TODDLER (GIRL) ROOM WISHLIST

Elise is 20 months old now, which means that we are starting to think about changing her nursery into a toddler room. At the moment she is still in her space saver cot, as she is in the smallest room of the house. We are hoping to change this to a toddler bed by her second birthday in November, and we are also going to change some of the furniture around. Today I'm going to share a little Toddler Room Wishlist with you all.

Elise will be staying in her little room for a little while longer, so we won't be redecorating the room. It is a light green colour at the moment, so we have to make sure that anything new we add to the room goes with this colour scheme. We've also sorted out all the artwork for her room, and we are happy with this. We're mostly going to be changing the furniture so that we can fit a toddler bed in, which is slightly bigger than the cot she has in there at the moment. Most of the furniture in Elise's room is currently from Ikea, so we are hoping to branch out a little bit and add some new brands into the mix.

ORCHARD TOYS FARMYARD HEADS & TAILS REVIEW

We are constantly looking for new toys that will help Elise learn new skills and keep her entertained. When we came across the huge range of toys and jigsaws that Orchard Toys have to offer, we knew that we had hit the jackpot. Elise gets bored of lots of her toys as they are not challenging, and she loves to learn. That's why the Farmyard Heads & Tails game is perfect for her. Aimed at children 18 months and above, and suitable for 1-4 players, it can involved the whole family. It's even tested by teachers, so you know straight away that the game has some educational value.

10 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR A FAMILY CYCLING STAYCATION WITH HALFORDS

When we think about camping trips with young children, our minds are instantly filled with dread. How are you going to entertain the children whilst setting up the tent? How will you provide entertainment throughout the trip without breaking the bank? Halfords have got you covered with their Camping guide, which is full of tips for camping, and even cycling staycations. Whether you want to try glamping, or you are more used to roughing it, the guide is full of places to visit, and tips for helping you survive the trip with the whole family. I've teamed up with Halfords to give you some top tips on how to prepare your family for a cycling staycation, and some great Cycling Bargains.

1. CHECK THAT THERE ARE SOME GREAT BIKE TRAILS NEARBY

There's nothing worse than getting to your camping destination and finding that it is just a field full of sheep poo in the middle of nowhere. This isn't too bad if you plan to drive everywhere, but not the best if you are planning to cycle as a family. It is not a great idea to take young children on dangerous country roads to cycle, so it is always best to find dedicated cycling routes, or national parks that you can all enjoy together. This doesn't have to make cycling boring, as there are a huge range of different trails in national parks that you can enjoy together. Halfords have a few recommendations on their website, including sites both in the South, North and Wales.

DON'T CALL MY DAUGHTER FAT

In a society that is completely obsessed with body image and weight, it is inevitable that at some point in your life your weight has been a topic of conversation. Whether you are "skinny" or "fat", it seems acceptable for it to be discussed, either privately by other people, or to your face directly. But is this really okay? Even if there are more "obese" people than ever, is it really okay to announce to someone that they have "put on a bit of weight" or "need to lay off the cakes". Is it acceptable to tell someone they "need to eat more" or "need to eat some cakes"? Is it acceptable to use the term "skinny", "fat" or even "chunky" when talking about a baby, toddler, or child? I don't think so. In fact I think it is disgusting to judge an innocent child. Especially for something like their weight.

So below is a photo of my 19 month old daughter (17 and a half if you go by her corrected age). Elise was called "chunky" by a member of the public the other day. When I questioned what she meant, she followed up with "she's a little bit fat". Now personally when I look at my daughter, I don't see her as fat. She has always been petite, and is actually small for her age (wearing 9-12 and 12-18 month clothes right now). In fact I've had a number of people tell me she is tiny, or think she is a lot younger than she is. So how can she by tiny, yet fat at the same time? This isn't the first time someone has commented on her weight, in fact I've had it plenty of times. She was even called chunky as a baby, and although some people may think it is cute to call your own child "chubby" or say "look at those baby rolls", should it be acceptable for someone else to say it to you, or to your child? Is it okay for a complete stranger to say?

LANSINOH'S HPA® LANOLIN : NEW HAND-BAG FRIENDLY SIZE

When it comes to breastfeeding, cracked and sore nipples are a very common complaint. In fact even if you don't end up breastfeeding your baby, your nipples can still become sore and may need a little bit of soothing protection. That's where Lansinoh steps in. Lansinoh's HPA® Lanolin is well known for it's ability to sooth sore nipples and cracked skin, and the fact that it doesn't have to be removed before breastfeeding. This makes it nice and convenient and you know that it is safe for your baby whilst breastfeeding. What you may not know, is that HPA® Lanolin is also becoming known for being an amazing lip balm and treatment for chapped lips.

With so many products around that promise to soothe your cracked lips, it is easy to spend a fortune trying out different products. As a new mum, you don't have too much money to spare as newborns are known to be quite expensive! Thats why Lansinoh have created a brand new hand-bag friendly size of their HPA® Lanolin. The new size makes it easy to throw it in my changing bag, so it is always there and ready to help soothe those sore nipples...and those sore lips.

PERSONALISED TINY TATTY TEDDY LEARNING ADVENTURE BOOK REVIEW

Elise loves reading, and we spend a fair amount of time in the local library picking out books to read together. She loves board books, and any books to do with animals. At the moment, we have been working on learning numbers, colours and different animals, so when we were given the chance to review this personalised Tatty Teddy book we jumped at the chance.

FEATURES OF THE TINY TATTY TEDDY LEARNING ADVENTURE BOOK

The great thing about this book is that it can be fully personalised for your child. You are able to have a message printed in the front of the book, and your child's name is used on every page. Their name is not only written into the questions at the bottom of the page, but their name is written within the picture of every page. Elise is learning to recognise her name at the moment, so she was able to look on each page and point out where her name was written.