Apps that Parent's Need (and not the food kind!)

Do you have a smart phone, and wish you could take it to its full potential?? Here is your chance.  As a working Mom of two,  I greatly appreciate it when I can find a good, wholesome iphone app that helps make my life easier.  I mean who doesn't? If I am going to have a cell phone attached to my right hand, it might as well be doing something FOR me.  Here is a quick review of a few cool apps that can be found on my iphone!  And by all means, please share your favorites!!

OFFER UP - Cost: FREE

This app is great for the parent who is ready to part with all of those outgrown toys and clothes.  I tried it out myself and found it incredibly EASY! As a newly started company, this app revolutionizes the way you post your junk on Craigslist!  Hold up that adorable dress that your child hardly ever wore, and the app helps you snap a picture, type in a short description and post it on their website where other Offer Up users can check it out.  Then, when someone wants to buy it, they can  make an offer!  To make things even sweeter, it will help you post on Craigslist too - talk about a time saver!

BABY CONNECT - Cost: $4.99

Although not free, if you want an app that will document every drop of pee and minute of sleep your child has, this is for you.  A friend turned me onto this app and I have to say, its been a life-saver! Essentially, this app is a living journal of what your child does all day, from the basics (eat, drink, poop) to milestones, activities, moods and more! 

The best part about this baby log app is that it can be shared across several 'caregivers.'  For me, that's been my nanny, my mother, and my husband!  If your not careful you can get carried away with this one, but for me its been a great way to communicate my newborn's feeding and nap schedule with my nanny throughout the day so that I can run home and breastfeed when able. The app operates by syncing with your  other caregiver's phones and will push notify you when entries you specify are added.   Plus, this app can create graphs, charts and email summaries of the data.  So next time when your doctor asks you how many pee and poo diapers your child has on average, you can actually answer with confidence...oh joy!

BABY MONITOR - Cost: $2.99

This one is sort of a no-brainer.  You are on vacation... you don't have a plug that reaches far enough...or you are at a friends house and just need to lay your little one down in the next room for an unplanned nap.  This app operates like a baby monitor by calling another phone you specify when it detects noise, at a level you specify.  You can actually set this one to play back your own voice recording at the first sign of noise,  although this seemed to me somewhat silly and useless.  The app  has a nice look and feel and it's super user friendly.  The best part, you can turn it on and have it play a song or lullaby (or white noise) from your music library so your wee one can drift peacefully to sleep.  In the past, these apps have made me nervous as I found they didn't always work well or had to constantly be reset when the phone rang, a text message came in, etc.  Although you should always periodically check on your child, and never leave them out of earshot, I found this monitor app worked much better and consistently than previous ones I've tried.

TOCA HAIR SALON - Cost FREE

This is just silly.  You have a toddler and you are trying to get through your conversation with your spouse (let alone your meal) at a restaurant and your 2 or 3 year old is done eating...now what? This app is what! My sister found this little gem and it keeps them busy for way too long.  With a name like Hair X-Mas, you know its going to be good.  This app let's you shave, grow, paint, and blow dry Santa's beard or a nice little Christmas tree.  Lots of tools to play with, lots of action, your toddler will love it.

EPICURIOUS - Cost: FREE

Not sure what to make for dinner? You are not alone. I can often be found standing in the middle of the grocery aisle (likely blocking someones way) staring at this app.  When you are not sure what to make, you can quickly and easily sort and filter through 1000s of recipes with pictures and reviews.  You can even specify particular ingredients or dietary restrictions to narrow down your conquest for the perfect meal. With a click, you can add it to your virtual 'shopping' list so you can cruise through the store with ease and worry about more important things like your child having a grocery store meltdown.  If you pay a little extra, you can buy the full version that syncs with your online account, making sharing among computers and other iPhones a cinch. 

IWRITE WORDS - $2.99 OR FREE (lite version)

If you are worried about the screen time your preschooler is getting on your ipad or iphone, you can actually feel good about this one!  This little program helps preschoolers trace and learn their numbers and letters.  In small steps, this app shows them the direction their finger needs to follow, and when they get it right, little icons drop down to play with.  I was skeptical when I saw my older nephew playing this one with ease, but sure enough, my daughter picked right up and loved the fact that she is writing real letters and numbers.  There is a free version, but if you want to avoid your kiddling trying to click on all the ads and such, spend the 3 bucks and download the full version. 

PANDORA - FREE

So this one is a given. Not only do we use it to stream music in the cafe, but I dock it in my kitchen when my daughter and I need to do a little dance while cooking dinner.  You choose your favorite song or a genre, and it will continue to play music that is similar to it! Great for music lovers who don't want to manage itunes accounts.  Best part? It's FREE! At least if you don't mind listening to a few Ads.  Or, pay around $10 for the year to get endless ad-free play. Here's our

Twirl Favorite Pandora Stations:

Adele (wind-down)
80's Disco Party (or, toddler dance party)
Christmas Classics (get festive)
Pink Martini (cocktail parties, or maybe you just want to feel suave)
Indigo Swing (cooking in the kitchen)
Caspar Babypants (kids need a sing along)
Jack Johnson (chillin with da kids)
Ocean Waves Radio (nearing nap time, kids are high strung, your nerves are high)
Today's Hits (feeling out of touch)

RUNNER'S UP:

Walk Score: App that tells you businesses within walking distance of your location, great for traveling!

Still Tasty: Find out how long those leftovers are good for (both in the fridge and freezer), then have it alert you when its time to toss!

Amazon Fresh: Now you can order your groceries for next day delivery, virtually anywhere?!

TELL US YOUR FAVORITE APPS!

Now Enrolling! Winter Mommy Matters Series!

Twirl Cafe is excited to host another weekly series of Mommy Matters, a dynamic workshop for moms of toddlers/preschoolers ranging in age from 18 months to 3.5 years old.

This engaging 8-week workshop is for moms who want to enjoy their lives while parenting a toddler and/or preschooler.  Mommy Matters addresses the whole mom and in-depth tools for handling discipline.

We want to make sure you understand that Mommy Matters is not individual or group therapy. This group is not for individuals in need of greater services than a 12 hour psycho-education workshop can provide. We are happy to provide you with referrals for more intensive services if that is appropriate.

Registration Required. Go to www.mommymattersseattle.com to learn more.

Workshop Location/Details

Dates: Wednesdays, January 25 – March 21, 10:00 – 11:30 am
Location: Twirl Cafe, 2111 Queen Anne Ave North, Seattle, WA 98119. 206-283-4552.


Childcare: Available on a pre-paid or a drop-in basis. Information is available upon request!
Please Note: Babies up to 6 months are allowed in the workshop. Older babies and toddlers need outside care.