Like a Bike Fun!

We have just returned from a Bank Holiday camping trip with some friends. We had a great weekend and the weather was, on the whole, good to us!

I was reminded (yet again) of why I love our Like a Bike so much. Our youngest and her friend were able to whizz around the campsite, keeping up with all the older kids and really get a taste of independence. Their Mountain Classics (each now being ridden by a fourth child) enabled them to join in to the full and not get left behind. Muddy fields, hills, gravel, puddles.... they took it all in their stride. Of course, in reality, we had an eye on them the whole time but for them it was a big adventure!

Teal Blue Bravado

During my first pregnancy, I spent a fortune buying new bras every couple of months as everything expanded! Every time I went shopping the choice became more and more utilitarian, and there was certainly no colour choice. White (quickly to become pale grey) was the standard and there was no deviation.

Discovering Bravado, after a recommendation from a friend, during my second pregnancy was a revelation. Comfort and colour/style choice...I can have both?!

The Bravado Bodysilk Seamless is our best selling bra. It is comfortable, versatile, pretty, easy to get a good fit and comes in a range of stunning colours. The name says it all really. It fits like a glove and because there are no seams, there is nothing to rub. The molded foam cups give a great silhouette so you can wear it with confidence under fitted tops, even with a breast pad but they are removable when you don't need them. The real revelation is that you don't need to keep buying new bras as you grow. Most women can get away with buying one or two sizes at most to cover their entire pregnancy and breast feeding period. Bravado are the experts at designing maternity underwear, they really know what they are doing and when you try their products it shows.

This season's new colour is a stunning Teal Blue. The seasonal colours are limited in availability, so grab one while you can!

All of our staff are trained to fit Bravado bras so if you are able to pop in and see us we can ensure you leave happy! However, the Bodysilk Seamless is particularly easy to buy online using the Bravado sizing guide. If you need any help just give us a call on 01305 259929. We are always happy to help!

Riverford Field Kitchen

We have just had a week camping in South Devon, hence the lack of activity here!

Despite the changeable weather we had a great time and have returned home with a car full of very wet camping stuff.

One of the highlights of our week was stopping off at Riverford Field Kitchen on our way home. We booked this ages ago as we have been meaning to take the kids to see where our veg boxes come from and for one reason or another have never made it (we have been having a weekly veg box delivery from them for over ten years...highly recommended!)

On arrival at Wash Farm you are directed to visitor parking which is a short walk away from The Field Kitchen. The setting is on a working part of the farm, don't wear your best high heels! The Field Kitchen itself is a modern building and as we entered we immediately felt at ease, despite our distinctly ragged appearance (we had just packed up our tent in the rain!) We were shown to our table which we shared with another family as all tables seat around 10 people. The Field Kitchen was buzzing - lunch was nearly ready and the place was fully booked.

The service was great. We were served with drinks (delicious Heron Valley Pear and Apple Juice), followed by hot plates being delivered and then lunch arrived. There is no choice. A set menu is offered and changed on a daily basis but there is a good variety of food offered. We had all three kids with us (aged 12, 8 and 3) and they ate well. Our lunch consisted of 6 dishes all delivered on platters or in serving dishes to be shared amongst everyone on the table and there was plenty to go around.

After the main course we were invited up to the kitchen to choose desert. This too offered plenty of choice and all looked delicious (frustrating as only one visit to the desert service is allowed!)

We followed dinner with coffee (not included but equally good!) and enjoyed a quick walk around part of the farm before getting back in the car. The walk would have been much longer but we wanted to get out of the rain, having already packed up the tent in the wet!

As I said earlier, we have been meaning to visit The Field Kitchen ever since it opened and we were not disappointed. It is more than just lunch, especially for our kids who have been eating veg from the farm since they were born. We would definitely go back....hopefully fairly soon!

Take a look at the Riverford website for details on The Field Kitchen and their veg box delivery service. When they say prior booking is essential, they really mean it, please book before you go or you will not get lunch!

Day four and we are on the move! The Stokke Xplory has really shaken up the buggy market since its launch. I think it is fair to say you either love it, or hate it. And guess what? We love it!

Yet again Stokke have approached the design of this fantastic product from a different angle. Suitable from birth, but will easily accommodate a 3 year old, your child can be close to you when necessary and explore the world when they want to. The seating position in the Xplory is the best we have come across. You can use it as a high chair whilst out and about, you can even use it on 2 wheels over rough terrain. We took the Xplory to the Natural History Museum and it was great as our 2 year old could sit up high, facing out and see everything we could see. It saved us lifting him out of the buggy every time he wanted to look at something (and avoided the consequent struggles to get him back in!)

A full range of accessories are available to adapt between the seasons and keep your baby comfortable. It folds down to a fairly compact size.

It really is the only stroller you will ever need!

We Love Stokke!-Part 3

Next on our list is the Stokke Sleepi. What a great concept! Buy one gorgeous bed for your new baby and it will last until they are around 7 years of age, at which point they can use it as chairs or a day bed in their bedroom.

No moses basket to store, no cot to collapse, no junior bed to choose and best of all, no trauma and sleepless nights over moving from one stage to the next! Just a cosy, familiar space that your child can call their own for 7 years!

The Sleepi comes in 5 stunning colours and Stokke have also made a beautiful range of textiles to complement any room. The same 7 year extended guarantee applies if you register your Sleepi on the Stokke website.

Available as a package or as separate elements, you can choose what suits you and your family. Thank you Stokke.

We Love Stokke!-Part 2

So, day 2 on our Stokke week brings us on to the new Bounce 'n' Sleep.

This is the latest offering from Stokke and, as with all Stokke products, looks great!

The designers of the Bounce 'n' Sleep spent time observing real families in real homes to discover how we look after our babies and the obstacles we encounter, and this unique combination of adjustable bouncer and day bed, really does address a lot of the practical problems that arise when you try to look after a baby and do anything else at the same time!

If your baby is awake and playful you can sit the bouncer up, they can play safely whilst being able to see you, whatever you are doing. When your baby needs to sleep simply lie the bouncer flat and lift it into the day bed for a comfy, safe place to sleep.

We love the Bounce 'n' Sleep for various reasons, but the main one is that this product has functionality at its heart. It really will make it easier to have a baby around the house, without you having to compromise on the time you spend with them.

We Love Stokke!

Here at heybaby* we have been selling Stokke products for 10 years. We love them so much we have decided to have a Stokke week on our blog. Featuring a different each day, we will highlight some of the features and tell you why we love them soooooo much.

We are starting at the beginning with the classic Stokke Tripp Trapp. A best seller for us, there are not many parents who think this is a bad idea, and it really is very rare to come across someone who has tried it and is able to contain their enthusiasm!

A chair for life...it really is! We have them on display for every age from birth through to adult. It sometimes takes a while for customers to realise it is the same chair at all stages, but the concept is faultless. Buy one chair when your child is born and they can use it (and take it with them when they leave home???) for life.

We all have them in our house. All 3 of our kids have them, each adjusted to fit, so that everybody can relax and sit comfortably at dinner time. Our eldest also has one at his desk so that he is comfortable while doing his homework (no excuses!) When we are not sat on them they tuck neatly away under the dining table. They are easy to clean, and they look great (available in a multitude of colours and wood finishes, with co-ordinating machine washable cushions).

Stokke are so confident about the quality of their product that they offer a free 7 year extended warranty if you register your purchase on their website.

I would play fair and write about the downsides but I can't think of any!

Happy Birthday Sophie

Phew! There was a heat wave in Dorset today, it was even warm in the shop and that rarely happens.

Our product of the day was......drumroll please......Sophie the Giraffe. She was in high demand, mainly being bought as a present for new babies, but also by mums who had seen her in action with friends' babies.

Sophie is 50 years old this year! Born in France in 1961, Sophie quickly became a “must have” in baby’s essentials. Designed to stimulate the senses and soothe teething gums, mothers recognise right away the benefits of this little giraffe for their child.

Sophie the Giraffe has wowed over 20 million babies (and parents!) with her natural beauty and charm. These days in France 9 out of 10 newborn babies are given their own Sophie La Girafe.

Most importantly her flexible, renewable, natural rubber materials and non-toxic paint mean Sophie the Giraffe is a safe and all-natural teething toy for your little one.

Vulli, a company based in Rumilly in the Haute-Savoie region of France has continued to keep the jealously-guarded secret of how this wonder toy is made. In today’s fast paced world it is unusual to see a high production toy still "tradionally produced" and made by hand: Sophie requires more than 14 manual manufacturing steps.

From your baby's perspective, Sophie offers so much, stimulating all their senses.

SIGHT : At the age of 3 months, a baby's eyesight is still limited and he can only make our high contrasts. The dark and contrasting attention-catching spots all over Sophie the Giraffes body provide visual stimulation and she soon becomes a familiar and reassuring object for baby.

HEARING : Her squeaker keeps baby amused, stimulates his hearing and then later, helps him to understand the link between cause and effect.

TASTE : Sophie the Giraffe is made of 100% natural rubber and food paint, and is completely safe to chew, just like a feeding bottle teat. Her soft texture and numerous chewable parts (ears, horns, legs) make her perfect for soothing baby's sore gums when teething.

TOUCH : Touch is the first means baby has of communicating with the outside world. Sophie the Giraffe's soft feel is just like mummy's skin, stimulating soothing physiological and emotional responses that soothe baby.

SMELL : The singular scent of natural rubber (from the Hevea tree) makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify amid all his other toys.

EASY TO GRIP : Sophie the Giraffe's shape and 18cm size are perfect for baby's small hands. She is very light and her long legs and neck are easy for baby to grip, even from his earliest days.

All this aside, the fact remains that Sophie is loved by babies everywhere. Put a few babies on a picnic rug with Sophie and I can guarantee they will gravitate towards her!