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 | Signing Time! Volume 4: Family, Feelings & Fun |
 | "Signing is for all children" | 2008-12-12 |
I started signing with my daughter when she was 12 months. In one week she had 10 signs and had started trying to say some of the words. Not yet two, she is outperforming her age group on every language marker. Signing Time has been a big part of that. These DVDs are wonderful, first Rachel teaches a set of signs and then sings a song that uses those signs, you won't believe how fast your kids will pick this up (and you too!). The signs are useful and will give even the littlest ones a way to express themselves.
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 | BlackBerry 8310 Curve Titanium Smartphone (AT&T) |
 | "Good, but not great" | 2008-12-12 |
This phone is good. There are plenty of features and the voice quality isn't bad. The form factor is a little annoying if you carry this around in your pocket. My major complaint with this is that the device sometimes (1-2 times per month) refuses to make phone calls and I have to remove the battery to reboot. The calendar and contacts are easy to use, I find the task list a little cumbersome. Overall I don't regret getting the curve but I probably won't be getting another one when this one dies.
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 | Ten Poems to Change Your Life |
 | "Trite" | 2008-02-04 |
While the poems in this book are wonderful, the commentary by Housden is just too syrupy. I was expecting more of a discussion on the poems themselves rather than a look into the author's personal life. This book is more of an exposition of how these poems have meaning to the author.
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 | Baby Einstein Discover & Play Activity Gym |
| "Great for active babies" | 2007-07-05 |
My daughter loved this gym from about 6 weeks until 4 months. The toys are bright and colourful and the mat and toys all wash well. My only complaint is that the ladybug rattle is quite difficult to use for a small baby and that there are not enough rings included to make the toys low enough for a small baby. Overall a great way to give your baby some activity.
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 | Baby Einstein - Play Gym - Vinyl Contour |
| "Great for active babies" | 2007-07-05 |
My daughter loved this gym from about 6 weeks until 4 months. The toys are bright and colourful and the mat and toys all wash well. My only complaint is that the ladybug rattle is quite difficult to use for a small baby and that there are not enough rings included to make the toys low enough for a small baby. Overall a great way to give your baby some activity.
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 | Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer |
 | "Some small adjustments would make it better" | 2007-07-05 |
I used this seat with my baby for her first 10 weeks. During that time she loved it, kicking the pieces to start the music and watching the fish. However as soon as she got the ability to move just a little the seat became unsafe. The belt to keep the baby in is just too small to effectively prevent a child from falling. I would recommend looking for a seat with a more secure restraint system, I have seen them, but I don't know the brands.
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 | SanDisk SDCZ4-256-A10 256 MB Cruzer Micro |
| "Very convenient" | 2007-07-04 |
I use this little USB stick almost every day. I just keep it in my pocket so it's always there when I need it. The skins aren't really necessary but if you have more than one it's a good way to distinguish between them.
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 | Avent On the Go Pump Set |
| "Terrific little pump" | 2007-07-04 |
I have been using this twice a day since going back to work almost four months ago. With it I can express milk discreetly and quickly. I can get between 7 and 10 ounces in 10 minutes. I have never used an electric pump so I can't compare but if you are looking for a manual pump this one is perfect.
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 | Avent Ultra Comfort Disposable Breast Pads |
| "Barely do the job" | 2007-07-04 |
I tried these pads first after being so happy with other Avent products. Unlike other Avent products these pads are barely passable for the job. They are very thick, you can see them through clothing, the diameter is far too small so even a small shift and they will leak. After many leaks with these I switched to Lansinoh pads.
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 | Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags 50-pk. |
| "Keeps my milk organized" | 2007-07-04 |
I have been really happy with these to store milk up to 8 oz. Just freeze them on a flat surface and then I "file them" in a box in the freezer, oldest bag first. There is space to write the date and volume on the bag so you can stay organized. Like another reviewer I have found that if you scrape or drop them at all they will leak when defrosted but I have only had this problem with about 5% of the bags (before I learned to be careful). If you are unsure, just defrost milk by putting these in a ziploc bac first. Other than that they have been first rate.
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 | Lansinoh Breastfeeding Collection, Disposable Nursing Pads |
| "Best pads available" | 2007-07-04 |
I bought these after trying, and not liking, the Avent pads. I was worried because I read about pads with plastic backing being too hot, or promoting infection. Since switching to these I have had no leaks, even when they're really soaked, and no other problems. They are discreet and comfortable. I recommend these to all my mommy friends.
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 | 100 ct. Disposable Breast Pads |
| "Barely do the job" | 2007-07-04 |
I tried these pads first after being so happy with other Avent products. Unlike other Avent products these pads are barely passable for the job. They are very thick, you can see them through clothing, the diameter is far too small so even a small shift and they will leak. After many leaks with these I switched to Lansinoh pads.
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 | Mozart Magic Cube |
| "Entertaining and Imaginative" | 2007-07-02 |
My five month old loves this product. She uses it to support herself while sitting up and explores the buttons with complete concentration. Considering most toys only hold her interest for 5-10 minutes, the 15-20 she gets out of this speaks for itself. The sounds of the instruments is artificial and tinny, but not so much so that I can't stand to hear it. My only complain is that it is quite loud, I wish it came with the ability to adjust the volume. Recommended.
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 | Crystallization of Biological Macromolecules |
| "A classic" | 2007-07-02 |
This covers pretty much every aspect of protein crystallization and is a very useful reference for students and scientists working in the field. Recommended for anyone doing protein crystallography.
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 | Think Outside Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard for Pocket PC |
| "Great little keyboard" | 2007-07-02 |
I use this all the time with my HP Ipaq. They keyboard works well but it's a little flimsy feeling so you need a hard surface to type on but everything else about the feel is very comfortable. I was easily able to adapt to this from my regular keyboard with no problem.
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 | Avent Express Microwave Steam Sterilizer |
| "Very convenient" | 2007-07-01 |
I use this at least twice a day to sterilize my avent pump and storage bottles. It is fast and easy and I can't imagine going back to boiling bottles again. A must have for working moms.
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 | Deluxe Symphony-In-Motion - Zoo Mobile |
| "My daughter loves it" | 2007-07-01 |
I bought this when my daughter graduated to the big crib at three months. She laughs continously when I turn this on. It isn't very useful to lull her to sleep but I use it to entertain her in the morning when I getting ready. My only complaint is the way it attaches to the crib, it's a bit awkward and it damaged the wood finish a little, however a little padding under it has solved the problem. I have never used the remote, so I can't comment on it.
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 | Targus PA870U Universal Wireless Keyboard - Keyboard - PA870U |
| "I miss my stowaway" | 2005-04-14 |
I bought this as a replacement for my stowaway when I replaced my Palm m105 with an HP IPAQ. The palm-stowaway combination was an excellent portable alternative to my laptop and I used in nearly every day. After my positive experience I expected my new IR keyboard to function the same way. What a dissapointment! I can forgive the large size of the keyboard but there are several aspects of this keyboard that have made it intolerable to me. I found the keys did not always respond leaving me with multiple errors to fix in every paragraph and the split space bar has been a constant source of irritation, I usually hit the solid piece of plastic in the middle instead of one of the keys. The little plastic arms on the stand do not hold the PDA at all securely, even bumping the table can knock it off, and I have taken to using an elastic band to keep my IPAQ in place. The "mouse" arrowpad is a nice idea but does not justify the loss of the arrow keys. Finally the backlight does not stay on while using the keyboard and there is no backlight control on the keyboard (unlike the stowaway). I will be replacing this keyboard with another after a much more careful search.
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 | Your First 100 Words in Arabic : Beginner's Quick & Easy Guide to Demystifying Non-Roman Scripts |
| "Great Starting Point" | 2002-07-23 |
This book offers a great place to start learning arabic vocabulary. After learning the alphabet and some basic grammar from other books I was happy to have this book to learn some basic vocabulary from. Though some people may think of the games as "kid stuff" I found them a great way to reinforce my memory.
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