Gadgets that make life easier - look no further than the MamaMagic Products Awards 2017

Congratulations to all the MamaMagic New products Awards winners

The MamaMagic New Products Awards are a great way to find those gadgets that makes life easier, for parents and for children! The Awards ceremony was the previous week. I get jealous excited when I see all the nice gadgets that parents get to use nowadays! We don't NEED it, but it makes life so MUCH EASIER! Luckily we have a cousin and they have just announced that they are going to be parents. The 2017 award winners are definitely some ESSENTIALS they would NEED to buy!

MamaMagic New Products Awards

Here's the gadgets to put on the list of parenting gadgets that make life easier.

How to improve Facebook engagement in 2018 - Jodene Shaer

MamaMagic New Product Awards at Emoyeni Estate

MamaMagic is not only known for the MamaMagic exhibitions throughout the country. It has become a powerful platform partnering with the best products and people - from pregnancy to parenting babies and children. It is a platform to kick start new products and to empower the skill set necessary to drive this innovative growing industry.

Milestones magazine by MamaMagic - New Products Awards event

The MamaMagic New Products Awards Ceremony for 2017 was held at the beautiful Emoyeni Estate last week. It is always exciting to see the products, and meet inspiring people. Last week did not disappoint. Jodene Shaer from Chat Factory was there to get the business owners up to speed with what's happening in the social media sphere. Of course everything has changed again this year, and you can't be doing social media the same as previously!  Jodene has most of the answers for most of the platforms, and we need to know what to do differently this year. Facebook has changed their algorithms considerably. I share some of her insights about FB here!

Inspiring: Lauren de Swardt of Kids Emporium

Lauren de Swardt of Kids Emporium

I always love hearing stories of success and entrepreneurial spirit. Of course it is even greater when it is a woman who started her nationwide Kids Emporium when she was only 22.  This was 13 years ago. Kids Emporium has also launched their online store this year, as well as opened up an international store in Surrey in the UK.

Emoyeni Estate

I was invited to a bloggers’ breakfast in the beginning of July at the lovely Emoyeni Estate, and was struck by this quote:

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers and the believers and thinkers but most of all surround yourself with those who see greatness within you” – Kids Emporium

This is exactly what Lauren de Swardt has has done with her business. She was looking for the best in products when she was pregnant, and to cater for the little ones when they got older. She has sourced the best products, brands and people through the years to make Kids Emporium the sought-after go-to place for pregnant women and parents.

Kids Emporium combines the practical for easier parenting, but also includes the “style” factor being pregnant and raising children.

Lauren de Swardt

The Kids Emporium website makes me wish for a do-over! (Not really! ;-) There is enough pregnant moms I can spoil, and one day in the distant future I will become a grandmother! (Not soon, though!)
In the meantime the maternity wear, the childrenswear, the travel systems, furniture, décor, toys and gifts are drool-worthy!

I love that Lauren has a reconstructed family of four which she manages to juggle with being a successful business woman as well!
Inspirational! She makes it look easy!

 

Thanks Lauren and Kids Emporium!
It was a treat!

MamaMagic, The Baby Expo, is in Town again - Giveaway!

MamaMagic, The Baby Expo, will run for the 12th year at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg!
It will be on from 12 - 15 May.
If you are pregnant or a parent of little ones, this is always a place where you will get the latest advice and gadgets on all things baby and children! Your little ones will also be entertained, which make it a great outing for the whole family!

What to expect at this year's MamaMagic?

- Huggies are starting with a new feature: They will provide parents with free informative sessions at the Huggies Expert’s Lounge. Parents will also be able to walk away with fantastic goodie bags!

"Huggies has lined up notable specialists such as Sister Lynn Bluff, who will enlighten parents on the significance of skin-to-skin and the “golden hour,” dietician Linda Drummond will shed light on what optimal nutrition for babies and toddlers, entails giving parents tips on practical healthy nutrition implementation and Cozette Laubser from BabyGym Institute International, will demonstrate the importance of baby’s physical development, which in turn results in healthy brain development."

- The BeSafe Car Safety Centre will provide valuable insight into how to handle a carjacking with a child.

- Huggies Nappy Pants and Lego Duplo are providing two age-appropriate play areas to keep the kids entertained.

- The Pampers Baby on Board competition that will see one lucky winner walk away with a comprehensive birthing and parenting starter pack valued over R 147 000!

- There will be designated breast feeding rooms. (Thumbs up from me!) Pampers Premium Care will also provide two fully stocked and spacious nappy change rooms!

- Barney will be on stage four times daily! (Although the tickets to the Barney shows are included in the Expo sales, they should be booked through Computicket to secure a seat!)

- Heart to Heart Workshop tickets can also be bought where parents will get the value of over R1000 worth of expert advice and goodies when they purchase a ticket of R495 at the Expo!


Two readers of this blog can each win VIP tickets!


The giveaway is 2 x double tickets to MM and the Barney show:

• Each tickets admits one adult and two kids (please provide their ages).
• Tickets/Entrance to the Barney shows (which will be held at 10, 12, 2 and 4).
• Meet and Greet with Barney (these are held daily after the 4pm show).
• Barney goodie bag for the kids.

Please comment on this blog post and tell me the ages of your kids?
Only eligible for people able to get to the Expo on any day from 12 to 15 May at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg.
This competition will run for one day only, and I will announce the winners on Wednesday 12 May 2016 at 12pm tomorrow afternoon!

Good luck!

Updated:
Congratulations to Shaaista and Keshnie who have won the tickets!


Please send me your email addresses and what time-slot would suit you best for the meet and greet with Barney?


Thursday 12 May after the 4pm show
Friday 13 May after the 4pm show
Saturday 14 May after the 2pm show
Sunday 15 May after the 12pm show

Disney Africa launched two new websites for parents and children

As a parent I am always keen to explore websites with information about parenting and everything to do with our children. It is even nicer when my child can explore with me through games and activities.

Disney Africa in collaboration with Discovery Vitaly launched two new websites in April:
Disney Baby Africa and Disney Healthy Living

baby.disneyafrica.com
"Creating magical moments from the beginning"

Disney Baby Africa is a great website for expecting and new parents with information and resources for the early years of raising their children. There are sections for "Getting Ready", "Dressing", "On-the-go", "Playtime", "Nursery" and "Milestones". The website also links up to Disney videos, games and activities for children.

[We just could not get the videos playing of the mini adventures with Winnie the Pooh and friends on the main page, not on my iPad and not on my PC. (?)]

http://www.disneyhealthyliving.co.za/
"Celebrating healthy and happy families"

Disney Healthy Living is an engaging website helping families to live more healthy with healthy eating habits and physical activity. There is a Did you know? section which covers the body, food and getting active. There is a Create and Play section, as well as a Recipe  section with healthy, easy and fun food suggestions. Perfect for the fussy eaters!

There's a couple of recipes I am definitely going to try, such as the sandwich sushi.
How ingenious is this?

Sandwich sushi

Both websites are worth checking out!

The final word from Christine Service, Senior Vice President and Country Manager for The Walt Disney Company Africa:

“One of Disney’s unique qualities is the strength of its emotional connection with families. This stems from the shared Disney experiences families have from their own childhood through to connecting with the characters and stories as adults and parents,” says  “The Disney Healthy Living and Disney Baby Africa websites celebrate, support and even inspire new magical family moments. We are thrilled to be collaborating with Discovery Vitality in bringing these online destinations to South Africa.”

Disclaimer: I received the following package from Disney Africa, which includes a Consol water bottle, a Discovery Vitality cellphone arm holder, a Naartjie bib and lovely baby socks. (Luckily I now have someone at work who had a baby recently who I can pass it onto)

Disney Africa launches Disney Baby Africa http://t.co/SqS9bAajGG AND Disney Healthy Living http://t.co/TegLwDtEKv pic.twitter.com/x5milG3z2v
— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) April 15, 2015

Motherhood, Crazy Beautiful

Ghezzi is responsible for the guest post this week. She is a contributor (Mom blogger) at Pregg.net
She is a work at home mom. She does freelance writing and graphic designing. She has a 5 year old daughter who's doing well in preschool. She loves arts and crafts, surfing the internet and collecting scarfs.

Pregg.net is a blog for newbie parents as well as more experienced ones.
Pregg.net believes that parenting is something you never stop learning.

We all can attest to the crazy duality of being a mother. I love how she describes it!

Ghezzi

"The day that you found out you’re pregnant was one of the most momentous days of your life. The excitement is beyond compare and you are just too excited to know the gender of your baby. You spend time thinking and wishing that your baby must get your nose or your eyes, your lips and all beautiful facial features you have and those of your husband. The name has to be perfect and meaningful. Once you know the gender you go shopping for clothes and baby stuff right away. You picture everything to be beautiful.

Here comes the day of the baby’s arrival, and I'm sure you will never ever forget how labour pain feels like. It’s like a wrecking ball inside your tummy forcing to get out from your uterus. How you wish it could just be over. Good thing there is a method for painless birth but it’s not really 100% painless. It’s okay, if I were to ask, experiencing the pain of childbirth is beautiful, painfully but perfectly beautiful.

As your baby grows, month by month, you get to deal with their cuteness and funny antics, but don’t forget, you also must deal with their tantrums and their clinginess.  There are times you find yourself laughing hard because of the silly things they do, but there are times you find yourself crying when they get sick and you don’t know what to do. 

When your baby starts to socialize and join activities outside the house, you feel proud as a mom when they get recognized for an achievement or when they do something smart. But there are also countless times you want to cover your face with a paper bag when they do something embarrassing like saying out loud in public how important brushing your teeth is because if not, all your teeth will fall out And while saying those lines, you noticed your child is looking at the man near you with the exact description of what he was trying to say...

Oh Motherhood, crazy beautiful."

Ghezzi

The first bleep

Mieka at 8 weeks

The heartbeat is the sound of a horse galloping very fast! That’s what it sounded like when we first heard it at the gyne’s offices. The first ultrasound scan at 8 weeks. That was in May 2008.


It was the most wonderful sound in the whole wide world!

We had lost a baby only four months back. We had a check-up at eleven weeks, and the little dot did not move or bleep! It was the most horrifying deafening sound of all! Nothing!

So you can imagine our apprehension when we sat again in the doctor’s offices… Saying to each other that we would not want to go through this again if there was something wrong… It was too stressful and painful!

That bleep is by far the most beautiful sound in the whole wide world. I heard the sob from my husband as I was wiping the tears from my eyes!

We also could not relax this time around until I heard the confirmation over the telephone at 18 weeks…

The amniocentesis test showed a perfectly healthy baby girl! Joy! Your father said his only thought was of you being perfectly healthy. (He was in a business meeting at the time.) It was only later that it struck him that I said a “girl”! He had to phone me back to confirm!

We were so excited to hear that all was well! I am sure that we wouldn’t have parted with you in any case. Even if they told us that something was wrong! I started to feel you kicking at 14 weeks, and I knew right from the start that you were a girl! You were part of the family already…

Today, we are still excited about you being in our lives!

Thanks for choosing us as your family!

You are our perfect little girl!

Mieka with Arnia

Ice-cream and Yogurt

I had very specific cravings with my pregnancy: ice-cream and yogurt! E-v-e-r-y day!

Hubby had to drive many nights to the shops to buy us ice-cream. (And he did! Maybe the whining also had something to do with it? Thank you, thank you, Hubby!)

And every morning while I was stuck in traffic it was that Yogi-sip I was thinking of buying at the coffee shop... Yogi-sip was like coffee to me during my pregnancy!  And the disappointment if there was no yogi-sip available... That bubble brain of mine only had one thought for the day: “YOGI-SIP!”

How much of those cravings do we carry over on our children? That’s what I am contemplating with the Toddler who absolutely loves yogurt and ice-cream. This afternoon she made us open the fridge again and again to check for yogurt, and there was none... (We did not do grocery shopping last weekend, only a few really essential items.)

We found half a Hello Kitty ice-cream cup in the fridge, but it was not enough.  At long last we gave her some All Bran flakes with milk, and she had one and a half bowl. Enough for her not to want to eat over dinner...

The clincher came when we were walking in the nearby Mall, on our way home. She was pulling along her trolley bag, but the next moment she gave a shriek and threw it down! A young guy was walking past us with an ice-cream in the hand.  She yelled “roomys” (ice-cream) and ran to the ice-cream kiosk nearby! How does she know this is where the ice-cream comes from? She knows! Shame, and she did not get that ice-cream tonight... Now I feel bad while busy writing this!

But she had had enough! I feel "bad parent" enough by feeding her half an ice-cream and cereal for dinner tonight. An ice-cream would have been too much? (But I know how I would have felt when I did not get that ice-cream!)

Do you also find that your children loves the same things you craved for, or is it just generic that children loves ice-cream and yogurt?
What cravings did you have?

Bubble brain strikes again

I’ve done it again. It is not funny anymore. I dropped my blind colleague off in the wrong street this afternoon. I must get my brain cells back (it’s been long enough after the baby), or I am going to do some serious damage. Johann asked me to drop him off in the afternoons. His wife started to work half-days, and she is at home already when we go home. I pick Mieka up at the crèche, and then I only have to make a slight detour to drop him off at the corner of the street where he stays in a townhouse complex. We were chatting on the way home, and it was only the second time I drove the new route. In my defense, I am terrible with roads. It was a bit strange that I drove into a dead-end street after I dropped him(Johann’s street, duh!), but it was only ten minutes later when it still bothered me that I phoned him. He was laughing and saying that his wife was on her way to pick him up. It seems nothing fazes him, ever… He realized quite soon he was in the wrong street! I feel terrible! I am sorry, Johann!

New Fountain

I found this on my computer. I was just commenting last week on the thorn tree in our garden, and how it reminds me of new beginnings and the rhythm of life. We went through a very traumatic experience, but now we have Mieka to celebrate life with. Her name in Japanese translates to “new fountain”.

Ode to the unborn baby
4-2-2008
You could have been 14 weeks already. A unique human being was becoming our son. But on the 4th of January 2008 you were dead already. No life. You were only a very small peanut on the sonar screen.
It is one of the toughest things that ever happened to me, and it seems like it is something to shy away from. Very few people ask you how you are feeling, and even less people make a commentary about your precious life!
You had life. We had a new life in our midst, and we were starting to live a new life with you in mind.
I feel guilty to have felt those negative emotions in the beginning. We were not really ready for a new life. Would we ever be ready?
I feel guilty for having sensed your maleness and for feeling negative to bring someone into the world which I do not understand.
But I miss you! Intently!
We have continued with our lives. I have taken only two days from work, and even felt guilty about taking the time.
But I miss you the whole time: In the morning when I get up, and I feel my empty belly. My breasts that have returned to normal; it aches for you. During the day, at work, I think of you constantly. I do continuous searches on the Internet. To try and understand what could have gone wrong. Where did we lose you?
No! No, I am not coping well! You may think that! I am smiling, but it does not reach my heart.
I miss you!!!

Summertime

How wonderful to enjoy the glorious sunshine. Our garden is growing and it is even showing up with lovely flowers, although not with much help from our side. (Sigh) We have been neglecting it since I got pregnant the first time in October 2007. The bump and tiredness first got in the way, and now Mieka is getting/demanding all the attention. When I walk past the umbrella thorn tree in the corner in our garden, it is with a sense of sweet remembrance. We bought the tree a day after we discovered that the baby did not grow, and I miscarried. I still think it was a boy. It was sad and traumatic at the time. But now we have Mieka, our beautiful baby girl of 8 months, and we are feeling very fortunate. Strange how things begin and end, and sometimes the endings feel too hard to handle. But after a while we realize we are laughing and smiling again. It was winter and now it is summer again… Thank you, Universe!