My Friend Freddy Bear Review

Toys are on a different level these days, seriously when I was younger my sister had a doll (Chucky doll I called it) that had a tape player in the back and it played cassette, that was as advanced as it got.   Well now days children have so much technology growing up that they won't be miles apart from us growing up. We recently got sent a special bear, a bear that connects via bluetooth to communicate with your child. My Friend Freddy bear a bear that really knows you.

How you may ask? we'll it all involves a app that you can download called My Friend Freddy bear, the app is free and easy enough to find on IOS and Android devices. You fill out a long list of questions such as Favourite games favourite foods, so that when it pairs up to a phone it can communicate with your child. He can't talk back to your child but it does pause when they are talking which I thought was rather cleaver. The bear itself is easy to set up you just need a couple of double AA batteries and a screwdriver. When the bear talks its mouth moves also it has had things placed into its mouth by Son Son he loves it.

There are a few games you can play on the app where the bear will help your child, also some stories and a puzzle. All rather captivating for a toddler although my toddler did get frustrated with one of the fish games because it didn't quite do what she wanted to it but at three she managed to work the app just fine. I like the way that the bear would ask if they wanted to play again. The poor bear also got turned over a lot much to my toddlers delight it would often say "I don't like being upside down". Which for some reason they found hilarious. The only issue with the app you can't change user, we found a way round this by downloading it to another device and filling out with a different child.

Both Ami and Son Son have loved it, more Son Son he has given it lots of cuddles and kissed and tried to feed it. The little mouth that moves is too much excitement for a little toddler. Ami it took her a while to go near it, she did not like the fact that it knew her name, she warmed up to it when we by accident not realising we were still connected to the bluetooth played a music video on youtube and it sung. Not really sung its mouth moved with the music she loved it after then.

The my friend Freddy bear costs £39.99 and is a lot of fun for children, and adults if they want to scare friends when they come round. My husband placed it next to someone without them realising then set it off via the app. He can be a little mean sometimes. Not just fun educational too. Theres also a function where you can black list certain words so that it can't be tampered with or if you were teaching a child not to say something it can help. The voice is a bit funny doesn't sound like a Freddy I would have imagined more and elderly computer lady but the kids didn't care. We found it to be hilarious especially when it starts going off on a tangent.

See look even my 8 year old loves putting his fingers in its mouth #weirdo 

A Christmas top list I bet this year and what a lot of fun it is too. Something a bit different and interactive too.

Wicked Wednesday - Photo sabotage

Beach Adventures - Minnis Bay

Summer feels well and truly over at the moment. I wake up in the morning and my feet are freezing. Most evenings I debate putting on the heating as it gets a little chilly and I feel a bit disappointed. So here is a nice summery post from when we didn't need a jumper to go outside. 

You may have notice me mention before that we live by the beach, we love it we really do. Living just a few minutes walk from the seaside is the best thing ever on a rubbish day, I think the sea can have such a calming effect. One Sunday in the Summer it was Sunny believe it or not so we headed to our local beach Minnis Bay.

It was such a lovely sunny day, although we went later in the evening as Arsenal were playing and my husband just had to watch it. I did say that this would be the only Sunday we will wait in for the football but I very much doubt it. I am well and truly a football widow sometimes. 

The beach was busy when we got there but was filtering down. The best time to be on the beach, people have left all there sandcastles and sometimes buckets and spades. You can go round and jump on mounds of sand that you sand that you didn't have to build. Ami was the only one that was prepared she went with her swimming costume ready. We didn't think the kids would go swimming but we could not get them out of the sea. Well I say all the kids Asti sat stubbornly on the sand refusing to go near the water. 

The toddlers had a blast in the sea, it wasn't too deep meaning we could let them paddle and splash around. I just enjoyed being out the house and not being cooped up. It was a poor summer so when there was a sunny day I felt like we had to make the most of it. 

I am sorry if I may have posted too many beach post this year but I do love it. I love Minnis Bay it will always be my favourite beach. Heres to what I am hoping is an Indian Summer so we can make the most of it for a few more weeks at least. Heres a few more pictures below. It all seems so long ago now. 

Stubborn Beach hater!! 

My Sunday photo - 6/09/15

Have we been to busy for our kids?

I always said I liked being busy. I liked the days being filled with things to do but now I am starting to loathe being so busy. My days feel rushed and I often feel cheated. I feel like I have my finger in too many pies and a lot of things get left out. 

See we've have our busiest summer fitting in working/ volunteering at different community projects whilst fitting in our own jobs and family lives. Do not get me wrong we have loved it so much. My poor old blog got neglected as I took time to enjoy things. I sat and slouched on the sofa watching TV on my nights of. Now its all over were back to routine. The nights are pulling in, Summer feels well and truly over. Ive contemplated putting the heating on for my frozen toes its depressing. 

The kids have found it tough, they have been so busy they do not know what to do with themselves. They wander round emptying toy boxes. My eldest just wants to be in front of a screen and the babies fighting over anything and everything. I wonder did we over do it? We've seen a backlash from Ami and she's shown us some new bad behaviours. She never has been a rude child and now is on another level. They have been waking in the night sometimes for hours. Me and my husband are exhausted. Was it worth it? Im hoping this will settle down in the next few days. Questions are asked did we give the kids enough time? We were with them a lot but was it enough? Instead of staying out should we have missed it. We my heart says no but I am sometimes fat too free as a parent. 

I plan to turn the tv off, get off my phone and play with them. I always find this hard always have, I really have to force my self. Its something I always try to change. See I don't have many memories of my parents playing with me and I do not want that for my own children.  All children are different but mine do not have much interest in toys. Thinking I should ship them of to the charity shop I am sure they will then! Im lost really Ive forgotten being mum at home. Its only been a few weeks, I need to get that messy play out. Make things be creative with them. Its taken me 9 years but I am finally relaxing about paint. 

I think its just been hard going back to work normal hours, sorting school stuff out again. Our summer was great and we must not forget that. I would go through it again for a few days of being rocked about by the kids, because the memories they have made over the summer were awesome. They really are privileged kids. The summer is when they are most free and able to do things they usually can't (like drink Dr Peppa, ok that was once in desperation to try and keep the kids in the Marquee one really windy tent!!). Yes Our Summer was great. 

Heres some Photos of all the family. I was supposed to take a family shot for our last of the summer Nando's but completely forgot. So heres some random ones from the car!!

I love my little family. 

Till next Summer (Sob Sob) 

Henry Toy Vacuum Review

My kids are obsessed with our Henry Hoover. Literally since they were babies they would follow me round and try and sit on the hoover. In fact the still do, they steal it off me and ask to hoover. It means hoovering takes 10 times as long but they love it.

I knew when I was asked to review a toy Henry hoover my kids would be over the moon, they make me get the big one out straight away and hoover. Lets just say since having the toy version I have never hoovered more in my life. My two toddlers love role play and especially love cleaning. They have actually shared it only because one of them had to have the big hoover first.

The Hoover is light weight and aimed for children over 3. Sonny who is nearly two loved it just as much. All the pieces can be stored inside the henry and even come with a little dust pan and brush. He really is identical to the bigger version and even has pretend little buttons. The little hoover also works as a very light weight hoover. Ami hasn't been impressed with it, she get cross that it does pick up somethings. I did explain it is just a toy but she gave it to Son Son to have a go.

Henry is on wheels and also has a wind up cord too so the children can be just like mummy when hoovering. I love it now every time I hoover Ami gets her little hoover out, it really is the sweetest thing ever. Like our big henry the tubing isn't that strong and I hope it lasts with two squabbling toddlers.

It really has taken the kids role play to another level, they always want to help. Even Asti my 8 year old wanted to get involved although he ACTUALLY hoovered. The Casdon Henry hoover retails at only £19.99 and is such a bargain. They have a large range of other cleaning toys too, if thats what your children love. It is aimed at ages 3-8 and really is a big thumbs up from us.

Wicked Wednesday - how to travel with toddlers