Teething Bling Pendant

We were kindly given a Teething bling pendant from Teething bling UK to test and review. We all know how much babies and young toddlers love to grab and chew everything and a lot of parents are put off wearing their treasured/expensive jewellery because of it. But not anymore..Teething bling has now became available in the UK, They have a range of jewellery of pendants and bangles available in a wide range of colours from Jade to Onyx and Mother of pearl to Coral. Most pendants have matching bangles!

 These are great at keeping little ones quiet at times when its needed and because its attached to you, you have no worries of it getting lost, the 2x2 inch donut come safely attached to a long silky cord. The teething bling is dishwasher safe so no problems keeping it for your little bundle and they are made from the same materials as many teething toys. All products are non-toxic, phthalate, BPA, PVC, latex and lead free and all pendants come with a breakaway clasp as an added safety measure, and the jewellery carries the CE mark meeting strict european safety standards. Children of any age should not be left unattended with jewellery of any kind.

On arrival of our new Teething bling pendant it came with its own information card explaining about the jewellery and the materials its made from and it came in a lovely lilac drawstring bag. The pendant we received was grey in colour so suitable to match with most of my clothing, I quite expected the pendant to be hard but its not its quite soft, smooth and bendable, just the ideal size and thickness for baby to fit in their tiny mouth and a nice size for them to hold. The black silky cord is really strong my 13mnth old has pulled it from all directions and there is no sign of any give to the material.

One thing to be aware of though when wearing it, because the necklace is quite long Freya was able to pull it over her head too and therefore it became quite tight, she was on my knee at the time so i quickly removed it from her. The necklace does have a safety clasp which if pulled extremely tight it does open so that is a very positive point and you do have the option of shortening the cord and re-knotting it but you will have to cut off the rest of the unwanted cord pieces.
 Freya took one look at the pendant and it was straight in her mouth, she even stroked the smooth pendant across her cheek as she enjoyed a little snuggle so maybes shes thinking this could be used in other ways like a comforter!  I love how it looks like an actual gem stone, and there are many colours available. They would make a great baby shower gift as its something different and unusual and is great for both Mummy and baby. Priced at £12.95 each for the pendants and £8.95 for the bangle that does the job as a piece of safe jewellery and a teether you really cant go wrong. If you can't decide between pendants or bangles you can opt for a Teething bling gift card.

 For more info and to view and purchase Teething bling from http://www.smartmumuk.com/

Due to unforeseen circumstances we can no longer test the Quinny Senzz

It has now came to light that due to unforeseen circumstances that are completely out of Quinny's control, we can no longer test the Quinny Senzz pushchair, as much as we are deeply saddened by this sad news, i can say we will be testing a brand new product from Quinny soon. So please watch this space to find out what fantastic product we will be testing and reviewing!

Quote from Quinny UK-

Unfortunately we’ve just been informed by production that due to unforeseen circumstances we will not be able to issue our proposed Casters with a Quinny Senzz to test. After much deliberation and careful consideration Quinny has had to take the decision not to continue with the Senzz Caster programme. This is purely down to time constraints.

WOW..We have been chosen to be a Quinnycaster for the new Senzz pushchair

Yesterday was an amazing day, oh boy was it not! A short while ago Quinny were asking for people with a child under 3 and who had written a nursery product review or had a blog page to review products to apply to become a Quinnycaster to test and review the new Senzz pushchair.

As you can imagine hundreds of people applied and only 20 people would be chosen. I didn't think i stood much of a chance as my luck is never that good. So i filled out an email  anyway and sent it off to Quinny, never expected to hear again. Weeks went past and on Wednesday 6th July 2011 whilst checking my mobile for email updates eagerly awaiting that longed for message, it came! I was over the moon and totally lost for words. I yelped so loud even Freya got a shock. I checked and checked again to make sure it was correct and that the email had come from Quinny. I was overwhelmed with happiness. Our first challenge set by Quinny was to remain underwaps and not to go public about our fantastic news. Well i have to say it was the longest 24hrs ever, i was beaming with joy and wanted to shout my brilliant news from the roof tops but naughty Quinny made us keep quiet until it was announced officially the following day.

Now its just a waiting game for the Senzz arrival to its new home and we are very much excited on testing it out and sharing with our wonderful followers our journey along the way. Watch this space for many pics and videos (when i work out how) and our personal product review.

Maxi-Cosi Tobi



Wow...wow..wow! It has to be said the Maxi-Cosi Tobi is our all time favourite. Tobi should stand for  Truly Outstanding Beautiful Idea. The Tobi is a group 1 forward facing car seat suitable from 9-15kg, 9months- 3.5 years approx.


Tobi in marble pink smallest setting



 We have recently purchased the Tobi in marble pink for Freya who's just turned 1yr. I have to say i am actually a huge isofix fan and originally has purchased the Pearl to be used with our family fix base, but we have just exchanged our car, well due for exchange tomorrow and i knew that the new car that i would be getting wouldn't have isofix fittings in the car so decided to get the Tobi instead and to be honest I'm really pleased i did. The seat itself is quite high up so makes sight seeing whilst travelling a great bonus, I loved the deep side protection system that this seat has and it also has a inner head support cushion that is fixed in and is adjustable along with the stay open harness.

I think this offers so much more protection around their delicate head and the thing i like about it is it doesn't come to far around the head that it obscures child's view & irritate them. The stay open harness i mentioned is so handy especially when you have a wriggly toddler wanting to escape, I'm not having to fiddle around trying to pull the harness from underneath them. It reminds me of a roller coaster- pop the child in the seat, the harness is open ready to be fastened in.

Tallest setting with stay open harness



On the crotch part there is a colour indicator which when you have pulled the crotch strap tight enough it reassures you that the harness is tightened accordingly but this is just an indicator so i would always do the two finger check and make sure the harness is properly situated directly over child's shoulders. The Tobi has 5 recline positions, perfect for when little one is sleeping and you can easily recline the seat with child in so you wont disturb them.

Colour indicator

When loosening the harness you will notice there is no button or anything to press that frees the straps all you do is push the crotch part down  flat towards the seat and hey presto you can lengthen the harness easily and as your little one grows theres no fiddly straps to un-hook and thread through, the head support and harness adjust together simply by loosening the harness pull the top of the headrest forward and lifting it upwards its as easy as that. Fitting this seat is a doddle, it may look complicated but once you have done it a few times it becomes easy


I would recommend you take your vehicle to your nearest stockist and a member of trained staff can check to see if the seat is compatible and usually if the seat is ok it can be fitted into the car for you using a 3-point seat belt. I love the way this seat is actually fitted into the vehicles, it looks very much like its being hugged into the seat in the car by the seat belt itself, as the lap part of the belt goes around the front of the seat and has extra security of the belt tensioner and the diagonal part of the belt comes up the side of the car seat and around the top secured by two clips.



Belt tensioner

 The car seat is very well padded as a lot of seats we have had and seen tend to have very little padding but the Tobi seems so comfy i could easily climb in there myself.






Upright position

                                       
The maxi-cosi Tobi comes in a range of colours, added extras are available such as the summer cover, pocket and play tray.

Fully reclined

Rating: 10/10                 

Wonderoo V2 citrus spots

The wonderoo was one of our first cloth nappies that we purchased for Freya when she was a few months old. I was pretty new to the world of cloth and the first thing that attracted me to the wonderoo was the beautiful bright pattern of the citrus spots, its very eye catching! 

The one-size wonderoo, the super stretchy elastic provides maximum comfort with leakage. It features spaced poppers which allow you to adjust the size of the nappy as the baby grows from birth to potty.
 Ive never used the older version of the wonderoos but i know one benefit of the V2 was that its supposed to have a new trim, contoured cut, but for us i have found it to be the most bulkiest nappy ever! Freya couldn't even put her legs together it was so bulky and even now shes 1yr old its still the same (that is with using both inserts) but even when using the larger stage 2 insert it was still rather bulky. We ended up using this nappy for nights as one thing i can say that is fab about this nappy we never had any leaks its super absorbent when using both of the inserts, the larger insert is bamboo which unfolds out for easy washing and drying and that takes no time at all, infact i thought because of how quick the drying time was that that it wouldnt hold up to my monster wetter but hey it certainly did. The fabric is lovely and soft inside and out and i did get a nice fit on Freya apart from how wide and chunky it was.

Features of the new Wonderoo V2:

• new trim, contoured cut
• simple size adjustment
• great fit from 8lb right through the weight range
• improved fleece gusset for maximum comfort and air exchange and minimum leaking!
• brand new anti-wicking outer shell
• soft and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-y in all directions
• unique three stage insert system (see below)
• bamboo inserts unfold for efficient washing and fast drying
• carbon footprint conscious (manufactured in Turkey and transported by road)
• workers' pay and conditions are to government approved standards

The Wonderoo V2 is supplied complete with it's own unique 3 stage insert systemTM:
Stage 1: the small, contoured insert is made from three layers of microterry, and is soft and quick to absorb, ideal for small babies.

Stage 2: the large rectangular insert is made from six layers of soft, stretchy and fast-absorbing bamboo terry. Bamboo is an eco-friendly crop to grow and this fabric has been specially chosen to be highly absorbent and trim. Although bamboo is generally felt to be slow to dry, this insert unfolds for swift drying. It fastens together with snaps to make it easy to insert into the nappy and keep it neatly folded when in use.

Stage 3: the two inserts can be snapped together to provide super-absorbency for older babies, heavy wetters or for night time. There are two (coloured) snap positions, enabling you to put the booster/small insert where it is most required for your child, often to the front for boys (blue snap), and to the centre for girls (pink snap).

Rating: 7/10

Maxi Cosi Rodi XR

First glance at the Maxi-Cosi Rodi xr, a very comfy and well supported high back booster seat offering optimal side impact protection also cushioning the hip area, comes in a range of beautiful attractive colourways to suit either gender.



First height level

 This high back booster seat is a group 2/3 & suitable for weights between 15-36kg, 3.5- 12yrs approx. The covers are all removable and can be easily washed and they also dry really quickly which is always a bonus, as if your like us we are always popping out in the car for some reason. You can purchase a summer cover which i think is worth while as it keeps little one much cooler and stops them sweating whilst in the car seat.

The 'xr' stands for eXtra Recline, a big plus for us as we sometimes do long journeys up north and having that slight recline makes all the difference, it allows little ones head to go back rather then hanging forward looking uncomfortable, and the nice chunky side impact system supports their head will whilst sleeping. The seat does need to be popped into the recline position before little one sits into the seat which is very easy to do so just by holding the front of the seat and tilting it upwards. Another great feature is the adjustable side wings that can be adjusted out as little one grows giving that bit extra shoulder and elbow room giving them a comfier ride. As the seat is expected to take a child up to approx 12yrs the headrest is adjustable in height so grows with the child and to make this seat stable whilst in the vehicle it comes with an anchorage point in the headrest that is popped through the head restraint in the car.



Maximum height level

 The rodi xr is very lightweight, we often move it between cars and its so easy to do so and very easy to install, the child is held in place using a normal 3-point seat belt and is correctly situated on child's shoulder level using the belt hooks situated on the top headrest.
We love using this seat for our 5yr old and for me you can't put a price on a life and i think it is well worth investing in a top quality car seat like the Rodi XR  for frequent use to ensure the very best safety for your little cargo.

Rating 10/10

Totsbots Easyfit V2

Well it has to be said the Totsbots Easyfit nappy has to be the best cloth nappy we have ever used. This all- in- one reusable nappy is slim fitting and very stretchy with elasticated waist and legs, we had tried a few before discovering the easyfits and found many to be really bulky that my poor baby couldn't put her little legs together. I wanted a nappy that could withstand vast amounts of wee as my baby is a monster wetter and my first thought was "it's quite slim and light weight i don't think this will work" but oh i was very wrong.

 The nappy has a fold out core which makes drying time even quicker, another thing that crossed my mind was "it dried pretty quick, it can't be that good at absorbing" but like the easyfit always does, it proved me wrong again. I have even used this nappy at night times, i just popped a bamboo insert inside and it done the trick, no wet baby in the morning, the nappy has a wick proof edging to prevent any leaks. The nappy has an applix fastening which i actually find easier on my wriggily 1yr old, and my mum and others find easier too.

The thing i find that makes this nappy value for money is that it is a birth to potty one size fits most as there are three rows of poppers to enable you to adjust the size to suit your baby, Freya is still only on the second row so you can see how this could last. Shes quite a slim built baby but the fit of the nappy is nice and snug no gaps, it just fits like a glove. The fabric is soft inside and out, and even the applix isn't rough like a lot of other brands are. I use the totsbots flushable liners to easy discard any soilage, i have approx 26 nappies so wash every 2 days and store in a nappy pail and dry pail only. I usually wash at 40 degrees with an occasional 60 degrees wash and the nappies are still looking good, none have mishaped or faded. The easyfits come in a range of  6 beautiful prints or you can opt for just plain white. I would definitely recommend this nappy to family and friends, it does everything it says it should, and that's exactly what we want. Well done totsbots for creating such a fantastic reusable nappy.
Rating 10/10
To see a video on using totsbots easyfits V2 visit- http://www.totsbots.com/choosing-using/movie-clips/using-easyfits/