http://adserver.adtech.de/?adlink|3.0|311|1072359|1|16|AdId%3D6699352;BnId%3D1;link%3Dhttp://www.askamum.co.uk (They love my blog, ooo-errr how exciting!)
 
We have been full of teething troubles this week, not sleeping at all and I’ve been giving into the night feeding more often than is ideal. I just feel sorry for her being in so much pain, it’s the last two top and very back molars you see, and I’m a push over at the best of times! With any luck they will be through in time for Christmas and her birthday and then I know, 100% that it’s all over cause unless she has more teeth than anyone else she’ll have her lot! It’s not that we’ve struggled particularly with them in general, for the majority we didn’t have any less sleep or pain at all. I had no idea when most were coming through but the eight molars have been a real headache. She gets sick and has a cold, throws up and generally feels out of sorts. How could I refuse her breast milk after that?! I do however feel like I’ve turned into one of those Mums! I will not feed her past the baby being born and I WILL keep telling myself that!
 
I was at a blogging event and asked by one of those Mum’s what I did before I had Florence. It wasn’t even considered that I might still do something now… As an actress and a freelance writer I don’t actually do much of either but I do try! I asked her what she ‘does’ as opposed to what she ‘did before’ and she almost barked my head off with her answer that she is a ‘full time Mum’. She was so angry about it, so assertive in her quest to get across that there is nothing wrong with staying at home and bringing up your children. I mean, as if I’d have a problem with that? Everything I do is with the view that I can stay at home and do it while I look after Florence. On the odd occasion when I have had some acting work (and since she’s been born it’s just been photographic) I have been lucky enough to have done it with Florence as she too is a registered child actor and if I did get some work (fingers crossed) it would be just here and there so wouldn’t affect her routine much anyway. I’m really comfortable with my choice not to have a really super duper career and proud that my main priority is to be with my child; I’m baffled however that some women have to be so angry about their choices and fear so much that others are judging them, thinking less of them and presuming what they do is worthless, that they have to assert themselves so forcefully in their conversations?
 
It’s true that there are people out there who think less of women for staying at home but there are also people who think less of women for going back to work. You can’t win! I am of the opinion that if you can stay home you should but I also think that most women would feel that way. I doubt there are many women who skip off back to the office hours after giving birth without a second glance. The truth is, with this government, (and they aint for me either by the way) more and more people don’t have a choice and have to go back to work for financial reasons. No body should be judged for their choices but you will always be judged no matter what you do or which walk of life you are in, if you don’t get used to it then you’re always going to be barking at people and the truth of the matter is that most people don’t care; they only think any more of it is because of the reactions they are given. It’s like with breast feeding. I had a line all sorted and ready to go if anyone ever dared to challenge me on my choice of place to feed my baby but actually, when it came to it, I never, not once ever, had any negative feedback from anyone! In fact lots of people stopped me when I was feeding on the tube, a plane, round the supermarket (yes I’ve done that), to say how nice it was to see someone breast feeding. I got a much better response than I could have possibly imagined, infact I never heard anything negative! Why then would I want to go and sit in a station in central London and have a breast feeding sit in to demonstrate how and why people can breastfeed wherever they like? I was asked to do just this in the summer but my thinking was that while my breast feeding wouldn’t usually piss anyone off, if I delayed them getting to their train by feeding my giant child whilst sitting on the floor of their busy dirty station, it almost certainly would and why would I want to cause myself trouble? Well, each to their own but personally I just do what I want, I don’t care what people think of me, I tend not to apologise for the way I am unless it genuinely hurts someone else and I don’t have any chips on my shoulder either! It’s certainly interesting watching other mums who do though!
 

This is a typical picture of me feeding my ‘big girl’ on the train. I’m wearing a Mimi Blu breastfeeding cover which I was reviewing at the time. I don’t actually care if anyone sees my boob – if they don’t like it they can look away and if they don’t and get upset about it then more fool them!
 
So, chips aside and back to the Chrimbo season and I have to tell you what a fabby time we all had this week at the very first performance of ‘Cinderella’ at the Theatre Royal in Stratford East! Florence has never been to ‘panto’ before but I’ve been itching to take her! I love it! Not because of what it brings to the world of stage or because it’s performed so blindingly brilliantly without hitch but because of what it does for the theatre. Traditionally pantomime was to bring in the crowds at the end of the year and make money for the theatre to run for the one coming ahead (or pay off the debts created before it). Having been trained at stage school it’s always been instilled in me that you go to pantomime and you go to it in a small theatre with a cast involving no one out of ‘Casualty’! It’s not that the stars of the small screen can’t act (although if you’ve seen ‘Hollyoaks’ you’ll agree, it does paint a big question mark over that statement) but because you should be supporting local theatre and small theatres are in danger of financial ruin. It’s nothing to do with the credit crunch, they always have been! Theatres, like church roofs, are always running perilously close to ruin and need to be supported by their flock! I’m not particularly religious but I do bow down at the alter of the stage and for this reason alone I would recommend people go to see their local pantomime!
 
That said, this one, on top of being presented in a beautiful old theatre in the very heart of the East End, is actually really rather marvellous! It’s a traditional pantomime in every way you would expect, lots of booing, a Dame (Michael Bertenshaw) who is beyond outrageously fabulous and evil, a charming ‘glue keeping it all together type’ from Buttons, lots of double entendre, a beautiful Cinderella, the shouting of ‘He’s behind you’, sweet throwing, audience participation and lots of songs; it has also been modernised and has an up to date twist on the story with the script, language and costumes. It’s a great script and the actors are having an absolute ball with it. The most notable actors have to be Darren Hart as Spicy and Marcus Ellard as Sugary, the ugly sisters to great aplomb, stealing the show from even the Dame at times but everyone plays their part and has their moments. The best one for me had to be the Fairy Godmother and Cinderella’s scene where she is magically transformed into a princess, talk about clever use of props and scenery! Cinderalla’s dress change and her carriage have to be seen to be believed. I was nearly at the very front and it was seamless and utterly beautiful! You need to keep an eye out for the funniest Fairy Godmother I’ve ever seen and get your tonsils ready to join in with her song, she makes many appearances throughout the show and each and every single one of them is a smile maker! Florence isn’t quite two yet and she sat through two halves of just over an hour each at a show which didn’t start till 7.15pm. Usually she wouldn’t cope with something that long yet she was engrossed from beginning to end! The interval gave her a chance to run around and recharge her concentration and as soon as it finished she looked at Jonny and said ‘That was good daddy’. It got the thumbs up from her! Quite literally! She’s only just learned how to do that and couldn’t quite make them point downwards so while she was booing and hissing at the Dame and her daughters, she was also giving them a great BIG double thumbs up!
 
I love the way pantomime season gets everyone in the theatre whether they would go the rest of the year or not. I love the way if you let the theatre know it’s your birthday, there’s a good chance the cast will get the whole house to sing Happy Birthday to you. I love the way it makes everyone smile and no one comes out sour faced. If you’re looking for something you can go away and say ‘Wasn’t it a terrific masterpiece of modern theatre’ then this isn’t possibly your cup of tea. The singing is flat on occasions and the actors do make themselves and each other guffaw from time to time, the story is silly and to be enjoyed rather than admired and the sound sometimes cuts out or they experience other technical glitches but for me it doesn’t make the blindest bit of difference and if you don’t go, and you aren’t capable of letting your theatre hair down, then that ‘terrific masterpiece of modern theatre’ may never see the light of day for as I said, it is panto, believe it or not, which carries the theatre!
 
Cinderella is on from now until January 21^st 2012 at the Theatre Royal in Stratford East and tickets which start at just £6 can be booked through their box office 020 8534 0310. Please also visit the website for more information at www.stratfordeast.com.
 

 
While we’ve been out and about we’ve been trialling a new cup, the Munchkin Mighty Grip Trainer Cup which holds 8oz. It says on the packet that it’s spill proof with a soft built in valve… Yeah, yeah I thought! Spill proof in my experience just doesn’t cut the mustard! Actually though, this one is pretty good, more than good in fact! Even when Florence shakes it vigorously nothing comes out, lying on it’s side produced no leaks and being carried around upside down and full in my (NEW) bag without me realising also incurred no spillage whatsoever! I think I may, after all the cups on the market, have finally discovered the one that actually doesn’t leak! Fantastic! It also has two rather nice chunky and easy to grip handles either side and with the soft spout (which is definitely a spout and not a teat) it is ideal (I would have thought – not that I have any experience of this) as the first cup you would introduce after a bottle. It’s suitable from 6 months, is BPA free and very easy to clean with it even being dishwasher safe! Florence has what she calls ‘pink juice’ which is strawberry cordial and even though it’s very weak I can’t bear the thought of it spilling on my pale carpet; with this cup I don’t have to worry so for that reason alone and despite all it’s other good features, I wholeheartedly recommend it. At just £3.99 and widely available on the high street it’s a very affordable and easy purchase too. For any more info on this or other Munchkin products please do visit their website www.munchkin.eu.com.
 

 
WARNING! COMPETITION COMING UP!
 
Now I don’t know about you but in my house the television is always on if we’re in. Even if we’re not watching it, it’s on in the back ground. I just like that and I don’t care if anyone else thinks it’s terrible! I love television, my husband loves television, all my brothers and sisters and my parents love television so our love has rubbed off on Florence too of course. We go out and do an activity every single day so I’m not worried about Florence having too much of it or it being bad for her, not in the slightest! We all have our favourite programmes and Florence is the same! If the CBeebies logo is anywhere she’ll see it! Some of her bestest programmes ever are on CBeebies, In The Night Garden, Mr Tumble, Everything’s Rosie, Show Me Show Me… Well, the list goes on but basically they know what they’re doing over at the Beeb because their choice of pre school programming is an absolute hit with not just my daughter but with all her friends too. Their latest one is ‘Uki’ a simple soul living in a crazy world. Currently showing as part of ‘Show Me, Show Me’, a programme which I can see being the one Florence looks back on as I do Play School, Uki is a gentle, colourful character in an attractive and natural looking animated environment. As the sun looks on at his every move in a smiling, watchful way, he flies over the trees and wakes up and goes to sleep every day in his bed of a sun flower. He has various friends and ‘guardians’ with whom he spends his day investigating very simple daily scenarios. A balloon flies and Uki follows, he plays a simple game or watches a toy train chug round. Uki has no words, just music and sounds such as the occasional chuckle. It is aimed at children aged between 18 months and 4 years but I think because of its simplicity and vibrant colours that it would appeal to much younger children too. Florence and I watch it together and she tells me what she is seeing which is great because there is absolutely nothing telling her; she is thinking for herself which is the programmes aim. ‘Uki’ is very gentle and it gets Florence sitting down to watch it, other programmes have her hopping round the room with excitement but this is a much more sedate yet more challenging programme for her. At first glance it could be seen as something for babies (and babies will enjoy it on their level) but there’s an awful lot going on here that you might miss at first, don’t worry, your little one certainly won’t! If you haven’t seen ‘Uki’ yet then make sure you so sit down to watch it with your tiny one, it’s definitely one for the both of you to explore and talk about together. Florence giggles, calms down, talks about each short episode afterwards and thoroughly enjoys every minute. It’s about listening and watching, exploring and discussing and we think it’s gorgeous.
 
‘Uki’ also has his own app for the iPhone which you and your child can play along with, try out his card game and find his friends together. What’s more, as well as being shown on the CBeebies channel at 9am and 1pm weekdays, there is also a DVD available to buy for £11.99 and a Plush ‘Uki’ toy which is just adorable for £9.99. To find out more about ‘Uki’ and his friends please visit www.ukiland.com or check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/uki/. You can also follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ukiland. And you could WIN one of your very own ‘Uki’ Plush toys and a copy of the DVD right here on my blog. I have 3 packages of both things to give away as a new year treat! All you have to do is email me at [email protected] putting ‘Uki Comp’ in the subject line and include your name, address and answer to the question below by mid day on 30^th December 2011:
 
What times of the day during the week is ‘Uki’ shown on the CBeebies channel?
 
(Winners will be drawn at random just after mid day on 30^th December 2011 and notified shortly afterwards via email)
 

 
Before I launch into the third and final part of my ‘Christmas Gift Guide’ I wanted to mention some of the amazing things that are on offer for our little ones in the Capital at the moment. I write for a website called www.kidsfunlondon.co.uk and it’s dedicated to bringing you all the up to date information on inexpensive and free things to do in the capital with your children. At the moment there’s loads on especially at Somerset House. They have a full programme every month for children and their families to go along and take part in their free activities. This month, with things such as Holiday Drop In Workshops where you will be able to make festive paper lanterns and your very own 3D wintry scene complete with ice skaters and Story Telling round the Tiffany Christmas Tree, your little ones will be spoilt for choice! These things are free and there for the taking so grab them with both hands! Somerset House is phenomenally beautiful, historic and educational; as well as the free things for children don’t forget there’s also the amazing ice skating rink I reviewed a couple of weeks ago and why not enjoy something yummy to eat in their restaurant while your there? For more information on all that Somerset House has to offer please log onto their website www.somersethouse.org.uk and have fun enjoying winter there with your little darlings!
 
And now to the ‘Christmas Gift Guide’. I know that I for one have enjoyed playing with all the toys we’ve reviewed over the past few weeks and I hope I’ve given you some inspiration for your stockings and tree presents this year! This week I want to focus on presents for newborns and the company I’ve chosen to mark above all others for this age range is ‘Tiny Love’. Their products are so innovative, fresh and interesting for newborns; they really are a cut above anything else I’ve found. It’s difficult knowing what to buy for the baby that’s just been born and while clothes are lovely, sometimes it is nice to buy them a present that they will love themselves and I really believe the following are some of the absolute best. With different price ranges for any budget, I hope you find something that interests you, I know I have!
 
Some Special Treats For Newborns:
 
Harry Hippo
 
This is delightful and despite the fact that it’s a very dinky little present with a dinky little price tag, I could easily see this becoming a favourite! Harry with his sweet little face is soft and colourful and comes complete with a shiny touchable clip that reminds me of a parrots beak. He can be clipped to the buggy so he won’t get lost and will happily dangle, bouncing entertainingly for your new born baby. Harry’s tummy is spotty and silky which is a different feel to the rest of his body and I think he would make a terrific present for any new baby! The best bit about Harry is that if you pull his chord he vibrates as he winds back up again. Those first smiles start to come when your baby reaches about 6 weeks and with Harry there, I’m sure they’ll just keep on coming! Harry is an engaging and vibrant toy, perfect to make a tiny ones Christmas!
 
0m+, £4.99 RRP, www.kiddicare.com
 

 
Discovery Playmat
 
This is so much more than just a playmat and can be used anywhere, anytime, all you need is some floor space. I love the fact that it is big enough to encourage your baby to crawl when he or she gets a bit bigger. With so much going on all over it there’s always something new to explore and what better incentive to be on the move than something new over the other side of the mat?! Play gyms are brilliant but it’s nice to have both because who wants to look at the same thing every day and with this cushioned mat your baby can lie on his back feeling the different textures around him when he or she is really tiny and as they grow it is perfect for them to discover tummy time! Florence absolutely loved being on her tummy as a tiny one and I’m sure this was due to my encouragement and is why she crawled at 5 and a half months; if I had known about this mat it would have been perfect for her. The colours are vibrant and bright without being garish, a real trait of ‘Tiny Love’ products I would say and the picture of the rabbit and his friends having a picnic is just gorgeous to explore for your new baby. There are different things for them to pull and touch, fabrics to explore and it’s a gloriously large space for them to roll and be safe. The best thing about it for me as a parent however, is that despite being large, it folds up to the size of a tray and has two carry handles which make it easy to put in your bag (let’s face it, now you’re a Mum you’re going to have a big bag anyway) and take it with you when you go visiting. The underside has rougher material which grips to the floor making it non-slip. I can see this being a long lasting toy because even once they can sit up and move this would still work whereas an average play gym probably wouldn’t!
 
0m+, £49.99, www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/
 

 
Fruity Pals Andy Apple
 
Oh wow! Florence and I loved this new apple friend of ours! Like Harry the Hippo, Andy Apple has a clip so that you can attach him to the buggy and not lose him while on your travels but he is a little more advanced than Harry having many details and surprises in store for your little one! He has a face which gives him great personality, stretchy arms with soft touchable plastic hands, legs with rings round them, feet with mirrors on their soles and inside his tummy a great surprise! Andy Apple splits into two halves and on one side there is a lovely mirror for your little one to see how gorgeous they are and on the other side a strawberry with a little worm crawling out of it to pull and watch vibrate back into place. He really does have an awful lot going on and is great to either hang over your baby so they can keep an eye on him when they’re on the move or for them to touch, feel and explore… There’s great learning opportunities here too, from peek-a-boo when you open and shut his tummy to learning what all the different parts of Andy Apple are called! Even Florence loved him and she’s well beyond the age group this is designed for!
 
3m+, £10.99, www.johnlewis.com 
 

 
Gymini Move and Play
 
Of all the ‘Tiny Love’ toys I particularly love their play gyms. When Florence was first born we had one from Mama’s and Papa’s, it wasn’t cheap but it wasn’t especially colourful either. We liked looking at it, it went very tastefully in our living room but for Florence I can see now that it was incredibly boring. We did a job together when she was 14 weeks old, on a baby manual and in the green room they had a Tiny Love play gym. Florence absolutely loved it and I could see from her tiny little face that she was engaged and enjoying all the things there were to see. I had realised that her play gym was boring for her and had started lining up all her soft toys around the sides of it for her to see as well as what was blandly dangling above her head but with this Tiny Love one I wouldn’t have to do that as it had everything there. I immediately went out and spent some of my fee from the job on the exact same one and we didn’t look back. She used it until she was about 10 months old and I then passed it to my sister in-law and my nephew enjoyed it too. That one was called kick and play and while I can heartily recommend it I have to say that I think this Move and Play is even better! It has music and light and is all singing and all dancing but that’s not really it’s most prominent feature I would say. As with our old Tiny Love play gym the songs and electronic element are understated, do not impose and are used in a really gentle way. The absolutely amazing thing about this play gym is that even when your baby is very first here and can’t focus you can slide the arches down so that the dangling toys and teethers and rattles are closer to their face. It often takes a long time for a baby to be able to reach out and touch the toys in front of them but here it will happen so much more quickly as they are just there! There’s a mirror at eye level as well which is brilliant. When they are first born the mat has poppers so that you can have them closed in and as they grow you un pop them, flatten it out and move the arches up. Even after that it can still be used, you remove the arches altogether and unclip the dangling toys and then you have a play mat with free standing toys. The mat on its own has loads going on! This is so very definitely worth the price, you will not regret your choice if you go with ‘Tiny Love’ for what I consider to be an extremely essential toy for a baby.
 
0m+, £64.99, www.mothercare.co.uk
Find out more about all four of the above on their website www.tinylove.com. 
 

 
Just one more for the toddlers!: (Couldn’t leave them out!)
 
Happy Hopperz Bouncy Cow
 
Just had to get one last toy in for the toddlers and what better one to finish my ‘Christmas Gift Guide’ than this Bouncy Cow from Happy Hopperz. Having seen this at the Baby Show for Trade and having to drag Florence away from the stand, I knew it was going to be a big hit in our house. From the minute she saw it at the show she’d jumped on his back and was bouncing around like a mad thing! By the time I went to the actual Baby Show in October I had made up my mind that I was coming home with a bouncy cow no matter what! Again that day Florence went simply head over heels (quite literally) to get on and have a go! This is like those old space hoppers from the 70’s and 80’s that we all used to bounce on but with even more character and a whole new personality! The bouncy cow comes in classic white (our choice) or blushing pink but there are also other animals to choose from, dogs, dinosaurs, bulls, horses & quite festively, the spotty deers! A pump comes with them for easy inflation but sadly they are not terribly easy to put up and down, although it can be done. It’s a shame as would be great to take away with you but apparently this is for safety reasons so fair enough. They are all made from EU approved phthalates free pvc & contain no heavy metal elements. They are durable, soft and flexible. All products are CE tested & approved.
 
12m+, £21.99, www.happyhopperz.co.uk
 

 
MY PREGNANCY DIARY WEEK 19
 
More aches and pains for me this week as the baby’s been growing bigger. I’ve put on about 2lb now I think, although it does keep fluctuating down then back up again but either way this baby is definitely getting bigger! If I thought my tummy had popped before then it definitely has now but I’m still getting shocked looks when I tell people at play groups who don’t know. Guess they all just think I’m fat! A friend of mine keeps having the opposite problem and people think she’s much more far gone than she is and it’s really winding her up; personally I’d rather look pregnant than just fat! I’m starting to worry about being glamorous over the Christmas period too… I guess last time I was pregnant at Christmas I was so far gone it just didn’t matter! I was so obviously pregnant that I still managed to glam up and just look like a glam pregnant lady but this time I’m worried I’m going to look like a glam fat lady and I really don’t want that! It’s hard knowing what to choose which is why I’m delighted to be reviewing a very glam dress indeed! If I don’t feel special in that on New Years Eve then I don’t know what will make me feel good!
 
I can’t believe I’m 19 weeks and my next scan is due in just over a week! How’d that happen?! Just five minutes ago, or so it seems, I was having my 12 week scan, but that’s a month ago now and I simply cannot believe how time is flying! As I’ve said before, I spent my entire pregnancy with Florence willing it to speed up, every week took forever and everyone else who was pregnant seemed far more gone than me and it was as if I was going to be pregnant forever. This time round, it’s speeding through like lightening and I’m willing it to slow down a bit so that I can have time to prepare! At this rate I’ll have had the baby and nothing organised. Not that I’ve anything to buy, I just mean mentally! It was about 20 weeks that I started buying things first time round but apart from a double buggy, if I get one, there’s not a lot to purchase. I have to say thank goodness on two counts! 1) I haven’t any money and 2) I haven’t any time!
 
Things I have been purchasing on a mega alarming rate is tights! I simply cannot seem to find a decent pair at all! I usually wear size small tights from everywhere from good old M&S to Primark and they fit very nicely but with this bump I hate the way they peel down and sit just under it. I’ve tried buying bigger tights but mediums just seem to be too big and fall down round the crotch area and I’m having to pin the waist to my bra which isn’t ideal. I realised I was going to have to buy some maternity tights but they’re so pricey that I was reluctant to shell out for them and after the purchase I did make I’m not sure if I will again. I really wanted to make some maternity tights my ‘Pregnancy Product of the Week’ and perhaps I will be able to in the future but unfortunately the pair I tried fell completely flat (literally and around my ankles while I was out) and I’m going to have to give them the title of ‘My BIG Pregnancy No, No Purchase of the Week’ instead!
 
George at Asda do some fantastically priced clothes and so it was with happiness that I noticed their rather decently priced maternity range. I bought a dress which is actually really rather nice (I will review that at a later date) and I also bought one pair of their maternity tights, size small. Now I’m a size 10 bordering on a 12, so definitely size small when it comes to tights. As you know, a UK 10/12 is normal, not wildly thin, I’m not being unreasonable here but these tights were HUGE on me! The tummy part was so big that I could have fit two of my full term with Florence tummy’s in there and they still would have been quite baggy. Baggy and tights don’t really go do they? The clue’s in the name surely! So the tummy part which pulled up so high they could come well over my head were actually the least of my problems for I could at least safety pin that to my bra to keep it from falling down… Or could I!? The actual legs just folded down my legs in ruckles making me look like Nora Batty and as I was walking, I kid you not the tights worked their way down further and further until they had completely popped over my bottom leaving it completely bare under my skirt and walking in the high street, pulling them up just wasn’t an option. By the time I got to the toilets in the shopping centre you could actually see the crotch and back of my tights poking out from under my knee length skirt. The only thing keeping them from hitting the ground was the safety pin I had put at the front in the middle of my bra and the tummy of the tights! I thought £4 was a great price for maternity tights but unfortunately it was just money down the drain! Hopefully when I wear the dress I bought the same day I can bring you some good news on the George maternity wear, I’d really like to as they are brilliantly priced and would be such good value if the rest of their range is as good as it looks and not the complete opposite as with the tights! I leave you now with not an actual image but I suspect the mental one of me at Westfield with my tights which were big enough to fit 3 pregnant women round my ankles and look forward to bringing you better news next week!
 
(All opinions and words are my own. I have not been paid for this article although I did receive some products to keep after I had reviewed them.)