Count down to 5K

In less than one week mami and all the other mamas who agreed to take part in the Adidas Women's 5K Challenge will be making their way to the start line and then taking off running! Mami as you know is running for Arthritis Research UK.

This week has been really "stressful" (I don't know what that means) and tiring for mami, and she hasn't really been able to go out for a run. But yesterday she went for a quick jog and today, me, daddy and mami all headed out and we did 7 miles!

Mami was really sweaty again, but we were proud of her for getting out there. I also heard her telling daddy she had put on weight, so she was determined to get moving.

She strapped her Swiggies to her wrists. Remember I told you about these? They are these cool little water bottles that strap on to your wrists so that you don't have to hold your water bottle. Mami has been running with them, and I have to say, I like them too!

Running with her red Swiggies

Sometimes mami fills one up for me and I wear it around the house. Anyway, getting back to the point, mami says they are essential for running and recommends them to anyone who is training.

It is best not to drink too much water on a run because it can cause cramps, so sipping little bits at a time helps not be thirsty, or stay "hydrated" as mami and daddy say and lets you get on with your running.

Here is a picture of mami running with her Swiggies and then taking a sip. I asked her to take these pictures so that I could show you.

So about the 5K, mami is not running it along. I wanted to introduce you to two of them, and tell you a little about them and why they like to run. Daddy and I will be there cheering them on along the way, so I will report back after the race.

Hannah from Climbing Tikes

She says she applied for the challenge and started the training straight away.

"It has given me a complete new lease of life. The whole family is now involved with my hubby cycling (with the kids in a trailer) while I am running, we are eating healthy too. I decided to run for children with Leukaemia because they do such fab work, they are the UK's leading charity dedicated to fighting Britain's biggest childhood cancer. Although our lives haven't been directly affected by Leukaemia my husband had testicular cancer at the age of 13 so I know how important these charities are".

Check out Han with her Swiggies too! Can't wait to see her in action!

Mirka from All Baby Advice

Mirka has been away on holiday with her family and has been running a lot lately.

She told me that she has always loved running and power walking.

"When I lived in Sydney used to go power walking every afternoon after work (ESL teacher), it is very popular there. After returning to London and after having Isabelle I needed to get back into shape, lose 20 kg gained in pregnancy and also wanted to be fit again, so I started running again. In the last 6 months I have become much fitter thanks to doing some kind of exercise almost every day. A few weeks ago I also started Fitness Tuesday on my blog to encourage other mums to get fitter, do some exercises, do it all together and then talk about it, read other mums' posts and comments". Don't forget to join in!

Isabelle is so lucky to run with her mami. I can't wait until I am old enough to do that too!

This is going to be a very fun day. I will have pictures from the race and a full report for you next week!

In the meantime, let us know how you are getting on with your fitness and running. Mami is going to try to do 1 or 2 more runs then the big race!

bye bye,

 
 
 

We tried it! Weekly Roundup

It's a long weekend, and that means I get to spend extra time with daddy. I really don't want to be blogging too much, so I am going to give you a brief update on some of the great things mami and I have been trying and a special giveaway to 5 lucky winners around the world!

Munchkin: Bath toys and shampoo rinser

As you know, I am now much happier now with my new FlexiBath because I can actually fit in it. But there is still a little problem. See, bath time is ruined when mami throws a bucket of water on my head. She tries to lean me back but I don't like that feeling at all! 

So when Munchkin sent us a some cool new toys, including a star fountain (its spins and shoots up water) and a special shampoo rinser that allows the water to go over my head but not in my eyes, I was the happiest of all. Now we can get along and I don't have to resort to splashing her to get away. 

Munchkin is a US company - I know it well because mami got a lot gifts for her baby shower. The shampoo rinser has a good grip and a plastic band that goes on my forehead and stops the water from going in my eyes. 

Two hands up for Munchkin, their toys and the special rinser! 

Kaloo Blue: Baby Cologne (Mami LOVES this)

Remember, I'm half Chilean. I say this so you won't gasp when I tell you that I wear cologne and I am not ashamed. Yes, you read right, COLOGNE. But don't worry, it's baby cologne, not the kind mami or daddy use. I do smell really good the girls at nursery seem to like it too! 

See in Chile baby cologne, which is alcohol-free and a light "spray" is as common as buying baby lotion (which smells too) soap, oils and baby cream .Mami just sprays a little on her hand then dabs my shirt or runs it through my curls. 

She had no idea that you could get some here (when we go to Chile she stocks up!) so when Kaloo Parfums sent us theirs, she was very excited. Kaloo Blue is a refreshing scent for boys. I tell you, give it a chance, its not like I'm drenched in it, it just gives me that fresh, baby smell. They have scents for boys and girls, and I've seen mami use it too! And it may say its just for babies, but I know for a fact I will be using colognes for a long time.

I give this two hands up, two more from mami, and two hands up from daddy (he "gets" it now).

TommeeTippee: explora Active Sporty Cup

I have gone through several cups. Some with straws, others that are non-spill (mami's favourite) and some like my green one that I know will always have orange juice. But then we got a new one. This one was so cool! 

Mami has been trying to get me "off the bottle" (of milk) for some time. I really enjoy my bedtime bottle, but mami wants me to drink milk from a cup. I don't know about you, but it's just not the same. I usually make her pour it out of the cup and into my bottle and then I will drink it. 

drinking my milk and checking out the squirrels

When Tommee Tippee, who were at CyberMummy sent me one of their cool explora Active Sporty Cup, I  thought I would give it a try (that, and mami didn't back down when I started crying so I had no choice!) It was about time I moved on to a big boy cup. 

Still non-spill and perfect for when we go out. I will drink to that!

Beautiful Creatures: Children's Music

A few months ago, mami and me received a very special, very funny and different music CD called Beautiful Creatures. They are from a place called South Africa where there are lots of animals and fun things to do. You may remember I told you about dancing to “Mafutha the Elephant” with mami. It was a very fun day!

Mami and daddy also liked very much that it was from South Africa. See, they spent lots of time in South Africa and they have very special memories of their time. They said they would like to take me one day so that I can see real live lions, hippos and giraffes like they did on their safari! Mami said she was very scared when they encountered a hippo. They are dangerous you know! So this music is a little piece of South Africa they can share with me. 

Even daddy got into it and said it was “different” and “I can listen to this”. Good, because I love it! When I listen to it, I start to wiggle a little, then I really put my booty into it and shake, shake shake!

The CD has 10 songs, and all of them tell a unique story about an animal. Mami was even singing “can you roar like Lucas the lazy lion....roarrrrr”.

Beautiful Creatures also have unique South African books and educational toys for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Their website is really nice too – so go and check it out!

Best part of all is that we love this so much we want you to have one too. I have 5 downloadable CDs to giveaway to you. This is open to anyone worldwide, so why not enter?

• Just leave a comment saying "I want to win Beautiful Creatures"
• Leave your name or twitter name so mami can contact you
• Become a follower on Google Connect

**Thanks for entering. This competition is now closed **

 Okay, off to enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Chao!

Caca. That's poo in Spanish

Just to update you, mami really should not worry about me talking - I let her know loud and clear what I was up to this morning.

When she came to get me out of my crib, I looked up at her and said "CACA" (poo in Spanish). She was so happy I had said a word, she just laughed and said "Si, caca. Poof! Let's get you changed"

But when she bent down to pick me up, she saw the horror I had been sitting in. "Yuck!" She yelled out and suddenly she realised she was stepping in something mushy. I just stood there and I pointed at my bottom.

I was covered in it! I had never seen it come out the side of my leg that way. Must be the new nappies, not very good I'd say.

So you gotta understand I tried my best to clean it up. I threw it out of the crib, I rubbed it on the side of the wall and wiped my hands on my sheets. Of course, I was just trying to help.

Mami quickly wiped her toes, you should have seen her face, so funny! Then she ran to start the bath and in I went. Ahhh, just what I needed.

I said "caca" again and clapped. She looked at me, sighed and said "Si, caca. Muy bien/very good".

At least she gave me credit for getting the word right. It wasn't easy you know.

I love mami. Even if she did make me sit in my caca.

Speak soon

Uh oh! I think mami is worried.

I heard her talking to abuelita on the phone, and when she asked if I was talking yet, mami scrunched her eyebrows, looked over at me and said “Hmm? Not really. I mean nothing, just sounds. He can quack like duck”.

She is sort of right. I’m not speaking like my friends at nursery, but I do repeat mami’s animal noises. They are so funny! I can quack like a duck and bark like a dog.

But the thing is, I can understand (almost) everything she says.

So far we understand each other just fine. She speaks and I respond by either pointing to what I want, shaking my head no, holding out my hand or just running away. See, I can speak, but it just doesn’t sound like the words she and daddy use.

A few months ago I did start saying mama and tete/dummy, but I haven’t really used those lately. I am now a year and a half (19 months to be exact) and I just want her to know that I hear her and daddy, but I am not ready to say anything yet.

Even the way I say “no” sounds different to her. Mine is more like “ne ne ne “. Maybe I just have a different accent?

So I wrote mami a little letter so that she won't worry anymore.

Querida mami,

Please don’t worry, I am going to speak soon, I promise. I hope you know that I understand both English and Spanish, and just because what I say doesn’t sound like your words, I am learning them.

Daddy has been teaching me how to say “tree” and this week I said it! I hope you are proud of me.

Remember, I blow kisses at you every morning and I hope that makes you happy until I can say more.

¡Te quiero mucho!
 

I tried it! Maclaren Triumph

Okay, so you remember back in July when my pushchair broke down and a certain company wouldn't replace it? Yes, that's the one! Mami and daddy where not very happy and really it just caused a great inconvenience to everyone involved.

However, a great opportunity came from Maclaren when I was offered to test out their Triumph pushchair.

Who are Maclaren you ask?
They are a premier British parenting lifestyle company that produces the worlds most safe, durable, innovative, and stylish baby buggies, strollers and pushchairs. And let me just say, daddy agrees with everyone single word!

I climbed right in - couldn't wait to test it out!

First impressions
You should have seen the look on mami and daddy's face when it arrived. They could not stop "ooh-ing and ahhh-ing". Daddy had selected the red one for "safety" reasons and because it is easier to spot. Daddy is very smart you know.

Mami immediately checked out the wheels to see how sturdy they were (this is where we had problems with the last one). They seemed to meet her approval and she smiled.

We took it out for a spin and it was the smoothest ride I have ever had in a buggy!

I think mami and daddy knew that they should have purchased a Maclaren in the first place. They had been trying to save a bit of money and decided for the less expensive option. But like daddy says "you get what you pay for". When in fact it is not that much more, especially when you consider how much we use it.

Why we love it
For us the Maclaren Triumph is just perfect! We do not have a car so we rely on a top quality pushchair to get all around the city.

Mami takes me to nursery and it is easy to fold up and put away. When we go out on weekends daddy can just take me up the stairs at the tube station, it is easy to get on and off the train and doesn't take up much room on the bus (we have had MAJOR issues with making space on the bus). It is also waterproof and the seat cover can be washed - good thing because I have already made a mess!

Hey! I'm a city boy - I need to travel light and in style

Daddy said the wheels swivel perfectly, the handles are very comfortable and no major effort is required to push like the other one.

Doesn't get in anyone's way - even on the escalators

 No need for mami to lift the front to get on the tube

Perfect fit on a London bus

Oh! And another reason mami loves Maclaren is for their newest  Stroll back to Shape campaign with Pushy Mothers  (mami loves anything to do with  fitness!) They are helping get mamas get back shape by using their buggies.

Even though mami has been doing more running lately, she loves this because we did buggy fitness for a long time. I remember going up and down and up and down Primrose Hill when I was just a baby. You can't say she didn't try!

What I say
I can get in and out on my own (yesssss) and  I can push it at the park. I do have to admit, that 5 point harness starp is pretty good. I can't seem to get out of these like I could with the other one. So an A+ is well deserved.

Strapped in tight -  I'm not going anywhere!

Mami and daddy's final say
They should have never purchased anything other than a Maclaren. They had always known they were good buggies, but now they are complete "converts". And just as importantly Maclaren offers a Sovereign Lifetime Warranty which shows their confidence in their own products. Unlike our last one that only had a 6 month warranty, this is no "disposible" buggy.

Bye bye

Say a little prayer

Mami and I walked over to the post office to pick up a package. I love it when she takes me out without the pushchair. The only rule is I must hold her hand. And I do. Very, very tight.

After I handed the man the red card with our package information he brought back a big brown pack.

We then turned to go home but went via the high street instead of the way we came.

We rounded the corner and looked at the houses displayed in the glass window. Then I peeked into the nail salon and the ladies waved at me. Then came the flower shop and the travel store. I always like going up to the windows to get a better look.

We carried on until we reached a big building with big brown doors and lots of steps. I pulled mami's hand to go in and she looked up at the building and followed my lead.

I had been in there before, with abuelita. It was quiet and empty. Mami dipped her finger in a water bowl and touched her forehead, then chest, then one shoulder then the other. She then dipped her finger in the water again and did the same to me. I just stood still and watched her.

We sat down on a brown wooden bench and mami got on her knees. Up at the front were more steps, a large table with a yellow cover and above that a big cross. She smiled at me, put her hands together and closed her eyes. I could see her lips moving but I couldn't hear her. I sat very quietly turning the pages of a green book. It didn't have any pictures, just lots of small words on every page.

I called out to mami and my voice sounded very loud! I did it again and mami said "shhh". It was so cool!

We then walked over to an area with candles and mami lit one. She held me in her arms and I stayed very calm. I looked up and there was a man looking at us. He wasn't really real, but he looked real and his hands were reaching out to us.

Mami whispered "ahí está Jesús/There is Jesus" and I reached out my hand like he was doing to us.

Mami had tears in her eyes, but she looked happy at the same time. She touched her forehead, chest and shoulders again and we quietly left through the big brown doors.

We got outside and she kissed my forehead and said, "gracias mi amor". She was smiling and the tears had dried.

I knew she would like going in there. Abuelita always looked happy after visiting, and so did mami.

Mami tried it! Lubatti Dreamy Night Cream

Clearly I am not the expert when it comes to the stuff mami puts on her face. The only creams I know are nappy creams and that slimy baby cream mami sometimes rubs on my arms and legs. Yuck! I don't like it at all!

So when Lubatti contacted me about mami trying out some of their products, I thought "Why not? Mami deserves it and she loves that stuff".

And she really does. I have seen first hand how she paints her face in the mornings and although I am asleep at night, daddy has told me all about her night time "routine".

It involves taking off the colours from her face and lots of cream! Come to think of it, I have never seen daddy do any of this, so I won't either.

I sat down with mami and she told me what she thought about the Lubatti Mango and Avocado Dreamy Night Cream  (two of my favourite foods by the way!)

Hola mami! Tell my readers a little bit about Lubatti Skincare

Hola mi amor. Well, Lubatti Skincare Collection is an exclusive range of luxury skincare products by Tracey Malone, who is Jo Malone's sister. You may not understand it all, but don't worry, all your mummy friends will!

What stuff have you been putting on your face?

The "stuff" you refer to is the Mango and Avocado Dreamy Night Cream. And let me just say, it really is dreamy. It makes your face feel soft and silky and gives it a tighter feel. Very important!

How is it different from the other stuff you use?
Well, for starters it is good for all skin types. I have sensitive skin and it has not irritated or made it itcty. Secondly, it is a thick but smooth moisturiser - many other creams tend to stay on surface of the skin and dry too quickly.

What are the special ingredients?
It has avocado oil which is naturally high in vitamins and helps soften your skin. Then there is mango fruit juice which has lots of vitamins and will leave the skin soft and silky smooth. And shea butter, which is also an excellent moisturiser for the skin. I know this may sound yummy, but you can't eat this cream.

Anything else you want mums to know?
It is priced higher than your average moisturiser, but that is because it is a luxury item. Everyone needs a little luxury in their lives and this one is just perfect! I love how smooth my skin feels and the smell is not overpowering like other lotions and creams. It is very subtle and delicate - it is just right.

What do you recommend then?
I suggest mamas add Lubatti to their Birthday and Christmas list. They definitely won't be sorry, and there is an entire range of luxurious skincare and gift sets. It really does make you feel like a VIP Mama! I have some other products I am using too, but I will tell you more about them next week.

So there you have it, mami and her creams. Her face really does smell nice - I should know she is always smothering me in kisses!

I will be back next week when we talk Sparkling Eye Gel. This should be interesting!

Daddy day!

Yesterday was a special because daddy was home with me all day long! Just the two of us. No mami anywhere in sight.

Mami  had woken up very early and left to take a train. She had a very important meeting with some of my blogging friends. She, along with @cosmicgirlie @pippaD @and1moremeans5 @himupnorth spent the day at the Asda offices in Leeds getting to know the team and eating yummy food.

Funny, but there were a lot of pictures and mentions of sausages on twitter (I followed her tweets to check in on her). Looks like she had a fun day. Hmmm? Not bad, not bad at all.
And here I thought meetings were boring because that's what mami says about the ones at her work. Oh well. But I will tell you more about Asda later!

Anyways, it was daddy and me day! I had heard him tell mami the night before "I am really looking forward to spending the entire day with him."

Daddy Day!

Me too! We played with blocks, then he put me in the special buggy and we went for run (always a personal favourite). Then after my sleep we went to Kew Gardens. We played in the dirt and picked red berries off of the trees. So cool. Daddy is a great picker.

I told him how much I love him and how I like to spend time with him. I miss him when he is not here. I wish daddy would stay with me again. I love mami too, but daddy is the best ever!

See the picture we sent mami? That was so she wouldn't forget about us.

I wish I could spend everyday with daddy.

Gone Bananas!

Lunch time again!

Mami sat me in my high chair and fork in hand I started poking at the chicken and tomato bits on my plate. I had a few bites, mami cheering me on for being so good with the fork and she turned to get my juice cup.

To tell you the truth, I just wasn't in the mood to eat. Some days I'm just not hungry. Mami doesn't get it and there she was trying to get me to eat.

"No no no no no" I yelled out shooing her away and moving my head to the side. I closed my mouth really tight and shook my head "NO".

"Okay, fine. But drink your juice" and she took the plate away.
She looked at me again, I could tell she really wanted to feed me. I just stared back and pulled off my bib. I threw it on the floor and waited for her to get me out.

"You have to eat something. We are going out now" and then she gave me a banana.

"Well, well" I thought. "Now we're talking!" and I grabbed it from her.

She smiled and said "muy bien/ very good" and stepped out of the kitchen and went to the computer. AGAIN.

I just sat and ate quietly. She kept staring at the screen.

Then I took a piece of banana and mashed it up. Still not looking.

I smeared it all over the side counter. Over her head.

I then rubbed it in my hair. She didn't have a clue.

So I put another piece, then another and then rest of the banana pieces in my hair. NOTHING.

Daddy walked in and said "come here quick, and bring your camera"

Mami jumped up and looked at me in surprise "Little M, why did you do that?" and she and daddy burst into laughter.

Then she said "Oh no! Now I have to give him a bath. AGAIN"

I just looked at her and thought "Mami that's what you get. You should have paid more attention to me. Your playtime is later, not now!"

 
 
 

I tried it! Mr Colour Maker

 

A while back mami let me paint in the kitchen and I made an absolute mess!

She turned for one moment and I painted the floor, the cabinets and when she tried to take the brush away, I even painted her jeans! It was so much fun! Although, mami didn't think so.

So when I was offered to try out Mr Colour Maker paint bucket by Tomy, mami was very happy for some good clean fun!
I am only a year and a half and even though it is recommended for kids 2-5 years old, I enjoy seeing the bucket light up when I pour the different colours. I don't know it does it, but the entire bucket begins to glow and I use the magic wand to stir it all up. You can even mix colours to make new ones!

It took mami a few tries to understand how it worked, but daddy and I got it just fine.

He asks you to pour in red, blue and yellow, sings back to you and explains how to make more colours. Mami and daddy help me with this, because I am still working on learning my colours. Daddy thinks it is a clever little invention.

Mami's only concern is that the lid came off right away. It didn’t break off, it just comes off all the time. And without the lid Mr Colour Maker doesn’t work. So when I hid the lid and couldn’t remember where it was, I couldn’t mix the colours. Oh no!

But daddy thinks this is on for a reason – the lid is meant to come off so that it won’t break off. See?

It also sings the rainbow song and there are 3 different modes depending on how well you know your colours.

One night, mami came into my room to check on me and she tripped on Mr Colour Maker and it lit up and said “wake me up with some colour please”.

This scared her so much she yelled out and woke me up. He is sneaky! He goes quiet after not playing with him, but mami wishes there was a permanent off button.

Lid aside, mami, daddy and I really like  Mr Colour Maker and I give it two hands up! It makes a great gift and you can get it for £24.99 from Tomy, Argos and other toy shops in the UK.

I also use it to keep my dummies and the rocks that I find at the park.  So it serves as a storage too!

Now get painting!

Mami's very VERY long run

The long run

Mami always manages to get herself into trouble, and last Sunday daddy and I thought she had gotten lost on her group run! He kept going up to look out the window and was very close to putting me in the buggy to go and find her.

Early that morning, she had filled her new Swiggies, or Swigglets as daddy called them (they are water bottles that go on your wrists, so cool!) and she was gone.

Picture: ARUK

In the meantime Daddy and I went to the park. We played, had a snack, I had a nap and even after all that, mami was still not back. She was gone for a very VERY long time! And that’s why daddy and I were worried.

Eventually she came home and her face was really red, her hair was wet and she didn't smell very good.  Daddy helped her over to the sofa and she just fell over.

“How was the run?” daddy asked a bit scared.

Mami looked at him, and said “I ran with the group for exactly 10 minutes! Their definition of slow is not the same as mine! And it was much more than 6 miles!"

But I was proud of mami. Remember she is running the Adidas Women’s 5K Challenge on behalf of Arthritis Research UK, so she can’t give up now. But daddy said this was the first time she was running more than 5 miles, so it was harder for her.

Her motivation for running: Arthritis Research UK


This week, mami and I learned about how juvenile idiopathic arthritis is diagnosed. Mami read that juvenile idiopathic arthritis is actually difficult to detect and there's no single test that can confirm the diagnosis.

Doctors base their diagnosis on what mamas and daddies tell them, what they find by examining little ones, and on tests they carry out to rule out other possible illnesses.

Usually they do blood test and even eye tests. Children with JIA have a higher chance of having inflammation to their eyes, and if a doctor doesn't help you, can lead to blindness. That means you can't see. We don't want that to happen to anyone.

So, mami had better keep running and raising funds.You can visit her Just Giving page to donate too!

Doing it all over again!

In other news, we are all going for a family run today. After mami’s long run by herself, she would rather go slow but in good company. Can’t wait because I love zooming down the hills!

Mami and I are going to do another post about the best running gear, including the Swiggies so come back for that!

Happy running!

HTLM

Chillaxing

You know when all you want to do is sleep ALL DAY LONG?

I bet you do. Mamas always complain about not getting enough sleep - including mine!

Well, mami and I have been feeling like that all week. Mami walked around in a daze today. She wasn't her cheerful self and I wasn't in the mood to be made to sing. I'm getting more teeth and it hurts.

Mami has been really busy at her work, and she is not happy and together we are one big mess!

Today we stayed in our jammies until after lunch. We haven't done that in a few months and kind of liked it.

Mami laid on the sofa and I played with my new blocks.

No rushing around to go to the park. No getting ready to meet one of mami's friend whose baby cries all the time, no having a "quick" lunch so that I can take a "quick" nap, so that we can go out for a "quick" coffee and chat with yet another one of mami's friends.

Nada.
None of that.

Just mami and me, "chillaxing" as she says (that's a mix between chilling and relaxing. I had to explain that one to daddy) and because sometimes you "just need a break"

We make a good team, mami and me.

I tried it! FlexiBath

Yipppeeeeeee! I got a new bathtub! Yessss! I love it and so does mami and daddy. It's red, it folds up and it's called a FlexiBath.

I know what you're thinking "he doesn't have a bath tub?" and the answer is "no, I don't".

See when I was a baby mami and daddy has a special tub for me. They used the big one and I couldn't wait to go in there. Then we moved to another flat, and guess what? Our new flat does not have one! I searched and searched, but no luck.

I realised mami and daddy wash standing up and it doesn't look very fun.

So when I was asked to try the FlexiBath I jumped at the chance and made sure mami emailed the right person. We got one in our favourite colour, red! This bathtub is made for me!

I think the two guys from a country called Denmark who invented the FlexiBath also lived in small flats. They wanted a bathtub that would not take up too much space and easy to put away. Just like us!

First Impressions

When it arrived, mami and daddy looked at each other a bit worried. Mami whispered "it looks a bit small, don't you think?" Daddy just nodded and said, "well, let's try it out".

See, I'm not getting any smaller, I have a big tummy to prove it and the thought of being crammed in my other tub didn't make me very happy.

The colour was a bright red, just how we like it (both of my buggies are red). The flexible plastic is clearly of very good quality and folds completely flat.

Bath Time!

It was like a dream come true! I went into the tub, and at first I was a bit scared because I had never been in so much water.

You should see the other tub I had, it was like bathing in a bucket! Mami filled the tub and like magic it expanded! It looked twice as big and it was the perfect fit.

I could move around, play with my toys and I could actually put my hands underwater!

I saw that many people use this for travelling, but I think any family with out tubs in their homes should have this.

Best of all, I can use it until I'm 4 years old!

Mami and Daddy

Mami kept saying this tub is "absolutely perfect".

Although it does say it is "non-slip" daddy noticed that it was really slippery for me, so maybe a bit more traction on the bottom would be better.

Also, the plug is really easy to lose. I should know because I sneaked into the bathroom and took the plug with me. Mami and daddy spend a whole day looking for it!

They would like to see the plug be attached so that it's not so easy for me to take and hide.

Me

I give this bath two hands up! It does what it says, and it is a very good price. You can buy one for £29.95.

Bathtime has never been so much fun!

bye bye,

The Gallery - Mami's Playtime

I'm baaaack!

It has been a very long time since I've done anything for The Gallery. But the theme this week was playtime and of course that is my specialty!

I thought about all the fun pictures I could post like the one of me making mud cakes.

Orrrrr the one of me painting all over the kitchen floor. And even the one of me building a tall tower with daddy.

But no. I decided to ask daddy to take a picture of mami during her playtime.
That is usually after I go to bed so I had to trust he would get a good picture.

Mami's playtime

I knew mami liked to play computer, but I thought for sure I'd see a picture of her colouring or playing with my lego blocks. I had no idea she considered this as her playtime.

But there you have it - mami's playtime (wonder what's she's doing, I do all the hard work!)

bye bye,

Bilingual Corner No 3 - Nicknames!

A special badge for all bilingual families.

My friend Rebecca over at two became four made it specially for me!

Last month I blogged about choosing names in bilingual homes. This month I wanted to talk about something similar – nicknames! 

I found out the hard way that nicknames don’t necessarily make sense from one language to the next.

Nicknames are personal and sometimes can be funny, really funny! But only to those that understand the language. It may sound strange to others but only you and your family know how you got it.

Daddy calls mami another name, Yoyi.

Yes, Yoyi. Sounds funny, huh? It doesn't mean anything but its just an example of how it works better in Spanish than in English (it took me a long time to figure out mami had another name!)

Okay, you can all laugh now.

She said abuelito/grandad gave her that nickname when she was a baby and it has stuck with her.

So what do mami and daddy call me?

When I was a baby mami called me her “pollito” or little chicken because she says I was really thin and yellow!

After that she started calling me her “monito” or monkey because I would roll around everywhere.  I’ve seen the monkeys at the zoo and I look nothing like them by the way!

Now she calls me her “gordito” or “gordo” which means chubby because I love to eat and I have a very big tummy! I know, I know, doesn’t sound very nice but in Spanish it is actually a term of endearment.

When mami calls me her “gordito” her voice is soft and gentle, her eyes sparkle and she always has a smile. That’s how I know she says it with love.

Daddy didn’t like her saying that at first, but he understands now that mami is not saying it to pick on me.

Mami had a friend from a country far away whose nickname for her daughter meant something not very nice in English. She decided not to use it anymore, at least not at the playground where others could hear. It must have been a very, very bad word.

So tell us, what are your nicknames? Do your nicknames sound okay in one language but don't make sense in the other? Or make sense in English but not in your second language?

I can't wait to hear your stories!

You know what you have to do:

Think about it.
Blog about it.
Link to my site.
Come back and leave your link.
Read everyone elses posts.
Enjoy!

Bye bye

“gordo”

P.S. Please share with other friends who might want to join in each month. When you come back I will have a little suprise for you!

Running Mamas

 
Calling all Running Mamas!

Running? Training for a big race? Just getting started? Need inspiration?

Then join in!

Here is what you have to do:

• Say to yourself "I will run"
• Then get out there!
• Get someone to take a picture of you running - This is a must!

Then email mami the picture, and tell us: 

• Why you are running? (it can be anything you want)
• What you like about running (you can think of one good thing to say!)
• Any other funny story about your running and fitness

I will feature two stories each week. First two entries need to be with me by Friday the 13th of August. 

Can't wait to see you!

bye bye, 

Why mami runs

Mummy to 5K

Okay, some of you many know that mami is training for the Adidas Women's 5K Challenge to raise awareness and funds for Arthritis Research UK and also running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October.

Today mami and daddy put me in the running buggy and we all went for a 5 mile run.  She didn't look well, and had a hard time breathing, but she made it!

After we got back I had my milk and pulled up my chair next to mami and she answered a few questions. So here it goes!

 Weeeeeeeeee!

Mami, how did you feel during the run today? Your face was really red and you were breathing very loud.

Well Little M, mami had to run slower because I'm not very fit! I've been very busy having fun with you and I have been too tired to run. Also mami has gained weight and I haven't run that far in a long time. But you and daddy were very patient with me and helped keep me going.

Oh yeah. You do eat a lot of cookies! But you also did a lot of walking, I thought you had to run the whole way?
Hmm? Yes I did walk, but its good to have a little break every once in a while. If I push myself too hard this soon I could hurt myself and not be able to run later.

Daddy mentioned that you sign up for a lot of races and then don't do them. Are you really going to do the 5K and half marathon?
He said that? Oh, well, yes! I am definitely going to do the 5K and the half marathon. I am very excited but nervous about doing them, I just have to keep at it!

A lot of mamas are doing the 5K with you. What advice can you give them?
Oh! I am no expert, but if I can run anyone can run! Drink lots of water, get a good sports bra, and good trainers. Otherwise it could be very uncomfortable! Start out slow and work your way up.

That's what daddy told you! And you are running for ARUK - do you know what causes ju-ve-ni-le ar-th-ri-tis?
Good job! You said it right! But I don't really know Little M. And that's why I am running for them, so they can do more research. We don't want kids to hurt anymore.

So how can someone get it?
Well, that's just it. It is difficult to understand, even for us adults. There is no proof that it can be passed on by mamas and daddies, however, they do know that a child's genetic make-up is a factor. It's possible that some illnesses act as a trigger, and that there is an interaction between genetic and other trigger factors.
Don't worry if you don't understand - what is important is to let others know about it and learn as we go along.

Oh, okay. I don't really know what that means, but maybe others reading this might. So why do you run if it's hard for you?
Lots of reasons. For one, it doesn't cost any money. I also like to feel the wind in my face and it is the best way to keep fit and healthy. Also because daddy likes it and we can share some time together. He started me running you know!

I can run too!
I know you can! I'm usually right behind you. But when you are bigger you can go out running with daddy and I. For now you have to stay in the buggy.

I do like it when you go fast and the buggy bounces up and down. Can you go faster next week?
Ha ha! I will sure try mi amor. But mami has to make sure she doesn't get too tired!

And that's it! In mami's own words. Oh, and please visit mami's JustGiving page to make a donation and help ARUK - we both appreciate it very very much!

Any running questions? Ask me!

bye bye