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1. Why parents favour flower names

   Posted on 9:00am Wednesday 25th Oct 2017

   So the National stats have sealed it, mums and dads to be are favouring flower names for their little pink bundles of joy. In fact, out of the top 100 baby girl names, 12 spots are taken up by floral type names.

   Lily, Poppy, Daisy, Rose, us Brits just can't get enough, apparently.

   In fact, with so many names up there, it’s made me wonder just why we're favouring the florals. Some names have jumped a whopping 400 places in the last decade. It’s a floral frenzy!

   

   I've pondered on it, of course, and here’s my take on why flower names are trending once again.

   Pretty name, pretty personality

   From Lily to Iris and all that’s in-between, when we name our children, we allow ourselves to imagine what they may be.

   Think about it, how often do expectant parents turn their nose up at certain names. Those ones that remind us of the school bully? Names that connote snobby standards? Names that make Santa’s naughty list before baby is born? We all know the ones.

   When we choose a flower name for little girls, we are taking inspiration from nature. Calm, beautiful, natural, flowers are individually intricate, yet one of life’s most simple pleasures.

   Happy and at ease, wherever they grow, what more could you want for your newborn?

   It is easy to remember

   With so many new name creations and choices, a simple and elegant flower name is quite simply easy to remember (and spell). Having our own little Flora Queen also helps my husband remember my favourite flowers when it comes to valentines and anniversaries.

   Keeping it in the family

   While the flower name boom is only just hitting its modern-day peak, it isn’t the first time florals have dominated. The first era of flower names was in bloom between the mid-1890s to around 1920. 100 years on and now these names are more popular than ever.

   Of course, there’s something quite romantic about an olden name being used in today’s times, but that not might be the full story. So many expectant parents choose to register their children in memory of late great-grandmothers and even grandmothers. Carrying middle names is a popular tradition too.

   The rise in flower names could just be a nod to those wonderful women.

   Maybe they just like it?

   Oh my gosh, ground-breaking, I know. But as names become popular, and we hear them more and more, they do grow on us. Sometimes unknowingly.

   When we choose our children’s names, we often look at what sounds right for the time. For most mums and dads, this will be completely different to names that were about when they graced the playground. In fact, one sure way to feel old is to attempt giving bump your best mates’ names. You’re archaic. Good luck for the teen years.

   And so it goes, popular girls names right now are Lily, Poppy, Willow and the kind. And falling on mum-to-be’s ears, what better name could there be for bump?

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2. LOL Dolls Series 2 : What is inside?

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 12th Oct 2017

   A little while back, we had great fun with the L.O.L Surprise Doll, Series 1 so a small person in our house was extremely excited when it was announced that Series 2 was being launched. Thinking that she is now a YouTube sensation (don't ask), she wanted to do an unboxing video ..... complete with her own American accent and requests for subscribers!

     

   There are over 45 dolls to collect in Series 2, and each one has seven layers of new surprises inside: a secret message sticker; a sticker sheet; a water bottle charm; a pair of shoes; an outfit; an accessory and the doll herself. The L.O.L. doll is obviously  the best layer of surprise! Dress her in all of the accessories you've revealed. Each character is completely different. If you're lucky, you unboxed one of the rare dolls .... our little Youtuber thought she had a rare one and you can hear the anticipation in her voice! 

   

   There are so many layers to get through, here is a snapshot of another one that we have opened, (if you don't want to sit through 13 mins of the video) 

   

   Each layer has a new surprise for you ....

   

   There are cute little blind bags to thrill and build the excitement.

   

   And eventually you get inside .....

   

   And you find the cutest little L.O.L doll inside! 

   

   L.O.L Surprise! are the biggest collectable craze in the UK right now, they are the ultimate unboxing toy is combined with the anticipation of surprise. Perfect as a treat or a Christmas stocking filler.

   Have you tried them yet?

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3. 10 Reasons to Love Autumn

   Posted on 10:00am Friday 15th Sep 2017

   It already feels as though summer is over. We can feel the crisp chill creeping in to the morning air, and the nights are definitely that bit darker.

   Sure, we still, officially, have a few days left of the summer season, but I definitely won’t be wistfully holding onto it, begging it to stick around for that big longer. Roll on autumn, I say.

   So long, the Great British Disappointment

   To me summer is always a bit of a disappointment. We put together all these grand plans for what we’ll do with the kids when the sun shines and the skies are blue. But the fact of the matter is, our Great British Summer rarely delivers.

   We have the odd few days of beaming, unbearable heat… and then we’re back to downpours and rained-off picnics. Your plans are in the gutter, along with the 100 mm of rainfall that so gladly graced your summer month.

   On the other hand, as summer comes to a close, we approach autumn. The season that doesn’t disappoint. We don’t expect glorious weather, we want candlelit evenings, autumnal leaf fall, and brand new wellies. And guess what, every year, without fail, we get it.

   This is, of course, along with some of the best festive dates of the year. Autumn is Halloween, Bonfire Night, and Advent. Yes, autumn even allows you to enjoy the Christmas build up without the actual pressure of entertaining over Christmas. As soon as winter kicks in on 21 December, that relaxed autumn ambience is well and truly out of the window.

   So, with all that in mind, I’m here to say autumn is awesome. Let’s embrace the change in season. Look, here’s a listicle. Let’s round it up – ten reasons why.

   10 reasons why autumn is the very best of the seasons

   1. Your autumn wardrobe

   Oh my goodness! Knitwear, gorgeous coats, scarves and the ability to layer soft fabrics to keep you wrapped up warm, what is not to love about an autumn wardrobe. It is also a great excuse to go shopping, especially if you had a clear out in the spring and in my case “have nothing to wear”, you can sit comfortably on your sofa and browse through online shopping sites such as ESPRIT, ASOS or Zara to find quirky, on trend, gorgeous new pieces for your wardrobe.

   Everyone always tells me that I need to add more bright colours to my wardrobe but autumn is a chance to celebrate those muted warm tones. Here are some of the things I am coveting right now.

   

   
   

   Autumn Wardrobe Goals by littlelilypadco featuring a 3 4 sleeve coat

   Let’s be honest, can a girl ever have enough black jumpers??

   2. Acceptable weather

   By acceptable weather, I mean expected weather. Rain is all well and good, when you want it. In fact, in the autumn darkness, the pavement even gleams in the light of the lampposts. Yes. In autumn, rain is poetic. In summer, it’s merely an annoyance. All hail that crisp morning air as well. Oh, the relief after the summer humidity.

   3. Food

   Pumpkin, and treacle, and parkin, oh my! Flapjacks, toffee apples, chocolate apples, plums, soups, stews, dumplings, crumbles, hot chocolate, pears… oh, the food.

   4. Pumpkin Spice Latte

   OK, so we did food. But we all know pumpkin spice latte deserves to stand independently.

   5. BED

   Autumn is even so kind as to give us an extra hour in bed. As soon as we’ve settled into the season, enjoying pumpkin spice lattes and cosy roll-neck knitwear, it treats us yet again. No, stay in bed. Have a lie in. Autumn has got this. Boom… Daylight Saving Time ends. What a gem autumn is.

   6. Halloween and Bonfire Night

   Stress-free festivities for the whole family. Unlike mass summer barbies and huge Christmas dinners, Halloween and bonfire night are laidback autumn events. The kids are happy with a Wilkos dress-up. Heck, they’d be happy as a bin bag ghost, so long as they can knock-on, Trick or Treating. What’s more, there’s so many organised bonfires nowadays, you no longer need to fear for your life garden on Guy Fawkes Night.

   

   7. Autumn leaves and conkers

   I don’t know if you have a dog, but even if you don’t, there’s nothing like walking through the woodlands during October and November. Falling leaves, the array of autumnal colours, conkers scattered all around. It’s beautiful. It truly is. And if you need reassurance, Insta loves autumn too.

   8. Cosy evenings in

   Forget fanning yourself down with the windows wide open. Crack open the cocoa, light your scented candles, and cosy up with your favourite blanket. At 5pm.

   9. View-worthy TV

   On the topic of cosy nights in… there’s so much on the box. Autumn greets us with Bake Off, swiftly followed by The Apprentice, Strictly, the X Factor. All the best dramas save themselves for the long nights, as well. Get on my tele!

   10. Advent

   Christmas is coming! And autumn allows you to enjoy it. All the planning, all the prep, all the Christmas music. The parties, the present-buying, the Santa visits. The excitement. It’s all looking so good; the anticipation is the best bit. Pre-winter everyone is a walking Will Ferrell in Elf. As soon as winter hits, the pressure is on to don your pinny and be the hostess with the mostest. Then you’re done. Done, and hopefully not in too much post-xmas debt. Fingers crossed.

   Here’s to autumn! We love you!

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4. Becoming a Super Mum

   Posted on 9:00am Friday 5th May 2017

   People who do not have children think it is easy. Before we had children, I envisioned being dressed in a flowing white gown, rocking a perfect, rosy-cheeked baby as she slept soundly in my arms (or something along those lines anyway).

   This fantasy was intact for about 20 minutes after I became a mum. Soon I realized the flowing white gown was impractle and gave it up for t-shirts that could easily double for a burp cloth and sometimes a tissue.

   The rosy-cheeked little bundle of joy could break the sound barrier when teething, and the rocking chair was exchanged for a battery operated swing that you hope keeps the baby quiet long enough for mum to grab a shower at least every couple of days.

   Now that I am an experienced parent, I have learned the meaning of the word multitasking. I will share a couple of ideas with you.

   

   Celebrations

   Birthday parties, sleepovers, and holidays are not always easy to manage. But I have learned the easy way to handle a celebration is to set up a candy buffet. This takes the place of snacks and pastries. You simply need a table, table covering, clear vases or jars, and a theme. You order your candy based on your color scheme from an online supplier like Sweet Services.  

   This makes a beautiful setting for any celebration. And everything is reusable. For your next celebration, you simply change the theme and colours of the candy. The candy is shipped directly to you just in time and there is little set up. Perfect for busy mums with little time to spare!

   Keeping your child active

   There is nothing more important to you than the health of your child. This means you watch what they eat and you give them planned activities that keep them moving.

   Having been a dancer growing up, I love the idea of dance class. This is great exercise and it gets the kids out of the house for a while.

   To make the most of your child’s dance class experience, be sure to provide them with proper dance clothes. This is as much a mental exercise as a physical one. It signals your child to know it is time to get busy, and they look really cool at the same time.

   Balancing home repairs

   Being a family that includes children puts a strain on the household. Though we may want to live in a perfectly clean, well maintained and modern home, achieving that goal is not always easy.  Put major remodeling jobs on hold until the children are old enough to be expected to take care of their space. Until that time, repair that which is broken as needed and keep things as clean as you can and hope for the best.

   One way to keep your property value is to keep the basics up to date. It is safe to do smaller remodeling jobs such as replacing floors, updating cabinets, and replacing the sinks with modern sinks and vessels. These type of repairs allow you to maintain a better standard of home and protect your resale value.

   Final Thoughts

   It is not easy being a mum, but no matter how exhausted we are, we know that it is a job worth every effort. The key is to keep your sense of humor and roll with it. Soon enough, there will come a time when the kids are out creating their own world. Until that time. Enjoy every moment with your kids. That is all that matters.

   
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