For those of you with an iPhone, you are in luck… My Baby Einstein is now available on www.itunes.com for $4. Perfect for those times when you are out and about and forgot all the toys to keep the little one entertained. Whether you’re waiting in line at the grocery store or trying to enjoy a glass of wine with a girlfriend you haven’t seen in a while―you can use it this app to play classical music, or for them to look at photos of animals or different works of art and more. Added bonus: you can also document your memories in a digital scrapbook of photos, videos and sound clips.
I’m thinking this would have been perfect for me last night when we were out for dinner…
Filed under: Tips, Work/Life Balance | Tags: baby sitting rates, care.com, dog walking rates, housekeeper rates, how much to pay a babysitter, nanny rates
Next time you are wondering how much to pay the babysitter, check out www.care.com
Care.com is a babysitter calculator! Just input your zip code, the number of kids you have and how much experience you would like your babysitter to have and it will give you a rate you should pay. Hourly rate is what you need to pay that hard-working sitter to be competitive with other families in your area.
* Also has calculator for senior care, dog sitter, dog walker, nannies and housekeepers.
Filed under: Baby Development, Tips | Tags: disney songs, mary had a little lamb, nursery rhymes, nursery songs, pat-a-cake, row row row your boat, rubber ducky, singing with baby, songs to sing with baby, twinkle twinkle little star
Babies love music. The more you change your tone and the pitch of your voice, the better. I’m gonna be honest… I have a terrible voice—but the best part is my son doesn’t even know it! He loves everything I sing, but his all-time favorites are “Rubber Ducky” and “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.” I actually have a whole Disney medley of songs that I sing to him (from 6th grade chorus!) that he giggles at every time I sing… although he could be laughing at me doing the dance moves I still remember. Yes, sad… I know…
Anyway, my point is, your baby will love everything you sing, so raise that volume up to a ten and let loose. You have the classics – “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “Pat-a-Cake,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb,” but there are lots more out there. Get your creative juices flowing, or do a Google search on the internet if you can’t remember any.
Don’t feel silly… your child will love it and get into it the more you do. You could even try songs that are meant to sound off-key and silly, like “How Much is that Doggy in the Window.” The sounds and dog barks will make it even more fun for your little one.
So bust out your “Inner Mariah!” Turn your everyday activities into sing-alongs for your child. Make up fun songs while you’re changing their diaper, feeding them, even just playing with them. Whatever you chose, just get used to singing because “Happy Baby” equals “Happy Parents!”
Filed under: Tips, Uncategorized | Tags: amazon, beer holster, fathers day gift ideas, football fanatics, gifts for dad, grill basket, magazines.com, nike golf balls, pampered chef, personalized calendars, red envelope, shutterfly, starbucks travel mug, thompson cigars
Since we are all busy little bees I thought I would put together a list of ideas (all under $30) for Fathers Day gifts. Hopefully my husband, father & father-in-law won’t read this so they’ll be surprised with what they get! 
With no further explination…
Thompson Cigar Sampler Gift Pack: ($19.95) You’ll get: Cohiba Lonsdale, CAO Criollo Pato, Gurkha Legend Presidente, La Gloria Cubana Wavell, Cameroon by Rocky Patel Robusto, Rocky Patel Sungrown Toro, and CAO Gold Maduro Robusto. Seven premium cigars in one sampler pack.
Pampered Chef Grill Combo Pack: ($19.00) Give your grill master a gift that really sizzles: Chipotle Rub, Jamaican Jerk Rub, Smoky Barbecue Rub and The Pampered Chef Grill it Quick! Recipe Collection in a gift bag.
Beer Holster from redenvelope.com: ($29.95) Perfect for when dad is at the grill… his beer won’t be too far away! Also great for parties and tailgates!
Personlized Calendar from Shutterfly.com: (starting at $9.99) Give the gift of “family”. You are able to customize every month in the calendar with pictures of your choosing. Just try not to put embarrassing ones in of good ol’ pops!
Non-Stick Grill Basket from Crate & Barrel: ($19.95) Perfect for grilling veggies, so they don’t fall through the cracks of the grill. (so it will save some grill cleaning time as well!)
Amazon gift card: (any denomination) Let dear ol’ dad pick out his own gifts… he’d probably like that better anyway!
Nike Golf balls from Golf USA: (Starting at $17.99 a dozen) If your dad is anything like mine, the more golf balls he has in his bag, the better!
Something, Anything from Footballfanatics.com (prices range from $1.99 up) From license plate frames to t-shirts, mugs to golf club headcovers, you will find anything and everything your sports-loving father will adore.
A subscription to his favorite magazine from magazines.com: starting at $5.00 a year!
Tumbler or travel mug from Starbucks: (starting at $6.95) Now dad won’t have cold coffee… and that makes every father happy!
And if none of these items trips your trigger, make him dinner. Everyone knows the way to a mans’ heart is through his stomach!
