…is now up online.
This one was no chore – it really is a beautiful cot. Nothing to add to the review here – just thought I’d share a couple of pics of Ella in it :).
You’ll note the ever-presence of Noukie Bear, and Ella’s still and serene sleeping habits.

Happy to report the safe arrival of the Blankie Bear – a new product which gagagoogoo.co.uk have asked us to review. It’s a comforter – of sorts; a gorgeous plush teddy bear, which has a clever blankie folded into its soft squidgy little bottom.
First thoughts from Ella were a definite hit – much squooshing and chewing went on, so I’m thinking she likes it!
Review coming after the road test…

We’re very happy to announce that we have a new member of the LittleStuff team. Tracy is an old cyber-pal of Katy and I, her son Nathan being the same age is Toby and Jacob. Luckily for us, she happens to be very pregnant right now, right when we’ve been asked to review the Dream Genii pillow.
Twas serendipity – we asked, she agreed, and we look forward to her first review with much anticipation.
Welcome to LittleStuff Tracy!

Finally! After a couple of years of hit and miss searching, i have tracked down some proper toy boats. I wasn’t looking for plastic, gaudy boats. I wasn’t looking for boats that sink. I wasn’t looking for boats that are part of a big play-kit. All I wanted was proper, old-fashioned solid wooden boats for the boys to play with in the streams while we’re on holiday.
And at last, I’ve found them!

Myriad are a proper old-fashioned ethical toy company, and they have not one, but a range of ‘real’ toy boats.
And I’m happy to say that the nice people at Myriad are keen on joining LittleStuff too – so look out for their ad to arrive soon in the traditional toys section, and I’m sure in a couple of weeks there’ll be a nice toy boat review too :)

Where did the summer go?
Yeesh – summer holidays, four children, very little sunshine… busy mumma time!
And here we are. September. School time.
It’s been a big week for both Katy and I – Toby and Jacob both started school this week. How did that happen???
Katy and I ‘met’ online when we were pregnant with our Dec 02 babies. Now here we are over five years later and our ‘babies’ are off to school. Sigh.

Pink sleeps oh-so-comfortably in her new bed

I did wonder if I was the best person to review this cot bed. Y’see, I’m no connoisseur of cots. My first cot (an old M&P dark wood spindle affair) was handed to us from friends, and performed beautifully for my two eldest, despite its age.

Third time round was trickier – the cot was still in use by Joe when Toby had outgrown the crib. A quick trawl of local classifieds answered our dilemma, and Toby was soon installed in a lovely beech M&P cot which had finished housing a family of 3 girls and was looking for a new home.

So this was to be my first experience with a brand new cot – and I have to admit I expected to say ‘don’t waste your money, buy second hand’.

But from the minute I attempted to heft the box up the stairs I had a feeling I might be eating my words.

This cot bed is heavy. Very heavy.

It is made from solid wood, the ends are thick hunks of tree trunk, and you’ll probably need strong help just to move it to the nursery.

Putting a cot together is never easy. Simple and straightforward, yes, if the design is good (The Harewood is VERY simple) – but never physically easy. It’s the balancing that’s the problem. Putting sides on ends which don’t stand up. All very complicated, and much marital huffing and tutting occurs. I’d like to point out that I have put up our previous cots single-handed many times – the sheer solidity of the Harewood is what foxed me this time, forcing me to eventually call for help.

With two of us on the job it took probably 25 minutes to have the whole thing together – but you need to allow half an hour, five minutes extra for you to stand back and admire this thing of beauty that has materialised before you.

It’s gorgeous. Honestly. Big, solid, heavy, traditional without being old-fashioned – but most importantly of all, it feels safe and comfortable and downright inviting. What more does a girl need?

very comfortably inDEED

Ella’s been sleeping in it for nearly two months now. It has been attacked every morning by three boisterous and eager big brothers keen to greet their baby sister. It has been shifted around to make way for guests, and shifted back again when it didn’t fit through the door. And shifted forwards again by disbelieving husband. And shifted back again when it wouldn’t fit through the door (note – it does not fit through the smaller modern doorways of our extension, no matter WHAT the man of the house says).

Despite all this, it still stands rock solid without a rock or a creak to suggest the nuts may need tightening. The drop side mechanism is easy, and when we lower the base (she-who-does-not-believe-in-exertion has not discovered climbing yet) I already know it will be simple and painless.

The mattress the lovely people at Mamas & Papas supplied is just amazing. The Sleepsafe Luxury Pocket Sprung Mattress: Gorgeous. Sumptuous. If I could fit in there I’d sleep on it myself. Beautifully sprung pocket mattress, it feels soft to touch, and yet firm enough for perfect support. It has the cleverest waterproof layer to protect the mattress, plus the cover removes for easy washing. No need for separate plastic sheets, this one comes complete, but still feels like I’m putting Ella to sleep on her own personal cloud (and yes, she is in the picture there somewhere – she’s still only diddy in such a big cot!).

So, the big questions. Is it worth the money?

Every single penny.

Would I buy a new one if I went back and did it again?

Without a shadow of a doubt. But then I also have the knowledge that this cot will last and last – on my past cot track record, at least another 4 children…

*Sadly Mamas and Papas no longer stock the Harewood cotbed. But I know for a fact their entire range is of similar quality, so go see what else is on offer…