Do You Have a Plan to Potty Train Your Child?

Experts agree that there's no point in toilet training before children are able to control their bodily functions and forcing potty training can result to anxiety and fear of the toilet. It is best that parents prepare their kids for potty training so that they can start learning to be comfortable with the toilet and eliminate procrastination. Starting potty training too late can allow incorrect patterns of behavior to develop so you too, wouldn't wait for your child to become ready to potty train themselves, you will need to condition them but ...

How to Increase Your Milk Supply

It's all about the supply and demand theory. The more the breast milk is being emptied, your breasts will respond by making even more milk. Emptying your breast milk can be done through directly latching the baby on or through pumping out the milk. Increasing your milk supply may take many days to happen but this will definitely happen if you are consistent in telling your breast and brain that you need more milk. Every one will have enough milk for the baby; this is the nature of life. If you keep saying that you just do not have enough milk, it's probably you are not trying hard enough.

Newborn Allergies

One of the most scary thoughts a parent can think of, is what if their newborn infant has an allergy? Well, while many children do tend to be allergic to one thing or another, there is always ways to help ease the thoughts in your mind. One of the things to remember is that a child is usually only considered a newborn from birth to four weeks of age; the characteristics that are often associated with newborn infant's is their ability to lift their heads only for a short period of time.

How Can I Start a New Routine For My Baby, Toddler Without Any Crying?

I frequently get phone calls from sleep deprived parents asking for my help, explaining the routine they are currently using and what they would like to achieve with the new routine and then they add.... "But, I don't want any crying...my husband and I don't cope with it". I completely understand this request and my aim is to empower the parents with the skills to improve their baby/toddlers routine without any crying or distress and sometimes this happens at the first sleep but sometimes this isn't possible for good reason.

Baby Eczema - How to Feed Your Baby That Has Eczema - 6 Things to Think About - Part 2

If you are breastfeeding and you notice that your baby has an outbreak of eczema. You will need to have a good look at what is in included in your diet. If you look at your diet and none of the major offending foods have been eaten then you will look for another source of the problem. However, if you have been eating dairy products, seafood, honey, peanuts, wheat or soy products you may need to begin testing to see if any of these foods are the cause of your baby's outbreak.

The FuReal Pup Biscuit is This Years Hottest Christmas Toy Again - My Daughter Just Loves Hers

The FurReal Pup Biscuit is again the hottest toy for your child this holiday season. The joy that my daughter has gotten from her buiscuit this last year (she got her pup last Christmas)has really been a joy to watch. I want everyone to know that supplies are going to be limited this year, so I wouldn't delay any longer. If you haven't bought your FurReal Pup Biscuit yet for this Chtristmas I recommend that you Buy your new pup as soon as possible. You too can witness first hand the fun your child will have with their new pet. The FurReal Pup Biscuit won't leave your child's side. It will be the best toy your child gets all year.

Simple Tips to Making Coming Home With Baby Easier

Babies are something that grab our attention no matter where they are. They look good, smell good, and they make us feel good when we look at them. Of course, this is often the things we think about babies before we bring our own home! Not that we don't love and cherish our own babies, but having a newborn at home can be a lot more difficult than it looks. There are some things that you can do to make bringing home your baby much easier on you and the whole family.

Protect Your Baby - A New Way to Look at Diapering

From the moment your little one is born you splay their little fingers in yours, look into their young, innocent eyes and silently promise this sweet child you'll never let anything bad happen to him/her. There's nothing you wouldn't do for this little bundle of joy! And then the real world comes crashing down on you. Early morning and late night feedings, colic, late night rockings, dirty diapers, doctors appointments and the list goes on and on. Your life is busy and you're sure you'll never have another good night's sleep.

Taking Care of Toddlers

A human being has tremendous growth during the first three years and this stage is called a toddler stage. Babies in this stage are generally willing to explore new things. The child will try to understand the world around and starts expressing likes and dislikes. Taking care of toddlers is very important, as this stage will only determine the growth of your baby. Your child starts talking and walking. During these stages, the toddler will feel that the world is under his feet and demands for the things he or she wants.

Setting Your Baby Up For a Bright Future

For a new parent, there are few things that seem more important than making sure you surround your baby with the kind of environment that will help them develop into the best person they can be. Raising a baby is a big responsibility, an there is a myriad of different methods and approaches that can be used by parents to ensure their child is raised correctly. The more work and attention you give to your baby's environment and surroundings, the more likely they are to succeed with their natural talents and aptitudes.

Dummies, Pacifiers and Crooked Teeth

Sucking a dummy or fingers is thought to be a normal act in young children. However, many parents are unaware of the negative effects of dummies on their child's mouth and teeth. Dentists advise that parents only let their child use a dummy with caution, as the shape of a child's mouth and teeth can be negatively affected if sucking continues to school age, after the adult teeth appear. These changes can then become long-lasting, and teeth may be pushed forward so that the bottom and top front teeth don't meet properly.

Shaken Baby Syndrome Risk Profiles

The four main adult risk categories that contribute to affecting whether a baby is at a greater or lesser degree of risk from being subjected to Shaken Baby Syndrome are: Mental Predisposition Most incidences of Shaken Baby Syndrome take place during an unintentional fit of rage, where an arbitrary event causes the adult to simply 'snap' and forcefully release their frustration, for a matter of seconds usually, on the baby in their care. It is understandable, therefore, that those individuals that are already experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress are likely to ...

What to Look For When Buying a Double Stroller

As with most strollers the features in double stroller can vary and when you are buying your double stroller you should take care to ensure that you are getting the one that best meet your needs. If you are the proud parents of twins then a double stroller that can also be referred to as a twin stroller is your best option. These models have two seats that recline fully thus accommodating very young children and some models also have the feature of being able to clip two car seats to the frame.

Baby Oil Smooths and Soothes Baby Skin

The secret of smooth and soothing baby skin is fairly known, it is baby skin care products: baby oil, baby powder, baby cream and baby shampoo. The birth of a new little man in each family is a big day which has to be celebrated lively and with a lot of useful baby presents. It is no wonder that these days, before and after a baby shower, parents get the most useful and needed newborn baby gift baskets full of baby bath products, baby skin care items, baby toys and baby feeding accessories.

Tips For Teaching Toddlers to Use the Potty

As the mother of three children and grandmother of eight grandchildren, I have learned a lot about what works and what does not when teaching toddlers to use the potty. In my experience, I have found girls to be a bit easier to train than boys. I have heard that girls develop faster, mentally than boys and I wonder if that is a contributing factor. But, truth be told, no one really knows. Some moms believe that the opposite is true, therefore, I would suppose it depends on the person doing the educating.

Retro Baby - Alternative Infant Fashion

There are many facets in the alternative fashion realm, however they aren't just limited to the adult fashions. Quite on the contrary, many companies (mostly online only companies however) have taken heed of the demand of many alternative consumers. This would include offering a wide variety of clothing for infants, toddlers, and children of all ages that are either gothic, urban, punk, or retro in flavor. However, today we are going to focus on the many wonderful options that you, as a parent have in creating a retro throwback look for your child.

Do the Benefits of Drinking Water Outweigh the Risks? Especially For Your Baby?

You may realize the benefits of drinking water as an adult, but if you are a parent, you should know what purification means to the little people in your home. For them, the importance of drinking water that is clean and pure is even greater.Other than being smaller, their bodies are quite different from ours. For them, the benefits of drinking water are similar to our own. We lose fluids on a constant daily basis and they must be replenished. The safest and best choices for replenishing those fluids are purified waters.

Free Preschool Games Online and Your PC

One way to introduce your child to the world of personal computers is to introduce them to free preschool games online. Schools are now implementing new and wonderful technology to enhance your child's reading, math, science and social studies skills. Why not start them off at home and introduce them to free online games in the comfort of your own home before they get to school? There are many companies that produce software made especially for your sweet preschooler and you and your preschooler can have a blast exploring all the free preschool games online!

Free Online Preschool Games

If you are wondering about free online preschool games, you came to the right place. What are the advantages you may ask? The first advantage is that it gives you a child a headstart on what he/she will face in school soon. It also gives them extra practice in learning basil reading skills such as sounds and recognition of letters that they will definitely need as a base to learn how to read and how to read well. The best thing to do when starting these free online preschool games with your preschooler, is to actually take the time and sit down with them and go through the programs with them.

What Melissa and Doug Puzzle Suits Your Child?

Playing puzzles is not limited to us adults; even our little kids could enjoy this wonderful game which is both fun and educational. It is definitely a good material for us to bond with our children and at the same time stimulating their young minds. There are various puzzles made for kids available in the market today one of which are the Melissa and Doug puzzles. Melissa and Doug offer a variety of puzzles of different designs and styles. With this wide selection how could we pick out the kind of puzzle that is right for our child?

Furnishing a Nursery - A Checklist For the Mother-to-Be

Your new family addition is getting ready to be born and come live with you. Your baby is the most important person in your life and you want to make sure the baby room decor is every bit as nice as the rest of your home. But, did you remember everything you need to do to make it happen? Well, don't despair! This checklist for furnishing a nursery will insure that your new baby will love his or her new room and so will you. Be sure and read this before you start.

Ferberizing - Amazing Technique To Make Babies Sleep Easily

Dr. Ferber is the director of a famous hospital in Boston, and he believes in a very straightforward and a progressive method to put any child to sleep. Richard Ferber has come up with a plan to instill a sense of consistency and regularity in the sleep patterns for infants. Here, the mid, right after the soothing pre-bedtime session such as reading a book, singing, etc, the kid is put to bed where she might still be awake. This is a method to teach him to sleep at a particular time, on his own.

Car Seat Buying Advice and Guide - Car Seats For Babies and Children

Choosing the correct car seat can often be very confusing as not only have you to ensure the correct size car seat for your child but that the car seat that you choose is also a correct fit for your car. Selecting a car seat that scores highly in the many test reports available is all very well but selecting a car seat that fits your car properly is probably the more important feature for your childs safety. This article gives a basic idea about the different types of car seats that are available and the differences between different types.

Upholstered Nursery Gliders - Spend Time With Your Baby in a Nursery Glider

If you are an expectant mother who is in the process of decorating the baby's nursery, then you are probably excited and want to make sure that you have all the essentials necessary to complete your baby's little domain. Furniture is one of the most important things that you should buy-you need a crib, a toy chest, etc. Upholstered nursery gliders must also be on your list. Nursery gliders are also known as rockers or rocking chairs. It is the special seat where parents can spend special time with baby while singing songs, reading a story or simply rocking the little one to sleep.

Colic Remedy - Tips To Help Your Child Sleep

Parents of newborn babies need to understand that colic is a normal childhood condition, and not a disorder as such that calls for any measure of panic or medical treatment (which there is none by the way, except for some home remedies, endorsed by caregivers who swear it worked for the babies they handled); on the contrary, colicky babies need patient care and looking after besides sleep and rest. Of course, parents might insist they well need it too, which is normal since a severely colicky infant may keep crying and screaming their head off for close to 3-5 hours at a stretch, shattering nerves and any sense of restfulness, but it will go away with time.

Left Colic Flexure - Some Must Know Facts

While medical science has advanced over the years, there are still some areas that solutions and complete cures are evading by being so complicated, due to other influencing factors that complicate treatment issues; the left colic flexure and the large intestine are two of the human anatomy features that has doctors in a fix finding cures for, though progress is certain with dedicated research. The left colic flexure is the curve at the junction of the transverse and descending colon and is also called the Splenic flexure; doctors believe there to be 2 kinds of colic flexures in the transverse colon: the right one, near the liver and the left one, near the spleen (also known as the flexura lienalis because of its location, near the left kidney and lower than the spleen.

Top Ten Tips For Taming Toddler Tantrums

If you have ever watched a desperate mother trying to round up flailing arms and legs as she wipes her child's snot off her arms in the middle of a shopping centre and vowed that your own sweet baby will never carry on like that brat, think again. Tantrums are a normal fact of toddler life. It can help to think of a tantrum as an intense storm of emotion that a toddler is not equipped to handle, rather than an attempt to wield power over everyone around him, especially his poor, embarrassed parents.

Baby Kitchen Safety Tips

Every new parent should make it a priority to learn good baby kitchen safety habits. Nobody wants to believe that they are guilty of dropping the ball where their children's health and safety are concerned and yet the number of toddlers that are treated for burns that they got in their own kitchens is shockingly high. We spend an enormous amount of money on products and gadgets that secure newborns in the car and the stroller, but harnesses and belts are not all that it takes to keep your child out of harm's way.

Day One With Your New Baby

Today is the day. You are heading home with your brand new baby. You have been waiting nine long months for this moment. Your bundle of joy is wrapped up and ready to go. You are too, accept for the fact that you just realize that you really are taking this baby home. The nervousness sets in and you wonder if you truly know how to take care of a newborn. Everyone gets these feelings, but as long as you can get through day one, then every day after that will be a breeze.

Eco Friendly Baby Products - 10 Great Reasons Why We Should Buy Them

It seems these days that all people are talking about protecting the environment, using green baby products, we should save our planet earth for the next generations ( our babies), it seems that this is the trend for this age, It's a Go-Green Era! Here I won't disagree with that, on the contrary I will give you the top 10 reasons why we should stick to using these eco- friendly, organic products for babies, and I will explain - in brief - what is the difference between the green, the organic and the organic baby products.

Organic Baby Clothing Info

If you are interested in the up most comfort for your baby as well as doing your part to protect the environment, you may be interested in some of the great new organic baby clothing options that are available these days in Los Angeles. Although there have been companies making this clothing for quite some time now, the trend is just starting to grow in popularity. In the last few years the industry has been booming and there has been many a new company as well as older, more established companies producing organic baby clothing.

Skull & Crossbones Shoes For Babies and Kids

The skull and cross bone design, has been around for decades. Whether it was a looming warning of pirates, or the sure sign of poison; this versatile design has become increasingly popular in alternative culture, and even in pop culture. For this reason, very few residential chemicals bear this sign for fear that it may become a toy for tots. While you may not find this archaic sign on jars and jugs anymore, it is simple to find it portrayed on a shirt, onesie, and an array of accessories like belts, hats, and even shoes.

Monogrammed Diaper Bags

Many people don't stop to think about having their diaper bag monogrammed, however it can make a wonderful gift for a baby shower; if you know the name of the expected child. There are many companies available that will monogram most of their diaper bags with the infant's initials, or a previously purchased diaper bag as well for a fee. Many of them also allow you to choose the style of font that is used for the lettering as well; which enables it to be further personalized. But why stop at just the diaper bag?

An Unusual But Nonetheless Most Handy Baby Shower Cake

Perhaps you were thinking that baby shower cakes were just a scrumptious dessert served at the party... Well, that is undoubtedly one kind of cake. But there is a different kind of baby shower cake that is filled with all kinds of useful gifts for the about-to-be mom. One very popular choice in this area is a gift that really can look like a multi-tiered wedding cake. But instead of being made of flour, eggs and sugar, it's created from the one thing that a new mom can never have too many of - diapers.

Baby Pillows - The Right Products

One hears of numerous expert opinions on why babies do not require pillows and how dangerous pillows can be for the health of your baby. Well, most of these judgments overstate the dangers and do not correctly portray the need for baby pillows. It is a fact that children less than one year of age do not usually need pillows and in some cases, the pillows may not be safe for his/her health. However, past that age, using a baby pillow is no more harmful and can actually aid your baby in sleeping better.

Parents - 7 Reasons Why You Should Stop Using Tap Water to Make Baby Formula

As parents, you need to be aware of the very serious health risks of using tap water to make baby formula, or for drinking water, or even for bathing your child. We all know water supplies have been contaminated for years, but the governmental regulating bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration have, in the past, consistently declared that low levels of these contaminants pose little threat to us. In this article we will look at what the experts are saying today and how you can protect your family from danger.

Night Babysitting Services - Looking For a Night Babysitter?

More and more parents are thinking of hiring a night babysitter to help them with the kids evening tasks before and after bed time. Making some extra time during the evening can help you in your job if you need to stay late in certain days of the week or just make that free extra quality time you always wanted. Night babysitting services can be provides by babysitters that are interested in working as a sitter during the night. If you are looking for a fast and reliable way to find a night babysitter then this article can help you.

Practical Baby Gifts and Baby Gift Baskets - Be Unique and Impress the New Mom & Dad

Adding a new dimension to the world of baby gifting are unique practical baby gift baskets. New baby gift baskets have always been a popular gifting item among parents and guests alike because of the wide range of item you can add to a basket. The limits are virtually infinite as to how much you can do with baby gift baskets. You can both design and choose the ingredients yourself or ask a professional to do so for you. You can even go for a manufactured baby gift basket, containing an assortment of gift items that are fun, practical and unique.

Normal Child Development - How Your Child Develops in a Normal Way

Every parent is concerned about the development of their child, and wants assurance that their child is growing and developing at a healthy rate. If you are a parent who has a basic understanding of normal child development you will have a clear understanding of how your child is most likely to develop, you'll have a basic calendar of events to look forward to, and you'll be better able to stimulate your child and encourage and assist them in healthy and age appropriate growth and development. An understanding of normal child development can also draw attention ...

Baby Eczema - How to Stop Dry Skin From Beating Your Baby Into an Eczema Flare Up!

If your baby has dry skin that comes from eczema, there are a number of things that you can do to correct the situation. Make no mistake about it; you want to correct this situation. The reason is that dry skin is one of the major precursors to eczema flare ups, and you always want to deny eczema the dry skin opportunity to attack your baby. It is just too easy a problem to solve. In this article we will talk about some of the causes of dry skin and what you can do about it.

Baby Formula - What to Use?

After all my hours spent on doing research about what I should feed my baby, I came to this conclusion: There is no one answer. There are lots of decisions to be made when trying to decide how to feed: Do I breastfeed? Do I use formula? If I use formula, should it be milk based or a specialty type? How often do I feed? Etc, Etc. So basically, the goal of this article is just to get all the different types of feeding option out on the table so readers can make an informed decision.

When is the Best Time to Have Your Baby Shower

A baby shower is a wonderful way to spend time with your family and close friends and being showered with a host of baby gifts is also pretty good fun. Another great thing about a baby shower is that it is a relatively easy event to plan, although deciding just when you should hold your party can sometimes present problems. For first time parents holding a baby shower before the birth of the baby makes perfect sense as you probably will not yet have any baby gear and this is something that you are going to ...

Eczema Treatment - How to Feed Your Baby So That You Starve Eczema

Food and nutritional means of treating your baby to get rid of eczema will provide you with long term solutions to many of the problems that come from eczema. This article will begin to show and explain to you a cross section of some of the guidelines that you will want to follow that will put you on track to starve eczema into remission while you are feeding your baby. There are two things that you will want to do to assist you with making sure that the foods you give your baby are uplifting to him, ...

Hawaiian Themed Baby Clothes

Whether you are trying to achieve a main stream or more traditional Hawaiian theme for your child's wardrobe, it is quite simple to obtain these adorable onesies, t-shirts, and accessories. Many retailers offer Hawaiian clothing for infants and toddlers, especially during the spring and summer months; which allow you to lay your hands on an eye-popping new outfit for your child in no time. Most of the main stream infant and toddler clothes, express the Hawaiian theme through bright colors; and elaborate designs that depict some of the most special, and beautiful parts of the Hawaiian country.

Affordable Baby Gifts

While we would all love to go gung-ho on gift giving, there are certain times in everyone's lives; that we are not able to splurge on expensive gifts. For this reason, you may find yourself confused as to what to get the new light in your life. Remember, that it isn't always the price value on an item that counts; but the thought behind it, and the usefulness of the item itself. It is fairly simple to find affordable, and readily accessible gifts for infants; as most of their clothing can be purchased for under twenty dollars.

Sprinkles Baby Shower For Your Next Baby Shower Party

With this type of shower, you're going to want a smaller number of guests. The closest family and friends is really the only people who need to be present. That means you don't have to worry about inviting the extended relatives. You do not have to invite co-workers since they can always have their own celebration. Generally, you'll find these events are more common in a casual setting. The home of the family members is one of the best choices. Of course, refreshments are still possible. But gifts will probably be a lot more practical and won't be quite as prevalent.

Co-Ed Baby Shower For Your Special Baby Shower Party

For one if you are going to have coed baby showers, you want to be sure that they are designed to include both genders. Many of the traditional games included in the shower may not go over so well with the opposite sex. Instead, you want to think of some unique games that might be fun for all your guests. While games about naming baby food flavors or guessing the girth of the pregnant mother's belly may not be a hoot for the guys, there are ways to make even traditional games fun for an all-inclusive audience. One way to make this happen is by making the games even more competitive. For example, you may want to make the games females against males.

What is Baby Sleep Coaching?

A baby sleep coach is someone who can aid you in teaching your baby the habit of sleeping through the night and as a result, allow you, the parent and any other members of your household, to have a more restful night's sleep. When you utilize a baby sleep coach in your home, you can rest assured that you will restore a happier environment for you and your family. If you have a baby, then you are aware what a toil it can take on you as a parent if your baby isn't sleeping through the night.

Baby Eczema - 2 Ways to Keep Baby's Itch Down

A peculiar thing happens when your baby has eczema. You will see him scratching, before you see any type of rash that you can apply a treatment to. If you were able to see a rash then you could do something about it before the itching begins. The way to deal with this is to treat the itch anyway. There are a number of itch treatments that you can use right away to calm down the itching that comes from baby eczema. There are also things that you can do to prevent any itch ahead of time.

Baby Bottles - When to Drop the Nipple

Transitioning from the nipple bottles to the cup with a straw seems like a daunting task, but the reality is after 12-14 months the baby is ready to start feeding themselves. It may be cozy to cuddle your baby and let them snack on the plastic bottle with rubber nipple, but similar to sleeping, baby needs to be able to eat at their own pace and know that if they don't eat more is not coming. There are a few hurdles to pass when trying to wean the baby off the parent feeding them the nippled bottle.

Choosing a Crib Matress

When new parents bring home their new born, their mind isn't set on what they have waiting at home but what they carry in their arms. However having a comfortable, safe, and cozy crib mattress is an important item to help allow the new baby to get a good night's sleep. If a crib mattress is well constructed and fairly comfortable, the child will have a tenancy to sleep through the night more quickly, which is an event that almost all new parents look forward to, so that they can get back to sleeping through the night themselves.

Strollers - Different Strokes For Different Folks

If your family is active, then you may want to think about getting more than one stroller. It is ok to have more than one, because each one has a separate job to do. If you are a runner and are looking to get back into shape as quick as possible after your baby is born, then a big fancy stroller is not going to work. There are different types of strollers for different activities. You don't have to stop your life just because you had a baby. Whatever it is you like to do, bring them along.

A Photographic Record of Your Baby Shower

There are many times when it is important to capture the memories of a special occasion and a baby shower is definitely one of these. Now, one thing which the guest of honor can usually count on is the fact that at least one of the guests will come equipped with a camera, but will she capture the truly memorable moments of the party or simply capture those chance shots? For instance, will she photograph that particularly nice moment which occurs while she is eating or that extremely comical moment when she is busy talking with other guests?

Obama Baby Clothes

As you might know, the presidential elections are buzzing about. Many people have already chosen who they want to stand behind, and it would seem Obama isn't left without a strong following of his own. While infants and toddlers may not be old enough to vote or comprehend the importance of our next president, it has become an increasing trend among parents to dress their children in support of who they want for president. From their first days, all the way to toddlerhood; it is possible to have your child sport these trend setting Obama onesies, t-shirts, and accessories.

Breast Feeding and Alcohol

Many mothers who choose to breast feed often times ask the same questions, one of the most commonly asked by younger generations; is if alcohol intake can harm your child while you are breast feeding. This of course will gain a couple of responses depending on your doctor, however this mainly will depend upon how much and when you are drinking your alcoholic beverages. If your blood alcohol levels ( which reflects the level of alcohol in your milk production); will generally be highest one to one and a half hours after your last drink, although at that time and ...

Problems Poop Training?

Many parents are allowing their potty trainers to take a clean pull-up from the box and put it on just to poop in it instead of the toilet. Potty trainers are holding their poop for days and parents are giving in by handing the child the pull up because everyone is so miserable over this new potty epidemic. How long should the parent allow the child to hold their bowel movement before handing over the pull-up? Read about why I think the child is holding their BM and try some of my suggestions to start seeing your poop trainer poop in the toilet.

Baby Sleep - Does Your Baby Sleep Very Little, But Cries a Lot? Or is it You Doing the Crying?

The first few months of having a baby to care for every day and every night may go by in a sleep-deprived blur, but be advised that this stage doesn't last forever. There will come a time when you long for the days when you were able to pick up your child and put them where you wanted! Believe me when I say that those teenage years are not as far away as you think! But for now, you are dealing with a crying and awake baby, so what can you do to break the cycle? How can you encourage your baby to sleep so that you can get some much needed sleep too? Read on!

Bargain Baby - How to Save Money on Baby Items

All new and expectant mothers are certainly aware that babies are wonderful and fun little bundles of joy. These little angels also cost a great deal of money when it comes to purchasing baby food, baby formulas, and baby diapers. The cost of all of these products is going up almost daily it seems. You want your baby to have what it needs and you do not want to sacrifice quality for quantity. The question is how to buy your baby products like diapers and formula, and still stay on a reasonable budget. Luckily, there are ways to do this and you can start saving money today on your next purchase of baby food, formula, or diapers.

How Much Sleep is Good For Your Baby?

How much sleep does your child get? On average, your baby should sleep for at least 13 to 14 hours every day until 2 years. In the first two months, it is normal for the new-born to get 15 to 16 hours of sleep. Usually, babies sleep 2 -3 hours in daylight with one or two naps. Don't worry if your baby sleeps for multiple hours during the day. Such a tendency is not uncommon during the first couple of months. Getting sufficient sleep is important; counting the number of hours is not. The sleep cycle very much depends on the body chemistry of a baby.

Great Baby Shower Gifts For Dad - Tips For Including the Father in the Baby Shower

So you've got a baby shower to go to. You head out, find a cute stuffed teddy bear or bunny rabbit for the baby. You get something Mom can pamper herself with - a bath set, lotions, or candles. All set, right? One thing most people forget about - baby shower gifts for Dad! The male is often left out of the whole baby preparation process, and many people forget this is just as much a time for celebration for him as it is for anyone else! By choosing a tasteful gift for him, you can brighten his world and make him feel included too!

Baby Showers Not a New Phenomenon Throughout the World

A baby shower has a lot of connotations associated with it and it primarily referred to a party which is thrown by expectant of new parents. Expectant parent receive gifts for their newborn or expected baby during this party from friends and family. In some cultures, like the United States, a baby shower mostly celebrated before the baby has arrived, whereas in some other cultures (mostly in Australia and some parts of Europe), the shower is not celebrated as long as the baby is born. Traditionally, a shower is supposed to help the new parents in collecting baby gifts (clothes, for example) for their 'to-be' born baby. Most guests prefer to present the babies with baby gift baskets, which are a conglomeration of several useful items.

10 Ideas For Great Baby Shower Gifts

The arrival of a new baby is an eagerly awaited occasion and parents-to -be as well as the near and dear ones wait in anticipation for the important day. Everyone close to the family including relations and friends share the excitement and at such a time, get together to organize a baby shower for the expectant parents. This is a way of showing support and concern for the new mother-to-be and getting baby shower gifts so that the expectant parents are not too overwhelmed with additional expenses at the time of baby's birth and also are able to get more ...

Themed Bedrooms For Infants and Toddlers

There of course are so many different themes that you can choose from when you are decorating a child's room. However one of the best ways to decorate a infant or toddler's room is either around a theme or a color scheme. I have combined an array of simple how to instructions that will surely help you decorate your child's room, whether it is a little boy or a girl. Firstly you should flip through your child's favorite books to gain some ground in selecting the theme, which will allow you to add a little bit of your child's personality into the room.

Pirate Onesies and T-shrits For Babies

You may be at a loss for what to get for your child, or a friend who is expecting a child. However there is no need to get frustrated, as there are a plethora of options. One of the most popular fashion statements in an alternative home these days, is the pirate inspired onesie or t-shirt. While you may not be able to find them readily at a mass market clothing chain, if you are able to find a store that caters to an alternative lifestyle or to take your shopping online; it can be simple to find these truly unique onesies and t-shirts.

Giggling, Bouncing Gizmos (Toys That Bounce, Sing, Etc)

There are a lot of reasons why you might want an animated kind of toy. Something like a tickle me Elmo, a bouncing Tigger, or a flashy mobile for the baby. Infants, of course, really enjoy toys that make sound, lights, or movement, as this is very helpful to their sensory development. Some younger children love toy guitars that can make songs at the press of a button. Or maybe, you just have a whole bunch of headache medicine going to waste! Whatever the case may be, there are plenty of options for these kinds of toys, and it's all a matter of knowing what your kids need, and what they like...

Baby Massage - Things to Keep in Mind For an Effective and Safe Massage

Massage can have many physiologic benefits for an infant, along with providing an increased bonding experience with their parents. Numerous studies have taken place, in the hopes to find the benefits of massage for children. It is safe to say that most have come back fairly conclusive, and have shed some light on the wonders of baby massage. Many studies have shown that infant massage can provide an increased strength and regulation in the respiratory, circulatory, as well as gastrointestinal functions. It has been known to help improve muscle tone and motor skills, and can help cause soothing stimulation to the developing nervous system, sensory nerves, as well as the motor nerves.

Does Your Baby Sleep Very Little, But Cries a Lot? Or is it You Doing the Crying?

The first few months of having a baby to care for every day and every night may go by in a sleep-deprived blur, but be advised that this stage doesn't last forever. There will come a time when you long for the days when you were able to pick up your child and put them where you wanted! Believe me when I say that those teenage years are not as far away as you think! But for now, you are dealing with a crying and awake baby, so what can you do to break the cycle? How can you encourage your baby to sleep so that you can get some much needed sleep too? Read on!

Choosing the Right Sleeper For Baby

Infant sleepers otherwise known as a blanket sleeper is considered to be the epitome of a cozy and soft sleep wear for your child. I have found that I personally love this item, especially for new born infants through the age of a year and a half; as most pediatricians suggest not using a blanket in the confines of a crib, while a child sleeps (this is because a blanket may pose a suffocation hazard while the infant sleeps) however, these blanket or infant sleepers can keep your child nice and snug during even the coldest of nights; while the thinner versions work wonders during the summer and spring months as well.

Sherpa Diaper Bags

What would you say if I were to tell you that there is a backpack / diaper bag hybrid that is looming about? What once might have seemed fantasy in the days of old, is now gaining popularity in all fashion groups. Whether you are more of a trendy mother to be or more on the alternative side such as myself being goth, punk, skater, urban etc. The Sherpa diaper bag is by far increasing in popularity, most seem to claim that it is more than just your run of the mill diaper bag; it is a diaper bag and back pack all in one! The Sherpa diaper bag was designed for any type of parent, who is on the go and knows they need both reliability, durability, versatility, and also comfort.

Rock and Roll Baby Gifts

When you are looking for a gift for the child who has it all, what do you get them exactly? Well, that would all depend on the parents of that child, and their personalities. However, if you are giving a gift to the child of a pair of rock and roll loving parents; I have a few helpful tips and tricks of the trade to help you along in your gift purchasing needs. While it may be fairly difficult to find something that screams "rock and roll" at your nearest family market, or mass merchant store; there are several retailers online that are now offering a more rock friendly present for the little ones.

How to Choose the Right Cloth Diapering System For Your Baby

Cloth diapering your baby is one of the best things you can do to help preserve our planet and save our landfills from toxic disposable diaper waste. You will also end up saving hundreds, if not thousands of your hard earned cash on diapers, yes, even with those two extra piles of laundry every week! Available in gazillions of colours, shapes and fabrics, cloth diapers are fun, not to mention the health benefit of it. Just think about soft, plushy breathable organic cotton or hemp diaper against that precious little bum instead of the plasticky, hot and smelly disposable one.

Baby Bath Time - Tubs, Toys and Accessories

When it comes to bath time, some children can be a little less than willing. For this reason, many companies are now offering a wide variety of infant bath accessories; that not only make bath time much safer for your little one, but can make it a much more enjoyable time for your child. Whether you have a new born who is being bathed in the sink or in an infant tub, there are many safety accessories that you will need to consider. While one mother would be perfectly happy with an item such as the Deluxe Mother's touch baby bather ( A two position back rest that is designed to conform to your child's body) and used either in the sink or the tub, or if you'd rather have an infant tub.

You Can Trade in Your Purse For a Diaper Bag and Still Keep Your Flare

Once you become a mother, you are most likely going to trade in your purses for diaper bags for most of your child rearing years. Thankfully, with all the celebrity designers out there working to keep mothers fresh, you don't have to trade in your sense of style as well. Thanks to creations such as the Hobo diaper bag and OiOi diaper bags, you too can walk around looking great and as if you were set to walk into a nightclub, except for the fact you have bottles and diapers in your stylish accessory instead of lipstick and phone numbers.

Sleep Routines - How to Adjust Your 1 Year Olds Sleep Routine From 2 Sleeps to 1 and Stay Sane!

This is a really common question and it is always a great idea to know what to anticipate and how you are going to handle these transitions. I understand that while we know our children may need two sleeps a day (at around 6 to 12 months of age), they take up much of the day and can make appointments, activities and the school run for older children quite tricky. It is sensible however to remember that while two sleeps may be sometimes inconvenient, your baby will make you pay if they are overtired or miss out on the sleep they need.

Worms in Children - How to Treat Them and Avoid Them

Thread worms are thriving everyday in the bottoms of little children and affecting their daily activities and causing sleepless nights for many families. It's not a nice experience but easily identified and treated. I am frequently finding worms a problem for our little pre-school aged non-sleepers and mum and dad are horrified. Worms are spread very easily in the community across all social backgrounds and generations. They are spread most commonly in pre-schoolers' because in my experience the only things toddlers share are germs (and love) and this age group are not always efficient at hand washing, particularly before eating.

Caring For Babies

Parenting is a tough task that every one of us is obliged to do. When you get your bundle of joy, you have to spend more time for the little person and you need to do your household chores too simultaneously. Caring for babies is an everyday process in which you and your partner should be engaged. It is not fair to let the mother alone take care of the baby. Many parts of your house need to be prepared before the arrival of a baby. Depending on the age of the baby, you have to take safety measures too.

Beanies, Caps, Hats & Visors - A Wide Range of Baby Headwear Options

The sky is the limit, when you are dressing your child in a punk rock fashion. This of course isn't limited by shirts, pants, and shoes. On the contrary, many retailers offer a wide selection of accessories, such as belts, pins, and even hats and beanies. Whether you are looking for your traditional baseball cap, or the more mainstream beanies you are sure to find something that will suit your needs. Many of your traditional style punk rock beanies, and caps can be found available in infant and toddler sizes. From band logos, all the way to your more political styles.

Baby Strollers and Baby Travel Systems

Baby strollers come in many different configurations and depending on your need the choices vary from the convenient light weight stroller, doubles and triples for multiple kids, stand on tandem strollers with rear seats for older siblings and travel systems for parents on the move between car and stroller. The all terrain jogging strollers complete the selection with sleek profiles and large wheels for the physically active parent. Stroller accessories are a necessary addition for carrying extra baby gear while traveling or strolling. The convenience of stroller accessories will be apparent when they are acquired, especially cup holders and weather shields.

Lullaby Mobiles to Help Your Little One Drift Off

The idea of having a mobile hanging above a crib, cot or child's bed has been around for a very long time, and there have been many different variations, from shiny silver or crystal affairs that reflect the light in beautiful rainbow patterns of light, to those that have a ring of cartoon characters or teddy bears prancing about in an unending circle chasing each other. Many parents have constructed their own, and there have been plenty of blue print suggestions in the past on how to do this, with a couple of coat hangers, some coloured paper and some tape.

Baby Eczema - Some of the Things You May Notice

When you look at the entire eczema picture you will notice that eczema is outgrown in different people at different stages. There are a group that outgrow it by age 2 (50%), another group that outgrows it by age 5 (85%), and still another group that outgrows it after passing through the teen years. These results upon interpretation reveal that the majority of eczema sufferers are babies and children. The incidence of baby eczema is very high, with as many as 20%-25% of all babies worldwide being affected by the condition. Here are some of the things that you will want to look out for.

Luxury Baby Bedding and Baby Furniture to Match Your Baby's Style

Many parents only have a vague idea of all of the baby gear they'll need for their baby. The basics include a car seat (assuming you have a vehicle), a stroller (unless you plan to wear your baby in a wrap, and even then most babies are too heavy to wear by the time they are a year old), an infant seat or high chair (somewhere to place your baby for feeding time and snack time), and a place to sleep. Depending on the parent you speak with, you'll find that there are many different options for what a baby should sleep in.

Silly Slogan Onesies and Tees For Infants

If you are looking to bring a little light into your life, it isn't too hard these days. Several retailers, whether they be online or at your local wholesale shop. Will offer silly onesies, and tee shirts that are fit just right for your infant, or toddler. Not only will passers by be smiling at your child's cute antics, but snickering at the funny slogans on your child's shirt or onesie. While placing your child into a silly shirt is alright, I would suggest steering clear of anything that is blatantly lewd. However, if that is what you are going for- go for it.

Showing Your Baby How to Crawl May Teach Them How to Do It

This Memorial Day weekend was a great week. We had a parade which I took my beautiful baby girl to see. We weren't there that long because we woke up a bit late but she did see some of it. Along with that her uncle was with her and he was teaching her how to crawl. She didn't exactly get it because she kept falling down and couldn't get the coordination of it but that didn't last too long. He would crawl around her very slowly and show her exactly how to do it. Then he would try and get her to do it.

Searching High and Low For the Best in Designer Baby Clothes

If you want your darling bundle of joy, or the darling bundle of joy that belongs to a relative or friend to look super chic and fashionable, then you'll need to dress him or her in designer baby clothes. The only question is, where do you buy them at? The fact of the matter is, you won't find anything that would resemble designer children's clothes in your local Walmart, Target or even Kohl's or Boscov's. So if you would like your sweet princess or pampered prince making the rounds in their stroller while dressed to the nines, you'll need to know exactly where to shop.

Selecting Unique Baby Gifts

It is a difficult thing to do when it comes to finding unique baby gifts. There is relatively little choice of gifts that can be brought which are not going to be owned by another baby in a circle of friends. When you walk down a street you can often see children dressed with identical clothes and with identical toys. It is though not unusual to find these items on more than one child, they are normally mass produced items, so it is no surprise. There is nothing wrong with more than one child having similar clothing or other items, but most people like the uniqueness factor.

Baby Eczema - 3 More Reasons Why You Should Treat it With Bath Salts Good For Eczema

Eczema is not a new problem to people. The name eczema itself is a Greek word meaning to "boil over." This can probably give you an idea of how long it has been around. It has only been just recently that medical science has been able to win people over to their methods of treating eczema. But a change is happening again. People want the old remedies back; the prescribed medicants were able to work, but not without the possibility of strong side effects. To put it mildly, you do not want to treat your baby with their medicants if you do not absolutely, absolutely, absolutely have to.

Avoid the 5 Most Common Nursery Decorating Pitfalls

Important Decorating Considerations: Most parents have the room all cute, perhaps a fresh coat of paint and some decoration theme. However, you should make sure that you choose the proper colors and designs so that your new baby will be more comfortable with their surroundings. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid... DO focus on a variety of simple and complex shapes for the wall. DON'T spend your budget on expensive bedding. DO focus on big, bold, & colorful wall accent pieces. DON'T go over-the-top on wall color or drastic changes that can't easily be undone. DO remember to have fun and think like a child when decorating their room.

Easing the Toddler Bedtime Woes

We've all been there, it is eleven o'clock and the fight is on. You have placed your sweet toddler down for bed at eight thirty, but the time that was set aside for chores. Was now being sunk into constantly coddling your child, and the back and forth movement from your living room, to your child's room. It goes on for hours, until your child finally nods off. You are tired, the dishes are piled up, the bills won't pay themselves, and the dog is whining for food. This is a familiar scene for a lot of parents, long weary nights. Remember, bedtime can be rough for a toddler.

Baby Eczema - Comfort Your Baby & Control Infant Eczema With Eczema Treatments That Work - Part 1

It is unlikely that your baby's eczema is caused by a certain food. However, in up to 30% of the children whose eczema can be affected by food, only 10% of the time is it the food that is actually responsible for setting off an eczematic reaction that already lies within your child. The more common foods that act as a factor of flare ups in baby eczema have been cow's milk, chicken eggs, soy, peanuts, wheat and fish. If you are breastfeeding, you will want to take these items out of your diet. If you are not breastfeeding, you will want to consider a milk formula made from something other than cow's milk.

Hospitals Get Failing Grade on Breastfeeding Support

It is a sad fact that many of our nation's hospitals and birth centers are neglecting to provide adequate breastfeeding instruction and support for new mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians suggest that after birth, new mothers should breastfeed their infants exclusively for the first six months of their life and continue to do so with baby food as a supplement until at least their first birthday. However, a survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that while health experts encourage women to breastfeed their infants, hospitals do not appear to help when it comes to promoting breastfeeding among new mothers.

Preschool Story Time Reading Activities

It does not matter if you are a home school educator or a preschool teacher, story time is an important part of any preschool student's educational experience. Story time can be as simple as reviewing popular nursery rhymes or as extensive as a story soap opera. Depending on the preschool student's leveled abilities and/or interests, story time can include the ever popular Humpty Dumpty or the divisional break down of popular books such as The Three Little Pigs. The reading item should be chosen based on attention span and actual interest of the preschool student. Preschool leveled students have limited attention spans and the love of reading can be encouraged via fun activities.

Edgy Baby Clothing and Gifts

Throughout the last couple of years, it has become increasingly popular to dress your child in a more edgy fashion. However, this isn't easily done when your shopping is done at a wholesale store or mass marketing chain. Most of the trends in baby clothing still reign supreme; such as pastel colors and sweet wording, but this isn't always what someone wants to dress their child in. You have two options the first is to purchase your child's clothing at an extremely marked up price, from a specialty shop within the mall; or to take your search online, which often times holds the possibility to save you a lot of time and money within the comfort of your own home.

The Hunt For Black Baby Booties in a Sea of Pinks and Pastels

Much like their elusive cousins, the black onesies. The black baby booty is inherently more difficult to find, on a day to day basis. Most retailers offer baby booties in what they deem the "fashionable" colors, such as pastel pinks, purples, blues, greens, and yellows. However, this doesn't always fit the parent's or the child's personality. In cases like these, you will need to take your searches in a slightly skewed direction, if you wish to obtain these items. Much like any other hard to find item, your search should start at your local alternative stores, or online. However, you may also be able to obtain a pair at your local high end shoe store as they keep up on the trends, much more than wholesale mass marketing stores.

Breaking Societies Parenting Expectations - Dressing Your Baby How You Want

You are hard core, your child's mother is hard core. So why isn't your child hard core? Well, that simple you probably haven't been able to find anything, that would make your child dress as if they were hard core, right? Well, there is hope around the horizon as you can now dress your alternative child in any means you would like. With a little bit of know how and an internet search ahead, you will surely be able to obtain clothing that will fit your life, and your social status as an alternative parent. Although there are many styles that are defined as "hard core" in societies view. However, that would be up to you to determine what is hard core to you, whether it be the Gothic fashion, punk rock, or the newest trend of emo.

Product Recall: Red metal wagons

Filed under: Recalls, Outdoor PlayThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 15,000 red metal toy wagons due to excessive levels of lead in the surface paint. The recall involves wagons imported by Tricam Industries and sold at Tractor Supply Company stores nationwide from September 2002 through November 2007 for about $30. These wagons are made from red steel and have a black handle, black steel axle support, and black tires. The recall involves only model number MH1250.If you have one of these wagons, you are advised to immediately stop using it and contact Tricam Industries for instructions on returning the wagon for a refund. Contact them at (800) 867-6763 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit their Web site.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

An honest response

Filed under: ParentDish Laughs, Dads, 3 years, Preschooler, Indoor PlayI was in the shower when I heard someone outside the bathroom at the top of the stairs. It sounded like someone playing with the still-in-the-box presents put there to be opened in due time. I looked out (our bathroom has a glass door) and, sure enough, someone was holding one of the boxes. I opened the door and there was Sara, sitting in a laundry basket like Number Two and playing with a doll, still in the box. Our conversation went like this:Me: What are you doing?Sara: Blocking the way.Me: Huh?Sara: Blocking the way!Me: Oh. Okay.And so I closed the door and finished my shower. At least she was honest about what she was doing.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The first thing I learned in 2008

Filed under: Health and Safety, Toddler, Adventures in ParentingLife would be much easier if family members could deal with sickness at the SAME TIME. Really, who created the time line of toddler sickness? I would like to have a hoarse word with that person.Specifically, why is the germy incubation period just long enough that once your child is back to his quasi-normal, hyperactive self, YOU come down with the World's Most Horrible Cold? Complete with Heavy Head and Sinus Blow? Couldn't we have contracted this simultaneously, thus lying in our misery together? Of course not! I now have to appease my Californian jumping bean with a nocturnal barking problem while toting a box of Kleenex around the house. Good times in 2008!Speaking of nocturnal barking, any croup remedies/wisdom would be greatly appreciated!Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Funny Feeding - Silly Slogans For Bibs and Burp Cloths

Much like anything else in a new parent's life, feeding your child can be quite the task. However, why not make this stressful time into a fun time; by obtaining a couple sassy bibs as a drop cloth for the flinging food? There are several options to choose from, depending on your alternative lifestyle; but chances are that you will be able to find a silly bib or burp cloth to keep you chuckling through the entire ordeal. Below I have compiled a small list of some of the options that you may have available to you, but remember if you aren't able to find something that suits your needs; it may be fairly easy to make your own by using some fabric paint and a blank burp cloth or bib. However it is important to remember, if you are creating your own bibs or burp cloths that you should use non toxic dyes and paints for use around children.

Birth control post-baby: considering an IUC

Filed under: Pregnancy and Birth, Moms, C-sectionWhen I was at a prenatal appointment earlier in the week, my OB talked to me about my post-baby birth control options. We had already discussed the option of having a tubal ligation during my scheduled C-section, and I had declined-not that I plan on having any more kids, but I just didn't like the idea of such a permanent choice. This time she mentioned the possibility of having the Mirena IUC (intrauterine contraceptive) inserted at the time of my surgery, which seems like a handy "hey, as long as you're in there" add-on. She explained some of the potential side effects and downsides (one of which is shorter, lighter periods-wait, that's a downside?) and I'm still thinking about it, but it's sounding pretty good to me.So, who wants to sound off on their personal experience with an IUC? Any horror stories, glowing reviews, or otherwise?Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Pub crawlers uncover baby after crash

Filed under: Grandparents, Newborn, 3-6 months, Infant / First year, Making a DifferenceHaving apparently eaten their Mentos, a group of drinking buddies saved the life of a four-month-old baby by lifting a Ford Fiesta into the air, after an accident had trapped the child underneath the car. Jackie Stephens was pushing her grandson Luke along the sidewalk in front of the pub in his baby buggy when the car crashed into them.Jackie Stephens ended up with injuries that put her in intensive care and little Luke ended up beneath the vehicle. The men heard the crash and, realizing that the child was trapped, they set to work. Six men picked up the car while a seventh pulled the child to safety. "The people in that pub are real heroes," said Jackie's husband Roger. "They saved my grandson's life."If you ask me, someone should buy those lads a pint. Well done!Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Janet Jackson and her 'baby making' music

Filed under: Moms, Dads, Music, Parental relationshipsYou knew Janet Jackson made music, but did you know she's also responsible for the making of countless babies? It's not her high-tempo dance music but her slow and sexy baby-making songs that have provided fans with intimate inspiration."You don't know how many people come up to me and say, 'This child was conceived listening to you,' " Jackson, 41, tells Extra. This got me to thinking about the role music has played in my own relationships. My husband and I don't have a particular song that we consider 'ours' and we certainly aren't planning to make any babies. But put on the soundtrack to the 1998 movie Hope Floats and we are both instantly transported back to the romantic early days of our relationship. What about you? Do you have your own special 'mood music' and did that music have anything to do with you becoming a parent?Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Granny panties save the day!

Filed under: Family togetherness, Weird but True, In the NewsYou know those super huge, ugly (but oh-so-comfy) underpants otherwise known as "granny panties"? Well, while they might kill your sex drive, a powder blue pair of granny panties and a quick thinking boy saved a woman's kitchen. When a pair of British cousins tried to make a bite for supper, their meal went up in flames that threatened to torch the kitchen. One boy quickly grabbed an item from the nearby laundry basket: a pair of XL powder blue woman's underpants. Running the undies under water and throwing it on the flames successful averted disaster, although the unmentionables were destroyed. "It could have been a lot worse," the woman said. "My family could have been in hospital but the knickers saved the day. I'm just grateful to the boys. Three cheers for the granny panty, a thong in this situation would have been disastrous! Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What does your kid eat for breakfast?

Filed under: Feeding & Nutrition, Lifestyle, Eating, Likes and dislikesSince Bean started eating solid foods, gasp, a year and a half ago, we've gone through many, many favorite foods. He's not a picky eater, but a light one, and getting a good breakfast in the boy is as crucial every day as just about anything else. If he's had a good breakfast, he's an easy going kid for the rest of the morning. If not, well, it's anyone's game. On a whim , after reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears several times, I asked him if he'd like to have porridge for breakfast. He liked the idea, and has eaten rolled oats cooked until creamy and served with maple syrup and butter almost every morning since. It's a faster option than eggs--which he loves (especially soft boiled and served in the shell with a tiny spoon--very European, I know) but I'm still on the lookout for some other easy and nutritious breakfast options for my son. What does your kid eat for breakfast? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Diane Keaton on the joy of embarrassing your kids

Filed under: Adoption, Moms, Celebrity kids, Celebrity parentsAlthough she never felt the irresistible urge to have children, actress Diane Keaton says that the idea of becoming a parent was always in her thoughts. After realizing that the "strong and substantive" domestic partnership she was waiting for wasn't going to happen, she "plunged in" at the age of 55. In 1996, she adopted her daughter Dexter, now 12 and in 2001, she adopted her son Duke, now 7.After "years of selfishness", the 62-year-old actress says that nothing beats the joy of being a mother, even though she is going it alone. "You can't sit there and go, poor me," she tells Ladies Home Journal in the February issue. Her kids, however, might have a reason to feel sorry for themselves. Like most of us, Keaton manages to embarrass her children like only a parent can. "I like to take them to school in my bare feet," she says, leading them to beg, "Can't you be normal, lady?"No, I don't think "normal" describes the quirkiness that is Diane Keaton.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Nicole Kidman pregnant?

Filed under: Pregnant celebrities, RumorsAfter the UK's Daily Mail posted a story claiming Nicole Kidman was pregnant, the Internet rumor mill went a little crazy. However, Kidman's rep says the pregnancy story is nothing more than "another rumor out of London" and par for the course during this "silly season.""It is incorrect. She must have had about 30 babies by now," says her rep.Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't true. The denial may just mean that it is none of our business if Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are expecting a child. Having suffered the pain of miscarriage already, I wouldn't blame Kidman for wanting to keep things quiet for a while. If she is trying to keep a lid on things, she might want to have a talk with her friends. One of them apparently told the press that the rumors might well be true. "She did have a small baby bump a month ago, so it would be reasonable that she'd now be three months and telling her friends and family," says the unidentified friend.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Suri Cruise: Face of an angel, voice of a polar bear?!

Filed under: Celebrity babies, Celebrity kids, Movies, Rumors, SpeechA production company has offered the Berlin Zoo five million dollars for the rights to the story of the zoo's uber-cute polar bear born in captivity, Knut. Knut was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth and raised by zookeeper, Thomas Doerflein and celebrated his first birthday last month. And the producer of the proposed animated feature has someone famous already in mind to do the voice of young Knut: Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. "I see the heartwarming relationship between Knut and his caretaker, Thomas Doerflein at the center of the movie ... Suri [Cruise] could speak the English voice of Knut." said producer Ash R. Shah. Obviously if they are just discussing rights, the movie is still years away and Suri will have a large enough vocabulary (perhaps even reading skills!) by then, but has Shah even heard Suri speak? Not all little kids voices are adorable (ask me how I know!) Also, Knut lives in Berlin. Shouldn't his accent be German rather than Scientologist? %Gallery-12519%Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

How do single mothers provide good male role models?

Filed under: Dads, Teenager, 15-19 years, Parental relationships, Peer pressureAs a single mother raising a son, I have always been concerned about having good male role models in my son's life. Even though his father and I had our differences, I was glad that my son knew him because I had always worried about that "void" my son would feel if he had never met his father.With the death of his father last year, I continue to be concerned as my son gets older. He is at a very impressionable age, going through the teen years, where he needs to have strong men to look to as role models.I try to point out examples of good and bad behavior in news stories, the behavior of people we know and the behavior of others, such as celebrities. I know that he is well informed on topics such as being respectful to women, among other things, but I worry that there are things he might be missing that a good strong male in his life could provide.If you are the single mother of a son, do you have other men in your life who are good role models for your son? If not, how do you provide your son with good examples of male behavior?Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Do child rapists deserve the death penalty?

Filed under: Media, 8-9 yearsIn 2003, a Louisiana jury found Patrick Kennedy guilty of raping his 8-year-old stepdaughter and sentenced him to death. The law states in Louisiana that aggravated rape of a child younger than 12 is punishable by "death or life imprisonment ... without parole." It is one of five states that allows juries to sentence convicted rapists to death. In May, 2007, the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld this sentence.Patrick Kennedy is appealing this sentence because his attorneys claim that the Louisiana law conflicts with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that "a sentence of death is grossly disproportionate and excessive punishment for the crime of rape." Kennedy's claim is that he is the only person on death row in Louisiana for rape. However, Kennedy did not rape an adult, he raped an 8-year-old child. In fact, Dr. Scott Benton of Children's Hospital testified during the trial that the child's injuries from the rape were the worst he had ever seen in a sexual assault of a child. Kennedy also refused to plead guilty to a lesser charge, which would have reduced his sentence and removed the death penalty possibility from his sentence. Kennedy's petition will be considered on January 4 by the Supreme Court Justices in a private conference.Do you think Kennedy's conviction should be overturned as cruel and unusual? Do child rapists deserve the death penalty?Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

A glimmer of hope for (extremely patient) Harry Potter fans

Filed under: Books, Rumors, BrandsCould there have been a light left on over at Hogwarts?! J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, has hinted she might be considering adding an 8th book to the popular line-up. I In an interview with Time magazine (who gave Rowling a #3 ranking on their Person Of The Year list) the author said: "There have been times since finishing, weak moments, when I've said 'Yeah, all right' to the eighth novel." But before you get your Amazon pre-order hopes up, Rowling quickly squelches the flames adding, "If - and it's a big if - I ever write an eighth book, I doubt that Harry would be the central character. I feel I've already told his story. But these are big ifs. Let's give it ten years." TEN YEARS?! I'll be REALLY old and gray by then! If you can't wait that long, I have good news for you. Remember that limited edition Rowling book that sold to an unnamed buyer for $4 million? We now know who the buyer was: Amazon.com. And while the online book store isn't allowed to sell copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, they are allowed to review the stories it contains and have set up a discussion board where muggles can ask questions and discuss the second-hand-yet-still-magical addition to the Pottermania. %Gallery-12546%Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Apple Martin could teach her dad a few things

Filed under: Celebrity babies, Celebrity parents, Celebrity parents behaving badlySo, your dad is a big rock star and mom is a famous actress. Complete strangers treat you like royalty and constantly tell you how wonderful and cute you are. With all that adulation, you are bound to become a little spoiled and possibly even bratty, right? No so in the case of Apple Martin, 3-year-old daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin. According to shop assistants at the New York boutique Ink Pad, Apple is a real sweetie, but her dad could use a refresher course on manners. A source at the shop says, "She was so cute, speaking a mile a minute and telling the clerk that her dad was taking her to see the new Alvin and the Chipmunks." As for Chris, the source says he "wasn't polite to the staff at all."The article doesn't say exactly what Chris did to be deemed impolite, but if Apple is anything like Ellie, she will set him straight. If Ellie sees me losing my patience or getting short with someone, she never fails to correct me. She will say, "Nana, you are being negative." This always gives me pause and forces me to rethink my attitude. How can I expect her to be well-mannered and polite if I don't set the example?Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

You want fries with that baby?

Filed under: Pregnancy and Birth, Teenager, Working moms, Going into labor, Birth complications, Birth announcementWhen I worked at McDonald's, I brought home what seemed like a huge amount of money, for a teenager. Sometimes, I would bring home dinner too. One girl, working at a McDonald's in Vancouver, Washington, brought home a bit more than that. She brought home a surprise -- a bouncing baby boy.Sixteen-year-old Danielle Miller was working at McDonald's when she suddenly felt ill. She ran to the bathroom, followed closely by a concerned friend and co-worker. The friend asked if she might be pregnant, to which Miller replied that she wasn't. Or so she thought, anyway. With the help of a 911 dispatcher and her friend, Miller gave birth in the restaurant restroom to her son Austin.Certainly, the birth of a child is a life-changing event and it's even more so when it is unexpected. "I was so shocked. I couldn't talk," said the new mum, who was taken with her baby to a nearby hospital by emergency personnel. "I was shaking the whole time. I didn't stop shaking until 3 a.m. the next morning," she added.If you ask me, I think this should qualify the kid for free nuggets for life or something. At the very least, if he goes to McDonald's for a snack after school, it will be just like going home, eh?Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Chelsea Clinton politely disses kid reporter

Filed under: 8-9 years, Celebrity kids, In the NewsNo matter what you think about her parents, you've got to admit that Chelsea Clinton turned out pretty darn good. She graduated from Stanford, got a master's degree from Oxford University, and managed to stay out of trouble and outside the media glare. Famously shielded from the spotlight by her parents during her father's two terms in the White House, the twenty-seven year old former first daughter only recently joined her mother on the campaign trail. On the stage, Chelsea doesn't speak; she only stands next to her mother and applauds. Reporters covering the campaign have been warned that Chelsea is not available to speak to them and an aide follows the former first daughter as she works the crowd, shushing reporters who approach her and try to ask any questions. But that didn't stop nine-year-old Sydney Rieckoff, a Cedar Rapids fourth grader and kid reporter for Scholastic News from giving it the old college try. Rieckoff seized her moment with Clinton to slip in a query, "Do you think your dad would be a good 'first man' in the White House?" Chelsea neatly sidestepped the question but still gave the fearless junior reporter something to take with her, a compliment. "I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute!" Clinton responded. %Gallery-12507% Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Teen actress dating 30-year-old co-star

Filed under: Celebrity kidsAn entertainment news show - I forget which one - recently touted Heroes actress Hayden Panettiere as an example of a young Hollywood girl with her head on straight. The 18-year-old says she has resisted the pressure to diet herself down to skeletal proportions and has shunned the partying night life. She's even interested in environmental causes and recently participated in a protest against the slaughtering of dolphins in Japan.However, despite her assertion to Teen Magazine that she wants to be a good role model for young girls, some are starting to question her sincerity. First, she does her sex-kitten bit for the December issue of GQ Magazine and now it is revealed that she's dating her 30-year-old co-star, Milo Ventimiglia.I personally think a relationship between a 30-year-old man and an 18-year-old girl says more about the man does it does about the girl. And regardless of the fact that her mother approves of the relationship, Panettiere is legally old enough to date whomever she chooses. However, I would suggest to Panettiere that she refrain from all this bragging about her good judgment. She is still very young and will have lots of opportunities to make mistakes in the future. And those same people who have built her up as the next big thing, will be more than happy to tear her down. Just ask self-proclaimed "virgin until I'm wed" Britney Spears.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The ever-changing due date

Filed under: Pregnancy and Birth, MomsWhen Rachel first realized she was pregnant, she used the due date calculator at BabyCenter.com to figure out when the kid would show up. Based on the date of the first day of her last menstrual period (or LMP -- I had no idea there was even a common abbreviation for that!) the calculator came up with a date of May 8th, 2008.When she visited her gynecologist, however, the doctor came up with a different date -- May 11. I'm not sure what criteria she used that would be different from the website, but given that she's been doing this for a very long time and is regarded as one of the best, I would be inclined to trust her judgment on this.I am, however, very much a believer in science and given top notch diagnostic tools, I appreciate the unemotional calculations that such equipment are capable of. At Rachel's first ultrasound, the technician took some measurements (or whatever it is they do) and came up with yet another date -- May 2nd. So now, I have no idea when the little one will actually show up.I suggested to Rachel that she keep her legs crossed until May 27th -- my dad's birthday -- but she didn't seem to like that idea. So who do we listen to? Whose date is correct? I guess when it really comes down to it, there is only one person's calculation that matters -- the kid's.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Handy dandy staplers

Filed under: Crafts, Creative projects, Indoor PlayMy son loves to draw and he is actually quite good at it. He folds blank paper together to make a book, and then writes a story and draws cartoons. He will even number the back and he has invented his own personal logo to put on each one, "KC" to stand for "Kyle Creation." I have to admit, it makes me proud to have such an imaginative and creative child, especially one who can draw. I can't beam with too much pride, though, because he did not inherit it from me. I lost playing Pictionary once by trying to draw a stapler and everyone guessed it was a shark. (It was a staple, not teeth!)I ran across this stapler while surfing the internet and wondered where it's been. Has something like this been around and I've missed it or did someone finally get smart and invent something we've needed forever? It's one of those things that you say, "What took them so long or why didn't I think of that?"It's a booklet stapler. The stapler turns and will staple up to 15 pages neatly and precisely without having to bend and crumple the paper to fit in the stapler. I cannot count how many times I have fumbled with paper to staple something together, long before my son started doing it for drawing. I am definitely going to have to buy one of these for the cartoon artist in my family.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Woman who performed her own c-section does not recommend it

Filed under: Newspapers, Weird but TrueThis is kind of old news -- Ines Ramirez performed a c-section on herself back in 2000 -- but this is the first I'd heard of it, and I feel compelled to share. Eight years ago, 40-year-old Ines Ramirez was alone in her cabin in a remote area of Mexico when she felt labour pains start. Her husband was off drinking in a cantina and the nearest midwife (and telephone) were more than fifty miles away. As the pains heightened, Ramirez did what any desperate and completely ballsy Mama would do: she sat down, swilled from a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and used a kitchen knife to cut open her abdomen omigod writing those words makes me feel like I am going to slither right off this seat.Ramirez operated on herself for an hour -- that is 60 long, painstaking Minutes from Hell, and after making a cut in her own abdomen, severed the umbilical cord with scissors and became unconscious. When she came to, she wrapped up her bleeding abdomen and asked her 6-year-old son to fetch help.A village health assistant later arrived to stitch Ramirez and tend to her live newborn. Both Mama and baby lived, and Ramirez is thought to be the only woman to have ever performed a c-section on herself, and lived to tell the tale. She does not recommend the procedure to fellow mothers-to-be. Man. I will have to file this story for future consideration for the next time I am feeling wussy about anything.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jamie Lynn due in a couple of months?

Filed under: Teenager, Pregnant celebrities, Celebrity kids, RumorsThe National Enquirer reported back in July that Jamie Lynn Spears was pregnant recently printed the letter they received from her attorneys which seems laughable in light of recent events: "Ms. Spears is a devout Christian with a spotless reputation, who lives in accordance with the highest moral and ethical standards in accordance with her faith. There is no "rumor" concerning Ms. Spears' (non-existent) pregnancy, except perhaps for the baseless "rumor" just now being created by the National Enquirer. Ms. Spears is not pregnant. It is pathetic for the National Enquirer to attempt to create a wholly baseless "rumor" that Ms. Spears is pregnant, so it can run a malicious story and false story which would be emotionally devastating to a morally upright 16 year old girl." So when the same rag stands by its story and says Jamie Lynn is actually due in March with a girl, you pay closer attention and wonder how the world someone so tiny could possibly conceal a pregnancy longer than fifteen minutes and expect to fudge a birthdate by that much. There are also rumors circulating that the father of the baby isn't Jamie Lynn's 19 year-old boyfriend, Casey Aldridge, but an older man who was a producer of Spear's television show, which is disturbing on so many levels. An accidental pregnancy between a couple of hormonal and love-struck teens is one thing, but an older man taking advantage of a young girl is disturbing and wrong. For some reason, nothing is ever simple and straightforward in the Spears family. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Rock star baby announcements

Filed under: Newborn, Birth announcementWe didn't send out birth announcements for Nolan's entrance into the world back in 2005. Despite my rabid inhalation of every book on pregnancy and new Motherhood, I was still completely shocked by the magnitude of the shift of my earth on its axis, and I mostly stumbled around in striped pyjamas and streaked mascara, occasionally stuffing bagel crumbles into my mouth and wondering how on earth I was going to do this. I could barely exist, let alone put together a coherent sentence to stuff into an envelope. If I could go back in time and conjure up some post-partum energy and a few awesome, original birth announcements, I'd definitely start right here. Rattle n Roll are custom designed birth announcements, styled after rock n roll gig posters. They're custom designed and are so groovy that I'd want to keep a few for myself to hang on the nursery wall. Basically, you send in a photo of your newborn, choose a template and some wording and Rattle n Roll will take care of the transition of your baby photo into an ultra-cool birth announcement. You can also use the service for invitations, grad announcements, family news, or whatever. The cost, starting at 200 bucks, is a little steep but for a once-in-a-lifetime announcement, it might just be worth it.These are by far the coolest announcements you will ever find! Styled after gig posters eepsake for the coolest kid on the block...yours. They are great as birth announcements or birthday invites! These announcements are 8.5"X 5.5" single-sided handbills, printed in full color on 12 pt. white card stock and accompanied by 6X9 envelopesPermalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

'Problem teacher' database made available

Filed under: Teachers, Elementary school, Middle school, High school, Public school, Going to schoolDid you know that a national database of 'problem' teachers exists? It is a repository of information regarding teachers across the United States who have been disciplined for professional misconduct. In Florida, education officials run potential teacher's names through that database before offering them a job. Now, thanks to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, you can access that information as well.It is called the Clearinghouse and was created by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). While it may currently be the best tool available for checking up on teachers, it is not without its flaws.For one thing, membership in the NASDTEC is voluntary as is reporting cases to the database. And some states are better than others at reporting problem teachers. For example, some smaller states like Oregon have more entries than large states like New York or New Jersey. And what constitutes an infraction worthy of inclusion in the database varies widely from state to state. Some will report a teacher for something as relatively minor as failing to repay a student loan. Others only report misconduct that results in a criminal conviction.A fill-in form on the Herald Tribune website gives anyone with an Internet connection access to the database. But because the information returned only includes the teacher's name, date of birth and state, you will have no way of knowing without further research just why that teacher is in the database. Still, it might be a good place to start if you have concerns about your child's teacher.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Toddler art: should it stay or should it go?

Filed under: 2 years, Toddler, Child care, Creative projectsMy boy goes to daycare three days a week, and in his current classroom they do art projects pretty much every single day. He comes home splattered with fingerpaint, sometimes he has glitter in his hair, he's got crayon wax under his nails . . . I love it. I especially love picking him up and seeing him sitting at a table with his pint-sized classmates, studiously smearing some glue around while a patient teacher doles out cotton balls.Let's be honest: I particularly love knowing that I don't have to clean up the mess. I mean, I want to encourage my child's creativity as much as any other parent, but . . . GLUE? Dude, I'm sorry, but not in my living room, unless we've got about fifty tarps on hand.Anyway, the fallout from all this art time is a never-ending stream of papers stuffed in his cubby for us to take home. A million and one art projects, all personally created by our toddler. Which is to say, a lot of smeary, goopy, endearing little pieces of crap.(What? Oh, I can't say that? I'm sorry: many lovely works of art. Is that better? Sheesh.)So, what to do with all of these? I honestly feel like kind of an asshole throwing them away, but what's the alternative? I keep the ones that include, say, his handprints, or are especially cool in some way (or sometimes I just take a digital photo and archive that image), but the rest . . . well, they get round-filed.Am I a heartless jerk for doing this? What do you guys do with your little kids' many creative manifestos, assuming they've played out their time on the fridge or wherever?Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Kiddie virtual worlds: prepare to be inundated

Filed under: 6-7 years, Internet, Games, Monitoring your kids, Video Games, Marketing to kidsOn the very top of Ellie's Christmas wish list was the Barbie Girls MP3 player that doubles as a USB key. The key unlocks some of the extra-special fun stuff to be found on BarbieGirls.com. Without the key, her activities on the site are limited. With the key, she joins a large group of like-minded little girls in a virtual world where they can shop, decorate and get makeovers.Virtual worlds for grownups have been around for some time. I've poked around in Second Life a little, but frankly I find the whole experience to be just a little bit weird. Apparently, I am not the only adult shying away from pretend living in pretend worlds - the growth of these so-called worlds has failed to meet the expectations of those who predict such things. But who likes make-believe more than a kid? Virtual worlds for the grade-school set are experiencing rapid growth and Debra Aho Williamson of EMarketer, predicts that by 2001, more than 20 million children will be members of a virtual world. "Get ready for total inundation," she says.This has some critics ready to do battle. "We cannot allow the media and marketing industries to construct a childhood that is all screens, all the time," said Susan Linn, a Boston psychologist and the director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Of course, the "all screens, all the time" problem is nothing new. Children's television has been marketing to our kids for quite some time. And just like television, I think the key is moderation and parental supervision. If you don't allow your kids to spend all day in front of the television, why would you let them spend all day in front of a computer?Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Being Momma

Filed under: 2 years, Adventures in ParentingNolan has been sleeping a lot lately: three hour naps and wake ups that sometimes do not happen before the sun rises, thank you Universe for tiny blessings. Usually when his sleeping patterns change, it means something's morphing in his small body, and this time (although he is also growing at a rocketing, mindboggling speed), it seems to be related directly to his vocabulary.All of a sudden Nolan is talking to me like a fellow human being, inquiring after the cheese and telling me about how this truck is going to the cottee shop. He told me about the sock that was stuck in the bottom of his boot (as I was attempting to unsuccessfully wedge it on to his foot) and he has definite preferences in music (yes to Feist, no to Queens of the Stone Age). Several times in the last week I've gaped at him in wide-mouthed wonder: where did you come from, little wizened man? And where did you put my baby?Scattered among the new verbiage is a perplexing development in his preferred title for me: he now calls me Momma. I have no idea where it came from, I have always been Mommy, and as far as I know, none of his cartoon friends call their Mothers Momma. I don't feel like I'm a Momma, I picture Momma to be a large, barrel-chested woman with pink styrofoam curlers and a pocketful of thin mints. Mommy seems so much more fitting for a woman with a small child, but really, it's not up to me. Nolan also calls my Mom Nanny, though we tried to title her "Nana" to avoid confusion with his paternal Grandmother, who has always been Nanny to her grandkids.I guess kids will call us what they will, and I'm just grateful he hasn't declared me "Kristin". Yet.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Do you pluck your gray hair?

Filed under: Lifestyle, ParentDish Laughs, Momwear, Creative projects, Feminism, Making a Difference, EnvironmentalBreck, anyone? Come on, admit it. Not that you have gray hair--'cuz I know you do. At least one. Unless you plucked it. Even if you colored it, it still started its sad little life out as a gray hair. And that stinks. Or does it? I pluck my gray hair. Not so sure that I should. The old adage said that for every one gray hair plucked three would grow in its place--rather like that mythic sea monster of (I think) Greek myth. My mother warned me not to pluck mine--not because of the adage, but because she said one couldn't be too sure if anything would grow back. At least one could dye one's grays and still keep a full head of hair. I pluck the heck out of mine. I don't even have that many, but I keep it that way by plucking anything that looks even remotely transluscent to within an inch of its life. As a result, my hair has grown back, but they're still gray and now they're really short and stick out to boot. So perhaps better to not pluck. Then again, having tghem stick out like that makes them easier to spot. The ones that live deep under my mane that only show up when I get whimsical for a pony tail I have to search for, but the short ones, well, they just pop out like a sore thumb. The sad truth of it is that I don't even really care that I'm going gray. I just enjoy the art of plucking. Really. For me, it's like sport. Ask my husband. It moved from my eyebrows to the head. Honestly, I don't think women care that much anymore. Or do they? What about you--do you pluck, color or let live? Pic of the best head of gray hair I've ever seen by caseywest.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

One instance where the movie is better than the book

Filed under: Toddler, DVDs and Videos, Adventures in ParentingBesides my son, reading might be the single greatest joy in my life. That sounds kind of incredibly pathetic, but wait a minute: there is nothing better than a new book waiting beside a steaming cup of honeyed tea beside an opened-up bed, sheets crisp and cool and the window slightly open to let in the sounds of rain and night. I'd rather read a new book than see a new movie, except perhaps in the case of a truly killer documentary.Until recently, I don't think I've ever seen a movie that was quite as good as the book version. It makes sense: the images, voices, and theatre I create in my own mind will always be more meaningful to me than someone else's version. For that reason, I don't usually watch the movie versions of my favourite books. Whenever I've had, I've ended up sorely disappointed.But lo, there is a an exception and it is Disney. I bought Nolan a hardcover Disney picture book at Costco upon his grubby, reaching-fingered request. The book is a trilogy of Finding Nemo, Toy Story, and Monsters Inc. and I dread it every time he asks for it. The stories, they make no sense! Key elements seem to be removed, and the stories flip awkwardly from one scene to the other...perhaps because the movie came before the book. Nolan loves the pictures but I find that reading the stories is incredibly arduous.I was so pleasantly surprised when I watched Finding Nemo for the first time -- based on the children's book, I'd thought it would be bunk. Same with Toy Story, which I watched this weekend. I can't believe I've been missing out on these animated films -- I'd watch them even if Nolan weren't around. Anyway,Toy Story the movie was awesome, the children's book version tedious. Two lessons learned:1) In the case of Disney, choose the movie over the book2) Avoid all aisles touting glossy Disney books at Costco.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Baby Videos Are Extremely Popular

There are tons of baby videos on the Internet. This video of a baby laughing has been viewed nearly 25 million times on YouTube alone. It is far from the only baby video out there. A YouTube search for "baby" return 495,000 video entries. Current.tv explains the enormous popularity of baby videos in this video clip below. You can find links to some great baby video resources in our baby videos section.



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Pass the salt

Filed under: Feeding & Nutrition, Family togetherness, Eating, 12-18 monthsI am a product of a divorce. My parents split and my Dad left to live in a condo when I was 8 (I think). I remember him telling me in a white Datsun that he was not going to live with us anymore. What I also remember is my mother trying to keep the tradition of eating together very much alive - even with the fourth seat at our Formica kitchen table very much empty. I am very pro-family dinner, seeing it as a way to connect to all members of my family for at least 30 minutes a day. Even Tasman, who is challenging at 17 months with the toss fling chomp spit ritual he has got going on at the moment. We contemplated having him eat prior to our sitting down, pushing our standard 6:30pm dinner time to 7pm, with Hudson sated by television and an apple for the additional 30 minutes. Thankfully we decided against it. I love seeing him eat and enjoy the tactile goodness that is smeared sweet potatoes. I also think him seeing all of us at the table, managing our utensils, laughing at silly jokes, tsk tsking any reference to flatulence and simply enjoying each other company is a lovely way for a toddler to graduate to boy. We also think badgering Hudson about his daily activities at dinner will both offer insight into how our nanny is handling the child rearing by proxy and to make sure we are involved in what goes on at his school. We ask pointed questions like if any bullies are starting their bully career or if his teacher is sipping stinky liquids from flasks. That kind of thing. The time is spent laughing and loving, from hot dogs to homemade Indian, and I look forward to it every night. I do also remember some TV dinner moments from my youth - so I know it happened, and do not harbour any resentment to my wonderful mother. She was brilliant in her single motherdom. How serious do you take family dinners? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

One month to go: must-haves for a second baby

Filed under: Pregnancy and Birth, 0-3 months, Infant / First yearLet it be known I have officially started panicking about the impending birth of my second child; specifically, the fact that I have known about this kid's arrival timeline since JUNE and here I am with ONE MONTH to go, and I haven't done anything to prepare.Well, that's not strictly true: we did get Riley out of his room and into his new bedroom, which hinged on completing a large-scale home remodel that lasted for seven months and nearly drove me insane, so there's that. And now he's happily sleeping in his big kid bed, which is a giant relief for me.However, I still haven't laid out his old baby clothes, his old room is a wreck (less of a problem since the baby will probably be sleeping close to us for a while before moving to the crib), we have basically zero baby supplies on hand . . . I've got some serious nesting to take care of over here, people.Here's what I'm thinking I absolutely need to have at the ready:o. Carseat (our old one is currently in the garage, covered in sawdust -- getting it out and cleaned up sounds like a good Husband Task, doesn't it?)o. Newborn-sized diapers (I personally like the Swaddlers brand)o. Assortment of onesies etc -- I'm pretty sure I'm well covered on the clothing front, just need to get them out of storage and launder themo. Eighty hojillion washcloths, because Spit Happens. I have a giant pile of these things, but I bet I should get some moreo. Double-check to make sure I have a good working thermometer, infant nail clippers, newborn-sized snot suckero. Swaddling blanketsCan you think of anything else that's mission-critical? I have other things that were useful with Riley when he was very small, like a bouncy seat, mobile, sleep sacks, etc, but as far as stuff you want on hand for when the baby comes home from the hospital, I'm thinking the must-have list is actually pretty short. "Sanity" would be nice, but I guess you can't buy that ahead of time from Babies R Us.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments