Liebster Award Part 2

Having been nominated and written my Liebster Award post (linked) I put it to one side. I don't know if all bloggers do this, but I like to give myself at least a few hours after initially writing a post to think about it and to re-read it. Just in case there's anything I want to change. So thinking I was all done I sat down to some twitter when a 2nd nomination came through from MummyBexM.  

Thank you MummyBexM for the nomination! I won't do the whole post all over again, I've already given the rules, my 11 random facts, and picked 11 nominees so in this post I'm just going to answer MummyBexM's questions and of course tell you a little bit about her blog!

A relatively new blog and a new mum to her almost 4 month old little boy. She blogs about her life as a mummy, throws in some lovely pictures of her family and also writes some really informative posts to help other mums on things like sleep routines. A really enjoyable read. Be sure to pop over and say hi!

The 11 questions I've been given are:

1) When and why did you start blogging? 

This is a question I touched upon in my first Liebster Award post. I originally started my blog, which was then called 'Just Add Colour' back in October 2012 shortly before my wedding day to share some of the hints and tips I'd picked up along the way for planning a wedding. 

Eventually the wedding posts got mixed in with beauty, recipes and a lot of other random stuff. I eventually took a break from blogging for personal reasons, the break was about 16months. In May 2014 my little boy was born and in October 2014 I decided I missed blogging, but wedding blogs weren't for me anymore so my blog was renamed Blogging Mamma and my lifestyle/parenting blog was born!

2)What recently read blog post have you enjoyed? 

There's a few, especially with all the Christmas posts recently. But one that springs to mind is Plutonium Sox post The Little Things. A lovely mix of getting to know the blogger, some lovely pictures of her two girls and a lesson I stand to learn that children aren't materialistic and Baby R doesn't need half of what I got him, because Christmas told me to!

3) If you could learn a new skill, what would you like it to be?

I'd learn to drive. I wish I'd done it when I had the time and money earlier in life. Would make things much easier now with baby. Especially when I go back to work.

4) If you could have any 5 guests over for dinner who would they be and why? 

My Grandfather and My Nan who passed away many years ago now. But I miss them like crazy and if I could have them over for dinner and have them meet my hubby and hold my son, it would be the best thing ever.

Michael McIntyre because I find him hilarious, and I think there is nothing better than a good laugh with good company.

J.K. Rowling because I am a Potter fan and I'd love to spend an evening with the woman who created my favourite characters.

Brendan Carroll in the character of Mrs Brown. I'd probably eat very little and just laugh all night, but laughter is the best medicine.

5) Who is your favourite fictional character? 

Elizabeth Bennett from Pride & Prejudice or Dumbledore from Harry Potter

6) What question would you like to ask the Queen, if you could? 

If you could have done anything in this world, if you weren't royal so didn't have the obligation to rule the country, then what would you have chosen to do or to be?

7) If you won the lottery, what would your first 3 spends/buys be? 

I'd buy my parents, sister and my hubbys parents & siblings houses.

I'd build my dream home.

I'd pay for a big family holiday for when Baby R was old enough to remember. Make some memories for him.

8) Which is your favourite film and why?

Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistlestop Cafe. It's the perfect mix of sadness, love, humour and addresses big issues like domestic abuse and racism. I just love it.

9) If you were a biscuit, what type would you be?

I'd probably be something like a digestive. Rather plain and boring, but reliable and perfect with a cup of coffee.

10) Where in the world would you like to go/visit? 

If I could I'd love to do a cruise and visit loads of landmarks etc. But if I had to pick one place it would be Sorrento in Italy. I'd love the food, the gorgeous weather, the beautiful town and scenery. Plus it's close enough to go visit Pompeii which is on my bucket list!

11) If you could be in any film, TV or book which would it be and why? 

This is a toughy. There's far too many to choose from. As a child I'd always imagine I was the heroine in my favourite books or films.

I know it's odd but I always wanted to be the Little Princess. To be such a kind and warm hearted person in such dire times. To have an imagination that kept me going, and of course to be reunited with my very rich father. I just love the book, and if you love a book enough you tend to want to be part of it. 

OK so that's my 11 questions given by Mummybexm! As always thanks for reading xoxo

Merry Christmas one & All!

Christmas is a time for family and for that reason Blogging Mamma will be taking a break from the blogging & the tweeting for a few days. I am going to enjoy some mince pies, way too much turkey and a truck load of chocolate over the next few days all in the name of Christmas. After two sober Christmas' (due to pregnancy) I am looking forward to a glass or three of wine!

Most importantly I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my little boy and his Daddy. For our little family this is going to be the first Christmas of many and I want to treasure every second and watch every smile, hear every giggle Baby R makes while being surrounded by his nearest and dearest. I want to look back on his first Christmas with fond memories that will last me a life-time, not frustration that my blog wouldn't publish or my tweets wouldn't send!

So Blogging Mamma is signing off, but before I do, I wanted to take this moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a lovely time, surrounded by those you love. I hope Santa leaves you everything you wish for and I hope the new year brings you happiness & health.

As my Christmas present from you to me, please go and read the following two blogs. Both mean a lot to me personally. Leave feedback, say hello, comments make me happy! 

Dear Baby R - Open letter from me to my son on his 1st Christmas.

Review of Paediatric First Aid Course - my review of a first aid course provided by Spearhead Training, partnered with Birmingham Childrens Hospital. A very worthy cause if you are looking to donate at Christmas!

Hope you enjoy the blogs above, and this festive time of year!

As always thanks for reading xoxo 

Love Blogging Mamma xxx

Top 5 Newborn Must Haves

It goes without saying that when you find out you are expecting, you suddenly need to purchase an awful lot of baby items. From furniture, to toys. From clothes to nappies. There is what seems like a never ending list of things you need.

Sometimes you buy an item just because it's in the baby section. You have no idea how useful it will be, if at all. Very quickly some of the common, and not so common items become your absolute must haves. You don't know how you would have managed without these items and in the event of these items breaking, getting lost, or you having another child you would repurchase.

Here's my list of 5 Newborn Must Haves, along with 2 items I bought and wished I hadn't bothered.

Coming soon Five 0-3 month Must Haves, and Five 3-6 month Must Haves.

1) The first thing on my list is a bath seat. I saw this in Babies R Us. I bought it rather than buying a baby bath, but in all honestly half expected I would have to go and purchase a baby bath as well. I thought I'd give it a go so that baby could use our bath, rather than purchase yet another short-term item. I absolutely LOVE the bath chair. The one I purchased was the Sea Turtle Baby Bather. The material can be machine washed (one of my must haves with any baby product. Handwashing is not convenient with the amount of washing a child creates). It has two positions perfect for newborns to lie back and slightly older babies to sit up and interact more during bath time. It also has a head cushion and of course frees up your hands. It gave me a lot more confidence bathing a baby. It is one thing bathing a child who can sit and support themselves, but a newborn... well it's daunting. With the warm weather the seat was perfect for me to clean baby but yet not have him in a warm bath when he was already struggling with the heat. Now he enjoys sitting back playing with his toys while dipping his feet in the bath. It has grown with him and I'm glad I bought it. Certainly made bath times easier for mummy.

2) A baby carrier/sling. I probably didn't use mine as much as I could have to start. I mistakenly thought my son hated the carrier and decided it was easier to use a pram or to carry him in my arms than to put a screaming child in a carrier. One day, half baby brain, half genius(?) I put him in the sling the 'wrong way' so that he was forward facing. Not a tear in sight. Turns out my son is incredibly nosy, provided he could see what was going on he was happy enough to be in the sling. I love the sling, but certainly would save it for when you have someone else with you to carry the changing bag, as a sling and changing bag is a lot of strain on your back. However to be able to walk around without having to navigate a pram has its advantages. Would definitely try it sooner and use it more if there is a baby #2.

3) Lullaby/music/noise machine for nursery. The first week ... or maybe even month? my son (and I'm guessing most newborns) fell asleep very easily. If he woke it was for food or a nappy change. As soon as that was done he would go straight back to sleep and stay asleep until he needed his next feed or nappy change. However as his spells of being awake lengthened, and he started having 'naps' rather than "Oh wow, the baby is awake" moments, I realised that the bedroom was just too quiet for him to sleep in. Pull cord lullaby toys don't play anywhere near long enough to send a baby off to sleep, so unless you want to stay in the room constantly pulling the cord, instead of making the most of nap-time and grabbing some lunch and a coffee.. well I suggest you either put an existing music player or purchase a lullaby/noise maker in the room your baby sleeps in.
I purchased the slumber buddy. It plays 3/4 different lullabies and also a heartbeat noise. The back of the 'buddy' is a light projecter which projects stars on to the ceiling in different colours. I set mine to 30mins of noise and lights. Pressed play and gave myself a pat on the back for solving the nap time crisis. He can sleep without it now he is older, but if he's over tired, or just being a bit stubborn it certainly does the trick. He hates things being too quiet, and so the noise seems to soothe him.

4) A swing. We had ours bought as a gift, but regardless it's still a must have. I had a bouncer, and as a naive first time mum didn't see the point in both. Well didn't the arrival of the swing in my household absolutely shut me up!? The swing was perfect if he fell asleep in my arms, to place him in and leave him sleeping for half hour, it rocked him so he stayed asleep, whereas if I put him in the bouncer when he was already asleep he'd often wake up. Once again the swing gave me free hands, which means coffee & lunch... I see a theme developing in this list. I honestly loved cuddling and holding my son, but realistically I couldn't hold him 24/7! He loves his swing even now, although I see his little stubborn personality coming through saying if you thing the old swing & sleep routine will work then you have another thing coming mummy!

5) Room Thermometer. I did not see the point in these wall thermometers. Surely you can tell if it's warm or cold in a room right? Can't be that hard to figure out if baby needs a blanket or not right? Ok so now hold a newborn that can't tell you if they are hot or cold, stand a room that is just average. Neither warm, nor cold. Put them in a bodysuit & a sleep suit and then try to guess if they need a sleeping bag, or a blanket, or more than one blanket. What seems so straight forward when you don't have a baby, is suddenly very confusing. Filled with doubt and the constant words of Health Visitors telling you that a baby can't regulate their own heat so you can't let them get too cold or too warm....
Fast forward a few days and I was back in Babies R Us purchasing a thermometer that not only told me how warm the room was, but whether or not it was warm enough or cool enough. Added bonus the back of the thermometer told me how may togs each blanket, bodysuit etc was and how many togs a baby needs for each temperature... fast forward a few months. I never look at the thermometer any more. It's back to instinct but it certainly kept me going when I doubted if my newborn was too hot, too cold or just right.... regular little goldilocks.

Two Items I wish I hadn't purchased.

1) Scratch mittens. He never kept them on, and would be covered in scratches regardless. Once I discovered sleepsuits that had built in scratch mittens (sleeves that roll over and cover babies hands) I basically made my scratch mitten stash null & void. He doesn't wear them and I wouldn't buy them if I was to ever have any more children, I would stock up on sleepsuits with the scratch mitten sleeves instead.

2) Hooded baby towels. OK maybe it's just me, but I was seriously taken in by the cuteness of baby towels. Now some of them are too small and realistically... it's a towel with a hood. I feel like good old fashioned towels would have been just fine and basically I fell for marketing ploys and cute designs.

Hope you enjoyed my Newborn Must Haves. What are your baby must haves, must nots? Let me know in the comments below.

As always, thanks for reading!