5
Jun
2011
Newborn baby fug review – iBaby feed
Not me
No, I’m not actually writing a review of my new baby. Although if I was, it would be quite glowing at this point. Apart from her propensity to cause scream-out-loud-pain to my left nipple. (Sorry, that noise you heard? That was the sound of our twenty male readers rushing out the door – yes, you may run, but you can’t hide from the screams you can probably hear from West London).
So I’m pretty much head over nappy in the 10 day old new-born fug. Forgive me please if I cannot wax lyrical this week on the situation in Syria as I might usually do on these hallowed pink pages. And I fear my cutting edge wit has deserted me a little in a haze of washing little white bodysuits, sleeping bolt upright with iPhone in hand, lying on the couch eating reverse double choc chip cookies (how I loathe you so, your sweet sweet reverse white choc chip evilness) oh, and managing aforementioned nipple pain (keep on walkin’ guys).
3
Dec
2010
iPhone applications for toddlers
iphone applications for toddlers can be a great addition to your arsenal of distractions and pacifiers. However finding good ones amongst the hundreds available isn’t all that easy. Categorised by Apple and review sites in either “Games” or “Education”, applications suitable for toddlers are lumped in with those for thirty-year-old gamers.
Another problem is that the recommendations engine in iTunes falls very short on its purpose. I’m pretty sure the same kid that enjoys ‘Shake The Farm’ is not also losing themselves in the scrabble iphone application, but that’s what Apple tells me via the “customers who bought this also bought..” recommendation engine. Until that rights itself, it’s going to be a challenge to find the best of the new stuff. It’s also one of the reasons my list of recommended iphone applications for toddlers is kind of short. And, honestly, not particularly ground breaking. But it’s all quality. Your kid will love this stuff, and I’m sure it will keep them happy for at least a little while.
21
Nov
2010
Not a good week in the mothering stakes
with any luck, I won't end up in these
We had gastro round here last week. Or more precisely – I had gastro. Everyone else had a touch (clearly a touch was almost death’s door for husband) and got through with a day or so of feeling unwell. I, however, spent the better part of nine days lying prostrate wherever the moment took me – on the sofa, on my bed, on the bedroom floor, on the front step (much to the confusion of both the 90 year old next door neighbour and the Italian parking attendant).
27
Jul
2010
Travelling with kids – part two, into the inferno.
So I think it would be fair to say that we have covered airplane travel relatively comprehensively (if by comprehensive you mean in a kind of crappy yet witty and insightful way here , here and here) but there is always the other bit – when you actually get there. Oh yes, the holiday itself. I’ve just been on one and although I know most things in the world, as I’ve mentioned before, a far cleverer friend than me says that every time you travel you learn a new thing about travelling with your children. I think she might be right. Plus, she’s a lot taller than me, and currently about 11 months pregnant, so I usually agree with most things she says, lest she clout me over the ear. Anyway – some tips….
- Most importantly – do it. Travel. Get out there. Most places can be done with kids. Unless it’s a twenty two star adults only resort. Don’t take kids there – unless you plan to hide them in your room the whole time. But that might be a bit boring. Even if they do like DVDs.
14
Feb
2010
43 New Year’s Resolutions. Well, 8. But they are going well.
NAILing it - get it?? I know, my pictures are getting more obscure.
So it’s February. Almost the end of February really. So when am I going to start my new year’s resolutions?
Actually, I’m being slightly disingenuous here as I have a confession to make. I am NAILING my resolutions. Nailing them I tell you. Usually February finds me glass of wine in one hand, chocolate bar in the other with the same five kilos hovering somewhere around my middle discussing the 10km run I almost signed up for and the career change that is juuuuuust around the corner.
2
Feb
2010
Why I am still very trendy and am not getting old. This year.
This is not actually me. In case you were wondering.
My son’s favourite game at the moment is to tell us all how old we are. He is two, the baby is three months (give or take a few months, it’s hard to keep up with her to be fair), Mummy is OLD and Daddy is ANCIENT.
I obviously derive tremendous amusement at the ‘ancient’ (and it’s not far from the truth for the poor old Captain) – but am not overly enamoured with the ‘old’ reference. Because I am quite youthful. In my head. And in photos. That have been photoshopped.
I do not feel that having children is keeping me young. In fact, I think they are causing me more wrinkles than any all night bender in my 20s. (And frankly – some mornings I think I got more joy out of the benders than the kids. Don’t tell people that. It’s a sure fire way to get chucked out of the Mother’s Club to admit something like that. Well, you try having a shower with three people in there with you.) No, the children are definitely making me older. But not OLD.
19
Jan
2010
Party on Parents, the Babyphone iphone application is your portable baby sensor
Hold on to your hats iphone fans, I may have found the most useful iphone application ever. Well, let’s not forget about Total Baby, which is still going strong for me, but let’s just say I’m at least as excited as I was when I discovered that trusty application. My latest discovery is the BabyPhone iphone app, which, in the briefest of explanations, let’s you monitor your baby with your iphone – calling or emailing another designated phone number (or email) when it senses your baby crying or moving. It works; I’ve already tested it on the Christmas, New Year party circuit. Quite simply, it’s genius.
Koolistov BabyPhone iphone application, Activiation Screen
No more popping in and out of the party/dining room every five seconds to see if your precious one is still sleeping peacefully in the room where you’ve left him or her, as opposed to the hysterical crying you’re constantly imagining could be going on unnoticed and unattended. No more pretending to listen to conversations and appear relaxed when you’re actually wound up like a rubber band trying to separate the sounds of voices from what could possibly be a cry from the distant room. No more ducking in and out of the party to plaster your ear against the door or opening the door only to find the baby was sleeping… until you opened the door.
15
Oct
2009
iBaby
The Total Baby iphone application
With The Spaniard (my husband) already well known amongst friends as a huge Mac fan and general tech geek, when he bought me an iphone and installed an application for recording everything about the baby, friends and family declared that we were going to have an iBaby, with its life run through one mac tool or another. It’s true that iweb, iphoto, itunes and the iphone feature prominently in his life, but even those who are only mac’ed up as far as an iphone, I think will find this application very useful and practical. It makes life easier, and that, after all, is what technology is supposed to be all about.
The application we’re using is Total Baby by Andesigned. There are other similar applications and probably some are just as good but this is the first we tried and as we liked it, we’ve stuck with it.
