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The summer has been glorious and none of us on the Lilypad have thought much past making sure we have enough sun tan lotion and where we put our flips flops! However, after such an amazing summer, the change in temperature means that we are all thinking about putting the heating on (I know it's only September but I feel the cold) and as the nights grow darker and the winter draws in, it might be time to think about some winter essentials for your little one. I was talking to my sister in law only this week about suitable clothing for my newest little nephew, so here are our top four winter must-haves:

The adorable hat

 

Investing in a hat for your baby is essential when winter hits, and there is no excuse for not taking this opportunity to up the cuteness with your choice. Knitted baby hats, such as this one from Babski Baby, are incredibly cute and will keep that precious heat from escaping their head. The lemon baby hat is knitted using 100% cotton. 

The winter coat

 

Wrap them up warm in a little coat that will see them through the colder months. We love finding things that are a little bit different and this personalised coat from notonthehighstreet.com is adorable, and will never get mixed up with other kids’ coats as your little one’s name or initials can be added to the item. There’s even little bunny ears and a bunny face embroidered on the hood, just to add to the cuteness.

 The little cardigan

When it’s chilly indoors and your baby does not take kindly to being wrapped tight in a blanket, a knitted cardigan is the best option. If you don’t have a helpful relative who loves to knit, you can always find some gorgeous cardigans online, such as this adorable blue one from Emile Et Rose. From 1-18 months, your little one is sure to stay nice and cosy in this cotton cardigan.

The wellies

 

Whether a sprinkling of rain, or a torrential downpour, it is best to have a pair of wellies handy in the car or in the house to save you from soggy little feet. And, if your child is old enough to put them on themselves, Clarks offer this great pair of Doodles with handles for ease of use. Children’s shoes are expensive enough, so be sure to use the wellies as much as possible in the bad weather. We are big fans of Peppa Pig in our house and have recently just bought a Peppa Pig pair from Marks and Spencers, with the same handles, which my little one loves to use.

So all in all, winter proofing your little ones wardrobe doesn't need to cost the earth, just some perfectly thought out essentials will see you through till spring!

Would you add anything to the list?

 

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Family is at the heart of the Lilypad, so we are delighted to bring this post to you by Hallmark and author, Ashley Carter, who looks at the importance of family, and what you can do together to ensure a happy family unit. 

The Importance Of Family

Families provide children with an irreplaceable sense of security and belonging.  A family should provide a source of emotional support, comfort, nurturing, warmth, protection and security.  Without these key ingredients to a familiar environment, children will be the very first ones to suffer.  Families represent more than just a group of people living together.  Between family members exists a bond stronger than between any other groups of people.  Regardless of good or bad situations, you cannot change your family.  Each family member have their own feelings and aspirations, but together a family is a unit that must work together and support one another in order to create a nice living environment for everyone.  The way in which children view the family unit is the same behaviour they will replicate later in life.  A solid, trusting upbringing will create a more well-rounded and socially aware human being later in life.  Every choice you make as a mother in regards to your family has long lasting effects throughout your child’s life.

Developing Relationships

The first examples of interpersonal relationships a person encounters are within the family unit.  As you slowly grow from the solipsistic bonds of childhood, you develop a self-awareness, as well as an awareness of other’s thoughts and feelings.  Naturally, these first instances will occur within the context of your family, and are therefore vital in shaping the way your children think about other people from very early on.  Going from being the only person that matters to you, to having to think about other people’s thoughts and feelings can be a lot to take on for a child; so patience is the key.  Kids aren’t going to pick up straight away that you have to love and respect all of your family members, but gradually they will, and the bonds that grow between them and the rest of your family will be stronger than any other they make in life.  

Spending Quality Time As A Family

As you grow together both as individuals and as a family, it will become apparent what interests and hobbies are shared as a group, and which are best done alone.  Try and utilize the things you all enjoy and make the time to do them whenever you can.  The older children get, the more they will want their independence.  But you never get too old to not need your family, so maintaining relationships through fun activities is incredibly important. From taking a fishing trip as a family, to walking down to the local ice cream parlor together, you could create a list of things to do, that includes all ages and circumstances.  

Make The Most Of Every Opportunity 

So in the end, don’t do anything tomorrow with your family that you can do today. Enjoy every meal together, every night spent watching TV and every special occasion.  As fun as days out are, there’s nothing more special than the simple times just spent together. Hallmark’s range of birthday card will provide you with the perfect opportunity to make each special occasion as memorable as possible, and ensure your ongoing strength as a family unit.

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Sleep is quite a big part of our lives and when I say our, I really mean me. I simply don't function if I haven't had enough sleep but I do have this somewhat annoying ability to fall into a deep sleep quickly. Unfortunately for the man on the Lilypad, this also means that the rhythmic (!!) sounds of my snoring usually keeps him wide awake, so when I was offered the opportunity to review the Good Night Anti Snoring Ring, I thought it would be a good chance to try and stop my incessant snoring once and for all.

I would obviously like to say that I am a delicate, gentle woman who couldn't possibly snore but having actually woken myself up snoring, I know that this is not true. Over the years I have tried different things to try and stop snoring, from sleep positions, nose strips and things underneath my pillow so anything is worth a try, especially after I read that snoring is frequently cited as a reason for divorce!

The first thing that struck me is that the Good Night Anti Snoring Ring doesn't have a "one size fits all" philisophy, as it works on acupressure. The Good Night rings are adjustable but there are three sizes to let you choose the most appropriate one for you. 

Small - Covers ring sizes J-P. Recommended for women or men with small hands/fingers (this is me - I have tiny stick fingers!)

Medium – Covers ring sizes N-S.

Large – Covers ring sizes S –Z. 

The ring has to be worrn on your little finger with the small dimple (you can see it on the image above) on the inside and you squeeze it to get a good fit. When I was reading through the literature it suggests that, in the interests of Yin Yang, that women should wear the ring on their left finger but it also says that sometimes, heavy snorers may need to use 2 rings ( I was a little worried at this point that I may need more than two) 

We had been on holiday but the sea air had done nothing for my snoring, so with the return to our own bed began the stop snoring campaign.  The first couple of nights marked a noteable improvement but by night 6, apparently my other half managed to get a totally peaceful nights sleep. I have to admit that I was a little sceptical at first, how could this little ring stop my snoring but it has. I can't vouch for this in its entirety (mainly because I am asleep while the testing is going on) but according to the man on the pad, it gets a huge thumbs up.

Disclaimer : We were given the Good Night Anti Snoring Ring to review but the views and opinions are an honest and true reflection of our findings.

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Most little girls always want to be a princess but as you grow up you realise that it is highly unlikely that you are going to get swept off your feet by a real life heir to the throne (unless of course you are Kate Middleton). However, somewhere deep rooted inside me I have always loved castles. There is something amazing about the history and architecture that I can't imagine happening with the modern construction of today.

So on our recent holiday to Somerset, we visited Dunster Castle. It amazes me that the castle has stood for over 1000 years, in a time before we had JCB's to lift and computers to design, the castle was developed and built over hundreds of years. William de Mohun was granted the lands at Dunster for his service to William the Conqueror at this battle but his family had to sell the castle to the Luttrell family in 1376 due to their mounting debts. The castle sold for 5000 marks, which equates to about £3333 in modern day money. I can't imagine that there was the legal paperwork done as there would be now, especially if there was found to be surveyors negligence, they may have faced an untimely demise in those days!

The castle has since been passed down through the Luttrell family but when Alexander Luttrell died in 1944 he left the estate in debt which means that Geoffry, Alexander's son, had to sell the castle in 1949 but managed to reacquire it in 1954. Finally Walter, Geoffry's son, gave the castle and many of its contents to the National Trust in 1976.

The day we visited Dunster Castle was gloriously sunny and we could walk through the grounds and down into the historic town. The main house is amazing but it is always a little disappointing to have areas sectioned off as not suitable for the public. Sometimes you don't always want to see the polished floors, amazing fireplaces and old paintings, you want to be able to go down the stone staircases and see the darker side of castle life.

Dunster Castle was a great day out for us as a family but I think the children enjoyed the amazing grounds more than the house as it is quite restrictive within the castle of what they can and can't do. Our day out renewed my love for the architecture, design and sheer determination it must have taken to build something like this.

Would I recommend Dunster Castle as a family day out? Yes but probably better when the sun is shining.

Do I still want to live in a Castle? I am still a girl at heart and doesn't every little girl want to be a princess in a castle?