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

We’ll be whooping it up in style at Disco Loco this weekend, here’s what else is on for London kids and families.

ALL WEEKEND
Thu-Sun: Art by Animals (pictured) at Grant Museum of Zoology, Rockefeller Building, UCL, University St, WC1 (Euston tube)
Marvel at the handiwork of apes, elephants and other creatures and explore what distinguishes ‘art’ from nonsense. 1-5pm, FREE (until Mar 9)

Thu-Sun: Storytelling with Rachel Rose and Nell Phoenix at Selfridges, Oxford St, W1 (Bond St tube)
Fall under the spell of storytellers who have enchanted audiences at the Secret Garden Party and Burning Man Festival (Rose) and Sydney Opera House (Phoenix). Hear and share tales to inspire kids and adults alike. 11am-1pm (daily), 12-2pm (Sun), FREE (until Feb 5)

SATURDAY
Sat: Family Day: Model Your World at Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High St, E1 (Aldgate East tube)
Go on an artist trail around the gallery, then join in drawing and sculptural workshops to create a 3D landscape model and animate it to its own soundtrack. 12-4pm, drop-in; FREE

Sat: Comic Strip Bookmarks at Foundling Museum, 40 Brunswick Square, WC1 (Russell Square tube)
Be inspired by the exhibition Quentin Blake: As Large as Life (running until Apr 15) and make a cool comic strip bookmark to give as a gift or save for yourself. For ages 3-12. 1-4pm, FREE (book ahead 020 7841 3600) (Feb 4)

SUNDAY
Sun: Chinese New Year at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 (Shoreditch High St overground)
The party’s still on for the Year of the Dragon at this family day of folk dance, string music performances, calligraphy, paper-cutting and Chinese watercolour workshops, food and stalls. 11.30am-4.30pm, FREE (Feb 5)

Sun: Little Bookniks at Jewish Museum, Raymond Burton House, 129-131 Albert St, NW1 (Camden tube)
Enjoy a day of laughter, stories, puppetry, film and music with Where the Wild Things Are screening and workshop, rip-roaring poetry, author/illustrator James Mayhew and his magic suitcase and more family fun. 10am-4.30pm, £3-£5 per event (Feb 5)

LOCAL PICK
Sun: Not So Silent Movies at King’s Place, 90 York Way, N1 (King’s Cross tube)
Stephen Warbeck (Shakespeare in Love, Billy Elliot) is this month’s guest composer providing the live soundtrack to a classic black and white flick starring comic heroes like Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. 3pm; £12.50/£9.50 online savers (Feb 5)

Visit our February Calendar for more top family activities and events

Happy Birthday to ya, February babes! We love this month as not only are there three anniversaries to celebrate (we made it a hat trick on poor papa), but the Muppets are back and can we forget Love is in the air?

Leap into the month ahead with our top London family activities and events.

David Shrigley: Brain Activity at Southbank Centre, SE1 (Feb 1-May 13)
Tales from the Shed Spring Season at Chickenshed Theatre, Southgate, N14 (Feb 3-Mar 24)
National Storytelling Week, venues across London (until Feb 4)
Tropical Extravaganza at Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey TW9 (Feb 4-Mar 4)
Leonardo Da Vinci at National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2 (until Feb 5)
Red Riding Hood at Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 (Feb 8-19)
The Muppets, in cinemas nationwide (Feb 10)
Imagine Children’s Festival at Southbank Centre, SE1 (Feb 10-26)
Circlets Family Disco at Stratford Circus, Theatre Sq, Stratford E15 (Feb 11)
LolliBop Mini Disco at Ministry of Sound, 103 Gaunt St, Elephant & Castle, SE1 (Feb 12)
Cirque du Soleil: Totem, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, SW7 (until Feb 16)
Shrek the Musical at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane WC2 (until Feb 19)
Great Spitalfields Pancake Race at Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 (Feb 21)
The Big Egg Hunt, across London (Feb 21-Apr 13)
The Baby Show at ExCel London, 1 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 (Feb 24-26)
Disco Kids at the Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 (Feb 26)

Ongoing
Magic Worlds at V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, E2 (until Mar 4)
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 (until Mar 11)
Welcome to Monsterville at Discover Story Centre, Stratford E16 (until Mar)
David Hockney at Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, W1 (until Apr 9)
Matilda the Musical, Cambridge Theatre, WC2 (until Oct 21)

Calendar Cutie
The blue-eyed belle above is Emilia, pictured just 6 days after celebrating her 1st birthday. Emilia’s favourite hobby is looking at board books, especially those with peekaboo flaps. ‘She also likes shaking maracas at music class!’ says mum Tina.

Send in your favourite photos of your babes (ages 5 and under) for a chance to be our next Calendar Cutie and be entered into a prize draw! Email photos and a short description to editor@babesabouttown.com

Anybody who follows us knows the babes love to boogie.

We’ve bopped at Baby Loves Disco, waved our hands at Hip Hop Babies with Charlie Dark and this February half-term, you’ll find us four to the floor at Ministry of Sound for the LolliBop Mini Disco.

Both boys and mama share Birthday Month in February, with Ezra kicking off the celebrations at Disco Loco this weekend.

We’d heard great things about East London’s monthly family groove and couldn’t wait to check it out last November.

Disco Loco is a laid-back affair that welcomes ravers from crawlers upwards and features a busking room, occasional main stage acts, and regular guest DJs spinning funky tunes.

Ezra and Jed were soon in their element, throwing crazy shapes and bending low for the limbo.

Host Chu-E and DJs Emily and Reverend Milo Speedwagon kept the main crowd bubbling over, while a double bassist and his mini accompanist made the bar swing.

We stuffed our faces with popcorn, samosas and yummy cupcakes from Little Tart and partied until they swept us out the door.

Good times.

Wardrobe check: Lightning McQueen (Ezra) and Spiderman (Jed) outfits – both H&M

And a special Trendy Toddler shout out to Baxter below, very Mariachi chic!

On the Spot
Ane Larsen and Baxter, age 3
‘We live in Stoke Newington and had come once before. We heard about Disco Loco through a friend. It’s just a great idea and a place where I can have fun with my son, as well as have a dance and a drink!’

Disco Loco runs monthly, now at Core Arts on Homerton High St, E9, next event on Feb 5, 3-6pm, £3 entry, babies-in-arms FREE. Visit www.discoloco.org

Look out for more photos from our Disco Loco outing on our Facebook Page

Don’t forget to check out Trendy Toddler Tuesday at Mummy’s Busy World every week!

Did that get your attention? It certainly got ours.

We hotfooted it down to Westfield Shepherd’s Bush last weekend where we were met by the most glorious sight: a giant chocolate fountain in the foyer. And when I say giant, I mean to the roof.

It was pure Willy Wonka meets chocoholic fantasy.

The launch of the Joyville Magnificent Musical Chocolate Fountain was organised by Cadbury (Joyville is the mystical place where Cadbury’s chocolate is made, didn’t you know?) as part of their ‘joy’ movement – spreading happiness nationwide.

The scene at Westfield was like some strange chocolate secret society, with visitors donning purple hooded robes for the ‘induction’ (or possibly so we didn’t get our finest splattered in cocoa).

We were led around the bubbling fountain by the jolly Joyville team and given the inside scoop on how the joyous stuff is piped around the country.

There were cups of chocolate for tasting and a quirky dance performance by Camp Joyville. Camp indeed.

We left with massive grins and a goodie bag weighed down with a 1kg Cadbury’s Dairy Milk bar.

That’s us sorted until the Easter Bunny arrives!

The Joyville Chocolate Fountain will be touring the nation in 2012, heading to Manchester next. Keep an eye on the web site to see if it’s popping up near you soon!

It’s a weekend to celebrate, as we Enter (the Year of the) Dragon and Londoners get down in Chinatown. Happy New Year!

Hot Pick

Sun: Chinese New Year Celebrations, Chinatown, Shaftesbury Ave and Trafalgar Square (Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square tubes)
Spectacular Dragon dancing, Lion parade, acrobatics and more kick off the Year of Colin Farrell, Salvador Dali and other famous Dragons. There will be speeches, music and performances on the Trafalgar Square main stage and Chinese cuisine to enjoy. 10am (parade), 12-6pm (activities); FREE (Jan 29)

Sat: Hackney Children’s Variety Show- St John at Hackney Church, Lower Clapton Rd, E5 (Hackney Central overground)
Danny and his amazing balloons, jugglers, acrobats and a Tiny Travelling Tightwire Show are all part of the exciting action at this one off family special. 10am & 11.30am, £3 (Jan 28)

Sat-Sun: What a Wonderful World at Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Sq, King St, W6 (Hammersmith tube)
Another highly interactive show from Lyngo lets kids imagine what it’s like to create a new day from scratch. For ages 2-5. 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm & 2pm; £8/family £30; optional Messy Play activities 15 mins after each show (£11 with ticket). (Jan 28-29)

Sat-Sun: Walk London: Winter Wanders Weekend, various locations
Put your best foot forward on one of more than 50 free led walks, including the London of Oscar Wilde and Hidden Secrets for London, funded by Transport for London. Most trails are family-friendly but check ahead. From around 10am, FREE (Jan 28-29)

Sun: Laura Veirs sings from Tumble Bee at V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 (Bethnal Green tube)
Come along for an afternoon of folk & roll as singer-songwriter Veirs sings from her children’s album Tumble Bee, featuring works by Harry Belafonte and Woody Guthrie. All ages. 4-4.30pm, drop-in; FREE (Jan 29)

Local Pick

Sat: Puppetry at Parasol, 14 Wharf Rd, N1 (Angel tube)
Join a member of the London School of Puppetry at this family workshop where you can see a professional string-puller in action and make your own puppet. For ages 4-8. 2.30-4pm, drop-in (booking advised): £3 (Jan 28)

Image source: www.imagerelax.com

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?

She said she wanted to take a picture of me for Trendy Toddler Tuesday so I gave her my best Zoolander pose.

She was telling me to raise my head but I was too busy thinking about lunch.

Then I finally looked up and wow, look at all those lanterns. They’re beautiful! Like big paper footballs I want to reach up and kick (Arsenal)!

Chinatown is very colourful and smells delicious. We walked past stalls selling dragon masks to celebrate the Year of the Dragon and one man gave me a red balloon that said Happy Chinese New Year.

Everybody gets to be an animal in the Chinese horoscope.

Mum says I’m an Ox and that my stripy wellies are hot to trot!

Trousers – H&M
Jacket (as before) – Zara Kids
Boots – Next

Kung Hei Fat Choy – Happy Chinese New Year!

Don’t forget to check out Little M’s Trendy Toddler Tuesday every week on Mummy’s Busy World!

For this mama, it was teaching my babes the chorus from Rapper’s Delight by Sugarhill Gang that made my heart swell with pride.

And here they are in their first ‘rap video’, with beat boxing from Ezra. Check their flow!

I know a lady who likes to eat dessert before her main course and, while I prefer my sweets after savouries, I always thought the idea was deliciously naughty.

Turning pudding into the star of the show has a ‘Let them eat cake’ type of decadence.

So I couldn’t wait to check out the Pudding Parlour at the Athenaeum Hotel, the ideal spot to get your just desserts.

I was invited to a blogger’s night out organised by Janis of Really Kid Friendly and Laura of London Baby, a chance to schmooze and booze with foodie and city bloggers and dip our spoons into what the Pudding Parlour had to offer.

The Athenaeum is a classy boutique hotel in Mayfair with eclectic decor and a stirred, not shaken kind of vibe. Janis said she deliberately chose somewhere with stairs and a grown-up atmosphere – ‘We’re out, free from buggies, let’s make the most of it’!

It was great to catch up with (or finally meet) bloggers and editors from Jenography, Not a Notting Hill Mum, Urban Mums, West London Mums, North London Mums, Maison Cupcake, Red Ted Art, King’s Rd, Kids Fun London and more.

Minutes into our arrival, we were sipping sweet pudding wines and eyeing up the cakes and pastries piled high on the glass centre table. Delicate macaroons, chocolate sundaes, cake pops, brownies and the December special – home made almond mince pies –all looked almost too good to touch, and tasted just this side of sinful.

The ‘Pudding of the Month’ is concocted by Edd Kimber, The Boy who Bakes (he won the Great British Bake Off 2010), while the rest of the constantly changing menu is expertly handled by the hotel’s French pastry chef and her team.

The lemon meringue slices were light and succulent, the perfect combo of tart and sweet (did I really eat 3?) I probably could have handled more of the fresh fruit tarts too.

And I loved seeing smiles light up the room as people discovered the chocolate mousse cups were contained in edible casing.

This is a wonderful venue for a girly night out, to bring a date for Valentine’s Day or for a quick treat before an evening in the West End.

It’s very reasonably priced at £10 per visit, £15 including a glass of pudding wine. If you’re after something stronger, there’s an extensive drinks list and I got pretty friendly with a Bourbon cocktail called Uncle Jack.

A couple more of those, and I’d have been on Jack’s lap sobbing out my life story.

Thankfully the bar was closing and the handful of us remaining had a sobering blast of winter air on our way to the tube.

But I’ll be back, for more exquisite puddings and another heart to heart with Uncle Jack.

The Pudding Parlour is open 8-11pm (Mon-Fri) and 9-11pm (Sat) at the Athenaeum Hotel, 116 Piccadilly, London W1J 7BJ (Green Park tube). Tel: 0207 499 3464

*This was a complimentary visit, thanks very much to the Athenaeum Hotel and the organisers!