Surprise! Cuddling with your infant will make them more social later!

My little girl is such a great cuddler! One of my favorite times is at night when she snuggles with her daddy and me when she is tired. She is now old enough to almost give me a hug. So you can imagine how excited I was when I found that research has shown that infants who are cuddled a lot are more likely to grow up to be affectionate, well adjusted adults. Evidently, even if you try to make it up to them as toddlers, it seems the damage is hard to reverse. It's all about the hormones. Imagine that. So take the time to love your new baby. They will love you back for years to come.

Nestle has pulled baby milk off the shelves in Europe

Just when you think it is safe to feed your child something other than your milk, you get the warning ... Nestle has recalled baby milk from Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Nestle has found traces of ink from the packaging that has gotten into the milk. A Nestle spokesperson says that the substance is not a health hazard but has decided to pull the product anyway. Bon apatite!

Abigail Whitchall and baby Dominic go home Friday

Abigail Whitchall, the stabbing victim in England, has been able to take her little boy, Dominic Adrian, home and was baptized yesterday. Whitchall, a devote Catholic, was grateful to be able to not only survive her vicious attack but carry, deliver, and baptize her second son. Abigail and her husband, Benoit, chose Dominic which means "Of the Lord" and Adrian was a family name. Big brother, Joseph, "is enjoying being a 'big brother' and is giving Dominic lots of cuddles"

Baby panda Su Lin takes her first steps while baby Tai Shan will be introduced to the country on Dec 8.

How sweet was your little one's first steps? Baby panda, Su Lin, was totally adorable when she went looking for mommy the first time. I look forward to when Kayleigh takes her first steps without my help but I don't want her to do it too soon.
Likewise, 4 month old Tai Shan will be shown to the world on Dec 8. There has been a lot of interest in little Tai Shan due to the unique birth of a baby panda in the US. Besides, who doesn't love to see any kind of baby!

Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve...

The little girl that was born with her heart outside of her body died only 2 days after she was born. The baby girl was born with her heart between her neck and collarbone and was holding it in her right hand. Her parents weren't able to pay for any kind of treatment much less the journey to receive it. I can't imagine what they are going through. This little girl has captured the compassion of the world. No one wants to hear about any birth defect but to hear such tragedy brings people together.

Putting baby to sleep just got more complicated.

For years, the 2 most popular ideas of getting your baby to sleep has been Dr Sears saying to sleep with your baby and Dr Ferber saying to let them cry it out. My sister prescribes to Dr Ferber and I prescribe more to Dr Sears. Now both are saying that a little more moderation might be in order. Guess it all still comes down to what you feel comfortable with. They way I see it, as long as your child is resting, then you are doing it right.

New way to Stop Thumb Sucking

A mother in Dallas, Texas needed a way to stop her 6 month old little girl from sucking her thumb. She decided to put chili powder on her thumb, hoping she wouldn't like it. Instead, her daughter suffocated and died. Trust me, ladies, there are easier, and nonlethal, ways to help your little one let go of his/her thumb. Children depend on us as parents to take care of them. Trust me when I say, parenting comes with a huge learning curve. But there are wonderful resources to use for figuring the hard stuff out.

Israeli father finds his daughter and then has to go to jail for stepping up.

Imagine that you are told by a female acquaintance from the past that you are the father of a baby girl. When you offer to be apart of the baby's life, the mother disappears. Then later you find that your daughter has been abandoned and left in an apartment garbage room. You talk to your new wife while holding your new baby and tell her you want to claim the infant. After your new wife agrees, you go to the police station only to be arrested for a prior warrant. Meanwhile, the woman who abandoned your daughter gets her back. Sound far fetched? Check out this Israeli man's story.

Winter dressing rules

Do you ever wonder how to dress your child during the different seasons? Do they need a hat? How about socks? Can you put sunscreen on your infant if they are less than 6 months old? Evidently there are no hard and fast rules on what to wear. I got so many people telling me to put socks on my child when she was first born, 6 months and younger. I finally would let them touch her foot and see that they were hot and sweating. People always know how to raise your kids better than you do. Here are some guidelines that you might find helpful. and yes, you should not put sunscreen on a child less than 6 mohts old. Who knew?.?.?.

Infant Croup is very scary!

We were up for the first time all night with a sick little girl. My daughter, Kayleigh, evidently has croup. I had never heard the cough before but it definitely sounds like a bark. The typical symptoms are a "barking" cough, wheezing, and congestion. She has all of them. For those of you dealing with this, try a hot shower with your little one. It really helped Kayleigh and she is actually able to breath for a short time! I hope your little one doesn't go through the CROUP!

Abigail Whitchall delivers a healthy baby boy

Abigail Whitchall was stabbed in the neck last April in Little Bookham, Surrey, England while walking with her 2 yr old son, Joseph. As if that weren't bad enough, she was in her first trimester. The attacker left her to die. Thankfully, Abigail was a fighter. Although she was paralyzed from the neck down, and with her husband by her side, she delivered a healthy baby boy, 5 lb 6 oz, 5 wks premature, on Friday. I love it when modern day miracles rear their pretty head!

Cute mascots for 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Olympics come every 4 years whether we are ready or not. However, the mascots for the 2008 Olympics are totally adorable and might just make the hoopla worth it. The mascots are lovable versions of a panda, fish, Tibetan antelope, swallow and the Olympic flame. And of course they represent the 5 colors of the Olympics rings. Their names are Bei Bei, Jing Jing, Huan Huan, Ying Ying and Ni Ni. Surely all of them will end up in just about every American in a few years in one form or another.

The WB's 7th Heaven is coming to an end.

Ten years ago, we fell in love with the Camden family of 7th Heaven. Eric, Annie and the crew have grown through everything normal families have but they seem to have survived it well. Only Mary left the show which is unusual for a show to keep so many of the original cast for the entire life of the show. I get to watch it in between cooking dinner and changing diapers but I love it. My favorites of the family are Lucy and Ruthie. There is something about the 2 girls that I totally relate to. And did you know that Barry Watson, Matt, took some time off the show to fight Hodgkin's disease. He was diagnosed in May of 2002 and was reported in remission in April of '03. But don't worry. Reruns are the best part of syndication!

Thai Toddler has contracted the Bird Flu

The Bird Flu has been in the news alot lately. When will it come to the US? Will it adapt to human-to-human transmission? Now a toddler in Thailand has contracted it from playing around chickens at his grandmother's farm. The birds he was around, evidently have already died from the virus. This little boy has the fight of his life ahead of him while we sit here in our country looking from afar. But think about his ... how long will we have the luxury?

Toys in the Box are much more fun in the Toy Hall of Fame

There are all kinds of Halls of Fame. I have just found the funnest one to date. Rochester, NY is the home of the Toy Hall of Fame. Barbie, Mr Potato Head, Legos, etc... have found a home where they can share in all of the glory. But the newest toy, or the box it came in, has reached the Hall of Fame. The actual box that all kids love to play with has been inducted. No kiddng! Check this out.

Breastfeeding in Bed without Alchohol is just common Sence

Breastfeeding doesn't take a rocket scientist! I understanding that some moms aren't able to breastfeed, but this mother in Wisconsin probably shouldn't. Drinking 6 double-shot drinks and nursing do not go together! My first response to her accidentally smothering her child was outrage over not being responsible. But I am sure that I will do something stupid eventually. No one always shows common sence 24 hrs a day. But I can't imagine what she is thinking right now and what she will go through in the next few years. She will have to live with the fact that she is the reason her little one isn't here any more.

Top children's books

I just read the newest "Child" magazine. It had great new clothes for the holidays and even better ideas for holiday kid activities. My favorite article however, was the top 50 books for kids divided by age. It was a great list that I thought you might like to see. Enjoy!

Paul McCartney is now among the latest children's book authors

As if he didn't have anything better to do, Beatles icon, Paul McCartney, has now become the newest author of children's books. His new book "High in the Clouds" deals with death and finding your way in the world.

Can't we have some happier books for our kids to read. I have a 7 month old and I don't want to expose her to this too early. I think I'll skip this one for later.

There's a new appetite-suppressing hormone!

USAToday has an interesting article about a new apetite-supressing hormone that can help rats loose weight by keeping them from being hungry. I won't say that this surprises me. There has to be something in our bodies that we can trigger that will help us stay in shape. But let's face facts ladies. In order to keep weight off, we need to take in less calories than we burn. However, even though I know this, I am still overweight. Looks like I need to take some of my own advice. Gotta go, Kayleigh needs a playmate.

Using the patch for birth control has its ups and downs

The AP has reported that using the Ortho Evra birth control patch can increase a woman's chances of blood clots versus using the birth control pill. According to the article, we are exposed to more hormones this way than we are if we use the pill due to the way in which we absorb the medicine. Imagine that! Now we have a whole new excuse to be hormonal and feel blotted at the same time. No I am not making fun..Just lightening the mood.

Baby Slings allow you to carry/wear your baby

There are always new crazes and fads when it comes to your new baby. Use this for diaper rash ... Wear that when it is cold ... You have to put this in your nursery! You get so much advice as to what you should do and use that it is hard sometimes to sort it all through.

Well here is one more thing to consider LOL. I love "wearing" my daughter in public and at home. It is definitely not a new fad because people have been doing it for years. It's just a new one for me. I never saw anyone wear their kid until my girlfriend moved here from Georgia. (She's my hero) Research has shown that babies that are carried this way are happier and more content.

Think about it. They were cuddled inside for 9 months and now are by themselves. But in a sling they feel secure and loved. I usually get compliments when we are out in public. There are tons of places to check out the latest styles. I personally enjoyed finding my sling at my local used baby store.

New SIDS guidelines out and I still let her sleep on her tummy!

New guidelines have been made public for SIDS prevention recently. I know that infant deaths have been reduced dramatically over the years and I would never go against the guidelines on purpose. But think about this. My daughter is my second most precious gift from God next to my husband. I will do anything to keep her safe and healthy. However, when I was trying to get her to sleep by herself, all she wanted to do was roll on her stomach and snooze. I was terrified to let her since it went against all the SIDS guidelines. Then I had to tell myself that millions of children survived by sleeping on their stomachs and Kayleigh wasn't going to sleep any other way once she could roll over for herself. So I went against the guidelines and was extremely diligent to check on her quite often. Everyone said I was in the wrong and I would never forgive myself if she didn't wake up. I agree but also know that she rests much better sleeping the way she wants to and that I can sleep with daily. Just listen to your instincts. You know your child better than anyone else.

Colds vs Babysitters?

Kayleigh has a cold today. I noticed it yesterday when she cried everything out of her sinuses in multiple colors. She also went to sleep 1 1/2 hrs early last night. The issue I had to deal with was babysitting. There is a little boy that stays with her babysitter that is only 6 months old. I didn't want to expose him to even the smallest of germs from Kayleigh but I also had to go to work as well. So I did what any new mommy would ... I called the doctor's office. Basically, no fever, good appetite, still playing, She was ok to go to the sitter. Anybody ever struggle with whether to stay home or send the kids to the sitter? Well, being the new mommy that I am, I sent her to the sitter with a new bottle of Purell and lots of instructions for the sitter. As if she didn't know what to do already. She has only kept kids for over 15 years. LOL. I'm getting there.

Personalized Burp clothes make great Baby Shower gifts.

When I was pregnant, I got a lot of unique gifts. One of my favorites was the gift from my older sister. She gave my little girl personalized burp clothes. I loved them. They were perfect for going to church and other places where there are multiple babies! That way, there was no confusion as to which burp was my daughter's. No confusion ... No germ sharing. When it was my turn to return the favor, I went online to try to find the same burp clothes. There are a lot of choices out there. I chose http://www.burpsbibsandbeyond.com/ for both quality and cost. When I got them, I was very pleased. Just an idea for a great baby shower gift.

Nascar Jr Cartoon is geared to introduce kids to teamwork and the sport of racing.

Nascar has announced that they are working on a cartoon that will allow kids to learn about teamwork and family values while introducing them to the world of racing. They are excited about encouraging a whole new generation to get involved in the sport. Kids have enjoyed the sport of Nascar racing through the excitement of adults for years. Now Nascar thinks that it is time the kids get to enjoy the sport in their own way. Looks like the kids will soon be just as excited about Sunday at the races as their parents are.