubbing them on his face as he's going to sleep & he also loves giving them kisses/cuddles. This bunny is no exception. I have put him down with it at nap time most days since it arrived & he loves snuggling up with it. As I said before, its very soft & its easy to manipulate so he can hold it when taking steps (he's just learning to walk).
The only thing I would say is that if you're wearing dark coloured clothes the bunny tends to "moult". I don't think that's a massive issue though, a quick rinse in the machine would probably sort that out.


Octavia Octopus Jitter - £11

I know I only have the experience of these three items but they all seem to be made incredibly soft, with tiny little hands in mind. This feels like a soft-knit, that's the best way I can describe it!
My little boy is quite content to sit in his buggy & look around but I always like to have toys hanging from his pram to entertain him in case I run into an unexpected delay. This toy kept him perfectly entertained one morning while I was in the bank. He spent the entire time pulling the octopus by the legs causing that jittery sensation, which in turn made my little man laugh his head off. :-) I love how the babies can pull on the body or some/all of the 8 legs...whatever they find easiest to manipulate. He's now getting to grips with holding one end & pulling the other when we're at home. :-)


Clicketty Walter Whale - £11

Another soft to the touch toy! While O loved all of the toys I think this was the one that held his attention for the shortest amount of time. I think this was basically down to the fact that his development is beyond this toy now. He knows he can move the rings. He knows that they make a noise if he shakes Walter so he does it once or twice then moves onto the next toy. As a mother I can't fault the toy though. Its maybe something I would buy for a younger baby when they initially start to take an interest in the items around them & are just developing their grasp.

Now that I know Jellycat exists I will definitely be visiting the website when my friends have babies. I was surprised at how reasonably priced they are & they have a varied selection of toys. I would love to buy O some of the Farmyard collection.

Have any of you bought from Jellycat?

What did you think of their products?

Much love. xx


Lisa
@latte_fiend on Twitter












While I received these products for free for the purposes of the review, my opinions on the products are entirely my own & honest.

Cheeky Wipes

When I was getting ready to have my son last year I was going through the usual decisions a mum-to-be has to make. What steriliser? Do I breastfeed or formula feed? What type of Moses basket should I get? The list goes on & on.
At the time I also thought about reusable nappies/wipes versus disposable nappies/wipes. Being a single mum-to-be I decided there was no way I'd have time to look after my new baby, plus do a mountain of nappy laundry as well.
I try to do my bit for the environment so it has always stuck in my craw that I'm using disposable nappies and wipes. That's not to say I'm judging those that do! I just felt like I should have at least tried reusables, but when that wee bundle arrives you just get caught up in him/her.
I'm finally in the process of making the switch now, only 11 months late! :-) I'm still trying to decide on which reusable nappy to go for but I've made the switch to reusable wipes, namely Cheeky Wipes. 

Just recently I had the opportunity to try out the Cheeky Wipes All-In-One Kit. After using the wipes for a while now, I really don't know what I thought was so daunting about reusuables! Cheeky Wipes makes the whole process so simple.

The All-In-One Kit contains the following:

- 25 soft cloth baby wipes, 15cm x 15cm. You can choose from cotton terry, 'Ultimate' cotton & cotton velour or microfiber.
- 'Single-Clip' Fresh Baby Wipes container.
- 'Single-Clip' Mucky Baby Wipes container - with mesh bag insert.
- Cheeky Wipes Fresh Baby Wipes waterproof out and about travel bag.
- Cheeky Wipes Mucky Baby Wipes waterproof out and about travel bag - with mesh bag insert.
- 10 ml bottle of Fresh Baby Wipes Essential Oil Blend. You can choose from Lavender & Chamomile, Mandarin & teatree or Rose & Rose Geranium.
- 10 ml bottle of Tea Tree & Tea Tree Lemon Mucky Baby Wipes Essential Oil Blend.

Onto using the wee system! :-) I'll speak about the Fresh Wipes container first. Its so simple! You literally fill the container up with water to the fill line and add a few drops of your Fresh Wipes essential oil, I have been using the Lavendar and Chamomile one and it smells fantastic, not overpowering, just really clean. Then you pop your clean wipes in and turn them now and again to soak up that fragrant water. :-) That's it! There's a single clip on each container so everything is nice and secure. My son still tried to get into it but I'm pleased to say, he failed. :-)

Cheeky Wipes suggests that every two days you pop any unused wipes into your machine just to freshen them up. Plus, you don't need to wait for the laundered wipes to dry - just pop them back into the Fresh Wipes container with some fresh soaking solution.

Now, onto the Mucky Wipes container. Same thing again, fill it up with water to the fill line and add a few drops of the Mucky Wipes essential oil. Then attach the mesh bag insert to the wee hooks in the box and you're good to go. 

I particularly loved the Mucky/Fresh Wipes waterproof out and about bags. They don't take up much room in your baby bag for a start and if you don't like the idea of touching the "mucky" wipes at the end of a day out then all you have to do is loosen the drawstring on the bag and pop them in the machine. I love that!

You can wash the wipes anywhere from 30-70 degrees but Cheeky Wipes do suggest washing them once a week at 60 degrees. I just bung them in with my towel wash.
And just to add, the All-In-One kit is £39. You might want extra wipes if your baby is smaller but 25 wipes is more than enough for my wee boy now that he's older.
My only regret is that I didn't go with them from the beginning. I can only imagine the money I would have saved & no faffing around with cotton wool & cool boiled water in the early weeks!

Have any of you tried Cheeky Wipes? How much did you love them? :-)

Much love. 

Lisa. xx

 

@latte_fiend on Twitter. 

~ This product was sent to me for review purposes ~ 

Baby Boy's Books Of The Month (Feb14)

I love reading books to my little boy and he loves listening. Even at eleven months he becomes engrossed in the pictures as I read and turn each page. When we come to a favourite page he'll put his hand on it so that he can look for a wee bit longer. :-)
I'm so happy that he enjoys books. I had a huge appetite for reading when I was a child (even as an adult!) and when working in daycare and now as a childminder, reading stories is one of my favourite parts of the daily routine.


Reading aloud:
teaches a baby about communication
introduces concepts such as numbers, letters, colors, and shapes in a fun way
builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills
gives babies information about the world around them


I buy books for my son every month (I need a spending ban on that!) and we also go to the library once a week.
Based on all of that I have decided to do a monthly blog post about what books particularly caught my son's attention. As I said earlier, he's currently only eleven months so his favourite books are as much about the illustrations as they are about the flow of the story.


So, all that said, February's favourites were:

The Gruffalo's Child - Julia Donaldson
Who, whatever their age, doesn't love a bit of Julia Donaldson? I really get into playing the characters in her books and O spends most of the book looking up at me, smiling at the different voices. I LOVE JULIA DONALDSON. There, I said it. ;-)

A Bit Lost - Chris Haughton
I didn't really enjoy reading this book to be honest (I know, its not about me!) The story itself reminds me a lot of Julia Donaldson's Monkey Puzzle. It just wasn't as good unfortunately.

Puddles and Bubbles - Driver Dan's Story Train
O watches Driver Dan's Story Train on Ceebeebies while I'm preparing his meal and loves it. Its one of the few times I know that he won't venture outside of the living room so this book was a no-brainer.

Magic Forest - Peep-Po
This is a pull-tab book and when O understood how it worked he loved trying to pull the tab out by himself and "oooohing" when a new character appeared. :-)

Cleo The Cat - Caroline Mockford
Cute board book about a stray cat that is looking for a new home. I love the flow of this book because the language is simple yet rhymes. I find rhyming stories very enjoyable to read. The illustrations are bright and colourful which is right up O's street!

That's Not My Plane - Usborne
That's Not My Lion - Usborne
That's Not My Meerkat - Usborne
O loves the different textures within these books. They in turn help to develop his wee sensory skills and language.

What books are your children currently enjoying?

Much love. xx


Lisa


@latte_fiend on Twitter.