It happened in the UK, Long Island, New YorkN,South Carolina and a lot of other places lately. A nanny camera set up in a child’s room roving and moving on its own thanks to hackers who managed to remotely access the cameras without the knowledge or approval of the owners.
In general, the Internet of Things means things like toys, music players like Alexa, refrigerators and more can be connected to the net. With this connection comes the risk of being exploited by hackers so use two level password protection and opt for the highest encryption possible.
Also, with adults spending an astonishing 11 hours per day glued to their screens – reading, watching, listening and interacting with media ‒ making a pledge to protect your online life is a digital must do. Intel, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Microsoft have an easy-to-implement solution for your New Year’s resolution: #UpdateMeow and keep your systems and software current. The message is simple: when you receive an update notification from your device manufacturer or operating system vendor, verify the source and apply the update. It’s one of the easiest ways to help keep devices secure.
Leveraging the popularity of cats on the internet, #UpdateMeow is a feline-friendly way to remind everyone to update their software and systems, which is often essential to fixing security bugs. It’s simple, has multiple benefits and will keep your interconnected world safer and more secure. What better way to kick off the New Year than by taking one simple step that will help protect you, your family and your entire online community.
In her newly released music video for her latest hit single, “Money“, rapper Cardi B promotes breastfeeding by featuring shots of herself nursing an infant. Well more likely it is a doll and not her 6-month old daughter Kulture with estranged hubby Offset.
The shots in the video that was dropped on Friday, December 21 of her holding a baby to her breast dressed in high fashion couture amidst is set among abundant glorious conspicuous consumption and female body glorification!
The video is visually stimulating and the ornate costuming and setting inside a bank and I think a museum is bold but nothing you wouldn’t expect from a woman on top of her game and with a very generous music video budget.
She pays homage to photographer Thierry Mugler’s 1999 Playboy shoot, and Lil Kim while pole dancing and playing the piano naked.
It is definitely got people with talking with half of the people I saw on Twitter saying she is personifying feminism, empowering sex workers via all the images of strippers, while normalizing breastfeeding and the message that a woman can be a mom, career woman and have it all.
Deftly blending high fashion, sex work, and — yes — breastfeeding, Cardi B's video for "Money" is the logical culmination of three decades of feminism in hip-hop. In this 20,000 word essay I will…. pic.twitter.com/m3cOXpQaFr
— Eunice Chantilly's tacky barrette. (@RafiDAngelo) December 21, 2018
Others are saying the breastfeeding images juxtaposed with so much “T &A” sets back the movement to normalize breastfeeding through declaring that the female breasts are not sexual objects but objects for nourishing a child.
Either way, the video is quite an exhibition. WATCH!
Electronics retail giant Best Buy is rolling out a new employee benefit, Backup Child Care, to offer busy parents ten days each year of subsidized care for its U.S. employees. All employees will have to pay to use the plan is a $10 co-pay.
The daily co-pay covers up to 10 hours of care that can be either at a center or the employee’s home and can be applied to multiple children. Both full and part-time employees are eligible to use the program.
The new benefit will be managed through a partnership between Best Buy and the Waltham, Massachusetts-based global online family care marketplace Care.com.
“Providing Backup Child Care was an easy decision to make, and we’re thrilled to offer it to all employees,” said Charlie Montreuil, Best Buy’s senior vice president of HR rewards, in a statement. “No one should ever have to choose between coming to work or making sure they have quality care for their child.”
Allyson Felix, the most decorated U.S. Olympics woman track and field star with nine Olympic medals, secretly married and had a baby last month.
She revealed the news in a feature published Thursday at ESPNW, where she also explained, like the scrutiny and judgment Serena Williams felt, she felt pressured to put off starting a family so not to jeopardize her athletic career.
She married long time boyfriend and fellow Olympic sprinter husband Kenneth Ferguson, got pregnant and at just nine weeks along, competed in a race and again at 4 months but both times, she ran noticeably slower.
She said in the piece: “When I ran back-to-back slow times this June, people started to wonder why.
My coach talked to me about shutting it down for the season. My brother wanted to make sure I wasn’t hurt.
It was time to tell them what was really going on.
I was pregnant.”
The baby, a little girl she and hubby named Camryn Grace Ferguson, came early at 32 weeks via emergency Caesarean section and is still in the NICU.
Felix shared some of her birth story and anxiety over motherhood in her Twitter account including her reaction to being told by doctors at her 32-week check up that they didn’t like the baby’s heart rate and to go to the hospital.
She was just about to go do a photo shoot that would result in the pictures she would use for making her big public announcement about the pregnancy and thought it could wait. She explained:
I’m an athlete. I know how to take care of myself. I know how to eat right and get enough rest. And I’d been doing everything right throughout the whole pregnancy.
When I got to the hospital, I knew pretty quickly that something was very wrong.
Felix had high blood pressure and the baby’s heart rate decelerated, forcing an emergency C-section on Nov. 28. Camryn was born 3 pounds, 7 ounces and 16 inches. She was immediately taken to the NICU, where she still is being cared for three weeks later.
Felix said her daughter is doing well and will be OK.
She is telling her story now to be open and transparent over the fact that famous people, including athletes have the same struggles as most women.
“Pregnancy in sports shouldn’t feel risky,” she tweeted. “[B ]ut the reality is that it is. It’s scary to tell an employer you are starting a family & not know if you will be supported.
[I] know a lot of women can relate no matter what field you are in. i want better for my own daughter.”
In the ESPNW article, she said: “I hoped my experiences could help other women who were worried of what starting a family would mean to their careers. To let them know that I too have those anxious feelings.”
Are you ready for those two weeks off for winter break? Many parents can tell cabin fever is upon us, given all the downtime.
That is why we’ve have mastered the art of the winter movie night, morphing into a pro at pulling together an evening that everyone can enjoy, despite cold temps, an out-of-whack daily routine, too much time with relatives, and general post-holiday blues. It’s really just a matter of survival.
Here’s what you need to do.
Tire everyone out. OK, OK… so what I’m about to say isn’t technically a part of your winter movie night, but it IS still key to making your evening successful.Anyone who’s going to participate has to get his or her energy out before hand so that they’re ready to max and relax once the sun’s down. Maybe that means sledding or snowman-building. Maybe that means going on a trek around the neighborhood or taking a short drive to someplace your kids can run around fora bit. If you have teenagers, make them do outdoor chores (hello, shoveling) or run errands for you. The key is to get some crisp air into everyone’s lungs to ensure they don’t go into movie night still bouncing off the walls with pent-up energy.
Set up a snowscape. While the rest of your family is engaged in outdoor activities,you can get your heart rate pumping by setting the scene for the evening’s main event. Search high and low for any and all white pillows, white sheets, white towels and white blankets. You’re going to want to cover your entire movie-watching area with these materials to create a “snowscape.” (Light blue will work as well.) Some families might also have white plastic table covers and white or silver balloons they can add into the mix. If you really want to get into it, check out dollar stores and deep-discount sites and stock up beforehand!
Add merry music. Prepare a mix of your favorite holiday tunes and play them in the background while everyone’s coming in from the outside and starting to wind down.
Decorate as a group. You know your crew best, but if you think they’d enjoy doing something to help set the scene, you could have the kids make paper snowflakes to spread or hang around. (You could also use white throwaway doilies.)Depending on how much you do or do not mind cleaning up afterward, you could give them cotton balls to spread on the floor as “snow.” Another option is to let them build a “snow fort” out of blankets and pillows — somewhere cozy where they can snuggle down to watch the movie.
Build your own (ice cream) snowman. Let everyone settle in for the evening with a frozen treat. My recommendation would be to have small bowls of various toppings that can be used to make a face, hat and scarf on an ice-cream snowman’s head. Or you could whip up ice cream shakes for everyone and voila! You’ve got yummy “melted snowmen.”
Relax and enjoy a movie. Once your group is ready, it’s showtime. Whether you pick a family movie or a seasonal favorite, you’ve earned the right to sink into your chair and let yourself be transported into someone else’s story for a few hours.
And afterward? Egg nog for the adults and hot cocoa for the kiddies!
Meghan Markle did not revive her Instagram account from her days as a blogger and star of Suits as believed when the page went live this week.
It was probably a glitch, Royal reporter Omid Scobiehypothesizes.
For those of you asking, Duchess Meghan is not making a return to Instagram. You can blame a system glitch for her account resurfacing on the app this morning? pic.twitter.com/sz3JWbJ0fD
Although it would be not against Royal protocol to keep up a social media page, the Duchess of Sussex decided to focus on her new life as a Brit Royal after marrying Prince Harry.
Her former followers on that account and fans of the ex actress were excited.
For now, they will have to rely on the news about her released by Kensington Palace likethese recent photosof her visiting The Royal Variety Charity’s residential nursing and care home, the Brinsworth House.
If you are on the hunt for some home items for the new Year to spruce up your digs, I invite you to check out the folks at California Design Den a quality linen brand “dedicated to delivering high-comfort bedding that’s on-trend and built to last.”
Complimentary of this fabulous company, my hubby and I got a chance to check out of of its luxurious 400-600 thread count sateen weave sheets ($48.89 starting for king size), superbly crafted of fine products and created in an eco-friendly production process.
I chose black because it is my fave color and matches my mahogany sleigh bed and dark wood furnishings in my bedroom. They also come in blue, chocolate brown, blush, light grey, vanilla, indigo batik, mod spa, pure white, red wine and smoked pearl.
The sheets fit in perfectly and felt so smooth and crisp against my skin. We have had it we had to wash them between reviewing them and publishing this post and I can attest that after a traditional machine wash and dry, they come without too many wrinkles and spread on the bed just as nicely as when they were first used!
I really love this brand of linen makers which sells a variety of fine sheets through commerce sites like Wayfair and Nordstrom Rack. They are also a top seller atAmazon!
Check out all California Design Den has to offer and consider investing in one of California Design Den’s quality top-notched products for the home today.
If they were not an exquisite item, I would not endorse them as such so you know these are a keeper!
I will be checking out what else they have to offer now that I’ve tested out and enjoy so thoroughly these sheets!
Celebrities get “Mommy Shamed” for every. little. thing. they. do! It comes with the territory of having millions of followers, being socially influential and having humans with all sorts of opinions following your every move!
Recently, brand new first-time moms to baby girls,Gabrielle Union and Kenya Moore Dalywere warned about kissing their own newborns! Yup!
(There and Pro and Cons schools of thought on this issue)
Union shared a video which got all the heat but she chose to reply to them, writing, in a subsequent post including a video of her daughter Kaavia James being examined by the doctor who gave a clean bill of health:
Cant stop, won’t stop. ???@kaaviajames ?❤???? Here’s a guide for happily enjoying my posts of our family. Trust that she is surrounded by medical and child care specialists. Know she is safe and watched closely at all times. Trust that I won’t post anything that puts my child in danger or opens me up to unsolicited online medical or parenting opinions ? @kaaviajames is loved. She will be kissed. She will be loved on by the people that love her. She will be safe. If and when I have questions (as a new mom I have tons) I will not hesitate to ask my online community for help and suggestions. But yall have never known me to hold my tongue so trust that I will ask for help. Sometimes publicly and sometimes privately. Its OK that every parent does things differently to suit their child’s needs. Every solution that works or worked for you may or may not work for me or my family or other folks. And that’s absolutely OK. If someone does things differently or does not take your advise or that advise doesnt pan out the way it did for you, that is NO indication that you are wrong or a bad parent. We all figure out what works for us, our children and our families. We dont all have to match. It’s ok to break from the norm and do what’s healthiest and safest for your child. No one is in your house or your family but YOU. We dont all need to be clones of each other to be doing OK. The goal is for us all to have happy healthy families and that journey looks different for every family. Let’s embrace that. Let’s get comfortable with that. Someone doing something different than us does not make us bad people or bad parents. Breathe and enjoy. There will be no mommy shaming on this page. I rebuke mommy shaming. For those STILLLLL clinging onto your fears about Kaav’s breathing and or whether my sweet kisses harmed my kid…feel free to swipe.
Moore just ignore them and let her fans clap back over criticism of her kissing her infant, Brooklyn Doris.
Giving birth isn’t an easy feat. And while some would say that your body will never be the same after giving birth, it is definitely possible to get back in shape immediately. It will take patience and dedication since it could be longer than what you see from celebrities and other personalities because not everyone has that lifestyle, but it’s not impossible.
Here’s
a list of tips on how you can get back to shape after giving birth:
1. Start
while you’re pregnant
You’re going to start gaining weight when you become
pregnant because you’ll need more calories and nutrients for a growing baby
inside you, and your hormones will be in limbo, too.
While you’re going to crave for lots of things, sugar and
refined carbohydrates included, make sure that you don’t give in to this
feeling the whole time. Opt for healthy snacks like those offered by Snack nation snack delivery instead of reaching out for
doughnuts, chocolates, or ice cream all the time.
In addition, being pregnant doesn’t mean that you can stay
in bed all day. It’s best to be watchful with your diet while you’re pregnant
and perform doctor-recommended exercises because this can influence how easy or
difficult it will be for you to lose some pounds after giving birth.
2.
Breastfeed
There are definitely lots of benefits to
breastfeeding, despite the controversies behind it. One of those is that
breastfeeding your baby actually burns an additional 600-800 calories a day.
This is why you shouldn’t suddenly drop your calorie intake when doing this so
that you provide quality milk, but continue to watch your food portions.
Even while you’re still unable to perform exercise routines
right after delivery, breastfeeding can help you shed the baby weight while
sitting comfortably.
3. Mind
your eating habits
A common mistake that mothers can do after giving birth is
to keep eating the same way when the baby is still there. There’s a concept
where pregnant women can eat anything they want and get away with it, which
could really affect your weight gain during and after pregnancy. Here are some
tips concerning eating:
Besides watching portion control,
avoid eating empty calories and fat like soda, chips, sweetened fruit drinks,
pastries, and others.
Eat small, frequent meals. This
helps avoid cravings that could lead you to eat more.
Consume proteins like lean meat and
fish to lessen hunger.
Don’t skip breakfast. It’s the most
important meal of the day and is vital to start your blood glucose levels
right.
Add soluble fiber into your diet
like flax seeds, chia seeds, beans, and legumes.
4. Get
well rested
You might think that being a mother to a newborn is
rewarding but stressful, and it’s just impossible to get some rest.
There are plenty of healthy ways to
destress like getting into meditation and doing simple breathing exercises. Whenever
your baby is asleep, don’t forget to get some rest yourself.
Your body needs to recover from giving birth, and having
adequate rest promotes faster healing so that you can go back to doing more
activities. Take naps, sleep for at least eight hours at any given chance,
spend 10-15 minutes a day to disconnect and just relax.
5. Start
walking
You’re most likely not ready for more vigorous exercise
until six weeks from giving birth, or more if you had a C-section, but that
doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t keep moving.
Start walking as soon as the doctor allows you, to promote
proper blood circulation and burn calories. You can start with 5-10 minutes a
day, observe if you’re not excessively exhausted or bleeding and progress as
you get stronger.
6. Have a
consistent exercise routine
It is very important that you consult your doctor before
getting yourself into more physical activity. After giving birth, your
abdominal muscles have a gap and it’s critical that this gap closes before you
do any strenuous exercise.
A study has shown that postpartum exercise improved quality
of life so it’s best to make time to burn some calories not just to get back in
shape but for overall health.
A few exercises that could help you are:
Kegel’s exercises and pelvic tilts
to strengthen your pelvic muscles.
Basic crunches as soon as the
abdominal gap closes, mostly after six weeks after giving birth, or more if you
had a C-section.
Mild cardio routines like squats and
lunges help burn fats and increase your metabolism.
Always be observant with your body
and the effects your exercise routines are giving you. If there is something
unusual like excessive heavy breathing or bleeding, consult your doctor
immediately.
If
you want to get back into shape after giving birth, it’s important to impose
self-discipline and be faithful to follow routines. Breastfeed, eat and rest
well, and exercise your way to get the pre-pregnancy shape you want back.
A woman is being accused of faking a pregnancy after a months-long adoption arrangement, landing herself at the center of an investigation by a Virginia Commonwealth Attorney.
A couple from Lake Forest, California said they traveled across the country to adopt a baby, allegedly being carried by a Scott County, Virginia woman.
News Channel 11 has decided not to name this woman because she’s yet to be charged.
Laura and Matt Trayte said they initially came into contact with the woman in September of 2018, when they said she told them she was five months pregnant.
Laura said she didn’t ask for any money and, after having tried multiple expensive in vitro procedures, this was part of what made the woman seem like a perfect match for the couple.
From that point on, Laura said she talked to the woman every single day, exchanging thousands of texts over several months and talking on the phone for hours.
“She was going to be a part of our life for the future and the baby’s future,” said Matt.
The couple even came to visit the woman ahead of the expected birth date. They met with a lawyer to sign over the right to make medical decisions. They said they took professional photos, at the woman’s request, to be used for a social media announcement about the adoption.
“It was so exciting for me because a dream that I had been working on for ten years seemed like it was finally going to happen,” said Laura.
Not long after that, the woman started reporting complications, according to the Traytes.
“She told us so many times that she wanted us out there as soon as possible because she felt like the baby was going to come early,” said Matt.
The couple, both school teachers, scrambled to make arrangements to fly to the Tri-Cities for a second time.
On Thursday, November 29th the woman texted Laura, saying she was in labor and en route to the hospital. She told Laura there was blood all over her Jeep and that the baby was crowning.
The woman said she was being transported to Holston Valley Medical Center‘s NICU. Then, moments later, she said the baby had been born. “That she was small but perfect and we were just overjoyed in the car, crying and happy,” Laura recalled.
The couple rushed to the hospital with their son, who was elated to meet his new baby sister. The couple planned to name her Noella.
But when they arrived, the woman and the baby weren’t there. The Traytes said the woman was checked into the hospital for back pain and claimed to nurses she didn’t know them.
“She just sat there and stared at me with this blank stare, like no remorse,” said Laura.
The couple said it was a traumatic experience, especially for their son, who had come to know the woman and even some members of her family.
“He didn’t understand and it was hard to explain something we didn’t understand either,” Laura said.
Later, the woman attempted to explain. She said she had a miscarriage two weeks before and didn’t know how to tell the Traytes.
Yet on Facebook, the woman said she lost the baby at 13 weeks.
“She had said if you would like I would send you pictures of the death certificate and also of the dead body,” said Laura.
“Which we thought was absolutely horrifying and at this point we didn’t really believe anything that was coming out of her,” Matt continued.
Now, the Traytes are seeking justice.
A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate whether emotional trauma can be considered a crime.
