I've no idea why i've never joined in with the Me and Mine project before. For those that don't know about it, it's a project where you capture a picture of your whole family every month. I think it's so important to do this. We seem to take lots of pictures of the kids but we're hardly ever in them ourselves.
March has been a great month for us as a family and for once I have taken quite a few photographs of us all together. We started the month reunited in Australia. The girls and I spent 3 months there and 7 weeks apart from daddy. Hubby came to join us for the last 2 weeks. He landed the day before mother's day.
This picture was when we arrived at our hotel in Sydney after picking daddy up from the airport. It was the first chance that we could get to have proper family cuddles. I just love how happy Eva looks in it.
The next picture was taken on mother's day which we spent in Taronga Zoo. You can find out all about the day on my blog post, Taronga Zoo. It's located with the most stunning backdrop of Sydney's most iconic buildings, so we had to snap some family shots. We had an amazing day there. It was such a fun way to spend mother's day.
We arrived back home in the UK a week before easter. One thing hubby and I love to do is go for afternoon tea so we booked to have an easter themed, chocolate one at one of our favourite Welsh hotels, The Celtic Manor. It was very tasty to say the least. The hotel was beautifully decorated for spring and easter.
This month seems to have flown by. It's not been the easiest since I've been back from Australia and I have struggled to settle back into family life here. It must be because I was away from home for so long. The girls are doing well though, so that's the main thing.
April should hopefully be a good month. Perhaps the weather will start getting warmer so we can enjoy the outdoors more. We also have a trip away booked for my birthday at the end of the month over the bank holiday weekend.
March has been a great month for us as a family and for once I have taken quite a few photographs of us all together. We started the month reunited in Australia. The girls and I spent 3 months there and 7 weeks apart from daddy. Hubby came to join us for the last 2 weeks. He landed the day before mother's day.
This picture was when we arrived at our hotel in Sydney after picking daddy up from the airport. It was the first chance that we could get to have proper family cuddles. I just love how happy Eva looks in it.
The next picture was taken on mother's day which we spent in Taronga Zoo. You can find out all about the day on my blog post, Taronga Zoo. It's located with the most stunning backdrop of Sydney's most iconic buildings, so we had to snap some family shots. We had an amazing day there. It was such a fun way to spend mother's day.
We arrived back home in the UK a week before easter. One thing hubby and I love to do is go for afternoon tea so we booked to have an easter themed, chocolate one at one of our favourite Welsh hotels, The Celtic Manor. It was very tasty to say the least. The hotel was beautifully decorated for spring and easter.
This month seems to have flown by. It's not been the easiest since I've been back from Australia and I have struggled to settle back into family life here. It must be because I was away from home for so long. The girls are doing well though, so that's the main thing.
April should hopefully be a good month. Perhaps the weather will start getting warmer so we can enjoy the outdoors more. We also have a trip away booked for my birthday at the end of the month over the bank holiday weekend.
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If you follow me on social media you'll know that we recently stayed at the Swissotel in Sydney which is centrally located on Market Street . We absolutely loved it. I have so much to say about it that I've decided to separate the blog posts into the children's room review, our room and the hotel overall.
It was a no brainer that the first post should be of the kid's room. I'll fully admit I wasn't expecting great things from this room. I just assumed it would be a connecting room to our room with a few novelties for entertainment. Upon opening the bedroom door, I was about to be amazed.
The Swissotel describes their children's rooms as a place tailored to meet the needs of younger guests aged 2-12. Stocked with age appropriate dvd's, toys and games.
Eva is now 3 so we were more than happy for her to stay in her own bed and in a room that adjoined ours. We knew we could keep an eye on her and that she would be perfectly safe whilst feeling like she had her own space on her holiday.
Eva was her usual over excited self when we made our way to our rooms. What was behind the door was about to blow her mind. She had the key to her paradise. The door opened to reveal a room fit for a princess. All of our jaws hit the floor in astonishment. I think it took Eva all of 2 seconds before she turned into childhood excitement overdrive. Cue, high pitched tone, lots of jumping, skipping, laughing, smiling and talking extremely fast.
The first thing we saw was a pop up circus tent, full of plenty of cuddly toys and a brightly coloured welcome sign on the wall. Then we moved our eyes around and took in the rest of the very large room. The room was a sensory overload with plenty of colours, textures and surprises in every area.
The 2 double beds were ladened with cute animal teddies which I thought was a lovely touch as immediately Eva was reminded of her bed at home.
There was an adorable area on the floor which could be used by both Eva and Ophelia. There was a soft mat which was a map of the world, which had various baby and toddler toys on it. Both girls loved this little area.
There was also a child size table and chairs which had lots of colouring books, sticker books and pencils for creative fun.
There were dvd's in the room which were suitable for Eva's age group. I can't tell you how many times she watched Mulan whilst we were there but it's now one of her firm favourites.
Another lovely surprise was a platter of treats with Eva's name on it. I thought this was a wonderful touch. It made her feel very special and quite grown up. Hubby and I sneaked a few treats when she distracted as they were rather tasty.
The mini bar was simply adorable. Instead of being stocked with the usual adult selection, it was replaced with teddy shaped biscuits and a selection of waters, juices and milks.
The wardrobe was very big so there was plenty of room to tuck away Eva and Ophelia's things. There was also a child size dressing gown in there which I thought was ridiculously cute.
The bathroom was brilliant. It was a good size and had a bathroom and shower. The towels and bathmats were all bright and cheerful. The bath tub looked irresistible to Eva and she couldn't wait to get in it. It was surrounded with bath toys and buckets and spades. She even had children's soaps and amenities. Something which I thought was very impressive was the fact that there were standing stools in there for Eva to be able to use the toilet and sink.
There was a travel cot for Opehlia which fitted well in the room. It certainly wasn't squashed in. Next to the cot was a lovely chair that was ideal for nursing her in comfort.
On the bedside table there was a nightlight, a children's map of Sydney and a passport for the hotel. The passport was a really cool idea. Eva had to gain stamps from various parts of the hotel such as from housekeeping, reception etc.
For night-time there was a good selection of story books, which like the dvd's were all age appropriate.
All of us were blown away by how much thought and consideration was put into this room. Housekeeping at the hotel should be commended for such a fantastic job. The attention to detail was outstanding. They had literally thought of everything to make our lives as parent's easier and to make Eva's stay enjoyable and memorable. It was transformed into a place she wouldn't want to leave. We loved the fact that everything was age appropriate, from the dvd's to the amenities in the bathroom.
The Swissotel really does care about making a stay at their hotel one of the best you will experience. We loved the idea that they create their rooms with everyone in mind. The fact that the kids room was so well thought out meant that we as parents were able to enjoy our own relaxing space next door.
You really don't need to pack anything for entertainment for your children if you are staying here as it's almost a home away from home but with much more on offer. This makes this an ideal hotel for a stay as any place that helps me pack and carry less is top of my list.
We would recommend this hotel to anyone and everyone. In fact we haven't stopped talking about it. It's the most family friendly hotel we have ever stayed in. We had an amazing time and we really didn't want to leave. They have resorts all over the world so make sure you check them out when booking your next trip.
Keep your eyes peeled for our review of our 'adult' room and the hotel overall which is coming very soon.
**We were kindly given an overnight stay including breakfast in exchange for a blog review. All opinions are my own**
It was a no brainer that the first post should be of the kid's room. I'll fully admit I wasn't expecting great things from this room. I just assumed it would be a connecting room to our room with a few novelties for entertainment. Upon opening the bedroom door, I was about to be amazed.
The Swissotel describes their children's rooms as a place tailored to meet the needs of younger guests aged 2-12. Stocked with age appropriate dvd's, toys and games.
Eva is now 3 so we were more than happy for her to stay in her own bed and in a room that adjoined ours. We knew we could keep an eye on her and that she would be perfectly safe whilst feeling like she had her own space on her holiday.
Eva was her usual over excited self when we made our way to our rooms. What was behind the door was about to blow her mind. She had the key to her paradise. The door opened to reveal a room fit for a princess. All of our jaws hit the floor in astonishment. I think it took Eva all of 2 seconds before she turned into childhood excitement overdrive. Cue, high pitched tone, lots of jumping, skipping, laughing, smiling and talking extremely fast.
The first thing we saw was a pop up circus tent, full of plenty of cuddly toys and a brightly coloured welcome sign on the wall. Then we moved our eyes around and took in the rest of the very large room. The room was a sensory overload with plenty of colours, textures and surprises in every area.
The 2 double beds were ladened with cute animal teddies which I thought was a lovely touch as immediately Eva was reminded of her bed at home.
There was an adorable area on the floor which could be used by both Eva and Ophelia. There was a soft mat which was a map of the world, which had various baby and toddler toys on it. Both girls loved this little area.
There was also a child size table and chairs which had lots of colouring books, sticker books and pencils for creative fun.
There were dvd's in the room which were suitable for Eva's age group. I can't tell you how many times she watched Mulan whilst we were there but it's now one of her firm favourites.
The mini bar was simply adorable. Instead of being stocked with the usual adult selection, it was replaced with teddy shaped biscuits and a selection of waters, juices and milks.
The wardrobe was very big so there was plenty of room to tuck away Eva and Ophelia's things. There was also a child size dressing gown in there which I thought was ridiculously cute.
The bathroom was brilliant. It was a good size and had a bathroom and shower. The towels and bathmats were all bright and cheerful. The bath tub looked irresistible to Eva and she couldn't wait to get in it. It was surrounded with bath toys and buckets and spades. She even had children's soaps and amenities. Something which I thought was very impressive was the fact that there were standing stools in there for Eva to be able to use the toilet and sink.
There was a travel cot for Opehlia which fitted well in the room. It certainly wasn't squashed in. Next to the cot was a lovely chair that was ideal for nursing her in comfort.
On the bedside table there was a nightlight, a children's map of Sydney and a passport for the hotel. The passport was a really cool idea. Eva had to gain stamps from various parts of the hotel such as from housekeeping, reception etc.
For night-time there was a good selection of story books, which like the dvd's were all age appropriate.
All of us were blown away by how much thought and consideration was put into this room. Housekeeping at the hotel should be commended for such a fantastic job. The attention to detail was outstanding. They had literally thought of everything to make our lives as parent's easier and to make Eva's stay enjoyable and memorable. It was transformed into a place she wouldn't want to leave. We loved the fact that everything was age appropriate, from the dvd's to the amenities in the bathroom.
The Swissotel really does care about making a stay at their hotel one of the best you will experience. We loved the idea that they create their rooms with everyone in mind. The fact that the kids room was so well thought out meant that we as parents were able to enjoy our own relaxing space next door.
You really don't need to pack anything for entertainment for your children if you are staying here as it's almost a home away from home but with much more on offer. This makes this an ideal hotel for a stay as any place that helps me pack and carry less is top of my list.
We would recommend this hotel to anyone and everyone. In fact we haven't stopped talking about it. It's the most family friendly hotel we have ever stayed in. We had an amazing time and we really didn't want to leave. They have resorts all over the world so make sure you check them out when booking your next trip.
Keep your eyes peeled for our review of our 'adult' room and the hotel overall which is coming very soon.
**We were kindly given an overnight stay including breakfast in exchange for a blog review. All opinions are my own**
Eva was 3 in January and Ophelia turned 4 months old last week. When Ophelia was first born, Eva really wasn't keen. She was completely disinterested and didn't want to interact with her at all. 4 months on and their relationship couldn't be any more different.
Eva is still very much Miss Independent but every now and again she tries to interact with her sister. She's very caring towards her now. If she is ever crying she is the first one to comfort her, telling her that everything is going to be ok. She will then come and tell me that Ophelia needs my milk. She loves to change her nappies and likes to pick out outfits for her to wear. She does shout at her a lot too though. If she is pulling her hair, she gets very annoyed and if she cries or makes noises in the car when one of her favourite songs is on such as 'let it go', she goes nuts.
Ophelia is besotted with her sister. She watches her every move and giggles at everything she does. You can see that she idolises her.
In this last month i've really seen their relationship change. They are both finally interested in each other and always looking for attention from each other. It's such a lovely thing to see.
They've had a pretty exciting month together. The first half of the month we were still in Australia. They had plenty of trips to the beach, a trip to Sydney and a mini holiday to Surfer's Paradise. The supergirl picture was taken at Movie World theme park. I love it. It's one of my favourite pictures of them.
It was Mother's Day this month and I honestly had the most amazing day as my first as a mum of 2. The girls laughed and smiled all day which made me feel so grateful. I am loving watching their bond develop. I look forward to updating you on their relationship next month.
We were recently given the opportunity to review some bibs from Funky Giraffe. We were given a voucher and allowed to choose what we wanted from their range. I breastfeed Ophelia so we haven't used many bibs but this couldn't have come at a better time as Ophelia has cut her first teeth so she is dribbling all the time. So much so that we need to use a bib to keep her clothes dry.
One of the first things I noticed on their website was their huge range. There really is something to suit all different tastes. They make the bandana style and also the traditional square shape. They also have cotton, satin and bamboo material. Another nice unique touch is their personalised range.
There are lots of different designs on the website. I picked all girly ones. We were having a holiday in Australia so one of the prints I chose was this adorable Koala print. All of the bibs were £4 (except the personalised one) but the more you buy the cheaper they become.
I wanted to have a personalised one too as I love anything with the girls' names on. When personalising you could add a picture and text. You could change the font, size and colour. I found creating the personalised one very easy to do.
Delivery to the UK is free when you spend £7 which I think is amazing. They also deliver around the world and their worldwide shipping is very reasonably priced. They have a dedicated site for USA and Australian customers. This was really handy to know as lots of people were asking where I'd bought Ophelia's bibs from whilst we were in Australia, so it was great to be able to point them in the right direction.
The bibs arrived quickly which I wasn't expecting. I thought it would take a while as one was personalised. I was instantly surprised at how nice they were. The pictures on their website don't do them justice. The prints were vibrant and the fabric was so soft. Both hubby and I thought the quality was fantastic. So much better than anything you can buy on the high street.
The shape and size of the bibs is just right and there are 2 poppers on the back to adjust the size as your baby grows.
Overall, we are really happy with the bibs. They've been so helpful with Ophelia's teething. I love the fact that they have a soft material all around and not the plastic underneath. This has been a lifesaver with Ophelia's neck. Normally the dribbling and other bibs have been causing her to get a very sore neck but these one's don't rub at all. They look very stylish and fit her well. They also wash well too.
Now for the good bit. We are lucky enough to be able to offer you giveaway to win 7 bibs of your choice. How good is that?! All you have to do is enter using the rafflecopter link below. UK only please.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
One of the first things I noticed on their website was their huge range. There really is something to suit all different tastes. They make the bandana style and also the traditional square shape. They also have cotton, satin and bamboo material. Another nice unique touch is their personalised range.
There are lots of different designs on the website. I picked all girly ones. We were having a holiday in Australia so one of the prints I chose was this adorable Koala print. All of the bibs were £4 (except the personalised one) but the more you buy the cheaper they become.
I wanted to have a personalised one too as I love anything with the girls' names on. When personalising you could add a picture and text. You could change the font, size and colour. I found creating the personalised one very easy to do.
Delivery to the UK is free when you spend £7 which I think is amazing. They also deliver around the world and their worldwide shipping is very reasonably priced. They have a dedicated site for USA and Australian customers. This was really handy to know as lots of people were asking where I'd bought Ophelia's bibs from whilst we were in Australia, so it was great to be able to point them in the right direction.
The bibs arrived quickly which I wasn't expecting. I thought it would take a while as one was personalised. I was instantly surprised at how nice they were. The pictures on their website don't do them justice. The prints were vibrant and the fabric was so soft. Both hubby and I thought the quality was fantastic. So much better than anything you can buy on the high street.
The shape and size of the bibs is just right and there are 2 poppers on the back to adjust the size as your baby grows.
Overall, we are really happy with the bibs. They've been so helpful with Ophelia's teething. I love the fact that they have a soft material all around and not the plastic underneath. This has been a lifesaver with Ophelia's neck. Normally the dribbling and other bibs have been causing her to get a very sore neck but these one's don't rub at all. They look very stylish and fit her well. They also wash well too.
Now for the good bit. We are lucky enough to be able to offer you giveaway to win 7 bibs of your choice. How good is that?! All you have to do is enter using the rafflecopter link below. UK only please.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
One tradition I started when Eva was born was making an easter basket every year. As much as I know easter is all about chocolate, we always like to give something else too. Another tradition within this tradition is that we always use the same basket. The basket was used at our wedding which the bridesmaids carried confetti in. I love the fact that we can use them every year. Luckily for us we have 2 baskets.
This year will be baby Ophelia's first easter. She's 4 months old now so here's what I have bought for her basket.
I've had my eye on this super cute hooded bunny jumper from The White Company for a while and easter was clearly the perfect time to get it. I adore The White Company. In fact Ophelia's entire room is decorated with things from there.
This adorable small teddy is from Jellycat. If you squeeze him he makes a 'baaa' sound. We love Jellycat soft toys in our house. They really are super soft and if you don't have any in your home, I urge you to get one. They are the best teddies to snuggle up to.
I don't think there's a character more suited for Easter than Mr Peter Rabbit himself. I bought this Buggy Book from John Lewis. It's an ideal size for Ophelia and very useful as it clips on to a buggy, car seat or bouncer.
Finally, I bought this book. Even though we have mountains of books in the house, I think it's important for Ophelia to have her own collection. I thought Spot's First Easter Book was ideal seeing as it's Ophelia's first easter. It's also a lift the flap book which I love.
So that's her easter basket for this year. Do you do easter baskets? Have you got any easter traditions?
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