As a parent we need to
learn to cherish the smaller moments with our little ones as apposed to try to
live up to expectations of what parenting should be. We need to learn to cherish things like late
nights past (routine) bedtimes and that extra body or two in bed, because it is
only a matter of time before these memories become a distant one.
We try to keep those brave
faces when inside a little part of us is being torn to shreds, and that’s ok.
For 5-6 years you have been the sole educator to the life that you created and
now all of a sudden you’re putting the most precious thing to you in somebody
else’s hands for the next 12 years or there abouts.
For Miss H (now 8) when
she started her first day of school I kept the most brave of brave faces on
that day (swear Zelda had nothing on me). But as soon as I got into my car that
was the queue for the waterworks, bawling my eyes out. Not because Miss H
cried, or because she found it hard, but because she didn’t cry and just ran
off with a massive smile her face on a mission to make friends. Wasn’t she
going to miss me like I was going to miss her? Was it the right decision
sending her to school? All these thoughts running through my head, were these
normal? Yes, the answer in short is Yes, they are completely normal. It’s
daunting and scary on so many levels as I said above, these are the most precious
treasure you posses.
Next year will see this Mumma say
goodbye to her littlest munchkin Miss M, so grim times to be had.
One of the fun things
however, in the lead up to the school year is not having an excuse to shop (for
me anyway). I love buying her accessories, shoes and of course school uniform.
The school that my girls
go to have their own branded backpacks, but it’s optional whether you want to
use them or buy your own.
So when I was contacted by
the beautiful souls at Hippo Blue and saw their fun range of backpacks I knew
this is what I would be sending Miss M to school with.
Miss M likes to be
different and often loves standing out in the crowd, she truly is her own
confident little person. She is not ashamed that she would rather switch the
pink for a blue and in a sea full of princess dresses she would be the one
wearing the Superman costume. She is just that type of person, so letting her
pick her own design, colour and print was the perfect combination for Miss M.
Hippo Blue is a an
Australian-owned online retailer which offers distinctive personalised
children’s products that are innovative, design-savvy and functional.
Created by a male duo-
powerhouse determined to prove all the haters wrong, inspiring the boys to
create an emotional connection between their customers and Hippo Blue, above
and beyond the product itself.
Hippo Blue Large Backpack (RRP
$50)
From the get- go the
process was fun and both super tricky for Miss M as she couldn’t decide whether
she wanted navy blue of coral pink.
Then after the unanimous
between her and I that the pink will work best she now had to decide what theme
she would go with. Busy City,
Superheroes, Royal Play Time, Adventures and Magic Garden are the themes you
can pick from.
Superheroes won Madison’s
vote after much debate whether or not it would be the unicorn from Magic
Garden, or the superhero girl.
Then I got her to type her
name out in the section that is provided in the design space of their website
and her backpack was complete.
Hippo Blue Lunch Bags (RRP $30)
I browsed the website a
little more and this is also the point where I spotted the personalised
insulated lunchbox. What a perfect combination and now there was not another
hope in the planet that her lunchbox could possibly be mixed up with another
child (unless there was a Miss M, with a pink lunch bag, and a superhero girl
and of course her name had to be Madison- the odds of that unlikely).
There is also a spot on
the side of the lunch bag that keeps quite a recent sized water bottle- a lot
on the market only have a small mesh pocket.
Even on little day trips
in the car Miss M takes her lunch bag with all her treats and snacks hidden
away, and of course her water bottle.
There are so many more
personalized products in the Hippo Blue range, but I definitely have to say the
backpack and lunch bag’s are my two favourite and will make Miss M’s first day
more memorable- it will also double for some tops photo opportunities.
