Zip and Zoe by Babymel

Before Christmas a fantastic email landed in our inbox from the lovely people at Babymel saying we had been chosen to be ambassadors for their gorgeous new range of kids bags Zip and Zoe!

We got the choice of one of their bags to review, so we went for the kids Dino multi for James!

James absolutely love the bag! He has used it for school everyday! He's actually carried it on his back rather than making mummy carry it like he does when we use his book bag!

The bag has a fantastic large main pocket, which we can fit in everything James needs for a day at school! We always keep his reflective waistcoat in there as some days it is dark when we are going to and from school! Going to and from school in bad weather, we have had: his reading book, key words folder, reflective jacket, pair of shoes and still had space in the bag!

The smaller pocket on the front is the perfect size to keep his hat and gloves in so they are not lost in the cloakroom! The bottle pocket is brilliant and it means James always has his bottle on his way to and from school!

My favourite part of the bag has to be the chest strap! James can put his bag on and then I clip it up and it does not fall off his shoulders when we are walking to and from school!

When we have had bad weather and James has needed to wear his wellies to school, I have been able to put his school shoes into his bag to change into. Although sometimes I might be better off just sending the wellies for all day use! 

Not only does James use the bag for school, he also takes it to aldi. We always take rucksacks to aldi with us to do the shopping and since James got his, he's been wanting to take it with him to help carry bits of shopping home!

Over all I am 100% happy with this bag and would recommend them to anyone with kids! 

Zip and Zoe sent us a fantastic discount code ZipAndZoe20 at checkout 

Disclaimer; We were sent this bag free of charge in exchange for this review! All words and pictures are our own!

Living Arrows 1/52

So one of my big resolutions (post coming out soon) for 2017 is to try and take part in more linkys. The first one I'm trying is Living Arrows hosted my the Lovely Donna at What the Redhead Said. 

So my boys are four and one, up until a few months ago James barely went near Freddie, and if Freddie went near him he would scream and shout take him away or get the baby away. But now the boys love each other to bits! 

James is full of beans and hardly ever sits still! He is a typical boy who loves trains, planes, fire engines, tractors in fact anything with wheels! But when he's asleep he is adorable.

Freddie is a cheeky mischievous little boy! He's a speedy crawler and demon climber! You have to make sure everything is out of his reach especially empty cups as he likes to try and chew on them!

 

Living Arrows

Goodbye 2016

 So it's the last day of 2016 and what a year it's been!

We started the year with James at nursery and Freddie a tiny newborn and we've watched James turn four and then a couple of weeks later start reception at school! We've watched Freddie grow, turn one and turn into the most loving little boy.

James has really matured since he started school. He loves learning his phonics and trying to read his school books and key words!

The boys are developing the most lovely relationship. Freddie absolutely adores James and everything James does seems to make Freddie laugh hysterically! This time last year I was worried that the boys would never have any relationship as James seemed to hate Freddie and stay away from him!

We had great plans to start doing up our house and we have kind of started. We bough roller blinds for the bedroom windows, had the boiler replaced and started boarding out the loft! 

2017 is the year we finally start putting our stamp on the place decorating and making it a proper family home for us and our boys!

James at Four!

James, how can you be four years old! I feel like I have blinked and you have gone from this tiny baby to this big handsome boy who is about to start full time school!

You have experienced so much since you turned three with starting nursery and of course becoming a super duper big brother to Freddie. 

You are stubborn and very opinionated. You definitely know your own mind about what you want and when you want it. You are still very much a daddy's boy, but you do love a mummy cuddle but only on your terms! 

You are wearing a mixture of 3-4 & 4-5 clothes. You hate wearing shorts which is going to make pe at school interesting!

You love watching the most random videos on you tube. Normally of people unboxing toys or opening kinder eggs.

You still love watching Thomas and Friends, but have got into Paw Patrol, Team Umizoomi, Bubble guppies & Dino Trux. Daddy invested in Netflix which means you can sit and watch your shows to wind down.

You have absolutely loved this last year in nursery, so I'm hoping you are going to love your time in reception class. It is so strange to think this time last year we were getting you ready for nursery and now we are getting you ready to start school full time!

It's going to be really odd for mummy and Freddie not having to pick you up at lunch time. I really hope you are going to be OK staying at school and having your lunch with your little friends. 

You had your birthday party last Sunday and you had a brilliant time. We had hired the soft play room at the local sports centre for you and your friends. You were worn out after and slept for eleven hours that night!

Love you so much my little man

Mummy

xxx

Freddie at four months

Seriously Freddie how can you be four months old already!

You started your fourth month Freddie by going to a creative curriculum morning at James school. You had a brilliant time being fussed over by all the little girls in the class while mummy spent some time doing activities with James.

You are now in a mixture of 0-3 & 3-6 clothing, you wear size 3 nappies and take 7oz feeds. You generally have a feed between six and seven then you go into your crib. Daddy normally gives you a dream feed between eleven and midnight, you then generally sleep through till between five and six. You were weighed at 14 weeks and you weighed 13lbs 3oz. You are definitely more chunky than your big brother as he was only 13lbs 2oz at 16 weeks.

You are definitely a mummy's boy, you like nothing better than being cuddled into mummy for a sleep. You have definitely started teething and have the rosiest red cheeks. You love sucking on your fingers or better still chewing on mummy's fingers! 

Your love going to your baby groups which we go to on Monday's, Tuesday's and Thursday's. You have found your voice big time and love nothing more than squealing when you want attention. 

You are spending more time awake in your pram when we go out now, but you love nothing better than being snuggled into mummy in the carrier.

You have had another cold which resulted in a trip to hospital to get checked over due to coughing. You then missed another week of groups due to James being ill.

You spent your first time away from mummy, when I was away for two nights with daddy. Nana and gaga came to look after you and James. 

Cannot wait to see what happens by five months

Love you always my little bear

Mummy xxx

Fourth Wedding Anniversary

So today marks our fourth wedding anniversary. 

We got married on 19 March 2011 at The Sun Hotel in the beautiful village of Warkworth. The hotel has been a big part of my life as we went there for family meals as I was growing up and also my mum used to go there with her parents and aunt and uncle. In fact when mums uncle retired he ended up with a part time job behind the bar. 

It was a beautiful Saturday lunchtime when we had our ceremony, the days leading up to the wedding it had been so foggy and miserable, so went I woke up on the Saturday morning to see blue skies and the sun shining I was relieved. 

Unfortunately for me I was actually ill on our wedding day. When we arrived up from Surrey on the Wednesday I had a bit of a sore throat. It was when I woke up on the Thursday morning with no voice we were worried. I managed to see a doctor and unfortunately I had tonsillitis. So I spent the two days before my big day in bed on antibiotics. I managed to enjoy the day but I did end up in bed by 10pm asleep. 

What a fast four years it has been. We have done a lot in those four years - went to Orlando on honeymoon, relocated from Surrey back to my home town, then found out James was on the way, found a lovely flat and of course then James arrived. 

I'm not saying it's been an easy four years because it hasn't. We have had plenty of ups and downs. Lots of tears and lots of laughter. This last year has been the worst of my life with losing my nannie, who I miss so much everyday. I don't know what I would have done without Andy. He's my rock. He's been there every step of the way to hold my hand and wipe away my tears.

But what I really wanted to say to my wonderful husband is that I love him so very much and can't imagine my life without him. Him and James are my whole world.

Here's to another year together let's make it even better than the rest xxx