Hair Wars (Scunci Girl Giveaway)

Every parent has one task that they dread. And anyone who denies that fact, clearly has a nanny.

It could be cleaning poo-splosions, it could be cleaning vomit - hell, it could be the task of WEARING vomit that makes you want to claw your eyes out.

For me, it's hair.

Miss 4 is just as unimpressed as I am.

Image found here

No amount of cajoling, bribery, soothing sounds of the blue whale will make her sit still. Or stop screaming. I've tried the flip side - saying that I'll shave her bald like her Uncle M, or I'll never brush her hair again and she'll get a giant knot and rats will move in.

Nope, nothing doing.

I used every detangling spray known to man, every detangling shampoo, conditioner, balm, witchdoctor potion and, while they make the process a little easier, it still isn't enough to stop the dramatics entirely.

The most successful combination I've found is a good quality shampoo and conditioner, a fantastic detangling comb, a sturdy paddle brush, and a quality detangling spray. To keep it all together, some tight braiding with snagless hair ties.

With the volume of hair ties that get lost along the way - and the number of hair ties that claimed they were snagless, but the fact that I had to cut them out of Miss 4's hair made me think they were lying - I'm never keen to spend a fortune on them. But at the same time, you want to know you're using something that won't snap at the first sign of some tension.

Enter the battle zone - Scunci Girl hair accessories!

I've used Scunci for quite some time now, and I've always been happy with the cost and the quality. Their snagless hair ties are exactly that - I've never had to carve a Scunci hair tie out of a screaming child's hair.

And the best thing about Scunci? Well, they are generously offering the chance for two Anything Kel readers to win a goodie bag full of their back to school range, including;

Scunci Girl 2pc Brush and Comb Flower Pack

RRP AU$7.95

Scunci Printed Detangling Comb

RRP AU$6.95

Scunci Printed Hand Held Mirror

RRP AU$16.95

Scunci Girl 12pc Enamel Snaps with Glitter Finish

RRP AU$6.95

Scunci Girl 12pc Evolution Elastics with Motif

RRP AU$6.95

Scunci Girl 12pc Spiral Ponytailers

RRP AU$6.95

Scunci Girl 24pc Mini Toweling Pony's

RRP AU$5.95

Scunci Girl 4pc Knotted Hair Wraps

RRP AU$5.95

To be in the running, just leave a comment below with your best hair story and your email address. 

And let's face it, the funnier the better. However, I'll also accept stories of hair brushing trauma - so I know I won't be the only one rolling up to Hairbrushers Anonymous meetings.

For more information on Scunci products, you can visit www.scunci.com.au

Entries close 6pm CST on Sunday 26 January 2014. Winners will be drawn via random.org and notified via email.

Good luck!!

And the Winner is...

Congratulations to Trish, who has won the Zimmiz giveaway!

When I read her entry I could sympathise with every moment because it was like reading a scenario from my own life...

I ...yes me - dropped my iPad last week *sob* cracked all over and I told my twins 6yrs old - everyday not to do it.
My old ipod was found cracked under the bed presumably from the top bunk accidently ...neither twin owned up.
Apple replaced the iPod - my iPad is waiting till I get to Sydney to fix it ...the plastic sheet protector thing has stopped any glass shards.
Visiting via IBOT

Congratulations again, Trish - an email has been sent to you, and your Zimmiz will be on its way soon.

If your kids are anything like mine, your home will be full of fart sounds in no time.

You're welcome.

 

Where iProducts go to die...(Zimmiz giveaway)

I don't know about you, but we are a household of iAnything addicts.

We have iPhones, iPads, iPods and enough accessories to choke a horse.

Admittedly, our daughter has been assisting us in curbing our iAddiction. By culling our collection.

We lost an iPod touch and an iPhone 4S to the toilet bowl. To Miss 4's credit, she did wrap them in towels to try and save them. Sadly, they had flat lined and no amount of water absorbing material was going to bring them back.

We lost another iPhone to the front stairs, and I lost the rear glass panel on my iPhone to our lounge room floor.

I'm sure we've lost another iPod touch along the way. I think that one succumbed to the asphalt in a carpark.

Our daughter will never be an olympic ball sports player with her butter fingers.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I lost my first iPhone after I left it on the roof of the car and drove off. But I think I was more upset about losing the gorgeous deep red cover than I was the actual phone.

So she's learnt from the best.

This Christmas just gone we were looking into getting a heavy-duty-will-survive-a-nuclear-explosion case for my iPhone since Miss 4 loves playing the games and watching Charlie and Lola episodes on it. We looked at the Otterbox Case, the Lifeproof Case, the Griffin Survivor Case and even one called the 'Mighty Vault'. All heavy duty, all fifty inches thick and all ugly as anything.

Yes, I know, I'm vain - what do I care for the look of it when it's going to mean I can save my phone from certain death?

Well, for starters, none of them came in pink. Or red. So it was a deal breaker from the start.

In the meantime, we did purchase one of the FisherPrice iPhone cases for babies. This was for The JellyBean when she gets a bit older and might be interested in what her sister is doing with anything iRelated. I like that it protects the phone, but Miss 4 has informed me that it's just for babies.

Right-o then.

So when I received an email from Sophie at Polkadot PR regarding Zimmiz^®, I was intrigued.

Zimmiz^® is a new App from Big Foot Toys featuring cute, customisable aliens, and you can bring them to life with the specially-designed plush toy which features a pocket to securely house your iPhone or iPod Touch.

A toy that acts as a phone case* appropriate for children from 4 years? Hello answer to my prayers!! The plush also features poseable arms and antennas with a little sleeve on its back to carry Zimmi^® with.

"Children today gravitate to smart phones and tablets as much as they do their favourite teddy bear," said Rowan Isaacs, Marketing Director and Co-inventor of Zimmiz^®. "Zimmiz^® represents the best of both worlds. It brings play to vivid life - and sets the stage for meaningful and rewarding experiences that go far beyond those of traditional toys."

Miss 4 had a chance to play with the App itself before her plush arrived for a road test. She liked it but, looking back, the interaction was a little restricted compared to what she can do with the plush attached.

Once the plush arrived, it was clear there was no way I was ever going to get my phone back.

Miss 4 loved the transformation from App to interactive toy, and Zimmi^® goes everywhere with us. I'm no longer terrified of her dropping my iPhone on the ground and it smashing into a thousand pieces- the plush holds my phone in there snug as a bug, and it's so padded and squishy I feel like it could fall from the roof of our home and come away unscathed*. I still fear the toilet bowl, but I've been informed that Zimmi^® prefers to wait outside the toilet, so the chances of him suffering an unfortunate flushing are minimal.

I love that Miss 4 has a toy with a wide range of emotions and reactions. Her interactive babies never sleep. They continue to talk, snore or cry unless you rip the batteries out of their backs in a frenzy to get them to shut up! Zimmi^® will go to sleep with the simple motion of closing his/her eyes...or hitting the home key and exiting the App. Yay for Mummy's sanity!!

Zimmiz^® is developed by a team led by David Smith, an animator for the film Happy Feet. And it shows, because the graphics are brilliant.

There are games to play such as 'Zimmiz^® Says' and a memory game, you can customise his face, right down to his birth mark. He laughs when tickled, blows bubbles with chewing gum, burps, almost explodes when you feed him a chilli and, Miss 4's favourite thing of all time, he farts.

He'll also throw up if you give him a whizzee for too long - and then you can either watch it slide down the screen, or wipe it away with a cloth yourself. Miss 4 enjoys both options. I just do my best not to relive my experiences with vomit during my pregnancy with The JellyBean.

Overall Zimmiz^® has been a hit in our household, and if you have a iAnything savvy child in your home that could do with a friend who will sing, choke on his food and forget to cover his mouth when he sneezes then this is the giveaway for you!

I have one Zimmiz^® plush toy to giveaway to the person who has the most hilarious iTragedy. So share your best iAccident involving a mobile phone, tablet, or iPod before 6pm CST on Sunday 6 March and you could be welcoming Zimmiz^® into your home soon! So I can contact you, don't forget to include your email address in your comment entry.

For more information on the App and the plush toy you can visit www.planetzimmi.com, “like” Zimmiz^® at Facebook.com/planetzimmi, follow Zimmiz^® at Twitter.com/planetzimmi or view their YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/PlanetZimmi

The Boring Bits

• Giveaway will be open from Tuesday 26 February 2013, and will close at 6pm CST on Sunday 3 March 2013.
• The winner will be determined by me as the most hilarious accident involving a mobile phone, tablet, or iPod.
• I was provided with one Zimmiz^® plush toy for a road test, and a second plush to giveaway.
• The winner will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
• All decisions are final.

* The Zimmiz plush toy is NOT marketed as a phone case, and it should not be relied on as such. The phone case properties are simply my own, personal observation.

Jelly Bean Joy...

Contrary to the title, this is not about The JellyBean that I am currently incubating, this is actually about a parcel that arrived yesterday.

I told Miss 3 the parcel was for her - she almost did herself a facial injury, such was the girth of her grin.

When she started to froth at the mouth I put that down to...er...sherbert she inexplicably obtained in the car.

We couldn't get in the house fast enough and she was clawing at the package like a deranged squirrel. After a few minutes she reluctantly agreed to let me be of some assistance.

If I don't look at you, will you stop asking if I need help?

Fine, you helped, now go away - I can do this myself!

After much frenzied shaking of the bag and torturing glimpses of the pink mystery item inside, it finally emerged...

Is it a bird...?

Is it a plane...?

Hell Yeah! It's a pair of Jelly Shoes!!!

Honestly, I had totally forgotten that Miss 3 won a pair of Jelly Shoes from the fabulous Jess at Diary of a SAHM, so it was a great way to end the week!

She needed to put them on NOW, so she did. It took a lot longer because she wouldn't stop moving her feet in a happy jig.

And that makes it hard to get shoes on.

But the overall effect is one of intense joy...

Jeeeeeeeeeelly Shoooooooooes!!

Ugh, Mum didn't do this up right. *sigh*

Happy in my Jeeeeeelly Shoooooooes!!

So thank you Jess and thank you Jelly Beans Shoes - Miss 3 is thrilled (so am I) and we have a new pair of daycare shoes that can wash off without a fuss, are easy on her feet and are great for the climate.

Thank goodness, because just this week she was stating to tell me her sneakers were hurting her toes. Your timing rocks!

Thank you!!

Friday Fluff & Giveaway Winner!!

Well TFIF!

I woke up yesterday morning thinking it was already Friday. I did the same on Wednesday...and on Monday.

Damn reality.

Anyway - on to the fluff!!



Seriously...for Easter I'd like a pool lounge. This turtle just doesn't cut it.

The Toddler loves to swim and loves all things floaty - especially if they can be used as a pillow of some description. She also has an inflatable snail which we dunk under the water and let it pop up near her. She squeals and then laughs hysterically. Snail may, or may not, sleep in her bed at night. I've been told snail gets cold.

So, now, for the moment you've all (well, 2 of you anyway - can anyone else read 'most tragic giveaway in the history of blogging??') been waiting for - the results of the $20 Dusk Voucher!!

I have consulted Mr Random.org and his decision was...

And commenter #1 was: Jacki from More than a Mummy!!

Congratulations Jacki - send me an email at cricket001(at)live(dot)com with your postal address and your voucher will be on it's way...enjoy the spending and I'll be waiting to see a post on what you bought!!

Well, there you have it for another Friday - hope everyone has a great weekend - mine will be spent pouring over building plans and most likely arguing with the Guru over said plans.

Ah, the joys of married life...

Honesty

Today, I'm going to put it out there. In black and white.

I've not been very open about my struggle with Postnatal Depression. And a part of me was ashamed of it, for a long time.

But I'm trying to change my mindset, and so I am sharing my story. And if it happens to help someone, then it will have been worth it.

This is my entry to the Black Dog Institute Writing Competition 2010/11.

When I was pregnant I felt great. Yes, I was tired and sore but, I didn’t feel any anxiety or concern about life with a new baby. I even recall mentioning to my GP that I was aware my history with depression would mean I was in a higher risk category for Postnatal Depression (PND).
 But I had a plan and a supportive, loving family who knew the warning signs.

Looking back, it would seem I underestimated my depression, and I forgot how clever I could be at masking the signs. I think this is the surprising thing about depression. Inside you can be a mess and feel like the world is about to fall apart, but on the surface you’re smiling, laughing and projecting the vision you so badly want to be the reality.

I suppose my first ‘trigger’ was that I didn’t really get the 3 day blues. At the time I thought it was a sign I was coping so well, I was going to skip the hormonal side of it all. Fantastic! But in reality it was a sign that I was already building walls around feelings that I thought weren’t ‘acceptable’ as a new parent.

Hospital was easy. Breastfeeding was a challenge. And I always had this feeling that my family expected me to get home already. That I was in hospital too long and should get out and get on with it. I know now that I was already projecting my own insecurities, and attaching them to other people to reinforce my frame of mind.

When we got home, I couldn’t relax. I felt on edge all the time. I spent a lot of time being worried that our daughter would cry and wandering the house aimlessly, unable to sit still. I felt like I had a ball of cement in my stomach that wouldn’t go away. I was always waiting for our daughter to do something so I felt like I had a purpose. It was as though I didn’t exist outside our daughter’s needs.

I began to have unrealistic expectations of myself. Obsessive cleaning and tidying became a daily occurrence and I got agitated if anything was out of place or messy.

Part of my mask was appearing to have it all under control. In my mind, if our home was clean and tidy and if I had dinner organised by 5:30pm every night, it showed the world that there was nothing wrong, that I was coping and I was a perfect wife and mother.

But deep down I felt like nothing I did was enough, especially when it came to our little one.

As a Mum I felt like a failure. Everything I did was wrong and it was only a matter of time before my husband and family discovered what a hopeless fraud I was.

When I got mastitis and my milk started to dry up, it was a steep slope down into a darkness I had forgotten.

I continued to try and feed our daughter because I felt that not being able to was just one more failure on my part. I couldn’t stop our daughter from crying and I couldn’t feed her. I felt I was worthless. Simple things, like breastfeeding and soothing our daughter, that I felt should come naturally, were slipping away and I could do nothing to stop it.

My Mum knew I was struggling and gently guided us through organising bottles and formula as well as getting our little family through each day. There are no words to express my gratitude to my Mum during this time, because how can you thank someone for holding the universe together?

After our daughter was diagnosed with colic, I still blamed myself for everything. Having a reason for her crying didn’t make me feel any less responsible. Only now I felt responsible for keeping her in pain for so long. The thought that our baby girl had suffered for the first 6 weeks of her life gave the PND more to feed on. And I slipped further and further into the darkness and cried.

I would cry in the shower, sneak out of bed and hide so as not to disturb my husband. I gave all the ‘right’ answers to our family GP at baby check up’s.

I didn’t have to worry about acting in front of friends, because I stopped seeing them. I had everyone fooled, including myself.

Breaking point came when I had to go back to work when our daughter was 6 months old. Working mother’s guilt and social anxiety competed with hiding my PND and it almost sent me over the edge.

I was exhausted but I couldn’t sleep. Cracks began to appear in my carefully constructed facade. I stopped caring about myself and started to think life for everyone would be better if I weren’t in it. That I should just grab the keys and drive away. Disappear and let them get on with their lives.

I never thought to take my own life. I did consider hurting myself. I thought if I could physically display the pain I felt inside, it might hurt less. Thankfully, I never acted on those thoughts.

When I woke up one morning and had a panic attack about being on my own with our daughter, I knew I couldn’t continue and I had to get help.

Reaching out was the hardest thing. Already feeling like a failure, admitting to my husband and family that I was drowning felt almost impossible.

I called my husband, who was on his way to work. He turned around and came home, but I couldn’t explain to him what the problem was. All I could do was cry. The truth hurt so much and I was afraid that if he knew the truth he would leave me, or that he would think I was ‘crazy’.

At some point I decided I had to see my Mum, even though she was at work. My Mum is a medical receptionist at our family GP clinic. I didn’t have to say anything. She took me to a quiet room with the little one and asked me to wait. Before I knew it our GP was there and it all came spilling out.

At times I struggled to find the words and had to force myself to open up. And it was hard to watch my Mum cry, hard to watch her hurt. But I’ll admit that a part of me was confused by her tears because I had convinced myself that everyone would be better without me. Why would my Mum cry if she didn’t care? Why would my GP be sitting here, seeing me and postponing other patients if she didn’t care? Why?

The horrible thoughts kept rolling around in my head, that if I opened up they would take our daughter away, that my family would turn their backs on me because I was a failure as a person. But I decided I was going to be honest. And I was honest when I said I didn’t want it to hurt anymore.

I started anti-depressant medication and was referred to a psychologist. It took time, but slowly I noticed the heavy feeling had lifted. Like I had been carrying a huge backpack up a steep hill, and I had finally put it down.

I started being honest with my Husband about how I felt, as best I could. The words didn’t always come easily, and even now they can be difficult to find at times. Our GP sat down with us and explained PND which helped my husband understand that medication only does so much. That it doesn’t change me and I would still be ‘me’. He has since admitted that his main concern was that I wouldn’t be able to feel anything. That I would be a ‘zombie’ and be emotionally detached from him and our daughter.

My husband told me he found it helpful having our GP talk with him. It has helped him understand the situation better and to recognise when I might need to step back and re-group.

I still have challenging days, and there is no ‘quick fix’, but I feel confident that I can manage each day as it comes. Maintaining an open line of communication with my husband, family and GP is essential because I know the medication only goes so far. The rest is entirely up to me.

It takes a lot of courage to admit something's not right and get help. There is such a stigma linked to depression, it can make it hard to be open. I now understand that there is no shame and depression does not define who I am or my value as a wife, mother, daughter, friend, family member or work colleague.

No one should be afraid to speak up.

Reaching out, getting help and healing is something to be incredibly proud of. And I am.

Be-still my beating clutch - thank you Hanna & Eclu!!

When I enter competitions I never have any expectations. None. Because there are so many other entrants the odds that I'll be chosen are slim.

And that's fine - the universe always has these things under control.

So when Hanna at bouffe e bambini emailed me to say that I'd won the delicious handmade Eclu clutch I almost swallowed my face with shock!

This clutch is just so pretty and soft and wonderful. I love it!

Eclu has so many wonderful items, you have to have a look. Go on, I'll wait...

...

...

...

I know, right!? Totally fabulous and they are just pure pretty in a clutch!

So enough of the babbling - let's have a gawk! (now, these pics were taken on my phone, so I apologise for the questionable quality...)

BLISS!!

Did I mention the Guru asked me why I got a purse with a lettuce on it? Did I mention he got a slap??

Ignore pudgy fingers - Admire the owl interior! The Toddler saw the owls on the inside and screeched 'Elly's bag, mummy!'  Yeah...about that...

I am now on a mission to find an appropriate occasion to use this wonderful item.

And even if I don't, I am totally rockin' this clutch to strut down the driveway to the letterbox...

(Shape Up Week 9) "Deck the Halls...

...with lots of parcel delivery cards, fa-la-la-la-la...la-la-la-la!"

Yeah - got a package yesterday! Wasn't the one I was expecting though - but it was still FABULOUS!

The wonderful people who Mrs Woog told HAD to send me a copy of Corrine Grant's new book 'Lessons in Letting Go: Confessions of a Hoarder' finally coughed up and my book arrived!

What made it even more wonderful was that it took care of so many of my favourite things right now...

1. Parcel Delivery Card? CHECK

2. Pleasant Surprise? CHECK

3. Reminding me that I still know how to read books other than 'Spot Goes to School'? CHECK!

So thank you Mrs Woog (oh, and the loverly people at Allen & Unwin) - you've restored my faith in the Carrier Pigeon Delivery Service of Darwin.

And so - on to Shape Up Week 9!!

This week has been a catastrophic flop. No motivation combined with festive event after festive event has meant this week was a total pffft on the shape up scale of success.

I've tried hard to not eat too many of the wrong things, but I admit I'm feeling it for not having got off my backside and gone for a walk. I feel sluggish and tired and just all 'round 'eugh'

But anyway - I remembered to bring my tape measure to work (yeah, classy huh?) so here are my measurements for this week:

Bust - 104cm (NO CHANGE from Week 7)

Waist - 95cm (2.5cm DOWN from Week 7...yeah! eat that week 7!)

Hips - 116cm (NO CHANGE from Week 7)

Arms - 38.5cm (1cm DOWN from Week 7)

Thighs - 71.5cm (3cm DOWN from Week 7)
 
Overall a surprising result! Trust me, as soon as I get my stunned eyebrows off the ceiling I will be double checking my measurements...
 
As for exercise - well, the Guru and I are making a concerted effort to make this month really 'count' in terms of TTC, so maybe that's helping?
 
Who knows...but I am hoping dearly to be able to gain weight in 2011 for all the right reasons.
 
Anyway, I better finish this up and get back to work. I am currently waiting for one of my doctors to come and collect his sacred pink stethoscope from me.
 
I'd totally steal it but the hysterical phone call today gave me the heads up he'd very much like it back.
 
Shame.

Can I get a 'Halleluja' in the house?!

So today I'm home with a sick child - although this is a whole new level of sick I didn't think I'd have to deal with.

Croup. It's as sucky as it sounds.

Suddenly I have an insight into the worry the mother of a child with asthma might have.

But when they mentioned whooping cough I think my heart nearly fell out of my backside.

Thankfully we didn't have to go down that road - and personally, I am of the opinion that croup is bad enough.

So the coughing and blocked airways mean sleep is a thing of myth around here right now...and I couldn't send her to daycare in good conscience just to go to work so I am home caring for my poor Penguin.

We're both still in our pyjamas - and yes, it is 2pm. And a very, very silly part of me thought that today would be a great day to try and clean out the tupperware cupboard and organise the toy box.

Yeah, even I'm not sure what I've been inhaling.

So when the local postie roared up our driveway and almost did a burn out on the pavers and then proceeded to further announce her arrival by sitting on her horn, it was all I could do to stop myself from flying out the door and ripping her head off before spitting down her neck. Which would have been a truly amazing sight to behold. A crazed, sleep deprived parent in pyjamas that are thinning in all the wrong places, boobs flying around as I don't have my boulder-holder on to strap them down and a face that could frighten small children, all while foaming at the mouth.

Yeah - awesome I tell ya.

It was a bloody good thing she had a fabulous surprise in her satchel...or there would have been hell to pay.

And can you believe it - I won a $20 voucher from KMart from the blogging promotion they did. You can look back on my post of magnificence here.

I seriously never win anything - so this has put me on a high that will take some time to die down...it's on the same level as getting my license and getting engaged. And I've made the most of bragging rights with the Guru.

And following this great moment in time was a phone call from the photographers who did the Toddler's photoshoot for a book a couple of months ago. And the photo's we ordered are in! Oh yeah!!

The only thing that could make today better would be for the Toddler to get some quality sleep - because this Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde act is doing my head in. I just want my everyday, tempermental Toddler back.

bouffe e bambini & seamsMod Giveaway

Do you love the idea of having a small, convenient and STYLISH way to carry all the gear that comes with leaving the house with a man woman small child?

Well - check out bouffe e bambini and see her giveaway - a nappy clutch!!

They are made by seamsMod and are so gorgeous :-)

Go take a look - even if you don't win you can grab one from seamsMod on Etsy!!

I laugh in the face of a $20 challenge...

Ah, now here's a challenge that I can get into. Shopping and I are the best of friends, and together we can always find more and more ways to spend money. It's what great friendships are made of.

So, K Mart have thrown this challenge at us, and I can totally put this one in the bag.

Browsing the catalogue I'm discovering ways to spend $20 in a thrifty and yet sensible manner...

However, that all gets blown out of the water when I spot this:

Oh yeah - it's a Tinkerbell Activity Set. And since our beautiful girl went as Tinkerbell to her friends Birthday Party she has been Tinkerbell-crazy!

Evidence - Exhibit A:

Her wings are missing...but they looked like this...

So with my Tinkerbell purchase under my belt, I continue shopping and find these would be a great idea for Christmas:

Would be great to send one to each set of Grandparents for the festive season!

And to reward myself for being a great shopper I'd grab one of these:

It would totally have to be a Picnic bar because I have a disturbing addiction to their peanut-y, caramel-y, gooey, wafer-y, chocolate-y goodness.

Yeah, warned you it was disturbing.

So there you have it - $20 spent in K-Mart and everyone is happy with the result. YAY!!