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Pretty Big Butterflies

Family, Food & Plus Size Fashion Blog

Moccis – The Cutest Baby Shoes In Town

Having a 19-month-old is pretty interesting most days. Every day Cameo learns something new and seems more like me. It’s become very apparent that just like me, he hates wearing socks or shoes (unless he is going for ‘big walk’) If you put socks on him, he sits and yanks them off. If you put shoes on he’ll pull them off at the first chance. Just like me! I’m a barefoot princess that’s for sure. I don’t doubt that Marlo will be the same. 6 weeks and counting, he is a right fidget with his toes. Let alone when he starts crawling and toddling! When babies start to crawl it’s hard for them to keep socks on anyway. Plus, I’ve always been worried about them wearing baby shoes too early. I want their feet to grow and be comfortable. It seems pointless restricting them so early!

Moccis - The Cutest Baby Shoes In Town

Something that helps defeat all the above is Moccis, the hand sewn Swedish moccasin. They’re like sock shoes and are really pretty amazing. They are skid proof with a leather sole, making it soft on little one’s feet. Plus, the sewed in double elastic at the sock ankle prevents the moccasin baby shoes from falling off. Woohoo! It means they stay on, keep comfortable and look cute. What more could you ask for?

hand sewn Swedish moccasins - Review - pretty big butterflies

Well as a mum, I want them to be machine washable. CHECK! Moccis are machine washable in 40 degrees and can be hang dried. This is music to my ears. Cameo would walk through cow dung and not give a hoot. Moccis are made with Ecotex certified yarns & natural leather sole. I was concerned about getting them on, but they’re really easy! Just think thick socks and that’s how they fit.

Moccis review - pretty big butterflies

To get the best fit, make sure you measure your little one’s toes. We got a pretty good measurement. Marlos’ fit perfectly. Cameos’ are a little bit but his feet are growing so fast right now it’s not an issue. I feel like Moccis are perfect for autumn and winter. Especially those cold mornings when the floors are freezing. Cameo won’t keep socks on but I feel like Moccis are a little more difficult for him to take off.

uk mummy blogger - pretty big butterflies

I can’t lie. They are SO SO cute! The different designs are adorable. We opted for a matching set because it’s cute. No other reason! Moccis Founder, Anna Wetterlin has children herself so I feel like the design is really made with little ones in mind. Not just how cute they look, but comfortable, hard wearing and functional. Everything a parent looks for. Each collection is available for a limited time and they do adult versions too.

With winter on its way, these are great gifts for all the family. So get rid of your crummy slippers and slippery socks. Moccis are what your household needs to be wearing this winter.

 

*Items are gifts but opinions are my own or my sons!

 

 

 

 

WIN A Summer Saviour Kit And Get Outdoors With The Kids

We’re halfway through the school holidays and bank holiday is fast approaching. This used to go right over my head until I had kids. Summer holidays just meant more traffic on the roads during the day and supermarkets full of families. But now – NOW it’s a whole new thing. Our eldest son is almost 20 months and already he screams to get outside. He absolutely loves the outdoors. But it can be hard, especially as new parents with lack of time, to know what to do with them. So the lovely team at Germolene have created this REALLY helpful FREE guide called ‘Germolene 90 Days of Summer‘. The guide has 90 ideas of free and cheap ways to embrace the garden, park or beach as well as what to do with the grandparents, what to do if you only have half an hour or if you have a whole day to roam free!

Germolene 90 Days of Summer

Some of it might seem really simple and basic, but they’re so easy to forget. But there are some real gems in here that help gets the imagination going. A couple of my favourites are creating a music wall. Hang up wind chimes, water bottles, spare pans – whatever you have and a wooden spoon (of course) Let the kids bang it out like they’re auditioning for the next rock band!

Outdoor play with the kids ideas

Another one of my fave ideas that I totally forgot I used to do as a child is chalk art! No mess and easy to clean up, let the kids run free on the pavement or brickwork with some colourful chalk. I bet you can’t stop yourself getting involved! Cameo LOVES doing this and it really does keep him entertained. He draws on the floor and on our brick walls in the garden. It really doesn’t matter because either the rain or a pan of water will wash it away and they can start all over again tomorrow.

Win a getoutside and play gift set

The guide from Germolene really is a wonderful little book of inspiration, you’d be silly if you didn’t give it a download and check it out. But to help you on your way and to give you a little push to get outside I’m giving you a chance to WIN a great summer saviour bundle from Germolene.

It includes everything you need for a day in the garden or a couple of hours at the park. Think chalk, bubbles, frisbees, skittles, paints and more! It all comes in a lovely cool bag so you can keep your wine – water chilled while you’re out in the sun.

To enter just answer the below Rafflecopter! (Don’t forget to download the free 90 Days of Summer Guide.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only, giveaway ends midnight 26th August 2018-08-18 – Prize will be sent directly to winner via external company.

Toy Box Talk – Our Current Toddler Favourites

Cameo is almost 20 months old and I feel like we have a proper little toddler running around now. He is fully engaged in everything he does and the fact he can string little sentences together now make the world a happier place. At the moment we’ve managed to teach him to say ‘Hello Babe’ (Don’t ask!) and he can say Mum and Dad after his sentence. He has gone from saying ‘Yes Please’ to just ‘Yeah’ which we are working on again! Every day he wakes up stringing new words together and it really is the best thing in the world.

What’s really great over the last few weeks is that Cameo has been able to keep himself entertained with his toys a little more. Which is brilliant for us while we get used to being on team no sleep again with Marlo. Marlo isn’t a great sleeper at the moment but he is only just over a month old so we can’t expect miracles!

Anyway, as Cameo has been showing great motor skills and really great imagination we’ve been testing out some toys over the past week or so and these are his current favourites.

Hape Take Along Activity Toy (Ages 10M+ )

Cameo loves this activity box. We have a similar large one, like what you get in waiting rooms but it’s not as modern as this. Cameo loves to carry it around even if it is a little heavy and it’s nice he can take a toy with him from room to room.

It’s a really bright toy and amazing quality so everything feels sturdy and robust. There are pictures of animals which are recognisable which means Cameo loves pointing and shouting out the names.

I know that when Marlo is a little older he will love this too. There aren’t any bits that can fall off and it will be too heavy for him to push or pull until he is closer to Cameos age. There is a mirror on one side that he’ll love too and I didn’t realise that was there until it came out of the box. It’s also fine if he wants to have a good chew on it when he is teething because it’s wooden. It’s a toy that will last!

Hape Take Along Activity Toy (Ages 10M+ )

Hape Take Along Activity Toy (Ages 10M+ ) Review

Shop it here

Fuzzikins Campervan Carry case (Ages 4+)

I know this is a little out of Cameos age range because it has small parts that can come off, but he absolutely loves the Campervan Carry case. Whenever he plays with it, we make sure we are present (and that does involve us running after him around the garden!) He is going through a phase of loving cars and carrying bags around. This entwines the two together and when we first got it, he wouldn’t even let me take it out of the box!

Inside the campervan are two cats that you can colour in as you wish. Then you can wash the cats and do it all over again! The felt tip pens are washable too so that helps with the mess. This is a great all in one toy. For creative kids to those who like to roleplay with cars and buildings. It caters for all interests.

Fuzzikins Campervan Carry case (Ages 4+)

Fuzzikins Campervan Carry case (Ages 4+) review

Shop it here

Peppa Pig Car

We were given this by a friend whose son has grown out of most of his toys. It’s a Peppa Pig car. It’s really simple, and just has a bit of music. Cameo loves it and is quite happy to push it around the garden shouting ‘’Pig Car’. He is a fan of Peppa Pig so I understand why.

It’s light and bright and actually quite big in size compared to the other little cars he has. The main thing is, of course, the pigs, that’s what makes it stand out from the rest of the cars! Hooray for Peppa!

peppa Pig Car Review

peppa Pig Car Review

 

Items may be gifted and links may be an affiliate. All views are my own (and my sons)

The top 5 family- friendly places to go in London

I’ve lived in London all my life and only just moved to Nottingham. A little scary after 30 odd years! But with two children under two, I feel like I still want them to visit the places that I knew and loved growing up. Here they are – my top 5 family-friendly places to visit in London.

The London Aquarium

We recently took Cameo to the London Aquarium and I’m not sure who enjoyed it more. Him or us! It’s a great place for little ones to explore with lots to look at. I’d say the walk through the Aquarium takes about 2 hours, maybe more if you don’t have an inpatient little bean like us.

There’s lots of space for pushchairs and the odd place to sit down and catch a few (sting) rays. See what I did there! It’s a fab learning experience too. Lots of animals to read and learn about. There’s only one section where you need to queue up with lots to keep you entertained nearby. Of course, I’d love to hire a private jet from London to the Maldives and scuba dive with the animals. But this is the next best thing and it’s only a train journey away.

One word of warning, it gets VERY warm in there. So limit what you take and carry around with you and there’s no parking but lot’s of public transport.

My personal favourite was the colourful jellyfish, they’re definitely one for Instagram!

 

Horniman Museum and Gardens

I grew up visiting the Horniman museum and gardens on a regular basis. There’s so much to do for free, it can be a whole day out! There’s a gorgeous park with lots of stunning flowers and secret spots to run around in. At the back of the park is a bandstand where people perform in the summer months and a little section with animals. On my last visit, there were Turkeys, Alpacas and Goats just to name a few. The museum itself is free with paid for special events at certain times.

It’s a great space to make a day of it. Take a picnic and a camera and have a cheap family day out.

Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

South London bound, this is a secret little hideaway that not many people know about. In Crystal Palace Park there are over 30 giant statues of dinosaurs. Some are child-friendly and can be climbed over. Others are just for looking at. But hidden within the huge park it really is a secret gem. The park itself has lots to offer too, from lakes to play areas. But the Dinosaurs are what makes it super special. Did I mention it’s free? Even better right?!

The Thames

The River Thames is a weekend trip in itself. You can marvel at the bridges (Tower Bridge is phenomenal), take a look at the amazing buildings and pieces of history near by or grab a cheap boat trip. It’s somewhere to make your little one’s imagination run wild. Imagine their pirates taking over the bridge, wave to the boats passing by as if you’re famous.

When I was little we used to make a packed lunch and take it to the green next to the river. (The area is right next to City Hall and is a great place to take a picnic). We used to make home made boats out of sticks and leaves and drop it in the river. We had a pretend race and would see whose ‘boat’ could get past the bridge first. Obviously, only use natural materials! But all those little things are great memory makers!

If your little ones are into drawing, make sure you take some art materials with you. There’s so much to draw while you’re there it will keep them busy for ages.

Natural History Museum

A classic. One of the biggest and most famous museums in London or probably the world! It’s a must visit at some point in your little one’s childhood and a must visit if you’re heading to London.

Once again, the majority of the museum is free, with selected exhibitions being paid for. With almost every animal and insect on show dating back thousands of years, it’s a pretty unique place. Full of wonder it really is a learning curve. There really is nowhere quite like this.

Before you head here it’s definitely worth checking out the website for updates. It’s super busy and they have lots on. Sometimes they close sections of the museum for upkeep so better to check than be disappointed.

Do you have a favourite place for you and your little ones to visit in London? Let me know in the comments below!

 

 

 

Getting Your Family Ready for a New Baby

If you are expecting a new baby, you can be sure that there are many moments that you will want to cherish. The better prepared you are for that arrival, the more enjoyable it is likely to be and it is with this in mind that we take a look at getting your family ready for a new baby.

The Sleepyhead Grand - is it worth it? - Pretty Big Butterflies

Safe and Secure

Making your home “child-friendly” is one good place to start and will stand you in good stead further down the line. Decluttering by removing items that could pose a potential risk to the new baby and installing precautionary failsafe’s such as electrical socket covers and baby gates constitutes the perfect foundation from which to move on and focus on some of the more pleasant activities.

 

Baby’s Bedroom

One of the more joyous tasks when getting your family ready for a new baby is preparing baby’s bedroom. A good tip here is to leave plenty of floor space for fun, frolics and for changing the baby’s nappies – after all, a baby can’t fall or roll off the floor.

Besides the obvious sleeping arrangements, other considerations include the all essential blackout blind, lighting options and stimulation – books and toys for when the baby is awake.

 

Getting Out and About 

After some quiet time at home directly after the baby’s arrival, you may find that you are wanting to get out and about. To do so without stress, there are several factors to weigh up. First, your transport, if your current car is not up to the job, it may be too small if you have other children for example, then deal with it. One option is to look at leasing a bigger or more family-friendly car. Leasing is a great option because it saves you the big upfront spend, and with a baby, every penny counts.

In addition to your car, don’t forget to get a baby car seat for the little one and of course, you would be lost without a good quality baby changing bag. It is easy to forget or overlook just how much stuff you need to carry around with you.

 

The Perfect Pram

Whether you are out and about or at home, a pram can be of huge value but finding the perfect one can be more difficult than you think. Factors to consider include the size and weight, storage space and protection from the elements.

It may be that you consider baby jogging sports pram or maybe you will look for a pram that converts into a stroller for when the baby is a little bigger.

Covering all the bases by thinking about how you and the baby will work, rest and play will offer you peace of mind and the ability to savour every moment with your