Mummy and Me November

This month really should have been a month full of opportunities to get photographs with Lily. But again, no body took them for me and i'm always so caught up in the moments that I don't say to people, please take our photograph. So I try and ask Lily to pose in selfies with me. most the month it was been a big fat NO, and the cute cuddle we were having is no longer as she slides off my knee and runs away. You really do have to catch her at the right moment. Typically the right moment ended up being last week when we were just messing about and being silly. So I do feel like I look horrendous in these and was definetly not picture ready, but the moments captured are just great and what selfies are all about. 

Christmas next month! Im going to MAKE people take our photograph. I got some lovely ones last year of Lily and I and so I would love some more for this year. 

Here are our silly selfies where it seems Lily was copying my facial expressions. 

Pass the Pigs for Xmas Plus Giveaway

You’ll be snorting with laughter if you play with these piggy games for Christmas.  The original party animals, Pass the Pigs, use hilarious pigs for dice. Will you roll a sider or start makin' bacon? Having fun with friends, on the road entertainment, or just chilling out - the game is on for every pig in the parlour!

Fantastic fun for the whole family, Pass the Pigs is so easy to play. Simply throw the 2 piggies up in the air and see how they land. Compare the pigs landing positions with your scorecard and earn points, the first to 100 wins.

Pass the Pigs comes in a handy travel case, pop into your bag and you are ready for a game anytime, so if you are traveling to see family it’s the perfect entertainment on the go. Pass the Pigs Party are ideal for when you want to play with family and friends at Christmas. 

Pass the Pigs  

• Hours of fun are guaranteed with this exciting Pass the Pigs game. Perfect for taking on the road, the Pass the Pigs game comes in a handy travel case, so there’s never a dull moment to be had! 
• Pass the Pigs is a game of skill for 2-6 players, it comes with a handy carry case, 2 pencils, 2 pigs and a pocket-sized score card.
• Suitable for ages 3+ and available for £9.99rrp.

Pass the Pigs party

• The version for party animals! Now there are EIGHT pigs in the game to play with. Roll your piggies to try and be first to match the position on your card, get bonus points if you do it on your first go! Be the first to rack up 100 points. £14.99rrp.
• 8 small plastic piggies (four pairs)
• Deck of 30 cards 
• Carry case

If you like the sounds of these games you can enter for a chance to win them. Enter on the Gleam app below. 

Win Pass the Pigs Original and Pass the Pigs Party

Filling up your Christmas Stockings at B&M Stores

The countdown to Christmas has nearly begun. Im getting super excited but also getting very organised. There are Christmas presents to buy, Christmas cards and wrapping paper to buy, oh and don't forget there is the Christmas stocking contents to buy too. 

I do love a good christmas stocking and they are must haves in our family. I remember as a child, Father Christmas (aka mum) would always pop my stocking on my door. As soon as I would open my eyes that Christmas morning the first thing I would see would be the stocking hung on my door and I would know that Father Christmas had been. That rush of excitement still stays with me to this day and its a lovely christmas memory that I won't forget.

This year is the first year that Lily is starting to understand Christmas a little more. It will be her forth Christmas and although we have done stockings for the last 3 years this is the first year that she will actually get more excited about it. I really hope to re create that excitement I got as a child and so I want to make her stocking filled to the brim with goodies. 

But when it comes to stockings, you want it to be filled with really nice things, but that haven't cost you an arm and a leg. So thats why I headed to B&M stores to see what stocking fillers I could find. 

I love that B&M stores always have shelves full of things to browse. I knew that I would find what I wanted here at B&M and was very impressed at their extensive gift section. 

So I started hunting for stocking gifts for a 3 year old. I had a £20 budget for my stocking and I must admit, I have found out I am very indecisive. I kept finding something I loved, then putting it back because I found something else, but then ended up going back for the other item in the first place. I guess thats what lots of choice does for you.

In the end I found all my items for Lily's stocking and for my £20 (Plus 24p extra) I managed to get 11 items. 

So here is a breakdown of what I got and why...

Reindeer Antlers with Light up Nose - £1.00
I could not resist these. I think the nose may be a little bit big for Lily to wear but I can just imagine that on christmas morning while opening her gifts she will want to put these on her head and be all festive. And if she doesn't I know I will end up doing which will give her lots of giggles. 

Mini Santa Squeezer - £2.99

I was looking for a festive soft toy and I hit the jackpot with this one. You squeeze him and he starts singing "It's the most wonderful time of the year". So he is super festive and makes me feel really christmassy. 

Cadbury Festive Friends Biscuits - 85p

Lily isn't a big sweet fan so when I spotted these on the shelf at 85p I just had to have them for her. She does love her chocolate biscuits and so these will go down a right treat this Christmas. 

Cadbury Chocolate Buttons - £1.00

Another one of Lily's favourites that she will enjoy eating. 

Kinder Father Christmas Chocolate figures - £1 

There was so much choice of chocolate but I know Lily enjoys Kinder Chocolate and so I thought she would love these festive Father Christmas ones.

Milk Chocolate Coins - £1 

These are a total traditional item in our family stockings. You suddenly feel rich with a bag of gold coins. Even if they are just chocolate. Lily got some of these last year so I know she will enjoy them.

Paw Patrol Face Cloth £1.29

I think handy items like a face cloth fit perfectly well into a stocking. They are to little to wrap up but something that you always need new of and so great to find them in your stocking. Though I think Lily will be more excited about the fact that it is a Paw Patrol Face Cloth than anything else. 

Paw Patrol Socks - £3.99

These were the most expensive thing that ended up going into the stocking. But socks are something we all need and something I always buy around christmas time. Socks are never anything to fancy and so perfect to pop into a stocking. Especially when they are as tiny as Lily's socks. Again Lily is going to love the fact that they are Paw Patrol Socks. 

Paw Patrol Gift Mug with Chocolate - £2.50

This item is slightly on the large side for a stocking, so it all depends on the size of your stocking you own to if you would get it as a stocking filler. Lily's is quite big and so it fits into hers just fine. I loved this little set, again its her favourite, Paw Patrol and so its going to be a nice little surprise for her when she see's it. I do love gift sets like this that have a theme, a cup and chocolate inside.

Paw Patrol Torch - £2.99

I think every stocking has to have some sort of fun toy inside it and thats when I spotted this paw patrol torch. It shines the paw patrol symbols onto the walls and I think she will love these. 

Paw Patrol Coin Purse - £1.99 

Last but not least is this paw patrol coin purse. Its the perfect size for a stocking and anything that features her favourite paw patrol she will love. 

Of corse I realise that the items are very paw patrol themed and there are so many more different themes of toys to choose from. Just Lily is a little bit obsessed with paw patrol at the moment. 

Also if you don't have your stocking yet, I did notice that B&M have them for sale there and quite large ones. 

What items do you like to fill your stocking with? 

Do you think you will be heading to B&M for your stocking fillers this year? 

Which of my items that I chose do you like the look of? 

*I was sent a £20 B&M voucher to buy my items but all words 

are my own*

Christmas Gift Guide for Women

For me, each year it comes to christmas and people start to ask me "What would you like for Christmas?" "Urm ummmm" is usually my reply as generally I haven't even thought about it. Especially since becoming a mum, I am so focused on what to buy for my daughter that I forgot all about myself and then have to start thinking long and hard and sometimes searching the internet for things I might like.

So this is where my gift guide may come in handy. If your a women and don't have a clue what to ask for this year then take a look at the 13 ideas below. You never know you may end up with a full Christmas wish list. You also may find a nice gift for your mum, sister or best friend while you are at it.

But I am hoping that I do have some readers on here that are men, and trying to find a nice gift for their wife, girlfriend, sister or mum. So why don't you also take a look at these 13 items and surprise them with something they would love.

Keep an eye out on my Instagram page as I will be placing more images of these items on there soon. 

1. Phil Smith Hello Moisture Gift Set - RRP - £8.50 *Buy Me Here*

Perfect for the girl who loves to treat her hair to something nice. This gift set contains a nourishing repair shampoo, a nourishing repair conditioner and an intensive conditioning treatment. Then to make the set even better, there is a set of glitter tie hairbands. It all comes in this lovely gift box and would make a lovely treat this Christmas. 

2. Ion8 Slim Water Bottle - RRP - £13.89 *Buy Me Here*

The Ion8 Slim makes the perfect ladies bottle for the gym, sports, outdoors or camping. It's suitable for hot or cold drinks, and holds a wonderful amount with 1000ml of liquid. This bottle is perfect for any women as it comes in many different colours and also comes with a handy little strap. It's 100% leak proof and is easy to use with a flip lid. You can't go wrong with a gift like this at Christmas time. 

3. Olverum Bath Oil - RRP From £19.00 - *Buy Me Here* 

A unique and luxurious aromatic blend of essential oils which combine to ease stress and relax tension in both mind and body, bringing you back to your complete and natural self. Olverum Bath Oil is highly concentrated and only half a capful (5ml) is needed per bath. Accordingly, virtually all the oil is absorbed by the skin leaving no greasy residue in the bath after use. You can buy the bath oil in different sizes starting from a travel set, to a bottle of 125ml to a bigger bottle of 250ml which is enough for 50 baths. Give the gift of relaxation this Christmas with Olverum Bath Oil. 

4. Jelly Belly Jewel Mix Jelly Beans - RRP - £5.40 *Buy Me Here* 

This 200g bag is the perfect sweet treat for any women this Christmas. The appealing shine that these Jelly Beans give off makes them extra special and we all know that women love things that shine. Not only do they look good but they taste great, coming in 6 different fruity flavours. Sour Apple, Very Cherry, Orange, Bubblegum, Blueberry and Berry Blue. This size pack also makes the perfect stocking filler or wraps up lovely as an extra little gift. 

5. Indigo Nutrition Chocolate Making Gift Set - RRP £19.99 - *Buy Me Here* 

Chocolate Making Kit Gift Set from Indigo Herbs is a fantastic gift set comprising of premium quality ingredients for those who want to make their own Natural Chocolate. A wonderfully presented gift box that will make the perfect Christmas present. These chocolate ingredients are 100% pure resulting in the final product being both nutritious and delicious. Enjoy hand crafting your own chocolates at home with this simple and easy kit. The kit contains: Cacao Powder, Cacao Butter, Raw Agave Nectar, Pure Raw Vanilla Powder, Goji Berries and Brazil Nuts. There is also a secret recipe included on how to make Indigo Herbs Pure Chocolate. 

6. Lunae Espresso Glasses - RRP £12.95 - *Buy Me Here* 

These gorgeous 80ml Espresso glasses are made from the highest grade of ultra durable borosilicate glass. The double wall thermal design keeps your coffee piping hot for longer and so are perfect for the winter months. The wider rim means that they are compatible with most coffee machines which means they make the perfect espresso glass for any coffee drinker. These glasses have a unique design with a unique logo on them. They also come in a well presented gift box and so make the perfect gift for Christmas. 

7. Mclaggan Smith Personalised Mug - RRP £14.50 - *Buy Me Here* 

Choose the perfect personalised Christmas Gift for Mum, sister or wife from the huge Mclaggan Smith Mugs collection. These mugs are made from bone china and have been printed decorated in The UK Since 1974. Making them a high quality mug that would make the perfect gift. Add up to 30 characters of personalisation to make this gift extra special. 

8. Urban Decay Trouble Maker Mascara - RRP £19.50 - *Buy Me Here* 

The Troublemaker Mascara delivers lashes that look 13.7x the volume. The formula volumizes and lengthens as it separates, while the custom brush grabs onto lashes, curling as it coats. This mascara has insane benefits—with thicker, longer and fanned-out looking lashes.
This formula layers beautifully without clumping, so pile on as many coats as you want. The more Trouble, the better. Start stirring up trouble this Christmas with badass lashes. 

9. GOGOPO Stationary - RRP £2 Each - *Buy Me Here*

Wether it be Notepads, Pens, Rubbers, Highlights that you love. GOGOPO Stationary will have it. Not only will they have it but also will have it in many different colourful and creative ways. From nail varnish highlighters to funky faced pens, these items are sure to put a smile on anyones face this Christmas. They make the perfect stocking filler and any stationary lover will go mad for them. Perfect for any female from young teen to adult. 

10. The Tea Leaf Company - Four Tins in a Gift Box - RRP £29.99 - *Buy Me Here* 

Long before it became our national drink and obsession, tea was smuggled onto our shores by a bunch of rogues and ne’er-do-wells flouting England’s 19th century taxation laws. Just like those smugglers, The loose Tea Company believes that everyone has the right to a great cuppa. Thats why they insist on loose leaf and demand that it’s cultivated with a respect for tradition and people. They have partnered with a family tea garden in Nagaland, North East India, to ensure just that. Their traditional growing methods mean no nasty chemicals end up in the ground and every leaf is hand-picked and rolled with a love and care that’s reflected in the way they treat their workers. This beautiful gift set that comes with 4 loose tea tins of your choice and a serving spoon makes the perfect gift for any tea lover. 

11. Mr Stanley Chocolate Scotty Dogs - RRP £4.50 - *Buy Me Here* 

The perfect stocking filler for any little dog lover. These scotty dogs are made with the highest quality gourmet Chocolate. They come in a mix of both milk and white chocolate making these an extra special treat. There are 3 little scotty dog shaped chocolates and they come in this cute little gift box which makes it a great gift. 

12. Klean Kanteen Reflect Bottle - RRP £34.95  - *Buy Me Here* 

Beautiful in its simplicity and deliberate in its design, the Reflect bottle is crafted using sustainably harvested bamboo, food-grade silicone and stainless steel. Just three materials united into the ultimate expression of Klean. The Vacuum Insulated Reflect keeps its contents cold for 24 hours or iced for 40 hours – ideal for Christmassy iced coffees or fruit smoothies throughout the year. No paint and no plastic is used in the Reflect – ideal for someone looking to reduce

their single-waste plastic (especially with most coffee shops now offering discounts when you bring you own). Available in a Brushed Stainless or Mirrored effect in 592ml. 

13. Heart and Home Large Jar Candle - RRP - £14.99 - *Buy Me Here*

Candles are such a great gift to give people and a great one to ask people to buy for you. Heart and Home have a lovely range of Christmas candles including this Christmas Night scent. With a scent of Nutmeg blended with orange balm and a splash of sage, this candle makes a festive fragrance on which treasured memories are built. With up to 70 hours burning time it is sure to see you through the winter months. 

*This Post Contains some PR Samples*

Which of these products do you think you would ask for?

Do you think you may buy any of these items? 

Christmas Gift Guide for Kids

When it comes to kids gift ideas for Christmas you need at least 100... Am I right? You have everyone asking you, what should I get them? Then you also need to think of things yourself as extra gifts that may not be on their Christmas list so then they have a few surprises chucked in there. Then there is the stocking to fill up also. Then not to mention you may have other people's children to buy for, nieces, nephews.

So this is where my gift guide may come in handy! I have 22 gift ideas for you here all from the age of 3+, for girls and for boys. Have a good look and I hope I help you find some gift inspiration this year. 

Also keep your eye out on my Instagram for more images of some of these items. 

1. Slither.io Toys - RRP - From £3.99 - *Buy Me Here*

Introducing the new, cool, adorable, highly popular Slither.io toys. These cute little toys come from the gaming phenomenon of slither.io and make a great toy for anyone who has enjoyed the game. They also make the perfect stocking filler with slither.io mini coming in a mystery tube and the collectable slither.io in blind bags. If your child isn't a gamer they will still love these toys and the 8" bendable plush makes a great gift that any child will love. 

2. Woofy Whoops! - RRP £19.99 - *Buy Me Here* 

Woofy's busting for a wee...dodge the dog or get covered in pee!
This fun game includes a fire hydrant water tank, spinning Woofy and free Woofy Whoops app, the app determines at random who will get sprayed and features a funny animation. Then the app records the moment you get 'peed' on in hilarious slow motion. 

This game is perfect for all the family to play and your guaranteed to have a good laugh at each other. 

3. Brio World School Playset - RRP £29.99 - *Buy Me Here* 
In BRIO World there are no borders and no limitations – just endless possibilities. Be whoever you want to be, wherever you want in the BRIO World. Build, rebuild, invent and invite. This school play set is the perfect set to help your child explore their imagination and play schools, it also encourages them to get involved in building as you can pull apart the walls and build it how you like. Other sets are available so you can expand your village and make your perfect little world. 

4. My Golden Ticket Personalised Book - RRP £19.99 - *Buy Me Here*

My Golden Ticket is a personalised adventure that finally opens Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory to any child on Earth. But this isn’t just a version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a child’s name slapped inside. Instead, every name gets a different story, including their own unique candy, Oompa Loompa song and Wonkafied family tree. No two adventures are the same. This magical keepsake makes the most lovely gift this Christmas that your child will treasure for years. 

5. My Own Waffle Set from Hape Toys - RRP £15.29 - *Buy Me Here*

Let your child use their imagination in the kitchen by owning their very own waffle maker. Place the waffles in the maker, pop down the lid, open and serve. The set comes with the waffle maker, 4 slices of waffle, 4 strawberries, a bottle of syrup, a plate and some tongues. Its the perfect gift to go along with any child's kitchen. 

6. Mitre Star Wars Scribble Ball - RRP £12 - *Buy Me Here*

Pick a side! With four light and dark side characters to collect use your determined spirit and Scriball pens to create the ultimate Star Wars™ Darth Vader custom ball! Collect it, colour it, play it! Go colour crazy with five colouring pens - get creative and make it your own!
It's not just for colouring - either take it into the garden for a kick about, or display it proudly with the pump and ball stand provided. Boxed for easy wrapping - the perfect gift for any future football fan!

7. Lalaloopsy Jewels Glitter Makeover Doll - RRP £39.99 - *Buy Me Here*

Jewel Sparkles is the most graceful princess in Lalaloopsy Land. And now you can give her a shimmering makeover! Glitterise, colour streak and style Jewel's hair just like in the Netflix series. You can even colour streak your own hair too and be just like princess Jewel Sparkles! A great gift for ages four and up. 

8. Chocolate Picture Maker by Zimpli Kids - RRP From £3.99 - *Buy Me Here*

The Chocolate picture maker is a creative chocolate toy that lets you design and create your own chocolate bar. It makes the perfect stocking gift and your child will enjoy making their own creations and writing their own messages. It is easy to make and there is no need for microwaves or boiling water. Making it a safe toy for kids. After making the chocolate your children will enjoy then eating this treat made with the finest Belgium chocolate. 

9. Waffle Blocks Steam Train from Little Tikes - RRP £59.99 - *Buy Me Here* 

With Little Tikes Waffle Blocks, it’s easy to get small hands building for real. Build a world of fun with the only easy-to-use construction system designed to connect in different ways allowing even more imaginative play. Just stack, lock, build, and create!

All aboard the Little Tikes Waffle Blocks Steam Train! With real steam and train sounds, the fun never ends! Your little conductor can build a 3D train track, train and station, or whatever else they can imagine! This set comes with 177 pieces and 5 buddies and a mesh bag is provided for easy storage. Your little one won't be able to wait to get their hands on this after unwrapping it Christmas morning. 

10.  Mr Tumble Learning Pad - RRP £17.99 - *Buy Me Here*

Let your child learn with Mr Tumble and Friends. Press on a picture or image on the tablet to hear fun sounds and facts. It Includes six games to encourage learning about colours, numbers, shapes, letters, characters and musical instruments. The touch sensitive screen makes exploration fun and easy to follow. The perfect gift for any child who is already a big fan of the TV show.

11. L.O.L Surprise Series 2  - RRP £10 - *Buy Me Here*

Have lots of fun with the L.O.L Surprise Doll. You get seven layers of fun with every L.O.L. Surprise doll! Inside there is a secret message sticker, a collectible sticker sheet, a water bottle charm, a pair of shoes, an outfit, an accessory and a L.O.L. Surprise doll. Each doll comes with a water surprise. Feed your doll with the water bottle to find out if she cries, spits, tinkles. Or bathe her in cold water to see if her colour changes! With over 45 to collect they make the perfect stocking filler for children aged 4+. 

12. Christmas Stories from Books and Pieces - RRP From £2.99 - *Buy Me Here*  

Nothing beats a good Christmas story and so these delightful Christmas stories would make the read for your little ones this Christmas. There is a Mr Men Christmas special with Mr Christmas, a adorable story about a puppy's first Christmas and then the traditional story of The Night Before Christmas. Some of these books are included in a 3 for £5 deal or a 3 for £10 deal and so make the perfect gift if you are not looking to spend a fortune. 

13. Cheeky Monkeys from Orchard Toys - RRP - £9.50 *Buy Me Here*

A fun game of chance for all the family. There's no hanging about in this fast paced game, as players battle to collect and count the most bananas – but watch out for other players trying to steal them! Players must make strategic decisions by choosing whether to play it safe after their first turn or spin the spinner to either collect or risk losing more bananas!

Children will enjoy hanging their monkeys onto the 3D tree, which adds another fun dimension to this exciting game. It makes the perfect Christmas gift, especially if you child loves games. For ages 4-8. Watch a Video all about it here.

14. Snow Queen Lottie - RRP £18.99 - *Buy Me Here*

Lottie is thrilled to receive a party invitation to the Masked Ball. Inspired by one of her favourite stories, Lottie decides to dress as a Snow Queen. Wearing a silver sparkly mask and a magnificent ice blue and frosty white gown studded with silver snowflakes this doll makes a beautiful gift for christmas. Winning a Best toy award and inspired by kids she is the perfect doll for any child. 

15. Lottie Treehouse Playset - RRP £59.99 - *Buy Me Here*

This beautiful tree house made from wood is the perfect place for your Lottie dolls to play. It features a slide, working swing, secret trap door with wooden rope ladder, an opening side panel for easy access and a look out balcony. All painted and finished in detail to make the perfect tree house. This play set is such a high quality beautiful gift that any Lottie fan would love. (Doll not included)

16. Snuggle Sac from Room to Grow  - RRP £50 - *Buy Me Here* 

This cute Flower Fairy Snuggle Sac is perfect for any little girl and will keep your little one warm and cosy. The Snuggle Sac is great for many uses such as bedtime, sleepovers and snuggling up on the sofa. It even comes in a handy tote bag for easy transport and storage. Perfect for christmas time when your wanting to snuggle up and watch christmas films. Also comes in other designs which could be perfect for a little boy. 

17. Leapfrog Learn to read with me Scout or Violet - RRP £24.99 - *Buy Me Here*

LeapFrog's Read With Me Scout is an interactive and playful puppy reads from the 5 included board books. LeapFrog Read With Me Scout engages children by asking questions throughout the story to help build comprehension skills and early vocabulary. It responds to your child's touch and so your child can interact with their scout by patting it on the head or giving it a hug. It also has 2 modes of play. One for night which includes lullaby's and one for day with read along books. This is the perfect educational toy for your child at Christmas this year.

18.  John Adams Paw Patrol Fuzzy Felt Set - RRP £10.99 - *Buy Me Here*

PAW Patrol fans will love the new Fuzzy-Felt PAW Patrol set! A twist on the classic craft toy which has been entertaining little ones for generations, this kit enables kids to create their pup inspired rescue missions full of friendship, teamwork and bravery with the PAW Patrol gang! The set includes over 70 assorted felt shapes and a felt play board. It makes the perfect Christmas gift for any Paw Patrol Fan!

19. Ready Steady Dough from Addo - RRP £6.00 - *Buy Me Here* 

There are Lots of Pots in this Nick Jr Ready Steady Dough. Each of the nine pots contains 504g of colourful dough for moulding and sculpting. Use the Rolling pin, Cut with the knife, Blend the colours together, and use the 8 shape cutters to let your imagination run wild and create something amazing.  This toy will keep any child busy for hours and would make the perfect gift this christmas. 

20. Out of the Box Pop 'n' Click Beads from Addo - RRP £5 - *Buy Me Here*  

You can have tons of fun with this Out of the Box Pop 'n' Click Bead set. With over 125 colourful beads included and lots of accessories, the Pop 'n Click Beads set will keep your child busy for hours. They are really simple to make and you just simply just clip together and wear. Perfect for a child aged 3 to 10. 

21. Coral Reef, from Tactic Games - RRP £23.99  - *Buy Me Here*

Check out this underwater themed fun game for children aged 4+ and perfect for 2-4 players.

Look for the marine animals shown on the two cards and point them out at the same time! If you do it before the other players, you are rewarded with an animal figurine. Comes with a double-sided game board consisting of giant puzzle pieces which can be put together differently each game. It's a great game to play as a family and that your child would love to receive for Christmas. 

22. I know Junior, from Tactic Games - RRP £19.99 - *Buy Me Here*

This game is a great learning game to get your child's brain in action with its fun but educational qualities. Move around the board and answer questions, with each question bring an opportunity for discussion making it the perfect family game to play with children aged 5 to 9. It makes the perfect gift to give at Christmas to provide fun and learning all in one box. 

*This Post Contains some PR Samples*

Which of these toys do you think you will be buying this Christmas? 

My Sunday Photo 26/11/17

3rd Birthday Gift Guide and Giveaway - Baby Annabell Learns to Swim Doll

Today is day 6 of Lily's Birthday Gift Guide and so it's also the final day. Today we have the amazing Baby Annabell Learns to Swim Doll. 

We were sent her to review and wow Lily and I were impressed when she arrived. 

She looked amazing in the box, a lot bigger than I expected her to be and so a really decent sized dolly.

She comes with a swimming costume and arm bands. Lily was very impressed to see the arm bands just like she does when she goes swimming. 

The doll is a perfect companion for either the swimming pool or the bath. We don't get to go to the swimming baths to often so we tried her out in the bath. 

As soon as we got her out, we popped in some batteries in her back and turned her on. She straight away started making the most adorable sounds. She was cooing and giggling and making all sorts of baby noises.

Lily loved the fact she made noises and started to take care of her straight away. She was giving her cuddles and kisses and putting the babies towel on her. 

The towel and arm bands are really good quality. The towel is as soft as a real babies towel and fits around the baby great with the hood part covering her head. The arm bands were like real arm bands to and you had to blow them up. Lily has worn arm bands before so knew to put them on the arms and so she did this herself. The arm bands are a really cute design with 2 sheep on them and the towel also has some sheep on it. 

As I got Lily's bath ready, Lily took her up stairs and sat with her waiting for the bath. She was really excited to have the baby in the bath with her. 

When the bath was ready Lily got in, and I placed the baby sat upright into the bath. Thats when the baby started to move her arms and splash in the water.

I then laid her on her back and she also started to kick her legs. The way the doll works is by putting her in different positions and she does different things. Just like if she was learning to swim. She also changes her noises that she makes when on her back and giggles more. It's all very cute.

Lily wasn't too sure though and I did have to convince her to pick her up and play with her. But as soon as she did pick her up she dropped her straight away saying that she was too heavy. Unfortunately the doll had filled up with water and she was pretty heavy. I drained the water from the doll (which Lily thought she was then having a wee) and I gave her back to Lily. But by this point Lily still didn't want to play with her as she was convinced she was too heavy to play with.

I think apart from the doll filling with the water, it is a great doll for a child and would make a great gift. I think an older child would have no problem with the weight of the doll and to be honest, Lily is a little bit fussy with things and gives up too easily.

Lily actually prefers to play with the doll out the water and really enjoyed drying the doll and giving her cuddles. My favourite thing about the doll is the noises she makes, but I really do wish she didn't fill up with water so easily. 

The learn to swim doll is £39.99 and you can buy her from most leading toy stores. Head to the Zaph Creation website for a better look of her. 

Now how would you like the chance to win one? Zaph Creation have kindly let me give away one doll to one lucky winner. Enter on the Gleam app below for your chance to WIN. 

*Ends 15/12/17*

Win a Baby Annabell Learns to Swim Doll

3rd Birthday Gift Guide and Giveaway - Sands Alive by John Adams

Its day 5 of Lily's Birthday Gift Guide and Giveaway. Today I am reviewing the wonderful Sands Alive by John Adams. 

Also to celebrate Lily's Birthday John adams have kindly let me give away a Paw Patrol Felts set. You can enter for that at the bottom of this review. 

But first let me tell you all about the Sands Alive Set we were sent!

We were sent the sweet treats version of the sands alive. I had tried it out a little at the Blog On convention and so couldn't wait to give it a real go.

Lily was really excited when I told her it was called sands alive. She loves playing in the sand and is currently very disappointed that she can't go out and play with her sand pit. I wrapped it up for her birthday and she was delighted to see sand. So if your child loves playing in sand, then it really does make the perfect gift.

Sands alive is just like sand but with a difference. Instead of being really dry and only clumping toggether when wet, the sands alive is actually a super soft modelling material. It looks just like sand, but it feels a little bit like a mixture of sand and play dough. It's soft and stretchy and you can mould it together to make things. I hate the feeling of sand usually, but I didn't actually mind this and preferred the feeling of it.

The idea behind it is that it lets children make things like sand castles all year around and with a lot less mess.

This set came with a bag of sand, 2 Ice cream cones, 2 cup cake moulds, a ice cream top mould, a scoop and 2 cake shaped moulds. It all comes in a handy little tray that you can play in.

The moulds are all really colourful and also full of detail so then when you make your sweet treats they look like the real deal. They are also of a really decent size so you can make decent sized sand treats.

Lily got to playing with this straight away. She used the scoop to get the sand and started to fill an ice cream cone with it. You can squash quite a bit of sand into them and it is just like making a sand castle. Lily would fill up the mould, flatten it down with the scoop and then turn it out onto the sand. Then hit the scoop on the top a few times and lift. The moulds worked brilliantly and you were left with a really nicely shaped treat which didn't crumble at all. Lily was really impressed and she made quite a few and between us we made all sorts.

This toy is really good for sensory play as you are using your hands lots to touch the sand, but it also good for gross motor skills as your child practices scooping and filling the moulds.

Lily loved this toy so much that she has been asking for it every day and it has really been keeping her occupied. I do think it really is a great idea to be able to bring sand play inside the house with out all the mess.

But when I say without the mess, I would admit that this toy isn't compleatly mess free and it does need some parental supervision.

I did find that little bits of it did get everywhere, and while it was really easy to clean up from a table, it wasn't from a carpet. On the table you simply get some more of the sand and roll it over the other sand and it picks it up. But I did find that if any fell onto the carpet you had to be really careful for it not to get smeared into it. Not easy when you have a child who won't stay still and decides to rub the bits that had fallen onto her top onto the floor and then stand in it.

But I did manage to get it out the carpet with a bit of hardcore hoovering. I then bought a plastic matt to put under her table and so if you have carpets, I would really recommend getting one of those.

But apart from the slight mess left on my carpet, I thought that this toy was wonderful and Lily really loves it.

After you have finished playing with the sand, scoop it back into the bag it came in and pop it back into the box. The sand is made so then it doesn't dry out. Which I think is great!

You can head to the John Adams website to see more about Sands Alive and also check out there other sets. 

What would your child enjoy about Sands Alive?

Now onto the competition. John Adams have kindly let me give away a Paw Patrol Felt Set, Enter on the Gleam app below for your chance to WIN! 

*Ends 14/12/17*

Win a Paw Patrol Felt Set