Did you know Williams Shoes sells kids shoes? I knew they sold primary school age style shoes but not shoes small enough for the little ones in your life. Well lucky you read my blog because now we both know that they have a great range of quality shoes available from infant to adult at really reasonable prices!
My poor little Ned had someone describe his feet as 'monster feet' a couple of weeks ago. And I couldn't help but agree. I think he's been cursed with his father's wide foot meaning shoes are rather difficult to get on, however cute they may be.
Luckily, a pair of super trendy high tops sent to us by Williams Shoes fit him perfectly and actually have seen him stand up by himself for an extended period of time. They have a great supportive base and a zip and laces combo which makes it much easier to get the shoes on - a task I naively thought would have been easy.
Unfortunately neither dad or I could get the velcro street shoe {also sent to us} on Ned so they will be passed across to his cousin Austin. I had hoped they would fit because they were going to be his birthday shoes but oh well, I LOVE the high tops and everyone that has seen them has commented on them.
The PR team also sent some gorgeous mary-jane style shoes for my nearly-two-year-old niece Mila to enjoy and seriously, I want them in my size! The excitement in her face when she opened each box and proudly showed off her new shoes was just heartwarming. I think my sis may have a little fashionista on her hands.
Make sure you sign up for the Fusion card which is a rewards program that you can use at Williams, Mathers and Diana Ferrari. You'll earn rewards as well as being notified of sales - often 40% off sales - my kind of sale!
Check out the range here. The website is fantastic too - you can get real-time availability of size and style at stores close to you. How good is that?!
Now, the question is ... who doesn't love shoes? I have a $50 Williams Shoes voucher up for grabs over on my facebook page - go check it out. And you can be selfish if you like and spend it on yourself!
Baby wearing was not something I'd ever considered before having Ned, believing only those 'earth mother types' would do such a thing. Wow, how my opinion has changed! I've been using a different carrier since Ned was little which took him quite some time to warm to but it seems this little dude fell in love with the Manduca, gifted to us by the lovely team at Fertile Mind, seemingly straight away.
The manduca was designed by a clever German lady with a few key points in mind. There are only a few carriers on the market which allow the baby to sit in the orthopedically-recommended way to support their precious little bodies. This ergonomic position is called the "M" position {baby's bum is lower than the knees forming an M} and this is just one of the features the manduca offers. There are also a variety of positions that you can wear your baby AND the manduca is suitable from newborn stage right up to about four years of age {or 20kg}.
I love the range of colours and {limited edition} designs available and given the options, I made sure I chose a colour suitable for both genders so daddy can wear the baby too. Us women know there isn't anything much more attractive than a daddy wearing his son : )
The carrier is light, is made with organic cotton and has extra long straps/belts at the hip and shoulder to help distribute weight evenly, as well as making it quick and easy to adjust based on the wearers size and preferences.
To start off with, I definitely needed the instruction manual to understand the different carrying positions and how to get the baby in to position. The hip carry had me baffled for a while but I finally managed to comprehend the {quite simple} instructions and I kind of think Ned enjoys the hip carry the most. All positions are surprisingly comfortable {I have worn the manduca shopping for over an hour} but my favourite is the back hold. Ned feels secure in there and if I do a bit of skipping/hopping it turns in to a bit of a game with him. I also love the front hold when he is getting sleepy as the closeness and the cuddles are still so, so nice.
It's safe to say I LOVE my manduca and would happily pay for one as well as recommending them to anyone looking for a baby carrier {however hippyish babywearing might seem to some}
You can buy one of these fabulous baby carriers online here or find a stockist here.
A gorgeous package arrived from Plumbaby wear last week and I couldn't wait to get Ned in each and every item.
Plum is an Australian family owned business who have been designing and producing quality and oh-so-cute baby and kids wear since 1965. They also have a range of pyjamas and sleeping bags and have a great partnership with SIDS & Kids to promote the safe sleeping message.
They have have even changed my aversion to boys in overalls. I mean c'mon - how cute do they look?!
The fur lined hoodie is without a doubt my favourite and will be getting some major miles in winter.
Plum is sold through a wide range of stockists - I even spotted some some at my favourite store Trade Secret.
Oh, and he loves being nude. I suppose that isn't a revelation though; he is a male after all.
Like this kid loves the water so much I think he could be the next Ian Thorpe or Michael Phelps - without all the drama and controversy of course. For months I used to bathe him in the shower until I discovered he LOVED the bath and I haven't got him out ever since. Even when I do hold him in the shower he is looking down at the ground wanting to sit and play. So when Tommee Tippee sent me a pack of bathtime goodies, Ned was kicking and splashing like crazy with excitement.
In the pack was a kissee fishee, some tub appliques, a duck and a set of fish squirtees and a great storage bag which suctions on to the bath.{Check out the entire Tommee Tippee bathtime range here}
There isn't much to say except these toys make batht time an event to look forward to. Ned especially loves pulling the suctioned shapes off the side of the bath and then eating them. Apparently the tub appliques are for babies two years and up so I'm going to declare that my son is gifted ... surely playing with 'toys' suitable from 24 months warrants that?!
Of course these toys are fabulous but nothing could be as fabulous as the plug or a washer. Sorry Tommee Tippee ... your products are great but us mums all know the most exciting toys aren't toys.
Want your little one to have as much fun at bath time? You can win a pack exactly like Ned's! Simply leave a comment here or on facebook and you're in the draw. Entries will close on the 23rd May at 5pm | Only open to Australian residents.
As hip, cool and relaxed as I may seem as a trainee mama, I just can't quite handle the baby-wed-leaning (or BLW for the cool kids) craze that a lot of new mums seem to have embraced. As Ned has tried more and more food I've started introducing a more chunkier food and do give him the occasional 'whole' food (like toast, fruit or rice crackers) to keep him occupied but I watch him like a hawk waiting for that bit of food that goes down the wrong way to cause him to gag. My hook reflex has improved remarkably but it doesn't make it any easier or less-heart-stopping when my sweet little baby has food stuck in his throat.
So, when Tommee Tippee offered me a range of feeding products to try I jumped at the chance. I'm very excited at a longer term relationship with this fabulous Australian brand and am also happy to share that one lucky reader will win this prize pack that I've kindly been sent to review.
All-in-one food processor
I would have loved to receive this fabulous machine earlier (especially because our microwave carked it) - it has five functions in one - bottle steriliser/warmer, food warmer, steam cooker and blender and is perfect for home and small enough to travel with too. I was a little confused when I first attempted to use it as I did follow the instructions and washed all parts before using (D'oh!) but eventually figured out that not all parts had to be used for the different functions and now it's super easy to use. I like that it is easy to clean (so much quicker and easier than cleaning a saucepan + steamer basket + food processor!), helps with portion size (only probably enough for one or two serves meaning the food is always fresh), and has more than just a food cooking/blending function. On my first attempt at using it apparently I didn't read that the max capacity was 150g and as per my washing antics, tried to stuff as much in the mixing bowl as I could. The pumpkin and carrot were steamed beautifully but the extra water I added ended up flooding the bench - okay, that's a slight exaggeration. It's also great that once the food is steamed, you simply turn the bowl upside down, place the mixer blade in the bowl, insert the blender top and puree as little or as much as you like.
Heat Sensor Weaning Spoons
These are great - the spoon head turns white if the food or liquid is too hot to give to your baby. And you get four in a pack - perfect for me who always seems to lose things like this and also means you can keep one in your baby bag.
Roll and Go Bibs
Not the trendiest bibs on the market but probably the most functional as they have been designed to catch spills or to allow your baby to save some stuff for 'Ron. They are simple to clean and are even dishwasher safe - big tick in my book.
Discovera Trainer Cup
Love this cup and it seems Ned does too. He really has mastered the use of the sippy cup and I think the easy-to-use handles have aided in that. It is also shake proof (such a fun game apparently) and even has a spot to write your child's name on it ... if only I had nicer handwriting. Oh, and it's a great size - 260ml which helps me try and get Ned's required amount of water in for the day. Being fully formula fed for a couple of months now I was shocked to find out he should be drinking around 300mls of water a day. I soon realised why my baby was waking up before midnight for what seemed like weeks on end. I think he was dehydrated (#motheroftheyear) so this cup is never too far from Ned.
Stickee Bowl
This bowl is the shiz-niz. As per its name, it sticks. And it sticks good. It has a fancy-schmancy suction base preventing even me from removing it from the high chair ... well at least until I read the instructions. I also had to read the instructions as to how to apply it but I'm sure my engineer husband would have mastered it without consulting the how-to card. Love the spoon too - Ned was indeed very intrigued by it and it seems it would help develop feeding skills and independence although I'm not quite ready for the world-war-III cleanup that would likely result from letting Ned go-to-town feeding himself.
One lucky trainee mama reader will win all of these fabulous products simply by leaving a comment on this blog post!
Entries are only open to Australian residents and the competition will close Tuesday 22 April at 5:00pm AEST. Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.
We just spent a lovely weekend catching up with Ned's poppy and his partner Rhonda in Brunswick Heads on the northern New South Wales coast. Brunswick Heads is only ten or so minutes north of Byron Bay but we so enjoyed the relaxed nature and AWESOME food that was available in Brunswick that we didn't feel the need to visit Byron (and have to endure the long trip into Byron with other weekend adventurers.) I love that you can walk almost anywhere in Brunswick and also that wearing footwear seems completely optional (even at the pub!)
Food and Booze?
Oodles of options are available - so much so that you don't want to be the one to decide on a restaurant/cafe in case it is disappointing and you should have chosen 'the other one'
Park Street Home Made Pasta Bar (rated #1 on Trip Advisor)
We ate lunch here on Saturday and returned for breakfast on Sunday. The food is amazing, the staff are friendly, bubbly and so natural. We were rhetorically asked if we were 'stoked' about the food after we had already said how delicious our meals were. I wish 'stoked' rolled more naturally off my tongue - I'd feel so much more genuine as a coastie. I would totally return again and again and would love to try out the homemade pasta (diet starts Monday right?) ... Oh, and they have BYO beer and wine (huge tick in my book)
Fat Belly Kaf (rated #2 on TA)
We ate a late dinner here on Saturday night. We ordered the $49/head banquet and it was plentiful, tasty, well timed and the wait staff were knowledgeable and relaxed. I asked a question of the cocktail menu and was given such honest advice. One of the cocktails would have 'rolled me' so I chose the other espresso-martini-esque option (it was fantastic btw). Trainee Daddy ordered a whiskey sour and was also impressed. I would definitely return.
Cino Bambino (rated #5 on TA)
I enjoyed a coffee and a juice and TD ordered a delicious caramel milkshake from this little cafe just below our little apartment. The menu looked unpretentious but delicious (and original) and I would have loved to try the food here. They also had a small selection of baby giftware including aden & anais! Love their mantra (from the website)
Cino Bambino was born out of a desire to allow people to enjoy the cafe experience in a family friendly environment. The arrival of a baby changed our lives in so many ways but the simple pleasures in life such as a hot coffee should not be forgone.
We had a few drinks and enjoyed the band here on Friday night. It is such a grand old pub with the most amazing beer garden overlooking the river and towards the beach. The food looked really good and we were contemplating dinner here on Saturday night but a Sea Shepherd event had taken over the pub (which demanded an entry fee) so we chose to eat elsewhere. The only downfall (and this wasn't only here) was the ability for people to smoke anywhere (it seemed) they wanted. A must see and do in Brunswick.
Dinner here on Friday night was bloody fabulous. It seemed authentic, generous and at only $2.00/head corkage, an awesome place for a night out. The only downfall was we felt, as the last customers, that we had to finish our meals (and our drinks) quickly so the staff could go home. I would return here without a doubt.
Happy Dolphin Cafe
Friendly staff but (barely) average food. Enough said.
Shopping?
There are enough shops/boutiques to even satisfy a shopaholic like me including a couple of op shops. I scored a genuine Nike broncos infant jersey for Ned for $7.00 at a kids-only op shop as well as a super comfy pair of pants on sale for $30 (down from $70) from a cute boutique.
Would I visit again?
I'd definitely stay again but perhaps in one of the nearby towns like Lennox Head (which we visited) for something different.
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