Look in my Letterbox #64

I am so insanely late with this post. It was meant to go up on Saturday and I didn't even do one last Saturday so now I have two weeks' worth of post to show you guys.

If you want to link up with Alice-Megan, here's what you need to know!

• Linky runs from Saturday to the following Friday
• Link one post containg a haul or item that you have received in the post that week
• Mention me (@x_walter) and Alice (@alicemegan1993) with the #LIML hashtag for a retweet
  Visting other linkers and leaving comments would be lovely
• Myself and/or Alice will promote your post on Twitter during the weekD
• Don't forget to tell your friends!

So here's what I've received these past two weeks!

Wins:

Mug

I won this quite a while ago from Baby Yorke Designs on Facebook. I'm a sucker for a slogan and I love this one!

My Little Pony colouring book

This was a win from POP TV on Twitter. I love it and I'll probably keep it for myself, ha!

Nightdress

I won this Atticus & Gilda nightie in a Rafflecopter giveaway run by Little Flea. It's worth £43 and E totally rocks it. They included little slippers and a bamboo toothbrush which was a nice surprise.

Art book

I won this from Mumzilla's blog. C loves all things arts and crafts so I'm sure that we can start on the easier ones and spend lots of time as he gets older doing the more complicated ones.

Aquabeads

This was a little Twitter win that I was thrilled about. C has seen the Aquabeads adverts on TV and always tells me that he wants some for his birthday.

Miles of Smiles Book

We love our books so I was chuffed to win this from Belle du Brighton blog. It's such a lovely story.

Rapeseed oil

I won this in a low entry local Twitter giveaway. I think maybe only 25 people entered! The oil itself is produced here in Northern Ireland.

Cookbook

This was a web win from Food Network. I've put on quite a bit of weight since having E so this is perfect for me. The recipes look simple enough for me to do - I'm not the best cook!

The Secret Life of Pets Book

We took the kids to the cinema to see the movie a couple of weeks ago and they loved it so C was thrilled to get the book version.

Cuddly Cow Book

A Toppsta win - hooray! E is obsessed with making it moo. She loves sound books.

Twirlywoos puzzles

This was a surprise win that just turned up. It was a web competition and there were tons of Twirlywoos goodies to be won. E will love this! I've put it away for her birthday.

Room DVD

I won this at Chez Maximka. I have heard such amazing things about this movie so I was really trying to win a copy!

Purchases:

Birthday presents

Chris and I had a minor panic about how close the kids birthdays are and how little we had bought. We browsed Smyths and ordered these to start us off and I am so excited to see their faces. The Rainbow Dash is a storyteller and I know it will go down well.

Playmobil

 This was a bargain buy on Amazon. RRP is £30 but I got it for only £13.99. Just search Playmobil Super 4 Gunpowder Island - it's still on offer at that price!

Books

I ordered these two books for C from Wordery. The Lego Star Wars annual was because they had a copy at the kids area of a café I went to last week and he never put it down. I think he was ready to take it home with him! He loves dinosaurs so I wanted to get him a book so he could learn more about them. This Usborne one is by far the best book I have ever bought him. I'm even learning things!
 

Reviews:

Primula 

 I received the full range of Primula cheeses to come up with unusual combinations. I'm so excited to get making.

Others: 
The Magic Chair book

 My lovely friend Jenna at Chic Geek Diary won a code for one of these books and very kindly gifted it to C. It's so nice!

Weetabix On the Go

 This was a little SoPost freebie. Great for busy mornings when you don't have time for breakfast.

Body Shop 

I love a body butter and this was a SoPost freebie too. It smells so good.

I also received £25 Love2Shop for a blog post that I did a couple of weeks ago. Super handy!

Have you received anything nice lately? 

Baby Annabell Learns to Walk - Review

I am a massive fan of the Zapf Creation brand. I'm 24 now and I remember owning both Baby Born and Baby Annabell dolls when I was little. Every time I had money I would be buying them new clothes for them at the toy shop. Fast forward 22 years, I have my own daughter and the Zapf Creation brand is still as wonderful as it was then so we purchased a My First Baby Annabell for E's first birthday. She takes her doll everywhere with her so I was really excited to be able to review a doll that is a bit of a step up from that one - Baby Annabell Learns to Walk.

When I first showed E the box she was really excited to have a new baby and was very impressed by her beautiful pink hat and floral bodysuit. She comes without batteries (takes 3 AA ones) so I let her have a little play and cuddle whilst I dug some out. She took to her straight away but when I first inserted the batteries and turned her on, she got a little freaked out by the crying and babbling sounds. The doll is recommended for ages 3+ so it could have just been that E is a little young as she's just shy of two years old. Once she saw her brother playing and laughing she totally came round to her.

The doll is called Baby Annabell Learns to Walk but she does so much more than that. Baby Annabell's hands, legs and head are poseable and in the instruction leaflet you are shown which ways to position the doll to get her to do certain things. By having her hands flat on the ground, knees bent and head up, Baby Annabell will crawl. If you sit her flat on her bum, face forward and arms down, she will throw a tantrum if she's sat too long and if you place her feet on the floor, lift her hands and hold them as if you're guiding her to walk, she will walk. Whilst doing all these actions she will either cry, babble or say "mama". If she is crying, after around 25 seconds she will give in and fall asleep. We have wooden floors in our living room so these would be slippery and Baby Annabel wouldn't move so we had to ensure that we placed her on a rug so she would have some friction behind her.

It does take some playing about to get used to placing her in these positions. E obviously does struggle with being a bit too little but her big brother at almost 4 years old is absolutely loving looking after Baby Annabell. E's favourite feature is that her eyes close if you lie her down. The button on her bellybutton is also something that E is constantly pressing. This makes Baby Annabell giggle which in turn makes E giggle and it is just the cutest thing to watch. Both E and C love playing with her so she isn't a toy that is just for girls. After just having soft bodied dolls, I think that they really enjoy having one that's a bit more interactive.

Baby Annabell Learns to Walk retails at £49.99 and is available from all major toy retailers. You can find out more about the range at the Baby Annabell website and you can also keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter.

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

#WhatsYourX Moment?

I always have my phone in my hand or in my pocket and even my almost 2 year old brings it to me when she sees I've left it somewhere. I do this because I'm always snapping pictures. I've taken so many of my children since I became a mother almost four years ago and I don't want to miss a single moment.

Sony are launching their new Xperia X mobile phone and are asking people #WhatsYourX moment? Sony say that an X Moment is "a split second in time that means something to you that's here and then gone. It could be a baby's first steps, achieving a personal goal, a sporting achievement, your dog's whimsical expression or a random flash of happiness and hilarity. It's a moment that you'd love to capture perfectly that's all too missable if you, or your phone isn't up to the job."

When I read this, I knew right away what my X moment would be. It's the thing that I take the most photographs of. My son and daughter are almost 4 and 2 and are very different and independent little ones. They clash about 90% of the time and I'm constantly feeling like a referee. Sometimes though, they can be nice or do something sweet for one another. I always make sure that I capture that moment. Soon they'll be teenagers and be constantly bickering over someone spending too long in the bathroom or one embarrassing the other in front of their friends. I want to remember these times where they actually showed that they really love each other.

This photo was taken one evening after I'd gotten E dressed for bed. C grabbed his tablet and watched a nursery rhyme video on YouTube. I'd run upstairs to grab C's pyjamas came back down to this. E gets ants in her pants and always has to be doing something so seeing her snuggled up with her brother was a rare sight. Typically, right after taking this photograph, she was up and playing with her building blocks.  

It's since become one of my favourite photographs of the children together and I'm so glad I can remember this moment forever.

Sony would love to see some of your X moments too. Just tweet your photo to @SonyXperiaGB with the hashtag #What'sYourX



(I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity.)

 

OXO Tot Sit Right Toilet Trainer - Review

I recently posted about how we had successfully potty trained C and touched on the fact that we had been using the OXO Tot Sit Right Toilet Trainer to progress from potty to big toilet and I wanted to do a full review of the seat as I just love it so much. I do a lot of reviews on this blog and I like the majority of the items that I accept. Some are good, some I continue to buy if it's a product that can be used up and a handful are ones that I think are genius and that all parents should own. The Sit Right Trainer is one of the latter. 

I was offered the chance to review one around a year ago but at that stage, C wasn't interested in potty training so I politely declined. Fast forward to March this year and potty training was beginning. It was a tough job getting him to use the potty at first and I thought I'd have my work cut out for me when it came to progressing to the big toilet. I popped an email over to OXO Tot and asked if the offer of a review was still on the table and thankfully it was.

When it first arrived, C was actually really excited to use "mummy and daddy's toilet." The seat is made from hard plastic, it fits into your toilet seat perfectly and it doesn't slide about once it is set on due to the green rubber on the base. C can stand up on his stool, have his back to the toilet, put his hands on the handles and hoist himself onto the seat all by himself. The seat is shaped so he will be comfortable sitting on it and there is a little lip at the front to prevent weeing over the floor. It's wipe clean too which is what you'd expect from a toilet training seat. From the first day of usage, C took to it right away and we haven't used the potty since.

The flat design means we can store it away easily and C just grabs it himself when he needs to use the toilet. If we are going out for the day or staying at my parents house, I can stick it in a plastic bag and bring it out with us for use on public toilets as it is very lightweight too.

The OXO Tot Sit Right Toilet Trainer has made my life so much easier and has made the transition from potty to toilet quick and painless. It retails at £15.00 and honestly, it will be the best £15.00 you'll ever spend. I cannot recommend it enough. If you have a child who you are potty training or will be potty training soon, buy one of these!

You can find out more about the range at the OXO Tot website and you can also keep up to date on Twitter and Facebook. 

(We received this item for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

 

What I've Won - June 2016

June was a relatively good month for me although I don't think I actually got my first win until we were two weeks in.

1) Bows (RRP £1.99) from Kels Unique Bows

 If you're a regular reader or follow me on social media, you'll know how much E and I love our bows. These are my favourite types of win. I buy so much anyway so it's nice to win some too!

2) Daddy cushion (RRP £18.00) from Cheeky Little Stitches

 This was a cute little win that arrived just in time for Father's Day. C has claimed it for his own bed though as he thinks it's so comfy.

3) Caramel scented candle (RRP £10.00) from Simple Candle Co

I love my smellies and always have candles or reed diffusers dotted around. I can't wait to receive this. I've never had a caramel candle before but I bet it smells good.

4) Marshmallows (RRP £8.00) from Innovative Bites

 They are bloody huge! We've only made s'mores with them so far but we all are enjoying them. I love foodie wins.

5) Bows (RRP £4.00) from pigtailsandpixiesbowtique

More bows - hooray! E hasn't worn these yet but they are gorgeous colours for summer.

6) Bear Cub Bakers book (RRP £6.99) from Toppsta

 This is such a cute little book. It reminds me of the Great British Bake Off and it even has a little recipe at the back for your kids to try.

7) Mickey Mouse Clubhouse figurines (RRP £12.95) from Disney Junior

 Every Tuesday, Disney Junior do a tea party at 11am with prizes to give away. I have tried for months to win and it finally happened! The kids absolutely adore these.

8) Bike and Biky Biky vest (RRP £6.94) from Biky Biky

 I haven't got a picture of the bike built up but it's the Urchin bike from Halfords if anyone wants to nosey! C has been asking for a "big boy bike" for his upcoming 4th birthday so I couldn't believe my luck when I actually won one. The vest looks really cool too for teaching him how to ride.

9) £50 voucher for Baby Mori from Annabel Karmel

This was a little Instagram competition that my friend Jenna at Chic Geek Diary tagged me in. I tagged her back and we both won a share of £100 to spend at the site. I love that their clothes cater for children up to 3 years old so I chose E two pairs of leggings and two cardigans and just had to put £2 towards it. They are the softest clothes ever. They'd be perfect for a newborn.

10) Goodnight Spaceman book (RRP £6.99) from BookTrust

C has been really into space lately because of Space Week on CBeebies so this book win was perfect timing. He loves it.

11) Mum on the Go pack (RRP £1.49) from Vital Baby

This was a simple little Twitter win. It will be perfect for a friend of mine.

12) Organix Puffcorn (RRP £3.00) from Janine's Little World

We love Organix snacks but the kids have never tried these before. They'll be perfect for family movie night whilst Chris and I have proper popcorn.

13) Swaddle blanket (RRP £15.00) from Bambini & Me

This is so cute! I've sent it to a friend to use with her newborn.

14) Sylvanian Families figure sets (RRP £33.98) from TellTails

We only own one small Sylvanian Familes set and the kids love it. I had planned on getting them some more bigger sets for their birthdays/Christmas so these will tie in nicely.

15) CBeebies Playtime DVD (RRP £6.99) from Love From Mim

I've spoken loads on the blog about how much C and E love Cbeebies. Now we can watch it even after 7, ha!

16) £20 Amazon voucher from Assist Resourcing

Assist Resourcing run this giveaway on Twitter every weekend so I was chuffed to finally win. I bought the kids the Toy Story boxset and Deadpool for myself.

17) Lindy Bop dress (RRP £10.00) from The Mumington Post

I love Lindy Bop so I had to enter this giveaway. I was so happy to have won. Just need Chris to take me out for date night!

18) Finding Dory lunch bag (RRP £4.95) from Universal Textiles

The kids love Finding Nemo and I can't wait to take them to see Finding Dory. This will be perfect for C this year.

19) Louise Parker Method: Lean for Life (RRP £20.00) recipe book from Food Network

I love my cookbooks and I really need to lose weight and get myself fit again so I reckon I'll be cooking from it a lot.

20) I am not a dinosaur Book (RRP £10.99) from Primary Times

This is book that is right up C's street! He's been asking tons of questions lately so he'll love learning.

21) Euro 2016 football (RRP £18.95) from Utopia Bathrooms

I entered so many competitions to win one of these footballs and finally got my hands on one from a low entry Instagram giveaway.

22) Personalised bow (RRP £3.50) from Tailored With Love

Another bow! I absolutely love this one and I know she'll wear it a lot. I'm a sucker for anything personalised.

23) Festival bundle (RRP £25.00) from Poundland

Poundland do quite a lot of social media competitions but they always get thousands of entries so I never thought I'd have a chance of winning. I'm not sure what this comprises of but I'm guessing little bits like wipes, dry shampoo etc. We'll soon find out!

24) Frozen bike (RRP £89.99) from Smyths

As if winning C a bike earlier this month wasn't enough, I won E one too! I honestly cannot believe my luck. She is obsessed with Frozen too so it is perfect!

25) Nenuco Bathtime Doll (RRP £19.99) from Toytesters.tv

E loves her dolls - we have 3 at the moment! - but none that she can take in the bath. She's gonna love her.

26) Mega Bloks Barbie Car (RRP £16.99) from Oypla

This is one of those competitions that after I entered I kept my fingers crossed tightly for. I was so happy to win it.

27) Baby travel mobile (RRP £9.99) from East Coast Nursery

How cute! It's almost making me wish I was pregnant again! I've sent this to a pregnant friend too.

28) Football rug (RRP £89.99) from Little Helper

I love this so much! C loves football so it will be perfect for his room.

29) Speaker (RRP £24.99) from JuiceOfficialUK

I won this in a simple Instagram comment competition. I've given it to my sister as she's more likely to get use out of it.

30) Lalaloopsy Peanut Big Top dolls (RRP £16.99) from Lalaloopsy

 So chuffed with this little win! I've put it away for E's birthday. I love Lalaloopsy.

31) Meal for two at Nandos voucher from Nandos Bedford Street

We love Nandos and I won this on my local store's Facebook page for guessing the correct score of the France v Romania Euros match!

So in June 2016 I won 31 prizes worth a total of £588.64 and because I love a comparison...in June 2015 it was 10 prizes worth £455.24 and for June 2014 I won 16 prizes worth £381.94 so it has improved quite a lot! I'm going in the right direction.

Did you win anything nice in June?