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This year has seen me gulp down some brave pills and decide to actually go and meet some fellow bloggers at some fantastic blogging events. I often feel massively out of my depth but I love meeting new people and I love to talk, so it shouldn't be too difficult should it?

The difficult part for me is what do I wear? (I accept that many of the regular blog readers may click off now but those that know me well, will roll their eyes in amusement)

I have a love of clothes but never have "anything" to wear. I always need a new dress / jeans and shoes .... oh the shoes! We had a big celebration last weekend so my thoughts were finding the perfect outfit for that and suddenly Britmums is this weekend and I have "nothing" to wear!

I need an outfit that travels well (going on the train), looks cool (obviously), looks funky (hopefully) can go from day to night (I realise I maybe pushing it now) and has shoes that rock (without crippling me). So this is what I have decided on ...

 

Although I still have 3 whole days to change my mind again, and again!

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It doesn't seem so long ago that my youngest daughter was clutching her arms around my neck when we entered the swimming pool, so to see her development in a relatively short space of time fills me with pride and amazement. She lies on her tummy in the bath each night kick kick kicking, happily putting her face in the water and she is just like the sponge with water in the bath tub, the way she absorbs everything she is being taught.

She now loves to watch her big sister at her swimming lessons each week and you can see her wanting to climb in. It is now bordering on a wrestling match to prevent her from getting in the water. It is interesting to see a little competition between the two girls about who does well in their lessons (well the older one moreso than the little one) but you can see her wanting to swim like her sister.

The thing is, she is actually really beginning to swim. Until around 6 months, babies placed in water tummy-side down will move their arms and legs in a swimming motion, so when their swimming reflex and the dive reflex are both engaged, a baby can look like they are swimming but now at almost 2 years old .... she is doing more than look like she is swimming.

This week they have been learning to blink when they come out from being under water. When they are tiny, the parents always wipe away the water but as they get older they have to learn to clear the water themselves, so all we have been saying for the last couple of days is blink, blink, blink.

This small change is another reminder that she is developing so quickly, copying her sister in her desire to absorb everything around her and it amazes me how swiftly things can in the blink of an eye .....

 

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I love technology, I am a secret tech geek. I love being able to get access to everything at the touch of a button but when I was left without a mobile phone for the first time in 15 years, I was grateful to Facebook and social media platforms to enable me to stay in touch with everyone! So what did we do before we had Facebook? How did we survive?

I remember when I would get home from school and ring my friend on the house phone (you know the one with wires).

I remember when I would make a date with a boyfriend and didn't feel the need to tweet / Facebook / bbm 10 squillion times before he actually came to collect me.

I remember when I would go out for the day in the summer holidays as a teenager, without any mobile phone, and just know that I needed to be home by 4pm. (I used the watch on my wrist to tell the time)

I remember when Candy Crush was just something you would get from the sweet shop at the end of the road.

I remember when I would go out for the night with my girlfriends and the photos we took would end up in an album. (the kind with a back and front cover)

I remember when I really didn't need to know what my friends had for breakfast / lunch / dinner  *delete as applicable*

I remember when only my closest circle of friends knew my business ......

So what did we do before Facebook? We definitely had more privacy but our circle of friends was possibly more insular. So if our privacy settings are right (and our candy crush addictions are kept under control), I think Facebook has brought old friends closer together (and possibly driven some apart). It has its place in today's society and there is no escaping it.

Now let me go and update my status .......

 

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Do you give to a charity? Whether it be cleaning out your wardrobe and giving to a charity shop or a monthly direct debit to your charity of choice, there are lots of different ways to give. I know alot of people believe charity begins at home but what if you were unable to support your family at home, wouldn't you hope that there was someone there to offer support?

The Lilypad have supported various charities such as Save the Children and Caudwell Children but we have only been able to do so in a small way, so it is really refreshing to hear about small UK based company, Michiko and Me,  commiting their support to Action Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organisation committed to ending child hunger. Michiko and Me will provide year round support by making a generous donation on each product sold to Action Against Hunger.  Donation amounts will range from £1 to £5 per product and to celebrate the launch of the partnership, Michiko and Me will apply this donation across their entire product range.

Nicky Lumb, founder of Michiko and Me says, “Our Michiko and Me designs are based on a principle of growing as the child grows. This notion of our children growing happily and healthily is a privilege that we often take for granted. Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to feed our children but this is not the case for all families around the world. Knowing you cannot feed your child is so painful, which is why Michiko and Me wanted to back a charity that supports children and families in the struggle against hunger. Action Against Hunger’s work includes saving malnourished children’s lives and improving families access to food and clean water for the future, making them the perfect charity for us to partner with.” 

We have no affiliation with Michiko and Me, purely admiration. 

For more information about Action against Hunger please visit http://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/get-involved/corporate-partnerships/our-corporate-partners/michiko-and-me/