Here are just a few of my favourite things I would gather up for a wind down -

one. Pink Ribbon Heated Ribbon Throw $80
two. Living With Max by Chloe Maxwell $32.99
three. The Little Book Of Anxiety by Kerri Sackville $23.95
four. Tea Party Set – tea, cup and saucer set $14.96
five. Willow & Finch Sleep Mask: Sugar Garden $14.95
six. Chocomania Lip Butter $14.95
seven. Mum by kikki.K $19.95
eight. House & Home Can Can Cushion $17.96

Happy relaxing!

Stuck On You have a brand new product – Slap Bands. I remember collecting slap bands in the early 90′s – so seeing them come around again is alot of fun!

While you can purchase a Slap Band for many different reasons (birthday party favours, team sport accessories, day care or school ID), they are awesome for safety.

Stuck On You were nice enough to send me a Slap Band for my daughter Jovie, who has Autism. Because she’s non-verbal (cannot speak yet), having a Slap band with her name and my contact number comes in handy every day. Rather than resort to writing all those details directly on her skin, we can slap on the Slap Band and tuck it under her sleeve without hassle. It wraps around her wrist and doesn’t fall off or irritate her (it’s not too tight or loose).

The Slap Bands at Stuck On You come in a variety of colours & designs and you can customise it with 2 lines of text. For AU$19.95, you’re getting a safety product that you can use again and again. You can also use it to teach your child about safety and to not get overwhelmed if they do get lost – they can just show a grown up their Slap Band

Check out the Stuck On You Slap Band (and Slap Watch) mini video on YouTube here –

To find out more about Slap bands for safety, please check out the Stuck On You website
www.stuckonyou.com.au/latest-offers-gifts/slap-bands/slap-bands.html

We ended up having a very low-key birthday party for her yesterday, we’ve all got colds and I didn’t like the idea of spreading the germs as part of her goodie bag (lol). I decided to buy a few party decorations and made a few myself – helium balloons including a giant number ’3′ balloon, crepe paper flowers and a homemade birthday cake. I set up a mini photo booth so we could take some fun photos together –

Jovie had a great time, with a giant nap in between celebrations so it was the perfect day for her, and us.

Looking around the internet, there are some pictures of amazing 3rd birthday parties to find that are so inspiring! I take my hats off to the families that pull it all together and throw a party to remember. While I agree that you don’t have to do or buy much to have a good time, I do love a themed birthday party, especially for kids.

one. Greyson’s Hamburger Themed Birthday Party
Brittany has pulled off an amazing party for her son Greyson – the whole party was hamburger themed, from the hamburger cupcakes, invitations, vintage style red burger baskets and root beer & mini burgers for lunch.

two. Noah’s April Showers 3rd Birthday Party
I love that this is an unique theme – I’ve never seen an ‘April Showers’ birthday party but it’s such a fun idea! My favourite parts are the cloud & rain boot cookies, craft station and the coloured lanterns in the clear upside down umbrellas.

three. Andrew’s Third Birthday Party
Another example of an amazing birthday party – there’s just so many things that are cool about this party that I cannot begin to list my favourites! Check it out if only for the Sesame Street birthday cake

four. Miles’ ‘Old School’ Birthday Party
A fun party featuring so many cool things – but I especially love the Vegan push cakes which are great for kids with food allergies, and the birthday SMASH cake (see the photo!) which is sure to be a favourite of any kid with the energy to destroy! They’ve also set up a photo booth to capture the memories of the day.

So with all those links to inspire you – it’s time to look at what 3rd birthday party supplies are available online. There’s not a whole lot, but you don’t need to buy too many ’3′ decorations to throw a great party. My advice is to stick to 1 or 2 ’3′ themed decorations and organise the rest of the decorations around it.

five. Sambellina Planes 3rd Birthday Invitation $18.50 for 12 invitations & envelopes

six. Boys 3rd Birthday Helium Balloon $7.99

seven. FOIL BALLOON SUPER SHAPE NUMBER 3 SILVER $14.00 – this is the one we have in the photo, but in pink!

eight. Number Three Cookie Cutter $3.95

nine. 3rd Birthday Party Candle $2.20

Happy partying!

Toy shopping has gotten easier since Big W opened up their online store – you’re able to shop from the comfort of home, at any hour that you like. Check the stock of any particular product, order and you can bag yourself a bargain with a click of a button. Toys are normally sent the next business day, so it’s an ideal option if you love the convenience of online shopping and can wait a few days for your order to arrive.

When it comes to finding toys and accessories for newborn babies, you can’t go past Big W’s toy range online and offline. Here are a few toys I love for a new baby –

one. Lamaze Grip & Grab Flower $5.00

two. Bright Starts Flexi Ball $8.00

three. Bright Starts Chime Along Friends $8.00

four. Dymples Bath Pack 13 Piece $25.00 (Save $14.87!)

Toys that crunch and crinkle are a great tool for babies to discover their senses. The bright and bold colours are also attractive to their curious minds, and anything that can be snapped onto their stroller or pram is a bonus! Toys for babies like the Grab Flower and the Chime Along Friends are designed for babies to chew on (another sensory discovery), so you want to be sure that no extra buttons or ribbons can come off easily.

And for the house, you can’t go wrong with a quality bouncer, an activity gym and a Jolly Jumper for babies who love to bounce –

five. Jolly Jumper $50.00

six. Bright Starts Lion Activity Gym $50.00

seven. Jolly Jumper Electronic Jump Mat $30.00

eight. Bright Starts Teensy Turtle Cradling Bouncer $50.00 which also vibrates, a blessing in disguise!

Big W has always had a huge range of toys and games for children and as you can see, they’re all affordable options for any family. I’ve personally found that the toys and accessories at Big W last longer than you need them – so we’ve certainly used our money’s worth and more.

If you are looking for great presents for your kids, nieces or nephews, you can’t go wrong with Big W Toys. Make sure you pop on over to their website and check out their Toy category from time to time to pick up a bargain.

Big W
www.bigw.com.au

one. Phil & Teds Smart Stroller (Black) – $299 at Baby Bunting

two. Combi Urban Walker Groove Pram (Aqua) – $399 at Baby Bunting

three. Mamas & Papas Sola Fern – $569 at Babies R Us

four. Mamas & Papas Trekbuggy – $169 at Babies R Us – AMAZING VALUE!

five. Quicksmart Easy Fold Stroller – $199 at Baby Bunting

As you can see, you can get a really cool stroller for under $200 easily which is a great option for alot of families.

Buying a quality stroller doesn’t mean buying too expensively, or buying an inferior product. All feature a 5 point safety harness and can be used for kids up to 15kgs (around 4 years old). The Combi Urban Walker Groove Pram and Mamas & Papas Sola Fern is also perfect for newborn babies, so you’ll get the maximum out of your stroller from Day 1.

Why buy a stroller? What about a pram? I think that’s a personal choice – it depends on your where you’re going, how long you’ll be out, what kind of car you have (therefore what boot space you have), whether you want to have a bassinet attachment while they’re young, whether you want one for grandma’s or for the carboot. There are so many questions to ask – so my best advice is to go with what you can afford and what you love at first – and then see whether you think a stroller (especially an umbrella fold stroller like the Mamas & Papas Trekbuggy) would be a convenient second addition to your family.

My stroller checklist would include the 5 point harness, easily foldable so it will fit in my boot with room to spare, a decent sized basket underneath, the ability to fully recline and a good sized hood to shield from the sun/wind/rain.

There are so many colourful and fun strollers out there that I think you’ll have alot of fun choosing from stores offline and online Make sure your stroller comes with warranty and a customer support phone number just in case of any issues (I’ve never had any though). And have fun strolling along!

Bink Kids is a brand new online store run by two Melbourne mums, Karina and Nadine. Their collection of colourful and fun clothing was inspired from Nadine’s children’s Dutch Oma (Grandma) who always sent them lots of bright and patterned clothes. So it made alot of sense for Nadine and Karina to create their own online store, selling the clothes and accessories they’ve come to love

Browsing through the store, you’ll find alot of brands like DUNS Sweden, Maxomorra and Eggkids – and everything is so fun, you’ll have a hard time choosing your favourite piece to order! Below are just a few of my favourite Bink Kids onesies, tshirts and dresses found instore today –

one. DUNS Sweden – Onesie Dotty Flowers – $36.95

two. EGGKIDS – Dress Safari Animals – $37.00

three. Maxomorra – Onesie Dandelion Pink – $19.95

four. DUNS Sweden – Onesie Green Fish – $36.95

five. DUNS Sweden – Tshirt Trees – $36.95

six. Maxomorra – Onesie Stripes Red and White – $22.95

The DUNS Sweden and Maxomorra clothes featured above are 100% organic cotton, which means you know you’re getting quality and environmentally friendly products. DUNS Sweden also uses non-toxic dyes and ensures that all garments are made in fair trade.

With funky & environmentally friendly clothes for boys and girls available, Bink Kids is a welcome addition to the online shopping world! I love that there is another avenue for quality European kids clothing to come back to when you’re looking for something special.

Whether you’re just after a unique tshirt or a cool onesie, a treat for your own kids or a present for another – you’ll want to keep Bink Kids bookmarked

To check out more of the range, please visit Bink Kids today!
www.binkkids.com.au

Flat Stanley with actor Adam Sandler

In 1995, a Canadian primary school teacher created The Flat Stanley project, which was an extension of the book series and a creative way to bring a social experience to pen pal writing between school kids. And now in 2012, The Flat Stanley Project runs an amazing website that tracks Flat Stanley and other flat friends!) all over the world. Even in Australia –

You can sign up for a free account and connect with other school kids who are looking to swap and receive a Flat Stanley, and then organise the journey your Flat Stanley will go on! Your Flat Stanley can be tracked on the website or by the App and along the way you’ll get to know your new friends too You can do this via email or by traditional post – I think traditional post is a bit more fun!

I definately recommend this project for young kids to learn not only about books & characters, but how to connect and socialise with other kids in a fun, creative way. I love that there is an online and offline world for Flat Stanley and that he’s stood the test of time

To find out more about Flat Stanley and how to start your own Flat Stanley project, visit the official website
www.flatstanley.com

Image of Adam Sandler taken from Daily Independent

Not only do they have fun in a play tent, I’m also having fun with them! Entropy Toys has a beautiful range of play tents and play houses for kids available. While they are a little pricier than I remember, a good play tent will last you through a few kids and countless fun afternoons.

one. Haba – Play Tent Marrakesh $379.00
More of a room tent, this amazing play tent is by Haba and follows a fun Marrakesh theme that will bring colour and fun to any room. This play house is ceiling mounted and big enough to fit alot of happy kids inside!

two. Haba – Play House Dreamford Castle $289.00
This Haba play house is a really cool one – when it’s set up, it looks like a little castle complete with flags and a curtain door. But once you’re all done, it unfolds into a soft bed for a lovely nap!

three. Haba – Play Tent Caro-Lini $219.00
Another beautiful Haba play tent – this is a pop up freestanding play tent that both boys and girls will love to lounge around in all afternoon.

four. Haba – Play Tent Blossom Sky $399.00
This Blossom Sky play tent is also ceiling mounted and features internal pockets for kids to store their treasures. I love that this play house has cascading flowers together with the garden green. The padded floor mat would be a great place to take a nap, host a tea party or gossip with friends.

There’s more great play houses, tents and toys at Entropy Toy’s online store – make sure you take a look at their toy specials, and take advantage of their FREE delivery for orders over $100
www.entropy.com.au

This is where Olian Maternity comes in – browsing through the Shop Maternity online store, I’ve quickly found 3 great pieces of maternity wear that I would love to wear myself right now (and I’m not even expecting!).

one. Olian Ginger Maternity Dress $169
I’m a big fan of print, pattern and colour – and also of dresses that don’t show much but still look feminine and modern. I love the Ginger dress for any occasion where you want to dress up a little bit and show off your bump – great for a wedding, or at the office (under a cute cropped jacket maybe). It’s also the kind of dress you hope will fit you after you’ve had the baby!!

two. Olian Fawn Maternity Dress Was $159, Now $129
Stripes are still very much in, which is why the Olian Fawn maternity dress has been one of the bestsellers! There’s lots of room for a growing belly, so you’ll get alot of wear out of this dress. In the colder months, pair it with thick maternity stockings and a cute pea coat and you’re set. I may or may not have to add this to my wardrobe too…

three. Olian High Neck Maternity Knit $119
Finding a maternity knit is darn near impossible, I’ve always had to resort to oversized coats, but this is a gorgeous cut for any pregnant woman. It has a medium weight to it, and is perfect for layering in the winter months.

There’s heaps of beautiful Olian Maternity clothes at Shop Maternity, aswell as clothes from other maternity wear designers like Ripe Maternity and Pea In A Pod. Shop Maternity also have a great Size Swap policy which means you can be sure you’re getting something that actually fits!

Head on over to Shop Maternity today
www.shopmaternity.com.au

Kisschasey currently have a great Mother’s Day special which is only available between 7th to the 31st May. The deal includes a 45 minute on location photo session, prints, high resolution digital files, a private online gallery and a further 10% mother’s day discount!

If you’re a mum who is always the one behind the camera, this is a perfect opportunity to do something special this year and get your family portraits taken

For more details on this awesome Mother’s Day special, please visit the Kisschasey website TODAY.
www.kisschaseyphotography.com.au