Well Halloween is officially over and Christmas is very much next up on the agenda. My five year old has of course discussed Christmas since her birthday in June, and Halloween had simply bought me a little more time. The present requests are now in full swing and despite wishing I was one of those people who (I am SO envious of) had the foresight to buy Christmas decorations and gifts whilst they were on sale in January – that was of course an utter pipe dream. Next year I vow (again) to be that person.
This year we welcome a new addition to the family. My second daughter was born in July and as promised by other parents with more than one child, you do become savvier the second time around. Read: Frugal.
Sadly though, I also find it comes with a certain slap dash approach of ‘Nooo they don’t need that / Oh I did that last time and it took ages / I’m not going to bother with *insert gift or activity* again. Maybe this is just me… but I’m almost saddened by my own laissez faire attitude with her and now worried the poor girl will miss out on all the things that were cute and exciting (for me mostly) the first time around.
One example of this is, I’ve already been asked by godparents and friends what the baby would like for Christmas. Well the answer up until recently has been: ‘Nothing, as she won’t know either way’. Even writing that feels a bit mean. This coupled with the fact that we have everything we ‘need’ for her from the first time around.
I was delighted when asked by bloss to review some of Ocado’s goodies for the festive period. It meant some gift inspiration for both girls and of course meant I clawed back some semblance of decency with my parenting.Â
Stocking fillers
I’m a sucker for Christmas themed items and one of the first little treats was a ‘My First Christmas’ Bib from M&S which is super sweet and will definitely bring some Christmas cheer to the dinner table!
My five year old daughter is also in for some fab stocking fillers, with Janet & Allan Ahlbergs classic book “Funny Bones’ in the mix (my husband is in the medical profession so this is an ode to him!) as well as 1001 Encanto Stickers and a Frozen themed memory game.Â
Rainbow Stacker / Thats Not My Dinosaur Book
My littlest is only four months old but this is the fun time when babies start to really be interested in things, specifically grabbing. I discovered she was at this stage the hard way as she grabbed my bowl of cereal one morning recently and it flew across the room, five minutes before leaving for the school run.
It’s an early Christmas present (that I’ll be wrapping up and re-gifting her as she won’t remember) but the wooden Rainbow Stacker has gone down a storm. I love the fact it has some longevity too over the next 12 months as I understand it’s great for children’s motor skills and coordination.Â
Another sensory treat, and a super gift is the very sweet “That’s Not My Dinosaur’ book. We’re such a fan of this touch and feel book series in our house. My eldest daughter loves dinosaurs, so it’s proven to be a really special little book for them to read together.Â
Calpol Vapour Plug-In
Something that has been useful for both girls during this delightful cough-and-cold season is the Calpol Vapour Plug-In. I’d not actually used these before and simply relied on oral calpol when they were poorly. However, the struggle (especially with a baby who relies on a dummy) is the blocked nose which makes sleep elusive, pretty much non-existent.
The plug-in worked much better than I’d expected and definitely took the edge off congestion for both of them. It lasts around eight hours, so it’s perfect for overnight. Refill tablets are available to buy so it’s one to hang on to for the winter months!
Weleda Body Wash & Shampoo / Childs Farm
I’m a bit of a stickler for bathtime in our house. I am quite picky about the products I use for the children and mindful of the ingredients (many products claim to be natural but the extracts are minimal!).
Although Weleda Body Wash & Shampoo doesn’t tick EVERY box, it is one of the more natural products. It’s great for sensitive skin and I have used it for bathtime bubbles, shampoo and body wash so it’s very versatile. I equally love the Childs Farm range. Their fragrance-free body wash is a lovely all rounder, as buying the super everything-free-ultra natural brands does get expensive when you’re bathing two every night! I like how affordable this was.Â
Oral B Junior Electric Toothbrush
My eldest daughter will also be receiving a toothbrush upgrade this Christmas from Ocado. The Oral B Junior Electric Toothbrush comes in purple which I already know means it will go down well. This has a useful timer on it and is similar enough to our adult toothbrushes that I know she’ll get the hang of it quickly watching and brushing her teeth at the same time as us.
Professional Dentists apparently suggest you continue to help your child with teeth brushing until age six or seven to make sure they have fully cleaned their teeth. But I’m hoping this will take some of the leg work out for us! I don’t know about other parents but getting my child to stand still for long enough to get a toothbrush around her mouth is nigh on impossible!
Halo Swaddle
Up until recently, my baby daughter was swaddled for all naps and at night. Something we did when our first was little too. But babies are crafty and despite numerous attempts with different products, she always managed to break free and inevitably woke herself up.
I LOVED using the Halo Sleep Sack this time around. It took the fuss out of swaddling and gave options for her arms to be in or out, hands to face. Plus, because of the design, it didn’t inhibit her hip development. This product is actually recognised by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute for peace of mind.
I also appreciated the zip at the bottom for easy nappy changes when she was in that half-asleep state! We have the Halo Cot so I like this brand and would certainly recommend the swaddle.Â
DryNites – Huggies
Although she will be upset in years to come for me mentioning this, my older daughter is still in nappies overnight currently. Having researched this thoroughly (and funnily enough spoken to two bloss experts in The Clinic), I understand this is a hormone related symptom. It is in fact very normal / common for children to still wet the bed overnight up until age seven with no concerns.
She has however asked me herself now if she can stop using nappies. Which is fine except we need to manage the inevitable accidents that are bound to occur. I’ve already bought waterproof duvet covers and sheets, one great hack from another parent was to have multiple layers of sheets and waterproofs so you can literally whip one layer off in the night and have a clean one underneath! Genius!
I wanted to transition her into ‘Nappy Pants’ and the Huggies DryNites have been ideal. Mainly because they are Frozen themed, so she was excited to wear them. But they also have the feel of pants whilst maintaining the absorbancy. This is still a work in progress but so far so good!
Overall, what I came to find having shopped and reviewed Ocado’s childrens range, is that the gifts and goodies available pleasantly surprised me. There was a perfect balance between necessity and fun. Even some of the gifts came with a side helping of developmental learning! Win-Win…
If you’re looking to get your Christmas gifts, kids necessities and groceries all in one place for a very fuss-free festive period, I’d thoroughly recommend checking out what Ocado has to offer.
Get 25% off your first order (minimum spend £60) and three months of unlimited free delivery with code: VOU6344229
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