Nifty Baby Crib Blanket

While browsing the internet, I found a nifty new product that a mom created -- the SnapCozy crib blanket. This blanket gives your baby the freedom to move around while asleep, without becoming uncovered. The new baby blanket also has a special seam sewn into it that prevents the baby from sliding their head under the crib blanket. This offers a great alternative to baby blanket sleepers. It retails for around $70. You can find more information on the SnapCozy crib blanket by visiting the SnapCozy website.

Feeling All Alone Out There? Don't!

Have your kids ever done something that makes you feel like "I've got to be the only one out here that is going through this!" Does your baby do something unique that you just have to brag about? Are you a stay at home mom with very little social outlets and wish you had a group of other moms to bond with? If so, then maybe you should try a new social newtorking site for moms - CafeMom. CafeMom offers forums and message boards for moms to discuss things they have in common, as well as features such as a marketplace where you can buy and sell items such as used baby clothes and equipment, toys or anything you can think of. Registration is free and easy, so go ahead, get networking with other moms today!

Bumbo Baby Seats Recalled

If you are using a Bumbo baby seat, be aware that they have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission due to 28 reported cases of baby head injuries, some including skull fractures. This is apparently due to the the baby seat being placed on elevated surfaces (such as kitchen tables) and the babies then moving in a manner which makes the seat unstable. The full story regarding the Bumbo seat recall can be found here.

Baby Pacifiers -- Do You Use Them?

From what I understand, there is a lot of debate regarding whether the use of baby pacifiers is ok, or whether it does harm to your baby. Since babies are born wanting to suck and the sucking seems to soothe them, I personally don't see the harm in using them. I actually tried to use one, but my son wouldn't take it; however, I know people that swear by using pacifiers and wouldn't be caught without one. If you're undecided, the Mayo Clinic has come up with a useful list of do's and don'ts of using baby pacifiers that may assist you with your decision.

Interactive Birth Announcement Journal

I just found a cool website that offers a creative, fun and FREE way to share the birth of your new baby, and all of the precious moments and events of your child’s life thereafter; OurStory.com. This site offers the ability to generate a timeline of your special events, complete with pictures, video and descriptions that you provide. You can then send email notifications to relatives, friends and other people that you would like to share your event with, and they can even comment on your event and it will become part of your timeline (of course, you decide who gets to see and comment on the events in your timeline). In addition to those great features, you also have the option of displaying your timeline on your own website or blog, and you can download a backup copy of your timeline to your computer to burn keepsake CDs and memory books. These make great personalized gifts!
Plus, the possiblities for this service are endless, as they can also be used to share events such as adoptions, reunions, marriages, family vacations, family experiences, dating, home purchases, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, proms, memoirs, family recipes, achievements, retirements, and more.

Like I said, the best thing about this service is that it is completely FREE! The registration process is really quick and easy too; all you have to do to sign up is provide a first and last name, username and password and you’re all set! I highly recommend this service, but don’t just take it from me, Parenting magazine gave this service a thumbs up as well. I started my own timeline today; you can see my example below. Happy Announcing!



Start your own timeline at OurStory.com

If Laughter is the Best Medicine...

Then this baby will be well forever! I found this cute baby video on YouTube and just had to share it. Watch it once and it will lift your spirits!

Caution -- Raisin Bran Causes Habitual Lying!

The other day, my seven year old son was eating a bowl of Raisin Bran (his favorite cereal I might add) and reading the box. After a while, he looked up at me with a serious face and said with all sincerity, "Mommy, I know I lie sometimes, but I can't help it -- I love Raisin Bran and it says right here on the box 'Two Scoops, Excellent Source of Fibber' ".

Consider yourself warned :-)

Suri Cruise is Spoiled -- Stop the Presses!

I recently read an article mentioning that a close friend of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes has said that their daughter Suri is spoiled and gets whatever she wants most times. And this is shocking news because... oh wait, it's NOT shocking! This is the first baby for Katie and Tom (together) and there is bound to be a little "giving in" every now and then. How many of us parents have had moments where it was just easier to give in than have a "mental meltdown" from the temper tantrum that ensues when our child doesn't get their way? I applaud those of you who are saying "I never give in", but also ask you to please check your nose for a little sudden growth that has bound to have happened as a result of such a bold statement! :-)

Of course, giving in to a child ALL of the time is not healthy for the parent or the child, but every now and then, giving in as a "sanity saver" is not only OK, but human. So go ahead Tom and Katie, keep sanity alive!

Do Cute Kids Get the Benefit of Better Parenting?

Apparently so... or so a Canadian researcher from the University of Alberta has concluded. It appears that Dr. Andrew Harrell observed several families with siblings around the same age in a grocery store over a period of time and found that the "cuter" a child was, the more likely the parents were to strap the child into the shopping cart and keep tabs on them, whereas their "not as cute" siblings were allowed to wander off further in the store and not garner as much attention.

Of course, when the observations were mentioned to some of the parents, the parents said they loved and treated all of their children the same. Dr. Harrell is unconvinced.