Tuesday 28 October 2014

Banish Monsters with Go Glow *REVIEW*

BANISH MONSTERS WITH GOGLOW®


It is the age-old question, why is your little one afraid of falling asleep, and what can be done to help ease their fears? With Halloween, and darker evenings nearly upon us, children’s lighting brand GoGlow® has conducted a survey to find the answer, and it is as simple as fears of what is lurking in the dark.

Asking 1,000 parents, the survey revealed monsters as the main reason under fives were afraid of the dark (67%). With fears of the dark at an all time high in October when the clocks go back and the nights become shorter.
So as the evenings become darker, it is no surprise little ones imaginations run wild with fears of what hides beneath.


HOW TO BANISH FEARS!
Seven in ten parents make a special effort to walk around their child’s bedroom to prove there are no monsters hiding. With three quarters of children getting out of bed to seek reassurance from their parents, the survey went on to find night-lights were the most reassuring solution that helped stop scary shadows.

If you are looking for a way to ease your little ones fears of the dark, children’s sleep expert and founder of Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic, Mandy Gurney has a fun tip to help:

“If your child is afraid of the dark, offer them the reassurance of a night light to have nearby when they need it. You could even play hide and seek, in the late afternoon, using a GoGlow® torch, so they realise there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

This October, GoGlow® is on hand to help banish monsters. A lighting range with extra sparkle, GoGlow® encourages nighttime know-how and its Night Bright range offers a safe and soothing 2-in-1 nightlight and torch that can be popped down for a night-long glow or lifted up as a torch.


When children are surrounded by their favourite character friends, scary monsters are a thing of the past, so if you would like to banish monsters try either Thomas the Tank Engine or Peppa Pig GoGlow Night Bright.

Explore the full GoGlow® range at: www.worldsapart.com

OUR PEPPA PIG GO GLOW REVIEW



We were sent the Peppa Pig Go Glow  2-in-1 rechargeable night light and torch for Bert to try out at home. 

We chose the Peppa Pig design as it is Bert's favourite programme - luckily, we're not bothered at all as parents if Bert has overtly girlie things such as this night light in pink and purple - we want to bring him up to appreciate all colours, and not be bound by gender-specific colour choices/preferences - BUT I still dont understand why a programme which is loved equally by boys and girls alike would be so gender specific in its product design? Why not create a Peppa Pig product in predominantly reds, yellows and greens, so as to be suitable for any gender? I know some parents wouldn't buy this specific night light for their son, because of the colour choices. The 'boy' version available is Thomas the Tank Engine, but Bert has never watched this and wouldn't recognise the character, so I'm pleased with my choice, but just perplexed at how frequently I come across things for children which are so overtly gender stereotyped. Okay, rant over.

The design of the night light and torch combo is simple, and it requires no assembly - just plug in the base and you're good to go. The base unit charges the torch part, and when stood up on its end, the torch body lights up the Peppa and George motif to become a night light. It gives a lovely calm light affect in Bert's nursery - and he smiled and recognised Peppa straight away.





Our night light softly glowing, perfect for reassuring Bert at night if he gets a bit frightened. 

We are really lucky that Bert is such a good sleeper - he's been sleeping in his own room now for around 4 months, and has totally mastered self soothing, and gently falling off to sleep by himself when he goes up to bed at 7:30pm each night, and for his daytime naps. I think part of why he's coped so well with the transition of moving from our room to his own has been having a little night light on to reassure him that he's somewhere safe, and recognisable if he wakes up. 

Bert certainly seems to like his Go Glow, and when I gave him the torch part to play with  he was engrossed in it for ages. I love the torch function and think it is a really clever design feature - I'm sure little people who wake up in the night needing the toilet, or wanting to retrieve their dropped comforter/lost toy from under the bed would love to use the torch to show them the way. 

All in all I think this is a lovely little product for children, and would be a welcome addition in any nursery or toddler room. 

The Go Glow is suitable from 12 months + and retails at£22.99 (from Toys R Us).

I hope there's no monsters under the bed in your house!

Mrs B

xxx

Disclaimer: We were sent a Peppa Pig Go-Glow 2 in 1 Night Light and Torch for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. 

Monday 27 October 2014

Flora: From Seed to Spread - YouTube Video now LIVE featuring ME ;-)

My regular blog readers will know that earlier this year I worked with big brand Flora on their campaign to educate their customers about what goes into their spreads, and how they are made. You can read all about my brilliant day on College Farm in Cambridge with some fellow foodie-bloggers, and the wonderful Edd Kimber (winner of the first series of The Great British Bake Off) here

To follow up our day on the farm, Flora have now published this fab video from the day, which I couldn't wait to share with you - I feature a couple of times - baking in the tent, and being interviewed right at the end. I hope you enjoy...


As well as the video, Flora have published advertisements containing quotes and images from my blog in publications all over the UK- it was so exciting to see my name, and blog name in print! 

Independent Magazine 18th October
“I try so often to ‘buy British’ and support local food producers, it is an important part of the way I shop and cook and has made Flora a product I will definitely pick up above all other margarine brands, now that I know that their products contain only simple ingredients.”
Guardian Weekend 11th October
“It’s clear that everyone on the farm works hard to ensure that the end product is not only of the highest quality, but is also as kind on the environment as possible,” she says. “Knowing that they use only British rapeseed oil, some of which came from the farm I was standing in, is meaningful. I try to buy British, it’s an important part of the way I shop and cook. I will definitely pick up Flora now I know their products contain simple ingredients.”
Notebook Magazine 12th October  
‘They use only British rapeseed oil, some of which came from the farm I was standing in,’ she said. ‘I try so often to “buy British” and support local producers, it’s an important part of the way I shop. Flora is a product I will pick above all other brands now I know their products contain simple ingredients.’



Did you manage to spot me in any of the above? 

I had a few messages from friends and family who had happened upon the articles and got a nice shock! 

It really was so fun to work alongside Flora on this campaign, and I learnt a lot about the provenance of their products. 

Do you use Flora for baking? 

Mrs B

xxx

Sunday 26 October 2014

Heinz for Baby - Mum's Own Range *REVIEW*

Bert just loves his food. I'm so lucky that he's such a good eater, and genuinely seems to have a love for a huge variety of foods (I wonder where he gets it from??) From the very beginning of his weaning journey he's eaten a mixture of fresh homemade foods, and shop-bought baby specific foods. I'm realistic about the way we eat as a family, and know that eating fresh homemade food 100% of the time is unrealistic - sometimes we need something fast, and that is where ready made baby foods have been a godsend for us. 

We've tried loads of brands over the past year, and Bert hasn't rejected any - but for my own peace of mind I like to choose baby foods that come from companies I know and trust, who have high standards in terms of what goes into their foods, and can provide Bert with a large variety of interesting flavours to help him develop his culinary tastes. Heinz for baby are constantly coming up with new and exciting foods for babies, and we've been lucky enough to road test some jars from their newest range. 

Mum's Own range from Heinz contains over 30 different recipes, all inspired by mums' home cooked hits- for mums, by mums - including two of their latest recipes created this year: 'Carrot and Sweet Potato Mash' and 'Vegetable and Chicken Curry'. The jars are perfectly balanced nutritious meals to give your little ones when time is of the essence, but still have all the great taste of a homemade recipe. 

Bert's been tasting a selection of this new range, and boy does he love them! He's wolfed down every single jar with no fuss, and as a mum, I can't really ask for better than that! 

Jars we've tried:

- Vegetable & Chicken Hotpot
- Creamy Chicken Korma
- Beef, Tomato & Mash
- Fruity Chicken & Rice
- Cheesy Tomato Pasta Stars

All the above jars were from the Heinz Baby 7 months + range, although Heinz Baby produces foods suitable for children aged from 4 months right up to 2 years!

My cheeky boy eating his dinners with no fuss, oh, and even the cat was pleased with our delivery from Heinz, she does love a wicker hamper! 

The jars we've been testing: whole pieces of ingredient obvious within the food, unlike some other branded 'mush' foods we've tried which are unidentifiable. 

What I loved most about these jars, aside from their ease, was the fact that you can actually see and identify ingredients within the food: I could see whole peas, pieces of carrot, pasta, tomato etc within the baby food - which instantly helps alleviate any guilt I might feel about feeding him from a jar, on occasion. Other jars of food we've tried in the past have often been completely unidentifiable mush - genuinely anything could have gone into it, and I wouldn't know unless I scoured the ingredients list on the jar. 

The proof of the pudding really is in the eating, and the fact that Bert has eaten all of every single jar without any messing around is really all the information I need. He likes them, and for that reason alone, I'd definitely pick them up again in my food shop. 

What Heinz Say About Their Jars:


"We carefully choose all our ingredients and recipes to provide your little one with lots of essential goodness, and we only use the finest baby-grade ingredients in our delicious jars. Baby-grade foods need to be completely traceable and meet far stricter guidelines than adult foods, even organic. So we grow them on one of our specially chosen farms, in suitable soil that’s away from potential contamination from pesticides, pollution and nitrates.

Because quality is important to us we follow a rigorous process when making all our jars. Meat, fish, vegetables and fruit are thoroughly tested to make sure they’re safe for your little one. Then we steam-cook our meals to lock in all the precious nutrients. And because they’re steam-cooked and sealed in a jar, there’s no need for preservatives. We run no less than ten checks throughout the cooking and packing process. Finally we make another four checks on taste and texture before it goes out the door.
We also pay a lot of attention to textures – from pureed to mashed to chunky – tailoring the right consistencies for your baby’s stage to support their development, not only for growing, but for speech development too." (Heinz Baby Website)


For more information you can head over to the Heinz Baby website where they have tons of info about their products, cooking methods, weaning advice and even some great recipes for you to try cooking at home. 

There's been lots of happy dinner times at The Bishop household of late, thanks to Heinz - so why not give them a try with your little one and see if they love the taste as much as Bert does. 

Bye for now

Lucy & Bert 

xxx

Disclaimer: I am part of the Heinz Baby Blogger Ambassador programme, and was sent a hamper of 5 jars of Mum's Own baby foods to try for the purpose of this review. All opinions, and photographs are my own. 

Wednesday 22 October 2014

The importance of recharging your batteries: Mum's Weekend Off!

Being a Mum is the most amazing thing I've ever done. It is everything I had hoped it would be, and more. I am consumed with love for my little man, and cannot imagine my life without him - what did I DO before he came along? 

As well as being amazing, fulfilling, exciting, and beautiful - being a stay-at-home-Mum is exhausting and all-consuming. My head is full of a constant 'to do' list, and my days are full of ensuring my little man is safe, amused and happy while trying to keep the house straight, wash the clothes, buy the food shopping, cook, exercise, socialise and blog. Sometimes the days just whizz by and I end the week feeling exhausted, frazzled and like I could quite literally sleep for a week. 

Last week, Bert got ill - a nasty sickness bug which seemed to come out of nowhere and zapped us of every last bit of energy we had left. There is genuinely not a worse part of Motherhood - watching your little one being so poorly, and being unable to do much to help is horrendous. I get crippled by an overwhelming (and usually over-dramatic) fear that he's worse than he actually is when he's sick, and imagine a million different scenarios of something dreadful happening to him - anxiety slaps me around the face, and usually I come out the other side feeling completely drained and exhausted. Last week was no exception. 

Last time Bert was ill like this I was due to go away to Centre Parcs for a good friends Hen Weekend; and had to miss it - he'd had a stay in hospital that week due to such a bad gastro-enteritis bug, and I felt too worried to travel far away from him for a weekend. As it turned out, he was over the worst of it, and I probably would have been safe to go without a hitch, but you just never know, so I missed out, and stuck to my duties as Mum instead. 

As a pure coincidence, this weekend just gone, I was also due to go away for one of my best friend's Hen Weekend in Norfolk. When Bert was sick on wednesday night I thought 'here we go again' and convinced myself it would be a repeat of last time and I'd have to miss out again. I asked him "Do you have a sixth sense? Do you know when Mummy is meant to be getting a weekend 'off' and decide to stop me?" Hahaha, of course, he doesn't - but it just felt like that. Perfect timing, huh? 

I had promised to whip up some homemade treats to take along to the hen weekend, so with positive thinking at the forefront of my mind, and determined that I would be able to go this time, I got my bake on. Thursday morning was a hive of activity in my kitchen, while my poorly boy sat quietly in front of cartoons, and rested. I baked quicker than I ever have in my life, determined not to neglect my little man, and in a couple of hours I'd managed to whip up 35 iced vanilla dinosaur biscuits and cook 40 turkey dinosaurs. (I'll explain the dinosaur thing later…!) 

Thankfully, Bert was only sick on wednesday evening, and a couple of days off milk, and on rehydration fluids and toast saw him almost back to normal, and I set off on Friday morning feeling reasonably confident that he was on the mend and over the worst. It helped that I was leaving him in the capable hands of his Nanny and his Daddy - both of whom are the perfect mum-replacement if I'm not there. 

I felt exhausted, shattered, drained and a little bit ropey myself - I also felt that nervousness that all mums feel if they are leaving their nest without the little ones, but, determined to have an awesome time and make the most of a weekend of 'being a grown up' as my mum put it, I shook off the guilt, the tiredness and that nagging 'you're ill too' at the back of my mind, and jumped straight in to a weekend full of fun... 

Danni's Hen Weekend:

Friday: A Jurassic Party

Danni and I have been friends since we met at University 10 years ago, she is getting married in early December and I'm so looking forward to her special day. I was especially excited about the fun plans that had been made for her Hen Weekend in Norfolk by her chief bridesmaids Karla and Kate, who are also good friends of mine.

Eighteen of us hired amazing converted barns in Norfolk called High Barsham and Little Barsham (Barsham Barns) for the weekend. I travelled up to Norfolk with Kate and Karla, and we arrived at the barns at 1:30pm on Friday afternoon so as to set up before the bride-to-be arrived at 5pm. 

High Barsham - what a beautiful place! 

The Barn - the perfect party setting! 

The plan for night one was to all stay in and enjoy a Jurassic Park themed tea party (with plenty of booze!) Danni's favourite film in the whole world is Jurassic Park, and so we themed a huge buffet, and all the decorations and cake on the dinosaur theme - I had even managed to pick up a 6ft tall inflatable TRex to join the party! We had so much fun setting it all up, and to our delight Danni totally loved it, and we had an absolute blast! 


Our dino buffet included:

- A fabulous dinosaur cake by Kate
- Iced vanilla dinosaur biscuits by me
- A huge platter of Bernard Matthews Turkey Dinosaurs
- Chocolate Volcano cakes by Kate
- Chicken Kebabs (Triceratops horns!)
- Prehistoric Paella made by Karla
- Watermelon dinosaur spikes
- Dinosaur claws (Doritos)
- TRex Teeth (BBQ triangle crisps)
- Terrifying Tacos
- Dried Herbivore food (vegetable crisps)
- Pterodactyl Platter (cheese and cured meats board)

Kate's amazing dinosaur cake! 

My iced vanilla dinosaur biscuits went down a storm! 

Even the TRex wanted to feast on the buffet!

And like the cool girls that we are, we of course danced around the barn in our slippers - joined by the TRex, naturally! 

DAY TWO: Clay Pigeon Fun & Party Time

Day two of our weekend saw us don our flat caps and head out into the countryside for some clay pigeon shooting fun! An activity Danni had always wanted to have a go at, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give something new a try - it was SO fun, and out of the 15 of us taking part I came 3rd and hit 5 out of 12 of my shots. I was chuffed to bits with that! 

Me and the beautiful Hen, Danni - country bumpkins! 

Fun on a hay bale! 

Rob (from Clay Busters) helping me set up & get ready to shoot! 

Me giving clay pigeon shooting my best shot! 5/12 ain't bad! ;-)

On Saturday night we all got dressed up in our party frocks and headed out to a private function room in a restaurant called The Golden Fleece, in Wells-next-the-Sea for dinner, drinks and dancing! The room had been decorated by Kate and Karla - full of beautiful photographs of us all with Danni over the years - pictures from her childhood, and pictures of her with her lovely fiancee Charlie. The room was adorned with balloons and fairy lights, candles and banners - it looked incredible and was the perfect setting for a rip roaring party! 
The stunning dinner table in our function room

Just beautiful! 

We each had a place setting at the table which was a photograph of us with the hen at a special moment in our lives: this shot is of our graduation 10 years ago! Luckily, I don't mind looking back at 'fat photos' of me now that I've made a positive change - I still get shocked at the size of me back then! 


Me and Danni: the gorgeous hen! 

My dinner was immense - the best rare steak I've eaten in ages with duck fat chips - need I say more?

Bourbon Pecan Pie - my favourite dessert in the whole world - it didn't quite beat the one I eat at Buddies, or my own homemade one, but it came in a close 3rd! 

Of course, for all of the alcohol drinking ladies the weekend ended in slurping vodka-jelly from a giant platter at 4am...followed by horrendous hang overs, and long drives home!

Possibly my favourite picture of the whole weekend??? Ha ha ha ha!

Virtuous me, who doesn't really drink that often (due to a bloody awful skin allergy to alcohol!) thought that the fact I'd laid off the alcohol all weekend would mean that I'd awaken on Sunday feeling spritely and refreshed - instead I felt, well, a bit hung over! No fair! 

As it turned out I've come back home with the major lurgies - a lovely dose of tonsillitis! I am feeling blooming ropey to say the least - and am hoping a trip to the doctors this evening will result in some much needed medication to rid me of this bad throat. This is quite a common cycle for me though I have to say - I tend to get ill after busy/trying/exciting times - I am always ill around Christmas, at the start of school holidays etc - I tend to be able to soldier on, and then when the excitement stops, so do I, big style. 

What I'm always struck with on my return from a weekend away, night out, or day 'off' from being Mum, is just how important it is for my sanity to just be 'Lucy' again for a while. To not have to worry about when Bert needs his milk, if I've sterilised bottles, and what clothes he has clean. Being able to shower and go to the loo alone, drink endless cups of tea WHILE THEY ARE HOT, and have long chats with your girlfriends without having to amuse a little person at the same time is JUST so important. If you are a Mum and you don't make time for this, then you really must - even if it is just a few hours to wander round town, have a coffee and read a book in peace, you will thank yourself profusely afterwards. 

Don't get me wrong, I miss Bert like CRAZY when I'm away from him - and I'm one of those annoying Mum's who needs to text and call at least once a day to ensure all is okay - I get regular photo's sent to my phone as 'proof' that he's doing just fine without me. But I also don't let my missing him ruin or take over my time away. Precious time as a grown up might not come along too often, so I'm definitely always mindful to make the absolute most of it - and boy did we do that this weekend! 

Thanks to all the wonderful ladies who I shared the weekend with, and I'm now just even more excited about Danni & Charlie's big day in December! 


Bye for now

Mrs B 

xxx

Monday 20 October 2014

The SMART WAFFLE from Sage Appliances by Heston Blumenthal *VIDEO REVIEW*

For those of you who read my blog regularly you'll know we recently went on an all inclusive holiday to Cyrpus courtesy of my 'Blogger of the Year 2014' award from Loved By Parents. On holiday we had access to the most amazing buffet restaurant and every morning my husband ate the hugest plate of freshly cooked waffles smothered in chocolate spread, maple syrup and chopped banana. He was in waffle heaven. 

Husband's waffle addiction on holiday left him with a deep waffle-shaped hole in his life on our return! 

When we arrived home, he had waffle withdrawal, and my griddle pan waffles just weren't cutting it!

Then I discovered the amazing SMART WAFFLE by Heston Blumenthal from Sage Appliances, and when they agreed to send one over for me to try, well, my husband genuinely looked like he might explode with excitement. 


I love a kitchen gadget. Any appliance that makes my life easier in the kitchen, can cook an item better than I can, with less mess, and looks beautiful atop my kitchen work surface is a winner in my book. 

I've now been using the Smart Waffle for well over a month , and blimey...we've eaten a LOT of AMAZING waffles. 

I cannot rave about this machine enough - it makes genuinely the best waffles I've ever eaten in barely any time, with NO MESS. Yes, it is pricey at £169.95, but, if you have the budget you genuinely won't be disappointed with this awesome piece of kit (the kids will LOVE you for it, saying that - so will your husband, friends, family…!)

I was so excited about this gorgeous machine of waffleyness that I decided to make a video about it - so here we go my lovelies, my first vlog, a video review of the Smart Waffle...

(Make sure you scroll down and read the rest of the post afterwards as I'll include the recipe for classic waffles, some photos, and a written overview of the waffle iron underneath the video link)


THE SMART WAFFLE - OVERVIEW

  • Can cook all types of waffle from classic, Belgian, buttermilk, and chocolate - you can even develop your own custom setting. 
  • Has a no spill moat which catches and cooks escaping batter as the waffle cooks and the batter expands in the irons. NO MESS AT ALL - the waffles slide out of the irons leaving no mess behind.
  • The Waffle IQ settings mean you can select which type of waffle you are cooking, what colour you'd like it to be once baked (light-dark scale of 1-10) and it will calculate the exact cooking time needed to make your waffle just perfect.
  • Double iron cooks two waffles simultaneously.
  • Waffles cook in around 3-5 minutes, and the countdown timer beeps to let you know when waffles are ready. 
  • LED display and orange back light. 
  • Sleek and beautifully designed machine that looks beautiful atop your kitchen work surface.
  • The 'A Bit More' button allows you to cook your waffles just a little bit extra if you decide you want them a little browner. 
  • Measuring cup and recipes included. 
PRICE £169.95 from Sage Appliances. 


CLASSIC WAFFLES RECIPE 

(from Sage Appliances)

Makes 8 waffles at around 323 calories per waffle

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs
430ml milk
125g unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
300g self-raising flour
55g caster sugar

METHOD (Using Smart Waffle)

1. Select CLASSIC setting and dial up your browning control to your favourite setting (I recommend 4).
2. Preheat until orange light flashes up and the words HEATING disappear.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, butter and vanilla in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
4. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl, and make a well in the centre. 
5. Gradually whisk the milk mixture into the dry ingredients to form a thick batter. Don't worry if there are a few lumps. 
6. Using the waffle dosing cup, pour 1/2 cup of batter into each waffle square. Close lid and cook until timer has finished and ready beep has sounded 3 times. 

ENJOY! 

A waffle stack that dreams are made of!

My favourite topping - maple syrup and streaky bacon! Yes! 

Warm straight from the iron waffle soaked in oodles of sweet maple syrup … Mmmmm! 

If you are a waffle loving family, if you've ever enjoyed a waffle in France or Belgium, or out in a restaurant and thought 'I wish I could make these at home' - now you can. Get yourself this amazing bit of a kit, and you'll be feasting on the best waffles in town in your own home. Remember, Christmas is coming…if you ask Santa really nicely you might just get a waffle-iron shaped surprise come Christmas morning. 

Happy waffle munching my lovelies!

Mrs B

xxx

You can follow Sage Appliances on Facebook here
On Twitter @SageAppliances
Or, on their YouTube here. 

Disclaimer: I was sent a Smart Waffle by Heston Blumenthal from Sage Appliances for the purpose of this review. All words, opinions and images are my own (excluding the first image of the waffle iron, which is from Sage Appliances). 

*A big thank you to Reg Wantling for the filming and editing of my review video.*


Wednesday 15 October 2014

Bumbo Floor Seat & Play Tray *REVIEW*



The Bumbo floor seat for babies is a must-have item for any expectant parents out there. Before we had Bert we were lucky enough to be given a Bumbo from a close friend whose boys had grown too big for theirs, and while Bert was small we found it a really handy item. 

The seat is moulded which makes it soft and comfortable for baby, and its shape means you can confidently pop baby into the floor seat, and he/she will be safe and supported. The detachable tray means baby can sit and play, or eat, with a surface to pop their toys/food on within easy reach of their seated position. Perfect. 

A brief overview:
  • The Bumbo Floor Seat and Play Tray combination will help your baby to maintain an upright seated position.
  • Its award-winning design has made it a favourite with millions of mums and dads as their baby's first seat, when little ones are not quite ready to sit up on their own.
  • The contoured seat fits your baby's posture and includes an adjustable safety harness with an easy-click buckle.
  • Soft, comfortable, durable and easy to clean.
  • With baby safely seated on the floor, story times become easier and play time opens a whole world of possibilities.
  • The removable tray provides a convenient play area, keeping toys, drinks and snacks within easy reach.
  • The tray's smooth, easy-to-clean surface is also great for feeding and is dishwasher safe.
  • Suitable for babies 4 months and older, able to support their head unassisted.
The Bumbo comes in a variety of colours, and you can also purchase fun fabric covers to jazz up your seat, making it extra comfy and fun for your little ones. 

Our Blue Bumbo

We used our second-hand Bumbo loads when Bert was small - we also found our cat Pickle took quite a liking to it as well! 

My favourite thing about the Bumbo is how easy it is to clean - we regularly gave Bert his snacks/drinks while sat in it and I never had to worry about what mess he might be making, as a quick wipe over and the whole thing would be as good as new! 

Bert was such an inquisitive baby - constantly wanting to look around and be part of the action - long gone are the days where your baby just lays in a crib or on a mat on the floor until it can crawl, with the Bumbo your inquisitive baby can sit up and look around unaided - Bert loved it, and so did Mummy, any item which means Mummy has her hands free for a few minutes is a winner for me. 

Here's a few snaps of our Bumbo in action:

The perfect seat for my little super-hero! Bert at 4 months. 

The Bert-Man - our little super-hero: in his Bumbo & Play Tray at 6 months. 

My little Christmas Elf under the tree in his comfy Bumbo aged 4 months!

The cheekiest of chimps: Bert sitting in his Bumbo Floor Seat - what a cutie! 

Alternative ways to use a Bumbo:


Bert thought his Bumbo was rather perfect for den building!


And the cat thought it was a bed for her too:

Are you quite comfy there Pickle??

Now that does NOT look comfortable! Silly cat! 

Hahahaha! 

Who knew they'd be so perfect for your feline friends too! :-)

Recently, TOMY sent us a beautiful new Bumbo Floor Seat & Play Tray Combo Pack in Aqua, as well as a spotty fabric cover. It is truly a beautiful product, and one we will definitely keep and use for any future children we may have, and of course all the lovely visiting babies of our friends and family. 

So often baby products are mostly style over substance, but with the Bumbo you really do get a balance of both: it is beautiful and practical in equal measure. 

Being as Bert is a little too big for a Bumbo seat now, I used my glamourous assistant Peppa Pig to aid me in the modelling for some of the photographs. ;-)

Our new Bumbo in Aqua, with its Play Tray attached - what a lovely any-gender colour! 

The Aqua Bumbo and Play Tray in all its glory

The restraint belt is included for extra safety.

The Bumbo Floor Seat Aqua from TOMY priced at £36.99 or you can buy the Bumbo Floor Seat and Play Tray Combo Pack from TOMY priced at £41.99.

Peppa Pig modelling our new Bumbo with spotty seat cover! You look very swish Peppa! 

Good girl Peppa you've got your restraint belt done up! 

Bumbo with spotty fabric cover.

A really beautiful and practical product for babies! 

At the moment TOMY are sold out of the spotty covers, but you can pick up one of these alternative beautiful designs on their website now:

Bumbo Floor Seat Cover Owls from TOMY priced at £9.99
Bumbo Floor Seat Cover Elephants from TOMY priced at £9.99
Bumbo Floor Seat Cover Sea Creatures from TOMY priced at £9.99

What Bumbo Have To Say…

"Our Bumbo Baby Seat has become a parenting essential, a product that is superior in quality, comfort and function. We also deliver a seat that brings smiles to your child. Bumbo is your baby's first seat, allowing your little one to see the world in a new way. 

In addition to bringing joy to babies and families around the globe, Bumbo has made an amazing commitment to bringing aid to its community in and around Pretoria, South Africa, where it is based.  Bumbo's founder, Johan Buitendach, has dedicated himself to helping those in need. Bumbo donates nearly 100% of its profits to charity to help the poor, hungry, homeless, disabled and others. With every purchase of a Bumbo product comes a partnership with an organisation that has helped, and continues to help thousands of people in South Africa."


We truly are big fans of the Bumbo in the Bishop household, and I like it even more now that I know the work that Bumbo does for charity as well. I know that our trusty Bumbo will be used for many years to come, and for just over £50 for a seat, tray and cover - I think it is brilliant value. 

What baby product did you buy which became your go-to product when your little ones were small?

Mrs B 

xxx

***Please note that a Bumbo seat should ONLY be used on the floor, and isn't safe on high surfaces such as tables or worktops.***

Disclaimer: We were sent a Bumbo Floor Seat and Play Tray Combo Pack along with a spotty Bumbo fabric cover for the purpose of this review. All words, images and opinions are my own.