Sometimes we feel some things can be put off for another day. Sadly, for many of us this may be too late. Such was the case of a young mother of three who kept all of her treasured pictures on her husband’s computer.

The family went out for a nice weekend family vacation only to come back to a home that was cleaned out by thieves. Apart from the jewelry, televisions, and appliances that were taken, the computer containing all the pictures she had of her family was stolen as well.

Among that treasure trove of photos were all of the photos taken of her youngest daughter.

Every picture. Ever taken. Of her one year old daughter. Gone.

Every precious first milestone … first smile, first tooth, first steps … forever lost.

As a records manager with IT training I strongly believe in having a backup and then a backup of the backup. I don’t think we can ever be too cautious when it comes to saving and protecting what’s important to us.

There are a number of ways to backup your photos:

• Print them

• Store them on DVDS

• Upload them to an image hosting web site

Don’t keep your backups all in one place

• Give copies to family members or close friends

• Places copies of the most important pictures in safety deposit boxes

• Upload to more than one photo sharing website

There are many online photo sharing and storage sites that can help protect those special moments. If you’re a parent, Babies Online provides the perfect solution for uploading photos of your little ones. Attach them to milestones and journal entries and you have an online diary of your baby’s life to share with friends and family, AND to have in case of emergency.

Another great source for storing photographs online is Clark Color. Not only can you store an unlimited number of pictures for free, you can also order professionally printed copies in any size (if you catch one of their sales you can have them printed for as little as a penny each!)

You could also try Mozy. Here you will get 2gb of free online photo storage (that’s quite a bit) and save on additional storage needs with a 20% discount by using code UPLINE. Mozy boasts having business-level features at consumer-level pricing.

Finding Time to Upload Pictures

Time is an issue for many parents but you can make the task of data backup less daunting:

• Sort pictures into groups as you put them on your computer

• Upload small sets each time you are online

• Upload large batches of photos overnight

If I have a lot of photos, I will schedule them to upload while I’m sleeping. By the time the 7am alarm goes off, hundreds of my photos are safely uploaded to a server across the country.

Putting aside a few minutes today may prevent the heartache of losing your pictures tomorrow, whether to fire, robbery, or computer failure.

Do you have a suggestion on safeguarding photos? Please, share with us!

I love free stuff. I really love free stuff when it’s the type of stuff I would buy in the store anyhow, and having it for free just makes me want to dance.

No, it doesn’t take much to make me happy.

I was at a playdate a couple of months ago and a mom there started talking about Bzz Agent, a website she uses to get free stuff. She made the claim that this website had sent her all sorts of great stuff for free and that all she was obligated to do was to let people know what she thought about the products. She never had to return anything and it wasn’t even as though the website wanted her to be some sort of covert agent; she was supposed to tell people, “Hey, I got this for free, and this is what I thought of it.”

It sounded a bit too good to be true, but as an avid HouseParty member, I know that if you fall into whatever demographic a certain company is looking for they’ll be willing to send you a bunch of free stuff in the hopes that you’ll tell your friends and family about how much you love the product. I went to the Bzz Agent website and signed up.

In about a week I got an e-mail inviting me to join a Bzz Agent campaign. I answered a few questions about dishwashing detergent and was told a Bzz Kit would be sent to me soon.  I didn’t know what that meant but figured it would be a sample for me to try.  A few weeks later I received a package in the mail containing a full-sized bottle of Palmolive dishwashing detergent, a handful of single-use samples and a packet of $1 off coupons. All they wanted me to do was try the product, talk about it to people and hand out some samples. I also submitted a report on the website about what I thought of the product and about who I had told about it, but from what I can tell the reports are completely optional.

It didn’t stop there.  So far I’ve received a free Glad Sense & Spray, two cans of Diet Mountain Dew and a coupon for a free 12 pack (yes, they sent the two cans through the mail!) and now I’m waiting for the next product I’ve been promised, which is coupon for a free Taco Bell meal. All of this comes right to my mailbox and I don’t even have to pay shipping.

If you like free stuff like me – and you like to tell people what you think of products like I do – then join the Bzz Agent program.

Get crafty with these free printable iron-ons for your baby! Choose from two different iron-ons, “Breastfed and Lovin It” or “I’m the Cutest Baby at Babies Online” in sizes that work for babies of all ages. You’ll find printable PDF files for both designs and easy to follow instructions, all free!

Be a Babies Online star!

Send us a photo of your baby wearing your creation and we’ll consider featuring you in our gallery!

We even have a way for our not-so-crafty friends to share in the fun. Check out our Baby Gear Store for pre-made t-shirts, totebags, and more!

You’ll find this freebie and over 100 more on our Free Stuff for Parents page.

Enjoy!

Shannon @Babiesonline

I started my daughter out on computer games very early. She had a huge affection for all things Elmo, so once I discovered the online Elmo games I was pleased to share them with her. It’s no surprise that now at five years old she can navigate most websites designed for kids and she’s a big fan of spending some quiet time on the computer. Although I do limit how much time she spends on there, most of the time I would rather she did something interactive with a computer game instead of plopping down in front of the television.

I signed up for a free two week trial at Dream Box Learning and ran through the games there myself first to see if it was anything my daughter might enjoy. Since the math games on this site are designed for older kids – around kindergarten to second grade – I didn’t know if it would be above her head. I didn’t want to present her with something that would frustrate her.

To my delight, the games were just right for her age group. Here are the things I really liked about this particular website’s games:

1. You sign in to play, so if you have to quit abruptly or you lose your Internet connection the game goes right back to where you left off when you return and sign back in.
2. There is an option to sign in as the adult so you can try out all the games without altering your child’s scores.
3. There are lots of additional resources for parents to look through and the system tracks the child’s progress as games are played.
4. The animation is appealing, but certainly not “babyish.”
5. The system logs how much cumulative time players have spent playing the game.

I presented the game to my daughter and she was immediately enamored. She loves learning and she loves math, so this game was a perfect fit for her. To my surprise, my younger son likes watching her play, so even though he isn’t old enough to indulge in the game I think he might be getting something out of it too.

I give this online game a big thumbs up. If you have preschoolers then you should check it out and let your kids give it a try.

During the winter months, it seems that children pick up more viruses and other “bugs”.  My children tend to get ill quite frequently at this time of year.  Mostly, they get viruses which eventually pass.  At times, they’ve gotten ear and throat infections, or developed bronchitis.

While I’m glad that we have health insurance at this time, I know that many people don’t have that luxury.  I know other people who have insurance, but have large co-pays or deductibles to meet before insurance reimburses their expenses.   This can really take a huge chunk out of your budget.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Wegman’s is filling antibiotic prescriptions during the months of January, February and March for FREE! All you need to do is present the prescription from your child’s doctor and your shopper’s card at the pharmacy.

Sometimes children do get sick, despite our best efforts to prevent an illness.  Sometimes, they have an infection which requires them to take anti-biotic.  If your child gets sick and is prescribed an anti-biotic for the illness, you may want to consider filling the prescription at Wegman’s.

My brother is moving across the country and decided not to move anything he couldn’t fit into his pick-up truck. He just gave away most of the things he isn’t taking—a big screen TV, a couch, a bed, a stereo receiver, etc. I was a little surprised at his decision, but after chatting for a while I discovered that he belongs to a group called Freecycle, dedicated to the starvation of landfills.

This coincides with an article I read last month in Sunset magazine about a group of friends that decided not to buy anything new for a year except food and healthcare items. It seems like I’ve been bombarded with this message lately, and maybe I need to soothe my conscience.

Whether or not you have enough money to buy everything you want, there is a growing number of people who don’t want to buy everything they want. In a strange way, this makes sense.

I hate throwing stuff away when it’s useful. But I am not a packrat. I’m not going to keep it around just in case I want it next year, nor am I the type to keep it around till next summer’s garage sale. So it goes into the trash most of the time. Sometimes with things like baby clothes I can give them away (but my only friend with a girl right now lives across the country). And sometimes I donate stuff if it’s too good to trash. I’ve tried selling a few things online, but it rarely seems worth the money and effort. And my local “used” mom/baby shop doesn’t pay enough to make it worth selling ($5 for a garbage sack full of excellent condition clothes and a clean booster seat?!)

But since my brother told me about freecycle.org, I can hardly wait to have something to give away. You post a message about what you have, and someone local who needs it comes and gets it. Or you can send a message looking for an item you want. There are few rules: nothing for sale, trade or barter—just free!

So my brother got rid of his things in San Francisco. Then when he sets up his home in Columbus, OH, he’ll just ask for what he needs there. What an idea!

Since babies go through a LOT of stuff in their first year, it seems like a fantastic way to get a lot of use out of something that isn’t worn out. Unless you have a lot of children, swings, bouncers, boppies, exercises and other things just don’t get used up. If you don’t have a friend who can use them, and you aren’t planning on having another little one in the next couple of years, why not give it away? Or maybe you need a highchair? You can find a local freecycle group online. Have fun!

As 2008 comes to an end, we’re looking forward to all the cool stuff we have planned for next year. To fully take advantage of everything that Babies Online 2.0 will have to offer, you really should be in the “inner circle.”

The first step was, obviously, registering with Babies Online. Step two is simply being our friend.

Many of you are already play with us on Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter, but we just set up our Youtube and Flickr accounts and hope that you’ll join us there as well. And to encourage you to be our friend sooner rather than later, we’re giving two random friends some cool prizes this New Years Eve!

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Free Stuff for Youtube Friends

One lucky friend of Babies Online on Youtube will win a Flip Video Mino Camcorder!

All you need to do to be eligible is add us as to your Youtube contact list today before New Years Eve (but why wait, go ahead and do it now). While you’re there you can subscribe to our channel and be the first to know when we upload new videos, and you can also join the Babies Online Group to share your precious baby videos with other members!

We will choose one random Youtube friend on 12/31/2008 to win this awesome pint-sized camcorder. (Please note that we can only ship within the US)

Free Stuff for Flickr Friends

Oh we haven’t forgotten about our Flickr Friends! One of you will win my personal favorite point and shoot camera: Canon’s PowerShot SD1100IS, so be sure to make Babies Online your Flickr Friend today! And yes, we have a Babies Online Flickr Group too, so please be sure to join and share your pics with us!

We will choose one random Flickr friend on 12/31/2008 to win this great pocketsized camera. (Please note that we can only ship within the US)

Be sure to tell your friends to join us too! We’ll have a multi-media-momma party!

Like many parents, I’ve been concerned about recent news stories that tell about chemicals like melamine in baby formula and chemicals like BPA, which leech from plastic in baby bottles.

I was extremely frustrated when I learned that some breast pumps actually have parts which contain BPA too.  For example, the cups, bottles and storage containers that come with the Nursing Necessity breast pump line  may contain BPA.  I say “may” because Playtex has committed to phase out BPA from it’s products by the end of 2008.

I’ve been researching the subject and I found out that Playtex is offering free samples of BPA free bottles.  The free offer is good only while supplies last, so hurry and get your sample!

Although Playtex has agreed to stop using BPA in their products by the end of this year,  many of their products were already BPA free.   Playtex products that are BPA free should have a green icon that appears on the product declaring that it’s BPA free.

I appreciate the fact that this company has taken steps to remove this chemical from their products and also that they make it easy for a mom to find safe products.  There is no guess work at all: simply look for the BPA free icon.

Every year around this time, many people take their infants and young children to visit Santa. Some years, we’ve taken the children to the mall to visit with Santa; some years we’ve had Santa visit our house.

This year, I found that Bass Pro Shop will take your child’s photo with Santa absolutely free! The best part about getting your child’s photo taken here is that you don’t have to wait to see Santa either! If the lines are long, you can ask for an appointment with Santa. The store personnel will give you a time to return with your child so you can bypass the long lines. That’s wonderful.

The store we visited also had coloring pages for the kids, free crafts, and free snacks. The best part was that there was only one other family in line and our wait time was very short.

The store has also set up a virtual Wonderland where your relatives and friends can use a special code to log onto the site and view your child’s photo. If they like the photos, they can purchase a portrait package online. In our case, we live far away from all of the relatives. I’m going to be sending the site information to all of them so they can see how much our son has grown since we visited last year.

Will you take your child to visit Santa this year? Do you take your child to the same place every year, or do you look for photo specials?

I’m not the kind of person who looks for things that are wrong with the merchandise I buy or the services I pay for, but I’m also not the kind of person who ignores things that are blatantly wrong. After all, when you have young children you’re probably already working hard to stretch your dollars, so when you pay for something naturally you’ll want to get what you pay for.

I wholeheartedly think that when you buy something and it isn’t what you paid for then you need to let someone know. Here is an example from today…I bought a 12 pack of soda from the local grocery store and when I got it home and started to unload it into the fridge I noticed something weird: one of the cans was completely empty, even though it was sealed.

At first I thought it was a quirky, fun thing, but then I started thinking to myself about how I paid for that soda, so I was entitled to the soda. I called up the toll-free phone number on the side of the can and talked to a very nice man who apologized profusely and explained the semantics behind how these things happen. Then he took my address down and told me he’s sending me a coupon for a free twelve pack.

I had a similar situation with a box of fruit chews. For one reason or another one of the packs only had three pieces in it, which resulted in a huge fit with my toddler. I called up the phone number on the box and they sent me a envelope stuffed with four coupons for free boxes. About two weeks later I got another envelope with four more coupons for free boxes.

You don’t want to be rude when you call these companies, but you should call them. You need to get what you paid for, and whether it’s one can of soda or a few fruit chews you shouldn’t feel apprehensive about calling and telling the company when there is a problem. You never know when you might get an envelope full of coupons as a result.

I just received a newsletter from The National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments(NAPVI), which we belong to because of my children’s disabilities. They have worked out a package with The Come Children Sing Institute for a free session of online music classes. The length of the classes is 10 weeks.

To be eligible for this free offer, your infant, toddler or baby(that’s how they word it) must be a special needs child and you must have documentation from a healthcare professional stating so. If you can verify that you have a young child with special needs, request your free gift certificate by sending an email to mepinzino@comechildrensing.com. Be sure to reference the NAPVI connection and Babies Online.

Your certificate will be sent to you via mail and you can begin the classes online any time you wish.

I have noticed, especially with my handicapped children, that they love to listen and dance to music. Even when they were infants, they would respond to music and singing.

My handicapped children are now teens, but their love of music has continued. In fact, my daughter reads her sheet music using Braille. I never knew that this was even a possibility before her Vision teacher told me about this.

I’d encourage parents who have special needs children to take advantage of this great offer! I’d also like to extend a virtual hug to you. Parenting isn’t easy; parenting a child who has special needs is most certainly not easy.

I wish you and yours the very best.

My son is now almost 18 months old, and I am beginning to think about potty training. He isn’t really showing signs of being ready to begin the process yet, but I’ve decided to do some research on potty training boys.

My four previous children are girls and with DH away a lot traveling with his job, well, I’ve decided that I might need a little bit of assistance with this whole experience. Is it true that boys are more difficult to potty train the girls? I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

The real reason for this post was to encourage everyone to check out the PULL-UPS website which I just discovered. The disclaimers: I don’t really get to spend a lot of time on the internet just checking out sites, and when I do get the time, I like to make it count. I assume this is the case for most parents with young children. Because of these things, I felt it was important to share a quality site which is actually worth your time to sit down and explore.

On the website, you can find videos about potty training tips which are actually quite good. A real bonus is a free DVD on potty training which includes tips, songs and games designed to help your child breeze through the potty training experience. Even if you have a young infant, I’d suggest going online to get your free copy while supplies last. Eventually, you will be potty training your child!

One of the interesting things for me at least was a journal on the site started by Melissa Joan Hart to detail her potty training experiences with her son, Mason. My gosh I remember watching her show on Nickelodeon when I was a teenager. I guess I’m dating myself now, aren’t I?

The bottom line is that when you get a few moments to yourself while your baby is napping – check out the videos and get your free DVD. You may think that potty training is light years away, but the reality is that before you know it, your son or daughter will be ready to transition into big pants.

Below is list of freebies and samples that I thought Babies Online Blog Readers might enjoy. Have a look and feel free to add to the list by sharing your comments on any other freebies that you may be aware of.

1. 1$ off – Caress Exotic infusions oil body wash
2. Free Sample – Johnson & Johnson Melt away stress lotion
3. 6 $1.00 coupons – for Cheerios
4. Free Kit – Potty train your child the east way from pampers
5. Free Sample – revitalizing skin care lotion

As always, Babies Online has an impressive list of freebies for you to choose from as well. Click here to see these exclusive offers.

I love summertime because there?s so much to do. What?s more, many of the activities are free of charge or inexpensive. So if you end up bringing a fussy child to the activity and end up having to make a quick and early exit, it?s no loss. Some of my favorites include:

Concerts in the park. Many cities and towns have local bands play once a week or several times a week in local parks and other areas. Bring a towel or lawn chairs and pack a picnic lunch, and enjoy the free entertainment with your kids. Even if there?s not a concert going on, it?s still fun to pack a lunch and spend a summer afternoon playing at the park.

Story time. Our local library offers story time for kids on Saturday mornings. It?s a great activity to get kids involved with, as well as a good way to meet other local parents.

Festivals. Local festivals offer a range of activities for children and adults alike. The Traverse City (MI) Cherry Festival takes place over the Fourth of July, and the Taste of Chicago runs June 27-July 6 in Chicago Check with your city or county for a festival schedule.

Parades. Holiday parades are a great place to take kids. Find out if your town offers a parade for the Fourth of July or other holidays and bring the kids along.

Ferry rides. Many ferry boats give passengers a free ride across the river. The Staten Island Ferry offers a free, five-mile, 25-minute ride between Staten Island and Manhattan. The Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry is the only way motorists can cross the waterway between Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island, and is free. The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry takes passengers to the historical attractions of the Historic Triangle (Yorktown-Williamsburg-Jamestown). The free ferry service runs from Scotland Wharf in Scotland, VA, to Glass House Point, in Jamestown, VA.

Also check with your local parks department or city newspaper for activities in your area.

What are your favorite free or inexpensive summertime activities?

Below is list of freebies and samples that I thought Babies Online Blog Readers might enjoy. Have a look and feel free to add to the list by sharing your comments on any other freebies that you may be aware of.

1. Free Toy Train – Just Print the coupon and go to Toys R Us
2. Free Sample – Free Organic Dryer Sheet Sample
3. 2 Free Tacos – At Jack in the Box (6-26-08)
4. Free Recipe Book – With two proofs of purchase of Lawry?s Spice Blends, Marinades or Seasoning Mixes
5. 2Free Samples – Energy saving Light Bulbs from GreenEnergy

As always, Babies Online has an impressive list of freebies for you to choose from as well. Click here to see these exclusive offers.

Below is list of freebies and samples that I thought Babies Online Blog Readers might enjoy. Have a look and feel free to add to the list by sharing your comments on any other freebies that you may be aware of.

• Free Sample – Purex Laundry Detergent
• Free Sample – Honey Graham’s Trail Mix
• Free Sample – Clay Essentials Face Masque (you pay shipping)
• Free Copy – Children’s book about allergies. (choose 1 of 5)
• Free Sample – Vaginal Contraceptive Film from VCF
• Free Samples – Playtex Drop-Ins Original Nurser System

As always, Babies Online has an impressive list of freebies for you to choose from as well. Click here to see these exclusive offers.

On Friday May 23rd Only! Receive $5.00 off your total purchase at Walgreens when you spend at least $20. Stock up for your Memorial Day celebration early and save! Click the Coupon below to participate.

Below is list of freebies and samples that I thought Babies Online Blog Readers might enjoy. Have a look and feel free to add to the list by sharing your comments on any other freebies that you may be aware of.

• Free Fragrance Sample – Deseo, by Jennifer Lopez (survey required)
• Free Cookies Sample – Teddy Grahams Honey Variety Cookies
• Free sample – Snuggle Fresh Release Fabric Softener
• Free Kotex Sample – Ultra thin Ultra Compact
• Free sample of UnderJams – Bedwetting Undergarments for Children
• Free Paper Towels – Try a Sample from Viva
• Free Magazine Issue – Christian Magazine for kids

As always, Babies Online has an impressive list of freebies for you to choose from as well. Click here to see these exclusive offers.

Below is list of freebies and samples that I thought Babies Online Blog Readers might enjoy. Have a look and feel free to add to the list by sharing your comments on any other freebies that you may be aware of.

• Free sample – Moisture Block by Sabino Hair Solutions.
• Free Sample and Mixing Cup – Fiber Supplement by Konsyl
• Free DVD Rental – From MovieCube. Use Code: TYT08
• Free CFL Light Bulb – Energy Efficient from Accent Energy
• Free Iced Coffee – From Dunkin’ Donuts (9 different flavors)

As always, Babies Online has an impressive list of freebies for you to choose from as well. Click here to see these exclusive offers.

Below is list of freebies and samples that I thought Babies Online Members might enjoy. Have a look and feel free to share your comments on any other freebies that you may be aware of.

• Free Coffee – by mail from Dunkin’ Donuts
• Free Issue – Today’s Health & Wellness Magazine
• Free Recipe Book – from Eating Well Magazine
• Free DVD – Unlock The Mysteries of the Bible
• Sample Tampons – From Playtex Gentle Glide
• Free Subscription – 1 Full year of PC Magazine
• Free Frozen Yogurt – Mom’s get a Free cup or cone on Mother’s Day

As always, Babies Online has an impressive list of freebies for you to choose from as well. Click here to see these exclusive offers.