My Goals for 2011

I have been looking back on my goals for 2010 blog post and I'm pretty impressed that I managed to achieve all of the things I planned to in 2010 so perhaps blogging about my resolutions helped me to stick to them? So, this year I'm going to do the same.

In 2011 I hope to...

• Teach Lara to cook! OK, so maybe its a bit early to expect culinary genius from her, but, inspired by mydaddycooks and a wonderful Christmas gift that Lara was given, I'd like to get Lara more involved in the kitchen.


• Spend less money! Not entirely sure how this one is going to be achieved, but I'll think of something. I've got several money-saving ideas up my sleeve that I may share with you some time soon.


• Make our new garden child-safe, tidy and ready for a wealth of vegetables. I miss my herb garden, and veggie plot from the old house so when the weather brightens up, I'd like to get the garden sorted out so that we can start planting and get ready for spring.


• Unpack all of the boxes. We've been in the new house for 3 months and we are still not unpacked. There is a whole room and one garage still full of STUFF. Argh. We'll get there eventually, I hope.


• Make ParentWheels.co.uk a bigger, better blog that is a genuinely useful motoring and accessory website for UK parents.


• Wear more shoes! I own loads of lovely pairs of shoes but I hardly ever wear anything other than my clunky walking trainers - even to work. I must make more of an effort rather than always opting for the slip-ons by the front door.

I hope you all have a brilliant 2011. Happy new year.

The Sunday Review - 'Naturally' Cosmetics for Mother & Baby

Very rarely do I come across a skincare or cosmetics brand that suits BOTH my skin, and Lara's skin. Naturally Upper Canada and Naturally Baby are skincare brands that are recently launched in the UK but have a successful history in Canada, the USA, South America and Asia.

'Naturally' products are made from 97% natural, botanically active ingredients and they are free from parabens, SLS, mineral oils and synthetic dyes which means that they help to reduce irritation to the skin on my arms and face, and to Lara's arms, legs and face too. The natural ingredients also help me feel less guilty about the foam and suds being washed away down our drainpipe into the world's water systems.

Lara has recently been using the Naturally Baby mild shampoo which costs around £6 for 200ml. It is totally clear in colour (which always leaves me with a good feeling) and foams well. The shampoo smells very subtle but when it is rubbed into Lara's hair it releases a faint scent of mint and lime. It contains witch hazel and aloe to help soothe the scalp. I really like the Naturally Baby shampoo – it hasn't wowed me but I think that's a good thing; its a simple, eco-friendly, skin-friendly product that doesn't need to do any wowing!

Other products in the Naturally Baby range include baby wash, nappy cream, body lotion and room freshner.

I've been using the Naturally Upper Canada Whipped Hand Repair Balm. As you may know from past reviews of mine, I'm very fussy about my hand creams! This hand cream comes in a nice big 120ml squeezy bottle and comes in some amazing flavours(!) - Sweet Vanilla Fig, Pressed Olive Avocado, Cranberry Moro Orange and Warm Honey Nectar. They all sound scrumptious to me but the one I've been reviewing is the sweet vanilla fig which just smells wonderful. Not overly vanilla-y, and not overly sweet, it is a warming, comforting smell. The texture of the hand balm is unlike anything I've tried before – almost moussey! It is a light, whipped cream that isn't heavy or cloying and is absorbed quickly. Even after the first use, I felt the skin on the back of my hands felt soft and that's a feeling I love before I go to bed each evening.

I really enjoyed using the Naturally Upper Canada products and can't wait to try out some of their other pampering products for myself – I'm not sure what to try first – the Coarse Salt Scrub and Foaming Bath Milk take my fancy.

You can buy the full range of Naturally products from the stockist on 01277 220 842

2010 In One Blog Post!

I can't believe that 2010 has gone, just like that! My little baby who, this time last year, was barely moving, has now grown up and is an active toddler, a really cheerful little girl who can fend for herself and chitter chatter with me to her heart's content. Here's a quick look back at the fun of 2010.


January
I returned to work after maternity leave. Lara settled in with her new childminders and I set to work losing that baby weight. I also stopped breastfeeding Lara.


Februrary
after a few weeks of sensible eating and getting back into the pre-baby routine, I managed to lose my baby weight. Work was going well and life was pretty damn fantastic.

   

March
Lara entered into the magical world of finger foods AND she started to crawl.

April
We shoved all of our belongings in storage and put the house on the market - gulp!


May
Lara took her first steps and the world would never be the same again! The teething trials really took their toll on Lara this month. I got nominated as a finalist in the MADs awards for the best baby blog.

  

June
We spent a great 10 days in New York for my little sister's wedding celebration and Lara's first birthday.

 

July
Lara learned to walk unaided - a proud mummy moment. We got to visit the Christmas In July previews, which Lara loved. I also took a trip to Germany to see how the new Pampers Active Fit nappies are made.

 

August
We spent an amazing week in Switzerland with family. Sunshine, Mountains, Lakes, Ice cream... what else could you ask for?


September
I took a roadtrip to the MADs and my new blog, ParentWheels was born.


October
We finally, after many long months of legal wrangling, moved into our lovely new home. A new beginning for the mellow family. Lara started to develop a devilish attitude and tested my mellowness to the max.


November
We took a trip with Owners Direct to the Cotswolds - very mellow. We'd love to do it again some time soon.


December
After a quick trip to Center Parcs, we spent Christmas with our families and Lara REALLY enjoyed opening all of her presents. It's amazing how the magic of Christmas returns when you have children.