Styling 2 under 2 with Blade & Rose

Having two girls under two who love to match it's always a task trying to find them comfortable clothes that look good. 

I love knowing they feel comfy in what they are wearing and we find leggings the ideal way to keep them warm, cosy & at the same time look good enough to head out if we needed to. 

My current favourite brand is 'Blade & Rose' they have the most adorable leggings which are just super cosy and cute and perfect for the winter weather. 
They are easy to put on and I can tell the girls are comfortable crawling and toddling about. 
My personal favourite are the 'Nordic' type ones but they are all gorgeous with various characters on the bum which is always a talking point at baby groups with other parents asking where we got them! 
I love styling them with a little pair of bow socks and a Peter Pan collar top. 
You can find all of the blade and rose collection over at https://www.bladeandrose.co.uk/product-category/leggings/
The selection is massive and there is something there for everyone 

What are your favourite things to dress your babies / children in? 

Love Rebecca, Leia & Kaia's Mamma 
X 

Easter Gift Ideas For the Under Two's (Newborn & Toddler EDiT)

I am one of those mothers who doesn't 'buy in' to this Easter gift basket obsession.
I personally think its ridiculous to buy baskets for children so young
After all, they will be asking for this stuff themselves in a couple of years.
That being said, I do have favourites that are very 'Easter Gift' worthy and we find ourselves loving at the moment


First up. Lets talk about Jellycats. They seem to be a firm favourite in any baby room. Im not sure if us mums love them more though!
Kaia my youngest loves cuddly toys but the older is not fussed at all!
We have kind of built up a mini collection, I have picked two of their (uh, hum..my) favourites...the small & medium beige bunnies. They are quite pricey but you cant go wrong. Need I say more?!

Moving on to the books, my girls are fans of the 'Usborne' touchy feely range. I find them very sensory worthy and they give us hours of fun!
You can find the 'that's not my..' collection in all good bookstores, the that's not my lamb & bunny would be perfect for Easter and they are relatively inexpensive at under a fiver in most shops.

Usborne actually sent us their 'Fingerprint Activities Garden' book to try out - we will be putting it to the test on Easter Sunday. It looks great with lots to keep the toddler babe entertained!

Next up is the 'blossom farm'  (totally adorable, if I may add) Lamb from ELC. My mum got this for the newborn at Christmas and honestly, we use this more or less EVERY day. Kaia loves it! These are £8. 

Now as for the present stake, here things get pretty serious, these two beauties from Neals Yard would be an absolute winner.
We have been using the Neals Yard baby range for as long as I can remember. Personally we love the baby bath & shampoo & the baby massage oil.

 

What are your must haves for this Easter?


Love Rebecca x

Hair Extensions - My Hair Essentials featuring OGX

I recently had extensions put in after 'faking it' with clip-in's for as long as I can remember

(If you have any questions on extensions specifically, I can write another post)

When I had my extensions done I asked what good shampoo brands my contact recommended and I said I was already using OGX and she said that was perfect!

I am slowly making my way through the whole range and my go to one at the moment is the 'Coconut Water' shampoo and conditioner.

I did buy the hair serum to match but I don't think that is for me, I'm either using to much or not outing enough in, I can't seem to get it right

I do however LOVE the shampoo and conditioner & if you have extensions I would recommend you trying it and seeing what you think.

Its light weight yet my hair seems to really soak up the conditioner which I love!

What is your go to shampoo & conditioner brand?

Love Rebecca, Leia & Kaia's Mummy x

Sweet Tomato and Ricotta Spaghetti With Piccolo!

My two little ladies are obsessed with the 'Piccolo' range so when we were asked to create our own version at home of course we jumped at the chance!

My Little Piccolo and ASDA have recently teamed up and they gave us a voucher to head there to get the ingredients.

So the stage 2 pouch is a wonderfully classic Italian spaghetti made with fresh plum tomatoes, smooth creamy ricotta, plus a little Montello cheese. A deliciously rounded sauce is finished with crushed red pepper and a hint of basil to give little tummies their first authentic taste of Italy. 


Stay reading for pics at the bottom to see how ours turned out!

Here is the recipe I followed in case you fancy giving it a go too!

Including prep time it was around 45 minutes, we made a huge batch and ended up freezing it too!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400g)
• 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• fresh black pepper
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 200g pasta (spiral or spaghetti)
• 100g ricotta
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ a red pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

METHOD

1.  In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and sauté these until they are transparent (around 8 minutes). Add the chopped red pepper and carrot and cook for a further few minutes.
2.  Add the tin of tomatoes, tomato paste and a few twists of the black pepper mill and stir. Increase the heat slightly and let the sauce start to bubble away for a few minutes, then reduce the heat.
3. Put on a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, add pasta to water and cook until 'al dente' approximately 8- 10 minutes.
4. Add the ricotta, parmesan and basil to the sauce and stir through.
5. Either puree or leave as a chunky tomato sauce.

What are your favourite meals for all the family?


Love Rebecca x

Accessible Last Minute Gift Ideas For A Newborn | Rebecca Hollick

I found it really difficult choosing presents for Kaia this year, with her being only just 5 months today (crying emoji) her pile just didn't seem as big as Leia's


I've found a few last minute gifts I would like to share with you to give you some last minute inspiration


Lamaze Toys: These are really easily accessible - you can buy them in Tesco


I really like 'Symphony Oscar' he retails at around £19.99 and is a musical maestro!

Munching Max is another great one, pull the clip and watch as he chomps away on his acorn!

Finally from Little Tikes is the 'Tummy Tunes Giraffe' you can pick these up at argos and they are under £20 the perfect gift for a newborn!

Have you finished all of your shopping or you a last minute kind of girl like me?!

Rebecca

Heavenly Organics - Superfoods for the whole family - REVIEW

Heavenly Organic offer the perfect solution to getting superfoods in to your child's diet.


Heavenly offer the most innovatively designed baby snacks I have ever seen.
From their 'Coconut Squishies' to their 'Mini Italian Breadsticks' which are adorable, all are also 100% organic!

I have found their selection to be the ultimate snacking solution for Leia while we are out & about. I have the piece of mind that if we are caught out somewhere (in traffic usually), I have good nutritious snacks to give her to keep her sustained until we get home.

The 'Squisihies' really are yummy! I usually have a try of most foods she eats & can report that these are incredible. There is nothing added, no sugar or salt & they are suitable for babies aged 6 months plus.

You can serve the squishies straight from the pouch or obviously use a spoon, Leia usually will just grab it and go straight in!


The mini Italian Breadsticks were also a firm favourite, although aimed at a bigger child (12 months plus) the shape is perfect for smaller hands.
The thing I love about Heavenly is that the foods will grow with your child, even suitable for a packed lunch box.

Heavenly Organics are leading the way in 100% organic foods for children & have BRC accreditation, you can read all about that here.


You can find Heavenly Organics in all of the major retailers including Tesco & Morrisons. You can also shop online here.


Have you tried Heavenly? What did you think?


Love, Rebecca - Leia & Kaia's Mummy x

Where else can you find us 

Instagram @iamrebeccahollick

Twitter @iamrebeccaholli

Naturally Healthy Variety For Baby - For Aisha Baby Food REVIEW

Award Winning For Aisha, a relatively new player in the baby food aisle recently sent Leia (my very fussy 20 month old) a selection of their 7 & 10 month plus range to try out.

The textures in the 7 month plus pouches were perfectly blended, no lumps for tiny mouths which is brilliant. You can either heat the contents of the pouch in the microwave or boil the whole pouch to warm it although they can eve eaten at room temperature.


I usually go for the microwave option. Leia tried a few different flavours (all of them beautiful) but her personal favourite was the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. She is becoming increasingly fussy with foods and I do try to mix it up every now and then for variety. She actually cried for more after she was finished which is so unlike her. The tastes were mildly spicy, very mildly which was just lovely and warming especially for these colder days. The 7 month pouches almost reminded me of a thick soup, perfect for this time of year! You could almost dip a slice of bread in and it would be fine as a lunch for an older baby. The Mild Curried Chicken with Dhal would be perfect for this.

Moving on to the ten month plus pouches (stage 3), the contents doubled in size & the best thing was the bigger lumps were actually mashable, with a spoon - something many brands forget to do somehow. Personally I think For Aisha's 10 month plus range is the perfect consistency for a baby of that age.

Overall the experience was brilliant & I would recommend you giving them a try if you haven't done. You can find them in Tesco, Asda, Morrisons & Whole Foods.


Follow For Aisha on Twitter here


What are your favourite baby food range's?


Love, Rebecca - Leia & Kaia's Mummy x


Where else can you find us 

Instagram @iamrebeccahollick

Twitter @iamrebeccaholli

Dry / Damaged Haircare with OGX - KuKuí Oil Range

I have recently been trying out the 'kukuí oil' range by one of my favourite hair care brands OGX. 

I have to say when picking OGX products the range is very extensive and although I want to try every single shampoo and conditioner I have always leaned towards the coconut milk one as I love the creamy sweet 'dessert like' fragrance. 

I was advised to try the 'kukuí oil' range based on my hair needs and I have to say the results were amazing! 

The shampoo and conditioner when used alone made my dry hair feel hydrated & left a perfectly shiny finish coupled with the 'anti-frizz' Hydrating oil to make it feel super soft to touch. 

Being a busy working mum of two I literally have no time to do the full beauty regime and this just made things incredibly easy for me. 

The exotic formula made with kukuí nut oil left a finish which stood the test of time. 

I was able to use to 3 products to work their magic and found I only needed to wash my hair on every third day which is usually my aim. 

Moving on to how it smells which is usually what sells hair care to me - I can only describe it as 'holiday in a bottle' what that means to me is it somehow reminds me of every hot holiday I've been on! It is literally edible! 

If you haven't tried the kukuí oil range by OGX I would highly recommend you checking them out. 

They also do miniature size bottles which would make a fabulous stocking filler! 

Have you tried the kukuí oil range? What were your thoughts?


Love Rebecca, Leia & Kaia's Mummy x 

You can view the full range here.

Twitter: @ogxbeauty

Where else can you find us 

Instagram @iamrebeccahollick

Twitter @iamrebeccaholli

Magnet Mouse London | Magic Mice With Magnet Technology

'So simple, you can fasten a romper with your eyes shut, in seconds'. This is the perfect way to describe London organic baby clothes designer Magnet Mouse.

I am a busy mummy of two girls under two & I love a 'mummy hack'. Magnet Mouse have one of the best hacks mummy hacks I have seen in the last 20 months!

Kaia was very kindly sent the prettiest, classic 'Pink Magic Mice' onesie from their new collection.

Firstly the packaging, this is everything to me - especially when it comes to gift giving. The attention to detail was perfectly stunning. Perfect for a baby shower or Christmas present for a new family addition.

I would love to have got those first 'newborn' pictures of my little lady in one of these as I can bet they would have been gorgeous! If you are expecting - check them out!

The onesie felt super soft & cosy packed beautifully with tissue paper & secured with a Magnet Mouse London sticker, neatly placed in a soft blue muslin bag with a pretty pink ribbon.



The onesie is just beautiful! If that isn't enough this babygrow really is, to put it simply, the easiest thing we have ever put on her! I am not surprised they are shortlisted to win at the 2017 Mother & Baby awards, in addition to their back catalogue of which their are too many to mention!

Here is a video of me dressing Kaia in seconds, should you need convincing!

The clever 'patent pending' magnet technology either side replacing where poppers would be allows you to dress your baby hassle free in seconds, you wont even hear complaints from Daddy's!

I am due to go back to work next month and on the days daddy looks after baby these will be my 'go to' changing bag essentials to make his life a little easier! The perfect babygrow for the busy mum or dad!

I'm hoping the pictures have shown you just how gorgeous & classic the sleepsuit is. If not here are a few more!

The Peter Pan collar is beautiful, it adds that 'Spanish' traditional look to the onesie & teamed with a bolero it is just stunning.

I loved (& Kaia loved) testing out this sleepsuit from Magnet Mouse, the boys selection on the website is just as adorable! Please go & check them out, everything is linked below.

Have you tried Magnet Mouse sleepsuits?

Love Rebecca, Leia & Kaia's Mummy x 

Magnet Mouse w: www.magnetmouse.co.uk

Magnet Mouse t: @Magnet_Mouse

Magnet Mouse f: @magnetmouse

Magnet Mouse i: @mousemagnet

Where else can you find us 

Instagram @iamrebeccahollick

Twitter @iamrebeccaholli

YouTube Rebecca Hollick 

Babease Baby Plan | Delightfully Nutritious

The balanced range of baby food by Babease has been developed by a team of experts to provide you with the perfect blend of ingredients to help introduce your baby to real food and tasty flavours.

Having what I can now call a 'fussy eater' I am always delighted at being able to try new products and the Babease 'Baby Plan' did not disappoint.

The first thing I noticed was the quality of the packaging. The pouches feel very 'full' and look great with a cardboard wrapper which just adds that feeling of quality.

All of the products in the Babease range are organic, stage 1 offering a perfect introduction to first flavours, and stage 2 offers a wider, more textured range of ingredients to expand your baby's palate.


Leia's favourite was the 'Sweet potato, tomato, carrot & quinoa with chickpeas & cumin', the flavours looked and smelt delicious & really expanded on our meal ideas for her which I loved.

My personal favourite was the 'Banana, pear & blueberry with brown rice' not that I make a habit of eating baby food, but you have to try what they are eating, right?!

The inside cover of the cardboard on each flavour contains useful recipes suitable for the whole family, my favourite was the handmade roasted roots, the perfect autumnal side dish, giving you plenty of vitamins A & C as well as folate & potassium.

The thing I love about Babease is that the ingredients on the packaging are clear & concise, they use a pie chart to show what the pouches contain which is very unique, great for if you are shopping in a rush!

You can find the Babease range in Boots or on Amazon or alternatively shop on the Babease website.

You can find out more about Babease here & share your own recipes & top tips on what gets you through the day!

Have you tried the Babease Baby plan? What did you think?


Check out Babease social media links below
Babease Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Babease.co/
Babease Instagram https://www.instagram.com/babease/
Babease Twitter https://twitter.com/babease


Love Rebecca, Leia & Kaia's Mummy x 

Where else can you find us 

Instagram @iamrebeccahollick

Twitter @iamrebeccaholli

YouTube Rebecca Hollick 



Nimble Babies - For Perfectly Clean Bottles | Rebecca Hollick

Nimble Babies is the perfect solution to make cleaning bottles that little bit easier

Its clever technology gets rid of greasy milk film & odour from your baby's bottles.

Nimble Babies Milk Buster is specifically designed
to gently detach milk fat and proteins from plastic
unlike washing-up liquids that target food grease.

Over the last few weeks I have been putting it to the test, the main thing I have found is the design of the bottle is fantastic, targeting the whole bottle with just 2 sprays (its also safe to use on teats)

You simply add warm water up to the first mark on a standard bottle, I personally let it sit for a minute and then brush of using a bottle brush & rinse, followed by my usual sterilising process.

Using the solution has given me piece of mind when washing bottles that all residue is being removed prior to sterilising which is fantastic for me with two under two, I am always looking for innovative products that save time but are also safe to use.

You can find out more & shop for Nimble Babies products here

Have you tried nimble babies milk buster? What are your thoughts?

Visit Nimble Babies Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube page

Love Rebecca, Leia & Kaia's Mummy x 

Where else can you find us 

Instagram @iamrebeccahollick

Twitter @iamrebeccaholli

YouTube Rebecca Hollick 



#NoJunkJourney with Organix | Organix Halloween Frankenstein Toast

In a bid to help parents and children join in with the fun of Halloween, but ditch the junk, Organix has come up with some truly awful treats that are actually good for you. Happy Halloween folks!　

Suitable for 12+ months

10-30 minutes to prepare
Under 10 minutes to cook
2 pieces of toast (serves 2 children)

Ingredients

2 open cap mushrooms
A drizzle of vegetable oil for cooking
2 slices of wholemeal bread
½ a large ripe avocado
Squeeze of lemon
½ a large tomato
4 tsps. sesame seeds　
4 pumpkin seeds
½ a cucumber

How to make

Step 1

Finely chop the mushrooms, then sauté over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil

Step 2

Toast the bread, then mash a quarter of the avocado onto each slice, adding a tiny squeeze of lemon to stop the avocado going brown

Step 3

Cut the halved tomato in half again, then cut two zig zag mouths from each half, and a triangle nose. Add these onto the avocado toast

Step 4

Place the sautéed mushrooms along the top of the toast to look like Frankenstein hair

Step 5　

Then carefully add a teaspoon of sesame seeds for each round eye, adding one pumpkin seed into the centre of each eye as the pupil

　
Step 6

Finally cut the cucumber into 8 pieces - make 4 of them approx. 3cm x 2cm, and the other 4 approx. 2cm x 1cm. Add these to the sides of the toast at the bottom to make Frankenstein bolts! The smaller batons on the inside, with the larger ones as screws on the outside. Serve immediately

You’ll find lots more no junk spooky recipes created by the cooks at Organix at www.organix.com　　 For lots more recipes and tips to help you and your family enjoy good food and avoid the junk follow #NoJunkJourney.