Buying for Baby

Thanks to the 50 Shades of Gray phenomenon that has swept the globe, we are set to experience the biggest baby boom in over 40 years!

If you’re expecting a little bundle of joy yourself, the prospect of baby shopping can be one filled with excitement but also apprehension. After the initial thrill of a positive pregnancy test, the reality of having a baby sets in. With so much to buy, it can be difficult to know where to start, especially if it’s for your first baby. How many types of pacifiers should I buy? Should I get a milk expresser? And will I really need a heated wipe warmer?!

If panic is setting in, don’t worry – it all starts with a list! It might seem to be terrifyingly long at first, but if you pace yourself and start early it won’t be that bad – we promise! Start off by purchasing one or two items a week and before you know it, you’ll have your whole list checked off! This is also a great way to help spread the cost and take advantage of special offers throughout the year.

So, what are the essentials? Well, unless you’ll be using the reusable cloth type, diapers are a must. If there’s anything worth buying in bulk, it’s definitely diapers – you’ll be amazed at just how many you get through! Even if you’re using cloth diapers, it’s advisable to buy some disposable ones as a back-up for emergencies. Most babies will experience a bout of diaper rash at some point, so it’s best to have some absorbent cotton and cream in stock for when it happens.

Where babies are involved, there will always be a need for baby wipes – and plenty of them! Wipes are useful for so many things, not just when changing diapers. You’ll find they will become one of the most useful accessories in your bag – whether it’s for cleaning high-chairs, wiping sticky fingers or cleaning up spillages. With such a long shelf-life, you might as well buy in bulk!

Babies have sensitive and delicate skin, so at bath time it’s important to use mild products. Johnson’s classic baby shampoo has a ‘No More Tears’ formula that is as gentle as pure water. Afterwards, treat your baby’s skin with a gentle baby powder to leave it feeling soft, smooth and smelling deliciously baby-fresh! Baby oil is a great way to keep the skin moisturized and protects against dryness and itching.

Although it might seem a long time off, your baby will start cutting teeth before you know it – those months really fly by! So be prepared with teething pain relief gel.

Anyone who has experience with babies knows that a good bedtime routine is the key to a restful night’s sleep. Using a baby bedtime lotion can help to soothe your little one with calming scents. There will be plenty of sleepless nights ahead, so stock up on the eye drops and coffee and enjoy the ride!

Even better, you can BUY BABY STUFF BY THE CASE at Stockn’Go!

Have fun this Easter!

Isn’t 2013 flying by quickly? It seems like only moments ago that we were celebrating Christmas and now Easter is just around the corner! The lovely thing about Easter is that it brings together the whole family – whether you are religious or not, it can still be a time for fun and celebration. This year Easter falls on March 31^st so there is still time to plan some fun family activities!

Easter just wouldn’t be Easter without a traditional egg hunt – such a simple pleasure that has timeless appeal. Hide a bunch of chocolate eggs in the garden and your children (or grand-children) will love tracking them down! It’s a great way to enjoy some fresh air and exercise – not to mention a way to bring out a healthy sense of competition! A classic egg and spoon race is another brilliant way to have fun outdoors.

You can have fun creating personalized egg baskets to make your egg hunt extra special. Just get some inexpensive plain baskets and let your children’s creativity run wild by embellishing them with felt shapes, sequins, pompoms or whatever they love!

Forget store-bought Easter cards, it’s so much more fun to make your own! Buy some pastel-colored card and get the children to invite their friends over for a creative crafty session. All you need is some crayons, paper scraps, glitter, washable school glue and whatever odds and ends you can find! Try making flowers with pipe cleaners and tissue paper, or cute chicks with stick-on googly eyes. The result will be something truly unique and special!

Egg painting is another great way to enjoy some Easter craft fun. Use kids paint and paintbrushes to decorate eggs that are hard-boiled or blown – there are lots of video tutorials online with tips and ideas. Get everyone involved and award prizes to the most inventive designs!

Easter is a time of feasting, so be sure to have plenty of indigestion tablets ready for those bloated tummies. Your local stores might be closed over Easter weekend, so make sure you’re all stocked up on things like diapers and baby wipes – things you definitely do not want to run out of over Easter!

After all that chocolate it’s extra important to make sure your teeth don’t suffer – give them a thorough clean with an OralB Pulsar Pro-Health Adult Toothbrush.  Encourage little ones to join in by treating them to a cool Power Puff Girls toothbrush to make brushing extra fun!

Enjoy the Easter sunshine by taking little ones into the garden for a teddy bear’s picnic – throw a blanket on the grass and enjoy some yummy treats from paper plates and plastic food containers. Easter chocolate cornflake nests are simple to make and taste delicious – there are lots of easy recipe ideas online. You could also bake cookies shaped like bunnies and chicks and have fun decorating them with colored icing. Children will love the novelty of eating outdoors with their VIP teddy guests!

How to…Enjoy Life to the Fullest

If you ask the average person what they want out of life, ‘to be happy’ will be right up there at the top for most. Happiness means different things for different folks, but to really enjoy life to the fullest you need to discover what makes YOU happy – whether it’s curling up with a good book or dancing the night away.

Get Organized

We all lead busy lives, so maintaining a satisfactory work-life balance can be tricky when you’re trying to juggle children, friends, family and work commitments. Organization is key to ensuring you’re using your time efficiently. Ever wonder how some people manage to fit so much into their week? Well, we all have 24 hours in a day; it’s up to us how we use them! Use Post-It Notes to remind you of important tasks, such as appointments, so you don’t waste valuable time.

If weekday mornings are stressful, prepare lunch-boxes, school uniforms and school bags the night before, to prevent frazzled nerves. This will leave more time for everyone to enjoy a healthy breakfast in the morning, without racing against the clock.

Buying household products in bulk will save both time and money – stock up on the essentials, such as batteries and cleaning products, and you’ll save all those emergency trips out to the shops. The more organized you are, the more free time you will have left over to enjoy yourself!

Keep Healthy

To really get the most out of life you need stacks of energy! Stay on top of your game by eating a healthy, balanced diet to provide all the nutrition you need to enjoy an active life. Boost your intake of essential vitamins with nutritional supplements and ensure your body is kept hydrated by drinking plenty of water. A good night’s sleep is essential for physical and mental wellbeing – so if you’re disturbed by snoring or congestion, try Breathe Right strips to improve sleep for both you and your partner!

Pamper Yourself

Did you know that stress is thought to be the root cause of around 75% of doctor’s appointments? It’s so important to make time for relaxation, so that stress doesn’t accumulate and take over your life. Don’t feel guilty about booking some ‘me time’ into your schedule. Enjoy a hot bath with some calming beauty products to chill out and soak away the worries of the day. A spritz of your favorite perfume will invigorate the senses and leave you feeling refreshed – try something light and uplifting, such as Light Blue by D&G. If you don’t get much time to yourself, try to arrange a babysitter once a month, so that you can truly relax and indulge in whatever makes you happy.

Life Goals

Remember that you can’t please everyone – life is short, so don’t waste time worrying about things you cannot control. Sometimes it’s the smallest things in life that bring the greatest joy, so let go and enjoy life to the fullest!

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