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I realise we are reaching another stage. Having babies seems to be all about stages and they come very quickly first of all. There are all the settling in stages such as sorting out a routine for feeds, baths, changing and sleeping. Just when you feel like you have got it all under control, it all changes and there are you are again, back to juggling 20 balls when you had got it down to three. And, as I say, at first this happens every few days, then gradually every few weeks. Then you get to the bigger changes like moving around, standing up, cruising on the furniture and walking. And all the while the food is developing, going from milk to purees to little lumps to bigger lumps.

Anyway, I feel we are moving on to another stage and growing out of one or two of our suppliers. So I thought I would make a note here of the companies who we have found to provide good products, a good service and have enjoyed working with over the last couple of years. Some we will continue to do business with I hope for many years to come, but James and I would like to recommend them to you if you haven’t come across them yet.

Raindrops: The suppliers of James’s boots and waterproof trousers that have been admired by many. Their products are well made and are delivered fairly quickly although you do sometimes have to wait as the waterproof trousers in particular are so popular they sometimes run out.

Yellow Moon: A huge range of art and craft products, and kits. Yellow Moon will give cash back to your local school or nursery so find out if they use them and then just add their code to your order to support your school or nursery.

Letterbox: Excellent for toys and all sorts of personalised things too. They supply the name labels that you need to sew or iron into clothes for example, and James’s named lunchbox came from Letterbox. And they are great for birthday presents for other children too. Ask for their catalogue to browse - there is so much that its much easier than trying to look through everything on their website.

Red House Books: Even though we have our own Spiced-apple Bookstore, we still want to promote Red House. They do a lovely range of children’s books sorted by age range. If you get their monthly newsletter then they also include little articles by children’s author’s, illustrators and reviews from the children themselves.

Nippers: Nippers were brilliant for those first major things you need to buy. Their shops are all run by mums who have been there done that and know just what is good and what isn’t. The nearest store to me is as Whaddon near Royston but they have a store locator on their site. Nippers also used to run mornings where you could get hand and foot prints put on vases and plates which they then fire for you. Great for Christmas presents that first Christmas.

Or there’s Bricolage: based in Newport near Saffron Walden.

Baby hand and foot casting: We had a cast of James’s little foot made for my Grandmother, James’s Great-Grandmother, who can’t see too well. But she could hold and feel his little foot. There are lots of places that do it. The nearest to us was Elsenham. But there are kits you can get to ‘do it yourself’ too.

And I don’t know where we’d be without Cheeky Monkeys Playbarn - from toddler up this is a great place for the boys to wear off their excess energy (and girls too of course!)

So we hope you enjoy browsing some of these sites. We’re not on commission, honestly! but like to pass on useful information. And if you come across similar suppliers that you would like to recommend then please let us know.

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