babyurbeautiful

People are always asking me- how is it with two babies? The answer- amazing, rewarding, exhausting,  frustrating.

My to-do-list is as long as my arm and seems to get longer rather than shorter.

I am lucky enough to have a nanny 3 afternoons a week and am still run off my feet!

Here is a typical day for me (when she isn't here). I am Mum to a 2 year old and a 9 week old.

We wake up early, around 7am, when toddler naturally wakes. I leave the younger baby in bed while I change toddler's nappy and take her downstairs to make and feed her porridge (she won't feed herself at the moment).

I stick her in front of a TV programme like Dora the Explorer in Spanish (her other language) while I wake the baby and change his nappy, then breastfeed him or express and bottle feed him due to breastfeeding issues. At the same time I check my emails and social networking on my smartphone and reply to any messages.

It's 10am by now and I am still in my pyjamas. I grab a tea and toast.

I stick the baby in his swing while I play with toddler for a while, at the same time as ordering my shopping on my smartphone.

I take them both upstairs so I can pee then back down.

It's 11am and I make lunch for my toddler while she plays and comes over every two minutes to ask me to play- and then feed her (she still won't feed herself).

It's midday and I put toddler to bed and grab some lunch if baby isn't awake wanting his milk. Meanwhile I make any phone calls I need to for household stuff and deal with any important emails. I stick a load of washing on and wash up.  I then feed baby again. It is 1pm or later.

I wake up toddler and we play for a bit. She helps me vacuum and fold up washing and put it away.

I let toddler play on the ipad while I feed bubba or express and feed. I do the odd blog or tweet on my phone.

It's 4pm and I start preparing dinner with baby on playmat. At 5pm I feed toddler.

It's 5.45pm and bath time for toddler.  We then watch more Spanish TV while I feed the baby.

At 6.45 Daddy gets home and at 7/7.30pm toddler is in bed.

We eat dinner.

I feed baby again at 8. Wind him and try to put him in bed. He doesn't settle so am up and down with him.

9pm wash up, clear up the house and get ready for bed.

11pm baby wakes for another feed. Again in the night.

7am Ready to start again.

Phew.

Imagine the days when we get out of the house!!!

CB

Today I finally did what I've been wanting to do for ages - gone back to blonde.

I stopped highlighting my hair when I was pregnant and then was determined to completely grow in my natural colour to give my hair a rest from the dye/bleach so I've not touched it in two years.

As it turned out my natural colour is pretty damn dull. Also, you'd think a person's natural hair colour would be a better complement for their skin tone but I don't think it did much for me.

In fact as soon as I saw my new blonde colour coming through in the blow dry I knew I'd done the right thing. Suddenly the 4 hours sleep I had last night didn't show on my face as much.

Before

After

Unfortunately, on closer inspection my hair looks a bit stripier than I would have liked (a bit Ginger Spice but more blonde than ginge) so I might have to give it another go sooner than expected. But overall I'm happy and well on my way to being blonde again.

RL x

I may have mentioned in previous posts how crap I am at sticking to beauty routines. This is especially true of evening ones since I'm always so tired I just want to get to bed as quickly as possible.

But once in a while it's nice to be able to treat myself and my skin to a mini facial. nspa's Beauty Ritual range is perfect for this. It's not too fussy, it's quick and it still feels quite luxurious.

One of the things I can't be bothered with in a cleansing routine is exfoliating. It's just so messy, it gets in your hair, it gets all over the sink, it's a pain in the ass. The nspa Hot Cloth Polish is great because it exfoliates gently using just a cloth and you can make it nice and hot like when you get the hot towel treatment during a facial.

The Beauty Ritual range has 4 steps with various options for each step. I tried the Melting Cleansing Gel (step 1), the Hot Cloth Polish (step 2), and the Illuminating Beauty Serum (step 3).

Overall they're nice products to use and my skin felt clean and refreshed afterwards. They're also a very reasonable price and many of the nspa products are available at Asda.

RL x

Is it me or are men’s trousers getting even tighter?  So much so that I’m starting to become worried about their ability to father children. Will there be a whole generation missing because of a short-lived fashion trend?

It first came to mind while watching those space programmes on Channel 4. Dermot O’Leary was wearing a pair of trousers that really didn’t leave much to the imagination in the crotch area. I found myself wondering how aware he was about this and whether he felt the need to stuff a salami in his pants to fill them out for the benefit of viewers. After all no-one wants to embarrass themselves on TV by outing a small willy.

apparently they're called meggings for god's sake

Then this morning on the tube platform I was standing next to a young man, quite good looking though obviously a creative type, possibly a hipster, who was actually wearing jeggings. I admit I wasn’t sure at first so I was forced to examine his legs closely, but they definitely were not just tight trousers.

I’m all for men wearing the latest fashion but in my book leggings are a step too far. It’s just too girlie. Plus, if he removed his coat, who knows what would have been revealed about the length and volume of his junk.

This wasn’t the end of it though. The icing on the cake was his full beard and handlebar moustache, which he no doubt twiddles as he makes evil plans while sitting there scratching his sweaty balls through his jeggings.

RL x

Having spent this time last year in Thailand *sobs*, I'll never forget the homeland smell of Jasmine...for all the wrong reasons.

I was one of the (un)lucky mothers-to-be who experienced an overwhelming sense of smell, to the point I wanted to knock out colleagues (this was a given anyway, wasn't sure if it was hormones or the perfume issue).

Warmer weather is on its way and it'll soon be hard to hide the body fuzz that hangs around all week until I get around to shaving it off at the weekend.  The time for a quickie in the shower is over folks. From now on it's serious. Smooth skin is the only way to go.

Unfortunately I can't afford a regular wax these days so shaving it is!

When I want to do it properly, preparation is important.  About 10 minutes before I get in the bath or shower I slather moisturiser onto the areas I am about to shave. For some reason this results in soft smooth skin afterwards. But don't use anything fancy as it all goes to waste!  I use the original Johnson's baby lotion, which is cheap and as effective as it needs to be.
















Next is to get the right shaving gel. I can't decide which is more important - a good shaving gel or a good razor - but in a pinch I'd say I would rather have a good gel.

Foams just don't cut it, we'll leave those to the men.  And out of all the gels I've tried, the King of Shaves one is the best. It really makes for a smooth shave and doesn't come off as soon as it meets some water in the shower.  A little also goes a long way, unlike some other gels such as the Gillette ones.  In general I've found women's gel products to be quite poor and annoyingly very expensive so the King of Shaves one suits me perfectly (especially as I can get the hubby to pay for it, believing it to be his!).















If it was just my legs and pits I wouldn't be as worried but when you're dealing with lady parts too, it's important to go with the best products out :-)

Next up, razors. It hurts me to say it but the Gillette Venus razor really is the best. It also hurts my wallet to buy it but I've tried others and they're just not as good.  The Wilkinson Sword razors look just as fancy and are a smidge cheaper but the heads don't seem to last as long. They fairly quickly start to drag on the skin.  I've also given men's razors a try but they aren't really made for legs and soft skin areas. Which is odd as many of them have the same number of blades. My hubby is always impressed when he sneaks a go on my Venus.

















While we're on the subject of soft skin areas, I was once reliably informed that if you shave your lady bits very regularly - once every 3 days - the skin toughens up and you get less of the red bumps and ingrown hairs.  I am now following this suggestion and I think it's starting to work.  It would work better if I was any good at sticking to a routine, but that's another story!

Lastly, we need to talk after care.  My routine is to slap on some vitamin e moisturiser. The Body Shop one is a good option as it's light and gives good coverage and you don't have to use loads. The moisturising effect also seems to last for at least a day.  On my bikini area I moisturise then when it's dry I run on some Sudacrem. It might seem loopy but I figure if it's good enough for nappy rash, it's good enough for shaving rash! And it does work - just leave your underwear off for a while to let the skin settle and heal.














So now I only have to do all that twice a week. I'm sure I'll find the time somewhere!

RL xx

The Grobag



The GroCompany call themselves 'safer sleep' specialists and I have to agree, they do a great job. The original baby sleeping bag launched in 2000, the Grobag, is well-made and safe. It is far superior to cheaper copies in many ways. My fave features are:

• Fits a 5 point harness, so can be used in car seats or buggies. (Great for travelling home at the end of a long day and putting the baby straight to bed asleep!!)
• 100% cotton
• Various options such as poppers on shoulders for younger babies and under arm poppers, with zip-click cover stops for toddlers on downward zips
• Various togs from 05 up to 3.5 for different temperatures
• Sizes from 0 up to 3 years

Grobag has worked closely with The Lullaby Trust, (formerly FSID), a charity that works to promote Safer Sleep for babies and support for families. Each Grobag comes with a free nursery thermometer and guide of what to wear (showing what room temperature matches which Grobag and which number/thickness of clothing layers).

Every Grobag comes with a safe sleep info leaflet which is very well written, much more informative and easy to digest than the info a health visitor will give you.

Grobags meet all the relevant safety standards and in fact the new British Standard was based on their original specifications.

The Grobag now has 4 Mother and Baby Gold awards and 2 Practical Parenting Golds.

Over 95% of parents in the UK now use baby sleep bags. Get one now at:

www.gro-store.co.uk

Jolly Jungle Nursery Set


Now you can match your entire nursery to your Grobag with the Gro Nursery Set. You can see that not only is this beautiful for decorating baby's nursery, but fun for a toddler's room too, and fun to do. 

Each set contains the following items all in a Jolly Jungle design and is presented in a lovely gift box.

• 1 x  Grobag Baby Sleep Bag 0-6 mth 2.5 tog (as pictured above)
• 1 x Cot Mobile
• 1 x 3m bunting
• 1 x Twin pack of cot sheets (120cm x 60cm)
• 1 x Wall Sticker Set 
• 1 x Nursery Thermometer
• 1 x Safe Sleep Guide

 Here is my baby in the beautifully decorated nursery:


The Jolly Jungle Safer Sleep Nursery Set creates a bright and welcoming environment for new babies and gives a substantial saving on its component pricing. Beautifully designed characters of fun elephants, giraffes and monkeys in vibrant colours are repeated throughout each item. Each item complements each other.

Here is my toddler decorating the nursery:




Winter Warmer Grobag

The new luxurious cotton rich velour super snuggly 3.5 Tog Winter Warmer Grobag is the perfect choice for keeping your little one warm in cold winter temperatures. Set against a snowy backdrop, a tower of adorable penguins will bring winter nights to life.


For more info or to buy go to:
www.gro.co.uk

Mothers are the world’s greatest multi-taskers, and are usually juggling a million things every day, with no time for or thought for themselves. A tired Mum deserves a treat now and then, and Mother's Day is the perfect time to do it.

When it comes to new mums, often the baby's father will buy his partner a gift on behalf of their young baby/toddler(s) and will need some inspiration.

Whether the pressie buyer is on a budget looking for a bargain mother's day gift, or at the other end of the scale treating the lovely mummy to a luxury present, or somewhere in between: look no further.

As tired new mummies ourselves, here are some Mummy gifts that we would be very happy to receive on Mothering Sunday, 30th March 2014!! We are in serious need of pampering

BARGAINS

Think Happy Sign
£8 from www.cargo.co.uk




Every mum has a moment of meltdown. Remind her to think happy always with this cute and meaningful sign.

NSPA Bloom Eau De Toilette
£8 for 50ml from Asda
www.asda.com

Freshly fragranced to bring a summer's day to a tired grey one, this bargain scent will be welcomed by any Mum. Made by the gorgeous NSPA whose products make you feel like you are relaxing in a spa every day!

NSPA Beauty Rituals Gift Box
£10 from Asda
www.asda.com
Treat a Mum to a home spa experience with these gorgeous products to brighten her daily routine.
Contains:

• Hot Cloth Polish
• Illuminating Beauty Serum
• Brightening Day Cream with SPF 15
• Melting Cleansing Gel

Louvel Fontaine Champagne Brut
£12 from Asda
www.asda.com


Half price bubbles are always a good addition to a gift!

Chosen by you Teacup and Saucer with Truffles
£5 from Asda
Available in-store and online from 17th March


Every Mum needs tea and choccies to cheer her up, especially at this price!

Jewellery by Kimberley Jane
Prices from £5 upwards
Order online via facebook or email jewellerybykimberleyjane@live.com



This pretty handmade jewellery makes the perfect mother's day gift, with styles and prices to suit everyone. Choose from bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings, made with love just for you.


TREATS

Personalised Print For Mother Or Newborn Baby (unframed)
Usually £24.95 but special offer of £19.95 for Babyurbeautiful followers
Go to: www.mynannytaughtme.com





What could be cuter or more thoughtful than presenting a new mum with a personalised quirky print for the nursery? Or a heartfelt 'mother' print, and all the special thoughts and messages conjured up by the kids to describe their mother.

White Company Ltd Edition Mirrored Glass Rose Candle
£22 from www.thewhitecompany.com



For young ladies, roses and mums have a strong resonance, they evoke warm feelings as the scent is something we can all relate to having seen mum presented with a few bunches over the years!

Some of our favourite perfume bases (Vivienne Westwood Boudoir) belong to the heart of the Rose. Therefore, this stunning signature candle ticks loads of boxes with its classic White Company style packaging, mirrored white glass and beautiful rosebud scent. Just divine.

Mum's Skin Saviours Green People Mother's Day Gift Set
£12.95 from www.greenpeople.co.uk



For pregnant ladies or Mums who are breastfeeding, and for any eco and health conscious mother, the Green people range is the perfect choice for skincare. Their lovely natural products are safe, nasty and cruelty free, and organic.

This lovely gift set contains the perfect duo of facial moisturiser and hand cream - mummy skin essentials:

Vita Min Fix (25ml)
A vitamin-packed moisturiser to plump and firm the skin both day and night. This contains lots of vitamins and minerals and Evening Primrose, Avocado and Seaweed. I found this a great consistency-creamy but not too light or too heavy. Smells fresh and lovely. My skin looked great after a couple of uses.

Help at Hand (50ml)
This rich, indulgent hand cream is perfect for keeping hands soft and pampered. Help at Hand is a rich cream aimed at people with normal, dry or irritated hands. It is rich but not greasy and sinks in easily. It has a light, pleasant scent but that doesn't linger too long. It feels really moisturising even a few hours after application. It comes in a small 50ml pump format with lid, so it is easy to throw into your handbag and doesn't leak or get messy.

It contains organic olive, hemp, beeswax, lavender and rose geranium oil. It states that it is vegetarian not vegan due to the beeswax content. Personally I eat vegan, but I still eat honey and use beeswax. A personal choice.

Mum's Skin Saviours is made without SLS, parabens, alcohol (ethyl alcohol/ethanol), lanolin, artificial fragrance, petrochemicals, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, phthalates and colourants to bring you the purest Mother's Day gift that nature can offer.

Gro-clock
£19.95 from John Lewis www.johnlewis.com




If a Mum has a toddler or young child, then a Gro-clock is a great Mother’s Day present, because it means she may actually get a lie in! The idea is that kids stay in bed until they see the sun on the clock face. This clock uses fun images of the stars and sun to communicate when to go back to sleep and when it's time to get up. The perfect antidote for tired mummies trying to get a toddler into a routine.

See my daughter below playing with hers and loving it, as well as the special story book that comes with it.
For more info see: www.gro.co.uk



Dr. Organic Rose Perfect Complexion
£25.00
Available from Holland and Barrett www.hollandandbarrett.com


The perfect gift for a mum who likes to take care of her skin. A beautifully presented set containing some of the most popular Dr Organic Rose Otto products.

Rose otto is a softly scented softening ingredient, popular with mums over the ages! This lovely set really makes the skin smell and feel soft and gogeous, just what a mummy needs.

Set includes:

• Rose Otto Face Mask 125ml
• Rose Otto Face Scrub 125ml
• Rose Otto Facial Serum 30ml 
• Rose Otto Skin Lotion Travel Size 30ml

Neals Yard Rose and Pomegranate Bath Oil
£14.75 for 100ml from www.nealsyardremedies.com


Perfect for tired mums, this new product from Neals Yard is sweetly scented, luxurious oil blend is carefully combined to restore a peaceful balance to mind and body. This is a replenishing and balancing formula. It contains damask rose, patchouli leaf, cedarwood and bergamot pure aromatherapy essences with a skin-softening, omega-rich base of organic pomegranate and apricot oils.

Lightly scented, with a softening calming rose scent yet a slightly fruity uplifting hit to it, this is just perfect for a tired mummy who wants to treat herself to one of the few daily luxuries she has time for: a hot silky bath. The oil is softening so you hardly need to moisturise afterwards: a time-saving bonus for mummies!

It is also certified organic, cruelty-free and suitable for vegans like me (CB). Yay! Neals Yard are a great ethical brand who believe that health and beauty should be more natural and less synthetic, and better for our planet.

Patent Pocket Filofax in Lilac
£28 from www.Filofax.co.uk 



Yes, she might have an I-phone, but what mother wouldn't appreciate a simple to use tangible Filofax organiser to get her in order without pressing all the wrong buttons.


LUXURY GIFTS

Lifehouse spa
Recovery Day Break Day Stay - £149 per person
www.lifehouse.co.uk/spa/spa-days/recovery-break



Located in Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex, only an hour and twenty minutes by train from London and a ten minute drive from the pretty beach town of Frinton-on-sea, this spa is frequented by many celebs. Lifehouse Spa and Hotel is a contemporary health spa, and the ultimate place for a relaxed pampering day in the countryside.

This Recovery Day Break Day Stay is perfect for a busy Mum who can’t get overnight childcare, or doesn’t want to leave her babies overnight. It includes:

• Pre-arrival discussion and welcome consultation
• 2 course lunch from Healthy Menu or Daily Menu
• 1 juice or smoothie of choice
• 1 tailored 50 minute Recovery Break Spa Treatment

Christian Louboutin flats
Pigalle Patent Spikes
£695
http://eu.christianlouboutin.com/uk_en/shop/women/pigalle-spikes-patent-3.html



These classic red-soled louboutins are the ultimate extravagant gift for a special Mum.
Practical flats but sexy too. Splash out on that special lady who brought you into the world.


Happy Mother’s Day from The BUBS Team