Webby Clare

Thoughts and other writings by Clare Conroy

DIY Instagram Magnets

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DIY Instagram Magnets
DIY Instagram Magnets

A new baby means lots of photos and I wanted to make some fridge magnets to show them off and to give to family as Christmas gifts. I looked into Stickygram, but it’s expensive and I also wanted to make magnets from some of my photos that weren’t on Instagram. So instead I turned to Google and decided to DIY (basing much of what I did on this post). I’m pretty pleased with the results so thought I’d share what I did…. [Read more…]

New baby gift ideas

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When you have a baby, all gifts (and home-cooked meals and practical assistance) are gratefully received. Not only did we receive some lovely clothes, toys, and books (including the gorgeous (but expensive) outfits that you’d be unlikely to indulge in yourself), but the gifts and cards provided a much needed reminder, amongst the stress and chaos of becoming a new parent, that we were part of a wonderful, loving community.

I know that I’ve found it difficult in the past to select gifts for friends with new babies – wanting to get something unique but useful, and often not knowing what they already have plenty of or what their intentions are in terms of sleeping, feeding etc. So, if you find yourself stuck for ideas for friends or family in the future, here’s a list of 7 ideas for super-useful baby shower/new baby gifts… [Read more…]

50 Days with a Newborn: Reflections on Life, Love and Parenting

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50 days ago I added ‘mother’ and ‘parent’ to my list of titles (well, actually 52 days ago – it’s taken me a few days to finish this post!). Without a doubt, these last 50 days have been the hardest of my life. I had no idea just how physically, mentally and emotionally demanding this parenting gig would be. My friend Gavin described it like a baby bootcamp. He’s right. You get pushed to your limit, you’re completely exhausted, and then you’re screamed at (often literally) to give just a little bit more.

But as the ‘new parent fog’ begins to lift I’m beginning to appreciate the lessons I’ve learned and new insights I’ve gained. As well as the million and one practical parenting lessons, here are 10 larger life lessons that the last 50 days has revealed or reminded me of…

  1. There are no do-overs. Miss some tired signs and keep her up too long, think she’s tired when really she’s crying ’cause she’s starving, don’t burp her for long enough and she ends up covered in vomit… You never get to go back in time and make a different decision. You have to live with the outcome of the little decisions you make and all you can do is try to learn when things don’t go quite right. But at the same time, the ‘no do-overs’ also applies to the good stuff. I’ll never get a second chance to experience her ‘firsts’ so even when I’m wanting to fast-forward through the tough bits, I need to be present and to enjoy these moments as much as I can. [Read more…]

So, how was your labour?

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I realise that this post may be too-much-information for some, and sharing one’s birth experience publicly may not be something that others want to do. My experience of giving birth to Ella was overwhelmingly positive. Given how many horror stories are told about labour and birth, I wanted to provide a positive perspective which may be useful for other women to give them confidence that a drug-free, natural labour is entirely do-able. I found it really valuable to read/hear birth stories while I was pregnant (and I became somewhat addicted to One Born Every Minute!). But this definitely isn’t about boasting, or wanting kudos or sympathies. It’s not about comparing with others or pushing a particular approach. I understand that sometimes births get complicated and don’t go as a woman may have hoped/planned. And other women may seek a different experience for themselves. I think that any woman who has a baby is amazing, regardless of how they do it! This is simply intended to be a capture of my experience.

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Valley Attitude

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You need to be around people that believe in you on many different levels. This is the place. Everyone does believe that you can create change, you can make a big impact, and that you can do it in a short amount of time. And that it’s going to be profitable and they’ll invest in you and make it happen. And it is just so inspirational.

~ Virginia Klausmeier (CEO, Sylvatex) in NPR’s story on America’s Magnet For Innovation, And Investments, Silicon Valley.

We spent a few days in Silicon Valley on our recent trip, visiting some of Jason’s clients/connections at the Stanford d.school and sitting in on part of a 500 Startups UX bootcamp session. One of the things that  we both really noticed was the confident attitude of everyone we met. Confidence in themselves and in us. Not an arrogance or competitiveness (somewhat surprisingly), just an amazing amount of self-belief that they could build companies, create products and form connections. So when I heard this quote, I found myself nodding. Although my personal experience in the Valley was brief, this sums up the vibe precisely.