real nappies: review & giveaway

Howdy y'all!

Ever tried cloth nappies? Some of you might be groaning and that's generally the reaction I got when I first told people that I was going to use cloth nappies just before I had Josh. My great intention was to do just that, but life after Josh played out a little differently. I didn't realise I'd have such a poo machine on my hands, and after having a c-section and adjusting to a new babe I just didn't want to be a gazillionty million loads of washing to do. Once he hit about 6 months, I gave it a go though, and loved it, and loved the savings at the grocery shop. However once, Miss Z arrived and with all my sleep deprivation, the only way for this mama to survive that period was to just use disposables again. Every now and then I use cloth still but largely we still use disposable here. Josh is only in overnight nappies now and this summer I will be toilet training Zoe, so I may use cloth with her a little during that time.

Not too long ago I was asked to trial Real Nappies. I wasn't that keen initially as I felt like I'd tried so many cloth nappies already but I decided to give it a go anyway and found that it's really quite a simple system to use. I was sent a starter pack to use on Zoe - so a few covers, some cotton prefold inserts, flushable liners and an instruction DVD. 

Have a look at the photo above I took. I found I really like the fit of them. They were were reasonably trim I thought, not too bulky. Super easy to put on too. Just fold up the insert into thirds, lay it down on the cover with a liner on top, lay bubs on top and do up with the velcro tabs as loose or tight as you need! I left the nappy on Z for a couple of hours to give it a good run, and when I changed her the prefold was soaked right through.

After washing, I was quite impressed with the drying time too. The inserts don't take days like some cloth nappies can do.

One of my main disappointments was that the inserts were just cotton, there was no bamboo or hemp which are more absorbant, though take longer to dry too.

Overall I found these nappies great, easy to use and would be a good introduction to using cloth. They seem well made and fit my toddler very well.

Real Nappies are offering a starter pack to one reader also. If you want to be in the running for this, you will need to:

1. pop over to the Real Nappies website and work out what size your bub is and,

2. join the mailing list. 

Come back and leave me a comment below which includes stating the size required. 

If you would like an extra entry in the giveaway you can 'like' the Real Nappies Facebook page, blog about the giveaway with a link to this Real Nappies review, or tweet about the giveaway and include @real_nappies in your tweet. Please leave me a separate comment for each way of entering.

Giveaway will end midnight next Wednesday 3 November and I will announce a winner on the following Thursday morning. 

I know it's all a bit extra, but it will be worth it to win a great little prize!

little life lessons

Pure joy.

Laughing until your belly aches. Laughing until you cry. Laughing so hard you can't control it. Being so happy you forget all else except being with those immediately around you.

Having two small children has meant there have been lots of tears (theirs and mine included) but also lots and lots of laughter and moments of pure joy. I love how the simple things in life can bring such happiness to a small child. 

Jumping up and down on the bed.

Letting someone tickle you a little.

Playing chasings and peekaboo.

Dancing and singing to Justine Clarke in your silliest voice.

Blowing and catching bubbles on the front lawn.

Hiding under a blanket with daddy at bedtime so mummy can't find them.

Often I let myself get buried alive by the daily grind of life and the challenges of toddler tantrums and spills and accidents, that I forget to just stop and enjoy those other moments. The special ones. Like when I found Josh brushing his teeth before bed unprompted, and when I find him says "you'll be so proud of me Mummy". And like Zoe running up to her big brother excitedly to give him a kiss before she goes for her afternoon nap and they share a little brother/sister moment together.

'Now and then it is good to pause in our pursuit of Joy

and just be Joyful.'

{Anonymous}

smiling planet

It's getting ridiculously close to Christmas. I'm starting to get a little worried, as I'm sure last year I was really very organised and thought a lot about gifts very early on. This year has been kind of busy and hectic, and now here we are about seven weeks out from Christmas!

So of course I've started trawling my fave places on the Internet and I found these gorgeous little bowls and plates at State of Green. These are Smiling Planet plates and bowls that each have an artistic design on them with an earth friendly message. Even better, they are made from 100% recycled high grade polypropylene plastic, contain no BPA, no lead, no toxic inks, no phthalates and no PVC, so completely environmentally friendly. The designs are printed in such a way that they can't be scratched off and they plates and bowls are top rack dishwasher safe too.

I really love the simplicity of them and the style of the illustrations and designs. They are also (I think) reasonably price at $18.95 at State of Green. I'm very tempted to head off and grab a few for family and friends! Will definitely be bookmarking for my gift purchases.

fiesta time!

It was Zoe's birthday fiesta party on the weekend. I think I'm still recovering....

Pop over to my other blog Lovely Little Parties to see some pics of our fabulous day.

facing the weekend

Here we are, it's Friday again. The wheels keep turning.

I'm madly organising a belated family party for Zoe on Sunday. It should be lots of fun! So as much as I'd love to be relaxing, from tonight, I will be shopping, baking, crafting decorations, blowing balloons, tidying, tidying again, and falling in a heap when it's all over. I promise to save you a piece of the V8 cake I've ordered from Adriano Zumbo........NOT!

Keep smiling. 

image

mess mess mess

We get very messy around here everyday. Whether it's messy eating, messy craft, messy playing in the garden, messy toileting from the under fours in this house! We're forever washing our hands. Josh loves it most of all because he gets to play with the taps and the water at the same time and loves to do the soap by himself. Since he has started his own hand washing routine we go through so much soap as he pumps so much out each time!

Over the last few weeks we've been very lucky to have been sent lots of goodies. One lot of goodies has been from Dettol who delivered us their new No-Touch Hand Wash System to try out. Along with it came a lovely finger painting kit for Josh and Zoe to try and get really messy so we could give the new hand wash system a real good workout!

Josh loved every moment of it. Since he's started preschool he has been enjoying painting and crafting at home a whole lot more so he had great fun painting and getting his fingers dirty. Then I got to explain to him about how the new soap dispenser worked. He was totally fascinated and then wanted to put his hand under all the time just to watch the soap come out.

It's quite cool as it means you literally don't have to touch it to use it. There is a little sensor at the back that can tell when your hand is under and then a little blob of soap comes and off you go washing! Thankfully there is also a switch at the back that lets you turn it off. Very handy when you want to curb your preschoolers fascination once he's washed his hands thoroughly!

We received the cucumber splash scented soap and I loved it! It made me want to wash my hands more too. Give it a go if you haven't! I had seen it in the shops a few times and was tempted, so I really appreciate Dettol sending one over! I think we'll get lots of use out of it and it certainly helps entice the kids to keep clean.

bedroom makeover part #2

Remember my first bedroom makeover post? It didn't really look very complete. I guess it still doesn't but I've now added some cushions to the bed and I think it looks a lot more grown up and finished. Now all we need is some wall art.

Any ideas? I found some Etsy artworks at one point but now I've gone off that idea and was thinking of paying a friend to paint a custom artwork to put up. My hubby has a few ideas and could probably use his graphic design skills to whip something up too. 

Let me know if you have any wall art inspiration for my room for me!

PS. Excuse the dodgy photo, my DSLR is AWOL at the moment so this was taken on my trusty iPhone!

at my house

I'm a little late with my post, but here's our day today at our house celebrating Zoe's second birthday.

Happy Birthday gorgeous, sweet girl. xo

Play along with 'at my' house here.

happy birthday baby girl

What a wonderful two years it's been. I can't believe you are two now. My big girl.

You've brought such joy to our lives, including your big brother who adores you and just wants to smother you in kisses and jump in your cot with you and make you laugh until you cry - literally sometimes!

Your are full of life and such a spirited, playful little girl. So very determined and headstrong already. Your giggles and the way you share little loving moments with your brother make my heart melt.

I wish you the happiest of birthdays, baby girl, and can only wish and pray that you have many more to come.

Love Mummy xoxo