Archive | June, 2011

Earth Friendly Kids – A Review

By Mum's the Word on June 29, 2011 in Parenting, Review

I’ve become a bit more fussy about doing reviews on my blog lately, only taking products which interest me, and I’ve also made a point of spending time actually using the product before I write about it. Yes, I love getting free stuff and trying new things, but if I’m going to recommend something, I want to be able to do it with at least a shred of integrity.

A few months ago, Sausage was sent the whole range of Earth Friendly Kids toiletries in Zingy Citrus, and I really do think it’s important to use these things for a period of time before making a decision about them, especially when it affects our kids. So we’ve faithfully used the range and the verdict is in! We were sent a bodywash and shampoo, hand soap , moisturiser and bubblebath, which all have a wonderfully zingy smell (just like it says on the bottle!). One thing you should know about my kid, if you don’t already, is that she has very thick, very curly and very unruly hair. You can get lost in that hair, and I’ve found the occasional Subbuteo man nestling at the back. Not every shampoo will cut it with Sausage’s hair and we need something with a pretty heavy-duty foaming action to get through the mass of curls. The Earth Friendly Kids Bodywash and Shampoo did us proud! It dealt with Sausages hair wonderfully and her hair didn’t dry out, like it does with Johnsons Baby Shampoo. The handwash has been a particular favourite as it comes in a handy pump, which has been invaluable for us now that Sausage is using the toilet.

The bubblebath is very watery when you pour it out and you’ll think that it won’t give a very good lather, but it really does and it doesn’t disappear after five seconds like many bubblebaths, it’s foamy and rich and again, smells fantastic. The moisturiser is creamy and easy to apply, it soaks in well and doesn’t feel at all greasy. Another really important thing for you to know is that Sausage has very sensitive skin. Using anything vaguely harsh on her skin will bring her out in a red, pimply, dry rash which can last for days, and that even extends to being caused by certain ‘sensitive’ brands of baby wipes. The whole range of Earth Friendly Kids products has been very kind to her skin and we’ve seen no sign of irritation or redness since using them.

So, we’ve been pretty chuffed with the range and though things couldn’t get any better.

Then, we were sent the other scent in the range, Minty Lavender. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the Minty Lavender range is the single nicest smelling children’s toiletry we have EVER used. Seriously. It’s that nice that Husband and I have been using it too! Husband shaves his head and has been using the moisturiser after shaving as it feels and smells so amazing, I adore the handwash as it makes my hands smell incredible every time I use it, and Sausage just loves it all. You wouldn’t think that a combo of mint and lavender would smell so good, but it really does smell good enough to eat!

The earth friendly kids products all promise to be:

mild & gentle
natural ingredients
appealing to kids
no artificial colouring
no testing on animals

Best of all, they’re affordable too, ranging from £2.49 up to £4.99. If you want to see the range for yourself, you can have a look at their website and their Facebook page. We’ll definitely be buying more when this lot runs out, once you’ve had Minty Lavender, everything else pales into insignificance!

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The Dumbening.

By Mum's the Word on June 27, 2011 in Cybermummy, Personal, Rant

I know a few people have written posts giving their take on what will now forevermore be known as SophieKingGate at Cybermummy over the weekend, but I’ve been digesting the events over the past couple of days and quite honestly, the whole thing is giving me indigestion! Most of you will have read a run down, detailing exactly what was said and how many feathers were ruffled and unless you were there, I don’t think you’ll have an idea of just how much tension there was in that room.

I stayed to the end, maybe because I’m a chicken, but mainly because it’s a session that I was really looking forward to and was clinging onto a hope that I might get something out of it. Which ultimately, I did. I’ve looked over my notes, and apart from the part which says “Why is a woman who admits she hardly ever blogs, trying to teach a room full of bloggers, some of them bloody successful ones, how to BLOG?”, there’s definitely some useful stuff written down. Other people have commented that the title of the session was misleading, “Find your blogging voice with this hands-on workshop run by novelist and Oxford writing instructor Sophie King”. Maybe I’m wrong, but this would have been a good session for people who wanted to get into blogging, but surely we were all there because we have blogs and our own ‘blogging voice’?

One of the main causes of contention was when Sophie King suggested that one prominent blogger change the name of her blog. She decreed that she’d much rather read a blog called ‘Granny at 37′ than one called ‘I Am Typecast‘. Er…really? Are we aiming at the lowest common denominator here? Do we really need to lay our shit out in the title, for fear that no-one will read? I think not. I think people are far more likely to read something which piques their interest and doesn’t give everything away in the first few words, which is exactly what ‘I Am Typecast’ does. Should an established author not already know this?!

I really felt as though Sophie King had missed the point in this session. She may be a successful author and journalist, but as we all know, blogging is a very different animal. I’m not going to start dumbing down my posts, nor am I going to change everything to an alliterative blast of verbal diarrhea, just so that I can draw in the chick-lit crowds. Surely the whole point of a blog is that what you write, no matter what you write, THAT is your voice? My voice is opinionated, sometimes controversial, and always profane, but it’s MY fucking voice and I’m not about to change it. Sure, I’d probably get a shit load of more PR opportunities if I didn’t drop the F-Bomb in every post, but it also wouldn’t be MY voice, would it? It’d be an edited, sanitised for the feint-of-heart version of me. And blogging is most definitely not about censorship.

What do you all think? Have I missed the point? Should I become Fucking Frantic Female?!

Maybe not.

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Silent Sunday

By Mum's the Word on June 26, 2011 in Silent Sunday

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On My Way…#cybermummy11

By Mum's the Word on June 25, 2011 in Cybermummy

Sponsoring Mum's the Word at CyberMummy 11

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The Great Outdoors; or ‘The Countdown to Cybermummy’

By Mum's the Word on June 21, 2011 in Cybermummy, Personal

Before I start writing this post, I should probably let you know that I have no idea where I’m going with it, so if it seems a little bit unstructured, that’s why!

Two conversations that I’ve had lately have really got me thinking. The first one I had was with the Husband. He has a couple of big hoodies that I love to wear and a couple of weeks ago he told me that I could have one for myself. To most people, a scruffy old hoodie wouldn’t be a great gift, but I though it was one of the best gifts ever, and told him so. He asked what was so great about it and I said that I love the way that its so big and cosy and that I’m completely concealed within it, you can’t see any part of my body, just a big, indistinct outline. I didn’t see anything wrong with this description, but Husband expressed concern that I feel the need to stop the world from seeing me.

The second conversation was with my Mum. We were being typically British and bemoaning the weather we’ve been having lately (I mean, come on though, it’s JUNE! Today is the first day of summer, for fuck’s sake!) and I mentioned that I quite like the weather like this because it’s cosy indoors and it means that it takes the pressure off of me, because I have a good excuse to stay indoors. My Mum thought this was a worrying statement. I personally don’t see what’s wrong with being more than happy in my own home, but apparently it’s weird. And I guess, if you know me it is kind of weird, I’ve always been a very outdoors, on-the-go type of person. I went to a school which was quite far away from my home, so most of my school friends lived far away too, and after the age of about 13, I rarely spent a weekend at home, favouring sleepovers with them. Then, after I left school, I spent most of my time away from home, eventually ‘officially’ moving out when I was 21.

I suppose my insular behaviour has a lot to do with my own confidence. At home, I’m accepted as I am. My Husband and Daughter love me exactly as I am, I have loads of ‘internet’ friends through blogging, tweeting and writing for BDT. In fact, some of the people I’ve met online I consider to be some of my best friends. That may sound sad, but I’ve found a level of acceptance within a group of women that I never thought possible. We don’t bitch and moan about each other because we’ve never met, we just chat and gossip and help each other out with advice when we need it. I even keep up with most of my real-life friends using technology, be it Facebook, texting, emailing or just a good old fashioned phone call. But it means that I don’t have to be ‘ON’ all the time. I can chat away without worrying if my double shin wobbles when I laugh, or if my top is riding up and showing my stretchmarks.

Which brings me to Cybermummy. And a small confession.

About a month ago, after I attended the Mums on Three event, I was fully considering passing my ticket on to someone else. The stress of travelling to London and being away from Sausage really took it out of me. Being out in the big, wide world for a whole day was frankly terrifying, and as some of the lovely ladies who I met will attest, I spent the last hour in a state of anxiety, wondering when I could leave. I don’t want to feel this way at Cybermummy, I spent so much time looking for a sponsor and getting excited about this event. I even considered going to my G.P. and asking for an anti-anxiety medication for the day. But I don’t know if that will help. It’s quite obviously all part of the PTSD that I like to pretend doesn’t affect me any more. But this all just shows that it’s still alive and kicking.

I guess really, what I’m trying to say is, if I seem a bit odd, or a bit distant…or if you see me eyeing up the exits halfway through lunch, just bear in mind, I’m not completely mental. Just a bit traumatised.

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Silent Sunday

By Mum's the Word on June 19, 2011 in Silent Sunday

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Birthday Grub!

By Mum's the Word on June 18, 2011 in Personal, Photos

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

NOM!

Also….

BEST CARD EVER!

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The Gallery – Dads

By Mum's the Word on June 15, 2011 in Parenting, Personal, Photos, The Gallery

The title for this week’s Gallery posts is ‘Dads’ and it’s quite poignant that it’s plural, because I do indeed have two.

The one I was born with wasn’t much cop. He was young, he’ll admit himself to having been selfish and there were a lot of occasions where he let me down and wasn’t there when he should have been. He was only 20 when I was born, and though in some cases that may have been old enough to deal with the responsibility of fatherhood, for mine it wasn’t. He and my Mum split when I was 5 and I only saw him a handful of times a year, mostly birthdays and Christmas.

Although it was painful for me to have an absent father, my step dad more than made up for it. I was a bit of an odd kid, I didn’t really play well with kids of my own age, I just didn’t find them stimulating and things like Barbie largely bored me. My step dad seemed to know how to get through to me, how to engage me. One of my fondest memories is when he gave me an invoice book that he’d got from work, and we’d play ‘Antiques Dealer’ where he’d come into my ‘shop’, pretend to buy items of our furniture and I’d write him out an invoice in my invoice book. Hey, I told you I was odd! Sunday afternoons were my favourite times as we’d go to a bootsale in the morning then come home and while Mum did housework and cooked dinner, Dad (I’ve called him Dad since very early on) would sit with me while I went through his huge vinyl collection and let me choose whatever I wanted to listen to. It was a fantastic time and a real education. I couldn’t be more grateful.

As the years went by and my bio dad grew up, he became a much better father, and has really stepped up in the last few years. He’s a brilliant grandad to Sausage and visits regularly, even though he’s had a lot on his plate. He’s a great Dad to my little (half) brother too, and far from being bitter that he gets a version of Dad that I didn’t, I’m just super stoked for my little bro.

So, I guess you could say I’m lucky. I get two Dads.

But what makes me feel luckiest of all is watching Sausage with her Dad. I could not imagine a more doting father, and it warms my heart to witness their growing relationship. When people used to say “Oh, isn’t she a Daddy’s girl?” I’d feel a pang of jealousy. I now just feel a huge amount of pride, for both my husband and my daughter. She idolises her father and he returns that love and adoration a million times over. It’s palpable, when they’re in the same room together, or just sat at Husband’s desk, drawing a picture. Two peas in a pod. And they’re both mine.

I’m definitely the lucky one.

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How Did I Get So Lucky?

By Mum's the Word on June 14, 2011 in Parenting, Personal

This isn't actually Sausage by the way. My kid has a curly golden mane and a face that makes me weep with joy.

For the last couple of days, I’ve been suffering from some evil flu type thing which has left me feeling very rough and very sorry for myself. The sore throat and swollen glands wouldn’t have been so bad had they not been coupled with vomiting and an ache that’s permeating through every single body part. Even the roots of my hair are hurting (What’s that? The world’s smallest violin…?!).

Yesterday, the shopping was due to arrive at around 10.30am. I’d already thrown up a couple of times by this point, so when the shopping got here I had to try and compose myself for long enough to get it out of the crates and into the hallway.* Well, aside from scaring the bejesus out of the delivery man, I managed to get it all in without spraying him with vom. However, my composure didn’t last for long, and mid put-away I had to run from the kitchen to shout into the large white telephone once again. I knew Sausage would be okay, the bathroom is actually next to the kitchen in our house, and between retches I could hear her pottering about, with what I assumed were her toys.

When I came back after a few minutes, I was confronted by the sight of my almost-three-year-old, standing in the kitchen, having put away half of my shopping! She’d put all of the cans and jars away in the right cupboards and had even attempted to put a frozen item away, albeit unsuccessfully as our freezer drawers are a bit awkward to get back in.

What a sweetheart. I almost cried with gratitude and pride, for her to show kindness and initiative like blew me away.

It gets better though. Later on in the day, I was sitting on the sofa with my laptop, attempting to catch up with some work when Sausage came and sat next to me. She pretended to take my temperature, sticking her play thermometer into my ear, making the beep herself, and saying “Hmm, 37.5″, and proceeded to feed me grapes! I realise this might be starting to sound like a post about child labour, but I’m just so proud that my daughter has such a wonderful caring nature. She’s such an amazing human being and though as parents, we probably all try to never take our kids for granted, it’s little moments like that which highlight just how lucky we are.

I’m feeling a lot better today and have promised to take Sausage shopping for a dress for a christening that we’re attending on Sunday, and I’m going to make a point of pampering my little pickle. It’s nice to have her looking after me, but I don’t want her to do it too often, the whole role reversal thing doesn’t sit too well if it becomes a regular thing. But it was very nice to have my own mini nursemaid for a day!

Now, I wonder if she’s too young to learn how to do the washing-up…?

*Just as a side note, you should have seen the look that the Sainsbury’s delivery man gave me when I answered the door with a stained t-shirt and combats on, my hair looking like somethings was nesting in it and my red-rimmed eyes hanging out of my head. Poor bloke. I probably should have brushed my teeth after vomiting. He may need some sort of compassionate leave from his job for a while after the trauma of seeing me.

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Viridian Ultimate Beauty Complex Update

By Mum's the Word on June 14, 2011 in All About ME!, Review

So, some of you might remember that I wrote a post about Viridian’s Ultimate Beauty Complex a couple of months ago? Well, I’ve finished the course of capsules and wanted to give you an update.

While I was taking the supplement, I genuinely did notice an improvement in my hair and nails. I have pretty brittle hair and nails due to having an underactive thyroid, but they both just seemed stronger and healthier after about a week or so. My hair didn’t break as easily and I definitely didn’t need to rake the broken hair out of my hairbrush out quite as often!

The real imporvement was with my skin though. I recently got diagnosed with rosacea and my G.P. has tried several different antibiotic lotions to ease the problem, all of which have actually exacerbated the redness. I can’t definitively say that it was because of the capsules, and I would always recommend seeking professional treatment for any condition, but whilst I was using the Ultimate Beauty Complex, the redness and taught feeling in my cheeks really did seem to ease.

I’m not usually one for herbal supplements, mainly as I have to be so careful with contraindications with my other medication, but this one seemed different. No big promises of super-human cell regeneration, it just did what it said on the box, which was to improve my skin, hair and nails. I’d give it a (long fingernailed) thumbs up!