Parabens et al.,: What's the point in eco toiletries?

I've always tried to err towards eco products if I can - the more natural, less synthetic the better (on offer is good too). This is especially so for what I'm putting on Abigail's skin, in her bath and so on. But I'm afraid I went with instinct rather than actually finding the time to investigate the reasons why avoiding ingredients such as parabens was a good idea. A recent article in the Daily Mail provides a quick and useful summary though, so take a look. It is describing chemicals found in women's beauty products but can be applied to other toiletries as well:

Revealed: 515 chemicals women use everyday

Cooking with love

I don't want to risk overstepping blog territories (see The cat that got the cream), but food has definitely been an important factor lately and I have a feeling being pregnant is doing it.

My friend told me when she was pregnant how she loved cooking good meals for her hubby and now I'm doing the same. That feeling of wanting the nurture and care for your loved ones.

Snack bags to encourage the fruit and veg

Quick tip from Granny T: While Abigail was on her hols she came back with snack bags like these baco ones filled with grapes and carrot sticks. Although fruits are fine, salad veg have been a bit harder to convince Abigail to eat. However, she ate a bag of carrot sticks out of the bag on her first day back! I use these alot now when out and about and they seem to help encourage more eating of raw vegetables. They're also very practical, and reusable, so economical. I bought mine from Morrisons but I'm sure you can get them in most supermarkets.

That holiday feeling

Yey! I'm back from holiday. I spent a week away in San Francisco with my husband while our daughter spent her own holiday down in the Westcountry with her grandparents, aunties and cousins. I feel revived and refreshed. It was a bit daunting preparing for the trip and wondering if Abigail would be OK but it all worked out really well and I'd really recommend it if you can! I've realised how important the break is for all of us and will try to make sure we get away at least once a year, doesn't really matter where as it's the time off that's so good.

Free Range Kids

I recently came back from a week in California. My husband and I had dinner at a colleagues' family home. We, and I think they, enjoyed the exchange of chat about parenting, education, life etc. We were handed a copy of "Free Range Kids" by Lenore Skenazy. I heard stories about knee pads being available in the US to help "ease the transition from crawling on carpeted to hardwood floors"; about some families providing their toddlers with helmets to wear around the house to prevent bumps and bruises... Although these are extreme cases, they are indicative of the growing hesitancy and fears that are taking hold on many parents as they risk-assess day-to-day children's activities. 

Oh my, a GOOD parenting magazine. Gurgle.

Maybe I'm a bit too opinionated, or have created very high expectations based on my personal experience of parenting over the last few years, but I don't generally think that highly of the writing and messages of the parenting magazines out there. I thought I was too cynical and have been pleasantly surprised to have just read a few issues of a new magazine, Gurgle... and liked it!