Dove Baby Review

As a first time parent I was quite naive, I automatically assumed that the products that I had heard of for babies must be the best otherwise why would people talk about them?  I quickly realised that this was not the case.  When Connor was first born we didn't use anything other than Johnsons on his skin and it did the job but over time his skin lost that baby softness.  I just accepted that this was what happened, after all he is 3 in September, he can't stay soft as a babys' bum forever, can he?  I found a new product of Johnsons which was a gel/oil type moisturiser for after a bath or whenever your childs skin feels particularly dry.  The difference in Connors skin after just a few uses was amazing - it was so smooth, however that was short lived because after a couple of days use he developed an allergic reaction.  Everytime I put it on his skin after that, particularly his stomach and back, he would come out in a red blotchy rash.  It wasn't painful for him but in my opinion, anything which makes your skin do that can't be good for you.  So it was back to the drawing board on the toddler skincare front.

Enter Baby Dove.  My Mum picked these up in our local supermarket for the trial price of £1 each! She got a shampoo, a head to toe body wash and a lotion.  There are two different ranges within the Baby Dove collection - Rich Moisture and Sensitive Moisture.  We went for a mixture of both; every product in the range is mild and hypoallergenic which is perfect for Connor who has slightly sensitive skin.  I put some of the head to toe body wash in his bath and then used it to wash all over his body, it's surprisingly foamy - 2 pumps of the body wash was more than enough.  I then followed up with the Rich Moisture shampoo which as well as being hypoallergenic is also tear and ph free - according to the Dove website it's as gentle as water.  I was keen to try this out as Connor gets a dry scalp from time to time and I felt the other shampoos I had tried were too perfumed and made the problem worse.  The Rich Moisture shampoo actually moisturizes as well as cleanses the scalp/hair - it definitely works; I noticed an improvement in his scalp almost straight away, his hair looks shinier too!  After his bath I covered him in the Sensitive Moisture lotion which dries almost instantly and isn't sticky at all.  When getting him dressed the next morning I noticed how soft and smooth his skin was - the difference was amazing especially after just 1 use!  We have been using this trio of products for over a week now and the baby smoothness is back, Connors skin is so so soft, I can't even explain it, the difference is ridiculous!

Baby Dove is now going to be my go to for baby skincare & I have even bought the gift set they offer as a present for my cousins new baby.  I would have absolutely no qualms using this on a newborn, that is how soft and gentle I believe it is.  This coming from the woman who used nothing but water to clean her babies bum until he was about 18 months old!  There are other products available within the Baby Dove range which I haven't tried yet but am definitely keen to, they include - a baby bar available in both Rich and Sensitive Moisture ranges, a Rich Moisture Nappy Cream and Rich/Sensitive Moisture baby wipes.  I will definitely be adding them to my trolley the next time I happen to see them at the supermarket.

V x

Teething Problems

Whose idea was it for humans to have teeth?  Honestly, worst idea ever!  As the Mum of a still teething 2 year old I can honestly say that I now believe teeth are over rated!  Well, maybe not all teeth but definitely the ones you can't see i.e. the back ones - who needs them anyway?!

Connor has been teething since literally the day he turned 3 months old  & the slevvering hasn't stopped since.  His mouth has been like a running tap for almost 2 years now and I honestly can't wait to see the back of bibs.  Every outfit he has is ruined by either having to put a bib on him or the big wet patch that inevitably appears within 5 minutes if he goes bib-less.

The first few teeth - front bottom & top were pretty hard on him.  He started teething in the December at 3 months old but they didn't make an appearance until the June - over 6 months later!  It's been a slow process this teething malarkey.  He was very unsettled and uncomfortable to begin with but once a few teeth popped through he seemed to be able to deal with it better and a whole load seemed to appear without much of a fuss. Fast forward to his dental check up earlier in the month & were told that all but 1 tooth was through.  One of his back teeth is still under the gum but right at the surface.  I stupidly thought 'well he's managed the other 3 without too much bother so the last one should be fine too'.

How wrong was I?  The last one has been a nightmare.  It's taken my usually lovely wee boy & turned him into a clingy, grumpy & still slevvery monster.  Temperatures, sore mouths, mood swings, tiredness - you name it & we have had it this past fortnight & he won't let me look in his mouth so I have no idea if we are even close to being done yet.

So, I thought I would share a few things that have helped us out over the past (almost) 2 years & in particular this last 2 weeks.

1. Sophie The Giraffe

When Connor was tiny & first teething Sophie was his best friend.  He absolutely adored her and she came everywhere with us.  He could often be found eating her nose or with one of her legs in his mouth giving it a good chew.  Sophie was well worth the money and she is now one of the first presents I buy for any new baby - highly recommended!

2. Bibs!

I cannot get enough of bibs.  We go through on average about 5 a day & that is purely down to them being soaked with drool.  I've really struggled to find nice ones that don't say things like 'I love my Mummy' etc but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for them because they get washed constantly and need replaced really quickly.  I always have at least 2 spare in my bag at any time - even when Connor isn't with me!

3.  Ashton & Parsons

These are teething powders, I've heard mixed reviews of them from various people but I can honestly say these were a game changer for us.  Connor reacted to them almost instantly and they totally settled him.  We stopped them for a while when he wasn't really showing any signs of discomfort as they are quite pricey - roughly £6 for 20 sachets - but as soon as he starting teething badly again these were the first things I bought.  There are other brands available but these are the only ones I have tried.

4.  Nurofen

I used to only give Connor calpol but it never seemed to last very long.  At one of his baby groups there was a Mum who was also a Pediatrician, she told me that Nurofen works better for teething as it helps reduce the swelling of the gums which relives the pressure and/or pain.  So since then I've mostly stuck to Nurofen for teething pains, combined with the Ashton & Parsons but I will top up with Calpol in between Nurofen doses if he is really hurting.

5.  Ice/Frozen Fruit

When Connor was little I used to give him one of those plastic reusable ice cubes to suck and chew on.  That helped a little but it never lasted long as his mouth was so hot the ice cube would melt within minutes.  We also bought one of those food net things and put frozen grapes etc inside so he could chew them without being in danger of choking.  Now that he is bigger he gets an ice pole to help cool his gums which he quite likes.

I think Connor would definitely vouch for the Ashton & Parsons Teething Powders though as they are the first thing he goes for when his mouth is sore & he's perfectly happy to lie down on the floor and let me pour the sachet into his mouth - that says it all really.

What are your top tips for a teething baby/toddler?  Anything in particular that you swear by?  

Leave me a comment & let me know.  I'm over on Instagram too @lifeinthegingerlane  come & say hi!

xx

Connor A/W Wishlist

I love Autumn.  Since I live in Scotland & we don't get much of a summer here (maybe a week in May!) Autumn is definitely my favourite season.  What's not to love - beautiful colours everywhere you look, no excuse needed to layer up & be all cosy aaaaaand the countdown to the C word is on (sorry)! 

Since I had Connor I've loved it even more, all the cute boys clothes make me so excited to buy his Autumn/Winter wardrobe.  I thought I'd share a few bits I have my eye on for him & a some that I've already bought.  As his birthday is in September he got a few pieces from different people but I still feel the need to go & buy some extra things.  He's a typical boy and loves nothing better than running around and playing in the dirt so his clothes never last particularly long - it's always good to have a back up supply!

Zara | Joules

I really struggled to choose between these 2 jackets.  I absolutely love the parka which is from Zara, the only problem is that it isn't waterproof which is definitely a must for a Scottish autumn/winter.  The navy jacket is from Joules; I saw it in a vlog I watched a few weeks ago and totally fell in love.  I have been trying unsuccessfully for the past week to order it- it's been out of stock every single time but finally I managed to nab it last night.  I'm so excited for it to arrive & can't wait to see C in it.  I'm hoping it'll fit okay, I ordered age 2-3 as that's what he mostly wears & I've got everything crossed that we won't need to roll the sleeves up.  I swear he's like a T-Rex; long body & tiny wee arms that don't seem to grow as quickly as the rest of him! 

H&M | M&Co | H&M

These 2 jumpers are ones that he got for his birthday at the beginning of the month, they are an absolute bargain at £6.99 each!  H&M had a few other styles as well but none that were in stock in  Connors size the day I was in.  I picked the shirt up from M&Co a couple of days ago, again it was pretty cheap at £9 & I think it'll look really cute layered over the long sleeved red polo in the next picture! 

Zara | Next | Zara | Zara

We had the red polo last year in a variety of colours and it just looked really cosy, they also wash really well and hold their shape - as does the majority of Zara's stuff, I've found.  So when I saw that they were back this year obviously I had to add them to my 'Connor's Autumn Wardrobe' list.  We also have the aqua top in a mustard colour which looks really cute with the sleeves turned up to 3/4 length so again I'm just getting a few colour options.  Next have such a good range of clothes this year, I feel like they can be quite hit or miss with their boys clothes sometimes but they've definitely struck gold this year.  Connor loves dinosaurs which seem to be a prominent feature of this years A/W collection, lucky us!  However, he has loads of jumpers already and doesn't need much else so I thought we'd get this little dinosaur raglan top as you can never have too many!

Zara

Connor already has loads of jeans that he got for his birthday so he doesn't really need much in the way of bottoms this year but I just love Zara's leggings.  He hasn't had a pair for quite a while actually, he mostly lives in jeans, but I just love khaki & the camouflage pattern so when I saw these we just had to have them.  They will also match perfectly with the pair of Timberland look-a-like boots which I have ordered for him!   

So that is basically what I have in mind for Connors Autumn/Winter wardrobe.  I'm pretty sure that by the time I get around to buying this stuff there will be far more available & the list will have doubled.  Maybe I'll do a haul once I get it all in, what do you guys think?  

If you follow me on Instagram I post regularly over there - come & say hi!

xx

Entertaining my whirlwind toddler - games and activities.

C is a whirlwind, there's no other way to describe him.  He's on the go from the minute he opens his eyes at 7am until he goes to bed at 7pm - hopefully with a nap thrown in for Mummy to recharge her batteries!  It can be very difficult to find things to keep him entertained, once he has figured something out it gets tossed to the side and we're on to the next thing.  I feel like I'm constantly having to think 5 steps ahead just to make sure I have enough 'activities' to last the day.

We've tried a variety of things from arts and crafts to lego & nothing really keeps his attention for any length of time and everything involves Mummy being dragged along for the ride *yay*.  Aside from copying me hoovering/dusting/putting the washing - which I don't want to do all day thanks - I've struggled to find anything that he wants to do for more than 5 minutes.  Thankfully in the past couple of months I've noticed a few little things that seem to be holding his interest and I thought I'd share because surely I can;t be the only one with a toddler like this, right?

So, here goes.

LeapFrog Scout's Discovery Tool Set

First up is this little tool box by Leap Frog.  This was a gift for C's second birthday a few weeks ago & so far so good.  The box can be dismantled until it's basically flat packed & the aim is to build it back up using the different tools that come inside it - hammer, spanner, screwdriver, ruler and saw.  Each tool is colour coded to the screw/bolt that it will tighten.  Also, if you press the door Scout will talk and give you little hints & tips along the way.  It's a great way to teach kids their colours and it also helps with their fine motor skills as some of the tools can be pretty footery for little hands.  So far Connor har learned the words saw, hammer and spanner which he probably wouldn't have come across if we didn't have this toy.  Like I said before some parts are harder to do than others and C prefers to saw rather than use the screwdriver, he will literally sit and saw for 10-15 minutes straight, I don't have to be there beside him and he's content playing with his 'tools, like Daddy'.  Win win.

Nova Rico Arca Illuminated Children's Globe

Next we have this globe that he also got for his birthday.  I got this brand new from a charity shop & it only cost me £4 so I'm not entirely sure where it's from but I've found this one on Amazon & it's pretty similar except ours doesn't light up.  Connor loves this as it shows you loads of animals & where they come from in the world.  For example - just under the word Botswana there is a picture of a rhino, Saudi Arabia there's a camel etc.  It also has pictures of boats, planes, rockets & animals like whales, sharks & octopuses in the oceans.  C loves turning the globe and looking for certain animals particularly 'yo-noos & ippys' (rhinos & hippos, fyi!), he gets so excited when he finds what he's been looking for.  Every time we look at it we find something we've not seen before & I've learned a few things too.  Not bad for £4!


Stickers, stickers, stickers!  We can't get enough stickers in our house.  C always wants to 'play' with them but that mostly involves taking them from the sheet & placing them in a book only to rip them out again 10 minutes later.  They just get bundled on top of each other, there's no placement of attempt to make a picture of them but the look of concentration on his face as he tries to get them off the sheet is priceless!

*Top Top - remove the backing sheet of the stickers, it makes it much easier for little fingers to the stickers off whole!

Orchard Toys Heads and Tails Farmyard Toy

Orchard toys are fantastic, we already have the Flashcards which get pulled out every now and again but for his birthday Connors Nana & Grampa got him this Heads & Tails game.  I was actually really surprised at how quickly he picked it up and was able to find the bottoms of the animals without any help from me.  It's basically a jigsaw but the pieces just sit side by side so not quite as tricky, the hard part lies in matching the heads & bottoms of the farm animals.  He loves this game but will only play it once right through, after that he gets itchy feet and has to move on to the next thing but it keeps him focused for 10+ minutes anyway.  Highly recommend this, it's been a great stepping stone from the wooden puzzles where the pieces lift out to actual jigsaws which we are on to now!



Last but not least, jigsaws.  We've moved on from the wooden puzzles & are now on to 2,3 and 4 piece jigsaws.  C got a couple for his birthday and it's a work in progress, I've finally found something that he didn't work out how to do first time & it's taking him a few tries to actually get the hang of it.  Hopefully that means they'll be around for a bit longer!  He's forever trying to put the pieces together in mid air and making the whole like 100 times harder because he knows better than everyone else; I can't imagine where he gets that from, ha!  We've turned a corner and this morning he managed to do the majority of a Winnie the Pooh numbers puzzle on his own, yay!

So those are the activities that are currently managing to hold the attention of my boy.  Am I missing anything?  What does your child love to do?  I'm always looking for new things to try so please send any ideas my way!

xx

TMI Tag

Well I got bored while Connor was napping so I pinched this from @mrsgifletcher I know it's a Youtube tag but I felt left out & wanted to join in so I've adapted it slightly to suit myself!  Enjoy!


1: What are you wearing? My jammies, it's okay, it's only 10am - it's allowed.
2: Ever been in love? Well, I'm married so I hope so.
3: Ever had a terrible breakup? Not really.
4: How tall are you? 5"8.5  - that's a very important half.
5: How much do you weigh? Too much.
6: Any tattoos? I have 4.
7: Any piercings? Ears & Belly button.
8: OTP? Has to be Chuck & Blair (Gossip Girl)
9: Favorite Show? I have to admit, I do like to Keep up with the Kardashians.  But I also loved Downton Abbey.
10: Favorite bands? I prefer artists like Adele & Ed Sheeran 
11: Something you miss? Long lies
12: Favorite song? Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
13: How old are you? 26 :(
14: Zodiac sign? Leo
15: Quality you look for in a partner? Funny
16: Favorite Quote? Make it count.
17: Favorite actor? Leonardo Di Caprio or Johnny Depp / Julie Walters or Melissa McCarthy
18: Favorite color? Purple
19: Loud music or soft? Not too loud & not too quiet.
20: Where do you go when you're sad? My bed
21: How long does it take you to shower? If I'm washing my hair about 20 minutes, if not about 10.
22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? It depends what I'm doing that day. 15-30 minutes.
23: Ever been in a physical fight? Only with my sister when we were younger, does that count?
24: Turn on? Make me laugh
25: Turn off? Bad smells 
26: The reason I joined Youtube? Not quite there, yet.  Hopefully in the future I will be brave enough to!
27: Fears? Dying - absolutely terrifies me.  Not too keen on flying either.
28: Last thing that made you cry? Watching the paralympics.  I'm an emotional wreck since I had C. 
29: Last time you said you loved someone? This morning before David left for work. 
30: Meaning behind your Youtube Name? No Youtube channel yet but my blog name is pretty self explanatory.
31: Last book you read? For me- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To C - All in One Piece, Jill Murphy
32: The book you're currently reading? Not really reading anything just now.
33: Last show you watched? Hells Kitchen I think
34: Last person you talked to? Connor
35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted? My sister 
36: Favorite food? Pasta, pasta, pasta!
37: Place you want to visit? New York please.
38: Last place you were? In Connors room?
39: Do you have a crush? My husband.
40: Last time you kissed someone? About 20 minutes ago when I put C down for a nap.
41: Last time you were insulted? David (my husband) insults me on a daily basis - in a joking way obviously.
42: Favourite flavour of sweet? Strawberry
43: What instruments do you play?? I used to play flute at school.
44: Favourite piece of jewellery? My engagement ring & my necklace that my parents got me for my 21st.
45: Last sport you played? I kicked a ball about with C yesterday, does that count?
46: Last song you sang? 'Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood' from Winnie the Pooh, C loves it.
47: Favourite chat up line? 10 ton polar bear.  Just something to break the ice. Ha!
48: Have you ever used it? No
49: Last time you hung out with anyone? Last night with David? 
50: Who should answer these questions next? Anybody & everybody.

xx

Little Fish Turned 2!

So.  Somewhere along the line I became the emotionally unstable mother of a 2 year old.  This realization has hit me like a ton of bricks & the night before his birthday I found myself looking through baby pictures & wondering where the hell the past 2 years had gone.

Cue a text to my husband that reads 'how are we going to have a 2 year old in the morning?' with about a million crying emojis (did I mention how emotionally unstable I was that night?!).  His answer?  'Because he was born 2 years ago?' smart arse.

Anyway, like I said it hit me all of a sudden that my baby isn't a baby anymore.  He's a walking, talking,  whirlwind of a boy - a toddler boy.  He's only going to get bigger & there's bugger all I can do about it :(.  Just a thought - if we don't celebrate his birthdays that means he can't get any older, right?

After I managed to put down the baby photos I started to focus on the positives.  No he's not a baby anymore & but now is when the adventure begins.  I made a list of my 5 favourite things about Connor at 2 to remind me that even though he's growing up (& that is heartbreaking) he really is just amazing & that will never change.

1.  I love that we can have conversations now, like proper conversations.  His understanding of words has been great for a while but it's only been over the past couple of months that his talking has followed suit.  Don't get me wrong he still has the 1 word for about 4 different things but I know what he means even if no one else does.  It's also quite handy that if I don't guess the right word first time he'll tell me 'No' & I'll run through the list of possibilities until he says 'Yeah' & only then are we allowed to continue talking!

2.  I absolutely love how much he loves learning.  He is so interested in everything & never shies away from new experiences.  He's such a clever little boy & it's amazing to watch him learning something new every single day.

3.  He is turning into such a polite, loving wee boy.  He absolutely adores animals & babies, he's so gentle with them & always wants to smother them with cuddles and kisses - cuteness overload.

4.  My favourite thing that he does at the moment is sing along to the Rihanna & Calvin Harris song - This is What You Came For.  He only knows roughly 1 word at the end of each line but what he lacks in vocabulary he more than makes up for in dance moves!  Generally it goes like this - 'Baaaaaaaaaayybeeeeeeeee' 'moooooooove'  'ooh oooh oooh ooh ooh'  you get the idea.

5  Finally, I'm just so glad that he is still happy & healthy and hopefully always will be.  He is a great sleeper & eater and we are incredibly lucky that so far this has never changed (touch wood).

It's amazing to think that 2 years ago I was handed a baby & had absolutely no clue what the hell I was supposed to do with him.  But here we are 2 birthdays later, still standing & actually, we're doing alright!

xx