Penny's 5 month update

Hello, well Penny is almost 6 months now and this is her first update  Sorry about that.  Its so nice to go back and read Reuben's that I'm going to try and do this more regularly.  

Penny is a beautiful, happy baby and she brings me so much joy.  She is very different from her big brother.  She loves breast feeding, cuddling, holding hands. I cuddle her or feed her to sleep which Reuben was never interested in however, she isn't as active and hasn't rolled over yet.  

Weight: 14lb 2oz (last weighed 18 June). Penny is just above 25th centile.  

Height: 67cm (approx not offical measurement)

Clothes: generally 3-6 months, but 6-9 month vests and a couple of tops and trousers.

Feeding: Breast feeding on demand during the day and one feed in the night.  I give her one formula bottle at 5pm, so i know she will take a bottle if we need her to and in the hope that it might make her sleep longer!  I started Penny on first taste purees a week or so ago.  She is doing really well and has eaten everything i've given her so far (which has been apple, pear, banana, mango, baby rice, baby porridge, pea, carrot, parsnip and sweet potato).

Development: Penny likes to do the back arch shuffle.  She can move half way across the room like this. So far she hasn't mastered any kind of rolling yet. She likes to wave her arms when she is excited and giggles if you tickle her. She can reach for and interact with her toys.  She got her first two bottom teeth together at 22 weeks and 3 days.

Activities: I meet up with friends and go to coffee mornings/walks the days that Reuben is in pre school.  I run the toddler group on a Tuesday and Penny enjoys that as she gets lots of attention from other children.  

Here is Penny and Reuben at a similar age.

Favourite things: Sofie the giraffe, dummy and sleepytot, activity gym, Lamaze doll emily, sleepyhead pillow, mamaroo
.

Poo: Averaging 1 to 2 a day.  

Nicknames: Penny Sue, Penny Poo, Pen Pen, Bullseye, Pens

Routine:
6.30am get up
7.30am breastfeed then activity gym/get dressed
8am - fruit puree, baby porridge
8.30am sleep on the way to pre school or in the mamaroo (30 mins)
10.30 breast feed
11.30 nap (30 mins) 
12.30 breast feed
2.00pm nap (30 mins)
3.30 breast feed
4.00pm - nap
5.30pm 6oz formula bottle and vegetable puree 
6.40 - bath 
7.00pm breast feed
7.30pm - sleep in co sleeper (chicco next2me and sleepyhead pillow) - story
7pm - Euan sheep on, night lights on and sleep!
3.30am - breast feed

Purchases: bowls & spoons for weaning

Places we've been: Penny had her first visit to Brixham and i tried to recreate the picture below (although with second child i'm not looking so glam!)

Roo and Mummy in Brixham

Penny and Mummy in Brixham July 15

Other milestones: Two teeth

See you at 6 months!

17 week pregnancy update

Today I am 17 weeks and 4 days pregnant with my second child.  Above is my belly this week, its getting bigger every week. I'm formally only wearing maternity clothes now.  Here is what has been going on this week.

How many weeks? 17
What's going on with baby?: Its about 13cm by now, the size of an onion.  The baby can swallow, suck and blink.
Appointments: I had my 16 week appointment last Tuesday.  It all went well, we got to listen to the baby's heartbeat which was 158bpm.  I had blood taken which is being analysed to find out the baby's blood group as I am rhesus negative.  If the baby is also Rhesus negative then i won't need to have anti-D at 28 weeks.  My blood pressure was 118/68.
Symptoms: Still getting dizzy spells, feels like i may get them throughout this pregnancy.  I have been extra hungry again and tiredness has been creeping in too.
Weight: 132.8lbs
Gain/Loss this week: +1.0 lbs
Total gain: 10.8 lbs
Belly:  36 inches
Sleep: Same as last week really but I've been going to bed a bit later the past few nights so haven't needed a wee in the night!
Movement:  Lots of movement every day now.
Cravings: Nothing specific.
Purchases:  Gina Ford, contented baby and toddler book.
What I'm wearing:  Next maternity jeans and new look t-shirt.
Male or Female?: We don't know the baby's gender yet.
Looking forward to: Seeing my mom this weekend and getting my oven cleaned!

Here is my 17 week pregnancy vlog

See you at 18 weeks
Love Suzanne xxx

16 week pregnancy update

Today I am 16 weeks and 3 days pregnant with my second child.  Above is my belly, this week I feel more fat than pregnant.  Probably has something to do with all the pizza and cake I have been eating!  Here is what has been going on this week.

How many weeks? 16
What's going on with baby?: Its about 12cm by now, the size of an avocado.  In the next couple of weeks the baby's weight doubles (I hope mine doesn't!).  It has grown finger and toe nails.
Appointments: 16 week appointment this coming week.
Symptoms: I've had a few dizzy spells this week again.  I've got my 16 week appointment with my midwife tomorrow so I'm going to ask about it.  I have also been getting a numbness in my toe which isn't bad but a little bit annoying.
Weight: 131.8lbs
Gain/Loss this week: +1.8 lbs
Total gain: 9.8 lbs
Belly:  36 inches
Sleep: I've been waking up around 5am needing the toilet but I've been holding it in as i don't want to wake my son up as he can stir about this time.  This means i effectively don't get back to sleep but at least i am resting.  Roo has been getting up about 6am this past week.
Movement:  More flutterings and definite movement feelings.  Baby is doing a little dance at the moment whilst i am writing this!  It so reassuring.
Cravings: Nothing specific.
Purchases:  None this week.  See i told you i don't buy things every week :-)
What I'm wearing:  New Look reversible jeans i bought last week and a grey t-shirt from Tesco.
Male or Female?: We don't know the baby's gender yet.
Looking forward to: My 16 week appointment with my midwife.

Here is my 16 week pregnancy vlog

See you at 17 weeks
Love Suzanne xxx

15 week pregnancy update - Baby #2

Today I am 15 weeks and 4 days pregnant with my second child.  Above is my belly, it definitely feels like it is growing but I still think i don't look that pregnant!  Here is what has been going on this week.

How many weeks? 15
Weight: 129lbs
Gain/Loss this week: -0.4 lbs
Total gain: 7 lbs
Belly: not measured this week
Symptoms: My hunger has subsided but I'm still eating lots, out of habit and because i enjoy it.  I'm trying to have more fruit than cakes though but the odd Mars bar and packet of Doritos is creeping in.  This week I've really got the nesting bug and been doing a lot of sorting and tidying.  Long may this continue!
Cravings: Pizza, orange juice
Sleep: I get up to go to the toilet about once a night.  It's still ridiculously hot so that has been disturbing my sleep and my son has had a few 5am get ups which can be tough.
Movement:  I have started to feel flutterings but not every day.
Purchases:  I had the luxury of a few hours to myself on Saturday and i headed into town.  I had a lovely couple of hours looking round the shops and I got a couple of maternity things.

New Look Reversible Jeans - £9

Red Herring Grey 3/4 t-shirt - £12

Red Herring Blue & White t-shirt (and nursing top) - £8

What I'm wearing:  New Look vest top and cream linen trousers from Matalan.  Both maternity.
Male or Female?: We don't know the baby's gender yet.
Looking forward to: Getting my hair cut this week.  It's been so long and my roots are awful.  We are going to a family fun day at the weekend with some friends.  There are a lot of people on holiday at my work so i get a car space which I'm so excited about.  I hate getting the bus! I'm also looking forward to sorting out my wardrobe and hanging up my maternity clothes.

Here is my 15 week pregnancy vlog

See you at 16 weeks
Love Suzanne xxx

13 Week Pregnancy Update

Hi everyone, i know it's been ages since ! last posted.  Sorry.

Been so busy with my almost 2 year old and working.  I am going to try and update more especially as we have exciting news...I'm pregnant again and due in January.

Here is my 13 week pregnancy update (and you can also find my 14 week update on my channel as well).  Enjoy!

Love
Suzanne

April Favourites

Here are the products i've loved in April...

1. Boots No 7 Instant Radiance Highlighter £9.95

Quick and easy to apply and gives a nice glow to the skin. I have it on the the photo above.

2. MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre £15

I can't believe that this is my first MAC product.  I find the counters quite intimidating, so i went with a friend for extra confidence.  I'm using this as an eye primer and love the way it evens out the tones on my eyelids as well as helping my shadow stay on longer.

3.Garnier Miceller Cleansing Water £2.99

This is such a bargain, it takes your make up off easily but feels just like water.  It isn't irritating to the skin and is great for using before your cleanser.

4. Joico Body Lux Root Lift £9.99

This gives me volume at my roots and some grit to my hair.  I've only ever used conventional mousse before but i love how the nozzle enables you to put this directly on your roots and i will definitely be repurchasing this one.

5. Dragonfly Vanilla Rooibos tea £1.99

Caffine free and a great addition to my tea collection.  I enjoy these in the afternoon whilst Reuben has a nap. 

6. JME Really Good Rice Pot £38

Designed for the JME at home range, i am really enjoying using this rice pot (and not just for rice).  I pop either rice or pasta into the microwave for a few minutes and when i get back from collecting my son from nursery his dinner is already made.  Brilliant.

7. Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter £8.00
I use this in the shower after my shower gel, it makes a great shaving lotion and gives enough moisturiser that i don't need to moisturise after my shower.  Great all round product and time saver.

Thanks for reading
Suzanne

Battle of the body conditioners.

My new favourite product of 2014 so far, has to be body conditioners. I didn't know what a body conditioner was until a couple of months ago but now i am obsessed. 

I use mine in the shower, after my shower gel.  I put it on whilst standing out of the water and then leave for a couple of minutes before rinsing off.  I've found they have the added bonus of also being a great shaving lotion, so I put on and shave and by the time I've done that it's time to rinse.  After rinsing i get out of the shower, towel dry as normal and then get dressed.  No need to moisturise.

I have to admit being a working mom, I have skipped the moisturising stage over the last year as i just don't have the time. The discovery of body conditioners is something that has literally made a difference to my routine and i don't think i will ever look back.

So which ones have I tried and what are my favourites?

I started with Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner.  I'm a bit obsessed by Lush at the moment and the lady in the shop talked me into trying this and I took away a sample.  I've loved the product but at £15.95 i thought it was a bit pricey, so I went on the hunt for a cheaper alternatives.

That's when i came across the Soap & Glory Whipped Clean shower butter.  This is amazing stuff.  It's definitely my favourite and is the product that has got me hooked on body conditioners.  It smells nutty and leaves a lovely feel to my skin.  

After realising there was no turning back, I went and bought the full size Lush Ro's body conditioner.  Out of all the ones I've tried, this definitely is the most moisturising but I'm not keen on the smell.  So, if i could only buy one it would be the Soap & Glory but I'll probably end up alternating between the two.

In the meantime, I started seeing TV adverts for a Nivea Body Moisturiser.  It seems like the rest of the world was now talking about body conditioners.  They were half price in Tesco last month, so for about £1.60 they were worth a try.  However, I'm not impressed.  They aren't as conditioning and the smell is too Nivea like (if you know what i mean?!).   For now I'm sticking with Lush and Soap & Glory.

Have you tried Body Conditioners?  What do you think?  Let me know if you have a favourite you think i should try.

Cheerio for now
Sx

Reuben's 19 month update

Ok, so Reuben is now 19 months and i'm just getting round to his one and a half year update. I'm always late.  Expect his two year update around Christmas!

Me and Reuben in Brixham at Easter 2014

Reuben at the top of a slide

Weight: I haven't taken him to be officially weighed for months.  i think he gets a two year review with the health visitor so that will probably be the next time we get him weighed.  However, he loves getting on our bathroom scales and he did this last week and he was 1 stone 11lbs.

Height: He is definitely growing, but again no official measurement.  He is in 18-24 month clothes.

Clothes: Mainly 18 - 24 months. He no longer wears vests and most days his 'uniform' is a t-shirt, long sleeved top and a pair of blue or light grey joggers.

Feeding: Cows milk when he wakes up and at 6.00pm (when the bedtime hour starts on cbeebies).  He has his milk drinks out of a tommy tippie beaker.  He has 3 meals a day plus a couple of snacks. He doesn't eat that much generally and at nursery I often pick him up and they tell me he hasn't eaten his lunch. Top 5 meals are, Fish Fingers, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Scrambled egg, roast dinner  and Shepherd's pie.

Development: Walking has now turned into running, he can climb onto chairs and the sofa.  He dances around in a circle when he is excited.  His language has really come on in the last month and i've counted he has over 50 words or phrases (see below)

Up, more, please, no, yes, daddy, mummy, grandpa, grandma, tick tock, juice, ready steady go, toast, all aboard, ball, dog, mmm (for moo), baa, quack, miaow, peppa, duck, bird, dirty, bubble, pop, night night, bye bye, hiya, there, Nana (for banana), apple, pear, choo choo (for train), shoes on, door, ta da, uh oh, baby, one, two, three, four, Five, wee, its a phone, bowl, peas, help, turtle, goal, e-i-e-i-o (from old MacDonald), roar, ne-nah, beep, stick

Reuben has also been learning Makaton signing and can sign: more, food, drink, bath, bubble bubble pop song, wind the bobbin up song, help, pig

Activities: My working days are now Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and on those days Reuben is at nursery. On mondays and tuesdays we generally do similar things.  Mondays are Noah's ark toddler group or gymnastics centre in the morning and shopping or park in the afternoon. On a tuesday we generally go to the Long Ashton coffee shop in the morning and toddler group in the afternoon.

Favourite things: A bat and ball, balls in general, skuttle bug, books, ikea panda cuddly toy, biros and pens, stickers, slides and swings

Poo: We are averaging 2 a day.

Nicknames: Roo, sausage, monkey, poppet

Routine:  Is a little bit more flexible but a good day looks like this.

6.30am get up and milk from beaker. We generally get up between 6.00 and 7.00. 
7.30am Breakfast - cereal, half a banana and a piece of toast 

7.45am brush teeth and get dressed (and then to nursery on those days)

9.30 Snack of some sort

10.30-11.30 - Activity

11.30am Lunch. 

12.30-2.30 Afternoon nap, mostly in cot

2.30/3 - drink and small snack

3-5 Outing

5.00pm dinner
6.00pm - milk from beaker

6.40pm Bath

6.50pm  brush teeth, story (I love my mummy/dig dig digging/That's not my reindeer are favourites)

7pm bed  

Purchases: A few clothes, wellies 

Places we've been: Centreparcs Longleat, Brixham,Walsall, Shaftesbury to see Great Grandpa

Reuben making friends with the ducks at centreparcs

See you at 2 years!

Used up or given up on | November 2013

Sometimes it feels like it takes forever to get to the bottom of a product. I've had some items for years. 

I thought I'd start noting what I use up on a monthly basis, so here are November's empties. 

Used up

Firstly, it's my Loreal EverPure Shampoo and Conditioner. Usually, my conditioner lasts longer than my shampoo but this month they've emptied at the same rate. A friend mentioned to me that she avoids sulphates in products, especially hair, as they can strip it. I have to admit I never usually check the ingredients but I spotted these in Superdrug and gave them ago. I was worried they wouldn't later up, but the consistency was good and my hair felt clean and healthy afterwards. I've repurchased the shampoo, but I have a couple of other conditioners in the cupboard so I'm using them next. 

Dove purely pampering cream oil body wash. I'm not loyal to my shower gels and get a different one each time (I usually go for what's on offer). I enjoyed using the Dove, especially as my skin gets dry now we've got the heating on at home. I'm not consistent at applying moisturer, and my skin isn't dry so it's also a thumbs up. 

Given up

Sometimes you just need to call a day on products that don't work for you. This month I've decided to give up on my Wilkinson Sword Quatro razor.  It has protector bars across the razor but I find it just doesn't work well or remove my hair effectively. So although I'd bought the additional cartridges, I've decided to bin it. 

Second is a sample I got in a Glossybox a couple of months ago. Its a cleansing bar by Gamila Secret. Basically it's a posh bar of soap, and that was my issue with it. I used it a couple of times, and although it cleansed by face effectively, I just have no way of storing a bar of soap in my bathroom. I tried putting it back in the box, but this just made it soggy and left stains on my sink.  It also reminds me of my Gramdma and I just don't want to feel that old just yet. So, that has made it to my bin as well. 

See you in December (oh, just realised we are in December now! Eek better start Xmas shopping!)

Suzanne

X 

My everyday make up brushes

While I was on maternity leave, I treated myself to some new make up brushes from Real Techniques, Nanshy and Sigma.  My old brushes had seen better days and weren't making it easy for me to apply my make up easily or quickly. 

Here is a sneaky look at the brushes I use every day. 

I keep my everyday brushes in a glass jam jar on my dressing table, so they are easily accessible. I have more brushes which I store separately in an old Glossybox box. 

For my face I mainly use Real Techniques brushes. These are the best brushes I've ever used and I wish I had more! In fact I think Samantha Chapman has just brought out a new limited edition set called Sam's picks which I think I'll be adding to my Christmas wish list. 

From right to left

Expert face brush (£9.99) - I use this to apply my foundation (currently Bourjois Healthy mix)

Powder brush (£12.99) - funnily enough I use this with my powder (Rimmel stay matte) and bronzer (Too Faced bronzer)

Blush brush (£9.99) - I'm currently using a Sleek blush from a contouring palette

I bought the Real Techniques brushes from Superdrug. 

I bought the Nanshy brushes before the Real Techniques. If I had my time over again, I'd just head straight for Real Techniques. The Nanshy ones aren't bad, they just aren't as good. 

However, I do use the Flat Top Buffer brush occasionally for my foundation, the Angled Brush for contouring and the Pointed Foundation brush for highlighting. 

I bought the Nanyshy brushes from Beautystore4u.co.uk

I don't wear eye shadow every day, but when I do I use these brushes from Sigma.  I bought the Sigma Beauty Eyes kit from Cloud 10 beauty via Amazon for £53.95. 

From front to back

E05 - eyeliner brush

E65 - small angled (I use this for my brows)

E30 - pencil

E60 - large shader

E40 - tapered blending

P88 -precision flat angled (I bought this separately but have been disappointed with it.  I mainly use it to work in concealer but my fingers do a better job)

I curl my eyelashes every day.  I am currently using the Emite eyelash curler I received in a Glossybox. It does the job but I'm not fussy on my brand of eyelash curler. 

I hope you enjoyed the look into my make up brush collection. 

Suzanne x

Toe nail art, Sally Hansen Crackle

I think a lot (rather too much) about my finger nails, which I paint maybe once every two weeks. However, my toe nails are painted 365 days a year. I have this weird thing whereby I feel 'wrong' if my toe nails are bare. 

I rarely branch out from reds and pinks, but today I thought I'd give them some love and a festive feel. 

Apologies, if toes gross you out. Don't look down if you don't want to see.  I know they aren't the most attractive thing to look at! 

I went for Essie Good as Gold which I got last week for a bargain £2 from the Original Factory Outlet store in Nailsea, with Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat in the colour Ink Splatter 08 over the top. 

The black and gold feels festive and I like the look.  I think I'm going to be more creative with my toes in future. 

Sick baby, NHS 111 experience

This week has been really tough. My son got sticky eyes and a sickness bug last weekend, and after projectile vomiting on the rug twice, in his room and down me he finally stopped being sick by Tuesday. Wednesday night he was coughing quite a lot, but I put it down to a cold as he was able to sleep through it. Everyone seems to have a cold at the moment. So, Thursday he was back in nursery.  However when I picked him up he'd had a temperature and they had given him calpol. He was also coughing significantly more. He'd lost his appetite from the sickness bug, and it had never really picked back up again. Poor thing was really not very well. 

Thursday night was awful, he couldn't sleep.  He was constantly coughing and every time he did fall asleep he'd manage about 10 minutes before the cough woke him up. My husband tried walking him in the pushchair, as we thought a more unpright position might help. But again, every time he fell asleep he just woke up coughing. 

It was 12.30am by this point and Reuben was just so tired but constantly moaning with pain. We called  NHS 111 as he just wasn't right. The lady asked us lots of questions and decided he needed to see a doctor. She made us an appointment at a health centre about 5 miles away, and by 1.30am Reuben was being checked over by the doctor. 

He gave him a thorough examination, temperature, breathing rate, oxygen in blood, capillary test and listened to his chest. He diagnosed viral bronchiolitis. Unfortunately as it's a virus all we can do is wait for his immune system to fight it. The doctor did give us a salbutamol inhaler to help with Reuben's wheezing. 

We had never used the 111 number before, but we were so grateful to the quick way we got to see a doctor and the friendliness and professionalism of the doctor at 1.30am.

Our friends have been great offering lots of advice. I didn't realise warm, humid air helped but a friend just dropped over a humidifier for Reuben's room. 

Reuben is on the mend. He still isn't eating much and wants lots of cuddles but this morning he started pulling things out the the kitchen cupboards, his favourite game, which is a sure sign he is feeling better. 

Me, Roo and Panda having a duvet day on Friday. 

Moving from Apple to Android

So, I'm making to move to Android. I've had my iPhone 4 for over 3 years, it's been my best friend and companion since the day we met. I can't remember my life without it (or how I coped!). But, after years of good service, it has now seen better days. It crashes a lot, sometimes doesn't turn on, the home button doesn't work and well, IOS 7 the least said about this the better. 

I realise the market has moved on somewhat in 3 years and the alternatives to iPhones look just as good, if not better. I couldn't face parting with £629 for the 32gb iPhone 5s so I started to do some research. YouTube is my go to research tool and I saw a lot of new posts on the Google Nexus 5, which was launched on the 1st November. The reviews were very good, and I have a friend who has the Nexus 4 and loves it, so I was sold. At £339 for the 32gb, it seems like a no brainer against the iPhone 5s (I always go sim only). 

I got onto the Google play store but it was not available until the 22nd November. I carried on and ordered and I've just had an email to say it has been dispatched. I'm so excited! 

Don't get me wrong, I love Apple and I'm currently writing this post on my iPad but I'm excited to try something different. I'm hoping I won't regret it and my favourite apps will be available. 

Can you be both an Apple AND Android lover or do you have to choose? 

I'll let you know how I get on with my Nexus 5. 

Panasonic nanoe hair dryer review

I bought the Panasonic nanoe about a month ago and I've been using ever since. I'd had my old dryer for donkeys years, it was noisy and heavy so I thought I'd treat myself to a new one. I wanted one with either ceramic, tourmaline or nanoe technology. I'm not sure why, as I don't really know what they do, but they sound impressive.

I narrowed it down to either the Valera Professional Nano Dryer, Parlux 3800 Eco Friendly Ionic & Ceramic hair dryer and the Panasonic Nanoe. I got the Panasonic as it happened to be in offer in boots and I had an impulse moment!

So, what is nanoe?
Ok, so I've read the manual and I'm still not sure what nanoe is!  Something to do with water particles and electricity. I think your hair naturally becomes positively charged with electricity, this attracts the negative nanoe ions from the hairdryer which allows the particles to penetrate the hair with water.  Which seems a bit weird as you are drying your hair, why would you want to add water? I don't know, but it works!

What does it claim to do?
By adding moisture to the hair and scalp, it claims to prevent dryness and help to maintain smooth, shiny hair.

What do you get in the box?
A stylish black and pink hair dryer, with three heat and speed settings and a cold blast button. A 2.7m cord (which unfortunately does not swivel).  Three attachments, a quick drying nozzle,  diffuser and set nozzle.  The quick dry nozzle, enables the air flow to switch between strong and weak, which separates out your hair strands to dry your hair quicker.

You need to put the quick dryer nozzle horizontally as you look at the dryer.  This is in the small print in the instructions and could easily be missed.  Who reads instructions for a hair dryer?!

What do I think?
It's pretty good. It definitely drys my hair quicker than my old one. Which is good when I sometimes only have 5mins for hair and make up! 

I've recently started highlighting my hair and was worried about damaged.  My hair feels soft and smooth after using the dryer and I think it has made a difference. 

Another plus point is that it is so much quieter than my old dryer. I often get ready when Reuben is napping, so I try not make too much noise. This hair dryer is quiet and it doesn't make me worry about waking him up.

It's not all that light but I've built up my biceps carrying Reuben for a year, so it's not a problem. It also doesn't have a swivel cord, but I don't do a lot of fancy blow drying so that's not an issue for me.

Where can you get one?

I got mine from boots. It is currently on offer with £40 off and is £69.99.  I also had some advantage point offers so I got it a little cheaper.
http://www.boots.com/en/Panasonic-Nanoe-Hairdryer-EH-NA65-K895_1362787/

Do you have this hair dryer? What do you think? 

CND Vinylux review...5 days later

Wow, a normal style nail varnish that has lasted 5 days.  I applied two coats of colour and one coat of top coat on Monday. It's now Saturday and I have one chip on my left index finger and a bit of wear at the end of both middle fingers. 

They are not as shiny as they were, but I'm very impressed with how long they have lasted. 

Vinylux removes with normal nail varnish remover.  You don't need to use pure acetone or do any soaking. This is a real positive over Shellac, as I find the removal of Shellac at home difficult and damaging to my nails. 

So, which colour do I get next? Have you tried CND Vinylux? What do you think? Any colour recommendations for me? 

I bought my polish from Amazon, it was £5.48 for the polish plus £1.95 postage. The top coat was the same price. 

Check out my review on YouTube using the YouTube button on the right hand side of this page. 

Professional baby photos...how can you resist?

A professional photographer came to my toddler group last month.  I've never had any professional photos taken before, and i thought it would be a bit of fun.  

So, we got dressed up in our smartest 'casual' clothes and put on our best smile.  There was no obligation to buy the photos but when the proofs came through, how could i resist?

Here are a few of the photos. 

The photos were taken by Rebecca Wingrave, www.rebeccawingrave.com

November Glossybox

So it's Glossybox time again. I love it when my little surprise box arrives. Unfortunately, I'm so impatient that I've usually found out via blogs or YouTube what is in the box but sometimes you don't get exactly the same things. 

Here is my November box

This month I got...

Vichy - Idealia Life Serum. To improve appearance of skin. Apply morning or evening under moisturiser. Full size £29.50 for 30ml. I like trying new skincare products and don't have anything from Vichy. I've got a trip away next month so I think these will be good for travel. 

Emote make up - micronised eyeshadow. Free from oil, nickel, parabens (what are they?) and perfume, the pigment is micronised (what does that mean?) for a lasting result. Good for sensitive eyes. £16.80 for 1.48g.  This makes a good highlighter and I will definitely use it. Good size for travel as well so I think this will also be coming with me next month.

Yves Rocher - hand cream.  Cocoa smell and moisturising formula. £1.95 for 75ml. I love having hand creams in all my bags, at work, by my bed etc so getting another one is good for me. My hands get really dry being a mom.  I seem to be constantly washing them between nappy changes, preparing food, trips out and all that baby stuff. I'm going to keep this one by my bed, and maybe it will help me dream of chocolate! 

Elegant touch - rapid dry for nails. For busy a women on the go (that's me), dries nail polish in 60 seconds with added vitamin E it also conditions cuticles. £3 for 125ml. If you've read my previous post on CND Vinylux you'll know I'm always on the look out for nail products. I recently purchased the Seche Vite top cost and I'm wondering if this will work with that? I'm going to give it a go anyway. Christmas party season is on its way so I'm going to crack open the reds and sparkle. 

Scholl - dry skin exfoliation. To remove rough, hard skin and promote natural cell renewal to leave your feet feeling soft, smooth and conditioned. £4.49 for 60ml. I don't really get dry skin on my feet so I'm going to give this once to my husband to try. 

I'm happy with this month's box and there are lots of products which I will use. I also got the box for 'free' as I'd collected 1000 Glossydots. I have enough Glossydots for one more box then I'm not sure if to try Birchbox or You Beauty Discovery box. What do you think is the best beauty box?