Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot

Poor Lexi has inherited her Mummy's blonde curly hair... Luckily for Lexi, her's is more curly than frizzy, whereas Mummy's is a mass of unmanageable, unruly frizz! So when I entered a competition by Blog By Baby and won the Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot I was ecstatic!

Getting a hair brush through Lexi's hair was a problem in itself with it being so curly, but the biggest struggle was keeping her still long enough to enable me to brush it thoroughly for her. Bearing the optimistic statement:

"Make tangles and tears disappear... With a little Tangle Teezer magic..."

The Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot gave me so much hope! And I wasn't disappointed!
All the struggle became a distant memory as soon as I opened the cute little box containing the Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot...

The bright, vivid pink and yellow design of the Tangle Teezer is brilliant! Lexi was instantly enthralled and proceeding to brush her own hair with it! I was so pleased! She had a huge grin on her face as she looked at me for approval of her being such a clever girl brushing her own hair!

Not that it needs anything else to make it any more amazing but added to the fact that it glides easily through Lexi's hair (and my own mass of frizz when I tried it!!!), Lexi can now also store all of her "pretties" like hairbands, hair slides and such (or Duplo if you're Lexi! Heehee) inside the flowerpot and conceal it away so it doesn't look messy by placing the flower on top! Perfect! Such an innovative idea that really does WORK!

Thank you Blog by Baby Mark for introducing me to such an awesome product! Lexi and I are thrilled with the Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot.

Why not pop over and take a look at other exciting reviews and competitions on
http://blog-by-baby-mark.blogspot.com/
Thanks to them Lexi has been smiling constantly for a week!

The Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot is available to buy from http://www.tangleteezer.com/order-now/for just £13.26 each. They are also available from selected Boots and Mothercare stores and online and are available in a cool bright blue aswell as pink.

Mummy is now going to order herself a Tangle Teezer Original and a Tangle Teezer Compact Styler specially designed for Mummies who hate having their hair brushed because of pulls and tangles after seeing how fantastic the Magic Flowerpot it at gliding through Lexi's hair with no tears, tantrums or ripped out knotty hair!

Thank you Blog by Baby and Tangle Teezer.
The Magic Flowerpot is definitely Loved by Lexi!

Organix Goodies: Organic Squeezy Blueberry, Blackberry & Pear Puree and Apple & Blackcurrant Fruit & Water drink

Lexi has always been quite a fussy eater; much preferring crisps, cheese and yoghurts to just about anything else and only wanting to drink water or milk. So when I was asked to review the squeezy fruit puree and fruit & water from Organix’s Goodies range of foods I was delighted as I was ever hopeful that Lexi would eat and drink something more nutritious and healthy and actually enjoy it rather than clam up and shake her head ‘No’ when anything fruit or vegetable related came near her mouth! The nearest I had previously gotten to success was her eating chunks of apple with her cheese and hiding strawberries and such in her yoghurt!

Organic Squeezy Blueberry, Blackberry & Pear Puree

You can imagine how happy I was when she absolutely LOVED the puree! I couldn’t fill the spoon and pop it into her mouth fast enough! As you can see, she got so impatient with her slow Mummy’s spoon feeding attempts that she much preferred to just squeeze the pouch straight into her mouth! And, with a little help from Mummy, she managed to not make too much mess - although to actually see her eating something so nutritious, I honestly wouldn’t have minded how much mess she made!

The “No Junk Promise” means that not only is it absolutely delicious, but it also boasts no added sugar, no artificial colours or flavours and is 100% organic fruit. Added to which each 100g squeezy pouch is 1 of my precious little angel’s 5 a day! It is also suitable for vegetarians (like me!) and gluten free and dairy free! Perfect for all toddlers!

This particular squeezy consisted of: 4/5 pear (65%), 8 blueberries (15%), 2 blackberries (15%) and 1/10 banana (5%).

Suitable for toddlers 12+ months, it is absolutely perfect for popping into a handbag or changing bag to take out as a snack. I would probably not bother even taking a spoon as Lexi much preferred squeezing it straight into her mouth from the pouch and it means that her already bulging changing bag can easily accommodate one little pouch without any fuss or worry. I would definitely recommend taking some baby wipes though as, with all the enthusiasm of being a ‘big girl’ and eating the puree by herself, there was purple fruit smeared on just about every inch of her chin and all around her mouth so baby wipes are a must if eaten out and about. The fact that they are resealable also makes them brilliant for taking out and about as nothing is wasted. Lexi munched the whole pouch in one sitting but, if she had left any, I could have popped it into the fridge for the next day!

Being suitable for vegetarians, Mummy even had a taste of the puree and I too thought it was delicious! No wonder Lexi gobbled it down so quickly! The puree is smooth, sweet without being sickly, bright purple - showing how fruity it really is, and is a lovely consistency - not too thin and runny, but is also not too thick and viscous.

Organic Fruit & Water: Apple & Blackcurrant flavour

Also boasting the same credentials of having no added sugar, no added preservatives and no artificial colours or flavours whilst also not being made from concentrate this juice is just great! It is 60% water and 60% fruit - 21% apple, 10% grapes and 9% blackcurrants. It has added Vitamin C making it even more nourishing.

So again, I was absolutely ecstatic when Lexi absolutely loved it! She guzzled it down with a look of delight and I carried it around with her the entire day taking swigs or it whilst out in the garden. Even offering it to a little sparrow who came to play! Although the sparrow didn’t want any, Mummy did take a sip - it was scrumptious and really thirst quenching. Really fruity and sweet. The vivid colour makes it so enticing for little ones that they can’t help but be intrigued and want to take a drink... And once they’ve taken one sip, they can’t help but love it and want more!

Unlike other pull top spout bottles, I was impressed that this top actually stayed up and I didn’t have to keep pulling it up for Lexi to be able to drink from it. She pulled it up herself and it stayed up until she pushed it down herself when she had had enough. Another perfect item to pack into the changing bag to take out and about with us as the bottle is just the right size to keep her thirst quenched whilst out for a few hours.

For more information, check out their website: www.organix.com/goodies/our-foods where you can find their extensive range of foods including other flavours: kiwi, pear and banana; strawberry, banana and pear; and mango, pear and orange. There are also many other appetising foods and drinks. Yum!

So if you too would like to get something nutritious and exciting down your little one; I would definitely recommend Organix Goodies Squeezy and Organic Fruit & Water. Definitely Loved by Lexi!

MAM BABY UK: Anti-Colic Bottles & Orthodontic Soother

I was kindly asked by MAM Baby UK to review their Anti Colic Self-Sterlising Bottles and Orthodontic Soothers. I was more than happy to review them as I love MAM products!

Anti Colic Self-Sterilising Bottles

I must be honest, I had never heard of these bottles. I wish I had heard of them sooner though as I would most definitely have used them from when Lexi was born to present day as they are amazing!
Discard sleepless nights up with colic.
Discard having to have a large, cumbersome steriliser.
These bottles are completely self contained and self sufficient! Amazing!

Firstly, the look: The bottle is sweet looking. I was sent an attractive green one

but it comes in a wide array of colours and sizes which is very handy; and means they can literally be used from birth onwards just changing the size of the bottle (or colour if you decide you want something more masculine/feminine than your original choice!).

The teat is a lovely tapered shape. Lexi took to it immediately which I was surprised at seeing as she has always used Avent bottles and teats. She loved the shape of the bottle as it was easy to hold and keep hold of, not slipping from her fingers or being too difficult to grip. Added to this, the teat is silk so is so soft and durable making it perfect for a boisterous 21 month old!

Even more impressive are the added features that have obviously been well thought out and actioned by MAM; the bottle lid has measurement increments on the side meaning it is simple and convenient to be able to measure the amount of water to add before sterilising, the ease of use for sterilising the bottle is very impressive - three quick, simple steps and your bottle is sterile in just 3 minutes using just a microwave! Brilliant! I can't express enough how impressed I was with everything about this bottle. I would definitely recommend it to anybody who is looking for a convenient bottle for travelling and out and about as it is completely self-contained!

For full information, the list of products available and to order visit: http://mamonlineshop.com/acatalog/____span_style__color___BA86B6______Bottle_Feeding_____span____.html

But don't just take my word for it: These bottles have won numerous Awards including Mother & Baby Gold Award.

Orthodontic Silk Soother
Unfortunately, Lexi doesn't use a soother but I did ask a friend to give me her opinion via her 8 month old son:

The design that MAM had sent me was obviously more feminine as they had sent it for Lexi but my friend wasn't too bothered and she thought the soother was fabulous. As well as boasting great credentials like being suitable from 0+ months, BPA free, endorsed by Orthodontists and Dentists to promote healthy teeth, gums and jaw, and coming in a wide variety of colours and shapes; she said that the main attraction was that it actually stayed in Lucas' mouth. He didn't attempt to spit it out as he does with other soothers, he didn't pull it out which he does with other soothers and it didn't leave a nasty looking impression around his mouth like other soothers can sometimes do.

The assortment of colours and styles is endless. They have a wide array of different designs for different ages: My favourite 0+ month ones are...

And the 6+ months ones get even funkier...

And still include all of the wonderful attributes that the younger baby soothers have, whilst looking great!

If you are interested in more information about MAM Soothers or if you wish to see the full product range and make an order then please visit: http://mamonlineshop.com/acatalog/Soothers2.html

MAM Baby UK is most definitely Loved By Lexi

Nappy Creams: Sudacrem vs Metanium vs Bepanthen

The age old questions... Which nappy cream is best?

Well hopefully I may be able to help by giving you my opinion of the three above which, in turn, may help you make your own decision as to which to use on your little ones bottom...

I tend to use nappy cream as a preventative barrier rather than as a treatment for actual nappy rash. Although in the not too distant past Lexi did get horrendous nappy rash (caused by something she ate) so I tried out as many creams, lotions and potions as I could find and which the Doctor informed me of. So here is my opinion of the three top ones....

Sudacrem

I have always used Sudacrem as a preventative nappy barrier cream. As my Mum always told me "prevention better than cure" so I have always applied it very liberally to Lexi's bottom to protect her. However, I was unaware that Sudacrem was what the doctor classed as a mild prevention cream rather than a nappy rash treatment cream for actual nappy rash.

Sudacrem is the only one of the three I would describe as a proper "cream". It has a smooth, cool, creamy texture to it. I find it easy to apply liberally as it glides and sticks to skin without smearing around all over the place as it is quite thick and dense. It has a fresh 'baby' smell to it which I find appealing and comes in various sizes including miniature which is perfect for keeping in a changing bag or handbag. The tub is also convenient because it is easy to open and use when you have a wriggling uncooperative baby in front of you trying desperately to avoid you being able to successfully change their nappy! The lid snaps on and off easily and you can get your hand and fingers easily into the tub on the larger version meaning there is no mess or fuss when applying this to your baby. It has many uses including for nappy rash, eczema and bed sores making it a perfect cream to have in the house even when your baby is out of nappies! If looking for fault, the only thing I could possibly say is that Sudacrem does go a little runny when in sunlight or in a changing bag that gets a little warm but I haven't seen that to be a problem it just means that it isn't as dense when warm and therefore you can't apply it quite as liberally - although the excessive amount I lather onto Lexi may be a little too much anyway! ;)

Metanium

Being totally honest, I had never heard of Metanium until Lexi got nappy rash a few months ago. I went to the doctors as the usual nappy cream I used, Sudacrem, didn't seem to be touching it. So the doctor pointed me in the direction of Metanium.

Metanium is a strange "cream"; being more of a thick, gritty paste. It comes in a tube which can be irritating when you are trying to extract the paste from the tube to apply it and trying to get the screw top off whilst containing a squirming baby, but once you get the lid off, it doesn't take too much persuasion to get the paste out and spread onto baby. It has an odd smell to it, kind of a musty chemically smell which isn't unpleasant but isn't a smell I would classify as a 'baby' smell. It spreads easily onto baby's skin and stays where you spread it rather than smearing all over the place and most of it ending up coming off onto the nappy so that was a definite plus. However, the gritty texture is a little off putting as it feels wrong smearing gritty paste onto such delicate new skin but the doctor assured me that it was the best thing for curing the nappy rash quickly. One thing I did find to be mildly irritating was the fact that the brown gritty paste left Lexi's skin slightly stained meaning she looked dirty but wasn't. It also was very difficult to get off when doing a nappy change. Not only did it not rub off with cotton wool and water (as advised to use by the doctor because of her nappy rash) but it was also very stubborn in getting off with Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes too which I found rather irksome to say the least! The only way of truly removing all residue of the paste was to give Lexi a warm bath and wash it off with a mild soap. The main plus for Metanium is that it worked! Lexi's nappy rash was red and angry; after applying Metanium for a few days' worth of nappy changes; gone! I was astonished! I must admit though that after the nappy rash had been treated, I did change straight back to Sudacrem as I was really put off by the texture of the Metanium and the fact that it was so difficult to remove the residue.

Bepanthen

I had never even considered using Bepanthen (for anything other than applying to new tattoos!!) until I was sent a free sample by them in the post. I must say, I am glad they sent me a free sample as I would have been thoroughly disappointed had I paid for it! The "cream" was more of an oily ointment than a cream as such. It was very difficult to apply to Lexi's skin as it doesn't stick, it merely slides around on her skin until it forms a clump of oily mess in one place on her bottom (nowhere near the original site of application!). There is no smell as such that I have noticed with Bepanthen which is an improvement on Metanium! I also found Bepanthen to be quite bad value for money as you have to apply so much to get it evenly spread that it doesn't last very long. It is also more expensive than both the above creams. The worst thing I found with Bepanthen is the tube and lid. The lid is so small that I deem it a high risk choking hazard for a baby. Metanium has a tube and lid but the lid is larger than the Bepanthen tube and therefore the Metanium lid is large enough not to be swallowable as oppose to the Bepanthen small lid. The Bepanthen lid is also very difficult to get on and off when trying to control a baby, and once removed, the tube is so firm that it is almost impossible to remove the ointment from the tube without using both hands (which is impossible with a baby rolling around all over the place!). I didn't find any redeeming feature with Bepanthen and would definitely not use it again.

So my personal verdict....

Sudacrem is a perfect everyday nappy rash prevention cream and I will continue to use it on Lexi daily.

But for more severe nappy rash and for occasional use to treat sore, dry patches; then Metanium, despite its faults, works!

So that is our opinion of nappy creams which are (and are not!) Loved by Lexi

TEETHING PENDANT: Teething Bling UK (Smart Mum UK)

Lexi and I were sent a beautiful piece of Teething Bling by Smart Mum UK in the form of a gorgeous bright pink Teething Pendant. It arrived in a lovely organza bag which is perfect for using to carry the pendant around, perhaps in a changing bag should you need to take the Pendant off or want to take it somewhere in style!

I will come to the Pendant, but I just wanted to reiterate just how pleased I was with the presentation of the Pendant in it's gorgeous little bag. Also included was a cute little postcard with some brief information about the company and the products and a little bit of background about how Teething Bling came to be. Which I found both informative without being too heavy literature! Fab!!

The Pendant: Divine!!

As you can see; the colour is so vibrant and eye-catching! I was immediately smitten! Then, as I placed it around my neck for the first time, I caught a fleeting scent of strawberries! I thought I must have been imagining it because the smell of berries was so sweet and juicy that I didn't think it was possible for the Pendant to have smelled of berries so discreetly without being overpowering and sickly. But it did! I later looked at the website and realised my surprise Pendant sent had been the Very Berry (scented) Pendant - hence I really could smell berries! Whilst there I couldn't help but take a look at some of the other stunning colours they do including gold, jade, moonstone, amethyst, zebra, red, blue and the list goes on....

Before the Pendant had rested on my chest; Lexi had noticed it! Over she came, intrigued with a grin on her face wanting to have a peek at the new, brightly coloured necklace Mummy was wearing...

To my amazement, when I took it off and passed it to her her natural instinct must have taken over as it was popped straight into her mouth for a gnaw...

After getting Lexi to relinquish the Pendant back to Mummy; I took a proper look at the Pendant itself with the intention of reviewing it rather than being instantly distracted by the fact that it looks so stunning!

Firstly, yes the Pendant looks great but has also been very well thought out as there is nothing I could fault whatsoever. The Pendant is the perfect colour, weight, texture is lovely, the black silky cord is the perfect length (with plenty of scope for adjustment) and the beautiful scent was an added bonus!

I particularly liked the safety clasp on the cord to ensure that no harm can come to baby or your neck because of the cord as it simply snaps open if tugged on too fiercely. I found this to be a very great addition to an already superb product!

In addition to this: "All Teething Bling is made from the same material as most teething toys. Bling not only looks great but are safe for curious babies to handle and chew." And as another added bonus, as if it wasn't brilliant enough already, Teething Bling is also dishwasher friendly!! Yay.

The jargon: Teething Bling contains no harmful chemicals such as phthalates, BPAs, PVCs, lead or latex.

Teething Bling is suitable for all babies and toddlers with emerging teeth who won't be able to bite through the jewellery. So why not take a look at their full range of bangles, pendants, gift sets and teen bling at:

www.smartmumuk.com

They are also on Facebook : Teething Bling UK.

The Teething Bling Pendant is most definitely Loved by Lexi. Go check it out for yourself!

TAGGIE MONKEY: Something a little bit different....

I have never seen such excitement on Lexi’s face as her look of absolute delight when I opened the parcel (addressed to Lexi which I thought was a lovely touch!) and there was Taggie Monkey....

Included in the parcel was an information leaflet about other Taggies products which was very explanatory and which I thoroughly enjoyed reading!

But, with his funky orange T-shirt featuring a guitar, his cheeky grin and the eye-catching image of a guitar emblazoned on his T-shirt; it was love at first sight between Lexi and Taggie Monkey!! The look of sheer adoration for this big, brown, gorgeously soft, T-shirt sporting monkey was one I won’t forget for a long time! Coupled with “Awwwwwwwww” as she picked him up, feeling his velvety softness as she first showed him to me then to Nana with pride, it was such a lovely moment.

Then her glee magnified further when she noticed the brightly coloured tags attached to his arms and t-shirt. They caught her eye almost immediately as they are all differently coloured with little slogans on them and each has a different feel to it meaning Lexi’s sensory experience was different with each one!

Lexi immediately made Taggie Monkey her new best friend. She isn’t usually one for swapping between favourite toys; Iggle Piggle has long held that title; but Taggie Monkey was different... He was an instant hit and had to accompany Lexi on their first important mission in the garden to look at the birds. Never have I seen my 21 month old daughter pointing to the birds and an aeroplane that flew overhead and purposely lifting a toy skyward in order to allow it to see whatever she is pointing at; but Taggie Monkey was different... He was carried carefully throughout the garden whilst Lexi pointed out every little thing she could see. Then their second mission; ScuttleBug investigations.

Monkey was sat on Scuttlebug and rode around the patio, garden and dining room while Lexi pointed things out to him and sang to him with a humungous smile on her face.

Mission three; lunch time. Never has Lexi wanted or ever shown any interest in having a toy sit on or in her highchair with her... But Taggie Monkey was different... He was sat in her chair as soon as she saw me preparing her sandwich before she then climbed in beside him and sat him ready for lunch. And that was where he remained for the entire meal (Mummy didn’t have the heart to take him away especially as Lexi was feeding him Quavers and cheese which she has never done with any other toy either!!).

Once lunch was finished and Taggie Monkey had been given a sticker for being a good boy; which no other toy has ever been given by Lexi either and a kiss for eating all his lunch (also from Lexi) then was time for Lexi to start...

Mission four; find Taggie Monkey a girlfriend... Taggie Monkey obviously looked lonely as Lexi found her ragdoll, sat it on the radiator (turned off!!) and sat Taggie Monkey beside her before smiling and saying “there” with a delightful smile on her face.

Lastly we had Mission five; Take monkey for a ride on a toy bus... Again, something Lexi has never done with any other toy! So monkey was promptly placed on the bus before being pushed around by Lexi with “brooom brooooom choo choo” ing her way around the house laughing and squealing with pure enjoyment.

So if you are interested in something different then Taggie Monkey is definitely for your little one too! Lexi has not put Taggie Monkey down from the moment he arrived til now and she is at this moment in bed snuggled up to his gorgeously soft fur clutching him to her for dear life for fear that mean Mummy or Daddy might go in and remove him from the cot! Heehee.

I would definitely recommend him to anybody looking for something a little bit different to the normal soft toys on the market. Taggie Monkey retails at what sounds a rather pricey £17.99 but I would say he is worth every penny!

If I was to say anything negative at all it would just be that although Lexi loves the eye-catching orange colour of his t-shirt with the blue guitar design; I would perhaps like to see a more feminine Taggie Monkey in the future so that we as parents have the choice of whether we want to buy the unisex monkey or a more girly one for our little Princess. But, like I said, Lexi loves Taggie Monkey as he is so this is just my personal thought on the t-shirt and it wouldn’t affect my decision on whether to buy one or not. I will DEFINITELY be buying Taggie Monkey gifts for children’s birthdays coming up soon!!

For the full range of products available take a look at www.haptic.co.uk where you can find all their product lines and information on their products.

So there it is: Taggie Monkey is definitely Loved By Lexi

Dettol : Fine for Lexi but Potentially Fatal for Cats

I know this isn’t a blog about cats but our three Ragdoll cats are Loved by Lexi very much so therefore I really wanted to make more people aware of something I recently discovered regarding cats and Dettol....

Having a baby in the house, hygiene is one of my top priorities; especially having three cats in the house leaving goodness knows what lying around; I am constantly disinfecting just about everything in sight to within an inch of it’s life! That was why I loved Dettol: I used it on the kitchen floor, the worktops, cleaning out the fridge, the door handles, the hearth, the bathroom, cleaning the highchair, the table, Lexi’s toys and the list goes on....

That was until I happened to glance at the label on the bottle of Dettol and saw this warning...

“NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE AROUND CATS”

Well my heart went into my mouth. Thinking oh my goodness what have I done I quickly grabbed my iPhone and had the Dettol website before me, where there was a clear warning on the website saying the same thing “Not recommended for use around cats”. I was scared stiff! The first thought I had was “What about Lexi”. If it is harmful to cats, then what on earth is it doing to Lexi?!

After much research online and a lot of panic, I found out that it is NOT harmful to Lexi. It is perfectly fine to use around children and babies and even to use on their toys, highchair etc as I had been doing.

However, regarding cats it is a totally different story! This was the conclusion I reached with my subsequent research:

“The problem for cats lie in one of the active ingredients ‘Phenol’ (also known as Carbolic Acid). Disinfectants containing phenols (those that turn cloudy when mixed with water) are of concern because cats are unable to eliminate the toxins following ingestion. A cat may swallow the product by licking his paws after they have come into contact with it.”

Furthermore; “Phenol and some phenolic compounds and coal-tar acid derivatives used in some disinfectants, specialist soaps and wood treatments, such as creosote, are potentially problematic in many animals especially if the exposure is significant. Cats, birds and some reptiles are known to have a particular sensitivity to these compounds. As acid derivatives phenolic compounds are potentially corrosive and prolonged skin exposures can cause severe skin irritation or burns. If the animals ingest or groom material off contaminated skin they may develop irritation or burns of the mouth and tongue as well. They may therefore vomit or salivate excessively. In severe exposures such substances could be absorbed across damaged skin and cause systemic signs such as breathing difficulties, hyperthermia or even shock. Luckily severe cases are very rare.”

The upshot: Don’t ever use Dettol around cats. Their respiratory system cannot cope with it, the chemicals can crystalise their brain and they are unable to eliminate the toxic phenols if ingested!

My Dettol went straight in the bin... and if you have cats; Please do the same!!!

I want to make clear though that this is ONLY the Dettol that contains Phenols. Just ensure you check the warnings on the label before you buy! Dettol is also not the only solution containing these phenols; they are just the most widely used. Although I recently read an article published by Tesco because they had added a warning label to their Anti-Bacterial Spray saying “Harmful to Cats” because the spray contained Benzalkonium Chloride which is widely known to be poisonous to cats. If it’s in Tesco spray, then it could well be in any other supermarket brand sprays or other well known branded sprays.

The professional advice I was given by a Vet was “Severe phenol poisoning has symptoms ranging from panting and hyperactivity, restlessness, uncommon behaviour such as being aggressive or scared, vomiting, excessive drooling, tremors and seizures, even shock and coma or lethargy. If your pet shows any of those symptoms, he will need to be urgently taken to a veterinary to get specialist care. Identifying the source of the poison and calling them in advance with as much information as possible will increase your pet chances of survival, but urgency is the key word. If the pet can eat, milk or egg whites will help reduce internal corrosion of their digestive system, while waiting for professional care. Above all, don't try to make the pet throw up, since that will increase the damage to tissues. If the coat is contaminated, clipping the substance from the skin and washing the pet will reduce further ingestion, as well as wrapping the pet with a blanket during transport to avoid him cleaning itself. And most importantly of all, get the pet to a vet immediately. Phenol poisoning has no antidote, but in a clinic they can apply palliative measures that will help your pet survive while he's purging the poisons from his system. It's not something that can be done at home, and the chances of your pet dying unless professional care is given are high, especially with cats. But with good professional care the recovery is often quick and complete with no lasting side effects. Prevention is the best cure, so always check the labels of cleaning products, disinfectants, food, hygiene products and medicines that you plan on using around your pet. If you are in doubt better take the safe route and consult your vet. A wasted trip to the vet or a phone call is better than your pet suffering deadly poisoning effects later when you aren't there to notice it.”

CHECK ALL CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR SUITABILITY AROUND PETS BEFORE BUYING OR USING!

My three Ragdoll cats are Loved By Lexi hence I will be checking all labels from now on thoroughly to ensure suitability before use!

Tommee Tippee : Tip It Up Beaker

Getting Lexi to drink out of anything but a bottle was a nightmare. "She won't intentionally dehydrate herself" said my Health Visitor "so just stop her having a bottle and she'll eventually drink out of anything". The Health Visitor obviously doesn't know Lexi too well as she definitely did refuse anything else and she definitely did intentionally dehydrate herself in protest until I succumbed to giving her back her bottle!

That was until, by pure chance, I bought her the Tommee Tippee Tip It Up Beaker from ASDA. ASDA had them on sale in a special Baby Event so they were on promotion so I thought, well whats the harm, worth a go! So, ever the optimist, I bought her the Tommee Tippee Tip It Up Beaker in pink...

Bottles No More! She absolutely LOVES it! She now flatly refuses to drink from anything else as a matter of fact! Lol.

The contours of the bottle, shape and easy grip ridges make it so tactile and easy for her to drink from; whilst the soft silicone spout is not only non-spill (god send with a 21 month old!!) but it but has "Dura-Spout" and "Lip Touch" technology making it the BEST spout I have come across on a beaker.

The beaker looks really fun and funky too; coming in three cool colours...

I chose pink as Lexi loves girly colours but I wouldn't be adverse to any of them as they all look really fun and are eye catching for toddlers. Capturing their imagination as well as their eye! Lexi is never seen without it now!

he beaker is BPA Free too giving even more reason to love it! Suitable for 9 months plus it is the IDEAL drinking vessel for babies over 9 months, toddlers and children! Available from the Tommee Tippee website for just £3.49 which in my opinion is an absolute BARGAIN!!

www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/tip_it_up_beaker_9m

And when they say non-spill; it truly is non-spill... Believe me, Lexi has tried EVERYTHING to get that juice out all over the table but has so far been unsuccessful!

Thank you Tommee Tippee; you're Tip It Up Beaker really is Loved By Lexi :)

P.S. They also do the Tip It Up Cup, Sportster, Training Beaker and Flip-Top beaker too :) Take a look at the range...

www.tommeetippee.co.uk/department/tip_it_up/cup_drinking

The NHS: When a Child's Welfare is no longer of Paramount Concern...

Time for my First Proper Rant..... ;)

And where better to begin than the NHS!!!! Oh dear... Here goes! Lol

So Lexi is severely pigeon-toed so I took her to the doctors in August 2010 for the doctor to assess whether she needed any treatment or physiotherapy for this. The doctor advised me she would "grow out of it so ignore it". Well it was easy enough to ignore the fact that she walked slightly bow legged and when she wasn't concentrating the pigeon in-toeing was quite prominent: but what happened (repeatedly!!) next was not so easy to ignore!! When she tripped over her own feet a few times and each time managed to bang her head; whether it be on the door frame or the coffee table or just a toy; it was always her head, I had had enough. Subsequently she was in Minor Injuries at our local hospital goodness knows how many times!

Well as you can imagine, I had had enough of this as the poor little mite was getting anxious and was worried to run or walk quickly as she would trip and fall. So on 28 October 2010 I went to my doctor and demanded that I get a second opinion or that Lexi be looked at by a Physiotherapist. The doctor said he would refer her immediately to the Child's Physiotherapist at the main hospital in Cornwall, Treliske!

When by January 2011 I had still not heard anything from the Therapy Department, and being quite a forceful person ;), I phoned 6 times (keeping careful logs of all calls), wrote to them repeatedly (which I kept copies of) and emailed them (which I also kept) asking what on earth was going on as Lexi was injuring herself more and more frequently and we were still no further forward and hadn't even had a consultation. The curt response I got on the telephone was that "Treliske Therapy Department is very, very busy. There is a waiting list time of at least 8 months so just pipe down and wait. Lexi will be seen in August 2011"!!! Well...... I hit the roof! Lol. I phoned Management, I phoned my Doctor, I phoned the Health Committee, I phoned and wrote to just about everybody I could think of to try and help with this abomination. Lack of staff should not mean a child's welfare be neglected!!!

Low and behold, in February an appointment comes through the post saying Lexi had been upgraded to "urgent" and could be seen immediately. Funny how they couldn't fit her in before right?!

So along I go and saw a lovely Physio who explained that they didn't have enough money for staff which was why we had had to wait so long as they only had 2 part-time physios when Treliske's demand was actually for 4 full-time physios or more!!!

Anyway, Lexi's feet were assessed as being severe and that she would need some specialised shoes to hold her feet in place to ensure that the in-toeing didn't deteriorate as she got older. Those shoes arrived THREE WEEKS later and were too small (probably because we'd been waiting a bloody month for them to come!!!). So another set of shoes were ordered; I went in to collect those (paying £4.40 per time to park at the Hospital) and what a surprise, those didn't fit as we had waited three weeks for those to arrived too! This is now 6 weeks after our appointment. So the Physio says "We will try some night-time splint shoes as her feet are obviously not right for daytime shoes". By not "right" what she actually meant was that Lexi has what they assessed as narrow feet and their shoes only come in one width which is too wide. I would like to point out though that whenever having Lexi's feet measured at a reputable children's shoe shop like Clarks, they always assess her feet as being wider than average with her needing a G width fitting! So somebody is wrong and I very much doubt it is Clarks! Lol.

So the Physio measures Lexi's feet - 14cm. The biggest they do the night-time splint is 13.5cm. "Oh well" says the Physio "Let's order them anyway"!! So along we go AGAIN THREE WEEKS LATER, to try on Lexi's evening splint. And as I already expected, they were too small! Grrrrrrrrrrr. OK says the Physio, we will order her some trainers as they may fit her better.

Whilst at this appointment (to which I took my Husband because he thought I was joking about all this nonsense going on) we were told that actually Lexi's condition isn't too bad and MIGHT right itself by the time she is 8. Well thank you very bloody much! Either you have just wasted 7 months of our lives worrying about it and fretting to try and get it sorted; or you are now lying to cover the fact that you are not able to do your job properly and help Lexi to stop injuring herself!! Either way I am FURIOUS!!!

So anyway, the trainers were ordered at the end of April. It is now 10th May 2011 and I have just contacted them to be told that the shoes aren't "available" but can we come in on Friday 13th May for an appointment for them to try some other shoes on Lexi.

So after being referred on 28 October 2010....
To being marked as Urgent in January 2011....
It is now MAY 2011 and Lexi is still no further forward.

Is it just me or is this just plain incompetence and complete lack of the "care" a Hospital is supposed to give? Thank you very much Treliske Hospital for not being bothered to give the correct care and treatment to our 21 month old daughter. This won't be the last in this saga, I'm sure!!! The lovely lady at our local Minor Injuries has even telephoned the Therapy Department personally to complain about the lack of care Lexi is being given and the complete negligence the Therapy Department are bestowing on our baby girl!

Thank you for listening to me rant but as you can see, I am a little frustrated! But when it comes to the welfare of children and incompetence leading to neglect of duty and care, I do tend to get rather irate! :(

The Dangers of Bouncing on the Bed.....

So we all did it (and some still do!!) but after the experience we had with Lexi I thought I'd post on here about the dangers of bouncing on the bed......!!

Let me outline the scenario: On a lazy Sunday morning Mummy, Daddy and Lexi were sitting in the bed with Lexi bouncing around and throwing herself down on the bed in sheer delight, giggling and laughing and us thinking it was wonderful with her enjoying herself so much. A bit of family time with us all just enjoying each other's company. Our bed is a Tempur mattress on top of a divan so is about waist height (a lot higher than a normal bed). We were all having lots of laughter and fun: That was until disaster struck.....

Silk sheets and a crazy 21 month old certainly didn't mix well on that Sunday that's for sure.....

One moment I was sitting in bed, the next Lexi had slid off the end of the bed and because of the propulsion caused by the silk sheets having no resistance, she hadn't had chance to put her hands out to stop herself so had landed full force on the top of her head. I have never moved so quickly in my life as I shot out of bed to her aide. The sight that I faced was NOT one I ever wish to see again and is not one that I will ever forget for the rest of my life! My baby girl was lying on the floor, completely still, purple and not breathing! I was paralysed with shock completely unable to make my body or brain react to the sight before me.

Totally without thinking I picked her up off the floor before registering my Husband shouting "her neck, don't move her what about her neck". This hadn't even crossed my mind, all I wanted was to hear her cry or scream but I realised he was right so I lay her on the bed. Thankfully and to my absolute relief she started breathing again but to my dismay appeared to go into some sort of shock as she was screaming so loud and was shaking uncontrollably. In the meantime Martyn had grabbed the phone and was speaking to the Ambulance Service who were giving him directions of what to do. Their advice was to pick her up so they could gauge her responses etc. I must have looked so forlorn; standing in the doorway screaming Martyn's mum's name (who was downstairs) with my purple, shaking baby girl in my arms with Martyn trying to get some sense from me so 999 could work out what was going on.

I can honestly tell you I have never been so frightened in my entire life!!

To cut a long story short; we took her to our nearest A&E where they did an examination of her and closely monitored her for 5 hours before deciding to admit her into the Children's Ward for further monitoring and tests. We were in the Children's Ward for 3 hours making a total time spent at the Hospital of 8 hours with a very shaken, very upset and very sore little girl (and a very shaken, very upset and very frightened and concerned Mummy and Daddy).

Thankfully, they sent us home with the proviso that we would watch her very closely to make sure there were no more signs of head trauma, but it could have been much, much worse!!!

I will never, ever for as long as I live get that picture of Lexi still, not breathing and purple out of my head! It is something I can and will never forget!! Those 20-30 seconds of her like that seemed like an eternity and it wasn't until we were at the Hospital that I was told it had only been 20-30 seconds rather than 2-3 minutes which was how it felt to me!!

So please, don't let your children jump on the bed! We were very, very lucky... THIS TIME!!

Inch Blue Competition Winner..... Twice!

"I never win anything"...... That sentence has been typed and spoken by me many, many, many times throughout my 25 years on Earth. 

So you can imagine my shock when I won a competition by My Retro Baby on Facebook and was able to choose any style of Inch Blue shoes for Lexi that I wanted. I was not only shocked but so thrilled and excited as I had always loved Inch Blue but just never had the funds to be able to buy any specific indoor shoes as all shoe money had to be spent on specialised shoes for Lexi (Looooooong story which I will go into another time and have a good rant about!). 

So after much deliberating over so many gorgeous styles, colours and designs, I finally opted for Sheep Baby Pink. Lexi absolutely LOVES them, they look so cute and are so versatile. 

So, I uploaded a picture of Lexi wearing her Inch Blue sheep shoes........

And little did I realise a few days later I received an email from the wonderful Rhiannon from Inch Blue to say I had won Lexi another pair of Inch Blue, this time of their choosing, for one of the best pet pictures posted on their Facebook page. You can probably imagine how overjoyed I was as the shoes really are amazing and will be absolutely perfect for when Lexi and I go to spend a month with my Mum in her villa in Northern Cyprus in June as the marble floors can be so slippery and cold. The shoes will be absolutely PERFECT as they will keep her feet dry and clean and non-slip without being too hot as they are so flexible, durable and breathable too! 

Then yesterday a parcel arrived.....

I couldn't have chosen better myself! As Lexi loves to sit and watch the birds through the window, "Bird" was one of her first words and she has even befriended the "pet" pigeon Bert who comes into our garden everyday for some seed and fat balls. 

Thank you My Retro Baby for introducing me to the delightful, wonderful world of Inch Blue shoes. And Thank You Inch Blue shoes for allowing me to be a prize winner and to receive two beautifully made, magnificently crafted pairs of Inch Blue shoes.

For anybody who is yet to have this pleasure, links are below! Enjoy..... I did! And Lexi is delighted with her two new pairs of Inch Blue shoes..... (She has even been known to wear a different one on each foot! :) )

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Retro-Baby/259972775509

http://www.inch-blue.com/uk/product/sheep-baby-pink

Creative Writing.... Yeah Right!

So when I was in school, my English Teacher said of me "She has a natural flair and unique talent for creative writing. Watch this space, she will become a famous author someday".

Well somewhere along the line, I must have lost this "flair" and "talent". It's probably somewhere in the depths along with my capability of getting a full nights sleep, my ability to stop a little bit of pee coming out when I laugh, my lack of time to even go to the toilet in peace and my ability to talk about anything other than babies, children, motherhood, housework, babies, children, nappies, babies and children! Thanks to Lexi these are but a few of my attributes I seem to have somehow misplaced in the last 21 months!

Don't get me wrong; for somebody who was defiantly adamant that, having been the eldest of three, I never wanted to have children; I have taken to motherhood like the proverbial Duck to Water. I love every single second I spend with her, I love being a stay at home mum and I love the feeling of absolute and unconditional love that I have for her (which I was so worried I would not be capable of) and which she devotedly gives me in return. I do however sympathise, perhaps more than I would like, with my own Mum and have a newfound understanding for many of her frustrations over the years. As she rightly points out, I am now 25 and she never stops worrying and wanting to protect and nurture me. And as I'm sure we can all say: I have turned into my mother! I hear myself speaking and actioning things and realise that I am her! Not that that's a bad thing, it's just..... Odd! As I so vehemently tell my husband "I am nothing like my Mum" whilst pondering this fact and coming to the absolute realisation that I am not only just like my Mum, but I am proud that I am like my Mum and couldn't wish for a better maternal role model!

So, in my quest to rediscover my "natural flair" and "unique talent" I have started this blog....

It may well be an interesting journey so I hope you all enjoy reading it, sharing in my everyday life, frustrations, tears of laugher and joy and moments of utter madness and despair. I really hope you will all get involved and embark on this journey of rediscovery with me! I am primarily a Mummy, but I am also so much more than that and it's time for me to find out what! ;)

Hello & Welcome

Hello and welcome to Loved By Lexi. This is my first attempt at a blog so please let me know any feedback or comments you have on the site. I hope you enjoy taking a look around and having a peek at some of the exciting pages, links and likes featured aswell as reading reviews and future blogs posted! Much more content coming very soon! Enjoy and Welcome.
Hayley - Mummy to Lexi age 21 months.