This ones for you Little man

 There was lip gloss, cleavage and killer heels. Fancy frocks, satin bags and the odd freshly pressed suit! Soho didn’t know what hit it when the mummy bloggers and one or two daddy bloggers, came to town!

 The occasion? Why, the Mad blog awards of course!

 The theme was “GLAM” and Glam it was! There was some serious hot dresses on display with shoes you longed to adopt and take home as your own.

 I spent much of Friday afternoon in the salon, where my long locks were chopped and replaced with a shorter but nicer restyle.

Then It was a mad dash to the beautiful Radisson  Edwardian Kenilworth hotel in London’s west end. It was here, I got ready for the long-awaited big night ahead. Jeans and a tee were swapped  for a floor sweeping, black satin grown, black stilettos and sparkly, shimmering makeup. With a generous spray of Jean Paul Gaultier & little black clutch in hand, I was all set!

 On arrival at the Talk Talk experience centre Soho, I was greeted by a photographer who took a couple of full length pictures before allowing me to scramble off reaching for a glass of white. It was clear on arrival that Sally and the sponsors had gone all out to create an amazing event for us bloggers.

 I met some awesome bloggers, one’s I had met before but overjoyed to meet again, others I knew from online and had wanted to meet for ages and some I was yet to discover. The atmosphere was electric, and as the wine bottles emptied the laughter grew stronger. With each award came a spectrum of reactions and emotions. There were tears, laughter, gasps & roars of applause.

 When the little gold envelope was opened and I heard the words “A boy with Aspergers” my  tummy became a flutter of butterflies and my eyes watered every so very slightly. Yes, stood there with my little glass award in one hand, a microphone in the other, all I could say was

“OMG I’VE WON”

which was followed by a muttered ,

“I don’t know what to say but thank you”

Yes, the word “Thank You” was repeated several times before I scooted off.

Louise (@bobbity666) left, Me & my lovely award centre, Jenny (@Edspire)

No, of course I hadn’t  prepared a speech, that meant I had considered myself a winner. I didn’t even want to think along that line, So with no speech I stood like a donut . There was so many things I wanted to say, they were buried in my head unable to flow out. Nonetheless I would like to think there’s a way to make up for my lack of spoken words by doing what I do best…. Sharing my thoughts and emotions through my writing!

 So, without further delay, here’s what I should have said on collection of my award for the Most inspiring blogger!

 Huge thank you to all that nominated and voted for me to win, those in cyberspace as well as my lovely family and friends You lot are truly amazing, please go about your day today knowing you made this mum and blogger smile a massive smile.

 Sally Whittle (@swhittle) I just can’t thank you enough! Not just for Friday night but the whole experience, it’s just been amazing for me! From the day I discovered I was nominated to the night I collected my winning award I’ve just had such a ball. Yourself with the help of Jen, Parentdish, Talk-Talk and all the other Mad sponsors, made me and so many others feel really special, thank you to you all for making this brilliant event possible.

The lovely Sally Whittle who made it all happen.

  Special thanks to Mothercare, the sponsor of my winning category, “Most Inspiring blogger”

 Sending a big thank you to TK Maxx, Helen (@HelenGunter) & Polly (@p_hibb) for the beautiful dress, shoes and accessories that were perfect for me and helped me to feel comfortable and confident on the night!

 Thanks to my fellow finalist, who helped create an amazing reading list, I’ve uncovered so many great blogs to read. An extra special thank you to the finalist in my category “Most Inspiring” who have all been so lovely to me, your all incredible  and I will continue to read you’re inspiring blogs.

Kylie (@kykaree) it was lovely to see you again, you looked ravishing.

 Massive Thank you to my personal sponsor OptiBac Probiotics, ( who have not only given me support and encouragement but introduced my family to their fantastic products that have been of great benefit to all, but exceptional for my son who has Asperger’s syndrome. lastly thank you OptiBac for covering my hotel expenses at the fabulous Radisson Edwardian hotel, avoiding a half cut merry mum, night busing it through London (don’t think the children would have appreciated waking to a half-drunken mum on the sofa) so thank you.

An added thank you to Soyraya who is part of the OptiBac team and is just the loveliest person you can ever wish to work with when working with a brand.

 Lastly ( Yes, I know! Bet you’re glad I was speechless on the night, anyone would thing I’d won an Oscar) nonetheless I have to thank my three beautiful Children, especially Little Man (aka A boy with aspergers) for giving me the inspiration to write and share our story, the highs and the heartbreaking lows that have brought us to where we are now (a much better place).

Little Man (aka A boy with Aspergers)

“This Little man, this one’s for you! Happy 11th Birthday!”

 As for the “Blogger of the year” I didn’t win this, So don’t panic, I’m not about to reel of any more speeches,  though I would like to congratulate Anna Ranson (@imaginationTree) who was crowned the Mad blogger of the year for her fabulous blog, “The Imagination Tree”

 Well, done

(No hard feelings, that is unless I see you walking the streets alone 🙂 Don’t panic, It’s just a joke)

 I was also super pleased for Lisa (@MummyWhisperer) and Ruth, (@geekmummy) not only where they dressed by TK Maxx meaning I got to meet them during the run up to the awards, they are also fellow winners.

Lisa (Mummy Whisper) Sally Whittle

Ruth (Geek Mummy) collecting her award.

Huge Congratulations girls.

  A highlight to this already wonderful evening was  meeting the lovely Karen (@allaboutheboys). Gosh, Karen had the most stunning shoes, she has taste that’s for sure! Also the lovely Jenny (better known on twitter as @edspire) a real gem with great dress sense. These are two ladies who are genuinely really lovely both on and off-line!

 There are many others I had the pleasure to chat with, far to many to name.

 The rest of the night went by in a haze of excitement and alcohol, after an eventful taxi ride back to the hotel (long story) and a quick change of clothes I headed to a local bar in Covent Garden with these awesome lot, @SuperAmazingMum who was live blogging  (We finally met 3rd time lucky), @michelletwinmum (who had the best eye makeup by far), @seasiderclare (really sweet and friendly),@alforalenyna (who made me laugh so much I almost passed urine) and last but not least @bobbity666 who with Jenny I spent most the evening with and would love to meet again.

Michelle (@michelletwinmum), Clare (@seasiderclare)  (@alforalenyna)

Michelle, Louise (bobbity666)

The very lovely Super amazing mum (Live blogger) we finally meet &  so worth the wait

We had a lush few bottles of wine that we all sat and drunk into the small hours of Saturday morning, before heading for some over priced but yummy fast food (in an alcohol intoxicated kind of way) before walking back to the hotel and parting.

 As I lay on my massive double bed with luxurious velvet throw I drifted of to sleep dreaming about the full English that would greet me in a few hours time, only that didn’t go to plan!

 Waking up with a maid looking over me at 11.35 am was so not the plan!

“Oh no you sleep to late, you must check out”

For a moment I stared at her

“Who the hell are you and where the f*** am I?”

Was what first thought that came to mind, before  it hit me! I suddenly found myself doing things in fast forward (Benny Hill style) jumping up throwing belongings into bags, cat licking instead of showering and getting out of there looking rough, slightly hung over and gutted about my breakie, yet excited about seeing the kids and giving a (Not so little Man) a Happy birthday kiss.

 So, there it is! I mingled, drank, scared a maid with my sticking up Barnet and panda eyes and WON myself a Mad blog 

Not bad for one night ha?

 To see the full list of winners click HERE

PRINCESS IN HEELS

As a little girl, I daydreamed about being a princess, as I grew up that daydream continued.

 Well, who would have thought that writing a blog (That when first started up, mainly consisted with lots of rants) would transform me into just that, a princess? 

 Yes, seriously for one day and night Cinders will be transformed and then sent of to the ball! The ball of course being the Mad blog awards, and the transformation… well, that started to take shape a few days back!

Yes, I was just one of a handful of lovely ladies, who happen to be finalist, like me, who were whisked off to TK Maxx High street Kensington, London for some serious dress shopping. (Well, “whisked” would be a bit of an exaggeration given I was 45 minutes late and arrived by train). 

Once in the TK Maxx store, I was bombarded with a mass of stunning dresses (not, that I was complaining of course). I then had the difficult task of choosing one, an important task considering it’s for my first ever awards ceremony! How grateful I was to have the lovely Polly (TK Maxx PR) and the awesome Sally (the founder and organiser of the Mads) plus a few of my lovely fellow finalist, at hand to help me make this important decision!

 Then I had the most fantastic time trying on shoes! OMG, I’m shoe crazy! This really was princess heaven handed on a platter.

 Shoes in every colour and style I could find, touched my feet. Decisions, decisions… lots of decisions! I even got to top it all of by adding a pretty little clutch bag and a shrug to complete my outfit… Lush!

 TK Maxx and Sally had created the perfect treat. There was no looking at the children’s section, no choosing baby or toddler items, it was all about us and making us feel special. TK Maxx were kindly supplying us with the dresses and accessories curtsy of the store, which was just mind blowing! Not only did this take the whole stress and of course expense, out of shopping for the perfect dress, it also gave me an opportunity to meet a few of the other bloggers, meaning that on the big night I wouldn’t be stood like a plum in a dress. 

 

  This was made so much easier as the lovely people of TK Maxx took us all for a lovely meal with deserts to die for (I know, I know, I have a dress to fit into) but who could resist? (In actual fact… None of us could!)

 There was lots of chatting and getting to know each other, I spoke in length to the fabulous Lisa aka @mummywhisperer, who really does inspire you to sparkle. Her adorable daughter and nanny joined us for lunch too. I also got to meet Kylie @Kykaree (Not even a bag of sugar) and her beautiful little boy who was born at 27 weeks gestation but is really thriving! (Kylie is, like me, a finalist in the “Most inspiring” category.) Maria aka @verybusymama, was great fun, loving her super fast no carbs diet tips which she unfortunately shared after the pudding 🙂 Ruth aka @geekmummy was lovely so friendly as was Monika aka @mumontheblink! Then of course, I finally got to meet Sally aka @swhittle founder/organiser of the Mads and Polly (TK Maxx PR) both were really nice and very encouraging when trying on dresses, keeping us all smiling (leaving no time for any girlie body hang ups.)

  I loved the fact everyone had read each others blogs. This meant good conversation as we had plenty of topics to discuss. Autism, mummy coaching and premature birth being a few. I learnt lots about blog camp Brighton, which I’m now really excited about and have been pre warned not to tweet and ask what your all wearing for the event (Yes that’s right It’s informal ladies and gents) So, I wont be turning up in my stunning new dress then (which will be revealed next Friday) !

 So, in till then, I will exercise like a nut job on pro-plus, watch my easily expanding waistline as to avoid bursting out the seams of my figure hugging dress, get myself a hair cut, get my nails done and then just go with the flow.

 Message for all the lovely bloggers who were part of the TK Maxx shopping experience… you all looked gorgeous and I can’t wait to walk in my new heels beside you all. 

Also why not visit my fab Sponsor, ‘ OptiBac probiotics’ over on facebook and say hello.

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A boy with Asperger’s get’s sponsored for the Mad blog awards

 This is it guys, it’s almost here, on September the 30th I’ll be of to the “Mad blog awards for the awards ceremony in London’s Soho.

 What makes this all the more exciting, is the fact that somebody likes the blog so much that they have agreed to sponsor me!

 These day’s it isn’t just footballers and big name brands that get sponsored, but bloggers too! 

 When looking for a sponsor I wanted to find a brand or company that were passionate about what they do, in the same way I’m passionate about my family, raising awareness for autism and my love of writing and of course blogging. As well as this pretty huge requirement, I also wanted the companies brand/product to fit in with the overall theme of the blog.  So, for me this would be a brand that deals with parents but with the added addition of autism.

 Well, I’m pleased to say, that I think I found this and a whole lot more in my sponsor. Yes, I’m both incredibly excited and delighted to be working with them!

 So, without further delay…

 My Sponsor for the Mad blog awards is…  Drum roll please …

 … “OPTIBAC PROBIOTICS”

OptiBac are an independent family run business with a passion for Probiotics almost as big as my passion to create awareness for autism and help families dealing with diagnosis and the challenges it may bring.

 For those who have no idea what Probiotics are and how they relate to autism, let me explain!

 What are Probiotics?

 Probiotics are live microorganisms  (more commonly known as friendly bacteria) and are something we all have, and need within our own bodies. This bacteria, alongside Pathogens, (Bad bacteria) can be found living in our intestines. It’s the good bacteria’s (Probiotics) that are needed to ensure good digestive health, while playing an important roll in keeping our immunity and energy levels high.

 It is important to have a good balance of both good and bad bacteria, and although we produce both, it is often the case that the balance needed becomes fragile. This is a common occurrence what with, Stress, ageing, travelling, high sugar levels and more, all being contributing factors.

 When our bodies experience an imbalance of the two, a person may experience symptoms, Such as, low energy, bloating, allergies & food intolerance, skin conditions such as eczema, heartburn, Diarrhoea, constipation, thrush, IBS and more.

 Probiotics and autism

 It is well documented within the autism world that the link between autism and digestive health is a pretty big One, with hundreds of thousands of children and adults with an autism spectrum diagnosis, having some type of ongoing digestive/Gut problem, that quite possibly requires some form of treatment, medication or diet requirement. 

 I, myself have heard a mass of stories from other parents of children on spectrum speaking of their child’s poor and problematic digestive health. 

 Just a few days back, a thread on my facebook page,“A boy with Aspergers” highlighted the high number of children with poor digestive health against a very minute few who have little or no issues, to be rather substantial.

 Though my own little study proves little, there has been a great deal of research involved in discovering if there really is a link between the two? Most results indicated that, yes there is!

Check out these few sites, ‘Food for the brain‘ & ‘Incredible Horizons’,  

 I have come across many parents and individuals who are trying to improve their child on the spectrums digestive health by changing the way they eat. If you are a parent to a child on the autism spectrum or you yourself are on that spectrum, its pretty likely that you have come across terms such as, lactose, gluten or casein! These naturally occurring proteins, can all be found within the foods we eat and children and adults with autism can be extremely sensitive to such ingredients (food intolerance) however it is thought that such occurrences could be due to the imbalance of probiotics and Pathogens (friendly and not so friendly bacteria).

 Most children with autism, already have a very limited diet and although there are plenty of Gluten-free and Casein-free foods now on the market, many parents experience a great deal of problems trying to introduce this to the child with ASD. Another important factor to remember, is the differing finds within scientific studies when it comes to eliminating these food groups and the true benefits for the child with autism.

 Little man is a child who has some degree of problems with his digestive health, mainly maintaining his regularity and the stomach cramps this causes him. His diet has improved over the years though not greatly! It lacks a lot of the healthy foods. His eating habits are quite limited and he therefore quite shamefully gets by on chicken or bacon. He also has a great fear of public toilets and certainly wont do a number two anywhere but when at home or when visiting one of his two grandmothers, which of course does nothing for his digestive system. So, of course I put these issues plus his terrible habit of wind breaking down to the above, but lately I’ve been forced to rethink, looking at the whole picture. You see, I don’t really know if little man has any food intolerance, though even if  he did, the work needed to change his whole outlook on food would be a great challenge! So, if there is a possibility that a supplement of probiotics could help balance out his good and bad bacteria, I’m up for giving this a try!

 You see, it’s not just problems with the gut that children with autism experience, but also a mass of other problems, such as, behaviour problems, poor sleep, anxiety and more! Again little man suffers quite severely from all listed.

Research into the probiotics has found that a daily dose of certain strains of probiotics given to a child with autism can dramatically improve areas of concern such as those listed above (especially poor behaviour and concentration levels).

  More about the, ‘A boy with Aspergers’ sponsor, ‘OptiBac’

 These guys are awesome, and yes, they know all there is to know about probiotics! They are in-fact the UK’s best selling probiotic range and are unique in the fact they use specific probiotics for specific health conditions, meaning there is a probiotic supplement right for each and every one of us. OptiBac Probiotics are so safe most can be used while pregnant, breast-feeding and some can even be given to children as young as 6 months old. With this and the fact OptiBac offers its customers affordable probiotics, aimed at each ones particular concerns, makes this a really trusting brand.

 Strains of Probiotic

Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52 is one of the most commonly known probiotics and is actually used within five of the nine OptiBac supplements. The probiotic strain is often combined with prebiotics (prebiotics, is a source of food for probiotics to grow, multiply and survive in the gut) and is a good aid for health conditions such as IBS, reducing the risk of yeast infections and can even minimise the risk of diarrhoea, especially in travellers. Rosell-52 is used within the children’s range (from 6 months-12 years) This same supplement is also safe to take when pregnant or breast-feeding , so is therefore recommend to both children and expectant and breast-feeding mothers. (this is the supplement Alice-Sara and little H started today). The species ‘acidophilus’ can also be found within the premium range, such as, ‘Extra strength’ which consist of a further four strains of probiotic and contains 20 billion live probiotic microorganisms per capsule. This is the species we have started little man on this morning, which is given in the form of a capsule! Little man is used to these as he takes Melatonin to help aid his sleep at night, so, he had no problems taking it!

 There are many other strains of Probiotics that OptiBac use in their products and with each strain a different dosage helping to combat a persons health concerns in the most natural and healthy way possible . The above example is just one of many strains and more detailed information can be found over at the OptiBac website within its resource centre, You will also find a full list of the probiotics on offer and what each can do to benefit your health. 

 You will find that most if not all, probiotics are approved for use, if you are a vegetarian or on a gluten or Yeast- free diet. They all contain no added sugar, (Sugar can actually counteract the benefits of the added friendly bacteria, which is while Probiotic yogurts are not really recommend, due to the added sweeteners and sugars) lastly they are free from artificial colouring.

 OptiBac really impressed me, yet we’ve only just began our journey discovering the potential benefits for children on the spectrum, like my little man, and my families health as a whole ( Yes, that’s right we’re all having a go !) 

Alice-Sara and baby H are taking the, ‘For your children’s health‘ supplements (for their general everyday good digestive health) £16.34

Little man is taking the, ‘Extra strength’ capsules‘ (to help with digestive health and improve his bloating and stomach cramps, that maybe a symptom of his autism). £22.49

and as for me, Im taking the New, ‘Maintaining Regularity‘ (for my IBS and bloating, though don’t worry, I’m not about to start blogging bowel movement updates). £24.98

 Other products that look great are, ‘Flat stomach’ and ‘For those on antibiotics’ (That’s the actual name of the product) which is a fantastic supplement designed to replace the bacteria’s that antibiotics kill, causing symptoms such as trash (it’s happen to me and I only wish I had known about Optibac)!  This is just one of the many side affects that can result from taking a dose of antibiotics. 

 So, there you have it. The brilliant OptiBac are my Mad blog awards sponsor and will be so kindly putting me up in a lovely hotel on the night of the awards. 

In the meantime I’ll be taking my daily supplement and hoping my bloating stays away on and before the 30th

 Make sure you all look out for updates, to discover how the probiotics are working for little man! Will there be improvement in his digestive health, sleep, behaviour, or very poor concentration? Let’s just wait and see.

 Please show some Love and like OptiBac on ‘Facebook‘ or follow them on ‘twitter‘. Also don’t forget to check out the OptiBac ‘website‘ Just pop on over to any one of these and say hi. I would really appreciate it and I bet they would too!

OptiBac in London … Catch OptiBac in London between the 5th-9th September 2011

The guys at OptiBac, have one of their very own Naturopath’s visiting a number of London stores and are inviting you along for some free health advice and special offers. Check out the site for locations. 

NOTE: We are not after a cure, we love Little man the way he is. OptiBac nor myself are claiming such nonsense. I’m just pointing out that yes, children with autism do tend to have digestive/gut problems and Probiotics may help improve this and maybe some of the difficulties listed above. If you’re looking for a cure, then I’m afraid you wont find one in probiotics or any other source for that matter!

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