Choo-choo training

Ethan is learning new things today; 
Stand with your legs a little wider apart than your shoulders. Tell your baby he's the train and you're the tunnel, then encourage her to crawl through your legs. Add a few "chug-a-chug-a-chugs" and train-whistle sound-effects as she passes through. After he's done this a few times, suggest that now the train needs to go through the tunnel quickly, before it collapses. As she passes through, squeeze your legs together gently and pretend to catch her (giving him a head start, of course), or lower your body (bending your knees) as if you're about to sit on him.

My Son Is Now 3 Months Old

Ethan's joint flexibility is allowing him to wave and kick more forcefully.he is amused by opening and closing his fingers as well as batting his hands together.

His sense of humour is developing nicely. A tickle or a raspberry blown on his tummy he produces a chuckle and laughs.

He's bestowing smiles on everyone he meets, but is getting a little choosier about the company he keeps. In large groups or with people he doesn't know very well, he finds some time to adapt.

How to keep it simply fresh

“usually when two people are togetherfor a long time things seem to changeit’s been said

that nothing goo

d la

sts foreverbut this love gets better every daywe get all excited inside,
every time that we get alone
he’s still got love in his eyes, and I still have love in my soul”

Relationships define a whole new way of living because we all know that they can be tough. To make it worse as time goes by things do not get any easier. It’s not like being a sales person where you get better just because you have been in the job longer. There are times that it’s going to be all rosy and happy and other times the periods of ennui and speed bumps of tedium along the way.

Threats of infidelity can also cause looming threats when one has been with just one person for a very long time. The only thing that may save you is always having a plan to counteract these inevitable moments of lull. Just because you have been together for a long time doesn’t mean you cannot still have fun being in the relationship.

By now we all know that the key ingredient to any lasting and satisfying relationship is to be in love and for sure that is not something I cannot guide you on. However I can guide you on simple things you can do to keep it fresh and hot! now I will give you 10 ways that you can do this and I suggest that you start from number 10 going on till number 1, remember that you can add your own spice here and there to suit your personality, your likes and preferences.

NO.9– THROW PARTIES
Now one of the most common mistakes that couples do is spending every single minute of their lives together. am not of the opinion that this is bad just that by having people over you will not only be introducing some of your buddies to some new ladies and vice versa, but you will also have the chance to be around your partner without being attached to one another and this is a great way of keeping it fresh. The fact that you are in relationship with one another does not mean you loose your individuality but you complement one another.

NO.8 – VISIT SOMEPLACE NEW
I have a weakness. When I have discovered a new restaurant I usually visit it until I have completely exhausted their menu. If you are like me you may end up spending a lot of time retreading the same ground. By going to a new city, a new hotel or restaurant, you will be opening up a wide range of new conversations from the new experiences you will encounter. Trust me that it is wonderfully revitalizing when you are in a situation where you are on equal footing (you do not know what to expect or how things are done in this new place…..not forgetting the excitement of some get away loving!!

NO.7– SPEND TIME APART
Being away from one another when in a relationship is the hardest thing to do when you are in love with someone. When in love you want to have this person by your side to a point that if you would win a lottery you would quit work and move away to a quiet beach front house in Diani…..wow!! Dreams!!

It is however important not only to have some space, but to also spend a night every once in a while as well. Being apart not only allows you some freedom but it will also make you miss each other a little bit and is an ideal way to keep your relationship strong. The wise say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. By saying sleep away from your loved one sometimes does not mean sleep with other people it however means take this time to go for a sleep over with your girls, let him go for a boys night out and trust me honey when he comes back he will have so much to tell you and so many ways to show you how much he has missed you.

NO.6– GIVE GIFTS
The bible says in the book of Luke that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. We all agree that giving a gift to someone shows that you not only love them but that they are on your mind. Many people think that a gift has to be something expensive and flashy while it is usually the thought that counts. This can be anything that your partner likes and enjoys. A gift given in the present is an investment for your future relationship health.

NO.5 – MAKE SURPRISE VISITS
My favorite movie of all time “two can play that game” always gets me into a kinky mood. There is a part of the movie where Vivica goes over to Morris chestnut’s house dressed in a killer outfit pretending that she is returning his stuff after he had lied to her and they broke up. Vivica’s motive is to get him as turned on as she possibly can then make an exit leaving him alone to suffer an enormous turn down.
Caution: do not become a stalker!! However every once in a while pop into his work place and take him out for lunch or just to say hello. Remember the same reasoning behind getting him a gift applies here.

NO.4– GO ON DATES
Hey Ladies the fact that you have been dating for awhile doesn’t mean that you should shirk your duties to make him engrossed. Remember here a date doesn’t mean going to the local pizza place when there is an offer for buy one get one free. Instead do some planning and make a reservation someplace affordable, but romantic. Go the whole nine yards and dress up for the occasion have some wine and dessert and enjoy luxuriously….you can also get a place with accommodation just incase he wants to say thank you in a special way. You can make it a regular thing maybe monthly or weekly depending on your budget and schedules. It may seem like a lot of work but the fruits of your labour will pay off for years to come.

NO.3– SET GOALS TOGETHER
It is believed that when a man talks of the future with you in it, he is in it for the long haul. So sitting down and setting goals to be accomplished with you two as a team; this is a great way to reinvigorate your relationship and your ambition. Talk about you dreams and where you want to be in the future. Ask each other for advice on how you can accomplish these goals as a team. We know that two heads are better than one and you will be shocked at how motivating this can be, getting advice from a person who loves and cares about you.

NO.2 – INTRODUCE A THIRD PARTY
Now this is very sensitive. Ladies before you try out number two, make sure you are ready as there is no turning back. This is so because ultimately, every couple will make that fateful decision to add someone new to the mix. I am not talking about a threesome but you can add that into your number 3 list so get your minds out of the gutter, we’re talking about bringing a child into the world. Truth be told there is nothing that will bond a couple quite like having something to care for together, something that is more important than each other. if you’re not quite ready to take that step (and don’t have a child simply because the relationship is in trouble and needs patching, it is not a fix-all solution), then think about bringing in a dog, a cat or even a goldfish( are these in our country), any being that both of you can care for and love.

NO.1 – DISCOVER THINGS TOGETHER
Last but not least, another well kept secret of keeping things fresh is the easiest thing you can do: add that element of “new” to your life and your relationship. Take a cooking class together, do yoga with each other or take dancing lessons. Hell, just take him to a new museum once in a while if he can stand statues and lives history. The bottom line is that you want to be with each other, but it’s always better to have something in common that you can discuss together. The stuff in the bedroom, that’s the easy part, but finding someone you actually want to talk to afterward, that’s the tough part, and when you finally get that, keep searching for something new to converse about and keep that initial feeling alive for the years ahead.

Women are like…

For decades men have tried to understand women, and find a fitting way to describe all their strange and crude tendencies to no avail. Eventually, I guess we decided to resort to similes to help in this futile attempt. I picked up the 20 best ‘women are like…’s from the many drunken discussions I have had with my fellow men and decided to share them with you. Enjoy.

1. Women are like silent men. You think they’re listening. Surprise!! They are not!!
2. Women are like elephants to me. I like to look at them, but I wouldn’t want to own one.
3. Women are like wealth, if they didn’t exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning.
4. Women are like cars, men really prefer them reasonably attractive; they go after the sensational ones to impress other men.
5. Women are like toddlers, they are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weakness.
6. Women are like pets, they begin by resisting a man’s advances and end by blocking his retreat.
7. Women are like bosses, who gives a damn if they are late?
8. Women are like old cars, no matter how good she looks, some other guy is sick and tired of putting up with her crap.
9. Women are like fantasies, they are better off as an illusion, not a reality.
10. Women are like dogs really, they love a little too insistently.
11. Women are like apples on trees, the best ones are on the top of the tree. Most men don’t want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and don’t want to get hurt. Instead, they just get the rotten apples from the ground, that aren’t so good but easy to pick with no risk of falling and getting hurt.
12. Women are like money, you know you have a lot of them when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
13. Women are like the stock market. They’re irrational and can bankrupt you if you’re not careful.
14. Women are like computers. They take too long to warm up and a better model always comes along once you’ve already got one. And of course, even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.
15. Women are like country songs. They’re annoying, they all sound alike, and if you really listen to them you’ll get depressed and drink a lot.
16. Women are like in-laws. You try your hardest to make a good impression. You act in ways you think they will like and you tell them what you think they want to hear. But somehow, even your best efforts backfire.
17. Women are like casinos. They always leave you broke. You always swear you are done with them. But somehow, you always go back to them again.
18. Women are like the safaricom help line. You always call them. They might promise to call you back, but they never do.
19. Women are like a treadmill. They make you sweat but you never get anywhere with them!
20. Women are like a mobile phone. Press the right buttons and they might get the message.

I’m hoping to come up with a list of ‘Men are Like…’ but ill need the ladies help here, your comments are welcome.

H1N1: What You Need To Know

There are now 9 confirmed cases of the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) in Kenya according to this Standard newspaper story. Uganda has also confirmed a case. Here is a basic run down of this disease.

What Is The H1N1 Virus?
Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that first caused illness in Mexico and the United States in March and April, 2009. It spreads mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus, but it may also be spread by touching infected objects and then touching your nose or mouth. It causes a wide range of flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In addition, many people also have reported nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Why Was A Pandemic Declared?
The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to the ongoing global spread of the H1N1 virus. WHO’s decision to raise the pandemic alert level to Phase 6 is a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of illness caused by the virus.

It’s uncertain at this time how serious or severe this novel H1N1 pandemic will be in terms of how many people infected will develop serious complications or die from novel H1N1 infection. Experience with this virus so far is limited and influenza is unpredictable. However, because novel H1N1 is a new virus, many people may have little or no immunity against it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

• Stay informed.
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Stay home if you get sick so as to limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
• Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.

8 tips on how to look slimmer

The way you dress can help you
I know many of us have had to ask some of the strangest questions, especially to men. Some go like this; how do I look with this dress? Does this pant make me look fat? The better majority of us try asking these questions to our reflections in the mirror. But I hate to believe that all of us women we tailored to be worried about the same thing, I mean there must be something we can for sure blame. Don’t you think some clothes actually make us look bigger and fatter? Fashion experts like me tend to believe so. There are many opinions about this. What makes you look fat and what can take 10 pounds and a few inches off your waist? Among the many recommendations that the experts keep repeating on TV programs and books, I believe that the following work the best:

1. Positive focus
If you are overweight (later on I will teach you how you can know whether you are or not), first of all, do not feel bad about your body. You would be nothing without your body and it hell supports you when walking, talking, breathing, so love it. This therefore does not mean that you get a license to eat unhealthy and not workout but your weight and your perception about yourself should not be related. You have to focus on the positive aspects of you: your smile, your eyes, your waist, your legs, etc. Accentuate the positive and disguise the negative. When you flaunt it, people will notice it and when you shun it people will repulse it too.

2. Love color and do not be afraid to experiment with it
Black is not the only option to look slender. Color and variety can help you look thinner. If you select a monochromatic look that goes well with your skin tone, you will make people look at your glowing face. Do not be afraid of color; the secret is to use one color in many different tones and you have created a monochromatic look. Be sure not to look like a rainbow though!!!

3. Elongate your body
If you are not very tall, and most of us are not, try to elongate your body by using pants that cover your shoes. This is a tip my mother gave me. If your pants cover your shoes, your legs look longer and you look taller plus your butt looks sexier. Why do you think ladies wear the crazy heels in the X-rated movies?

4. Do not use clothes that do not fit
Many women think that if the clothes are tight or loose they will look thinner. This is not true; they will only look fatter, instead not to mention shabby. Your clothes have to fit your body; neither oversized nor undersized does the trick. You can try finding a good tailor for your office clothes and even when you buy second hand clothes, you can still add a touch of your personality in your clothes.

5. Not too tight
On the negative side, tight clothes only make us look like a sausage and like my friend Laura Kote says, saving up for goodbye cellulite is hard!! – You look so stuffed that some of the fat comes out and calls attention. That is precisely what we do not want: attention in the wrong places. Be careful not to wear tops that show your tummy from down this makes you look pregnant, instead try wearing tops that come right below waist line.

6. Not too loose clothes
Oversized clothes may hide the imperfections but it does not do justice to your positive points and you will look not only bigger, but also without any shape. You are highlighting the very things you want to hide. Forget big T-shirts and blouses without any fitting.

7. Avoid extra material around your tummy
Pants with pleats, elastic waist or string waists are only adding volume to your waist. Same applies to skirts. Do I need to add anything here… guess not!!

8. Be careful with accessories
Accessories can also make you look fatter or skinnier: if you have a tummy, large belts should be avoided, because you are putting attention on your tummy. The same way necklaces too close to your face should be used carefully if you have a double chin, because it will accentuate the chin; longer necklaces have the opposite effect. If you are fat, avoid chunky necklaces as these make your neck look shorter and you end up looking like Barney from The Flintstones.

Now you know some things to watch out for when you are wondering if that great outfit makes you look fat.

Identity Theft

I love the internet. And I love geeks. Something about watching their faces light up when they talk code just totally does it for me. It’s like watching a kid with a brand new toy.

I am also a technoblonde … and a wannabe geekchick. I have these grand dreams and schemes of one day deciphering geekspeak. Then when I hear my pretty ones babbling about buffering and networks and whatnot, I’ll be able to join their fluent geekinese.

That said, when I think about identity theft, I think about people hacking into paypal accounts and accessing my bank account or stealing my pin numbers. I imagine them buying things in my name, or draining my life savings. Pretty scary stuff, but not something I think about often, since I don’t do much cashing online.

So today as I was trawling blogville, I got a rather rude shock. Identity theft is actually much simpler and wider than I realised. And all it takes is a ‘friend’.

With social networks like facebook and twitter, I often accept ‘friends’ indiscriminately. On facebook somebody adds you as a friend, you accept and forget about it. Sometimes, face book even accepts friendships on your behalf. They will deny this, but lots of times I have seen new friends on my list that I neither asked for nor accepted, but since they are people I know, I just let it go.

On twitter it’s much worse, because almost everybody uses a nickname, so you have no idea who you’re really talking to. Plus, there’s nothing to stop me from tweeting using, say, my brother’s name. That’s why you see a tweep called Shaq and another called The Real Shaq and yet another called The Bonafide Shaq.

The trouble with things like twitter is that you get comfortable. You say banal things, like how you’re upset that your dog just died, or how you are excited about your birthday party, or how the stripper at this club you’re at is really something. You feel safe, you are anonymous, and you are among friends. And after all, who cares about your dead dog? It’s hardly a state secret.

But consider this. You are at said club describing said stripper, and some person in your twitter group is at the same club. They simply look up, scan the crowds for the person playing with their phone, and suddenly you’re not anonymous anymore. If the person is harmless, they may come up, introduce themselves and even get to know you. Suddenly, you have a real life friend.

A more malevolent person may chat you up without telling you who they are, and cause havoc between you’re virtual and real social life. They could either chuckle at your ignorance while they play their sleuthing game, or totally ruin your life, work, or relationship.

Take another instance of a person who specifically sets out to get you. They will friend you on twitter, then deliberately collect random information about you. Your favourite team or club, the car you drive, the route you use to work, the girl you’re eye-ing … all it takes is a random tweet like ‘On my way to work, this Mombasa Road jam is the pits!’ or ‘Having dinner at Tacos with my girl’ or even ’stomach cramps, need to see a doctor’ to help someone build a rather intimate composite of you.

How is this bad? Well, for one thing, you can get totally creeped out when a stranger walks up to you and says, ‘your favourite food is X, you’re currently trying to get a job, last week you had an attack of chicken pox’ etc. Separately, these are harmless tweets, but in combination, you will feel thoroughly stalked.

Still, this is all harmless information. Throw in an evil mind and you are in dogs. Scenario A: The person has all your twitter info, and then, by way of strip club, finds out your identity. They then go on facebook and see ‘So and so is engaged to so-an-so’. Think of what they could do with that info. They could email your fiancee with dirt on you. Or worse, they could chat up your fiancee, sister, mother or even your boss pretending to be you.

Sounds impossible? Not really. I mean if they know both your names, how hard is it to set up an email address using them? If your sister got an email from Anthony.Kuku@gmail.com, she’s unlikely to think it’s someone pretending to be you. She’ll just assume you got a new email.

Then, if in the course of chatting with ‘her brother’ you talk about how she was shopping this morning and ask what she bought, how she liked the red shoes, how sad you are about the dead dog, she’ll definitely think she’s talking to you.

Now think for a second, the kind of information this person could get from your sister or fiancee, or worse, the kind of information, false or otherwise, that this person could give them. If they wanted to. Creepy, isn’t it?