I don’t know if bath time is a bit of a struggle in your home but it is here even with just one child. Anya uses all kinds of delaying tactics from claiming that she’s suddenly really hungry (even though she’s normally just had dinner) to explaining that she just has to read a particular book or play with some toy at that very moment. Her latest excuse is that she doesn’t like showering so she shouldn’t have to! All my attempts to reason with her (the sooner you have a shower the sooner you can watch TV type of stuff) have failed. So now I’m trying to think outside the box.
I recently came across these delicious looking ice-cream (popsicle) soaps on a stick and I loved the idea. They soaps are made of organic goat milk and are especially for kids who dislike taking showers (I feel like they’re talking to me!). By putting the soap on a stick it looks like a creamy ice-cream, it adds fun and it’s easy for little hands to hold. These milky organic soaps come in 4 ‘flavours’ – avacado, jojoba, calendula and camellia. Made by ahhaproject for baby brand Stitch Bear, these fun ice-creamy soaps may just be the ticket to solve those tricky shower times at least for a while. They’ve only launched very recently so aren’t available here yet but should be soon.
I’m beginning to think that 5 is the magical age when kids start becoming very aware and start realising a lot more about the world at large. I guess it’s also got lots to do with starting school and expanding your horizons. I know Anya is definitely much more aware of things that go way beyond her immediate world. Yesterday she came home and asked me loads of questions about Valentines day. Up till last year she didn’t have a clue. So this Friday I thought I would do some fun crafts with her that didn’t require too many materials and most importantly ones that she can fully participate in. Shes a big fan of anything heart shapedso I’ve found 4 ‘sweet heart’ craftsthat look really nice but aren’t difficult. I’m going to let her choose her favourites but I might just nudge her towards making those pretty heart crayons as we have a ton of crayons that could do with a new lease of life.
1. Valentines heart glasses – you can print them out in any colour you like and make as many as you want. 2. Origami love hearts – cute little hearts to stick messages in or you could use them to decorate. 3. Valentines animal envelopes – from one of my favourite kids craft blogs, these cute envelopes are perfect to give little gifts, treats or notes to any special friends. 4. DIY heart crayons – they make a nice change from regular crayons or you could give them as little gifts in those animal envelopes.
I naturally get more drawn to girls clothes simply because I only have a daughter and also the choice out there for girls is pretty amazing and diverse especially if you look beyond the mainstream. But lately I’ve seen a lot more happening in the world of boys fashion which is exciting. There’s no reason why boys shouldn’t have as much choice as girls. So when I came across this new French brand called Diapers & Milk, it’s was so refreshing to see that they don’t differentiate between boys and girls. They make really cute leggings that are unisex.
Boys leggings aren’t that easy to find but I wonder why. Leggings are seriously comfy and practical wear for babies and young kids so why should they be only for girls? Diapers & Milk have colourful leggings like that sweet mustache print as well as more muted graphic print ones that would all look so cute on boy or girl. You can find a selection of these fun unisex leggings at French Blossom.
Did you child proof your home? I didn’t and I learned my lesson the hard way. I foolishly believed that all would be fine and I didn’t need to be a paranoid parent. I think I just never thought it through. I’ve pretty much kept this to myself because I’ve been ashamed to admit how stupid I had been but when Safety 1st (a company that focuses on making the world a safer place for babies and kids) got in touch and asked me to share my story in order to spread the word about how important child safety is, I couldn’t say no.
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago when Anya was nearly 3 years old. I went out while my husband Richard stayed home with Anya. As I walked back home my phone rang. It was Richard and I was sure he was calling to ask me to pick up something on my way home. When I answered I immediately knew something was wrong, very wrong. He said something along the lines of ‘Anya’s cut her head, she’s bleeding heavily, we need to get to the hospital.” I ran home and found my baby covered in blood and sobbing uncontrollably. She had slit her forehead open on the corner of the coffee table and the wound looked awful.
Of course we rushed to the emergency room and after an initial check we were asked to wait. In the meantime Anya had perked up quite a bit and was jumping around the waiting room much to the horror of the other parents who were staring at this little child covered in blood but playing as if all was well with the world. But this reassured Richard and me. We could see that while the cut was bad, she was fine. Big, huge sigh of relief. A while later 3 nurses glued her forehead back together (apparently they don’t uses stitches on kids anymore) while blowing bubbles to keep Anya distracted. The doctor checked her over and said even though the wound looked really bad, it was superficial and all was well. Thank you NHS.
Lesson learned and how. According to the New York Times, turns out that coffee tables are one of the biggest hazards for kids inside the home. Those foam corner guards may not be pretty but if you have a wooden coffee table, you need them. If you have a glass coffee table, get rid. And if like me, you’re naive enough to believe that you don’t need at least some amount of child proofing within the home, think again. I wish I had. Anya still has a scar and each time I look at it I feel terrible for allowing something so awful to happen to her especially when it could easily have been avoided.
This post is brought to you in partnership with Safety 1st. All content, words and images are my own. Thank you for supporting my work with carefully selected partners that allow me to bring you new content like this.
{top photo by ebabee, bottom photo by Juliana of Captured by Juliana for ebabee}
I’m no make-up junkie. Over the years my make-up use has actually decreased when it probably should have increased! I’m not one to spend hours applying make-up; I just don’t have the time or the patience anymore. But I still want to look and feel good so I’m always searching for quick and easy to use products with maximum results. When I do come across a product that delivers without hours of effort, it’s a keeper. These 2 little jars by Benefit fall in to this category and are my ‘can’t live without’ make-up bag essentials.
Benetint adds a natural looking rosy tint to my cheeks in seconds. In the morning before the school run, when every second counts and when I’m busy tending to everyone elses needs before mine, this is what adds that hint of natural looking colour to my face especially on those dull skin days. On top of that goes high beam which gives a subtle healthy glow to my face and I love that you don’t need any fancy brushes to apply either one, just the bottle and your fingers. I thought I would start sharing a few of my finds here in case you are like me too – a mum looking for quick, easy but effective little tools to make you look and feel better when time is very limited.
What are your favourite quick and effective make-up tips and tricks? I’d love to hear in the comments.
This is possibly the most stylish kids coat I’ve come across, ever. The colour, the cut, the tie detail… everything is so effortlessly chic. Wearing it with skinny jeans and knee high boots completes the look beautifully. Wow, just wow!
Chillies, flowers, birds and stripes… a vibrant mix of prints and patterns make up this new Summer 2014 collection by Wolf & Rita. From Portugal, Wolf & Rita started with the aim of creating the perfect, practical and sophisticated shirt for boys and girls. They’ve not only done that but also offer other pieces like dresses, skirts and the coolest baggy trousers. This collection is great for having some fun with patterns and colours like mixing those red and white striped bottoms with any of the bird print tops. But there are solid colours too if mixing bold patterns isn’t your thing. This is Wolf & Rita’s second collection and by far my favourite. I’m just wishing those belted tops came in my size…
I’m so excited to tell you about a new print magazine that launched last week. Lille Nord is a Nordic family lifestyle mag created by Monica Bach and Katrine Gitz both of whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the London launch. The magazine explores modern family life in Nordic countries with a focus on decor, design, food and travel.
Discovering an inspired new magazine (or a new issue of an old favourite) is definitely one of life’s little pleasures. And then taking 20 minutes out of a busy day to flip through it while sipping coffee is such a treat. While doing exactly that with Lille Nord yesterday, I enjoyed the travel section where you get insider tips on places to see and eat when traveling as a family. This issue gives you a day in Copenhagen which includes lots of play time as well as culture, food and shopping ideas. My other favourite is the decor section with lots of inspiration for stylish kids rooms. If you are a fan of Nordic style and all it has to offer, this magazine is very much for you. At the moment Lille Nord will only be available through their own website but they’re looking for stockists around the globe.
Ebabee Likes is a style guide for babies, kids, teens and their mamas. It’s all about inspiration, ideas and indulging yourself and your brood. It’s written by me ~ Nomita ~ a style loving girl from Mumbai who now live’s in London. Read More...
