Product Review - Ashton & Parsons Teething Powder

Now then as most of you are aware our poor little Roo has been teething for quite a while with not even a stump in site! We seem to find it harder for him to settle sometimes as he is constantly trying to chew on whatever is in his close radius.

That is until we discovered these bad boys! It seems to work instantly which is great for settling him down for bed, once in bed we don't hear a peep normally and long may that continue. We seem to have a mixture of Bonjela and Ashton & Parsons at the minute which is keeping him happy :)

Teething is a horrible process which as you probably all know includes LOTS of tears, red cheeks, temperatures and the best one of all - THOSE NAPPIES! I think the best way to get through teething trouble alongside powder, gel etc is to keep your child entertained. I often take Reuben out for a walk or play with him in his ball pit, it can be anything really but mainly I try to either distract him or make him laugh (which is far too easy). It certainly helps us!

There are lots of teething powders out there we have tried but it seems only Ashton & Parsons seem to ease the pain right away and keep a smile on his gorgeous little face.
 
I urge you all to say a prayer in the hope that our Reuben gets at least one tooth before Christmas please! 

And always remember #Dadsknowtoo :)

Thanks to Ashton & Parsons for letting me trial your product, it's awesome!

 Please feel free to share any #teethingtips :)

Where Have You Been?!

Well then - where do I even begin?!

This last few months have been so busy I feel like I have developed a head of greys (or one as Katherine keeps telling me) I have even grown a beard as time has been so limited.

We have recently moved into our first new place as a family so as you can imagine we have packed, moved, unpacked and tried to squeeze in all the other important bits you can't forget when you move house. I must say a HUGE 'Thank You' to my Mum & Stepdad for furnishing our place, they have been amazing and it has helped us so much!

Reuben has adapted really well to his new surroundings and we admit it was very strange having him in his own little room the first few days but it's so much nicer being able to communicate normally and watch TV when you aren't in the same room as him. Incase you didn't know, before we were at my Mum's house in my bedroom with Reuben's cot in with us.

If you remember I was supposed to start my new job on the 22nd September but things didn't go to plan on that front which is a shame but on the other hand my current company promoted me to Manager so I now look after the Technical Desk there, I am a lot happier in my new role and I have a lot more responsibility which is always a good start!

Reuben has changed so much since I last wrote to you all, he is now crawling and rapidly! I remember he was doing the downward dog (yoga move) and all of a sudden he just started going, what made it even more special is that most of our family were round and got to see him crawl for the first time! :)

The hardest thing now is we all have to watch where we put stuff and what he is doing as we have already had a few bumps to the head/face/you name it! He seems to have an obsession with EVERYTHING from the sky tv box to straps on Mummy's changing bag, bless him!

He is still eating really well and is down to 2 bottles a day now, we have tried to diversify his diet and mix it up so he has a taste for most things ranging from Mangoes to the more bland vegetables on the table. I can at least say he isn't fussy at all which is great! He is still suffering in the sick department and it is so random we have had to be referred to a paediatrician, after all of this we are hoping they can finally figure out what is causing it. We made it clear to the doctors that we weren't happy with them constantly trying to fill him with 'antibiotics' and we wanted something done. I feel bad telling you as I hate moaning about it but it is so draining having to watch what you are doing so he isn't sick or wiping it up and changing his bed and whole outfit several times a day. At least it doesn't affect Roo in the slightest, he just wants to play with his sick most of time! 

We still haven't got any teeth but the signs are all there, bless him! Most of the time the closest thing to him will end up being bitten and dribbled all over. We are hoping for at least one soon just to ease the pain for our little man :)

I have a review coming up about Ashton & Parsons teething powder so be on the lookout for that!

Reuben has also started to burble and talk to himself. We love hearing it each morning as he sounds like he is hosting a party with all his little friends in his cot, he will also say Dadda, Mumma, Nanna, Ta & Oh Dear. I must admit we say them quite a lot to him and he probably just mimics but it is so cute!

He is going to be 10 months soon (HOW!!) and we are all very much looking forward to his first christmas - YES I SAID THE C WORD! :)

We are so proud of our little man and the way he has grown so far - what is your 9 month old up to?

Reuben's Weaning Adventures!

Can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted, you all know how it is though :)

We are so close to moving to our own house but it seems to take forever going day to day week to week, hopefully we should be moved in by the end of the month and all completed!

It is only a flat but Roo will be in his own room so it is going to be so nice, me and Katherine can actually spend some quality time together, we even went on a date night last night to the cinema can you believe? Highly recommend going to see the Inbetweeners 2, although rather crude it is well written and so so funny.

So, Reuben is 7 months old and on 3 square meals a day, after a slow start to weaning he seems to eat anything that comes near him, from vegetable risotto to beef casserole. He doesn't particularly like water (not good considering how hot it has been) so we have been using Boots baby juice which he seems to take better to :) although we are chuffed that he is fully weaning he doesn't seem as keen on his bottles now and we have no idea what else to try as all he does during a feed is arch his back and try to look around. We have to lie him on the bed in a dark room and give it to him in 3 bursts so he actually takes it in. The morning bottle is NEVER a problem :) 

We went with the baby led weaning and Roo loves toast! We tried a few Biscotti and the Organix Sweetcorn Rings which have gone down well but it is always a learning curve and we love discovering what he likes to eat, blending up your food (providing it isn't full of rubbish) is a great idea too, so root veg and potatoes is a home winner here!

Reuben loves to roll over wherever you put him now or just stand up and be active which means we have to watch him all the time, nappy changes and getting dressed will never be the same again let me tell you. We have learned that each baby grows at their own pace and some parents almost seem in competition to have their little one's doing acrobatics before the other which is a shame really and puts so much pressure on their little bodies! We want our Roo to stay little for as long as possible and with some encouragement help him along the way towards his next big steps in life!

I will keep you all posted with regards to the house move and when we are looking to move in and try to make time for this more in my hectic lifestyle!

How is our Reuben 6 Months?!

WOW! 6 months old already and what a 6 months it has been. It has just flown by and our Reuben is turning into such a little boy! We can't believe we actually managed to make it this far and I'll say we have done a cracking job of it so far, he is still our little squish even if he doesn't want as many hugs anymore without trying to punch Daddy!

When people tell you to cherish the first 6 months I would listen - we have loved every minute of it so far and can't wait to see what is next for our little man! I admit it can be very stressful and emotional at times but the smile in the morning will always top that.

Weight - I have really noticed when feeding him how heavy he has got (poor boy) neither Katherine or I are particularly big people. His last weigh in was about 17lb 4oz and that was at 24 weeks old!

Routine - He normally wakes between 6-7am each day and will have a bottle straight away, after that he normally goes back down for an hour or so which is nice and gives us time to get ready! When he finally wakes AGAIN we give him some fruity porridge which he loves and seems to cry when it is finished :) normally he will sleep when Katherine does the school run for anywhere between 2-3 hours. We like to keep his dinner early then do the bath bottle bed routine and hopefully he will be asleep between 7-8 sometimes though we just want to play so it's more 8-9 :)

Bedtime - Reuben always knows when it is bedtime, although we haven't set in stone his actual bedtime yet he always sleep a good 11-13 hours a night without a peep! He makes Mummy & Daddy VERY happy with his current bedtime scenario. We have seen him wake up a few times like the below, bless him for taking his duvet with him!

Eating - We have been experimenting quite a lot with Reuben's food so far and I have heard that it takes a good 10-15 times before babies know if they like it. We have tried a few jars in the 4-6 months range with mixed results, he likes spag bol and lamb roast dinner and absolutely LOVES all fruit but it's the textures they don't seem to get along with. Soon enough I am sure he will adapt. Currently on two meals a day (Breakfast & dinner) so we will be looking to step that up soonish :) 

Teething is a nightmare for our little chap, his little cheeks are always red and he has been dribbling so much since he was 3 months old. He constantly wants to put anything in his radius in his mouth. Be careful if you go near him he seems so innocent then before you know it your fingers end up being bitten!

Reuben has set the benchmark for milestones so far

* He is slowly mastering the art of being able to sit without any assistance. He always wants to stand or be sat up so he constantly fidgets which is hilarious! 

* He takes his dummy out, throws it and somehow locates it back to his mouth. 

* The noises he makes are awesome, if I whisper to him he attempts to whisper back. We have a game called 'wah-wah' which Nanna invented where you tap your fingers on his lips and he makes an array of noises which make the 'wah-wah' noise!

* Reuben loves to hold his own food and can feed himself without choking (most of the time!)

We LOVE our little happy chappy and always get compliments on how smiley he is - apparently it is to do with us! 

I would love to hear about your 6 month old :)

The Future?

How's it going everyone? It's certainly been a bit of a rollercoaster recently here!

We are still here trying to save every penny to get a house but it definitely isn't easy when you don't earn a lot. We have already had to cancel our wedding and lose a fair amount of money on that which put us back quite a bit but slowly and surely we will get there! There are much more important things and putting a permanent roof over Reuben's head is numero uno.

I must admit I do worry about some silly things sometimes and I have good days and bad days but then coming home to my family certainly perks me up and I do realise how lucky I am. I just get frustrated with myself and feel like I have failed as a father sometimes because I admit our scenario isn't ideal as we still live with my parents and our Roo (They are amazing and a great help to be fair and we would have nothing without them!) We are just struggling to get anywhere as it seems to be one setback after another.

As a parent I guess you only want what is best for your kids. My Mum certainly gave up a lot to make sure Natalie (my sister) and I had everything we needed and it makes you realise a few things. You soon realise who is really there for you and not just for the attention of a scrummy newborn who they show some temporary feeling for! A lot has changed recently and sometimes I just want to take my family away and just stay there so no one can either bother us or let us down.

Reuben has been under the weather recently and suffered with croup which has made his breathing difficult leading to a disrupted sleep pattern. I have become a very light sleeper since he was born and also being in the same room as him leaves me on edge most of the night. The slightest noise I hear I am pretty much up and out of bed making sure he is alright (without waking him up of course!) I have had quite a few sleepless nights, not that I mind at all but when he is asleep it can become tiring rather quickly and start to seep into my working life. I admit I am not the most patient of people when I haven't slept well and I sometimes feel like I am doing a rubbish job at being a Daddy if he is sick or unwell as I blame myself!

I admit we do struggle from time to time but we do have a gorgeous smiley little boy to be thankful for and we certainly wouldn't change it for the world! I do feel EXTREMELY lucky for who I have around me and they are all amazing people!

I think it 100% helps to share your experiences and fellow bloggers have certainly given me some great advice recently. Remember having children is a life changer and sometimes you can't see beyond your own point of view so don't be afraid to talk to someone! I would love to hear from you.

5 Month Update - Roo Watch!

Hello again!

Our little boy is 5 months and I just can't believe it - it has been filled with all sorts of emotions but worth every second.

Reuben is certainly packing on the pounds and weighs just over 17lb which is really good for his age, we don't mind and love squeezing his chunky little legs!

As far as a routine goes I will be listing more information in a 6 month update which will be out around the 12th of July :)

The weaning is interesting too and it's a very delicate and difficult process but who can blame our little babies for what they do and don't like or how they react as all they know is milk! I do love seeing what Roo likes and what he doesn't bless him, it is quite entertaining making up different meals for him to try! I can't wait until he is 6 months so we can mix his diet up a bit and make it more diverse,  can anyone recommend any books at all? I know Katherine and I are also looking forward to those first adventures with finger foods although if he doesn't eat them I know I will as some look so nice!

His poor little teeth are killing him at the moment and we both feel so helpless but his Sophie teething giraffe is certainly helping along with some teething granules. Hopefully we will see a little tooth or 2 make an appearance soon :)

We can't leave him for even a minute as he has rolled over quite a few times but hasn't quite mastered the art yet, Reuben still manages to astound midwife's and health visitors as he is such a strong little boy and constantly wants to be on the move or trying to stand up! He is growing up far too fast :(

Mummy completed the Race for Life recently (GO MUMMY!) and ran it for our Grandad Christy who passed away in November last year and we miss him terribly, it still makes me sad to think that him and Reuben will never meet, we will be planning a trip to Ireland next year so we can go and visit my Nanny and see Grandad's plot in Dublin! She did fantastic and we are all so proud of her :)

Just to finish off I was 'Best Man' at my best friend's wedding (also Reuben's godfather) last Saturday and what a day it was, they are so well suited and it was such a lovely event to be a part of! We all wish them a lifetime of happiness. I managed to crack out the speech which Katherine recorded so you never know it might make it on YouTube sometime soon, if you want to see it that it! :) 

Father's Day

My first father's day was brilliant - I made it back from Brighton after a stag do in relatively good time and the girls had cooked me and Craig (one of Reuben's godfathers) STEAK!

It was a lovely relaxed day where we went for a walk and ate a good meal, Reuben was giving lots of cuddles and dribbly kisses which was nice, he is really starting to discover new things and it makes me smile constantly.

Reuben knew that Daddy loves candles especially Yankee Candles as he bought me my favourite one in a large jar. We love having candles a lot as they make the house smell so nice!

Thank you Mummy and Auntie Natalie for such a lovely day :) x

LIFE!

Firstly I must apologise as it has been a while..I have been so busy at work and the days just fly by!

I still can't believe it is June - it's a busy month coming up for us. I am best man at my best friend's (and Reuben's godfather's) wedding on the 21st so have been trying to find time to write a speech and help sort the finer issues out, I can't wait for the big day and it will be lovely to spend it with both Mikey & Charlie. We are putting Reuben in the same outfit we used for his christening which will simplify things! We also have Auntie Jade's birthday and various others.

Organising a stag do for Mikey has been nice and easy as he only wanted something small so it is just myself and both Reuben's godfathers watching Englands first game (if we make it that far?)

Reuben is providing Katherine and I with laughs and smiles everyday, he is such a happy boy and has REALLY found his voice recently - so much so that he sounds like a small kitten! He loves his sleep and still manages 10 hours a night waking up with a lovely beaming smile albeit very hungry!

The weaning is going ok and we have tried and tested a few things but for now we will stick to what he likes, such as rusks, fruit purée and porridge. We tried a few 'meals' from Cow & Gate such as sweet potato etc but the only one he seems to like is Spaghetti Bolognese. Having been very poorly recently it hasn't helped his appetite and any milk he might drink has been coming straight back up!

We went to Coral Reef in the bank holiday weekend with my nephew Brody and we put Reuben in his swim seat and it was a much nicer experience than Tadley's baby class - the pool was so warm and we had great fun. I would definitely recommend going there! :)

OF COURSE I CAN'T NOT MENTION THE WORLD CUP!

I am rather excited for this and will be sitting down with Roo to watch the earlier games as he seems to love football when it is on the TV and can't keep his eyes off it!

Hope to hear from some of you soon!

Cusson's Little Explorers!

Today I will be reviewing Cussons Mum & Me Little Explorers Range!

Now Reuben loves the bath but rarely smiles in it as he is still unsure whether washing is for him :)

I was sent a 'Mega Mild Bubbly Bath' and the 'Happy Splashy Hair & Body Wash' pictured below - both extra mild for babies sensitive skin which is always a good look!

They both smell AMAZING might I add and with the bubbly bath you hardly need to add any for quite a few bubbles (which I found out!) We still use a bath sponge for Reuben as he is very long but not at all that wide and also stops him from bumping his head when he gets a little hyper :)

The hair and body wash lathers easily on the sponge and is nice and simple to wash off, I for one am especially thankful for this when washing his hair as cleaning a baby who is constantly on the move needs to be a quick job. There was one point when Reuben knocked the jug and got some water/hair wash in his eye but he seemed fine so it doesn't appear to irritate their eyes either.

Upon using this it has now become our chosen bath time range so THANK YOU Cussons for the opportunity to test your product and we are now looking forward to bath time :)

I always enjoy trying new products with Reuben so please feel free to send anything you want tested :)

Thanks!

Reuben's Christening!

I can't believe how quickly this day came around and I remember booking it back in February!

We had already sorted godparents and the food (the night before) so off we went to St Bede's Church in Basingstoke :)

It was a very busy event with 5 other children being baptised into the catholic world, we had a very good turnout for our little man and it was such a lovely day, the sun was out and everyone had a good time!

The service was lovely and Father Rutledge is such a warming man, we were quite nervous as we do go to church on Sundays but this is something you want to make sure everything is in place and nothing goes wrong! It was nicely organised as each family had 3 benches to seat guests and it is usually parents and godparents who are seated on the front bench. Each family took their turn which was nice as it was a personal touch and Grandad got some nice shots of it. 

We ordered some sandwich platters from Greggs and got some snacky bits for the after party - as soon as we got back to my sisters little man had passed out it must have been all too much for him :)

I would like to thank everyone so much for attending and to the godparents especially as you are all awesome!

All Sorts of Sound

Hello again!

Reuben seems to be growing at a rapid rate and changing daily, he is still sleeping through the night which is awesome and he averages about 10 hours!

Recently we have stepped up the weaning process as Roo wasn't fussed with his milk at all and he gets so excited when you present food to him :) it is a long process with all the timings and what to give for certain mealtimes. He is very well behaved when we put him in the pushchair (mainly because he probably knows its food time) we both love feeding him and seeing the look on his face change, he will certainly let you know if it doesn't take his fancy!

We have been catching up with lots of friends recently which is nice and got Roo christened on Sunday 4th May which was lovely..more to follow!

Noticeably of late Roo has started to coo and make all sorts of noise which is so cute and we just end up holding him close and snuggling in with him, when he wakes in the morning we feed him and just bring him into bed with us - he seems to love it!

His poor little teeth are bothering him at the minute, he is certainly in a lot of pain and very uncomfortable as he seems to have tantrums and only stops when you pick him up so it is a comfort to him, teething powders and teething gels seem to be the only answer. We are hoping he cuts a tooth soon as it really bothers him and even poor old Sophie can't help him!

My Mum went over to Ireland to see my Nanny recently and we managed to squeeze in a Facetime session with her, she has only seen pictures of Reuben so it was nice for her to see him on a video, we are hoping she is well enough to travel soon!

Strollers!

Been looking at this for quite some time and Katherine really likes the look of the Maclaren Techno XT.

There are so many out there but none I have decided on yet, how did you find the perfect stroller?

Ideally I would like one that is able to recline a bit so Reuben is comfortable and also with a foot/leg rest as he is quite a long chap!

I look forward to your responses :)

Our Visit to Marwell Zoo!

We have had a few days out, the usual trips to town, seeing friends but nothing beats a family day out!

Poor Nanna was away so the rest of us took a trip with Natalie & Brody to Marwell Zoo for the day and what a day it was! The weather was lovely so after a quick breakfast and a slight lie in (thanks Roo!) we headed down the M3 towards Winchester.

We got to the car park at just before 10am (which is the opening time) to see the queue was quickly increasing so we took our place in line and queued for a ticket. I can't remember the last time I went to Marwell so I was quite excited to see the snow leopards and some monkeys!

Marwell is a very well laid out Zoo and has something for everyone, on this day they had a 'Dino Egg Hunt' where the kids would go round looking for rare dinosaur eggs to spell out a word on a sheet they were given - upon completing this sheet they got to meet the easter bunny and were given a Creme Egg! As you can imagine Reuben was a bit young for one so Daddy took the reins with this one :) :)

My only criticism is that the indoor eating area is a bit small with hardly any tables and chairs and when the sun went in it was a bit nippy but it's only a minor criticism if that at all!

I would certainly recommend going to Marwell especially to see how fast you can run compared to certain animals and even a human at 27mph!

Dribbling, Red Cheeks & Tears

It might seem premature but Reuben has the starter symptoms of teething, we have noticed how he seems to want to place everything in his mouth and is starting to dribble a lot!

His poor little cheeks have come up all red and the doctor confirmed his gums are rock solid and to expect some teeth to pop up some time in the future, I am led to believe there is no real timescale on the first one appearing but hopefully sooner rather than later as even thinking about what babies have to endure when teething is enough to make some of us cringe.

We have started giving him some teething gel which is a great help but failing that Calpol is good for keeping his temperature down.

Reuben is such a character and even when he is clearly in pain or upset still manages to crack a smile which makes our hearts melt :)

Any tips for us on the teething front that have worked for you?!

Food Food Food!

Hello again!

Since we last spoke our little chunk has been very hungry...all the time!

We have tried everything from upping his milk but he just seemed so disinterested in it so we thought we would try some baby rice! I know this is probably frowned upon as he isn't 4/5/6 months yet but we are his parents and we know our boy best although as first time parents decisions like these are hard to make.

The good news is that he seems to really enjoy his food although I was rather sceptical at the start, having a mixture is very good for Reuben, you'll be please to know he is now in full flow weaning and such a happy little boy, which makes for happy parents :)

He enjoys having porridge for breakfast with a rusk later in the evening and still seems keen on his milk for the time being, it's a lot to take in I must admit and I haven't had a clue what to do or where to start but luckily Katherine's experience with babies has paid dividends.

How is your little one's feeding habits, are they on food yet? I would love to hear from you :)