Modern Tots

Like A Bike - Jumper


As early as 2 years old children can learn to walk then run, then balance. Later moving on to a “real” bike kids adapt without difficulty and training wheels become unecessary. Completely made from Aluminum. Limited steering angle is a unique safety feature. Extremely light (8lbs). Two different size seat poles included. The larger pole extends to a maximum height of 18.5".

Belly Dance Maternity

hip maternity clothes for stylish moms-to-be

we believe you should not have to sacrifice your style while expecting. we carry the top maternity designers, including chip and pepper, chiarakruza, nom, noppies, olian, japanese weekend, michael stars, habitual maternity, and serfontaine maternity jeans. celebrate your pregnancy with our extensive collection of maternity clothes and diaper bags.

Cool Diaper Bag

Peek into a Diaper Bag (WAJ-057)

Size: 14.5" x 10.5" x 5.75" Price: $100

What's in your tote? The secret's out with this Diaper Bag! Two side pouches can hold cell phones or snacks and the back pocket is great for storing hard to get items. The inside features a bottle sleeve and zippered pocket. When it's time for a change, there's a mat with zip and mesh pockets. (shoulder strap is adjustable)

Don't leave babies in car seats for too long

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Don't leave babies in car seats for too long, experts warn

FRIDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) — Babies should not be left alone to sleep in car safety
seats, especially if they were born prematurely, New Zealand pediatricians report.

Their warning, published in this week's issue of the British Medical Journal,
is based on a study of nine infants, aged 3 days to 6 months, who were
referred to the Auckland Cot Monitoring Service by parents alarmed by
what they described as infants who were "blue," "scrunched up" or "not breathing."

"All but one case occurred when the infants had been left in the car seats indoors,
allowing them to fall asleep unrestrained in an upright position," said a report by
the group, led by Dr. Alistair J. Gunn, an associate professor of physiology
and pediatrics at the University of Auckland.

All the infants survived, but the parents were given advice on better positioning
to prevent future problems, and warnings about not leaving the babies in
the car seats for excessive periods of time.

It's a "fairly important paper," said Dr. Christopher Greeley, medical director
of the newborn nursery at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, because
it demonstrates the potential dangers of car seats, which are regarded as essential
for protecting children if accidents occur.

"The take-home message is that parents should not leave babies unattended
in car seats," Greeley said. "If you leave a very young baby in a car seat, the
structure of the head, bigger in the back, can cause the airway, the trachea, to
be narrowed." Vanderbilt follows the recommendation of the American Academy
of Pediatrics — that all babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy get a car seat
test before they leave the hospital, he said.

"They get the test for the potentially longest duration of the ride home, so that
they don't have this kind of positional occlusion," Greeley said. "The test is done
for premature babies or full-term babies who have issues with their airways. If they
are born really small, have poor nutrition or have poor neck control, we do the test."

When the children do get home, leaving them in car seats for a prolonged period is not
a good idea, Greeley said. "The more they are left in, the more predisposed they are
to have partial blockage of the airways," he noted. "Sleeping in a car seat is not necessarily
a cause of death, but there is a higher likelihood that a baby somewhere will have
difficulty with breathing."

"Car seats should only be used for transportation purposes," said Linda White, i
njury prevention coordinator at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
"Bringing one into the house and leaving a child in it, that is not what they are intended for."

Parents sometimes bring a car seat into the house and leave a baby in it "because
they don't want to disturb them," White said. "But you don't want them [the babies]
to be at that extended angle for a long period of time. We encourage families even
when they are traveling to stop often and take the baby out of the car seat. The
extended period of time is the key."

Marjorie Marciano, director of the safety education office at the New York City
Department of Transportation, offers this advice: "We do know that using a car
seat that is installed correctly can reduce the risk of injury significantly, for example
by 70 percent for children under 1 year old," she said. "Installed correctly means that
it should be at an angle of 45 degrees. When working with parents, we always say
that it is important that the seat be at the right angle to keep the airway open."

-- Ed Edelson, HealthDay News

The Retro Baby

Dr Seuss Cat in the Hat baby gift set

• The perfect gift set for newborns to one year olds
• Includes a waterproof Starter Bib and a coordinating washcloth for babies.
• TheRetroBaby's bright and colorful Dr. Seuss Gift Book is a joy to give or receive!
• 100% cotton. Machine wash.

Tutti Bella

From baby clothes to diaper bags, Tutti Bella offers the hottest designer infant clothing and children's
fashions, as was unique gifts for babies. Here you will find designer baby clothes,
designer diaper bags, and unique baby bedding for babies and children.
We carry a great selection of stateside and European
designer braellnds for children such as 2BFree, Cakewalk,
True Religion, Kingsley, No Added Sugar, Appaman, Antik Denim,
Zutano, Oink!Baby, Charlie Rocket, Mimi and Maggie, Luna Luna, and more!
Whether you're looking for special baby shower gift ideas, unique baby gifts
to welcome the baby home, or you're shopping for your own kids, you're sure
to find something special in our baby boutique!

Chilly Swing Set

haba toys


The coolest seat for chilling out!

Every kid needs a fun place to hang out and this cool swing set gives them just that, indoors or out.

Hang it from a ceiling or from a tree to instantly create a cozy place to cuddle up. Whether swinging in it or curling up for a nap, the cushiony seat and sturdy net construction are secure, stable and totally comfortable!

Made of waterproof, weatherproof Cordura

Age/weight range: For kids 3 years and up, up to 440 pounds!

haba toys

Memory Blanket

Willow Creek Baby

Your child's baby clothes have so many memories.
There is the pink layette she wore home from the
hospital, the white eyelet dress she wore for her first
Easter, and the bunny pajamas that she insisted on
wearing every night. Don't pack these memories away in
the attic, instead, have them made into a Memory Blanket
that you and your child can cherish forever.

It only takes 16 pieces of children's clothing for a 32"
blanket, 25 pieces for a 40" blanket and 36 pieces for a
48" blanket. So, collect your child's favorite items and
mail them to Willow Creek Baby along with the Memory
Blanket Order Form and in 4-6 weeks you will have a
blanket filled with childhood memories.

BABY MEMORY BLANKETS
(made with newborn/toddler clothing)
32" x 32" Memory Blanket - $75.00
40" x 40" Memory Blanket - $110.00
48" x 48" Memory Blanket - $160.00
64" x 72" Memory Blanket - $320.00

Adult memory blankets are now available!
Contact us for more information.

Santa's Secret Village

Enjoy the joy and magic of Christmas in Santa’s Secret Village! We invite you to experience a traditional look at Christmas through the many free activities here at northpole.com. Write to Santa, read stories, enjoy Karaoke, send e-cards, find recipes, play games and puzzles, print stories to color—even put you or your child in a personalized story! Our stories and activities combine traditional feelings of Christmas goodwill with state-of-the-art computer technology—all richly illustrated with original artwork.

Northpole.com is a commercial banner-free, child-safe Web site designed to provide a family-oriented Christmas site for children and families to share together. Parents, grandparents, and teachers around the world have told us about the quality time they spend sharing the site with children. We hope you, too, enjoy the site as much as we enjoyed creating it for you.

NORAD Tracks Santa

For more than 50 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa. The tradition began after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. store advertisement for children to call Santa on a special "hotline" included an inadvertently misprinted telephone number. Instead of Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, received the first "Santa" call on Christmas Eve 1955. Realizing what had happened, Colonel Shoup had his staff check radar data to see if there was any indication of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Indeed there were signs of Santa and children who called were given an update on Santa's position. Thus, the tradition was born. In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for the North American continent called the North American Air Defense Command, known as NORAD. Canada and the U.S. believed they could better defend North America together as a team instead of separately.

NORAD carried out its first Santa tracking in 1958 after inheriting the tradition from CONAD. Since that time, Canadian and American men and women who work at NORAD have responded to phone calls from children personally. Additionally, media from all over the world call NORAD on Christmas Eve for updates on Santa's location. Last year this Website was visited by millions of people who wanted to know Santa's whereabouts. This year, the information is provided in six languages.
NORAD relies on many volunteers to help make Santa tracking possible. Hundreds of volunteers spend part of their Christmas Eve at the Santa Tracking Operations Center answering phones and emails to provide Santa updates to thousands of inquiring children worldwide.

A Home for the Holidays Adoption Special

A Home for the Holidays Adoption Special

Adoption Special to air December 22 on CBS!

Distribution Source : ArriveNet

Date : Tuesday, December 12, 2006

New London, CT -- (ArriveNet - Dec 12, 2006) -- THE 8TH ANNUAL A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH ROD STEWART, an exciting new entertainment special, will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 on CBS Television. The special includes moving performances by Grammy Award winner Rod Stewart and special guests Five for Fighting, John Legend, Katharine McPhee and Mary Mary. Comedian Cedric the Entertainer, Miley Cyrus, Angie Harmon, Melina Kanakaredes, Rene Russo and Jeri Ryan present inspirational stories about adoption. The musical performances frame several pre-taped story segments which are presented by celebrities who either have their own adoption experiences or are involved with children's issues. The stories highlight many exceptional American children and families involved in this rewarding process. There are more than a half million children currently in foster care in the United States and approximately 114,000 of those children are free for adoption. “A Home for the Holidays” gives voice to these children by creating intimate portraits of children who have been adopted into permanent, loving homes. The special is presented by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in association with the Children's Action Network. Wendy's restaurant founder Dave Thomas, who was adopted, established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992. It is dedicated to increasing the awareness of the children in the United States and Canadian foster care system who have been freed for adoption. Wendy's Restaurants is a program sponsor. The Children's Action Network (CAN) was founded in 1990 by leaders in the entertainment industry to harness the power of the entertainment media on behalf of children. The special is part of CAN's National Adoption Campaign to raise awareness about the joys of adopting and to find homes for children who are waiting. CARA is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3), licensed, child-placing agency committed to finding families for children in need of adoptive placement. CARA helps with the adoption of children from the foster care system, domestically, and internationally. CARA provides home studies and educational training for all types of adoption, counsels pregnant women considering placing children for adoption, and supports post-adoptive families. For more information on adoption, contact CARA at 860-444-0553 or visit www.adoptacarakid.org.

Skip * Hop

The Gifted Grasshopper

The Gifted Grasshopper is your source for children's books online. Our gift bags are bursting with books that are hand selected by two teachers based on your child’s different educational and developmental needs. We, as teachers, loved discovering and sharing great new pieces of children's literature with our students. Now, as moms, we are thrilled to be able to search for books that are perfect for our own children. We know you will think these books are perfect for the special child in your life as well. All of the books featured in our gift bags are carefully chosen by The Gifted Grasshopper for your child's reading enjoyment. Our bags feature children's books, children's storybooks, illustrated books, children's board books, picture books and more. All hand-selected bags bursting with children's books can be purchased for different age groups including: Baby Books, Toddler Books, Preschool Books, Kindergarten & First Grade Books and Second & Third Grade Books. The Gifted Grasshopper will also work with you to design a custom bag bursting with books according to a special theme or occasion.

Your hand selected book collection will come in our Gifted Grasshopper Signature Tote Bag. These tote bags are high quality canvas with long handles for easy carrying. Bursting with books or filled with baby and childhood essentials, the Gifted Grasshopper signature tote is something you will use again and again. Our Miniature Totes are great as Party favors stuffed with books and trimmings or grab an extra one for the special child in your life to carry whatever he or she desires!

Eggnog Cookies

recipe home Eggnog cookies

Submitted by: jdj25

A festive and tasty holiday treat -- moist, sweet, and gently spiced. All the more special because it can only be made during the holidays, when eggnog is in the stores.

Cookies: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 1/4 cups white sugar 3/4 cup eggnog 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 egg yolks Icing: 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons eggnog Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons of spiced rum or rum extract

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). 2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. 3. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. 4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. (If consistency is hard to work with, cool dough first in refrigerator.) Bake 16 to 24 minutes or until edges start turning light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hazardous toys to avoid this holiday season

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Report: Hazardous toys to avoid this holiday season

FRIDAY, Nov. 29 (BabyCenter News) — Hazardous toys are still sold in stores across the country, says a toy safety report released last week by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG).

The group's 21st annual "Trouble in Toyland" report provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety hazards and offers safety guidelines for purchasing toys for small children.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), almost 73,000 children under the age of 5 were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries in 2005, the most recent year for which numbers are available. Twenty of those children died.

"Even one toy-related death is too many, because these deaths are preventable," said U.S. PIRG Research Director Alison Cassady in a prepared statement.

The "Trouble in Toyland" report warns consumers about four categories of toy dangers: choking hazards, powerful magnets, lead, and strangulation hazards.

Choking hazards

In its research, U.S. PIRG found toys for sale with small parts for children under 3 and under 6 without the required choke hazard warning. This is despite the CPSC's 1979 ban of the sale of toys for children under 3 if they contain small parts, and 1994's Child Safety Protection Act, which required an explicit choke hazard warning on toys with small parts for children between 3 and 6.

Children continue to choke on toys that meet the letter of the law. In September, Playskool recalled the Team Talkin' Tool Bench after two children suffocated when the toy's oversized plastic nails became lodged in their throats. U.S. PIRG found several toys on store shelves that have parts shaped like corks or these toy nails that could pose similar suffocation hazards.

Magnetic toys

Toymakers have started using powerful magnets in building toys and magnetic jewelry. If a child swallows more than one magnet, the magnets can attract each other inside the body and cause a bowel obstruction or life-threatening tear in the intestines.

A little boy died last Thanksgiving and many others have had life-saving surgery after swallowing magnets from MEGA Brands' Magnetix toys. MEGA Brands has modified the design of Magnetix and placed a label on the toy's packaging warning parents about the dangers of magnets.

U.S. PIRG has called on CPSC to require a warning label on all magnetic toys that tells parents to seek immediate medical attention if a child swallows magnets.

Lead in jewelry

Children exposed to lead can suffer delayed mental and physical development or even death. In February, a 4-year-old died of lead poisoning after he swallowed a bracelet charm that contained 99 percent lead. U.S. PIRG researchers went to just a few stores and easily found four items of children's jewelry that contain high levels of lead, ranging from 1.8 percent lead to 34 percent lead by weight.

"We've known for decades that lead poses serious health risks to children, so it's unacceptable that consumers can still find lead-laden children's jewelry on store shelves," said Cassady.

Strangulation hazards

Cords and elastics attached to toys can hurt children by wrapping around their neck or other body part and causing strangulation or cutting off blood flow.

One toy in particular that's caused problems in recent years is the water yo-yo: a liquid-filled ball at the end of a stretchy cord. Last month, a 5-year-old Bellevue, Washington boy almost suffocated when the toy's cord wrapped tightly around his neck several times. CPSC has recorded about 400 injuries to the eyes, face and neck since the water yo-yo ball came on the market three years ago.

"CPSC should not wait until a child dies to protect children from the dangers posed by playing with this toy," said Cassady. Her group is asking the CPSC to ban the water yo-yo immediately.

Cassady reminded parents that the toy list in the U.S. PIRG report is only a sampling of the potential hazards on store shelves.

"Shoppers should examine all toys carefully for hidden dangers before they make a purchase this holiday season," she said.

-- Jenny Des Jarlais, BabyCenter News

Habitait for Humanity

Put Your Faith Into Action. Online Donation Makes It Easy!

Shelter from rain, wind and sun is a basic human need. With your help, more deserving families can have decent places to call home. Give families in need shelter, self-respect and the hope of a better life. Our ministry puts faith into action through empowerment and hard work. And it’s easy for you to help! Just click the links below to learn how you can help. Then put your faith into action by clicking to donate online.

THESITTERLOOP.COM

Linking Parents and Sitters in a Snap!

The Sitter Loop makes it easy for parents and sitters to connect with one another. Parents can find a sitter for that random night out or for a permanent position. Sitters can find the perfect childcare position with a perfect family. To locate a sitter near you or to find a job, register today! Eliminate the hassle of going through expensive agencies. Our service makes it easy and affordable to find the best sitter for your child.