Parenting
A collection of all my posts relating to parenting and family life
Stokke Tripp Trapp, A Chair for Life Part 2
314 years ago
Way back in March when Oscar was only around 6 weeks old, I reviewed the Stokke Newborn Set and there are some products that are so good they deserve a follow up review post, and this is how I feel about the Stokke Tripp Trapp and Newborn Set!
Since the day we received the Newborn Set it has been used every single day from when Oscar arrived home from hospital weighing just under 6lb to when he was a strapping 6 month old baby weighing around 20lb! Mealtimes for us are family times when we all sit around the table, chat about our days and eat together. This didn’t change when Zara arrived on the scene and when Oscar arrived, the Newborn Set made mealtimes a thousand times easier. Oscar has loved sitting with us during mealtimes and having him sat near us when cooking, etc has been a real boost. Zara has also loved having her little brother nearby although we have had to watch out for the occasional carrot or spoonful of yoghurt being thrown at him 
Taken when Oscar was 3 weeks old, 3 weeks before his due date
My main concern when I originally saw the Newborn Set all those months ago was the size. I remember looking it and thinking it would never last him until we were ready for weaning but it has proved me wrong. Although premature, Oscar didn’t stay a tiny baby for long and soon outgrew most other babies his age but the Newborn Set has coped with his growth spurts and we have only now retired it as he has reached 6 months and is ready for weaning.
Oscar approx 3 months old, having a snooze
Oscar approx 6 months
Stokke very kindly sent us a Baby Set for Oscar to move up into as we have started weaning and Oscar absolutely loved his new seat 
Oscar in the Baby Set
Although it did cause a bit of trouble in the household as Zara then proclaimed this to be “Zara’s chair”…sigh.. however the ever so lovely people at Stokke saved the day once more by sending Zara her very own Tripp Trapp so now the tiny terrors have a Tripp Trapp of their own and peace has been restored in the Brown household once more
Double Tripp Trapp
Mealtimes are now even more of a family affair with Oscar joining us all in eating, the Tripp Trapps enable Zara and Oscar to sit together and the bond between them is beautiful to watch…
Having a pre breakfast conversation
A family that eats together, stays together..
Zara at 22 months sits on the Tripp Trapp with no harness or baby set, she is capable of climbing on and off it by herself and will sit nicely at mealtimes although we do make sure someone is nearby at all times just in case. Oscar sits in the baby set and can easily reach the table and his food from it. Another huge bonus with the Tripp Trapps is that they are SO SO easy to clean compared to other highchairs with all their nooks and crannys to trap food in. With the Tripp Trapps I just wipe them down at the end of a meal, brush the floor and it’s all done And yes for those of you who’ve noticed that our table doesn’t match the Tripp Trapps, that is because we hate the table and it will be replaced shortly with one that matches our floor and the Tripp Trapps Of course you can get the Tripp Trapp in pretty much any colour you like so for those of you who are more adventurous you will be spoilt for choice!
Mealtime
We absolutely love our Tripp Trapp chairs and they really will last us for years and not be relegated to the scrap heap like our old plastic highchair has been. They are practical and elegant and something I’m proud to have in my kitchen
PS. Apologies for the photos and there being stuff everywhere but in a household like ours the kitchen is rarely looking like a show home lol but that’s just how we like it
Supernanny App Review
014 years ago
I was recently asked if I would like a copy of the Supernanny Iphone App to review. I absolutely love watching Supernanny on TV and as I’m a bit of an App addict I of course said I’d love to. The app is only £1.99 which is a great price for what you get.
The first thing you do when you download the app is to complete profiles for you children. This then enables you to set up reward charts for them.
Zara and Oscars profiles
Once you have set up profiles you can then set up reward charts for each child based on what works for each child, the app is great as you can take photos of what each reward is so that your child can see what they will get.
You can tailor the rewards to each individual child
You can then create your list of rules which each child needs to stick to, there are a list of rules already included but you can again tailor these to suit your child.
You can edit the rules to suit your child
You can then set up a reward chart using various themes such as Space, Under Water, Fairies and Cats and Haunted Castle. Once this is done you are then ready to go.
Under Water Reward Chart
The app is really simple to use, you just add or remove reward stars depending on your child’s behaviour and if they are misbehaving there is a time out feature which counts down the time out for you. For those who aren’t familar with Supernanny, time out and the naughty spot is a common feature in the routine which teaches about consequences of misbehaviour. Now I know that if I needed to do a time out I would never have a handy stop clock with me but the app can do this for you.
The length of timeout is based on 1 minute for each year of your childs age
Aside from the rewards, rules and timeout features of the app, there are also some other features which include a guidance section which tells you how to deal with different sections and includes videos explaining how to go about implementing each of Supernanny’s techniques.
The advice section
There is also a games section on the app which has a slide puzzle game and a spot the difference puzzle on it which is always handy when you are out and about and need to keep the kids occupied for 5 minutes.
Slide puzzle game
Spot the Difference game
and of course there is a shop section of the app where you can buy the latest Supernanny products
Supernanny shop
Now admittedly Zara is still a little young to understand the rewards technique and naughty step at the moment but it is something I intend to start with her when she is a little older so I think this app will be great. Lets face it I’ve about a dozen books on the shelf but I never have time to sit down and read them so having advice to hand on my phone is a fantastic idea and at only £1.99 for the app I think it’s a bargain.
I don’t like babies!
1414 years ago
Wow, it actually feels quite liberating to write that down! I don’t like babies, I don’t like babies, I don’t like babies! Now some have you have probably got looks on your faces similar to the look you would have if I’d just admitted I eat baby kittens (I don’t by the way!) I mean, why on earth would somebody who has 2 very young children say such an awful thing right?
Don’t get me wrong here, I love Zara and Oscar completely and I wouldn’t change my situation at all. Everyday I am thankful that I have two beautiful, healthy children. We wanted two children close together in age and we consider ourselves extremely lucky that we got exactly what we wished for
By now some of you are probably thinking “definite PND” right now but you are wrong, I’m not depressed at all, tired yes and incredibly bored yes but not depressed. I’m completely of sane mind, I’m just saying I don’t enjoy the baby stage at all.
I’m sure most people love the helpless little cute baby stage and really won’t understand me here but I didn’t have babies to HAVE babies, I had them to have children! A bit like when buying a house, a mortgage is something that comes with it even though you don’t really enjoy it. Luckily with babies the baby stage only lasts a year and not 25 though
Babies to me are too needy, they cry a lot, they never sleep, they don’t give you much back and let’s face it they are pretty boring! It’s probably why I don’t go to baby groups or hang around with other mums with babies, I’m just not interested in what their little darlings have done, I don’t want to cuddle their babies. I have enough looking after my own thank you very much!
Of course I always do the fawning over new baby thing etc because that’s what’s expected right? I can’t really say no thanks when someone shoves their newborn baby in my arms, I can’t really tell them that their darling child is actually a bit freaky looking can I? And before anyone says anything Oscar has sticky out ears, his heads a funny shape and his hair grows into a Mohican (but he is mine so I can say that at least )
I feel guilty for wishing away the first year of Oscar’s life but I can’t help feeling that way. With Zara the first year had a certain novelty value to it but now I know just how much fun it becomes when they are a little older, I just want to press the fast forward button and be there now!
I have loved the last six months with Zara, now this age I really, really love. I could spend all day playing with Zara, she is so much fun and learning so much. Her communication skills are amazing and it is so nice to be able to have a conversation with her. I can’t wait until Oscar is a little older and can give something back in the same way.
Do I feel guilty that I’d much rather spend my time with Zara at the moment than with Oscar? Of course I do! I know Oscar will never remember this period in his life though and I felt the same about Zara too at this age. It doesn’t alter the fact that we have a wonderful bond and that she has turned into a beautiful, intelligent little girl though I’m sure once Oscar gets a little older the same will happen with him and the fun part of being a family of four will really start
So there we have it I don’t like babies! I’m not depressed, not a freak, not unkind, not a bad mother, not cold, not heartless…I just don’t LIKE babies!
PS Photos in this post were taken by my lovely sister Sonia Thorpe Photography
Maclaren Twin Techno Review
214 years ago
Having a baby and toddler means a double pushchair of some kind is essential. Especially when there is only a 14 month age gap! When I asked Maclaren if we could test out their Maclaren Twin Techno, I was delighted when they said yes and I couldn’t wait to get out and take it for a test drive
We already have the Phil&Teds Explorer which I have really loved up until recently but since Oscar has become too big to lie down in it, I have had a few issues 
He will happily sit in the double kit on the back but I always feel sad for him as he can’t see where we are going. It also means that when he falls asleep I can’t recline the seat and so he looks uncomfortable sleeping sitting up. My other main issue is that with the double kit on the back, there is no longer any room in the shopping basket and with a toddler and a baby you NEED somewhere to put everything.
I had opted for an inline double initially as I was worried about being able being able to get out and about with a tandem and we wanted pneumatic wheels for when we go out walking.
So did the Maclaren Twin Techno change my opinion of tandems and could it solve the issues I have with the Explorer? Well here is what we thought!
Size
When the Maclaren Twin Techno arrived, I admit to feeling rather nervous when I saw the size of the box, it was HUGE! However after unpacking it became apparent that the pushchair is anything but.
It was nice that the pushchair arrived pretty much fully assembled, all we needed to do was unfold it and attach the hood – simple!
The actual size of the pushchair when folded is great, it takes up far less boot space than the Explorer does and leaves me plenty of room for shopping etc. I admit we are lucky enough to have a big boot in the 4×4 but if I notice a difference then so should everyone.
Unfolded the pushchair actually seems much smaller than expected! I was expecting it to be much wider than it is but it is actually only 76cm wide compared to the Explorer being 62cm. We’ve taken it out quite a bit over the last couple of weeks and have rarely had trouble fitting through doors. Admittedly we can’t fit it down all the aisles in our local co-op and it is a squeeze through our front door and I’m sure there will be some shops around Durham we will encounter problems with but I have been impressed with how little trouble we’ve had so far!
I love showing off my beautiful babies side by side, and Zara and Oscar love sitting along side each other too
Unfolding
Now this is the first umbrella fold pushchair I’ve ever used and so it did take me a while to figure it out. The mechanics are easy enough, unclip storage locks, unfold and then push down the red thingys (not a technical term!) at the back. I still find it tricky pushing down the red things to be honest but it’s getting easier, it may be due to the fact that a) it’s new and a little stiff and b) I haven’t got the knack of it yet I love the fact that it’s all in one piece though and I don’t have to faff around attaching double kits etc.
Folding
Now this is really simple and I can manage it fine. Simply put on lock, kick up the red things, press a black lever and fold forwards until storage locks click in place. Please note when folding forwards however that the storage locks are on the outside as I usually have to unfold again to release them as I always forget to check
Shopping Basket
There is plenty of room in the shopping baskets under both seats and it is easy to fit everything we need for 2 under them. The access to them can be a little restricted when the seats are fully reclined but to be honest you get this with most pushchairs anyway
There are also 2 handy pockets on the back of the hoods which are great for putting in snacks, muslins etc which you frequently need
Accessories
The Twin Techno also came with head huggers and cosy toes, bottle holders and a raincover. I really like it when everything comes with the pushchair and you don’t have to go out and buy them separately!
Handle Height
Now this is something I always mention in pushchair reviews as it is important to us. My husband is 6’3″ and I am 5’10″ and we really dislike having to stoop over to push a pushchair. The handles on the Twin Techno are fixed which to us usually means low. Again I was surprised here as the handles are a very comfortable height for us and with them being angled inwards it doesn’t feel like I’m pushing a double.
The handle height is great for Daddy even at 6ft3
Comfort
Now the seats on the Twin Techno aren’t the widest you will find and I was concerned that Zara (aged 21 months) might find herself a bit cramped in them. The first time out in it she fell asleep though lol which she rarely does so she must have found it comfy
I also love that you can recline the seats independently so that when Oscar falls asleep I can just recline his seat and let him sleep comfortably.
Well they obviously both found it comfy!
Smoothness of Ride
The Twin Techno doesn’t have pneumatic wheels and I was concerned that it would make the pushchair a bit like a bone shaker but to be honest it fared really well, even over the unsurfaced gravel tracks we regularly walk. Admittedly pushing it up a gravelly bumpy hill for 1km was hard work so I handed over the steering wheel to Daddy lol.
It can’t have been that uncomfortable for the passengers as by the time we got to the top of the bumpy hill they were like this
Sleeping babies, a rare sight indeed!
OK so the ride in the Twin Techno will never be as smooth off-road as the Phil&Teds with it’s pneumatic tyres but on the plus side we are also never going to find ourselves with a flat tyre either and as long as the passengers are happy then so am I!
Value For Money
At approximately £220 we think the Twin Techno is fantastic value for money. It can be used straight from birth, is really functional and basically a fab product! OK so you can’t attach car seats to it and it isn’t parent facing but for what it is, it’s excellent!
Bearing in mind we paid about £500+ for our Phil&Teds with double kit, soft carry cot, car seat adapter and even had to pay extra for a rain cover!
I asked my husband what he thought value wise and he agreed, for what it does it beats the P&T hands down when it comes to value for money
Overall Opinion
We absolutely LOVE the Twin Techno and the Brown family wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to anyone with twins or a baby and toddler. Big thumbs up from us!
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The Britax B-Agile – Our first impressions!
114 years ago
If you haven’t already heard, I’m now a Britax Mumbassador and our first mission is to test out their brand new pushchair the B-Agile
Well I’m delighted to say on Friday our B-Agile arrived and I’ve had a few days to play with it now so I thought I’d share a few of my first impressions
1) Size of Box, when the box arrived, I admit I was a little surprised at how small the box was. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting but something a bit larger. My first thought on seeing the box was that the pushchair must be in about 100 pieces as there is no way it could fit in the box like that. The size of the B-Agile is quite mind boggling though which I will explain shortly
2) Assembly, well it took me a while to actually find the instructions on how to assemble the B-Agile (in fact for about 10 minutes I thought they hadn’t been included) so I started to put it together without reading them. To be honest this was hardly rocket science, insert 4 wheels, unfold and attach hood. It must have taken me all of 6 minutes (5 minutes in, the instructions fell out of the pushchair whilst I was trying to unfold it so this gave me a little clue )
Easily assembled and ready for action!
3) Unfolding the B-Agile, again this is hardly rocket science either, unclip the storage lock and it pretty much unfolds itself, you just sort of unfold it and everything clicks into place in about 30 seconds. So simple even my husband can do it (and trust me, with 5 other pushchairs he struggles to unfold that is a real plus!)
4) Folding the B-Agile, this is also surprisingly simple. You just push in a button and lift the handle which is built into the seat and it just folds itself up, then make sure the storage lock has clicked into place and voila. I was most impressed at just how easy to fold and unfold the B-Agile is!
5) Size of Puschair, considering how light and compact the B-Agile feels, the seat is surprisingly roomy. It’s a bit like an armchair. The seat is really deep and both Oscar and Zara seemed very comfortable in it. When it comes to actually pushing it, it feels light and easily manoeuvrable.
Oscar found it very comfy
and so did Zara (she claimed the first proper test ride!)
6) Handle Height, now this is something I always note about pushchairs as I’m 5’10″ and my husband is 6’3″ so we tend to have issues with low handle heights on many pushchairs. The height of the handle on the B-Agile is a bit on the low side for my personal preference and it is a shame that it does not adjust at all but I’m guessing most people will find it an ideal height as they must choose that height for a reason
7) The Hood, this is pretty impressive, it clips on securely and seems nice and sturdy. The hood has a rather nifty zip panel to extend it out even more with a mesh panel in the middle. Zara quite liked the sunroof aspect of it. There is also a peek window so you can check on baby. The back of the hood can extend all the way down when the pushchair is reclined flat so that when lying flat baby is still shaded from the sun. There is also a handy little pocket on it, ideal for storing a purse or muslin cloth.
the mesh fold out panel in the hood
8 ) Shopping Basket, this isn’t the roomiest of shopping baskets but it’s not a bad size, when the pushchair is reclined flat it is a little difficult to get things in and out of it though.
9) Recline, you recline the pushchair through a toggle system at the back of the seat which is pretty simple and it reclines fully back which is handy when Oscar is asleep as you can adjust the seat smoothly and not disturb him. I haven’t quite mastered how to do it with one hand yet but I’m sure I’ll figure out a way.
10) Smoothness of Ride, so far we’ve taken the B-Agile around our test walk, this is basically a gravel track which is only really suited to pneumatic wheels and I have to admit it fared ok, it wasn’t the easiest to push up the hill compared to the Quinny or the Phil&Teds but let’s face it those pushchairs are designed for more off road use. However when on the pavements and around town the B-Agile is much smoother and easier to handle than either of the Quinny or P&T. I’m pretty impressed with how well it coped to be honest as some pushchairs I’ve tested, I’ve almost had to carry up the track
I think I’ll leave it at that for now, overall first impressions are good and so far the B-Agile gets a thumbs up from the Brown household
The Alnwick Garden
314 years ago
We visited The Alnwick Garden back in July 2010 when Zara was around 8 months old. It is about an hours drive north of Durham and we combined it with a visit to Alnwick town.
The Alnwick Garden costs £11 per adult to enter which is pretty expensive but only 1p for children. As it’s not the cheapest visitor attraction in the area it isn’t one we will be visiting frequently but it is definitely worth at least one visit.
There are plenty of things to keep the children entertained at Alnwick Garden. I’m not particularly a gardening fan so the rose gardens and ornamental gardens; whilst looking very pretty, weren’t our main reason for visiting. We wanted to see the fun things like:
The Grand Cascade (that's Daddy and Zara stood in the middle!)
The Grand Cascade is apparently the largest display of it’s kind in the country and there are beautiful and crazy water displays every half an hour. This will provide hours of entertainment for children (and adults) dodging the water spouts. Note to self: Must remember to pack change of clothes for children!
At the bottom of the Grand Cascade are mini tractors which children can ride and collect water in. These looked like great fun but Zara was a little too young to use them on our last visit.
Checking out the whirlpools at the bottom of the Grand Cascade
We also loved the Bamboo Labyrinth , although it is a bit disorientating with all it’s twists and turns. Being a little claustrophic I tried not to panic when I got a little lost. Again, once Zara is a little older and able to run around this herself (and indeed Oscar) I can just imagine the fun we will have trying to locate our children in it.
The Serpent Garden is definitely my favourite part of the Alnwick Garden, this is basically full of metal water sculptures which show how water can move. It is absolutely fascinating and Zara absolutely loved this area. I’m sure she will love it even more now that she is a little older and I can’t wait to take her back to see it again.
Exploring the Serpent Garden
Unfortunately just as were exploring the Serpent Garden we got caught in a torrential downpour (well this is the North East after all!) and had to make a mad dash to The Pavillion Cafe to see shelter from the rain. Of course every other visitor to the gardens also made the same decision and so whilst we were lucky to get a seat, it was a long queue for some food. This was however tasty when it arrived.
After the lunch the rain had cleared up long enough for us to take a quick walk up the banks and back down through the cherry orchard. Unfortunately the blossom and the tulips weren’t out during our visit but I’ve heard that during the spring they look amazing. We decided to skip a visit to the poison garden as there was a bit of a queue for the tours and Zara was starting to get a little tired by then so it was best to keep moving
We went down to check out the Treehouse and the wobbly rope bridges. I was impressed that even with a Quinny Zapp we were able to go on these, a most odd experience pushing a pushchair around the treetops
A pushchair in the trees!
Whilst amongst the trees we checked out the Treehouse Restaurant which looked absolutely beautiful inside and we decided that at some point in the future we will return without the children for a nice romantic meal out
Overall we had a lovely, if rather wet visit to the Alnwick Garden, which was a shame as we would have liked to have spent more time exploring the gardens but I’m sure once Oscar is toddling we will be taking both the children back to see it again
Zara is...
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