New Family Member

Just got to share with everyone as I am super excited!!!!!!!!!!! On Thursday I'm taking a delivery of a super cute crested gecko!   

I've been doing research for weeks the vivarium is all set up and looks so cool so just waiting on the little man, I say man but it might well be a she as its still too small to sex.

Will post pics and updates once he/she has arrived safe and well.  

Fantastic Competition Alert 

Win a iCandy Peach

The Lovely People over at Pushchair Trader and Nursery Trader have teamed up with iCandy world for this amazing give-away  

I've neglected this page lately

so I'm going to start updating more often  

Pushchair Trader 2nd Birthday Bonanza 

It is Pushchair Traders 2nd birthday and there giving away some fantastic prizes!

http://www.pushchairtrader.co.uk/en/vip-competitions/

Join in the fun and maybe win a new Pushchair!

Pushchair Trader Comps

Have you seen the bump to toddler comp on the Pushchair Trader website!  There is over £3000 worth of baby essentials that are needed from bump to toddler, Theses include-

• Quinny Moodd
• Kub nursery furniture pack
• Maxi cosi Noa
• Maxi cosi Pebble car seat
• Tippitoes mosses basket
• Cosatto Noodle highchair
• Pourtry Potty
• action kids puky whoosh ride on bike
• Britax baby carrier 
• Vital baby weaning kit
• Cool kids sun cream 
• Boo Boo Mummy skin treat kit
• Content and Calm TrayKit
• Bundlebean
• Lots of the Grow Company goodies
• Baby Joule bedding set
• the Miracle box Tens and birthing ball
• Cheeky Wipes all in one kit
• EISBERG non alcoholic wine, a case of white and a case of red
• Trunki goddies
• Buggy tug
• Hamster buggybag
• Baby Aid first aid kit
• Mamascarf
• Changing bag
• Sunproof goodies
• Coverdry goodies
• Snooze Shade
• Kool Sun beach shelter mini tent

All worth over £3000 and if you become a VIP you get 100 automatic entry's to this comp and at least 25 automatic entries to every comp for 12 months!!! And this is just one of many perks of Pushchair Trader VIP! To become a VIP just click this link http://bit.ly/IArAhf

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Pushchair Bucket List

When I first became a pramo I made a bucket list (pushchairs I want before I no longer need a pushchair) my list in no kind of order was-

1. Bugaboo Cam  had
2. Bugaboo bee+ got
3. UPPAbaby Vista had
4. Quinny Buzz had
5. Phil & Teds sport had
6. Stokke xplory  Not had and need

I was quite happy with this although not having the Stokke was getting to me ( I just wish I could afford one) but then I found out that their was some fantastic pushchairs coming out and I'm now gutted I think I may need to own my own shop! 

1. Mutsy Evo
2. TFK Dot
3. UPPAbaby Cruz
4. Easy Walker June
5. Baby Jogger versa
6. Orbit Baby
7. Quinny Moodd
8. Quinny Yezz
9. And Still my Stokke 

As you can see my new list is pricey does anyone need a kidney lol

Nabru sofa 6 months on

I have had my sofa almost 6 months now and I thought I would post how I was getting on with it and how well it is wearing with 3 young kids jumping on it everyday!

And nothing speaks better the Pictures when it comes to sofas

dip in cushion where my partner always leans on it 

same dip from behind

As you can see apart from the dip it is wearing really well! The dip is all my partners fault he sits on the actual cushion and that is what is pulling it down, I've told him off but he won't stop lol!
I am very happy with my sofa no dips in the seating cushions and I am a big lady at a size 18/20 so it is doing very well!  

Pillow pets

We was given the Pillow pet to test through another website! We got the Playful Penguin but there is loads of other really cute pets if penguins aren't your thing! My daughter fell in love with it as soon as we opened the box although she insists its a seal! The Pillow Is super soft I have actually found my self stroking it and very well padded making it a very comfy pillow, It easily changes into a pet or back into a pillow by a very easy to do Velcro strap my 3 year old daughter worked it out in minutes! She will not let it leave her side! The RRP is £19.99 and I first thought this was a little hight but since seeing how much my daughter loves it I think it is a fair price as it is really well made and washers really nice (which is very important especially as my daughter was sick on hers and still looks as good as new even though it's been through the machine twice)!

Abigail and me highly recommend the Pillow Pets (she won't let me take a pic of it in-case I am selling it, a bit of an E bay addiction lol). I am actually going to buy my boys one each! You can get your self one from Toys R Us, Amazon and http://pillowpets.co.uk/



Here is what Mooki Toys have to say about it

Pillow Pets are the new premium quality plush toy made of ultra-soft and cuddly chenille but with a clever twist.  When a hidden strap is released underneath, the cuddly creature transforms from a toy into a soft pillow, making the Pillow Pet a perfect travelling pal, naptime buddy and all round snuggly friend.

From mid-February, eight super-cute Pillow Pets will be available exclusively from Mookie Toys.  The range includes Billy Monkey, Playful Penguin, Comfy Panda, Snuggly Puppy, Magical Unicorn and Wiggly Pig, not forgetting Ms Ladybug and Bumbly Bee!   And especially for Easter, Cuddly Bunny, Thumpy Bunny, Puffy Duck and Fluffy Bunny.

Pillow Pets will become a must-have for all ages; from toddlers to teens and expectant mothers to grandmothers.  Snuggle up with your very own Pillow Pet, catching forty winks has never been more fun! 

Priced £19.99 RRP and available from Toys ‘R’ Us and Amazon 

Micralite Superlite

Well it's January the most depressing month of the year so to bright up my month I did what most pram-a-holics do I treated myself to a new pushchair or two the latest being the funky lite weight  superlite and her are my first impressions;-

exciting new box

The box was surprisingly lite and even Owen was excited to see his new wheels were like!

When you open the the whole pushchair is assembled apart from the back wheels but these just slide onto the frame very easy to do, but one of my favourite things is the raincover comes in a little bag!

Out of the box

The seat unit doesn't look like any other pushchair seat I've seen before it is a little bit like a triangle being wider where their bum sits and narrower to there head but it is way more spacious then it looks and even my 3 year old has plenty of room and it is light to push even with her in it down to the nice big rear air filled tyres. This pushchair lives up to it's name as it is super lite (yes I can spell light but sticking with the theme) at only 6kg but it's not as delicate as most pushchair in this weight range as them big back air wheels will take it over most terrains!

Folded

This pushchair is a right looker, I went for it in red with a red liner which looks very striking against the black frame and the fold is a very easy one handed fold by pressing and pulling the back which is clearly labelled at the back I didn't even need instructions! The result is a neat free stand tall package!

So far Owen really likes it and so do I! We took it out on our first outing on a very cold school run and to keep him warm I used my pirate cosyosko which fitted great!

UPPAbaby Vista LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I won my Vista from Pushchair Trader and use it with my 18 month old I've had a few pushchairs in the past and must admit this is so far my favourite!

I think even if I had bought this pushchair it would be very good value for money as for well under £600 you get a very stylish pushchair with a ton of  accessories included, as standard it comes with chassis. seat unit, carrycot, raincover for seat and carrycot, insect net for both seat and carrycot and maxi cosi carseat adapters.

What I love about the vista everything works really well. I will start with the seat unit and carrycot they sit higher on the pushchair then most pushchair this keeps baby away from nasty car fumes and makes it easier to interact with your baby, The hood on both the carrycot and seat unit are a very good size and they both have a extra pull out sun visor to give baby very good coverage from the sun. The seat unit is very spacious and will last to you no longer need a pushchair. The chassis is very sturdy with a extendible handle allowing the tallest parent comfortably push it, it is also very light weight and the fold is very easy once you read how to do it which can be done with seat in world facing mode. My favourite thing about the Vista is the MASSIVE and I mean massive basket it is truly amazing. The only thing that annoys me is the rain cover it is fiddly to put on and hard to access baby once it is on. 

My conclusion is this is a very well built stylish pushchair that wont let you down and with the addition of the soon to be released rumble seat and the piggyback board this pushchair will not only  see you through  your first baby but your whole family. I would highly recommend it!

Amazing Christmas Pushchair Give Away

Pushchair Trader are giving away at least one pushchair every day in December!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Including a Bugaboo  Donkey, Quinny, Britax, Mutsy, UPPAbaby and many many more 

http://www.pushchairtrader.co.uk/en/vip-competitions/

I'm a VIP

As most people know I'm a massive Pushchair Trader fan there a fantastic company and if you haven't checked them out yet I suggest you do!!!!!!!
Well this week they have relaunched there fantastic competitions page!!!!!! there is some fantastic comps on there at the minute! The biggest new change is now you can only enter them once UNLESS you become a VIP then you will get 10 automatic entry's into each comp!
There is also much more to becoming a VIP


 Become a tester – you could join the team!

We are looking for new team members! If you want to test products from brands such as iCandy, Cosatto, Quinny, Britax, and hundreds more you will need to become a VIP.

We will publish details of the product(s) we need testers for on the website. VIP’s will be able to apply to become a tester, using their unique VIP ID. Follow the recruitment process through and you could become part of the team, posting your thoughts directly onto the Pushchair Trader website on our new ‘Living With’ section - you may even get to keep the product(s) once the test is over!

VIP’s NEVER miss a competition – over 300 planned for 2012.

Every VIP member is automatically entered into EVERY competition on the Pushchair Trader website for 12 months from the day they join. To top this off you get 10 entries instead of 1 increasing your chance of winning 10X!(Competitions are now limited to 1 entry per competition per person for non VIPs).

In 2012, we have over 300 competitions planned where you can win everything from top of the range pushchairs from brands like Bugaboo and iCandy worth thousands, to the latest changing bags from the most exclusive designer labels.

In addition, in January we will be launching our amazing Bump to Toddler competition. Bump to Toddler will be drawn every 3 months. If you win you will receive everything you need to take you from, yes, you guessed it, Bump to Toddler. This will include pushchairs, strollers, furniture and smaller items such as monitors and nappies . We expect this prize value to exceed £5000 and VIP’s get 50 automatic bonus entries into this competition increasing their chance of winning 50X!

Monthly new VIP member Draw: Every month all new VIP members will be automatically entered into a draw to win a Pushchair. This month we are giving away a Cosatto Swift Lite Stroller. 

Exclusive VIP competitions: From January 2012, we will begin a series of exclusive VIP only competitions – more on this later.

Get discounts worth £100’s.

When you become a VIP you immediately get emailed exclusive vouchers and discounts that are worth hundreds of pounds if redeemed when spending an average basket value. We will also be sending VIP’s new and exclusive vouchers and discounts as we procure them throughout the year.

Our aim is to save you money, so the vouchers we are sourcing are not just for baby and toddler related stores. We have companies selling toys, gifts, gadgets, holidays, sky lanterns, ink cartridges, batteries, cosmetics and much more. Many stores are perfect places to find that elusive Christmas gift. They vouchers are a way to keep the cost of Christmas down.

How do I become a VIP?

Visit our VIP sign-up page and join. It takes less than 60 seconds costs £10 per year – that is just 19 pence per week and gives you immediate access to every VIP benefit! You can pay by Pay Pal, Credit Card or even Mobile Phone. So come on, what are you waiting for? Join us - become a VIP. (taken from Pushchair Traders Website)

I think all this for just £10 a year is a bargain and just me you could win, I did  

Another Big Win

I don't normally enter comps apart from my beloved http://www.pushchairtrader.co.uk/ ones but seen this Silvercross comp for a beautiful Chatsworth dolls pram after me and Abi was looking at dolls prams (she has a bit of an addiction like her mummy) so I entered!!!!

I can't believe I won, it actually took me a few moments to realise it was my name and then I thought it must be another Josephine Meakin until I got the email.  I've gone for it in poppy (red) as it was  Remembrance day that I won it. Hopefully it will be passed down for generations with the little story how it came into our family

My Pushchair Trader BIG win

As all my friends and family know I'm a massive Pushchair Trader fan on facebook but there a lot more then a facebook page if you don't already know they have a fantastic website http://www.pushchairtrader.co.uk/ that is all about pushchairs and pushchair related things, with them being an on-line INDEPENDENT pushchair magazine you can count on honest opinions on everything. They are always running fab competitions but my big win was a special one!!!!!!!!!

The comp was to celebrate the opening of their new and fantastic on-line pushchair accessory shop!!!!!!!!!!

The comp was to win a UPPAbaby Vista ( I have wanted one for a very very long time but out my price range)and over £250 worth of accessory from their shop which included a Pink lining yummy mummy bag, bumprider, buggysnuggle , bundle bean and a ton of other stuff!!! I am one very very very very happy mummy!!!!!!

MY Goodies

Aon her Bumprider and O in his Vista

MY UPPAbaby Vista

A nice big box full of pushchair

I won this comp a good few weeks ago and I still love all my goodies but the pushchair is still the best pushchair I have ever owned and  I actually think it has cured my addiction!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pushchair Trader Group Test

A few weeks ago I applied to go on a Pushchair Trader Group Test for Tandems and I was lucky enough to be chosen. The group test was in Boston Lincs where Pushchair Trader is based and me being from Derby and not being a driver I decided to go the day before and stay over night in a hotel so I didn't have to get the train at 6am. We stayed at the Premier inn in Boston in a Family room which consisted of a king size bed, Single bed and a put me up bed on  the floor it was super comfortable, clean and great value for money at only £62 for the night.


The Pushchair Trader Group Tandem test was at the Blackfriars Theatre and Arts centre, The day consisted of  using some fantastic tandem pushchair that could be use as singles and turned into doubles, the pushchairs that we was lucky enough to play with was, Mamma's and Papas Skate with junior seat, Icandy Peach/blossom, Britax B-duel, Phil and Teds verve, Mima kobi and  Baby jogger city select. We got a good play with them and even got to take some on a walk around Boston Town centre. Here is the official Pushchair Trader write up  http://www.pushchairtrader.co.uk/en/news/tandem-group-test/.

My favourites of the day was the Icandy and the Phil and Teds  but if you ask my 2.5 yrs old daughter she liked the Baby Jogger City select and the Skate!

Tandem group test - Pushchair Trader

Tandem group test - Pushchair Trader:

'via Blog this'

My Life as Secret Agent

Time has come to come for me to tell the world about my time as a Pushchair Trader Secret Agent!!!!!!

About a month ago I applied to become a Pushchair Trader Secret Agent (PTSA) on their very friendly facebook page http://www.facebook.com/PushchairTrader and I was one of the lucky ones to be picked.

Life as a  PTSA is tough I have had to be a master of many disguises, I have also had to master a few other skills like jumping out planes, deep sea diving, braking in to high security building undetected, quick getaways on speed boats whilst pushing a top end Stokke evo. It has been very tough and I have almost been caught out many of times but some how managed to keep my identity a secret until NOW!!!!!!!

Our Mission as Pushchair Trader Secret Agents was to help the develop what their NEW on-line pushchair accessory shop should look like and stock!! It has been so much fun and the shop is AMAZING it stocks all sorts of pushchair accessory's including Pink Lining  and Il tutto changing bags, Bumprider  and Lascal Buggyboard, Hands free brolly and Mummy mits, Buggysnuggle and Cosyosko's and many many other things, It really is a Pram-a-holics dream shop!!!!!!!! Please visit it http://shop.pushchairtrader.co.uk/ You will not be disappointed also whilst on the site take the time to enter their fab competitions on their WIN PUSHCHAIRS tab (you never know you maybe a winner).

I have myself ordered from the shop and as I spent over £65 delivery was free and within a 1hr time slot (courier) I am very happy with my order and will use them again and again and again as they are so professional and friendly (I have been lucky enough to meet Jo and Helen at a group test) they will go out their way to help you. I am very loyal to Pushchair Trader as they really are a fantastic company!!!!

My Mummy mits from the PT shop

My sons Cosyosko and TAF Toys stroller buddies from the PT shop 

Starting School

My oldest started reception class on Tuesday, I can not believe how fast the time as gone only feels like a week ago that I held him for the first time.
L is a very nervous child so we have been talking about starting school all through the holidays and made a big deal about buying his uniform so when it came to the morning he was very excited, when we got to school he was a little nervous and so was I but he went in with no tears and a smile on his face. I found it the longest 6,5 hours of my life and couldn't wait to see him and see how he got on, he came out very tired and cried because I didn't bring a drink then gave me a big hug and said I missed you mummy. He has now done three whole days and although very tired he seems to be enjoying it and says the best thing about school is the dinners in his own words "mummy dinners are yummy, why aren't yours". So I'm now off to buy some cook books and use them 6.5 hours that I miss him to learn to cook yummy dinners.

 L in his uniform

   L in his uniform and Abi pulling a funny face

Fantastic customer service

I've just bought a new pushchair, a loola up from babyvalue on ebay which is actually dorel's (quinny, maxi cosi, kub ect) ebay shop and got a right bargain a new maxi cosi by bebe confort loola up in starlight grey for £74 posted and it came to me very quickly I'm very impressed with this seller it's like my 4th pushchair from them and happy every time!

 Anyway my loola up has come and it is fantastic much better then the normal loola but the only thing that bugged me was the fact the harness is just so small for my 15 month old I would not be able to do it  up with a big coat on him, so I email dorel through their contact tab on their facebook page and two days later  they have ordered me  harness extensions for free I'm very impressed.
This wasn't my first time dealing with their customer service department I once had a quinny buzz that I did love until once my brake got stuck on in the middle of town, once I got home at 4pm I emailed them to see if it needed to go in for repair. They emailed me back the next morning asking me for my phone number and with in an hour I had a phone call of one of their engineers talking me through how to fix it myself.
I have now decided I love Dorel products next on my list is the maxi cosi mura, quinny senzz and I've heard on the grapevine that there is a soon to be released new pushchair that I'm bound to want.
Thank you dorel I'm a very happy mummy well done.

Nabru sofa (self assembly)

Back in 2008 when I was pregnant with my second baby we had just moved into a new house and we decided with our new house we need new sofa's but with money being a bit tight we decided on the argos BOGOF offer on their leather sofa but me being pregnant in my brain as well as belly I ordered two two seater's instead of a three seater and two seater. We have put up with  two small sofa's for three years and now we have three kids we no longer have enough places for the bums in our house so the hunt for a new sofa began.

We started the normal hunt for a sofa in the normal big sofa shops and decided we should get a corner unit but not wanting to spend over £2000 on a sofa when we have 3 young kids I took the hunt on line and came across Nabru self assembly sofa's and thought we would give it a go.

We ordered a high wide arm, 2 large seats on left side and a medium seat with chaise on the right side and a small foot stool in holland pecan (you can get free fabric samples on the website) all this came to £764 and we got to choose when it got delivered and could have had in in under a week not 12 weeks like other places. 

It came on one pallet which I must say was taller then me but was packed really well and waterproof, but I was a little worried. We unloaded it and bought the bits in.

As you can see parts everywhere 

I was surprised it only took me and Simon 3 hours to do it all and an hour of that was sorting parts out a labelling them.

All the bits simply just slot into each other and instructions was very good and easy to understand.

The only thing is the fascia fabric seemed a tiny bit to small and doesn't look fantastic but good enough and we will have another go at it 

I am very impressed and shocked at how comfy it is.

 This is the finished sofa