And who has cataloged the contents of their house for insurances purposes? Probably not many.

Turns out, that you can do both right now.

DropBox is beta testing a new version of their Android app that auto syncs photos and videos you take to DropBox. For every 500MB of photos and videos automatically uploaded, you’ll receive another 500MB space, up to 5GB total. So all you need to do is install the beta app and start uploading.

After uploading all the images and videos on my phone, I got an additional 500MB. That left me wanting more. So I was thinking about what takes up the most space and I realized that was videos. Then I decided it was time for a home tour!

God forbid my home burnt down tonight, they’d ask me what was in it. I can list off some stuff, but I’ll never remember everything. Chances are I won’t remember most of it. So I recorded it instead.

I took my phone, fired up the video app and started a tour. I walked through each room, opened drawers, cupboards, closets and looked inside things. I pointed out a lot of what we own but even what I didn’t point out is at least on video.

This took me about 40 minutes. 40 minutes of video on my phone is a pretty large file size. Now it’s automatically uploading to DropBox and I’ll get more free space!

Really though, the free space is nice, but it won’t help in a disaster. If a tornado, fire or something else takes out my house, that video is going to be invaluable. Putting our lives back together on just our memories is hard, video and photo proof should help a ton.

So take some time, record all the belongings in your home and get some free DropBox space as a nice benefit.

Get more DropBox space AND be better prepared for a disaster. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Zoo Goats

Did you know that some Minnesota libraries have free passes to all sorts of MN destinations?

We were lucky enough to get our hands on a MN Zoo pass last week and the whole family got into to the zoo for free!

We got to feed the baby goats, see the fish, lions and all sorts of other animals. Lily had a great time not only with the animals but also watching all the other kids.

The program is called the Museum Adventure Pass and they can get you into:

• The American Swedish Institute
• The Bakken Museum
• Bell Museum of Natural History
• Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
• Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
• Firefighters Hall & Museum
• Foshay Museum and Observation Deck
• Hennepin History Museum
• The Landing – Minnesota River Heritage Park
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts
• Minnesota History Center
• Minnesota Streetcar Museum
• Minnesota Transportation Museum
• Minnesota Zoo
• The Museum of Russian Art
• Walker Art Center
• The Works: Hands-On, Minds-On Museum

To get a pass, stop by your local library and see if they have any available. They only have a set amount each week, so you have to be there at the right time to get them.

If you need more information, check out the official Museum Adventure Pass page.

How to get free passes to the MN Zoo and other great places. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Dads Pudding Finger Painting

Have you ever wanted to do finger painting with your little one but was to worried about them eating the paint? Well try pudding instead.

We use vanilla pudding and add in some food coloring. Now we can finger paint without having to worry.

Granted Lily doesn’t like getting her hands dirty so it hasn’t gone really well. Next time we’ll just put it directly on the table as she doesn’t seem to have a problem with getting the table dirty.

Pudding Finger Painting originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

However, we realized that the neighbors had a walking path down the hill that they kept well shoveled. It happened to be a little icy too and was perfect for sledding!

It’s great because there is just enough snow & ice to cover the grass, yet we didn’t have to plow through anything. The sides are high enough to keep the sled from veering off the path and it was easy to walk up. Win Win.

Sliding down a pre-shoveled path works great. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

We’ll Lily has completed her first round of medications. She had to take both eye drops and liquid meds and she did pretty well.

With the eye drops the trick was to turn her head to the left try to put them in the corner of her left eye, right by the tear duct. Once in, turn her head to the right and they’d slide right in. Then do the same for the other side.

This works really well except when your kid doesn’t want to be sitting there. Then it’s best to bribe them.

I’d give Lily the bottle of eye drops and she’d play with it for a few minutes. Then I’d take off the cap and give it to her while I put the drops in her eyes. It made it easier, but still not easy. However every little bit helps.

With the liquid medicine that had to be taken orally, she actually didn’t mind the taste, but she never remembered that. It was a struggle to get the first drop in, but after that, she was happy to eat the rest.

Again, bribing works well. Lily could have a few yogurt drops or some juice if she’d take the medication.

Also, Target has great syringes and bottle system that works really slick. I don’t know what other pharmacies do, but Target makes it easy to dispense, measure and give the meds.

No one said that giving medication to a little one would be easy, and it usually isn’t. But its learning a few tricks here and there that can make it easier on everyone.

Tips to giving medicine to your little ones. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

As parents, we should fuel our kids imagination by either playing along and/or doing what we can to help out.

VW has a great ad out right now that sums this all up very nicely.

Volkswagen Star Wars Commercial: The Force

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” – Jamie Paolinetti

Do your part to fuel your kids imagination. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

• A Cardboard Box – Lily loves the boxes that bring gifts in them more for the boxes than what’s inside.
• A Plastic Tub – You know, one of those storage tubs. Much like a cardboard box, it’s just fun to get in and out of. And this one won’t break as easy.
• Paper – Paper is great. You can use it to make noise, rip it into pieces and throw it all around.
• Shredded Paper – Why not kill two birds with one stone and shred some of those confidential documents you’ve been meaning to and then give the shreds to the kids? Making a mess has never been so fun!
• Old Cell Phone – Toy phones are fun, but having a real phone like Mom and Dad is even better. It doesn’t have to work either, but bonus points if it lights up and beeps.
• Music – iTunes is full of good music that is fun to dance to and little kids love to dance.
• You – Just spending time with your little ones is all they need or want. Who’s cooler than Mom and Dad?!

With toddlers it’s so easy. Their imagination will do all the work, all they need is something to play with. And that something doesn’t have to be expensive, or even come from a store.

Easy Last Minute Christmas Gifts for Toddlers originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

I don't have a drinking problem.

Once Lily turned one, the transition was on from bottles to sippy cups and from formula to whole milk. It took a couple of weeks, but she’s successfully transitioned.

The biggest thing to remember is to go slow. We fist started introducing sippy cups instead of bottles before we started transitioning milk.

We’d give Lily one for a snack every now and then so that she’d get use to sippy cups. She also got water or juice in them so, by the time we wanted to transition to milk, the cup wasn’t too big of an issue.

The biggest thing with sippy cups is that every cup is different. Some cups Lily likes, some she’s not so fond of. We have 6 different kinds of sippy cups and pretty much know now which ones she can drink out of easier than others. If we pick the wrong cup, Lily may not drink it at all, or not drink as much as we think she should. She is getting better about taking any cup though.

When transitioning milk, we started off by mixing formula in with the milk. Now the formula has to be liquid. Don’t try to mix powder into milk as that won’t work well.

We started with by mixing in 1/2 a cup for a few days, then 1/2 a bottle and so on. Increasing the amount of milk every few days and decreasing the amount of formula.

At first Lily didn’t like the milk, but it grew on her and after a couple of weeks, she had no issues with just milk. Now she just drinks it, no questions asked.

The transition from bottle to sippy cup and from formula to milk wasn’t that hard. It’s all about taking it slow and realizing that the first few encounters with milk probably won’t be the best, but eventually they learn to like it.

Successfully transitioned from formula to whole milk and bottles to sippy cups. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

She still wakes with a really full diaper, but it’s not like her pjs are wet. And since we started using them, we’ve only had one night where she woke up 2am and I think that was due to something different.

If you’ve got a baby who’s starting to wake up way too early in the morning, try some overnight diapers and see if they help. They worked wonders for us.

Overnight diapers help stop Lily from waking up at night. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

As new parents, we get so use to carrying the diaper bag, pushing a stroller and doing all those parent things that we almost forget what to do when we don’t have a kid.

It was weird to not be carrying or pushing something. There was no food on the floor or diapers to change. There was just the two of us, and it was fun!

We went out to dinner, saw a movie, spent a day at the Minnesota State Fair and just enjoyed each others company.

We had so much fun that we’re thinking of doing more than once a year.

Lily stayed with Christi’s parents and she had a blast. She missed us, but not in a way that made us feel guilty for leaving.

I think that all parents need to take time and be without the kids every once an a while. So find a babysitter and take the day, or weekend, and just spend it with your significant other. You’ll be glad you did.

Our first weekend away from Lily. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Airplane ride!

Last week was our first big vacation as a family. We packed everything up and flew out to San Diego; which is about a 4 hour flight.

Here are a few things I learned while traveling with a baby.

1. If you can, travel with your spouse. I couldn’t imagine having done this trip alone. From getting through security to entertaining the baby, having two people is better than one. If you can, travel with a third person too. We had one grandma come with us and the three to one ratio worked out well.
2. Think about time zones. This is one we never thought of, but California time is not the same as Minnesota time. If you can start adjusting sleep schedules before you go, that’ll help. Otherwise, be prepared to have a harder night the first day or two as your baby goes though the adjustment.
3. Dress for airport security. I for one didn’t do this well. I’ve been though security many times, but never with a stroller or a baby or baby food. My shoes were hard to take off, my belt was holding my pants up so when that came off I had to worry about my pants falling down. Overall, I could have dressed better.
4. Take baby food with you. The 3 ounce rule doesn’t apply to jarred baby food. We did have to tell security that we had it and it had to be taken out of the bag so it could get scanned/sniffed separately. But overall it wasn’t an issue. So do take it with you.
5. Feed the baby on takeoff and landing. This worked out really well for us. Lily had a bottle at takeoff and ate poofs while landing. Because of this, she didn’t have any issues with the changing air pressure and her ears.
6. Let them sleep on the airplane. What’s a better way to pass the time than sleeping? Work with your little one to ensure they don’t get their nap until just after takeoff. Lily slept 3 out of 4 hours on our return flight and it was wonderful.
7. Make time to play. On vacation, sometimes it’s just go go go. If you do that too much, you’ll end up with a crabby baby who just wants to play with you and their toys. Make some time in the mornings and evenings where they can just be free to play.
8. Use painters tape to cover outlets in the hotel. Instead of worrying about little fingers getting into the outlets, take painters tape to cover them up. Goes on easy, comes off clean and works great!
9. Take lots of toys. Any distractions are good, and you’ll need a variety. In the air or on the ground, finding something to distract your child is very important.
10. Relax. Chances are it’s not as bad as you think it’s going to be. Our first flight was very good and we survived traveling with an active 11 month old.

Overall, the thought of traveling with a baby is probably worse than the actual event as long as you prepare yourself and your child.

10 Things I learned while traveling with a baby. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

So tired

So how did we do it?

First, we cut down her nap time. She was sleeping twice a day a daycare and sleeping 1.5 hours each time. We cut that down to 1 hour at a time and it helped quite a bit.

Second, we fed her more. She’s a growing girl and an empty stomach makes her unhappy. A few extra ounces of milk, or spoonfuls of food, for dinner or before bed has helped.

Third, we take her into her room, close the door and rock her. There are less distractions, no other people or pets and it helps her focus on sleeping.

Lily has been doing much better at going to sleep and I’ve put her to bed a few times in the past week. Maybe it’s all a coincidence, but I like to think I figured something out.

Have I found the secret to putting babies to sleep? originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Fireworks

Here it is 4th of July weekend and we’ve got no plans, which is a good thing, however fireworks are pretty much out for this year.

Now I love fireworks, and I’m not a fan of sitting inside on the 4th when they are going on, but I’m not taking Lily to see them this year.

She’s just a baby and between the loud noises & bugs, sitting outside at night just doesn’t seem like a good ideas. Plus it’ll be 2 hours after her bedtime.

Lily’s first 4th of July fireworks may have to wait another year or two. Instead, we’ll watch them on TV or Mom and I will watch them from our deck. The only downside there is we’ll only be able to see the ones high enough to make it over all the trees. We’re close, but not that close.

If you do choose to take your baby to 4th of July fireworks, here are a few things to think about.

• Spray bug spray on things around them, or get a candle. I’m not sure, but bug spray on a baby might not be a good idea.
• Park close enough that you can sit and watch them in your car. That’ll help keep bugs and noise out.
• Find a friend with a home close enough to the action so you can watch them from the inside.
• Put up a tent to help keep the bugs out.
• Realize that there will be plenty more 4ths in the future and missing one isn’t so bad.

How do you take a baby to 4th of July fireworks? originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Baby can’t sleep? Well, they’re probably teething.

Fussy? They’re teething.

Spitting up? Teething.

Doesn’t want to go to bed? Teething.

Looking at you funny? Teething.

Rips books apart with the teeth they have? Must be teething more.

Poops a lot? That’s not teething. That’s just normal.

See, you can just blame teething for just about everything. Give it a try. It works wonders.

Whatever it is, just blame it on teething. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Not a Car Seat

Over the weekend we installed our second, non-infant, car seat. Lily is finally outgrowing her first one and so we’ve got a big new fancy one. I swear it’s more comfortable than the rest of the seats in the car.

Anyway, installing car seats is a pain. But I realized that instead of just pushing down on the car seat with your hand, like the instructions say, if you actually put your shoulder against the car seat and put your weight into it, it you can push it down much farther, and do a better job of securing it into place.

Still, I worry that it’s not installed as good as it should be, but I’m at a loss of how to get it any tighter. It’s not going anywhere, but I worry any way as they say most car seats are not installed correctly.

Either way, now we have to figure out how to get her in and out in the car as it seems like a tight fit. I like the idea of not having to lug the carrier around, but then again, that means I’m now the carrier!

We also have to figure out how to get mom to see her. In the last car seat, we had mirrors setup so that mom could see Lily at all times. This seat is to big and mom can’t see Lily, but Lily can see the cars behind her!

Ahh the fun of car seats.

When installing a car seat, put your shoulder into it. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Here is what we did that seemed to work well.

Talk to them about the coming baby.
What? We did. Whether or not they listened or understood is a different story. We also let them see the babies room and be a part of the preparations. Keeping secrets from your pets before the baby even arrives is not starting out on the right foot.

Introduce them right away.
In our first moments home from the hospital, the cats got to see and smell Lily. We didn’t force them, we just let them take a peak at their own connivence.  It’s important that they investigate the new baby on their own terms so they don’t feel threatened.

Don’t forget about the pets!
This one is hard, but you still need to find time to pet the cats (or dogs), talk to them and play with them. They are going to feel left out if you don’t make some attempt to interact with them. Our cats didn’t get as much attention as before, but we tried to make time for them.

Let them interact.
After a few weeks, or months, we started to let the cats and Lily interact. That could be with a quick petting, or just looking at each other while sitting close. Again, it’s about learning about each other and be careful not to force anything.

As time goes by, Lily and the cats get more comfortable together. One of our cats won’t let Lily get closer than a foot, unless mom or dad is right there too, while the other one will let Lily pull his hair. Granted we are working on learning how to pet, not pull.

It’s going to take time and I think the cats and Lily will have lots of fun as she grows up. However the introduction has to be slow and you can’t force anything on the cats or the baby.

There is enough love to go around, it’s just about being patient and keeping everyone involved.

Introducing Pets To A New Baby originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

Lily Waking Up

I’m constantly amazed at the stages babies go though and how quickly they pass.

When Lily was born it took work to put her to sleep and she’d be up every two hours or so.

After about two months she was easier to put down and sleeping a few hours at a time.

Then it got to the point where we only got up once at night.

Then she started sleeping all the way though the night, as long as you could get her to go to bed which took a bit of work sometimes.

Now, at almost 9 months, she goes down pretty easy and stays asleep. Just now I fumbled her as I put her in her crib. I didn’t drop her, but I was sure she’d wake right up; but she didn’t. Not even a peep. When her head hit the mattress she just rolled over and went back to sleep. Amazing.

For all new parents that are struggling with the sleepless nights, they’ll go by fast and pretty soon your baby will be sleeping like an angel.

The amazing sleep patterns of babies. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

You want something small and easy to use as you’ll be taking lots of photos. You’ll want to be able to carry it around in your pocket, pull it out quickly and take a picture of most everything.

Plus, with digital camera, you can take LOTS of photos and then only print out the ones you want. Or take photos of random moments in hopes of getting that perfect shot. I can’t tell you how many bad pictures I have, but I have three times as many great ones!

What we usually do is import all our photos into iPhoto and then select the ones we want printed out, put them on a USB flash drive and take them to Target to print out. Messing with a photo printer is not high on my list of things to worry about. Instead let Target, Wal-Mart or another store do the printing.

It’s also nice if your digital camera can do video so you can record events as they happen. It may not be as good of quality as a regular video camera, but the small size and portability make up for it. Plus the video in most digital cameras are getting much better.

So when you’re out buying a crib, car seat, diapers, clothes and tons of other baby stuff, don’t forget a good digital camera. Those pictures will be around long after the everything else and will be one thing that you’ll cherish the most.

Every parent needs a good digital camera. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

The idea is simple, if you freak out, your baby freaks out. They look to you for comfort and if the look on your face is OMG you’re gonna die that only makes it worse. Who knows, you might scar them for life.

If your baby bumps their head on something and starts to cry, tell them it’s OK and smile at them. Its even OK to laugh a little. Chances are, the comfort you provide in your body language will calm them right down.

Babies have to learn how to move and how to do things on their own. As they do so, they’ll get bumps, small scratches, and things like that. It is inevitable. What matters even more is how you react and handle the situation.

I’ve done this a few times with Lily and it has worked wonders. She went from crying to fine in no time once I smiled and told her there was nothing to worry about.

So relax, enjoy your time together and realize that things happen. That’s life.

They’re fine. Just relax a little. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com

• The Digital Camera – You’re going to be taking an insane amount of pictures, especially if it’s your first baby, so having a camera handy is a necessity.
• The Photo App – You’ll need to show off all those pictures right? Well the iPhone can showcase thousands of photos for showing grandparents and friends.
• The Internet – Going to the store isn’t always quick and simple with a baby, but hopping online and ordering anything at anytime is.
• The Video Camera – If pictures are worth a thousand words, how much is video worth? Point, click, record!
• Email – Send an email to mom, forward a picture to an aunt, or just keep in touch.
• Twitter & Facebook – Handy for keeping up with your friends & family and for getting advice.
• The Map App – Now that you have a kid, you may just find your self going to places you’ve never been. Like the children’s museum.
• The Music – Whether it’s for mom, dad or the baby, the iPod can put babies to sleep or keep the parents energized.
• The Games – Because you’ll be visiting the doctors office more & more and you’ll need to kill some time.
• The Apps – Chances are, out of  thousands iPhone apps, there will be more than a few to help simplify your life. You can even get apps to create white noise, track diaper usage, and even turn your iPhone into a baby monitor!
• The Flashlight – Sure it may seem like a stupid app now, but when its dark and you wish you had a flashlight handy, it’ll seem really cool then.
• The Phone – Of course the phone will be uber handy when calling the grandparents and, well, everyone!

Now I know not everyone can afford iPhone, or likes AT&T, so there are other phones out there that can probably do most of the things noted above.

Myself, I have an iPod Touch. It can’t quite do all 12 items, but it can do enough to get me by.

If you’re going to be a new parent, it may be a good idea to invest in an iPhone. You’ll be glad you did!

12 reasons why every parent needs an iPhone. originally posted at http://www.twistermc.com