Aren’t you excited about Black Friday?
Countdown has already begun at the world’s biggest online store.. Check it out…
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My interest in photography is increasing day by day. Not that I have less workload at office but the subject of interest is getting active day by day. I’m getting better at using my T2i with the lenses I have received. Indoor photos, portraits are coming good as well.. at least I am loving it…so to say.
However couple of outdoor tours like our recent RI trip, barbecue at friends place, day at beach made me think about the filters. Typically during the day, photos came out to be too bright. Few had contrast situations like direct sunlight coming on the face and shadows of subjects or hair .. that made it tough call to adjust the shutter speed and ISO.
I tried setting camera in auto mode. Took few snaps. read histograms. Then increased shutter speed from 1/20 (which is usual for me) to almost 1/60.. keeping same ISO. Few snaps came Ok.
The glare from beach water also had too much of contrast. In order to reduce that I tried increasing shutter speed.. however again compromised few aspects of photo..
Anyway, long story short.. need to read some more on filters because those are excellent to use in some of these situations. While I do my homework and get something for myself.. thinking of getting something first and then experimenting. I hear Hoya HMC Haze UV filters are of best quality. However found something less expensive as of now and till I do some R&D.. these seem to be pretty Ok to me.
We have been reading about baby sleep training recently. Hardly thought of it or paid attention to it.. Not because that we don’t care but mostly because of our current daily and week end routine.
For my hubby, many a times it’s a long day at office. I’m running after Neil once till the time he is back.
After that both have their hours of joy while I am in kitchen preparing dinner.
By the time we are done with dinner and short TV break, its almost 10PM … 
… provided no one has office or personal work.
Over the week end, we are tempted to watch a movie or visit nearby park or friends’ place.
Well, I’m sure, you might have similar or matching routine.. Don’t you?
What is a sleep training? What should be ideal sleep routine? Where all this jazz comes into picture..?
To my knowledge sleep training is simply allowing child to have enough sleep, creating environment that he is taking care of his own sleep. And most importantly following a routine so that it develops into a habit.
Is that important? What all we need to do?
I understand it is important.. Absolutely. Trust me it is important. I’ll let you figure out reasoning behind that.
Make a routine and stick to it. Its not easy.. I know.. specially given the fact that we all have varied interests after office hours.. or sometimes office has extended hours 
You figure that out..
How it will help?
A well developed sleep routine can have long term impacts on overall growth.
Doesn’t it feel better if we get up early? I typically feel very relaxing as I get early morning and find time for myself.
Hope to implement same routine for my little champ too.
Too much from me now.. Have a great day.
Here is a consumer alert that came in today (Sept 22 2010). Similac baby formula is recalled by the manufacturer. Around 5 million plastic containers is recalled fearing possibility of contamination due to beetles and larve.
The Similac recall includes certain lots of Similac powder product lines offered in plastic containers
Similac powder product lines offered in sizes such as 8-ounce, 12.4-ounce and 12.9-ounce cans
The Similac recall does not affect Similac ready-to-feed or concentrated baby formula or any specialty baby formulas, such Similac Expert Care Alimentum or Similac Expert Care Neosure. Up to 5 million Similac-brand powder baby formulas that were sold in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and some Caribbean countries may be affected by the Similac recall though.
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Breastfeeding Vs Bottle feeding… a new mom’s question. Me too had the same. As I googled the same, I got lots of useful pieces of information. However that confused me more. Would love you go through my thought process and verdict about it.
I am a full time mom . I don’t have any troubles breastfeeding my baby throughout the day and night. However I considered bottle feeding or so called formula feeding for couple of reasons. Neil is 2 months and 10 days old today. And it has been a full test of my endurance. Recently a very nice family friend of mine visited our place to see our cutie pie. As usual, super woman inside me woke up. I was all excited to be hostess for my childhood friend’s family. Everything was just great, dinner was too good. I was the iron chef . However as soon as they left, my battery was down. Totally exhausted. That night, I felt I should have started formula for my baby. I fed my baby that night… however was determined to do some reading and research on formula feeding as well as use of breast pump.
Quickly putting the what I see in each side.
Breast feeding advantages, Why to consider breast feeding your new born
Convenient. No prep work needed. No bottles, no sterilizer.
Very easy to digest. Hence needed frequently
Very nutritional for babies (as per my reading.) It also increases immunity for various infections newborns are susceptible to. Also prevents allergies. Contains Antibodies which can’t be produced in formula. This is quite interesting. Eg. If mother catches fever or flu, her body produces antibodies to fight against those. And same is prepared in the breast milk. Quite amazing… Please read more on Google. Breast milk also naturally contains many of the vitamins and minerals that a newborn requires.
Although this isn’t one of my favorites, cause I am happy the way I am.. still worth mentioning. Breast feeding will help you lose weight and be in shape again
Challenges with breast feeding:
Mom has to be there in person. No matter what how mom is feeling, she has to be fit, up and running all the time in order to be able to feed the baby. This poses a strong reason for using formula. It’s a huge time and mental commitment. ON the other hand, formula can be prepared by any one, any time. Well someone might immediately share the word of wisdom about pump and breast milk. I am yet to check that option. With this option comes all sorts of accessories… breast milk storage bags, breast feeding pump, etc.
Diet of mom: Dear moms, till the birth of your son, you have taken exceptional care of your diet. No spicy food, no high mercury contained fish, no heavy food, carbs etc. Now that you have chosen to breastfeed, you need to continue the good daily eating habits. Any compromises with it, your baby will let you know that. Howz that?
A little initial challenge is baby and mother getting used to routine of breast feeding. Trust me, if your baby is not latching properly, you might want to give up that. Be persistent. It increases the bonding with your baby.
Well, this is all I know about breast feeding. What’s good about formula or bottle feeding?
First of all, formula is closer to breast milk however stands at no competition for breast milk of a healthy mom. Even formula companies write that on the bottles. Of course, breast milk contains so many complex substances that it can not be copied completely. Many of those are not even chemically known.
Formula is easy and handy way to feed a hungry child… especially when you are out in public place. You need not find a place for feeding. Just take out the formula bottle and baby is ready to eat. How simple. Of course, you need to pay for this comfort. Formulas are of different needs and types.
Baby need not be feed too frequently. Some moms may consider this good. Well, even I was happy when my cutie slept 4 hours straight one night after I gave him formula. Having put this, I want to convey that I use formula mainly to maintain the habit so that he is taking it when needed.
We recently moved to new apartment. Around 6 months before Neil was born. The apartment is lavish. We had several plans for our little angel… including time we would like to spend with him, for him. So a cable TV was not a priority at all. Instead we would rather cut off all such distractions. However … when we moved, we had to get internet connection. As we were hunting for various plans, we found that double play from Comcast is a nice offer. Get internet and cable tv at a reduced rate for 6 months. We opted the same.
However after 6 months, my first bill gave me a shock… although I knew it, I didn’t expect / imagined the figure And guess what… You are right, absolutely right my friend… I decided to cancel my cable TV subscription.
Then what is our alternative? Recently Satellite Direct TV to PC software has grabbed my attention.
Earlier, I was just streaming Youtube videos and watching those by connecting our laptop to our plasma TV. Having addicted to couple of serials and sitcoms, MY WIFE insisted to keep regular cable subscription. That means another 120$ per month… a hole in the pocket. What is my alternative again … a happy wife means happy life. Have you heard of this phrase? I bet you must have And those of you who are married… must also be experiencing it on day to day basis.
Satellite Direct TV to PC is a program/ software which claims to be able to show you around 3500 TV channels on your PC by direct streaming. WoW.. I said.
I plan to give it a shot. However I don’t want to sound and look stupid (in front of my best friend and worst critique… U guys are smart.. U guessed it… my wife) . I don’t want to cut my cable TV subscription just to find technical problems with Satellite TV and the program. They promise 60 day trial period So I am certainly going to give it a shot. Best part is the cost is around 50$, one time investment.. Yes, one time investment.
Another aspect I want to be sure… Is this legal? Don’t ask me WHY do I have this doubt. Satellite Direct TV to PC software is perfectly legal as per their claims. I am going to trust for now and make my wife trust too I am at least that intelligent. [not for convincing her but to make sure about legality of the program]
So I am now in hunting mode. What could be pluses and minuses of this program?
Huge cut in cable TV bills… hopefuly we continue it.. Ohh.. I forgot, there are no monthly subscription charges.. And no hidden costs.. I guess so.
Hopefully good quality or at least same quality as we currently enjoy on our HD TV.
No more bill payments for favorite channel subscription.
And drawbacks:
Currently a doubt: Is it going to deliver what it promises? Is it live streaming?
Are those channels really available for streaming directly? If Yes, why not the channel people make it free?
What if software doesn’t work after trial period? What if they also need subscription cost?
My wife and her laptop would now will be dedicated to one and only one activity… streaming TV to PC.
I need to be dependent upon internet for cable TV. Doesn’t matter to me
What else? You can also suggest.
But for now, I am game for it.
Here is the link for Satellite Direct TV to PC software.
Best Baby Monitor was my first search when we received a baby monitor as a gift
This was not to check the quality… please don’t misunderstand. It was to check what should be considered in a baby monitor and how to make it operational… Although good friend of us had already shown the demo once to us on how to install it, we couldn’t make it work when he was not around.
The topic was quite interesting as I started looking into more details. That generated understanding Also I could see that most of the concerns I had were already addressed in one or the other products.
Here is my “Things to Consider When Buying a Baby Monitor” list… Please note: this is not in the order of preference. And your preference can vary.
1.) Budget: What is your budget? We got the monitor as a gift and found it to be quite good and reasonable.
2.) Accuracy of monitoring: A new finding… baby monitor works on some radio frequency. It’s like a one way walkie talkie. You need to tune it to catch frequencies of some wavelength. How does that matter? Well… there are numerous devices in yor home emitting some kind of frequency. And it is easy that those would interfere with baby monitor. And the it will affect is, you would be never sure if your monitor is working as expected or not. You might get false alarm because of interference with other device like TV, wireless telephones etc.
3.) Type and sensitivity of monitor: There are analog and digital baby monitors. Also there are baby movement monitors and baby voice monitors, color monitors and black and white monitors.
Various types are available.
Here is some of the comparison features I have captured about some of the most popular products. Take a look…
Source: http://www.consumersearch.com/baby-monitor-reviews
If you have a house full of electronics, you will likely have trouble finding a baby monitor that doesn’t get interference from wireless networks, cordless phones, microwave ovens and remote-control toys. Although it’s expensive, the Philips Avent SCD510 operates on a 1.9 GHz frequency — eliminating interference from other electronics (Philips guarantees it). Since it’s a digital baby monitor, it also eliminates the chances of accidental eavesdropping. Features include automatic channel switching (between 120 different channels), a walkie-talkie feature, out-of-range and low-battery warnings and sensitivity control (so you can adjust for ambient noise like an air conditioner). We did read a few complaints that the cradles failed to recharge the batteries, and that the volume on the parent unit is too low. However, if you’ve had trouble finding a baby monitor that doesn’t conflict with your other technology, the Philips Avent SCD510 is worth a look
The Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910 costs much less than a digital baby monitor. The catch is that it’s an analog monitor, which means it is subject to interference with other electronics and other baby monitors, and if your neighbor has a similar monitor, they may be able to accidentally eavesdrop. One advantage that the Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910 may have over other analog baby monitors, however, is a 27-channel range that parents say virtually eliminates static and clicking. Another advantage is that the receiver comes with rechargeable batteries as well as a power adaptor. Altogether, if you’re not worried about interference, reviewers concur that the Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910 is the best inexpensive baby monitor. A dual-receiver version is available for about $15 more.
Parents don’t need a video monitor, experts say, but some find them reassuring. However, reviews for video monitors in general aren’t very good. The Summer Infant Day & Night Handheld Video Monitor is an exception, with better reviews than most. The Summer Infant monitor has a color display and 900 MHz audio monitoring; both function at a range of up to 350 feet. The monitor has a belt clip, so you can walk around with it. An additional camera (*Est. $75) is available for monitoring more than one room. Most users of this video monitor say that picture clarity is good enough to justify the price, although a few complain of audio static and interference with other electronics. The Summer Infant Deluxe Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with a larger 2.5-inch screen (*Est. $180) is available, but many parents say the smaller screen is sufficient.
Usually higher number of reviews about the product, the better it is. More appropriately… higher number of positive reviews, the better is the product.
Enjoy… the good night sleep since your baby is now sleeping carefully… please note: baby monitor won’t take of baby when needed. You have to be a mother to do that It can only alarm you about the things you should be alarmed for.
How Do I Make My Baby Sleep?
Neil is 8 weeks old and we have started experiencing sleepless nights
Initially I was all enthu in waking up at night, feeding him… I used to listen to moms saying how frustrating it becomes at times.
I also used to laugh at them BUT now I can understand how they must be feeling.
So, HOW DO I MAKE MY BABY SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT?
Can anyone suggest sleep solutions for baby?
I browsed and came up with my own list…
1.) Accept that baby is going to wake up when she is hungry. Of course, you are a mom and you won’t ignore the baby. Well, what’s the point in your hubby sleeping zzzzzzzzzz and you only getting up, feeding him, burping him
Wake him up and hand over your baby to him. Let him feed him formula. Burp him. Have him take care of the baby until it goes to sleep again.. Howz that? So the first tip is actually.. How do I make my baby let me sleep well at night.
2.) Feed well before sleeping. Baby doesn’t wake up hungry and cranky when I follow this.
Some people call it dreamfeed: parent directed, late evening feeding. Dr. Robert Bucknam coined this term.
3.) Bed time routine: Sit near the baby, talk to him for a while. Give him a sense of feeling that you are around. However avoid the eye contact. A small story telling session or lullaby is good bed time routine. Massage the baby with baby soft oil. Massage combined with story makes him sleep faster.. I am getting some results with this. Highly recommend it.
I had read about people suggesting a warm bath as bed time routine.. however I am still to digest that idea.
4.) Follow Routine time: This is little tough for us… however we will try slowly to adjust to this. Did you know an overtired baby is impossible to get to sleep? So fix up a routine. Prepare for sleep earlier than you can do normally.
5.) Clear the bed.. remove all toys, distractions from his bed…. including blanket. A nice warm swaddle is good enough. If not, sleep and play dresses are cute too. Try finding something made of natural fibre like cotton. Avoid synthetic fibre. It causes irritation. Baby’s bed should have only baby in it. Remove everything else…
6.) Keep the room dark. This is no brainer. When it is time to wake up… open the curtain, let the light in.
7.) Don’t avoid naps. Naps are very important for physical and mental development. Don’t make him skip little naps thinking that he will sleep longer at night. Opposite is usually true.
8.) Change the diapers if needed.Baby loves clean diaper and more comfortable with that during the night.
9) Watch out for hints… baby become whiny, rub his eyes or would just try to sleep without paying attention to you. Act on those signals. If he is feeling sleepy, let him sleep. Don’t keep him awake since you are.
10) Stop talking and enjoy the silence when your baby is sleeping. Avoid temptation to wake him up seeing slightest movement from him or seeing his tiny eyes open little bit. I know this is very tempting to watch sleeping angel and then hug him, kiss him while sleeping.
Have a good night….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I’m super excited.. Father’s Day is here…As I scratch my head for different gifts or gift ideas,I welcome any idea from your end too. Some of the ideas driving me currently.
1.) It’s a wonderful time, summer time.
How about a surprise trip to a place we had been planning sine long.Beach, Book, Boat…Well, not a good idea considering arrival of our sweet little pie.
2.) Grill lover father: Hmmmm…I smell it.
3.) TV and the favorite programs:
Wow… the world cup is here. How about his dream TV mounted on a wall when he comes home this evening That will be fantastic..
4.) nook: The World’s Most Advanced eBook Reader or Amazon Kindle
Well, he is not that much studious however he will certainly love it. HOnestly speaking he will not use it often though
5.) Pocket-Sized Digital Picture Viewers
He has digital frame in office. However a digital picture viewer will certainly be welcome… a nice timepass during his commuter journey to office.. And I bet you, he can view it 24X7, 365 days.
6.)”Love You Dad!” Coffee MugsFather’s Day Personalized Photo Mugs:
I have one such of these.. and I get this every year It is his turn this year
7)Relaxing & Supportive Bed Rests
Great!!! Why I didn’t think of this earlier? This is certainly something he will love.
BlackBerry, iPod, Mac book:
These are his things to buy list of items. A Mac book will be a definite wishful item as long as I get his configuration. This will need some talking though… and to tell you, he is quite smart to figure that out… Hence adding officially to this post 
Love you honey…
9) “Happy Father’s Day” Cookie Bouquets
10) Custom Photo Mosaic PicturesAdjustable Grill Lights
This will be on our agenda… so no need to put as a gift for him. However sharing since this was a nice idea.
Heyyy… so these are my ideas as father’s day gift. What are yours?
Would certainly love to read what you have
Happy father’s day…
