PARENTHOOD: Our Lockdown Daily Routine with Two Children and a Baby

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We're now well over a month into this lockdown/quarantine life and it certainly is a rollercoaster, isn't it? Everyday is a mix of emotions, but since finding a routine that works for us we are having more happy moments than challenging. I have always loved a good routine; I'd go as far to say they it is my parenting security blanket, which is why I found it hard when the lockdown was announced our daily routine suddenly became irrelevant to the new way of life. Over seven weeks later and with quite a few adaptations we have finally found a routine that keeps everyone as happy as possible, the older two children know what to expect throughout the day and home learning is dotted throughout to help keep the focus. At the moment we have a five year old, two (almost three) year old and a six month old baby at home, so our routine is all about coordinating their individual needs. My husband is working from home at the moment, but we wave goodbye at 9am and don't really see him again until at the earliest 5.30pm (a good hour and a half earlier than pre-lockdown life, so that is a big bonus), so for the vast majority of the time I'm solo parenting our three children and implementing this routine.

PARENTHOOD: Our Bedtime Routine with a 1 and 3 year old

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Our bedtime routine has always been part of the day I really treasure, as we wind down from the busy day and spend some quality quiet time together. Since having two children our bedtime routine has changed, but the main components have stayed the same - bath, book, bottle, bed. While Poppy is still young she has a bottle before bed, whereas Isabella will have a glass of milk at dinner time instead now. We are planning on phasing Poppy's bedtime bottle out soon and replacing it with a glass of milk at dinner time, like Isabella has. But for now it is still part of our routine and one of the only precious one-on-one times I get with Poppy.

SUMMER: Feeling Nostalgic with Baby Born Outdoor Adventures

If you think back to your childhood are there a few toys or products that really stand out as being special? For me a Baby Born doll does because I spent years and years playing with mine as a child. So when Isabella was kindly offered the opportunity to have her own Baby Born it felt like a trip down memory lane with all the nostalgic feelings that come with that. There's something so special about being able to provide your own children with experiences that you loved all those years ago, isn't there? However, Baby Born has evolved over the years and now has a whole host of accessories and clothing ranges that can add to the imaginary play. 

CHRISTMAS: Childrens Gift Guide 2016

By the time toddler's become children they are often putting together long wishlists for Father Christmas. I remember many hours spent trawling through the Argos catalogue, neatly cutting out gift ideas ready to post to Father Christmas. Nowadays the internet opens a whole new world of gifts, with so many fantastic offers and discounts to be had. The child in me absolutely loves all of the gifts in this guide, many of which I had versions of when I was younger. Oh the memories...