The Gallery: A Photographic Moment in Time

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When Tara announced that the theme of this week's Gallery was in celebration of World Photography Day last Friday, I smiled to myself. I love photographs, I love what they capture: the moments, the emotions, the memories, the treasured times.

It must be a photo from today (or the weekend). Make it a photo to treasure for generations to come; family life, a moment, a precious family member frozen in time, a day out.

Well I did take a cracking shot on that day, only I used it for my Silent Sunday before I'd read the above prompt. It completely epitomised my week with The Boy; something I feel was the biggest mile-stone in his little life so far. It's changed him from a baby boy, passed a toddler, into a little boy properly. Leading up to this event had been a huge emotional roller-coaster, and as much as he was ready for it; I also needed to make sure that I was so as to not put him off!

However, I also took this photo that day; a moment to treasure.

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Photo-Jigsaw

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I've been very lucky to have received a canvas to review from Bags of Love who have a fantastic range of personalised gifts. I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of the print and speed of service and would thoroughly recommend Bags of Love for any personalised photo products.

Thanks to the lovely folk over at Bags of Love, I am lucky enough to be able to offer one reader a prize of a photo jigsaw. However this is no ordinary photo jigsaw, this is a rather cool one that I'm actually quite jealous of!

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Captured on Canvas

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"Would you like to review a photo canvas?" said Bags of Love.

I'll admit now that I've never thought of having one before. I've seen them many times, looked at them quite closely and not always been impressed with the finish. Some of the canvasses can be quite waxy and plasticky in their appearance. However, having browsed through the photo canvas range and styles available from Bags of Love, I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that they don't use the typical technique associated with other photo canvasses. They use 'dye sublimination' which involves fusing inks deeply into the fabric fibres, giving it very vibrant colours which do not fade over time, or crack like plastic shiny coated ink jet canvas.

So I said "aye, go on then!"

I sent them the image on the left; within four days I had received the contents of the image on the right.

Ha! You thought you were going to see my face then didn't you?!

I am really impressed. The fabric is soft, yet strong. The image is printed onto the canvas with incredible accuracy and attention to detail. I've seen canvasses that my mum has been given as a present, and they lack sharpness around the edge of objects or clarity of colours. The close-up below shows the detail in The Boy's features, the hairs on Mr. TheBoyandMe's arm and the softness of the fabric.

I've included the image on the right because this is something that is important to me. I try and buy FSC wood, paper, card, etc where possible. To find out that Bags of Love use FSC pine in their frames makes my inner eco-warrior happy.

This canvas is fabulous. I am a convert, and quite frankly being the stubborn woman that I am, that's saying something. I was also cheeky and asked if I could have a duplicate one for my mum, which they very kindly agreed to! She adores it, and has asked me to investigate getting another one done for her. The photo canvasses produced by Bags of Love are a very good quality and extremely good value for money.

Before I started typing up this review, I sauntered over to their site. Just another photo gift company, supplying photo canvasses, mousemats, key rings, bags (obviously), calendars, yes? No!

Beanbags, cushions, bedding, jewellery boxes, laundry baskets, roller blinds (!), leather bags, wooden jigsaws, radiator covers, and my two personal favourites: wallpaper and deckchairs!

I know, how cool would that be? All these are amongst the very cool gift ideas available to buy, which would be perfect for birthday presents. Bearing in mind, September is a heavy month for us with family events, we might well be getting some of those birthday presents from Bags of Love!

Thinking further ahead (and I have been feeling a little festive with the Wintery weather recently), we might even be visiting them for some of our Christmas gifts. I bet my mum would love an apron covered in photos of her granchildren, or I could order The Boy a jigsaw of his most favourite thing this year; his trip to Peppa Pig World.

Either way, Bags of Love is a winner and I am going to be shopping there in the future.

I was provided with a photo canvas in order to write this review. I begged them if I could have a duplicate for my mum, and because they're nice they said yes. My opinions are, as always, honest.

Trunki Toybox

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We were lucky enough to be able to review the new Trunki Toybox which arrived just in time for our holiday to Dorset. The minute it arrived, The Boy was captivated by it and completely understood its purpose!

The Trunki Toybox has been designed as a travel toybox but with all the niftiness of the Trunki suitcase. Of course the main function of it is as a Toybox, and the green lid has two catches either end to secure it in place when being carried. Also on the lid of the Toybox are four wheels, one in each corner, which enable it to be turned over, sat on and scooted around on. All perfectly demonstrated by my able assistant in the above photos.

I asked The Boy what he wanted to pack for holidays and this is what he chose:

Yes that's right: two jigsaws, a kitchen towel tube and the iPod Touch! I dare say that he could have amused himself for a little while with that lot, but not a whole week, so I gave him a hand.

When I looked at the Toybox, I will admit to being sceptical as to how much could be fitted into it; he's got a lot of toys, we were going away for a week and it didn't look that big. That is where it is incredibly deceptive and I think Trunki drafted in Mary Poppins to help design and manufacture it. We actually managed to get all of this lot in, and there was room to spare.

A mini laptop, three cuddly toys, crayons, Tag Junior reading system and two books, Djeco puzzlebox, stacking cups, two puzzles, two sets of threading beads, threading cards, colouring books and a spinning top. Oh, and the iPod Touch but he was playing with it at the time which is why it's not in the picture. I think that's a lot of toys to fit in the compact and sturdy box (not forgetting that the box is itself a toy), which incidentally fitted in the car in his seat's footwell really neatly.

I think this is a really good travel toybox, sturdy and compact, easy to carry with a strong handle. It has been designed to link together with other toyboxes to make a chain if need be; maybe if you had more than one child and they had a toybox each then that could be quite good fun. The one thing that I will say is that personally I feel the wheels could have gone in the base of the box rather than the lid, as in order to ride it you have to turn it over, therefore tipping the contents upside down. Just a minor point which might well be a personal preference.

Overall, this toybox was a God-send for our holiday and will definitely be used time and time again. At £19.99, and available in either pink or blue, I think it's a very good buy and an essential for any holiday!

I was provided with the Trunki Toybox for the purpose of this review, free of charge. My opinions are as always honest.

Our Wee-k in T-wee-ts!

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I've tweeted a little bit, a fair amount, quite a lot this week about The Boy and our potty training experience. Reading back through them, it shows a massive journey for my little man. I may have felt like going mad at times, occasionally rocking in frustration and due to cabin-fever, but we seem to have done it.

Just thought I'd share the change:

Saturday 13 August 2011
09:51 10 mins into #pottytraining. He's just done his first tried for wee on the potty. Wahoo! Be sure it's a different story in an hr.
10:12 Wee no.2 on potty #pottytraining
10:18 Oh no 🙁 #pottytraining
10:19 Don't worry everyone it won't be wee/poo tweets from me all day. Can I just ask what do you say when he has an accident? Show him? Explain?
12:26 #pottytraining Ok so we're doing lunch at the mo with a towel under him & limited drinks at the beginning. 10 successes so far, 2 accidents
12:58 #pottytraining We got through 45 minutes of lunch with no accidents! Wahoo. Asked to go once, taken once, success!
16:34 Right, nap over, he's properly come to, nappy off, pants on, round 2 'ding, ding'.

Sunday 14 August 2011
09:46 He's only done 1 wee in the past hour. Progress or an imminent disaster? #pottytraining
10:13 #pottytraining Just wet a bit & managed to get follow-through on the potty. Never mind, all part of the training
12:45 Question re: #pottytraining Day 2 & he's having more accidents but he's telling us that he wants to go as he's doing it. Is this progress?
16:36 I know none of you care but he's just done his first deposit on the potty! Wahoo! #pottytraining

Monday 15 August 2011
07:57 Morny. Going to be flying solo today with the potty training, wish me luck and patience!
19:47 You know this #pottytraining lark? I think he's doing ever so well. 30-45 minutes between sittings

(I was incredibly busy that day unsurprisingly. Not enough time to tweet!)

Tuesday 16 August 2011
01:03 Reading Gina's 'potty training in a week' (yes I know I'm on day 3!) & thinking "really? *Really*?" over so many things!
01:08 I mean, sitting him on the potty for 5-10 minutes every 15 minutes? *Really*? #pottytraining
01:17 Right, I'm talking to myself now, no-one else is around in the whole of twitter…
07:46 Morny!
08:04 Oh poo pants #pottytraining
10:29 #pottytraining He just said "I'm doing a wee" but hadn't actually started. Got him on the potty in time. Progress in the right way?
11:41 Ironing The Boy's bodies. He won't be needing them anymore will he? *sob* Where's my baby gone? #pottytraining
13:09 #pottytraining I prompted him but he's just toileted himself independently from pants down to back up again
19:24 I've been out! There's a world out there, with people in it! And they can say words and *everything*! #pottytraining
23:51 I have just spent £15 on a potette. Hubby has just asked me what something was in the spare room. Passed down from my sister? A potette!

Wednesday 17 August 2011
10:52 He just completely toileted himself independently! #pottytraining "Oh no, oh no, they're coming off" took pants down & went on the potty!
14:02 #pottytraining Sorry for this. I've just got him to sit on the potty & do a deposit! He made it happen! #firsttime
14:06 And then we had a little wee accident (but he got to the loo in time to finish) #pottytraining
14:10 All non-parents of infants/non child-related companies, sorry for my #pottytraining tweets this week, but it's real & our life this week!

Thursday 18 August 2011
10:26 Our buppy pads have arrived for the car seat, I feel happier going out in the car now #pottytraining
13:43 Poo. Literally. Everywhere. Note to self, when cleaning potty out from a no.1, leave another potty behind. #pottytraining
14:17 I feel a bit down after the no.2 accident, followed by the week one. Please reassure me!
19:52 #pottytraining Just stopped playing, pulled shorts & pants down & did a wee (on the potty). Hurrah, we're getting there!

Friday 19 August 2011
07:47 Biggest news today: His nappy was dry as a bone this morning. First time ever!
11:39 #pottytraining Twice today he has taken himself to the potty by himself.
14:49 #pottytraining You all want to know that there was no poonami today. Just a success!

Saturday 20 August 2011
00:31 RT: my hubby Son just woke up. Wanted his potty. Straight back to sleep afterwards. #pottytraining
09:06 Aside from the wonder that was The Boy waking up at midnight & asking to go on the potty, his night-time nappy was dry again. #pottytraining

And then I had some fabulous tweets of advice and support from some lovely tweeps, I started to name them all but the list got a bit ridiculous and I felt like I was accepting an Oscar! However, if you are embarking on potty training then I'd suggest you follow these three lovely ladies because they helped me lots and lots, and two of them were completely new to me:

And On The Eighth Day…

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It's now exactly one week since we started potty-training with The Boy and I am over the moon at how well he has done learning to control his bladder.

The day started with yet another completely dry nappy, surely helped by him waking up at midnight and asking to go on the potty? That's two nights in a row that he's done that. I'm not counting my chickens before they're hatched, but I am pretty impressed that he was able to do that. Whether it was a deliberate or a coincidental waking, I don't know. I suspect his bladder was hurting from holding its contents and that woke him up. Hopefully he then associated the feeling and asked for the potty.

We've stopped charting the drinks and visits to the potty now, there doesn't seem much point. I know that he can last over an hour in between potty visits, and that he will take himself to the potty when he needs to go. The one thing that I've noticed though, and at the moment it is concerning me, is that he is, quit frankly, doing less poos. I don't know why. I've managed for the last few days to get him to go after lunch through encouragement, but not today. Not this is The Boy who used to be a two-a-day type of toddler. I'm hoping this will develop quickly!

The biggest thing we've done in potty training so far though is going out today! We only went to Ikea, which is five minutes down the road, and were out for a total of an hour and half. However, he remained accident-free throughout that time. He went (using the marvellous Potette!) when we were there and was perfectly happy for the entire trip out.

On the way back home we stopped at a corner shop to get some milk and bread, when he came out with "Mummy, I need a wee-wee." My heart raced and I jumped out of the (stationary, don't worry) car and called to hubby. He pegged it out the shop and we jumped back in the car. I'm sure I should have taken longer than two minutes to get home but there was nowhere to set up the Potette and it wasn't worth the effort. The clever little lad held it for that entire time with only the tiniest spot of wee on his pants, minute really. And oh boy, had he needed that wee!

I won't write up a daily post about potty training any more now because it's only going to include "he went on the potty!"

So, on the eighth day, she rested!

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