Stolen Blog Posts and Images, What to Do?

It has been more than a week, when I received  an e-mail from one of my competition winners. She forwarded me a link to a blog post. I clicked the link and almost had a heart attack. The picture I was looking at was a picture of MY Isabelle. Then I realised that someone has copied the whole post I wrote about our Easter egg hunting back in April. I was just staring at it, and didn't know what to do. Then I checked their archive, and would you believe that they managed to copy all my blog posts from 2009 until this April? It's about 450 blog posts, including images...They stole my blog! I was so angry and sad and had to act quickly. But it doesn't work that way. It's only you who wants to sort this out quickly. And what did I do?

First I took a few screen shots of the posts someone copied. I went on Twitter and moaned about it. I had so many responses straight away, which I was so glad for. Mostly people told me to check on http://www.whois.net/ to find out the owner. Unfortunately, as the blog is on Blogger (blogspot.com) it was impossible. Then also people advised me to report this to Blogger, which you can do at the top of your Blogger blog where it says " Report Abuse", which at the end should take you here http://www.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=lr_dmca&product=blogger

I filled out the form and explained what had happened and included one link as an example. An hour later I received an e-mail from Blogger, that they were working on it and the next morning I had another e-mail stating they had removed that link. I was thinking, what??? weren't you reading my e-mail? You were supposed to remove the whole blog or all the illegally copied blog posts! Anyway, I responded to that e-mail, stating what I wanted them to do, but their reply was that I had to send basically all links of all the posts. So to start again! To get the responses took a few days and we also had to fly to see daddy's grandparents near Belfast, so I left it and was thinking of doing so when we get back home.

Meanwhile someone on Twitter also suggested to leave a comment on that blog, so I did. Later on I was reading about it, and people mostly don't encourage you to do it. But by that time Blogger removed 4 of the copied blog posts, so I stated in the comment that I had reported them to Blogger and to remove all the posts. Nothing was happening for a few days. Then we got back from Belfast. I was about to start sending the 450 links to the copied posts...when I clicked on the blog and the owner removed all the stolen blog posts! That's what I call a result. Unfortunately not thanks to the help of  Blogger but thanks to leaving my comment on the fake copy of my blog! 

I was also advised to change my RSS feed to partial in settings, which should prevent being able to copy the whole posts from the feed and also to link the title of a blog post to the url of the post.

Please, if you have any other tips, would love to hear them, as this could also help other people in similar situation. thank you ;)

SnoozeShade for Infant Car Seats!

I am very happy to let you know about another great product my Cybermummy Sponsor has introduced not long ago. It's the new SnoozeShade for Infant Car Seats! I reviewed the original SnoozeShade a while back, but this works on the same principle, but it is for infant car seats (see chart below).

Category                                         Weight limit                                              Age Limit
Group 0                               from birth to 10kg (22 lbs)                         from birth to 6-9 months
Group 0+                             from birth to 13kg (30 lbs)                        from birth to 12-15 months

SnoozeShade are now doing a limited edition powder pink version of SnoozeShade Original. I also got  a special discount code for you. If you use code 10Free then you get 10% off and free delivery!
 

New Disney Store on Oxford Street Opening Tomorrow!

I cannot wait to tell you what we were doing this afternoon. We were invited to check out the new Disney store on Oxford Street, the second largest Disney store in the world, which will be opening for public tomorrow morning! Isabelle and me, we both are huge friends of Disney, and we both we soooo excited and I also felt very privileged to have a chance to see the store before its official opening day. We had a few problems on the tube, so finished up getting there a bit later than planned, but that couldn't spoil the fantastic experience we both had. I can tell you, Isabelle loved it from the first minute and I was just feeling a bit sad, I wasn't a child as well.

Of course, there are toys, many and many toys! But there are also other fabulous surprises like the 28 ft high Princess Castle in the centre of the store, a life-sized Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck plush dressed as Palace Guards, and Isabelle's favourite, the Disney Princess Magic Mirror. I also admired the Disney Store Theatre with a giant screen, where you can choose from over 50 clips on the imagination station and watch it on the big screen.

It was an unforgettable experience, and we were spoiled to be enjoying all the great things in an almost empty store, with very kind staff, who were looking after us so nicely. I cannot imagine what it will be like tomorrow morning, when the door opens to public at 11am. Isabelle was were lucky and was given a voucher for which she bought some toys and a hat, and we were also given a special copy of the map that shows all the locations featured in some of the Disney's most beloved films set in the capital, which I am sure we will be exploring this summer.

I believe this is going to become not only a destination all children will want to see and be talking about, but also another top London tourist attraction. Go and check it out, I am absolutely sure, your children and you will love it!

Don't forget to become a fan on Facebook and follow on Twitter too!

Mad Mums - new blogger service!

Have you heard the news? A new service that connects bloggers, PRs and companies has just launched. It was founded by Iveta Tancheva from MumsLikeYou, whom I was so lucky enough to meet a year ago at a photo shoot in London.

Mad Mums are running a competition for the first 100 bloggers to sign up to the service. The sign-up process is simple and should not take more than a minute (which I can confirm, as I have just signed up). If you are a blogger and looking for new opportunities with brands, writing sponsored posts and product reviews, this is definitely right for you! You can also follow them on twitter as @madmums

My Backyard - The Gallery!

 

From looking at my photos, would you guess what the theme for this week's gallery is?  I have to say that we have a tiny little garden, but we love it and use it all the time, especially now when the weather is much nicer and kinder to us. 

Last week I took a few shots of a bumble bee sitting on the blooming chives. I took me a while, as the bumble bee wasn't just sitting there...of course, but I managed to get a few shots I am proud of. What do you think? Do you have these in your backyard?

Don't forget to check out the rest of the gallery posts!

Fitness Tuesday - Week 44!

I have to admit that last week was a little struggle for me. Not that I wouldn't want to go for a run or to my spinning class, but when I was about to do so, there was always something in the way. I usually go for a run when Isabelle is at school in the morning, straight after dropping her off, but last week I was just too busy doing other stuff. I know, no excuse, but if I don't go for a run in the morning, then there is no chance to go later as no babysitting for my daughter. Plus on Wednesday morning she woke up with a sore throat, so I had to cancel my spinning class. On Friday we flew to Moira, near Belfast, to visit daddy's grandparents and I made sure my trainers and running outfits were packed as well. The weather is always horrific there, and I have already complained about it here a few times, so to find an hour without raining is almost impossible. But I can proudly say, I managed to go twice, on Saturday and then on Monday as well. I love running and it really kept me sane while spending most of the time indoors... So happy I did it.

My Fitness Tuesday tip:

Don't forget to pack your trainers when you go on holidays. Even if you don't run, just go for a long walk to do some exercise and get rid off the extra calories everybody consumes when on holiday!

And how did you do last week?

Don't forget to come back next Tuesday and add a link to your post on how it went, leave a comment here and please visit as many of the others' posts as you can. We are here to help each other. Can't wait to see all your comments & posts. 

And if you like, you can add our   "Fitness Tuesday " badge to your blog;)
 

Mums On the Go event by Three.co.uk!

This week started really well. On Monday I drove all the way down to South London to see two of my friends. On Tuesday we were invited to a fabulous Three event in London. It was great to see some familiar faces, also to meet some new mummy bloggers, and to listen to some very interestings tips on using mobiles and Internet for mums on the go.

As we live kind of still in London, we took Metropolitan line, then changed a few times and got near the Westfield shopping centre in time. I printed out the map, and had to ask a few people, and at the end we made it to the event in time. Now I know, there was a short cut, which we will remember if we need it sometimes in the future.

And why was so it so fantastic? I was actually surprised there were not only mummy bloggers and journalists invited, but also normal mums. Which I think was very clever of them to do, to get together mums from all different backgrounds and talk about things we all have in common. I was pleased there was a free creche provided, as I cannot imagine Isabelle spending the whole day listening to us talking about how Internet and our phones, twitter, etc is important for us. Anyway, the venue was fantastic, the food presentation was great, and I found the workshops also very informative. Also decorating cupcakes seemed very popular by everyone and when Katie from CBeebies channel arrived, the children couldn't get enough of her. All in all, a really well organised and child-friendly event, which other companies could learn from a lot. Hope to be coming to more events organised by Three.co.uk soon.

And one more thing, there were some celebrities, and I knew nothing about them, I have never heard of them, but you can check some of them on my video. I haven't lived in the UK long enough to know them, but to be honest, I wouldn't care anyway. They came across as normal mums, and that's all that matters to me!

As I was probably the only one who doesn't own a smart phone, Three have been so nice and will be sending a few phones for testing. This post is written in Moira, near Belfast in Northern Ireland, as we are visiting daddy's grandparents for a few days, and having Internet connection again thanks to Three and their wireless modem is keeping me sane in the horrific weather we always experience when we come for a visit. Every time we come, doesn't matter if it's in summer, spring, autumn or winter, it rains....every day, how can people live here...It's great to see our family, but to be honest cannot wait to go back to London.

Win One of Three Tippitoes Lemon Star Wraps!

This time I have teamed up with Tippitoes, who have donated 3 lemon star wraps for 3 lucky All Baby Advice readers. These fantastic swaddling blankets can be a perfect gift for your friend's new baby or keep it for yourselves! I would!

How to enter?

1. Visit their website and tell me which of their products would you buy and why, AND leave a comment on this post including a way of contacting you in case you win (e-mail address or twitter ID) (compulsory)

and for extra entries (max 2) you can:

• comment on one of my non- competition/ non- gallery posts and let me know which post you left your comment on
• mention this competition on Twitter including @Kahanka and the URL of this competition post  in the tweet and come back here and let me know you did so, and leave your twitter name too.     
       

Please use a separate comment for each entry. 

 
Maximum 3 entries!

 

Only entries that have completed all the compulsory entry requirements will be counted!

Thank you! 

Terms and Conditions:

• The closing date of the competition is 20/06/2011
• The winners will be chosen at random from all entrants.
• The winners' names will be made available on this page and on Twitter. If the winner does not respond to our request for a postal address within 5 days, a redraw will take place.
  
• Competition is open to residents of the UK and Ireland only.
• The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.
• The All Baby Advice decision is final - please don't quibble. 

And the winners are:

 

 

Congratulations to @milkpetal, @simply_hayley and @cheekyd19

I will be in touch soon or you can also e-mail me your name and address at allbabyadvice@yahoo.co.uk

Only entries that completed all the compulsory entry requirements were counted!

This is my Isabelle, her future, a self-portrait!

I have been tagged by Maggy and Jen, as they both support the latest Save the children campaign. I would love to support them as well, so I have taken part in this meme. You can also help by signing the petition and passing this onto your friends. But hurry, this needs to be done by Sunday 29th May!

When I asked Isabelle to draw a picture of herself, she draw the one bellow. It's her and smiling. I think she is happy. She has everything she needs, at least I think so. She is healthy, she can go to school, she plays with her friends. She doesn't know about the problems many children have to face in the third world countries.

Save The Children & “No Child Born to Die” Campaign

In January Save the Children launched it’s most ambitious campaign to date, No Child Born to Die. Every year 8 million children under five die from illnesses we know how to treat or prevent, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.

Save The Children is focusing on the provision of vaccinations and healthcare workers. In June there is a meeting in London hosted by David Cameron and attended by other world leaders. Save The Children aims to make as much noise as possible to ensure the funding shortfall for vaccinations (4.7 billion) is met by all the donor countries.

If this funding gap is met the vaccines that could then be provided would save the lives of millions of children.

This week 3 bloggers/ vloggers are going to Mozambique to follow the journey of a vaccine from the coldstore in the city right down to a rural community. They will write, make films and tweet about their experiences, the children and families they meet and the challenges of “cold” vaccinations in hot countries.


The bloggers going are diverse, Lindsay Atkin (@Liliesarelike) is a hugely popular YouTuber, Chris Mosler (@christinemosler) is an influential parenting blogger and Tracey Cheetham (@tchee) is a popular political blogger and recently elected councilor.


All you have to do is:

1. Sign the petition and pass onto your friends
2. Let your child draw a self portrait of themselves and write a blog post about this challenge
3. Tag 8 fellow bloggers
4. Link back to Maggy's blog

I pass this challenge onto:

1. Being a mummy
2. Mummy's little monkey
3. Mummytips
4. These Precious things
5. Mummy's Busy World
6. Mediocremum
7. Sticky Fingers
8. Mummy Mishaps

Fairy Non Bio's partnership with Disney's "Winnie the Pooh"

Last week we received an exclusive gift to celebrate Fairy Non Bio’s partnership with Disney’s “Winnie the Pooh.” And what was inside? Just have a look!

The packs are all bespoke and exclusive, including gifts for snuggle time and those special moments. Only 30 have been created. The teaming up of Fairy Non Bio and Fairy Fabric Softener with the magical world of “Winnie the Pooh” sees a special on-pack offer for a limited time with one of the most well recognised and loved characters. Fairy is offering a “Winnie the Pooh” audio book with every purchase of promotional packs – there are 3 unique and sweet stories to collect. 

Thank you Fairy for such a great gift, the treasure box is just perfect for all Isabelle's soft toys and she also loves listening to the stories in the evening.

Does the word Bikini trigger panic?

Sponsored post

You might know from reading my blog, that I ran the London marathon a month ago, and was training for it for almost 4 months. Originally I thought I would lose some weight as well as become really fit because of my training. To be honest, I didn't lose any. I don't want to say I need to lose a huge amount of weight, it's a little bit here and there. I am very pleased to see that after the training my body feels and looks much firmer, but to be ready for the bikini season, I would love to lose a few kilos. While training for the marathon, I had to eat much more than what I am used to. I was really trying to eat the right food, and that might be the reason I wasn't putting on any weight, but also not losing any. These days I have to get back to pre-marathon portions and have to really watch what I eat. 

I was sent some information about the former Corrie Actress and Dancing on Ice winner Gaynor Faye and really think, that this could help many women so have agreed to mention it in this sponsored post.  She reveals: “Although I always look forward to my summer holiday and basking in the sunshine, like most women I'm not 100% confident about bearing all in my bikini around the pool or at the beach especially after having had two children, but the minute I try and cut out on chocolate, carbs or other comfort food the stress of denial makes abstinence even harder.

“I've found the Bach Emotional Eating Kit has really helped me to take control of my cravings in the lead up to the summer, so I feel happy and confident with my body. When I am having one of those worry days where I’m feeling body conscious, instead of eating a bar of chocolate to cheer myself up I grab the Bach Emotional Eating Kit to help me keep on the right track.”

BachTM Emotional Eating Kit is a set of three 10ml flower essences to give a helping hand with diet and healthy living regimes. It is the first product available in the UK to help with emotional eating. You can create your own individual combination and adapt it to suit your changing moods. The essences are alcohol free and suitable for the whole family. Bach Emotional Eating Kit costs around £11.00 and is available from Boots, Holland and Barrett and all good independent healthfood and pharmacy stores. 

Bach Emotional Eating Kit includes the essences:

• Crab Apple – When you feel unclean or dislike something about yourself, Crab Apple can help you accept yourself and your imperfections. Self acceptance means you are less likely to rely on food to make you feel good.

• Cherry Plum – When you fear you might lose control of your diet, Cherry Plum can help you to think and act rationally.

• Chestnut Bud – When you find yourself repeating the same dieting mistakes, Chestnut Bud can help you gain knowledge from your experience. This means you are less likely to fall into your old bad habits, for example reaching for food when things get tough.

I think it's a very interesting idea, and will be cheking it out, as I believe this could really help me. What do you think? Would you give it a go?

Isabelle not well today!

After a very long day at the fantastic Three.co.uk event yesterday, our Isabelle woke up with a sore throat and temperature. She loves school, and I have never heard her saying: "mum, I don't want to go to school, I just want to be in bed, I have a very sore throat." Of course I didn't send her to school, and as she also had a temperature on Sunday night, I was even thinking of taking her to the doctors...but then we cheked her throat and it is just a bit red, not tonsilistis, which I ususally suffer from, so we didn't go at the end.

I was about to pop to the shops before daddy was heading to the city for a work meeting, when I realised there was something wrong with the clutch...the gear box was making some very strange sounds...so I called daddy, and half an hour later he drove it to the garage....they have to replace the clutch, luckily not the gear box, but we were still really surprised that this had happened to our lovely Audi A3, as it is just a few years old car...Anyway, the garage has provided us with a courtesy car for the time being, and hopefully it will be done tomorrow afternoon.

Isabelle is on our sofa, resting, eating ice-cream, sipping hot water with lemon and honey....which she describes as disgusting! I agreed she could have ice-cream but only if she also had some lemon and honey...it seems to work. Watching telly, and staying inside, sleeping will hopefully make her better. I just hope it will not take long before she is back to her old herself!

By the way, thank you for all the tips via Twitter ;)

Fitness Tuesday - Week 43!

Being able to run without any knee pain makes me feel so relieved and very happy. Now I am back to my pre-marathon fitness schedule, which is running twice/three times a week and one spinning class every Wednesday morning. Last spinning class was great, as my usual instructor was back and I really enjoyed her lesson. The following day I was aching a bit, but going for a run seemed to help. Unfortunately, my backache has come back, so I am thinking more and more about starting pilates and yoga as well. I have never done any of these classes, but apparently they could really help with my pain.

My Fitness Tuesday tip:

Tighten your core! A strong core ( the muscles between the shoulders and hips), helps you have better posture, flatter abs, and makes it easier to do cardio.

And how did you do last week?

Don't forget to come back next Tuesday and add a link to your post on how it went, leave a comment here and please visit as many of the others' posts as you can. We are here to help each other. Can't wait to see all your comments & posts. 

And if you like, you can add our   "Fitness Tuesday " badge to your blog;)
 

Isabelle Testing John Crane First Balance Bike!

Two weeks ago I was approached by a company that sells wooden toys. They offered to send me any toy from their website up to the value of £50, and I can tell you, I was spoiled for choice. They offer so many fantastic products, which can mean hours of fun in the world of wooden toys for children. At the end, I decided to go for the red John Crane First Balance Bike, as I thought that it could help Isabelle when learning to ride her bicycle.

Daddy was so good and put all the parts together, which didn't take him long. When Isabelle got home from school, she had her surprise ready. Check out my short video to see her reaction and how she was doing on her new bike!

When we went to test it in a park, we saw one of our friends. She was telling me how she wanted to get one of these bikes for her daughter, who is the same age as Isabelle. At the end she didn't, as one of her friends told her that if your child has already started riding a bike with stabilisers, it is quite difficult for them to get used to this bike. Apparently, the best is to start at younger age, it is recommended from 3 years, and then they will learn how to balance it and will never need stabilisers on their bike. Well, I didn't know that, but we will keep on taking it with us to a park and encourage Isabelle to practise on it, and hopefully she will soon realise that it isn't so difficult and will enjoy it much more.

Sleep Deprived Mothers Face Despair!

Sponsored post 

I love my sleep, have always loved to sleep a lot, and in order to be "productive" the next day, I need 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Before having Isabelle, I never struggled with not sleeping, and we were spoiled with going to bed very late at night and getting up up late in the morning at the weekends. I shouldn't be complaining, as most of the times we are lucky, as Isabelle sleeps well, but of course there are nights, when she isn't well, or wakes up, and the next morning we are exhausted. Not long ago we were going through the "night terror" stage, and that was not easy. I have never used any sleeping pills or any other kind of medicine to help me to sleep, and have also never used any of the homeopathic remedies, but I know a few friends who recommend these and swear by them. I believe it's always better to go natural, and if I had any sleeping problems, I would give them a go as well, before going for the sleeping pills option.

I was sent some very interesting information, which I would like to share with you. Are you one of these mums? 

A recent survey commissioned by Mother & Baby has revealed that mothers confess to not enjoying motherhood due to being so exhausted with juggling the conflicting demands of modern life on only five hours sleep. More than half (56%) said weariness left them in a ‘state of despair’. However it seems men are getting off lightly, with less than a third (31%) of fathers waking up when their baby cries in the night, even if both parents worked full-time, according to the survey. Lack of sleep can have a knock on effect on all aspects of your life with two thirds of mothers revealing that lack of sleep had put them completely off sex, and 82% of working mothers admitting their performance at work was affected by their lack of sleep.

Although nothing can take away from the daily pressures and worries of motherhood, there are natural remedies that can help. Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is based on treating the individual and stimulates the body’s own natural healing processes.

The UK’s Homeopathy Awareness Week takes place from 14th - 21st June 2011. To support the millions of Britons suffering from sleeplessness this year, natural health care specialist Nelsons online resource www.HealThroughHomeopathy.com features jargon-free, practical information and advice on how homeopathy can help sleeplessness. Homeopathic remedies are widely available and can be found in many good pharmacies and health food stores including Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy www.NelsonsHomeopathy.com.

• Nelsons Noctura contains a unique selection of homeopathic remedies, specifically combined to help aid a peaceful night’s sleep. Noctura is available from Boots, Holland and Barrett and all good independent healthfood and pharmacy stores or online at www.nelsonshomeopathy.com. It costs £4.60 for 72 tablets. Always read the label.

• Nelsons Homeopathic Clikpak remedies are priced at £5.75 and are available from Boots, Holland and Barrett and Nelsons Pharmacy.

Nelsons is the UK's leading manufacturer of natural health care products, with a long-standing commitment to supplying the highest quality natural health care products that meet all regulatory and quality standards. Their brands are recognised and sold in over 60 countries worldwide and include Rescue Remedy®, Bach™ Original Flower Remedies, Nelsons Arnicare®, Nelsons Teetha™, Nelsons® Homeopathy, Spatone™ and Nelsons Pure & Clear®.

Today was definitely Friday 13th for me!

I don't consider myself superstitious, and have never had a problem with Friday 13th. I was actually born on a Friday 13th, so have mostly been taking it as lucky day for me so far, but not today! It all started when I booked flights to see daddy's grandparents in Belfast. I booked the flights and parking, then I called nan to let her know we were coming to see them. I was very excited, as we haven't seen them for a while. When I was telling her the dates, she was looking in her diary and corrected me that 23 of May wasn't a Sunday, but a Monday. Well, that was a little shock for me. I was trying to change the dates online, but that would costs us almost the same as buying new tickets....well that's how I would pay for my mistake....At the end daddy was fine with flying back on Monday, so I just had to book another day of parking at the airport, so we paid only another £15 instead of another £300...not too bad. 

Second disaster was when I found out about Blogger being down. I wasn't able to add any posts or do anything on my blog. Also my post from yesterday disappeared... and it was a competition with entries which went in my mailbox, but are not appearing on the post...which is not good, but blogger has promised to look into that...otherwise I will have to somehow get in touch with all the people who commented and ask them to do so again....just annoying!

And the last bad luck was when I found out that The Czech Republic lost with Sweden in ice-hockey, the world championship. I am very sad about it, and still cannot believe it. This means we will not be in the final match. There is still a chance to get a bronze medal...but who cares? We were doing so well, didn't lose any match, until today...the most important match so far....I have recorded it, and am still thinking if I want to watch it, but probably will...with a glass of wine or two.....

I hope that's it for today. Now I am waiting for only good things to happen!

New Willvin of Sweden Changing Bag Review & Competition!

 A few months ago I was delighted to share my review of a fantastic changing bag designed by a Swedish company Willvin. At that time I chose the beige leatherette, and can assure you, that it was a great choice. At that time there wasn't a black version, and I thought it would be nice to have something a little bit different. I haven't come across anything similar since then and am still very happy with my choice. A few weeks ago I was contacted by their PR again, and was offered to review one of their new changing bags, a black or white leatherette. As last time I went for the lighter colour, this time I decided to check out their new black version of the leatherette. And what did I think?

In my last review, I introduced all the features I loved about the bag. The little hidden pockets, the small compartment underneath the bag to store nappies and included accessories ( a changing mat, a nylon nappy/clothes bag, zip bag and a matching bottle holder). The fact that it isn't made of real leather, and that you cannot really tell, except the bag is much lighter. At that time there wasn't a black version, which I think is the most practical colour, as it will never get dirty and can go with any outfit you put on, and am sure that many mummies would go for. When I look at this changing bag, there are two words that can sum up what I think about it, "perfection and elegance", that every mum will be proud to show off! I have to say, I was tempted by the white colour, but really need a black bag, but check it out, isn't it just gorgeous?

How to enter?

And now the great news! Willvin of Sweden have donated one changing bag of the winner's choice to one lucky All Baby Advice follower. All you have to do to get a hand on one of these fabulous bags is to:

1. Visit their website and tell me which bag you would like to win AND leave a comment on this post including a way of contacting you in case you win (e-mail address or twitter ID) (compulsory)

and for extra entries (max 2) you can:

• comment on one of my non- competition/ non- gallery posts and let me know which post you left your comment on
• mention this competition on Twitter including @Kahanka and the URL of this competition post  in the tweet and come back here and let me know you did so, and leave your twitter name too.     
       

Please use a separate comment for each entry. 

 
Maximum 3 entries!

 

Only entries that have completed all the compulsory entry requirements will be counted!

Thank you! 

Terms and Conditions:

• The closing date of the competition is 12/06/2011
• The winner will be chosen at random from all entrants.
• The winner's name will be made available on this page and on Twitter. If the winner does not respond to our request for a postal address within 5 days, a redraw will take place.
  
• Competition is open to residents of the UK and Ireland only.
• The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.
• The All Baby Advice decision is final - please don't quibble. 

And the winner is:

 

Congratulations to @Louise

I will be in touch soon or you can also e-mail me your name and address at allbabyadvice@yahoo.co.uk

Only entries that completed all the compulsory entry requirements were counted!

Chilled Out - The Gallery!

This week's gallery theme is "chilled out". I think that people who know me would expect me to post a picture of me on the beach, as that is definitely what I would call "chilled out time" as I love beaches, sun and the sea so much. But I am going to surprise you, and this time am giving you a picture of me, chilling out and relaxing after running the London Marathon for Great Ormond Street Hospital a few weeks ago. It took me 5 hours and 1 minute, and I loved every minute of it.

I remember being so excited about seeing my family and telling them all about it. Would you believe it took almost another hour before we found each other after running through the finish line? I was nicely surprised when daddy made some lovely chicken pesto pasta for me, as I was hungry and after all the sweets and energy gels, all I wanted to eat was a proper meal, so well done to daddy.

So here is my "chilled out" entry and don't forget to check out the rest of the gallery posts!

Travel Tots for Stress-Free Family Holidays!

I love informing parents about new services that can make their lives much easier. Travelling with babies and toddlers can be very challenging, and I know what I am talking about. Isabelle was just 3 months old when she flew for the first time. It was to see my family in the Czech Republic and then to see my husband's grandparents in Northern Ireland. We don't have much family near us here in London, so I fly with Isabelle all the time, and very often without daddy. It wasn't easy to travel with a baby on my own, and that's why many mums don't do it until their babies are much older.

Kimberly Berry, a private maternity nurse, has launched Travel Tots for stress-free family holidays. It is a new online business designed to ensure that travelling with babies and young children is stress-free from the very start. And why is it so special and how does it work? At the click of a button on the Travel Tots website – www.traveltotsuk.com - families can select all the key essentials required, choose the amount they require and they’ll do the rest. The Travel Tots team will assemble a parcel with everything the little ones need and send it direct via secure post to the holiday destination in advance. Simple. Click, pack, ship. Why hasn't someone thought of that when my Isabelle was tiny?

Kimberley used her own personal experience when accompanying many families on their worldwide travels over the last 10 years and also coming across all the issues families face when packing and preparing for their holidays, to create a new online business that can help many families to stress-free holidays. Remembering all the important things for the baby isn't easy at all, we all have been there, and sometimes your luggage gets lost and all your effort is worth nothing!  Wouldn't it be easier to have everything ready at the destination without all the stress? I think so, and if we are lucky enough and have another baby, I would love to give it a go! Would you?

And some interesting information about Kimberley:

Huddersfield-born Kimberley has been in the childcare business from the age of 18 years old. Striving to achieve more she trained as a maternity nurse and become one of the UK’s youngest private maternity nurses when she graduated in 2006. Now aged 30, Kimberley has over a decade of experience working with some high-profile clients in London and the South West. Over the years she has forged a career as one of the country’s most respected and sought-after private maternity nurses and has an unrivalled knowledge of travelling with newborn babies and toddlers. Kimberley was quickly becoming the go-to girl when families needed help on routines, weaning, behavioural problems and sleep training. So it comes as no surprise that Kimberley designed and created a business in the interest of families she works with – they have been her inspiration in creating Travel Tots.

Sponsored post

Fitness Tuesday - Week 42!

I have to say that it feels funny not to be training almost every day, as I was used to while training for the marathon, but on the other side, I also have more time to do the housework and blog ;) The weather has been so nice, so it is very easy to drop Isabelle off at school and go for a run. I have also decided we will be walking to school in the morning, Isabelle on her scooter and me running next to her. The only downside is , i have to run back carrying her scooter and her helmet, and cannot ask the teachers to leave it at school, as there are a few kids getting to school the same way. So I ran yesterday, and a few people were looking at me ... and probably thinking why is she running with a scooter? I was in my running outfit already, and just didn't want to waste any minute. It felt great, I ran my usual 60 minutes, stretched afterwards and didn't feel any pain in my right knee. I am very pleased with this, and also my spinning class went really well. There was a new instructor, as Casey was ill, and he was very good as well. Originally I thought i wouldn't be able to do the whole class, but can tell you that my training for the marathon prepared me very well even for my spinning lesson. It felt great to be back among a few other regulars who come to this class. The result was that the next day I was painful between my legs...from sitting on the saddle, but that lasted just for one day. So last week I went running twice and am hoping to raise it to three times from next week. It's always a question of time, not laziness, I love running and could run every day, but unfortunately have other things to do too.

My fitness tip:

When you stretch after doing your exercises, each stretch needs to be at least 30 seconds long. Did you know that? Otherwise don't bother, if it's not long enough, it's like you haven't done any stretching at all!!!

And how did you do last week?

Don't forget to come back next Tuesday afternoon and add a link to your post on how it went and please visit as many of the others' posts as you can. We are here to help each other. Can't wait to see all your comments & posts. 

And if you like, you can add our "Fitness Tuesday" badge to your blog;)
 

Win One of Six Milkshake's "Music Box" and "Bop Box" DVDs!

Isabelle has always loved watching Milkshake show and that's how I came across the Milkshake's Music box online a long time ago. I remember Isabelle sitting down and watching the songs and also dancing to it. Last week I was sent the new DVD, Milkshake's Music Box - Bop Box DVD, which has quickly become one of her favourite DVDs. As she is getting older, she loves dancing and singing more and more, and also entertaining us while doing so. She loves creating new dancing routines and I can really imagine we will be looking for some more dancing classes soon. Just check her out!

This brand new release offers two of Channel 5's successful milkshake! TV series; 'Music Box' and 'Bop Box' complied onto one DVD. With over 2 hours of entertaining programming packed full with favourite pre-school nursery rhymes and songs including; Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Little Miss Muffet, Incy Wincy Spider and many more! All complete with corresponding dance routines and animation. This DVD will have children dancing and bopping with easy to learn, step-by-step routines and catchy sing-along songs.

How to enter?

To celebrate the release of the new DVD, Milkshake's Music Box and Bop Box,

I have 6 copies to give away on my blog!

1. Leave a comment on this post including a way of contacting you in case you win (e-mail address or twitter ID) ( compulsory)

and for extra entries (max 2) you can:

• comment on one of my non- competition posts and let me know which post you left your comment on
• mention this competition on Twitter including @Kahanka and the URL of this competition post  in the tweet and come back here and let me know you did so, and leave your twitter name too.     
       

Please use a separate comment for each entry. 
Maximum 3 entries!

Only entries that have completed all the compulsory entry requirements will be counted!

Thank you! 

Terms and Conditions:

• The closing date of the competition is 08/06/2011
• The winners will be chosen at random from all entrants.
• The winners' names will be made available on this page and on Twitter. If the winner does not respond to our request for a postal address within 5 days, a redraw will take place.
  
• Competition is open to residents of the UK and Ireland only.
• The prize is non-refundable and cannot be transferred. No cash alternative is available.
• The All Baby Advice decision is final - please don't quibble. 

And the winners are:

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to @clareandtribe, @MrsD_Winchester, @MoolBoots, @bloomingfox, @kikicomp and @dawnie_brown.

I will be in touch soon or you can also e-mail me your name and address at allbabyadvice@yahoo.co.uk

Only entries that completed all the compulsory entry requirements were counted!

Silent Sunday!

Here Comes the Poo Bus - Book Review!

When I was sent an e-mail from a PR, that "Here comes the poo bus" was on its way to us, I didn't know what to think about it. I am not even sure, if I came across this title in a bookshop, I would check it out. When the book arrived, I showed it to daddy, and he was the first one to read it and said he thought it was funny and that Isabelle will like it.

When I showed her the book and told her the title of it, she started laughing and asked me if I really meant a "poo" bus. We read it just before she went for bed, not sure if many people can imagine reading it as a bedtime story, but she loves it and we have to read it to her every night since then...

And what is it about? It's about Uncle Toad who is very friendly as he collects the insects for a special trip on his bus of poo, but it's just a cunning ruse. When they reach the seaside, he eats them all! It's a darkly comic and anarchic rhyming tale by Andy Stanton, which am sure, every kid will love! We also admired the fantastic "poo" illustrations by Noëlle Davies-Brock. Check it out, it should be available soon!

V Tech Storio with Toy Story 3 - Review!

I have to say that Isabelle is very lucky, as we have been sent the new V Tech Storio with Toy Story 3 for  a review. I have been thinking about getting her one for a while, as she will be starting school in September, so it came at the right time. I love reviewing products I would buy anyway, as it can show if I would have done the right decision to spend money on them.

And what did we think of it? 

Isabelle had no school yesterday morning, so the best time to show it to her and test it out. She was very excited when she saw the box, as there are the characters from the Toy Story 3, which she has seen. I opened the box and read the instructions, while she was nervously waiting for me to get it ready for her. So first I inserted 4 AA batteries, luckily we had some at home, as they were not included. The instructions were pretty easy to follow and soon we were exploring all the great features. 

Isabelle has just turned 4, and they have been learning some letters at school, but she cannot read yet. She loved following the story and turning the pages over, also touching the screen and listening to the funny noises. I think it is very clever that you can press each word and it will say it for you again. Also when listening to the story, the words that are being read are highlighted in different colour, so your child can clearly see what exactly is being read. As I have said, she cannot read yet, but this can be very encouraging to introduce letters in words. She loved spotting letters she knows.

Next was playing the games. Of course she loved that. Some of them were a bit too difficlkut for her age group, but it is supposed to be for children between 3 and 7 years, so there must be something for every age group. She got a bit annoyed when she couldn't play some of the games, so we had a little chat about learning, and that one day she will be able to read and play all the games. She seemed to understand, and continued playing the games, she was able to do. I loved the smile on her face when she was doing well. She is definitely very competitive, we can see it more and more often, and when she is not good at something, she is sad and frustrated. But that's part of learning, and as a teacher myself, I am trying to stress the strong points of hers to encourage her learning.

These are the key features:
• Interactive animated storyteller
• Watch the Story and Reading Games modes
• Story Dictionary lets children check the meaning of difficult words
• Parent friendly extras include reading records and progress tracker
• PC and MAC compatible
• Comes with Toy Story 3 storybook cartridge

And our verdict?

From the pictures above you can see how hard she was trying to master the games, and I can tell you, it wasn't easy to get a picture of her looking at me...as she just wanted to play with it. The first thing this morning she said was: "mum, I need to read my story on my computer (that's what she calls it), can I, please?" 

So that's her answer to the question, and I can just say, I would definitely recommend it, and it is worth every penny. It's a great investment as it is not just a toy, but mostly encourages learning!