Mummy Must Have Review | Griffin ipad case from Powered Life

For T's first Father's Day I bought him an ipad because he'd always wanted one {god knows how he actually convinced me to spend that much money on him, I blame sleep deprivation and crazy hormones}. He got to enjoy his precious ipad for just under a year before bub was old enough to realise what it was and want to copy him and use it. Since then she's firmly staked her claim on the ipad and he's lucky if he gets to use it at night after she's in bed these days {when she hasn't drained the battery}. So he's succumbed to the fact that its actually her ipad now and no longer his.

The ipad has truly been invaluable in helping her to learn new skills. She has a heap of educational apps on there that teach her letters, numbers, colours, sounds, words and even sentences. The apps are helping her speech to develop as well as her cognitive skills as she solves problems. The ipad has also been amazing when we're waiting for hours at the hospital for appointments {which thanks to her eye issues and food allergies happens all the time}.

The only problem when kids and ipads mix is that kids, toddlers especially, aren't renowned for how gentle they are. There are bound to be times when the ipad gets thrown, dropped, hit, stood on and has things spilt on it. We've had all of the above happen numerous times in our house. It became abundantly clear that our simple {half broken and quite flimsy} cheap flip case wasn't going to cut it for very long with a toddler on the loose. Considering how much of an investment the ipad was, we went on the hunt for a kid friendly, tough, yet functional case asap.

After searching through the local department stores for weeks to no avail, we finally found the perfect case online. The Griffin Survivor Case is most definitely child proof, in fact its designed and tested to meet the US Department of Defence Standard 810F. It's build to withstand rain, sand, dirt, shocks and vibrations {all things a toddler can inflict on it during any given day}.


The frame is made of shatter-resistant polycarbonate and the outside is protected by thick shock absorbing silicone. Its great because it makes the ipad heavier than usual so she doesn't drop or throw it as much and the silicone is soft for her to touch. The case also comes with an inbuilt screen protector which has saved it from milk and water baths on more than a few occasions.

One part I really love is that the case includes a silicone cover for the home button which allows her to still use it to control going in between the apps. A lot of other cases we looked at before finding the Griffin case had the home button blocked under a hard cover. She loves being able to control the apps herself so this was a must for us. The case also has a hinged silicone cover for the power dock connector which means its completely protected when not in use. It stops it from building up with dust like it used to before. The volume controls, camera lens and headphone port are also fully enclosed and protected. There's also a detachable stand that can clip in to use the ipad upright.


The Griffin case is definitely tough. She's put it through its paces since we got it. Its been dropped {accidentally and purposely} quite a few times and it hasn't been damaged in any way. Its also been doused in milk and water baths when she decides the screen is more useful for finger painting. Thankfully none of it ever got through the case. Its also really easy for her to use, however she's yet to figure out the sound controls now that they're covered in silicone {but to be honest I quite like that she can't turn it full volume whenever she pleases now}.

We got our Griffin Survivor case {$85} online from Powered Life. They stock a huge range of ipad cases as well as mobile cases, other tablet cases and electrical accessories {including android options}. I can't fault the Griffin Survivor case at all, but if it's out of your price range, there are a number of other really affordable and cute kids ipad covers, my favourites are the iGuy case, Ndevr case and Gumdrop Bounce case.

Do you have an ipad obsessed child at your place too?

Toni x

Disclosure - I received a case of my choice from Powered Life for the purpose of review, which came at the perfect time as we'd been searching for a tough case at local shops for weeks. All opinions expressed are based on use of the ipad case. I did not receive payment for this post.

I'm not fine

This week's topic for I Must Confess with Kirsty is the biggest lie you've ever told. At first I wasn't going to join in because I couldn't think of a big lie I'd told. But then I realised I tell the biggest lie of my life all the time. Every time I say I'm fine.

Truth is I'm not fine.

I'm not fine with my daughter having allergies, eye problems and now possible sensory issues. I'm not fine with the fact that her life will always be different from her peers. I'm not fine with the fact that she'll always have a harder life. I'm not fine with all the hospital and specialist visits she has to go to. I'm not fine with people not understanding any of it and giving me unsolicited advice. I'm far from fine about all of it, but its the hand we've been dealt so I'm getting on with it and being the best mum I can. She's spent far more time in hospitals than any almost 2yr old should have, but my one consolation is that she doesn't know any different. That's the one consolation about all of it, she will never know any other way, this is her normal. She is special and she is loved and she won't know any different.

I'm not fine with the fact that she doesn't have a proper grandfather and both her grandmothers are pretty much absent from her life. I'm not fine with the fact that in order for them to spend any time with her I need to instigate it. I'm not fine with the fact that she doesn't have a close, loving relationship with her grandparents like other kids do. I'm so far from fine with this, but I'm also so worn down from trying to change the situation that I feel there's nothing more I can do. If they want to have a relationship with her they can get off their butts and call me and arrange to do something for once. Until then T and I will do everything we can to provide her with a loving, safe and wonderful immediate family so she never feels like she's missing out.

I'm not fine with the fact that everything in my life has been a struggle. Nothing has ever come easy. I have worked my ass off for everything and then some and yet I'm still faced with struggles such as infertility. I'm not fine with the fact that it may take us months or years and fertility treatment to have another child. Sometimes its just not fair and no I'm not fine with this, but what other choice do I have.

I'm not fine with feeling like I'm doing everything alone. I'm not fine with having no family support. I'm not fine with getting no days off and no break. I'm not fine with being emotionally exhausted all the time. I'm not fine with giving everything of myself to other people and feeling like I get nothing back. But I do love being a mum and this is the life I've made for myself so I'll keep going regardless. 

Pretty much every time I say I'm fine I'm telling one big fat lie and I'm going to keep on telling that lie because its easier. 

Its easier than asking for help from people who continuously disappoint me. Its easier than making other people depressed by telling the truth. Its easier than letting my guard down and feeling vulnerable. Its easier than admitting I can't do everything. Its just easier.

Do you ever say you're fine when you're not?

Toni x

linking with Kirsty, Alicia & Eva

I miss sleep so bad

Over the last week bub's been teething and has a slight cold so there hasn't been much sleep going on around here. And my god do I miss it. Right now I don't even care whether she has a day sleep or not which she's been skipping every second day {ok that's a lie it'd be awesome if she was still having day sleeps, but at the moment I'll take what I can get}. I just wish she'd remember how to sleep at night, 6 days of less than 3hrs sleep has made me feel like I've been thrust back into the first few weeks of new motherhood. And I really don't need reminding of what that was like. It was hard enough the first time. Dear god I hope she gets over this bug and remembers how to sleep some time soon.

I mean look how peaceful she looks when she's asleep. I miss that baby! {I mean toddler}

I miss her little face looking so relaxed and content. I miss staring at her beautiful face while she sleeps.

I miss her sleeping in her own cot {instead of rolling all over me and smacking me in the face with her arm all night}.

I miss sleeping long enough at night to have an actual dream.

I miss my sanity which I can feel slowly slipping away more and more each day {yep that's overly dramatic, but seriously you live on minimal broken sleep for a week and see how you feel}.

I can't wait for these dam teeth to come through and her cold to pass. Part of me loves the extra snuggles and sleeping beside her at night, but it'd be great if sleeping beside her actually entailed a lot more sleeping than it currently does.

Ironically when she does go back to sleeping properly again I'll miss her while she's asleep, but I'll love it at the same time.

Toni x

Mummy Must Have Review | Attipas kids shoes + giveaway

It's no surprise to those of you who follow along here that I'm a little obsessed with shoes. Baby shoes to be specific. I find it hard to justify buying new shoes for myself, but for some reason when it comes to shoes for bub I don't fell guilty at all. Needless to say she has a lot more pairs of shoes than me and I'm sure that won't be changing any time soon.

Recently I was given the opportunity to review children's shoes from Attipas Australia and for probably the first time ever I said no to baby shoes. You see bub has a relatively large foot so she'd already be in size XXL and would be growing out of that soon {told you, really big feet}. So instead of reviewing a pair of shoes she wouldn't be in for very long I decided to pass the opportunity onto one of the mums from my mothers group. She has a little boy and she'd already been looking at Attipas shoes recently so I knew she'd appreciate being able to test them out.

Attipas shoes are unique non-slip shoes which ergonomically support infants when they first start walking and thereafter. Attipas shoes combine a sock and shoe into the one lightweight flexible, but supportive, product. The shoes are available in eight different styles and six different sizes. They're also fully machine washable. My friend chose to review the Attipas sneaker in grey. Her little guy is 2 and has been putting the shoes through their paces for a few weeks now and her feedback is below.

Design & Fit

I picked the grey colour because they went with all outfits but there's lots of options for different looks. I like the combination of the sock with shoe. This made it so easy to get dressed and ready to go out. No mucking around doing both socks and shoes. So much quicker. 

He liked wearing the shoes. They're soft and flexible. They're also wide enough for the little fat rounded feet of a toddler to fit in without any trouble.

Quality & durability

The quality is great, fabulous workmanship. I can't fault the quality. We've given them a hammering at the playground, and in the sandpit and lots of puddles. The bottom turned red from the new wood chips that had just been laid at the park, but we threw them in the washing machine after playing in the park and the shoes look like new again. The only down side to the shoes is I didn't realise that the shoes weren't water proof when he was jumping in the puddles. On that occasion I'd put socks on him underneath the shoes and they ended up very soppy.

Overall opinion

He loved wearing the shoes and never complained about wearing them as he did with some other shoes that I have bought in the past. I would give them a 9.5/10. Great shoes! I would definitely buy them again.

**********

ATTIPAS GIVEAWAY

Attipas Australia have kindly provided 3 pairs of preschooler shoes for me to giveaway. Three lucky readers will each win a pair of preschooler shoes of their choice. The preschooler shoes are available in 7 different styles {pictured above} and are available in size XXL {145mm} and XXXL {155mm}. To enter simply follow the prompts in the rafflecopter widget below and leave me a comment letting me know which Attipas shoe design is your favourite and why?

In addition to the giveaway, all the Attipas preschooler shoes are currently 50% off as part of the EOFYS. If you want to get your hands on a pair now you can purchase them from www.attipas.com.au for only $19.95. Hurry though, they're on sale for a limited time only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions

Competition commences 12:00am June 23rd 2015 and ends 11:59pm July 6th 2015. Entry is open to Australian residents only, excluding ACT. Three readers will each win one pair of preschooler shoes from Attipas Australia RRP $39.95, total prize pool $119.85. Prize is not transferable. Prize will be delivered by Attipas Australia, Finding Myself Young takes no responsibility for prize delivery. This competition is a game of skill and will be judged as such. All mandatory entry steps must be completed to constitute a valid entry. Incomplete entries will be deemed invalid and excluded from judging. Winner will have 72hrs to respond or prize will be redrawn. This competition is in no way endorsed, promoted or administered by Facebook.

Disclosure - All opinions expressed within this review are my friends based on her experience with the product. I did not receive payment for this review. 

When motherhood doesn't go the way the baby books say it will

Having a baby is meant to be one of the happiest times of your life. That's what I thought. That's what the media {well everyone really} tells us. All of the images in the baby books are of happy mums and smiling bubs. The pamphlets they give you at the hospital are full of the same. And everyone always talks about the overwhelming surge of love and happiness you will feel when you meet your baby for the first time. What's not to be happy about?

I didn't have the easiest road to motherhood, but once I was pregnant I never doubted my ability to be a mother or to love my child. I'd looked forward to motherhood my whole life. I wanted nothing more than to bring new life into the world and have the privilege of raising a little person. I knew I'd love my baby with every ounce of my being. I just knew it.

I've always been drawn to babies. I had a very strong maternal instinct from very early on. I was always looking after my friends and making sure everyone was ok. I was very much the mother hen. Nurturing was in my nature so there was no reason why I should question what lay ahead. My dream was finally coming true. I knew labour was going to hurt {like a bitch}, but it'd be worth it and after that everything would be perfect. Why wouldn't it be?

Unfortunately I ended up being as far away from the perfect mum depicted in the books as I could of been. Through no fault of my own, my initial experience of motherhood wasn't warm and fuzzy. The first time I saw my baby I wasn't overwhelmed with love - I was in complete shock that I'd just undergone an emergency c-section. I was spaced out on a concoction of drugs that had been pumped into me in an incredibly short period of time. My teeth wouldn't stop chattering and my whole body was shaking. I was trying to comprehend the fact that I'd just gone through major surgery {and that it was over before I'd even had the chance to process that it'd be happening in the first place}. 

There was no lovingly staring into my babies eyes. No skin on skin contact and surge of happy hormones. Only shaking and disbelief. I couldn't even hold her because I was shaking so badly (a side effect of Pethidine). Then she was whisked away to recovery while I was stitched back together. I'd just given birth in a whirlwind of activity, people {so many people}, drugs and on a sterile cold table and then she was taken away from me a few minutes later. It didn't even seem real.

That's when the sadness started creeping in. I was mourning the fact that I didn't get the natural birth I wanted. I didn't have a preconceived idea of how I wanted my birth to play out, just that I wanted to at least try and have a natural birth. Going into labour there was no reason why this wouldn't be possible, so to end up having an emergency c-section without even being allowed to attempt pushing was a real shock. I felt robbed of my evolutionary right to birth my own child. I muddled through all the midwife checks under a thin veil of mock happiness whilst keeping my sadness hidden inside. Sleep deprivation and plummeting hormones weren't helping. The whole time I kept thinking "I finally have my baby I always wanted, how dare I be unhappy".

I was desperately seeking the strong bond that everyone says is natural. For some reason it just wasn't there. How could I not feel an instant bond to my baby when she was my own child? I most certainly loved her, that was never a question, but I just didn't feel that bond that I was supposed to feel. Because of this I felt incredible guilt. I thought I was cheating her out of the mother/daughter relationship she deserved. I'd only been a mum for a few days and I already felt I'd failed at it. I was certain I was a bad mum. I didn't dare tell anyone incase they thought I was a bad mum too.

I eventually opened up to one of my closest friends and admitted that I thought I couldn't cope, that I didn't know what I was doing and that I felt horrible. She didn't tell me I was a bad mum. She didn't brush me off either. She came over and helped me. She listened to me. She saw me at my lowest and hugged me while I cried. She didn't judge me, she supported me. She played a pivotal part in helping me to deal with my depression.

Over the next few weeks I sought help from numerous people and professionals and I went back to feeling like me. I now have an incredibly close bond with my baby. It wasn't instant, but it grew very, very strong over time. She's an extension of me and I don't feel whole without her.

{Photos taken by Katharine Maree Photography}

I want other mums to know sometimes you don't feel an instant bond with your baby. It doesn't mean you're a bad mum. We shouldn't feel pressured to live up to social stereotypes and expectations, or feel bad when we don't. Life doesn't always go the way the books say it will. And that's OK.

I still love her more than anything and she loves me and that's all that matters.

Did you feel an instant bond when you gave birth?

Toni x

If you enjoyed this post please subscribe to my newsletter.

Mummy Must Have Review | Globber My Free 4 in 1 kids Scooter

Unlike most of the other kids in mothers group bub wasn't really interested in any ride on toys until well after she could walk. Because of this we never bothered buying any of the cool baby ride on musical toys or trikes {much to my disappointment, but T is thankful}. In the last few weeks however she's finally started showing an interest in ride-ons. She's still a bit unsure, but she's willing to give them a go, which is good timing because we got a Globber scooter a few weeks ago.

The Globber My Free 4 in 1 is an awesome little scooter that's perfect for toddlers right through to approximately 6 years old. Like the name suggests, it has 4 different functions in the 1 product so it grows and adapts along with your child. It starts out as a parent controlled ride on balance bike, then the handle can be removed so it becomes a balance bike, then the seat can be removed to turn it into a mini scooter and as your child grows the handle can be adjusted to turn it into a proper scooter for big kids.

As bub still isn't quite 2 yet we've only used the scooter in the balance bike positions, both with and without the handle. At first bub was a bit wary of it {like she is with all ride ons} so I let her play with it how she wanted before making her sit on it. She actually likes pushing the scooter around herself with the handle at the back {yep she likes to do things her own way, even if its not the way its supposed to be done}. So when we take it out anywhere she spends as much time pushing it around as she does riding it.

She does ride on it as well, but for some reason she mainly likes riding on it at home. Perhaps she feels safer at home, or maybe she just doesn't want the other kids to watch her incase she falls off {although she's never fallen off}. I'm sure she'll get used to it more and be zooming around the park in no time. For now she's having fun burning off energy zooming around the lounge room and backyard.

Even though she hasn't used the scooter in all 4 settings yet, I can see the many benefits the scooter has. And to be honest if it was big enough for us to use it T and I would definitely have given it a go ourselves by now. Since bub can't talk enough to answer my questions about what she thinks of the scooter, I've put together a list of my favourite features.

My favourite features of the Globber My Free 4 in 1 scooter are:

Easy to assemble & use

I'm not going to lie, I handed it over to T to put together assuming it'd be way too hard {and frustrating} for me to put together. It turns out its actually really easy to assemble. Of course he did it without reading the instructions properly like all men do {and he didn't screw it up, which is a surprise and a testament to how easy it is to put together}. It's also really easy to change between the different modes, you literally just click the handle bar section in and out of positions.

Also being a scooter {aka not a bicycle with pedals} its really easy for kids to use and they can also control the speed which is great while they're learning balance. The brake is also easy to apply over the back pedal, for both kids once they've mastered it and parents who may need to stop it for the younger kids.

Safety features
The scooter has a number of safety features built in including the parental control handle when used as a balance bike so you know they can't zoom off when they're not confident enough. There's also a steering lock for the front wheels which can be used in conjunction with the parent handle as they're learning. When its unlocked steering is controlled by leaning on either side of the scooter not turning the handle which again helps children to learn balance. The brake is also really easy to use which provides peace of mind. The scooter deck is also specifically designed lower to the ground to cater for younger children.

Adjustable seat + handle height
The adjustable seat and handle heights are great because kids don't all come in the same shape and size. They all grow at different rates and times so being so adjustable means the Globber My Free 4 in 1 caters for all kids within the age and weight restrictions regardless of their height.

Ergonomic seat
The seat isn't just a standard flat uncomfortable seat, its ergonomically shaped for the most comfort. It also has a smooth, soft touch feel to it {well as soft as plastic can get}.

Excellent quality

You can tell just by touching the scooter that its not made from cheap materials like other cheap trikes and ride ons available. The seat, base and handles feel nice to touch and aren't scratchy. It also isn't hollow like lots of other ride ons are, its got a decent weight to it. The wheels are also made from high quality, high rebound polyurethane with nylon cores.

Grows with the child

The best feature of the Globber My Free 4 in 1 is that it can be used from when your child's twelve months old right through to when they're at school. The seat position can be used to a maximum of 20kg and then the scooter base can be used to a maximum of 50kg. There's not many other kids products that have such longevity.

Value for money

Although it may seem like a huge outlay at first {$160} I think its a worthy investment over time. Because the one product can be used for so many years and in so many forms it saves having to buy separate ride ons, balance bikes and scooters which can all be around $100 each. I'm also pretty confident that it'll last longer than she'll use it for so it'll most likely be passed down to any other children we have in the future as well.

I think the Globber My Free 4 in 1 is a great first scooter for younger kids and a great way to introduce them to riding, scooting and learning balance. It allows them to feel independent, while also giving parents piece of mind as they're learning. The innovative design features also puts it leaps ahead of other kids scooters and ride-ons on the market.

Did you have a scooter when you were young?

Toni x

Disclosure - All opinions expressed in this review are my own based on our experience with the product, as per my disclosure policy. I received a scooter for the purpose of review, but did not receive payment for this review.

Mess free colouring fun for kids

This post is brought to you by Nuffnang and Crayola

Kids are wonderful, but they're also messy little creatures. Especially when they get into arts and crafts {and we're very much at that stage now}. Drawing and painting is so much fun, the only problem is pens, pencils, crayons and paint can all create a huge mess when a certain toddler decides drawing on the table, chairs, walls and herself is more interesting than drawing on paper. Needless to say I've had to clean the table & chairs and the walls down A LOT {thankfully if I'm hawk eye and catch it straight after she does it baby wipes usually get it off}.

It doesn't matter whether she has pens or pencils, inevitably she ends up drawing all over the walls and herself, even though she knows she's not meant to. But not any more. I've finally found a solution that lets her have fun drawing but still keeps my walls and her clothes safe {and clean}.

It turns out Crayola has a really cool product Color Wonder which are non-toxic colouring pens that are {pretty much} magic - at least that's how I'd describe them. The Crayola Colour Wonder pens all appear transparent in colour until they're used in the colouring in book they come with, then the colours become visible. If she draws on anything other than the paper in the book the pens only appear clear, meaning everything in my house is now safe from a dreaded texta makeover. Thankgod. Why have I never heard about these before?

You can see exactly how the colour magically appears on paper in this video {and also how it doesn't appear on other surfaces}.



Each Color Wonder book comes with a set of 5 magic Color Wonder markers {in colours that match the theme of the book}. There are heaps of different books to choose from featuring Disney characters, Barbie, Dora, Peppa and other popular kids cartoon characters. We've got the Frozen and Ninja Turtles books, but Frozen is her favourite.

Note: the pen marks on the paper are from her previous drawing on the table escapades.

Bub's had heaps of fun drawing all over the Frozen book with the pens. She was a little perplexed at first, but she's worked out that the cap colour is the colour the pen will be when she draws with it. Unfortunately for ocd parents like me it doesn't make them draw within the lines however {I'll just have to deal with that for a few more years}. It definitely does stop the pen from getting everywhere it shouldn't though, as you can see from the second photo.

She also grabbed one of the pens and deliberately drew {or at least tried to draw} on her hand while saying uh-oh. Told you she knows its wrong. It was hilarious though when nothing went on her hand and she was looking at the pen all confused. Mummy 1, bub 0.

If you have a messy creative toddler in your house, or a child of any age who likes to draw masterpieces on the walls, then you should definitely invest in a Color Wonder set. I'm in love with them as it means I can leave her to draw while I make dinner and I won't come back to redecorated walls. As soon as I got these all the other pens got packed away {and they'll stay that way until she learns that walls aren't for drawing on}. If you need a set in your life too, you can find the stockists on the Crayola website.

Do you have a mini artist at your place?

Toni x

Disclosure - I received 2 packs of Crayola Color Wonder via Nuffnang for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own based on experience with the product, as per my discolsure policy. I did not receive payment for this review.

Keeping kids safe with Dreambaby® | review + giveaway

One of my biggest fears as a parent is that bub will hurt herself. You could say I'm a relatively anxious parent so one of the first things I did when bub was due was baby proof the house. There's so many everyday items around the house that suddenly pose a safety risk once small children enter the home. All the obvious areas were done before she could move. Cabinets had safety locks, all the tables and hard corners had safety corners and the baby gates were up.

The one area that people sometimes forget about until after birth is baby and toddler health related safety items. I never even considered bathroom safety until she got big enough to go in the bath. I'm sure lots of other parents are in the same boat. Recently Dreambaby® sent me a few of their health related safety items to trial and share with you {and there's a giveaway for you guys too}. We've tested them for the last few weeks and here's what we think {well what I think because bub can't talk properly yet}.

Premium nail clippers with magnifier

The Dreambaby® nail clippers {RRP $5.95} are perfect for use on babies and toddlers. They have a child size clipper section, but adult sized ergonomically shaped {and soft touch} handles. The fold away magnifying glass is easily flipped up and sits just above the clippers when in use. It certainly helps to make tiny little nails easier to see and it doesn't get in the way of the handles while clipping. Bub sits still for longer when I'm using the magnifying clippers because she's mesmerised by the magnifying glass so its win/win. You can also fold it away and still use the nail clippers without it for when the kids are older and its no longer needed.

Bath tub spout cover

The Dreambaby® bath tub spout cover {RRP $6.95} is a fully inflatable spout cover and its easy to blow up {even if you're a desperately unfit asthmatic like me}. The cover provides a soft cushion incase bub slips and knocks into the spout. It also stops her from being able to burn herself on the hot spout while the bath is filling up. Bub loves the whale print and it also comes in a fish print.

We have a relatively short and slightly curved spout so I was a bit worried it wouldn't fit properly, but it fits perfectly. The length is spot on for our spout and because the spout cover is so thick is covers the curve fine. The opening for the water at the bottom is also quite generous so it should cater for most spout types. Its definitely a worthwhile investment once your bub transfers to using the big bath.

Soft Potty Seat

We started toilet training a few weeks ago with a slowly and softly approach. So far its going a lot slower than I'd like, but I'm following her lead. It seems she's gone off the potty and only wants to sit on it every other day now instead of everyday so it'll probably be a long road before she's properly toilet trained.

Nevertheless we'll eventually get to the point where she'll start using the toilet and when she does we've got the Dreambaby® soft potty seat {RRP $13.95} to help with the transition. I remember when I was little I was scared I'd fall down the toilet so I always intended on getting her some sort of seat for the toilet so she doesn't think she's going to fall in. This seat is great because it has a foam ring for comfort and it also pops out making it easy to clean. There's also a splash guard at the front to minimise mess {which I'm sure would be very useful for mums with little boys}. The seat fits onto our toilet, but it does move around slightly, however I don't think it would if it had her weight on it. We'll find out soon enough.

**********

Dreambaby® products can be purchased online or at Big W, Target, Kmart, Bunnings, Baby Bunting, Toys R Us and a number of other baby stores and chemists.

Dreambaby® Giveaway

Dreambaby® have generously put together a giveaway for Finding Myself Young readers. One lucky reader will win a prize pack including one of each of the items I've reviewed. To be in the running simply fill in the rafflecopter entries below:

> Like Dreambaby® on facebook
> Like Finding Myself Young on facebook
> Subscribe to my monthly newsletter {if you haven't already}
> Leave a comment letting me know which of these items would be most useful to you and why?

Good luck!

Toni x


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions
Competition commences 12:00am June 12th 2015 and ends 12:00am June 22nd 2015. Entry is open to Australian residents only, excluding ACT. One reader will win a pair of nail clippers, a bath spout cover and a soft potty seat from Dreambaby®. Prize is not transferable. Prize will be delivered by Dreambaby®, Finding Myself Young takes no responsibility for prize delivery. This competition is a game of skill and will be judged as such. All mandatory entry steps must be completed to constitute a valid entry. Incomplete entries will be deemed invalid and excluded from judging. Winner will have 72hrs to respond or prize will be redrawn. This competition is in no way endorsed, promoted or administered by Facebook.

Disclosure - I was sent the above items for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own based on my experience with the products, as per my disclosure policy. I did not receive payment for this review. 

Mummy Must Have Review | Sinchies reusable food pouches

I don't like wasting things. I guess it was instilled in me when I was growing up and mum was struggling living on a single parent pension. She saved and reused anything possible in order to save money and get the most out of everything. She went a bit overboard though, I remember the time when she saved all the scraps of soap and moulded new soap bars out of them. And how she'd put buckets in the shower to save the water and reuse it. 

I'm not that enthusiastic about saving money, but I do bits and pieces here and there. One thing I've always done is freeze left over food and use it as lunches. I also love batch cooking from scratch. So its no surprise that when bub arrived I made all her food from scratch and batch froze it too. I always wanted to cook her own food so I could save money and also know what was in it as opposed to buying the pre-packaged store pouches. Then once we started discovering all her food allergies it became obvious cooking her food myself would've been the only option anyway so I was glad I'd already decided to do it that way.

I used to steam up her veggies and freeze them in special baby food ice trays and then store them in the freezer in ziplock freezer bags. The special ice cube tray was a godsend because it portioned all her food out perfectly. What she did miss out on though was eating out of pouches like the other babies. She always ate her food out of a bowl or on a plate from a young age. Back then I never knew there were reusable food pouches you could get for homemade baby food, I thought there were only the pouches the baby food came in at the supermarket. I discovered Sinchies a few months after she'd finished eating purees. I wish I had of known about them sooner because they would've been perfect for when she was eating purees. When I looked into them further I realised they're also really useful for older kids and even adults so we've now got a cupboard full of them and use them everyday.

ABOUT SINCHIES

Sinchies are a range of reusable clear food pouches designed to help families save money, reduce waste and enjoy healthier food. They're perfect for homemade baby food and can be reused over and over again saving money instead of using pre-made store bought pouches. They're also great for breastmilk, yoghurt, custard, smoothies, soup, stock and even non food items like toiletries and sunscreen.

The pouches have a strong ziplock top for filling and a spout for kids to eat out of. You can also get spoon attachments if your child prefers to eat off a spoon rather than suck the food. Sinchies are BPA free and dishwasher {top shelf} and freezer safe. I've hand washed mine and used the dishwasher and I prefer to hand wash them {funnily enough} and let them air dry on the dish rack. I'm also thinking of getting the Sinchies drying rack so I'll still have a place to dry my other dishes while the Sinchies are air drying.

Sinchies started out with the liquid food pouches {in varying sizes} and over time the product line has expanded to include sandwich bags, snack bags, wrap bags and pops, as well as a number of accessories. We've got a range of different products including the 140ml pouches, 200ml pouches, 1ltr pouches, sandwich bags, snack bags and pops. I use all ours for storing food, but I'm thinking once bub stops using the baby roll on sunscreen I might use one for storing sunscreen as well.

SINCHIES BIG KIDS LUNCHBOX PACK

The big kids lunchbox pack is a relatively new pack available from Sinchies featuring a combination of old products and new ones. Its the perfect set up if you have kids at school or daycare as it includes all the Sinchies you'll need for lunch and snacks. The big kids lunchbox pack includes 5 x 140ml pouches, 5 x 200ml pouches, 5 x sandwich bags, 5 x snack pouches and 1 x 1ltr pouch {lunch bag shown in photo is not included in the pack}. Even though bub doesn't go to daycare the items in the big kids lunchbox pack have been perfect for our day trips out and even for around the house.

FOOD POUCHES

We use the food pouches for her coconut yoghurt as she's long past eating purees. I always take one in her lunchbox when we go out and I also use them at home as they're mess free {instead of her getting yoghurt all over herself}. I use both the 140ml and 200ml pouches depending on whether she's having her yoghurt as a snack or lunch. She really loves the 140ml fun pouches because they have the fruit and veggies printed on the front so we point them out and say the names of them all. Its a great way to make eating fun for kids who are fussy eaters.

SANDWICH BAGS

The sandwich bags are an awesome new addition to the Sinchies range. They're great for her lunchbox because they take up less room than her sandwich container box so it means when we're out for longer periods of time I can fit more food in her lunchbox. They're also a good size for storing her vege chips.

SNACK BAGS

The snack bags are great for when we're out and about. They're the perfect size for grapes and sultanas for her and even a handful of nuts for me. In fact they've saved me a fortune on sultanas alone. We used to buy the pre-packaged snack pack sultanas and now I buy the 1kg pack of sultanas and portion them out into the snack bags as needed. The one large bag has lasted for weeks compared to buying the individual snack packs every week.

SINCHIES POPS

Another new addition to the Sinchies line are the Sinchies pops. The pops are 80mls and are perfect for iceblocks or dry snacks. I've used them to make pineapple iceblocks so far, but plan on making a variety of different flavours. I literally just whiz up the fruit and then freeze it in the pops.

She needs me to push the iceblock up through the plastic for her because shes' not yet strong enough to do it herself, but other than that she eats the iceblocks herself. They're great because they don't create any mess {at least they don't while I can control how much gets pushed up at a time}. They've also been really useful when she's teething to relieve her gums.

The pops also make great storage bags for small dry snacks. I've used them for sultanas too and they're small enough to slip in your handbag without taking up too much room.

..........

I love all our Sinchies products because they save me time and most importantly money. I also love that they allow for mess free eating and are great for on the go and when we're out at other people's houses. They wash well and are thick enough that they don't deteriorate over time, even though ours get a lot of use.

Bub loves them because of the novelty of eating out of the pouches. She literally jumps up and down when she sees a pouch of yoghurt. I think she really likes being able to suck the yoghurt instead of eating it out of a bowl all the time {and I love that it doesn't go all over her}. She also really loves pointing out the fruit and veggies on the fun pouches, especially the banana {or NANI as she calls it}.

Have you ever considered using reusable food pouches?

Toni x

Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small % of the sale {it does not affect the price you pay}. All opinions expressed in this review are my own based on our experience with the products, as per my disclosure policy. I did not receive payment for this review.

An open letter to all the other mums

Dear other mums,

Yes I am the mother of that child.

The child who can be playing happily one minute then having a major meltdown the next. The child who kicks and screams and throws herself around to get her point across when she's frustrated. The same child who doesn't care that she's in a public place when she's having said meltdown. The same child who you, unfortunately, look upon with shock, horror and dismay.

Yes she does all of these things and yes you did just see them, but there are so many things you don't.

Yes you are seeing a very strong child battling with her mum with every ounce of her being, but what you forget in that moment is just how tiny she really is. She's not even 2yrs old. She may be physically strong, but in many ways she's still so so little so please don't expect her to be able to act beyond her years. 

Yes you see me flustered and struggling to control her, and to you that may look like I have no control, but what you don't know is how much I'm actually in control. It takes an immense amount of mental control to zone out everything around me and focus purely on my daughter. To zone out all the judging eyes I can feel piercing into me from all angles. To zone out the sounds of gasps and whispering. To push aside my own feelings {of embarrassment} and focus entirely on hers. It takes an exorbitant amount of self control. So while she may be losing it, I most certainly am not. 

Yes she may be interrupting your nice day out with her loud screaming, but please know she's not interrupting you on purpose. In fact the last thing she has on her mind is the people surrounding her. In those short, albeit intense, moments when she's having a meltdown there's so much going on in her mind that she's no longer aware of her surroundings or the people in them. Her feelings are so intense and she hasn't yet learnt what they mean or how to process them. So she expresses them in the only way she knows how. She doesn't have the capacity to understand sadness or disappointment so she gets frustrated.

Yes I am the mother of that child and I'm glad she's mine.

I apologise for the screaming and the kicking and the interruption to your day. 

What I don't apologise for is having a strong willed daughter who feels safe enough to express herself. While it may seem like an inconvenience now, someday that self confidence and conviction will serve her well. 

Yes I am the mother of that child and yes you see her at her worst, but what you don't see is when she's at her best - which is the other 95% of our day. You're only seeing a tiny snapshot.

So I ask you, if you happen to see me when she's at her worst please simply give me an empathetic smile, like I would to you. Please don't stand and stare at us. Please don't say nasty things about her or me. Please don't be so quick to judge. Because, as we both know, our children aren't at their best all the time and at some point you too will be the mother of that child.

We're all navigating this parenting journey one day at a time and we're all doing the best for our babies, so lets be a little kinder to each other.

Toni x

How to prepare a child for surgery

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'll be aware that bub has many health issues including numerous food allergies and eye problems. Back in April she underwent eye surgery for her turned eyes. We didn't really have a chance to prepare her for the surgery. She was slotted into a cancellation spot so we only found out a few days before the surgery.

As we might have to deal with surgery again in her future, the team at HealthInsuranceComparison.com.au have put together a post for me about strategies to prepare children for surgery. Hopefully these tips come in handy for some of you too if you find yourself needing to prepare your child for surgery.

Preparing a Child for Surgery

Surgery can be a traumatic experience for children, especially if they have not been emotionally prepared for what to expect. As a worst case scenario, this could even lead to a lifelong fear of hospitals and doctors. Preparing your child for elective surgery can help your child to feel calmer about the procedure and aid their recovery process but it can be very difficult to know how best to talk to them about it.

What to Say

Your child is likely to be apprehensive about the upcoming surgery and may be scared of what it will involve. Helping them to overcome their confusion and anxiety will therefore be a big part of the preparation process.

To begin with, try to ease any fears that your child may have about the surgery and explain in simple terms why it is needed. At its most simplest, this can simply involve letting them know that an operation is needed to fix a particular situation, along with a brief explanation of why this is. It’s not particularly necessary to say too much about the actual ins and outs of the operation as this can cause more alarm for your child but it can be helpful for you to know more about what is involved. This can help to ease your own anxiety so that you can speak calmly and reassuringly to your child.

Many children are worried that surgery will be painful. You can reassure them that they will be asleep throughout the procedure and won’t be aware of what is happening during surgery but explaining this can also be a delicate challenge. Once they are aware of the concept of being anaesthetised, children can be afraid that they will come round too early or that they will not wake up at all. You could choose to dress it up as a special type of medicine that will help them to stay asleep during the operation and ‘stop’ once it is over so that they wake up very soon afterwards. It can also help for them to know that you will be there when they do come round. If your child is still very worried about the anaesthetic on the day of the operation, it may be possible for them to be given a mild sedative to relax them.

Your child may also be concerned about the aftermath of the operation and what their recovery will be like. As with the surgery itself, it can help for them to know what to expect in this respect.

Body Language

What you choose to say to your child is undoubtedly going to be crucial but it can actually be only half the story. If your words and your body language don’t match up, you could make your child nervous without realising it. Remember that your tone of voice, facial expressions and general demeanour can all give away what you are really feeling. If you seem afraid, it’s therefore very likely that it will cause your child to pick up on your anxiety and be fearful too. Knowledge can be power in this situation; if you’re feeling calmer about the situation, it’s less likely that your body language will unnerve your child.

For your choice of doctor and private hospital room, check out healthinsurancecomparison.com.au and compare health insurance policies now.

At www.HealthInsuranceComparison.com.au, we’re all about helping more Australians to understand health insurance and find the best cover for their needs and budget. Whether you’re just trying to get a feel for the market or you’ve already got a very good idea of what you need to be covered for, we’ll help you to find a policy that works for you.

Mummy Must Have Review | Ola Baby Boutique designer pram liner

I remember one of the first things I noticed when I started going to mothers group was that we all had different prams. I honestly can't remember all the types, I think there was a city select and a peg perego and then a couple of others, as well as my bugaboo. It was like a baby shop showroom of prams when we met up, except most of them all had something in common. All of them had custom pram liners except little old me who had the boring plain bugaboo liner. I remember thinking there must've been some secret online club where they all found out about them because I didn't even know designer pram liners existed before then.

Well fast forward over a year {yea it took me a while to catch up} and I finally have my own custom pram liner too. It turns out the bugaboo model I have doesn't have a 5 point harness so I can't use universal liners with it, but luckily I also have the wanderer pram so now I can rock a designer pram liner like everyone else {finally}. Not only do I now have a custom pram liner, its a reversible one, so I have two for the price of one!

Being stuck with a boring plain liner for the bugaboo and a relatively plain one that came with the wanderer, I chose a pram liner that has prints on both sides for a change. I tend to be quite conservative in my dress, decorating etc because I find its more practical, so getting a pram liner with two different prints is a big step outside of the norm for me, but I love it. It really brightens up the pram and gives bub something interesting to look at when we're out and about.

Although I've stepped outside of my comfort zone a bit, I stayed quite practical with my reasoning behind the prints I chose {of course}. I chose two prints with a combination of quite neutral colours so they can be used for either a girl or boy {incase we have a boy in the future}. Although one is definitely a little more girly and one is a little more boyish.

UNIVERSAL REVERSIBLE PRAM LINER

The first fabric I chose is a woodland theme featuring owls, squirrels, deer, rabbits, leaves, trees and flowers. I chose this one because of the owls, obviously. We're still firmly obsessed with owls in this household and I don't see that changing any time soon, so I figured it'd be pretty cool for her to have owls on her pram too. I also really like the yellow owl with the crazy crossed eyes because that's how I feel most mornings.

The second fabric is to balance things out and bring a little more masculinity in the hopes that we eventually get at least one boy {just so daddy's happy}, but I still went with quite neutral colours incase we don't. I love a good chevron pattern and this one had all the right colours. I also like that it has thicker stripes so it doesn't play tricks and make my eyes go crazy when I look at it like thinner ones do.

The pram liner is made from 100% designer cotton fabric and is padded with 100% Australian grown cotton certified by oeko. Its been tested as safe against newborn skin and sensitive skin which is great for us with bub's allergies and sensitive skin. It's also machine washable which is a must for me {although I haven't needed to wash it yet}. We also got matching reversible strap protectors which are machine washable too.

The pram liner fits the pram well and has 3 different shoulder height slots so the straps can be adjusted as bub grows. It's a bit thinner than the Bugaboo and Wanderer ones I have, but it doesn't bother bub. To be honest she has enough padding on her bum and legs I don't think she needs anything to cushion them. For me a pram liner is more about protecting the actual pram which this one does just as good as the other ones we have {and it looks cute at the same time}.

OLA BABY BOUTIQUE

The pram liner is from Ola Baby Boutique which I found on facebook. Ola is run by a lovely lady named Olga and she makes all the pram covers herself in her Perth studio. She specialises is making universal pram liners {which are suitable for any 5 point harness prams}, and can also do custom covers for a range of specific pram models. She has a number of universal pram liners available on her website or you can choose to make your own design from any of the fabrics she has available. She also makes pram covers and sunshades, nursery bedding and decor, shopping trolley liners, burp clothes and nappy wallets.

The reversible pram liners are $87 {which I think is reasonable because I paid $79.95 for my standard bugaboo liner}, but there's also some on sale for just $43.50. Olga has also been generous enough to offer 30% off any item on http://olababy.com.au for the first 30 customers* who use the code YOUNG30. If you're looking for a designer pram liner, now's definitely the time to get one.

Do/did you have a custom pram liner?

Toni x

*30% discount code is valid until June 30th 2015.

Disclosure - I was provided a pram liner and matching strap protectors in the fabric of my choice for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed are based on my experience with the product as per my disclosure statement. I did not receive payment for this review.

Linking with Jess