I'm a full-time mummy

I was so excited to be able to review this app on my iPad! Last year, I had the chance to review the picture book and to be able to review the same book in ebook and interactive version now? Whoaaa... love it! I was already a happy mum when we reviewed the printed book as Ben showed some signs of readiness in approaching the potty. Prior to that Ben would not even go near a potty and prefer to continue using his diapers.

* Title: Once Upon a Potty: Boy
* Price: $2.99
* Category: Books
* Updated: May 31, 2011
* Current Version: 1.08
* Size: 19.5 MB
* Language: English
* Seller: Oceanhouse Media, Inc.
* Rated: 4+
* Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later
* Extra Info: The first in a licensing partnership with child matters media and renowned author and illustrator Alona Frankel, Once Upon a Potty picture books, audio editions and videos have sold more than 5 million copies in the US alone and have been translated into many languages, Publisher’s Weekly repeatedly listed them as #1 (Boy) and #3 (Girl) in its all-time bestselling hardcover childcare charts. 

Description from the product page:

"For decades, Alona Frankel’s toilet learning classics have been helping parents and children conquer the developmental leap from diaper to potty. Narrated by his mother's voice, Joshua learns about different body parts and functions, and figures out what the potty is (and isn't) used for. This patient, loving and humorous Boy edition encourages children to learn through play and empowers parents and caregivers of all ages. Follow Joshua through his stages of discovery, and enjoy the many delightful hidden audio surprises throughout the story. Discover what millions of book and video lovers already know: "Once Upon a Potty" is "...one small step for mankind, but a giant one for your family."

Special features only available in this omBook include vibrant original artwork, picture/word association, text and song lyric highlighting, professional audio narration, fun sound effects, and a scene-by-scene original music score. Three reading modes include Read It Myself, Read To Me, and Auto Play. Plus, two fun new music modes, The Potty Song and Sing-Along, allow young children and their caregivers to sing the jazzy tune themselves or follow the recorded performers."

Pictures below taken of Ben when we tried the app:

Ben was surprised to see the book on mummy's iPad and kept on pointing to the boy on the screen and telling me 'Boy! Potty!'

What's good?

* Everything remains the same as per the printed book version, though there is the additional potty song in the app version now!

* I love the app! It is engaging and interactive and I love that we can also touch the objects in each page on the screen and the words pop out to tell you what it is!

What's not so good?

* The potty song is not so clear and even though I have set the volume to the max, I still can't hear the words clearly.

You can purchase the "Once Upon a Potty: Boy" app from the iTunes App Store.

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with the promo code by the sponsor to redeem the application for free from iTunes Store in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine. And if you'd like to read my previous iPad Apps reviews, you can do so by reading this post of mine called "My iPad App Reviews"

With about 3 months more to go before I'm due to deliver Spicy Baby, I can't help but feel as if being pregnant with our 2nd child is tearing my heart apart...

I hope I don't come across as someone who hates being pregnant. I'm NOT! But I'm not exactly ga-ga over being pregnant either especially when the tiredness and exhaustion is making me cranky and stressed! Anyhoooo, the feeling is more towards the fear and worries on how can my heart be divided somemore to make room for the new person who is going to appear in our lives in less than 3 months time?

When I first found out I was pregnant, to be honest, I was (and still am) in a state of mourning. Not for the death of anyone (*touch wood*) but more to mourning over the soon to be lost 1 to 1 time with my 1st child.

Is this feeling much more worse for SAHMs? Is it because we are the one who's most often there with our child 24/7/365? Through the good and bad times? Through the frustrating, stressful, cheeky and happy moments?

I wondered if I am not a SAHM, would I feel better than what I'm feeling now? I mean, if I'm not a SAHM, I wouldn't have been spending most of my time and energy and strength all day long and bonded so close with one person. Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't feel so guilty and torn apart at the thought of another person coming into our family of 3 now?

I have a friend (she's expecting her 3rd child now) who told me when her 2nd child came along, her relationship with her 1st child is not so close anymore as she felt she needed to protect and bonded closer with the 2nd child seeing that the child is just a newborn and fragile and all.

I don't want to abandon Ben when Spicy Baby comes along but at the same time, I don't want to be neglecting Spicy Baby too. Hence, the feeling of my heart tearing apart...

I mean, just some personal questions to mummies with more than 1 child,

How do you feel when you found out you are pregnant with your 2nd child?

And how do you handle or deal with it?

I received a call from a headhunter (aka recruiter) about 10pm+ few days back, telling me he got my resume from his database. The conversation goes something like this:

At the same time, Ben started fussing (almost his bedtime) and I decided to cut the call short.

I could imagine he got a shock of his life when he heard the word 'retired' since he's holding and looking over my resume while we were talking and he might have noticed that I'm still in my early 30s. So I clarified that I retired for now to be a full-time mummy.

The call ended shortly with him thanking me for my time and wishing me the best in life and I did the same to him. Hmmm... I regretted not asking him the package offered (oh well, I could at least dream about the offer right?)

So yeah, it is nice and flattering to know that even after 2 years of staying off the radar in the IT line, I am still being hunted! At least I know when the time comes for me to decide to return back to the working world, I still have options! 

But like I said earlier, now is not the time yet. As for income for the family, God is good, and He still is, and I know, forever will be. Even after 2 years, we're still doing well and that proves God is watching over us and providing for our needs.

If you're a SAHM, will you want to return back to the working world? And why?