I have just got back from spending a week in Paphos, Cyprus.
The weeks running up to the holiday were busily spent hunting for last minute flights for the very last minute holiday. Now I know August is the height of the holiday season but the majority of the flight prices for 2 adults and 1 child were eye wateringly expensive. So expensive that I could in reality have booked an all inclusive break with flights, transfers and food & drink!
It is suffice to say that I have seen my fair share of flight sites recently, all claiming to have the cheapest prices to send me away on my sunny week break. I am just glad that I looked under every stone in the time that I had, it turns out that it was cheaper to book the outward and return journey individually this close to flying out.
I found my outward journey for all 3 of us for under £300 at Jet2holidays.com a price that was well and truly under everything else I had been quoted by the other flight operators. Unfortunately the flight back with Jet2 was full already so I had to locate an alternative operator that cost considerably more.
I have flown with Jet2 before on a rescue flight from Egypt back in 2010 when the volcano in Iceland erupted and grounded an astounding number of flights. It was actually for this very reason that Jet2 came to my mind when looking for flights. They offer reasonably priced holidays and flights as well a great service, and although we all go looking purely on price to start with we all want a good level of service to go hand in hand with that.
If you are in the market for flights at the moment and are within travelling distance to any of the airports that Jet2 operate from:
- Blackpool
- East Midlands
- Glasgow
- Leeds Bradford
- Manchester
- Newcastle
Then I highly recommend you check them out.
I am now back from my week away and I will have a full post on what we got up to, how Leo was on the flights and more in the coming days.
Disclaimer:I collaborated with Jet2..com for this post and I have personally used Jet2.com as stated above, and all experiences mentioned are true to life
I am currently awaiting delivery of a new faux leather bed, and I have been occupying some of my spare time by looking at new duvet cover sets. The new bed has a lovely high head board and is comparable to a bed you may find in a swanky hotel room, so I have been looking at bedding to suit.
For me I find bedding quite a personal choice, the designs and colours you go pick out speak volumes about what you like and what you are about. It is also something that you can choose to be as exciting or plain as you like, it's an opportunity to complete your bedroom image and express yourself.
Nothing beats slipping down under those brand new crisp sheets.
As the bed is leather I have been looking into some darker bedding sets that I think will really compliment the rest of the bed. I am really liking the look of the bedding ranges over at K&Co, especially the Buckingham Duvet Set which I will be ordering in anticipation of the new beds arrival.
I have had a few clothes from Kandco before now for Leo, but they have always been gifted to him and I had no idea that they had such a wide selection of products for sale. I have also discovered their Memory Foam Mattress's... Dare I treat myself?
I think in the not so distant future this is definitely something I will be investing in. I have had the same mattress for longer than I care to imagine, so I think when money is on my side then I am certainly falling into the qualifying grounds to treat myself.
For now though, I will continue to await the arrival of my new bed.
We are coming to a point now where we are seriously considering when the right time will be to put Leo into a big boy's bed. It is something that we have been giving a lot of thought, and something that we actually tried earlier this year... But it turned out to be completely the wrong time and we reverted back to what Leo was comfortable with. His cot.
Leo seems so secure in his cot, and to be honest I am in no real rush to take that away from him. He is perfectly happy but I think the time is approaching for Leo to make the transition from cot to bed. To make this transition easier I have been looking into a very special bed that is sure to put a big smile on his face. A car bed.
I know they are not for everyone but to a little boy they are the very things that Christmas is made of. My little guy absolutely loves anything with wheels, so my thinking is that maybe a car bed would be welcomed with a Leo seal of approval?
Although it could be perfectly fine until all of the lights go off for the night, and that is when he could decide that he want's his cot back again. When we first tried to initiate the change Leo wouldn't even let me get off the bed, I had to stay with him stroking his head in the hope that it may help him lull into a deep slumber... That of course never happened and the next night the cot sides had magically appeared back on his cot.
I do feel more confident in now being the right time, and it is something that we will be giving a try once we have put some pennies together in order to purchase a new bed and mattress for the little guy.
Anything to make the change fun and exciting for him, and to take away any in-securities that he may have about the change.
For now though I love that Leo is still happily upstairs sleeping in his beloved cot, tucked up with all of the toys that he adores so dearly, and of course blankie. It is actually because of blankie that I am more optimistic about the idea of transitioning Leo into a big boys bed. Blankie seems to make many things a lot easier than they otherwise could have been.
I think a car bed will add in the novelty and excitement that Leo needs, and if I could maybe find a Lightening McQueen bed, I think I may score brownie points as 'Best Mummy...EVER!'.
What age did you put your little one's into a bed for the first time? How did it go and do you have any tips on when/how to do it?
I have made it no secret that I struggled in going back to work after taking 13 months off for my maternity leave. Although time has made things easier and I have adjusted to not spending all of my time with Leo, it has highlighted cracks in the path ahead of me and shown me that going back to work really is a tough choice to make.
Taking over a year off changes you, and when you do go back to that role you under took before coming a parent, sometimes it doesn't fit you in the same way that it once did. I know that for me that is exactly the case, during the time I was absent the office life hustled and bustled as it always did. But I wasn't there, I wasn't a part of all of these new changes. So when I did eventually come back to fill my old shoes, I realised how much smaller they had become. They didn't fit me in the same way any more and they seemed to have lost all of that sparkle and shine they once had.
In reality though, it wasn't just the job or the people that had changed. I had changed too. In those 13 months I had been 'Mummy' day in and day out. I had changed in order to care for my baby, and he was my number one. It was around this time that I stumbled into the world of blogging and found so many doors opening up for me.
It took going back to work for me to actually see what I wanted for my future, what I still want. In an ideal world I would love to go back and re-train. I would absolutely love to get a marketing qualification under my belt and really throw myself into my future. There is still time for me to break away from my comfort zone and propel my way in a brand new pair of shoes, shoes that fit perfectly and have all of their glitz.
I am currently gaining work experience in the industry of marketing and public relations, and who knows what the future will hold for me. One day in the not so distant future I in-vision handing in my old shoes and skipping down that yellow brick road ahead of me in a pair of ruby slippers.
For now though, I just have to hope that these old shoes stand their ground.
It has been a year now since Leo decided to stand up and take those very first wobbly steps. I still find it so surreal that the little baby I brought home from hospital a little over 2 years ago is now a walking, talking little monster.
One thing I have always struggled with since Leo decided to get all grown up on me is finding shoes to fit his rather large feet. Right from his very first fitting this has always been a challenge, and in those early days I wanted nothing but Clarks shoes touching his precious little feet. We very rarely put shoes on Leo as a teeny tiny baby because I really couldn't see the point in doing so, and his very first pair of shoes came along just after he started to walk.
I can remember Leo wondering what on earth was on his feet and it did take him a little while to get used to wearing shoes when we were out and about, but picking a pair that fitted him perfectly and were comfortable for him made all the difference.
I still go to Clarks today to get Leo's feet measured, we still really struggle to find shoes that are in his size and usually either have to pick a design that we wouldn't have other wise chosen just because that is the only size they have for him, or go elsewhere.
I have recently discovered that I can order Clarks shoes through John Lewis after I have been in and got Leo's feet measured, they have so much more choice than we are used to getting in store!
Having this extra choice online makes so much difference to us as we can actually pick a design that we WANT, not just because that is all they have... I really wish I had got online sooner rather than later and put an end to all of our shoe hunt missions. I cannot even begin to describe how I have struggled to find Leo a pair of sandals this summer, I have been into every shop on the high street and not managed to find a single pair in Leo's size.
I should have thought to hop online and have a look, but the impatient person inside of me wanted the old fashioned experience of actually going into a shop.. Needs must though, and until Leo's feet decide to even out a little bit then we will be found doing all of his shoe shopping online.
I have a big In The Night Garden fan living under my roof, and it is a show that Leo likes to watch each evening in the time where we quieten down ready to go to sleep.
Very recently we went along and watched In The Night Garden Live, and Leo had the most amazing time watching his heroes come to life right before his very eyes.
Then not long after we return from this magical experience I was asked if Leo may like to have a play with a selection of new In The Night Garden toys that have been released by Golden Bear. I didn't really have to think about this for too long, because of course Leo would be more than happy to help out, it is after all one of his favourite shows.
We have been sent the Lullaby Iggle Piggle and a Large Talking Upsy Daisy for Leo to give his thoughts on, and they actually arrived at the perfect moment. Last week Leo was taken down with a viral infection, and my happy little chappy was lost among a dark grey rain cloud feeling poorly and sorry for himself. Then... A few new toys turned up and suddenly there was a slight smile back on his little face again.
Lullaby Iggle Piggle quickly became a firm favourite with Leo, he's a really good size and the perfect toy choice for bed time. If you push Iggle Piggle's hand his cheeks light up with soothing colours and he sways from side to side along with the music. The tunes are songs that will be very familiar to children who watch the popular television show only without the words, which I think is very fitting for a toy that will be accompanying your little one to bed. After all the last thing you want is a bedtime toy that get's your little one all rivalled up when they are supposed to be going to sleep.
Leo has been taking Iggle Piggle to bed with him each and every night since he arrived, and even if Leo has knocked Iggle Piggle's hand by mistake in his sleep it hasn't disturbed his sleeping slumber once. While Leo was poorly Iggle Piggle has been a real source of comfort for Leo, and this has meant that his new little friend has been on the receiving end of a few kisses!
I think another reason that Leo has a little soft spot for Lullaby Iggle Piggle is the fact that he has a blankie. Leo has his very own comfort blankie and has been pointing out Iggle Piggle's and then showing me his very own. It's always nice to have some common ground with those closest to us... right?
What I personally really like about this toy from a parent's point of view is that the motor that makes Iggle Piggle's head move from side to side is very quiet. It is not as loud as some motorised toys I have come across, which of course is something that needs to be considered when purchasing a toy that you want to help aid your child's sleep.
The Large Talking Upsy Daisy is again a really great size, easy for little hands to get a hold of and even push her hand to make the sounds. She comes out with a number of well known phrases from the television show. Although Leo has played with Upsy Daisy she has not been as popular as Iggle Piggle, but then they are both offering a different level of play value.
Upsy Daisy is lovely and bright, soft and is perfect for any Upsy Daisy fan.
I have to say that in comparison to other In The Night Garden toys that I have previously seen these two are the nicest. Some of the toys I noticed that were on sale at the live show we visited had what I can only describe as squished faces, and weren't the kind of quality that you would expect. From my personal experience with the new Golden Bear range, these new toys are of really high quality and set to be a real big hit with kids who love this show.
The Lullaby Iggle Piggle retails at £24.99 and is available to buy from The Entertainer Toy Shop.
The Large Talking Upsy Daisy retails at £14.99 and is available to buy from The Entertainer Toy Shop.
Over all I think the new Golden Bear range is really great, and I know that Leo is certainly a big fan.
I have put together a little clip of these toys in use just so you can hear the different tunes and phrases that each of these toys comes out with. It will also give you an idea of just how loud the motor is on Iggle Piggle, but as I say I thought this was very quiet.
Disclaimer:I was sent the Lullaby Iggle Piggle and Large Talking Upsy Daisy for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.
Kiddy are quickly establishing their place in the UK market, with more and more parents discovering this German brand and realising the superior products that they have to offer. Kiddy are one of the most popular manufacturers of car seats back in their home land of Germany, and I have had the pleasure of trying out two of their products over this year.
Back in March I told you all about the Kiddy City n' Move and how much Leo and I enjoyed using this very stylish, easy to use stroller. So when I heard that Kiddy were un-veiling some more exciting products I was really looking forward to seeing the new Kiddy Click n' Move 3, when I went along to the Birmingham Baby Show Kiddy were one of the first brands I tracked down.
The Kiddy Click n' Move 3 is an all round pushchair that can be used from the word go when combined with a Kiddy Evolution Pro Car Seat or Kiddy Click n' Move 3 Carry Cot. The pushchair unit it's self is suitable from 6 months plus, but it is great that all bases are covered so you can choose this as your pushchair for your newborn while getting a complete travel system at the same time.
I have been sent The Click n' Move 3 to try out with Leo, and over the past few months that is exactly what we have been doing. I had been highly anticipating the arrival of this pushchair, and was really looking forward to seeing how my expectations were going to live up to the reality.
The pushchair arrived safely all tucked away in it's box, so my first task was to get everything un-packed and get it all set up. Over the course of 2 years I have had plenty of practice in putting pushchairs together, and I am pleased to report that the Click n' Move is really simple to get up and running.
What is in the box?
- Pushchair Frame
- Wheels
- Seat Unit
- Bumper bar with in-corporated rain cover
- Instruction Manual
You have everything you need in the box to get you started.
*The Carry Cot and Evolution Pro are not included in the initial price but can be purchased separately.*
I found the initial assembly of the Click n' Move really straight forward and only glanced at the instructions a few times. The wheels simply click into position and the seat clicks straight onto the frame.
The part I found tricky and continued to find tricky until recently is the actual putting up and down of the pushchair. I have watched countless YouTube videos on how to do it, but I couldn't put what I had seen into practice. What I was struggling with was the technique, but I have finally cracked it.
The Click n' Move 3 has been designed to be a straightforward pain free method to put up and put down, I will demonstrate this a little later in the review.
Even with my initial struggles to get it up, within 10 minutes I had the Click n' Move all ready to take out on it's first walk.
My First Impressions
So I have taken the Click n' Move 3 out of the box and it is now set up in front of me.
We chose the Stone colourway for this pushchair and I have to say just how smart it looks. It sports a black frame, cream hood and seat lining.
I love how the seat unit simply clicks on and off the frame so that you can very easily turn it around to parent facing/outward facing with complete and utter ease.
I really like how big the hood is, it is one of the biggest hoods I have ever come across on a pushchair and offers a great source of protection from the elements.
Now I may have actually got a little excited about this next bit. A lovely spacious basket complete with a zip to keep all of those items stored away safe and sound.
In terms of the actual pushchair I was really impressed with just how light it was once assembled, and how smooth it is to push around. Even with a feisty 2 year old in, it moved smoothly. The brake is perfectly accessible and just requires a push up or down with your foot in order to apply or dis-engage the break.
The recline is absolutely super on this pushchair and reclines completely flat with a means of the metal bar at the back of the pushchair.
Now for the handle bar... Luke has always complained about the height of my pushchairs handle bars. Apparently they just haven't been built with 'Dad's' in mind. This statement cannot be applied to the Click n' Move 3, the handle bar is fully adjustable and ranges from 84cm to 118cm. It really is perfect for taller parents, and as the handle bar can be adjusted you can cater for both parties who will be using the pushchair.
Out in the field...
We have been using the Click n' Move 3 in a variety of different scenarios, I am confident that we have experienced different terrains, times where I have had to fold the pushchair up in order to store it away in the car. We have been out and about in the park, smoothly cruised around the town, bumped over un-even ground and hopped on and off a few trains.
I have thoroughly enjoyed using the Click n' Move 3, Leo sits very comfortably and has been enjoying both seating positions available. I rest assured knowing that Leo is safely strapped into the seat with a 5 point safety harness, and it is been so easy to adjust the belt to securely sit Leo inside. There is no worry about him jiggling his arms out and trying to make a break for it...
I have snapped up the chance to have Leo facing me again and we have been having some chats about things we see when we are out and about, we have been along to the river and fed the ducks and even had to make a quick get away when the Geese got a little to greedy! What is really great is that I can change the seating position to either parent/outward facing in a few short moments. If Leo tires of my chit chat and wants to look out at the world around him, then all I have to do is get him out of the seat, push in the two buttons on either side of the frame and simply pull the seat off, before turning it around and clicking it back on.
The handle bar on the Click n' Move 3 is such a great height and so easy to adjust by simply clicking in the buttons at either end of the bar. Although I am not tall I have been using the highest handle bar setting, I just find it really comfortable to push around at this level. The pushchair is so light even with my hefty 2 year old at the helm of the seat, I have found with other pushchairs that he is really starting to weigh them down, but this is not the case with the Click n Move 3. I can even push this pushchair around one handed, while taking a sneaky munch on a chocolate bar that I just couldn't possibly bring myself to share with Leo... Of course this only works when he isn't in parent facing mode.
A feature that both Leo and I have loved is the peek a boo window in the back of the seat unit. Leo discovered this on the very first occasion that he was sat in the Kiddy, and he looked up out of the plastic window at me and said 'Boo Mumma'. So every time we are out and about in it these days, Leo plays a game of peek-a-boo with me.
As I have continued to use this pushchair I have grown to love just how user friendly it is, the brake makes it so easy to simply kick it up or down with your foot. It is so smooth that one flick of your foot with activate or deactivate the brake. The basket is another favourite of my on the Click n' Move 3, I have never had a zipped basked before this but it is such a simple but brilliant asset. When you are on the move with a child, a child who has a lot of bits and pieces that they may need while you are out, sometimes a changing bag isn't enough. Especially if you are going for a long day out, so this basket really is an extension of your changing bag, and you can zip it up to eliminate the chance of items going a stray, and you can hide everything from view.
The basket is perfectly accessible in outward facing mode but when turned around in parent facing it becomes quite restricted due to how the seat sits over it. I found that I had to alter the foot rest up in order to get things in and out of the basket when in parent facing mode, as the gaps on either side don't give much maneuvering room.
Over all I think the basket is a very generous size, and even allows me to fit in my Pink Lining Changing Bag so I don't have to have anything dangling over my handle bars.
The bumper bar on this pushchair is actually hiding away the rain cover, I like how they are making use of space that wouldn't ordinarily get used. The rain cover on my other pushchairs is always found in the bottom of my basket, but Kiddy have taken this into consideration and completely freed up all of the basket space (they must know I like to shop!).
The rain cover it's self doesn't cover the entire pushchair as you may expect it too, and is simply designed to over the babies legs. The hood is so big that it does and would offer shelter from the rain, but I have to wonder if this would be the case if there was a wind too? I quite like the traditional rain cover as I have a horrible OCD when it comes to the thought of my pushchair getting wet...
I do like the idea of just being able to pull out this rain cover for Leo if and when it does start to rain, but I am a little skeptical as to how far this would go in a torrential down pour. Although... I am not one to go out walking when the skies are full of rain...
The wheels are all removable which is always handy when you are trying to get the pushchair in and out of the car. I have found the wheels very practical and they have allowed me to go over grassy terrain, cruise around shops and even over uneven gravel, admittedly over the gravel it did struggle a little and I had to put quite a bit of effort in order to get it back onto the desired concrete.
For the most part the wheels will let you go wherever you wish to go.
As mentioned above, I have found putting this pushchair up and down a little tricky, until recently anyway. It is actually incredibly simple and you just need to get used to the unique fold. I have put together a video to demonstrate the fold and many of the other features of the Click n' Move 3, but for now here is an image showing you what you need to do.
Putting the Kiddy Click n' Move 3 down
The very first thing you need to do is to pull up the release catches on either side of the handle bar, as highlighted in the image. This will recline the handle bar and seat unit somewhat.
Once you have done this you need to hold the handle bar and pull it up.
This will collapse the pushchair.
Putting the Kiddy Click n' Move 3 up
Push the circle button on the Left hand side of the pushchair and push down on the handle.
This will pop up your pushchair and you are ready rock and roll.
One quibble that I do have with this pushchair is that it doesn't fit in my Peugeot 206 very well at all. The boot is a no go as it is far to big to go inside even with the wheels off. It is the length of the pushchair that seems to let it down when it comes to my little car.. My only option is to squeeze it onto my back seat. Even here it is a real squeeze and I have had to push my seat right forward in order to actually get it into the car. The boot of the 206 is not the most generous in the world of cars, and if you have a bigger car then you really shouldn't have an issue getting it in and out.
Recap
- Lightweight aluminium frame - Height adjustable handle - Adjustable 3-position - Removable safety bar - Durable seat cover - 5-point harness system - Flexible seating option - All round suspension offers superb comfort - Easily removable front and rear wheels
- Easy to use parking brake
Our Overall Thoughts?
Overall I think this is a really well thought out pushchair, it is sturdy and handles beautifully. Even now with 2 year old Leo he is still sitting absolutely perfectly in the seat and has lots of space to stretch out in.
I like how the pushchair spreads Leo's weight out so that it is not heavy to push.
I really love the hood and the basket.
I do think that when folded the pushchair is rather bulky, and if you are going to be getting it in and out of your car quite often then you may wish to measure it all up to make sure this will be possible. But I do feel happy that out of all of the features with the Click n' Move 3, if my only quibble is fitting it in my car ... Then this is highlighting just how user friendly everything else is.
I think that if you were in the market for a travel system that you wanted to see you through until a time where you would no longer need a pushchair, then the Kiddy Click n' Move 3 offers a stylish design with accesseries to make this a very attractive option.
I personally think that is a complete bargain for a complete travel system, especially with a pushchair that is set to see you through until you no longer need one.
We are big fans of Kiddy in this house and the Click n' Move 3 has been everything and more than we had hoped for.
I will leave you with the video that I have put together demonstrating the Click n' Move 3.
Disclaimer:I was sent the Kiddy Click n' Move 3 for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.
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