Putting The Cosatto Supa Stroller To The Test | The First Impressions

The Cosatto Supa Pushchair is the newest addition to our household: We've finally bitten the bullet, we've packed away our travel system in favor of a smaller, more dinky car friendly pushchair. It's a baby product that is unlike anything I've had before - but it's definitely become a firm favorite over this past weekend. Cosatto is a brand I've never used before, so to say I was apprehensive initially is an understatement - I've gone through three different Silver Cross systems since Harrison was born, and never thought I would stray from that brand, but even I couldn't resist the classic Cosatto colours. I was extremely specific in what I was looking for in a stroller, but on first impressions, the Supa Stroller seems to have hit a good few of the marks.

Get Over Yourself And Get In The Damn Picture

There are very few pictures of myself and Harrison. I realised this only when I was asked for full-color photos of the two of us for a feature in a magazine this month, I was so excited to be able to share the story, that it never even crossed my mind that I might not have the images needed to go with the story. There was no intricate specification, it was just to be a picture of myself and my baby hours, days, or even weeks after birth - a month or so at a push. I have one - a shoddy crop saved from snapchat and covered with a filter. My hair is all over the place, the only thing on my face is sweat and I'm fairly sure there is placenta juice visible on the bed, and yet, it will probably be one of my most valued pictures. It shouldn't have to be though, at no point should I have to cling on to an image clouded by placenta juice to mark my presence in my baby's life. I can count on hand the number of pictures taken of the two of us in the last 8 months - need two hands if I'm including the ones taken by myself using a self-timer, but even at that, 10 photos over 8 months is very little.

How We Transformed Our Kitchen For Less Than £950

A new kitchen can be bloody expensive. When we first bought our house, the newly renovated, modern kitchen was one of the reasons we went for it. The kitchen was simple - black and white with new laminate flooring and done the job nicely. With it being our first home, we weren't expecting a masterpiece, but this was a start and we were happy with it. However as we renovated every other room in the house, our kitchen began looking fairly lack lustre in comparison, and I couldn't help but have the bug to completely change that too. Unfortunately, with no money tree in our back garden and having more or less knocked down and rebuilt half of the walls in our house in the last three months, spare cash wasn't exactly flying. Google told me it would cost me around £7000 for a new kitchen - my budget told me otherwise. We spared the money set aside for our garden and managed to completely transform our kitchen on a pretty strict budget, we've made sacrifices and chose wisely to get the most bang for our buck, whilst still completely changing the feel and look of our space.

How To Cope With A Sick Baby When You're Sick

First came the runny nose, the sniffles and the nap time resistance. Next came the lack of appetite and the cough, and before long, my 7 month old baby was loaded with the cold. We'd been fighting the inevitable since starting our nursery drop in days, but after his first full week in the breeding ground of infections that is child care, my child got sick. They say when it rains, it pours, and never before has it been so true. There can be nothing worse than having a sick child, well, other than having a sick child when you yourself are also sick. It should be a nation wide rule that those of us who have to keep little humans alive cannot get sick, but alas, it is not, and get sick is exactly what I did this month.

There is More To Interiors Than Ikea? | A Bo Concept Wishlist

When we were moving house, I spent hours on Pinterest looking for ideas. I had a strong image in my head of what I wanted and I found it extremely difficult to find the items because of this. Before long, I reverted to my old favorite, Ikea. It's extremely cheap, near impossible to build and everyone in the world seems to have the same items, but it was exactly what I was looking for. If you look at my house now, 80% of the furniture in every room is from the Swedish haven - it's saved us a lot of money, and the ridiculously cheap price-tag means most of it is very minimal, which is exactly what I was looking for in the first place. Only now, with everything assembled and in place, can I now see whats missing. Colour, quality, something special. Sometimes, you really do need to venture further than Ikea to really complete a room - and that's exactly what I've been doing.

To Take Good Pictures, We Need Good Vision | Healthy Eyes With Leightons

 The most valuable tool in a photographer’s arsenal is not the camera, but the eyes. I'm no photographer, but I take more pictures than I can even comprehend and I earn a living with a camera in hand - so it's about time I looked after my eyes. While the camera captures the moment, it’s the eyes that find the winning shot. It therefore makes sense that you care for your eyes just as you would any other part of your body - if you were a footballer, you'd take care of your legs, so why should creative minds be any different? Eye-care often gets neglected in favour of other more discussed areas of healthcare, it seems like our eyes are something that are rarely ever mentioned. I'm blind as a bat to put it bluntly. I've worn glasses for the last 15 years, had an eyepatch, tried to get laser and was told to come back in 10 years when the technology had progressed. My eyes are so important, is it any wonder I'm more conscious now of taking care of them: I'm no expert, but here are my tips to protect and rejuvenate your eyes when working with cameras or in the long editing hours.

A Fathers Day He Won't Forget | TESCO TANNOY TAKEOVER

With Fathers Day fast approaching, this year, I wanted to do something special. Fathers Day is the forgotten holiday; although not long after Mothers Day, it's the holiday we often overlooked, the one often accompanied by a quick dash to the local supermarket for a card and a pair of novelty socks the night before. For my own dad, our Fathers Day tradition of a box of Jaffa Cakes and a Mug has always been just enough, but as my first year as a parent myself, I can now truly appreciate everything he has done for me, and want to let him know this. With my new found respect, I wanted to do something a  special: this year, I took part in the Tesco Tannoy Takeover to let my dad know exactly how much he means to me.

Monday: The Non-Existent Day Of Dieting, Organisation and Accomplishment

The month of May has been a lost one, for more reasons than one. We've been living in a never ending cycle of sickness bugs, infections, and the mundane reality of the return to work. Between the three of us, we've caught more colds than I can count on one hand, had a bout of tonsillitis, a bad case of man flu, one chest infection and the littlest is now currently fighting off Bronchiolitis. We're all sick, and it feels like we have been forever. Couple this with my return to work, and is it any wonder my blog has taken a back seat? Since returning to work, I've put pressure on myself to keep up with a blog, with my online persona and the life I had began to love on the internet. I put so much pressure on myself that my blog lost the very essence of what it started out as. A way to document the ordinary moments. I found myself caught up in comparisons, in procrastination and the fear of posting anything that might not be 'good enough'. I've lost count of the number of times I've said 'I'll get organised on Monday', and with every passing Monday that lacks the momentus change in my attitude and ability to organise my life, I become more and more disheartened.

4 Steps To Fake An Influence On Instagram (And Hate It At The Same Time)

Instagram was always my favorite platform; that was, until the algorithm changed, and it became only that. A platform. With the change in algorithm came a change in the way I used the popular social media network, and with it, a change in the enjoyment I got from it in the first place. If you've been living under a rock - or you have more sense than to waste away on Instagram like the best of us - Instagram altered the way it displayed images. No longer was it based on when you posted, instead, pushing out posts that it perceived people to like the most. Instagram was never a platform I used to promote myself, to share my photos or to even connect with others - initially it was less about the creative aspect for me and more about the inspiration. A way to people stalk. My own feed was (and still is) mediocre, but my follow list was curated. It was a direct representation of the people I aspired to be like, the places I wanted to go and the lives I wish I had. I didn't care about followers, and felt no pressure to succumb to a the cohesive feed, brick wall backgrounds or an overhead coffee shot. My Instagram may not have been nice, but it was an accurate representation of my life, one that was not dictated by a grey demeanor, bright light and cacti.

Weaning Made Simple | Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam And Blend Review

Weaning with your first child can be a bit of a minefield. With so many options, so many opinions and no experience to fall back on, it's easy to fall into the trap of buying pre-packaged pouches after pre-packaged pouches. I did, for the first 3 months, until I discovered the Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend and realized I was throwing away money every single week when there was a simple solution. From the moment we began to think about weaning (around 3 months) - I claimed I'd be making my own baby food. I had the expectation that my freezer would be filled with blended down concoctions, all day every day. The reality of life with a baby however saw me using the 'I don't have time' excuse daily, and despite having a traditional blender ready and waiting, I never did use it - I was completely reliant on the pre-packed baby food pouches I picked up at Tesco, and they worked well for me. I still use them now, but the majority of my seven month old's food now comes as a direct result of my own culinary skills (well, that of my special blenders).

'Full-Time Parent' Is NOT an Occupation (But It's Still Bloody Difficult)

A year ago, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at anyone who claimed their job title to be a stay-at-home parent. It cropped up on Facebook time and time again: 'Occupation: Full Time Mumma'. Being the judgmental person I was (and probably still am, albeit for different things), I'd automatically assume those who worked as a parent were lazy. 'Mum' was not a job-title, it was a life change, a hard one, but one that should marry alongside a career rather than replace one. I don't want to use the word 'scroungers' but at that time, I wasn't shy in labelling those who didn't return to work as exactly that - Before I ever became a mum, I was in complete belief that stay at home parents had it easy, the blissful lives I saw plastered over Instagram, and I couldn't help but tut when they likened it to a career. It was blunt, fairly harsh and completely misled, but I truly believed that people stayed at home -in part- for an easy life. In some ways, I do still stand by my outdated opinion, but in most, I now realize I probably missed the mark.

5 Mistakes I Made On Maternity Leave: Hindsight Is A Wonderful Thing

Tomorrow marks my return to work. It's been coming for a long time, but only as my six month long maternity leave comes to an end can I truly realize how much I will miss it. I'll miss the little moments, the fleeting cuddles and the ease of fitting in a stroll around the shops. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and only now can I look back and be aware of the mistakes I've made on my 'extended holiday' with Harrison. They are not necessarily mistakes, but choices that I now look back on and kick myself for making them at the time. As cliche as it sounds, each of them taught me a lesson I probably needed to learn going forward, but it doesn't mean I don't look back in hindsight and wonder how my time on maternity leave would have spanned if I had done it differently. I have no regrets, but I have a few alterations I'd make if ever I find myself on the ever allusive nine month holiday ever again.

On My List: APRIL Home Essentials | Feature Walls, Plants and Piece Of Mind

The early stages of decorating an entire house is no more than an excuse to write excessive homeware wish-lists, or at least, it is for me. We have now reached the stage where the construction work is complete, and I can actually make use of the lists I've created over the last month. In April, my home essentials were less essential, and more sporadic. My mind has been all over the place, and I can't seem to focus in on one area, which is reflected in my choices below.. This month, I can't seem to walk past a plant without sneaking it into the basket, and I've been spending obscene amounts of money on oversized books I'll probably never read...

I Think I Might Be Pregnant | Two Under Two?

There is not a longer thirty seconds in life than the wait for the result of a Clear Blue. Whether willing for a positive or willing it away, it's hard to relax whilst you wait. I've done four since Harrison was born. Four times in five months I've sat waiting, wondering if my life will change forever again. One surprise baby has been hard enough, but two? Two under two is unimaginable to me, and if I could shake the fear of an unplanned pregnancy right now my life would be significantly less stressful.

Half A Year With Harrison | The 6 Month Update

We've had 182 days with Harrison. 4331 hours, and more minutes than I'll bother to count. It's been a journey, an amazing one at times, but also one that felt like an uphill battle for the first few months. It's taken time, very little blood, but a lot of sweat and a tonne of tears, but we've made it to Harrison's half birthday and we could not be in a better place. I feel like I'm turning into the girl I used to judge for celebrating the little milestones: I never thought I'd be one to even recognize a half birthday, but at 6 months, it feels like we're celebrating so much more than half a year. 6 months has marked a major turning point for him, and an even bigger one for me. This month, I lost my phone. I lost 6 months of pictures, of videos, of ridiculous feed updates in my notes. I lost my google search history, my favorited websites of irrational and quite frankly ridiculous suggestions on how to get your baby to sleep. I have the DSLR images I take, but those probably aren't the ones I'd miss in the long run. I want the dimly lit 5 second snapchat videos of the first night he smiled, or giggled, or the aftermath of the first poo explosion. I've been criticized for taking so many pictures of my child, for celebrating the mini milestones that aren't really milestones, for oversharing, and recently I've forgotten about the reasons I done those things in the first place. Losing the pictures and videos just confirmed in my head that I do want them, I miss them, and if I didn't have a blog of written updates, I'd have been much more upset. I want to remember the little tiny moments, the ones that don't justify the big camera, the ones that matter. I want to document the half birthdays, the silly days that don't mean anything to anyone else but us, the hard days and the ones that may otherwise go forgotten. 6 Months is a milestone for us, and will forever hold a place in my heart. At 6 months, motherhood became what I always wanted it to be.

A Flood Of Guilt and Needing More Than Mum | The Return To Work

I never imagined going back to work to be difficult. Is that bad?  Yes, it probably is.  This week, I was given my back to work date. My maternity leave will finish on the 8th May. I'd applied for an April start date, so returning this soon should not have been a surprise, but I'm now reeling. It's only hit home now. I'm reeling because I don't want to leave my child with someone else. I'm reeling because I don't want someone else to watch his 'firsts'. I want to be there for it all, and the guilt is overwhelming right now. I knew fine well all along that at some point I'd have to start sharing the firsts, I'd have to leave him and he would be perfectly ok, but suddenly the thought of it has become one that does not sit well with me.

Our New Project | The House Before The Home

And, we have a house! I've made no secret of my frustrations over the last few months: finding a home is no mean feat, buying one is another kettle of fish completely, but low and behold we've made it through the process, and came out the other side, albeit missing a very large chunk of our savings. Now that I'm in a position where nothing can fall through, I felt it was time to update on our new home, and what we plan on doing in it. I've been slightly overwhelmed by it all. The first home I owned was supposed to be a flat. I'd always had it planned it out. A one bedroom, small flat, just for me and nobody else. A small space to decorate and to call my own. I never did quite manage that, but Jordan was a happy addition to my living situation. Add in a 6 month old baby though, and suddenly everyone needs that little bit more space. Consistent with everything else in the last year of my life, my one bed flat didn't go to plan. Last week we got the keys to our new family home. A 3 bedroom, do-er upp-er. A renovation waiting to happen, and for us, right now, a building site.

I Stained My Baby Yellow | 5 Things I Wish I Knew About Milk Bath Photography

Milk Bath Photography has always been popular for maternity shoots, but more and more I've been seeing baby shoots crop up. It's plastered over Pinterest, and each image I came across seemed unique and beautiful in there own right. In my mind it would be easy, milk bath photography would be done by filling a bath with water and baby milk powder, then personalizing with different amounts of flowers or greenery to add a little something to the shot. It seemed simple, and having read Katie's post on capturing young babies, I felt I was more than able to capture the image I had in mind, and have a fun little experience with Harrison. Had I bothered to research more, I may have found that there can be a lot more to milk bath shoots than meet the eye, and it was maybe not going to be quite this simple. Whilst it all started off well enough, it very quickly went downhill. We had a bouquet of flowers left over from Mothers Day, a full tub of baby milk that Harrison never liked, and a bathtub - little did I know I would end our morning with a yellow baby, a smelly bath-tub and an overwhelming desire for a glass of wine. This could have all been made slightly easier, had I known a few key things before.

First Impressions Of An Expensive Highchair | Is The NOMI Evomove Worth It?

 If you had asked me to name the product I'd expect to find most useful from birth while I was pregnant, I'd have chosen my Moses Basket, or a Baby Carrier, our Sleep Nest, maybe our Perfect Prep - never in a million years did I think a high chair would ever have even factored in. Our high chair has been more than just a high chair for us though. The NOMI High Chair is unlike any other high chair on the market; it’s more luxurious, with a focus on minimalism and style while still being durable and long lasting. It’s a dream chair, put bluntly. Before Harrison was even born, I’d spied the chair on Ash’s Instagram, and I was determined that this would be the one we would buy. This is no mean feat, Ash could sell ice to a polar bear if the ice was picture d with either of her children, but alas, the ball was now rolling. After settling on the chair, the big step for us was weighing it up with the price tag - which in comparison to the Ikea best which happened to be number two on our list, was hefty.

Being Kinder To Our Little One's Skin | A Neutral Approach

Disclaimer; this post was produced in collaboration with Neutral and the products were sent to me in return for a review, however as always all opinions are entirely my own.

At 5 months old, Harrison has been relatively unaffected when it comes to sensitive skin. We've had the full choice of baby skincare: we've been able to take advantage of the sweet smell of the Johnsons' products, save some money on the Aldi baby-wipes and we've never really had to look at labels, I liked to think we were in the clear.  Little did I know that one in all three children are at risk of developing skin allergies. Just because we've been lucky until now, doesn't mean we will continue to be. Although we have a child who at the moment appears to be allergy free, that doesn't mean we are not conscious of trying to minimize the risk. We've recently started weaning Harrison, and what should be in theory a nice calm meal time can often turn into what can only be described an explosion of prunes and avocado, so bath time is now more crucial than ever. That tiny little human can get his food everywhere right now, so on a particularly messy day, at times it makes more sense to dunk him in the sink than it ever would to exhaust a packet of baby wipes. This does mean that at times he can be in and out twice a day, and I'm very conscious of making sure I am as kind to his skin as possible with this additional exposure to products.