If you are expecting or have recently had a baby, there’s a brand new app from Tommee Tippee that’s totally free and worth checking out.

The Day Baby Was Born is a simple but elegant application for recording the journey from thin pink line to the birth event.

You’ll never forget the intimate moments of your little one’s arrival, but this app does all the hard work of clearing through that new mum fog afterwards.

It automatically captures data including the day’s top news stories, sites you visit, and well wishes from friends and family on Facebook.

The app transforms your memories into a personalised storybook that you can print out and flick through later (with tissues at the ready).

I wish I’d had this app when my two boys were born, but there’s nothing to stop you from going back and making one for older kids.

In fact, this could become a fun cross-generational project – I’d love to sit with my mum and create an online storybook from my first day on earth!

Today I became the mother of a 6 year old, and reviewing this app made me reflect on my own experience.

The Day that Ezra was Born

Six years on, where has the time flown?

Looking back, so much fades to black, even the memory of labour pain dulls with time.

What I recall seems random: watching some movie on my laptop, while the first wave of induced contractions kicked in. The midwife telling me to ‘walk around more’ to get things going, because I didn’t seem to be ‘in enough agony’ yet to be transferred to the delivery ward.

The shock of water breaking, ruining my husband’s slippers. OH sucking on the gas and air while I watched Ezra’s heartbeat zig and zag on the monitor.

Feeling desolate when told I’d have to be cut open after all. The overwhelming, almost laugh-out-loud relief of epidural.

Dose after dose of anaesthetic. ‘Yes, I can still feel…’

‘Oh well, we’ve given you as much as we can give you. Let’s just proceed and see how it goes.’ Excuse me?!

Writing makes things clearer but, truth is, it’s all a trick of the light except this: Ezra in my arms, coming sharply into focus. Six years on, I can still smell his baby skin, feel his 9 pounds of solid against my chest.

The first text I sent out to friends and family said we were thrilled to bits with our ‘chilled-out little star’.

That’s Ezra to this day – not always chilled but naturally cool.

Happy Birthday, gorgeous boy.

Visit The Day Baby Was Born to see a sample or start your own digital storybook

It’s raining, it’s pouring, it’s cloudy… well, it’s London, innit?

Cheer up love! Put a little sunshine in your pocket with these brilliant iPhone apps (and iPad apps) to help you get the best of London. Brolly or not, here we come!

Getting Around

London Bus Checker (£1.99)
Find nearest stops, routes and schedules to the minute. Nothing short of genius.

Hailo – The Black Cab App (FREE)
Don’t hang out with your thumb out, get a cab wherever you are, pay cash or card (no hidden fees).

Tube Map (FREE)
Fastest routes, problems on the line, it’s all packed into this handy app.

Yell for Bikes (FREE)
Where to bag your nearest Boris bike.

Traffic View London (FREE)
See what roads are clear or blocked with traffic cameras on your iPhone.

Out & About

Weather Time London (£0.69)
Find out what’s up, before you head out the door.

Toiluxe (0.69)
Find clean and luxe toilets around town, essential if you’re with child (bump or babe)!

Arts & Culture

Riverside London – South Bank, Bankside and London Bridge
What’s hot and happening in our favourite part of town.

Streetmuseum™: Londinium – Thumbspark Limited (FREE)
Explore Roman London with the Museum of London’s app.

Banksy London Tour (£1.99)
Discover surviving masterpieces from the notorious street art renegade.

London Music Mapp (FREE)
The sound of the city, from classical concerts to grime scenes.

SecretLondon (£0.69)
Hidden gems and best kept secrets.

Shop & Eat

Best Sandwiches London (£0.69)
Get your chops around the city’s top gourmet sandwiches. (also see Best Burgers London)

London on a plate (FREE)
Hunt down London’s finest cuisine, fashion and furniture shops.

London Shopping Guide (£0.69)
Window shopping, app-style, from Harrods to Dover St market.

London’s Best Coffee (£1.49)
A must-have for caffeine junkies.

Fun & Games

Pollock’s Toy Theatre (£2.99)
Create your own Victorian theatre, based on the famous Pollock’s Toy Shop in WC2.

BigBen (£0.69)
Turn your iPhone into a pocket version of the clock tower.

What are your favourite London apps?

This week in our Raise Your Game series, we have a brilliant piece from the fabulous Jo of Slummy Single Mummy on the juggling act of working from home.

Jo flies solo as a mother of two, a blogger and a freelance writer and has some great tips on keeping your eye on the prize, even when daytime telly’s calling!

Working from home is often seen as the dream scenario – you can stay snugly in your pyjamas on cold days, break for tea and biscuits whenever you fancy it, and even have This Morning on in the background should that float your boat.

Working from home, especially if you are self-employed, also gives you more flexibility for family life, and eliminates the need for the commute, saving you precious time and money.

The reality however can be a little less idyllic, and careful planning is needed to make an at-home gig work for you.

Stay Focused
It can be very tempting when you’re working from home to get distracted with other jobs around the house, especially if you’re prone to procrastination. You may be saved from interruptions from colleagues, but at home it’s more likely to be domestic appliances demanding your attention. ‘I’ll just pop this washing on,’ you think to yourself, and before you know it you’re halfway through the washing up and no work has been done.

Hot Tip: To help me get down to work, I keep an egg timer on my desk. I decide on a manageable chunk of time – normally about 20 minutes – and choose one task to focus on for that time. I often find I just need this as a kick start, and before I know it I’m an hour in and have got loads done already.

Define your Workspace
This isn’t always easy, and many people don’t have the luxury of a separate room just for work, but if possible do try to create an area of the house just for you, even if it’s just a small desk under the stairs.

Having this physical space helps to create boundaries, and will make it easier to walk away from work at the end of the day – quite literally. It can also help make it clear to other members of the family when you are working, and shouldn’t be disturbed.

Be Firm with Friends
For some reason, friends and family seem to think that if you work from home you must always be available for coffee/lunch/random chats. It can be difficult to say no to visitors, but you need to make sure they respect the fact that although you may be at home, you are still actually at work. Part of this is ensuring that you value your own work time and respect work/home boundaries. If you are clear with yourself, other people will quickly pick up on this.

Sort Out Childcare
Getting anything done at all with a toddler in tow is practically impossible, so don’t feel bad about calling on friends and family for childcare support.

“I really want to put my son into nursery for a day a week,” one friend told me recently, “but I don’t feel I can justify it when I’m only at home.”

You must justify it! You wouldn’t think of taking a child to the office with you would you? Prioritise work at home as you would any job. Alternatively, think about how you can structure your working day around your children.

Maybe you’re an early riser, and could have a very productive hour before they wake up? Or perhaps you’re a night owl and work well when everyone else is in bed? The beauty of working for yourself and working at home is that you have the flexibility to plan your day in a way that suits you.

Stay Social
While you do want to stay focused while you’re working, it is important that you don’t become a total recluse, biscuit crumbs covering the front of your pyjamas, so schedule in time to get out and about.

Making sure you regularly meet clients or colleagues outside of your home can be a way to do this, or if your work is more remote, you could think about sharing office space.

There are plenty of places that offer options for ad hoc hotdesking, so if you don’t want to commit to anything, but fancy a day or two a week away from home, this could be a great solution.

Respect Family Time
I am terrible at this one, so this is very much a case of do as I say, not as I do. When you work from home, the temptation just to ‘do a bit of work’ when you’re supposed to be spending time with your partner or children can be overwhelming, and pulling my phone out to quickly check emails when we’re out and about leads to much eye rolling from my kids.

Learn from my mistakes and be clear about the difference between work and home time. Although you may feel you need to respond to things straight away, you really don’t. Remember that time before mobile phones? Businesses still managed to run didn’t they?

Enjoy It!
So far I seem to have painted a rather doom and gloom picture of working from home, so I want to end on a positive note. Working from home is fantastic, if it’s right for you. You do need to be self-motivated, clear about your boundaries, and stay on top of your time-management, but you do get to stay in your pyjamas if you want to.

And who doesn’t love a bit of daytime TV and a Hobnob now and again?

Do you work from home? What are your coping strategies?

Swagger.

I can’t even spell it, but mama says I’ve got it in spades.

Anyone can see I love to pose. I was dancing here, at the London A Cappella Festival last weekend and Mummy snapped me mid-flow.

It was a fun afternoon at King’s Place, there were people breaking out in song all over. This is one of our top spots to kick about – it’s not soft play exactly, but there’s usually something happening that kids can enjoy too.

And the floors are good for running and sliding.

Like my look? Dad said the jacket pattern’s a bit ‘Van Halen’ but Mum thinks it’s rocking.

Jacket by Nike (from my big friend Marcus).

Cord trousers by Gap.

Trainers by Puma.

Oh yeah, and swagger by Jed.

Editor’s note: Background painting is of filmmaker Isaac Julien, part of a really cool portrait series of famous graduates of Central Saint Martins arts school. If you’re in the area, do check it out!

Don’t miss Trendy Toddler Tuesday on Mummy’s Busy World every week!

Is 2012 the year you’re finally going to become that slimmer, kinder, fitter, richer, more organised and generally more fabulous version of yourself that you’ve always dreamed of?

Quit fantasising, and take active steps in the right direction with a little help from technology.

We can’t promise you miraculous changes, but these apps might help you stay on track. All are available on iTunes for iPad and/or iPod Touch and iPhone.

GOALS AND ORGANISATION

1. Healthy Habits (A health & happiness app) (FREE)
Change your life, one habit at a time.

2. Unstuck (FREE)
A virtual coach for figuring out and overcoming stuck moments in life.

3. Daily Routine (£1.99)
Organise your work, home and family life into helpful routines, integrated with calendar.

4. Paperless: Lists + Checklists (£1.99)
Ditch the notepads for this simple but powerful list-making app.

5. Weave (FREE)
Manage various strands of your life – work, family, projects – in one handy tool.

BODY AND FITNESS

6. Nike Training Club (FREE)
The personal trainer in your pocket (or tablet), with custom celeb workouts!

7. All-in Pedometer (£1.49)
Make all that strolling count with accurate pedometer plus optional playlists.

8. My Days – Period & Ovulation Tracker (FREE)
Family planning? Try this 5-star rated tool for tracking your fertility.

9. Beauty Genius by Marie Claire (FREE)
Learn trade secrets for instant glamour, including photo and video tutorials.

10. Eye Check by Boots Opticians (FREE)
Test your specs appeal with this fun and handy app.

MIND AND WELLBEING

11. Live Happy (0.69)
Daily happiness boosters, scientifically-proven.

12. iStart Chinese! (Absolute Beginner Mandarin Course) (or Japanese/Spanish/German) (£2.99 each)
Get your tongue round a new lingo for the New Year.

13. TED (FREE)
Free inspirational lectures from hundreds of thought leaders.

14. buddhify (£1.99)
Mindfulness-based meditation for people on the move.

15. Sleep Cycle alarm clock (£0.69)
Be awakened gently in the light phase of your sleep (if the babes don’t wake you first)!

MONEY AND LIFESTYLE

16. ShopSavvy (Barcode Scanner and QR Code Reader) (FREE)
Compare prices in thousands of stores to find the best deal.

17. Budget Wise (FREE)
See where your money goes and stop frittering away cash.

18. BillMinder for iPhone (£1.49)
Take charge of household bills and other expenses.

19. Paprika Recipe Manager (£2.99)
Plan your meals, download recipes, add your own, grocery lists and more.

20. Closet – Clothing Organized (£1.99)
Get your kit sorted and avoid last-minute fashion emergencies.

USEFUL TOOLS

21. Battery Doctor Pro (£0.69)
Boost and extend the battery life of your device.

22. CamScanner Free (FREE)
Put a scanner in your pocket with this super useful iPhone app.

23. WeatherPro (£2.99)
Fab forecasting tool with more than 2 million locations worldwide.

24. Softsign (0.69)
Sign documents with your finger or stylus, no need to print out!

25. iTorch4 Flashlight (FREE)
Turn your iPhone into a torch. Simply brilliant.

What apps help you get your act together?

Image from Unstuck app

We’re taking part in the BritMums and British Gas Smart Mums Watt Loss Challenge Linky.

The idea is to take a photo demonstrating how you and your family save energy at home.

One smart move we made a while back was to switch to Energy Saver light bulbs. Low watt bulbs cost more than average but use five times less electricity than your standard bulb. Plus they have an eight-year life span so are actually a bright investment.

For my Linky entry, I decided to snap the babes with a couple of our energy saving bulbs. Cue Jedi robe and lightsabre pose.

The picture’s titled ‘Light Savers’. Please note: no actual bulbs (or babes) were harmed in the taking of this photo!

Take part in the Watt Loss Challenge for a chance to win fab prizes.

How’s the New Year shaping up for you so far?

Last year, I chose a one-word resolution, inspired by a simple but powerful concept I’d read on Gretchen Rubin’s web site, the Happiness Project.

My word for 2011 was ‘Celebrate’ and if all you had to go on were the photos of yours truly out and about (raising various glasses in the air) you could say it was a good year.

For 2012, my theme is simply Raise Your Game.

I’m feeling this theme because not only does it have a certain London 2012 Olympics grandeur but it’s a statement of intent that rings true for me and for this blog. It’s one of the original mottos for Babes about Town:

‘Our mission is to inspire you to Raise your Game – both as a parent and as a play partner for your kids, your friends, your other half and your Inner Babe.’

So what does it mean to me?

It’s all about being more playful, more joyful, more proactive. It’s about doing what you’re good at and doing what you love, then kicking things up a notch. It’s about having a competitive edge without ever forgetting the importance of teamwork.

To that end, I’m launching this theme as a brand new series/category on Babes about Town where I’ll explore How to Raise your Game and invite guest authors to share their own tricks and techniques.

If you believe that 2012 will be a game-changing year, please join me on this journey.

Send me your articles/insider tips, or just come hang out for a mix of brilliant ideas, challenging topics and plenty of fun along the way.

In the interests of full disclosure, I have to admit that my other half nearly choked on his dinner when I revealed I’d been selected as a Smart Mums energy conservation ambassador for BritMums and British Gas.

I’m not exactly a model of energy efficiency, unless you count the ability to keep a home, two kids and several side projects going while barely out of my PJs.

Still, I’m thrilled to be part of this campaign and discovering ways to save energy is a brilliant challenge for our household as we look forward to the New Year. I’m hoping it will rub off on other areas and we’ll become more efficient all round.

The government plans for all British homes to have smart meters installed by 2019. British Gas is leading the way in installing smart meters in customers’ homes (in advance of a government goal of all British homes having them by 2019) as a way of helping us more effectively monitor and hopefully reduce our energy usage and costs.

As a Smart Mum, my goal is to encourage mine and other families to make smarter choices about how we use energy.

To kick things off, here are some steps you can take to enlist the kids as part of your energy-saving crack team.

Talk their Talk
Hit kids with phrases like ‘energy efficiency’ and their eyes get instant double glazing. Make it a conversation, not a lecture, and use concepts they can understand easily. Like the movie Cars.

If Lightning McQueen left his engine running too long before a race, what would happen?
“He’d run out of power,” Ezra said.

And then what?
“He’d lose!” Jed cried.

So what should he do instead?
“Turn his engine off until it’s time to go!”

Engine = power = energy. A lightbulb moment for the babes.

Assign Special Roles
I went one step further and gave the boys super powers – after all, they’re doing their bit to save the planet. Ezra is ‘Super Saver’ and he gets to double check all the lights, game consoles and other appliances are off when we don’t need them. Jed is ‘Saver Boy’ and his special task is to stop switching on the dishwasher and washing machine when they’re empty (a major challenge).

He’s also practising by taking responsibility for his toys – e.g. switching off the play kitchen after making the thousandth batch of ‘alphabet soup’.

Use Incentives
I’m creating a ‘Power Savers’ reward chart for the boys where they get stickers for efforts like putting on an extra layer (so we don’t have to turn up the heating). If they earn enough stickers, they get a treat like a special outing or a new book. Definitely no rewards that require batteries or plugs!

Be a Smart Example
I was chatting with the boys at bedtime about power saving when Ezra noted: “Mum, you’ve left all the lights on downstairs!” Oops.

There’s no point yakking on about energy wastage while the tap’s running behind you. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be trying harder to reduce my carbon footprint so that I can proudly walk the Smart Mum walk.

How about you?

Find out more about smart meters and how they can help you save energy and costs.

Hey folks, it’s Jed. Today I’m taking part in my homie Little M’s swanky new blog-hop called Trendy Toddler Tuesday.

It’s all about babes with style, so you know I had to represent. Mama finally got her act together and snapped some pics of me on my first day back at nursery.

I’ve been rocking the H&M hat out and about for the past week because I think I look cool (and it keeps my ears warm).

The jumper’s from H&M too, mum says it reminds her of Cookie Monster – and so do I!

Turned-up jeans from Baby Gap.

Shoes from Next (just £7 in the January sale).

Biker jacket by Zara Kids, by way of my big bro Ezra.

Mum says the jacket’s not a hand-me-down, it’s (kid) vintage!

Do you know a toddler with great taste in fashion? Join in with this link-up every Tuesday on Mummy’s Busy World.

This funky cardboard stool caught my eye as I was passing the windows of Gill Wing gift shop on Upper St, N1. I was drawn to the bright colours and graphic print.

And such a simple yet innovative concept. Basically it’s a cardboard box that you can put together or pack flat in minutes, and use as a stool or side table (but not for storage).

Made by German design company Remember, the corrugated cardboard stool is eco-conscious, space-saving and a definite conversation piece.

It takes up to 200kg and comes with a special widget inside that keeps it from falling apart.

There are loads of adult designs (I’m feeling the Graffiti and the Globetrotter) and they also make 2 colourful styles for kids.

Or you could make a cardboard stool yourself, if you’re box clever.

Remember Cardboard Stools, priced from around £23 are on sale at Gill Wing, Amazon and other stockists. Visit www.remember.de/en