5/28/2017

The New Mum Tag | Just Add Ginger


Nursery decor

Being a parent is so many things - and there are always good times and difficult times. To mark this new chapter in my life, and to indulge my curiosity about the experience of other new mums (and dads), I decided to create a brand new blog tag.

I tag Zee and Jo to do this tag too, and anybody else who has had a baby. Leave your answers or links to your posts in the comments so I can check out your answers.

1. When did your baby arrive? 

02/04/2017

2. Did you deliver early / were on time / overdue? 

Overdue! And by the end, I was so sick of being pregnant 

3. In three words describe a typical day as a new mum... 

Unpredictable. Rewarding. Challenging.

4. Who do you think your baby looks like? 

I really don't have a clue, and I'm rubbish at saying who babies resemble anyway. But some people say Baby Ginger looks like me, and others Ryan, but I just think he looks like himself

5. What has been one highlight of mummyhood so far? 

When Baby Ginger first smiled. It was at five weeks, and was so unexpected. I captured it on video too which was really special.

6. What aspect has been the hardest?

The beginning. He was really phlegmy and I wasn't able to breastfeed. It made me feel really useless and a bit of a failure. But now to see how much he is thriving makes me so happy! 

7. Have you had any hilarious moments?

When he does pee protests. They can be completely unpredictable, and because he's a boy, it can be really funny and extremely messy... It definitely puts a fun spin on nappy changes.

8. Do you think becoming a mum has changed you? How? 

I am so protective of Baby Ginger - it's so unreal the amount of love I feel for him. It has made me a lot more determined and strong and independent. There's nothing I'm not afraid to try, and I wholeheartedly throw myself into every aspect of caring for him.

9. Do you get mummy guilt? 

All the time. When he cries my heart breaks a little bit. When I go out without him I miss him, and when I know he has painful gas, it makes me feel so helpless.

Is there any piece of equipment you just couldn't live without?

Our Snugglebundl and a white noise machine Sarah bought us. They have been absolute godsends!

10. What's one dream you have for your baby?

That he grows up knowing that whatever he wants to do / whoever he wants to be / ambitions he wants to pursue, I am there to support him and help him with so much love. 

11. What's one piece of advice you would give to other new mums?

Take it all in your stride. Being a mum is so empowering but it is also bloody hard work. There will be really testing times, but there will also be really rewarding times. There are ups and downs all the time, but you are never in it alone. When you are trying to comfort a screaming baby, there is another parent out there doing the exact same thing. When you are at the end of your tether, somebody is struggling too. But the smiles make it all worth it. And never be afraid to ask for help or take time out for you - that's really, really important too!

5/07/2017

Family-Friendly Frozen Treats From Icefresh Foods Ltd* | Just Add Ginger


character ice creams

It doesn't really need to be said, but when it comes to puddings, I simply cannot say no. I have the biggest sweet tooth, and whether it's chocolate, cake or ice creams, just say the word and I am there with one million bells on. Which is why when I was contacted asking if I would like to review some of the Icefresh Foods ice creams and desserts, I jumped at the chance. With a brand new baby in our lives, sugary treats have taken the place of a glass of prosecco and become my best friend at the end of a testing day, so getting the opportunity to try something new definitely got my taste buds going! 

I sent Ryan out on the mission to find some of Icefresh Foods' frozen goodies. Popping off to our local Aldi, he came back with several boxes of cute and colourful character iced lollies and ice creams for us to sample. 

Upon opening up the boxes, it really made me happy to see that the lollies were just as cute as they appeared on the packaging. Sometimes images can be a bit deceptive, but these characters did not disappoint. And if it made me happy as a grown up, for a child I can only imagine how happy they would be! Perfectly shaped for little hands, just the right size to avoid a mountain of mess and for us, ideal to chop down quickly before the baby stirs, MG, Ryan and I happily tucked into an ice cream each one evening after dinner, eagerly anticipating just how well these would hit and fulfil our cravings for something sweet.

Character Lolly Review - Just Add Ginger blog

I couldn't get over just how creamy, fluffy and soft my ice cream was. It was melt-in-the-mouth, and bursting full of flavour. It is really annoying when ice creams only hint at the flavour they are meant to be, but for the size they were, these lollies were absolutely jam-packed. Both out of enjoyment, and because they are probably designed for a slightly younger demographic, we all went back for seconds. 

Being the big kids we are, we absolutely have got lots of enjoyment out of having these colourful characters in our freezer. For us they are the perfect size for a little sweet treat, hit the spot when it comes to flavour, and are the ideal consistency for eating when time is of the essence. For families with young children, these would be ideal to crack open on a hot summer's day. pack in a cool bag for a picnic, and bring out as an after-dinner dessert. The character selection is bang on trend with TV shows and films that are popular with children and families. With each box being a couple of pounds, these would be ideal to have in the freezer and use as a grab-and-go pudding for when the weather really starts to get warmer.

Yummy and moreish, the only thing I would say about the ice creams is eat up, and quickly! Because of the texture of the lollies, they did start to melt pretty quickly. For us, it wasn't so much of an issue (although Yoda did lose his head), for little hands, this might lead to disappointment as the ice cream drops, or may make a little bit of extra mess.

Not just for little ones, Icefresh Foods also have scrummy-looking puds for grown ups too, with both Thorntons and Weight Watchers frozen desserts available. And judging by how delicious we found their character lolly offerings I can only imagine how tasty these other options would be, and will definitely be something I look out for the next time we do our supermarket shop. (Although if you open my freezer throughout the summer months, don't be surprised if you spot a Storm Trooper or three tucked away in there too!)

* I was very kindly sent vouchers to redeem against Icefresh Foods Ltd desserts. This in no way affects my review. All my opinions are always 100% honest and informed by my personal experiences and taste buds