Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Tampa Couple Receives Three Miracles
Tampa - It had taken three years and 13 in vitro cycles, but it took the audacity of modern science, the stubbornness of sisters, and something even harder to explain. Adrienne, told she could never conceive, held a twin to her chest, just above her swelling womb. A third baby, an even more impossible baby, is due in April.
Maximus and Tomas, born Wednesday night, are medically unexplainable. Soon Adrienne Lugo will have three -- her twins carried by her sister Nicole Gee who offered to be a surrogate, and one surprise gift of nature, conceived the old-fashioned way. For the rest of the story, click here.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Recipe: Baked Potato Soup
From Southern Living Slow-Cooker Cookbook
Prep: 21 minutes
Cook: 4 hours or 8 hours
Makes: 12 cups
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 1/2 lbs)
1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2cups)
3 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth with roasted garlic - I used 1 with roasted garlic & 2 plain
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
1 cup whipping cream or half & half
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream (optional)
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours or until potato is tender.
3. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup in slightly thickened; stir in cream, cheese and chives.
4. Top with sour cream, if desired and sprinkle with bacon and cheddar cheese before serving.
To print this recipe only, click here. For more recipes from BabyBlogAddict.com, click here or click the recipe label below.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
2008 Wilkinson Quints Calendar
Back in August, BabyBlogAddict.com announced the arrival of the Wilkinson Quintuplets to parents Rachelle and Jayson Wilkinson and big brother Riley and big sister Kaiya.
Now they have created a unique fundraiser for their babies, The 2008 Wilkinson Quints Calendar! The cost of the calendar is $20.00 plus tax (for Texas residents) and $2.00 shipping. The proceeds from the calendar will help cover the cost of diapers, baby food, etc. Scroll down on their calendar page to see the pictures for each month. It is so cute!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Child Height Predictor
Find out how tall your child will be at parentcenter.com. This calculator works for children age 2 and up.
Parents' heights are a good predictor of a child's adult height, but heredity only accounts for about 70% of what goes into deciding how tall someone will be. The other 30% comes from environmental factors, like eating habits (poor nutrition can "stunt" a child's growth) and exercise patterns (a competitive gymnast may not grow to her full potential).
Sometimes a child will surprise everyone and turn out much taller or shorter than either parent. This calculator can't account for that possibility. It also won't work well for children who 1) are exceptionally tall, 2) are already taller than both their parents, or 3) have a condition that affects their height, such as growth hormone deficiency.
Sextuplets Mom Wins on 'Deal or No Deal'
Back in June, BabyBlogAddict.com announced the arrival of sextuplets to Jenny and Bryan Masche, the "Masche Miracles".
"Deal or No Deal" celebrated Christmas last night with Jenny Masche as a contestant. She ended up taking a deal for $121,000 and was then surprised with a $100,000 scholarship for the sextuplets from Johnson's Baby. Congrats! What a great Christmas gift for the Masche family!
Monday, December 24, 2007
The Night Before Christmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there...
-Clement C. Moore "The Night Before Christmas"
For the rest of the story click here. But in the future, you should buy the book and start a new Christmas tradition. Read "The Night Before Christmas" every year with your family and one day you'll be reading it to your grandchildren too.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Track Santa on Christmas Eve
The NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) program has been around for a long time, since 1955 to be exact!
Beginning at 2:00 am MTN on Christmas Eve, you can track Santa Live as he makes his historical journey around the world! This is exciting, as Santa travels fast and NORAD Santa Cams take photos of Santa and his reindeer!
Download Google Earth in preparation for tracking Santa in 3D on Christmas Eve.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Recall: CSI Fingerprint Kit
Just days before Christmas, Planet Toys Inc. wants stores to remove the company's CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit from their shelves after some tests had revealed samples of asbestos included in the kits.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Tune in or set your DVR's for Elmo's Christmas Countdown, Sunday, December 23 at 7/6c on ABC.
Check out the celebrity line-up:
Kevin Clash as Elmo, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Foxx, Charles Gibson, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Hudson, Kevin James, Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Ty Pennington, Steve Schirippa, Tony Sirico and Ben Stiller
This is sure to be one for the whole family to sit down and watch together.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Christmas Gift: Tickets for Live Show
Here's a great last-minute gift idea for babies and toddlers. Order tickets online for an upcoming live show in your area and just wrap a picture of the tour's stars or a stuffed animal or toy of the character.
Here are a few ideas: 
1) Playhouse Disney Live! - Just enter your zip code & select show "Playhouse Disney Live" to find out if they will perform in your area.
2) Sesame Street Live - Search their entire North American tour date list or narrow it down by state.
3) Doodlebops Live - Check out their live concerts through March 2008.
4) Disney on Ice - Monster's Inc., Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey, Princess Wishes, 100 Years of Magic and The Incredibles.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Holiday Break
Baby Blog Addict is taking a few days off to get ready for the holidays. Check back soon for more headlines, humor and parenting tips.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Elf Yourself
This holiday get what you've always wanted. The miraculous ability to turn yourself into an elf. And now you can cut the arctic rug with the whole elfin' family. Upload as many as four faces and email your creation to your family and friends or better yet, post it on your blog. Start the elfamorphosis here at elfyourself.com.
Make sure you have enough time to elf yourself and your family too. It's hilarious and addictive. You can easily adjust the scale and shapes of the faces when you upload the images. Don't forget your family pet too...if you have room.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Couple Lost 3 Children, Now Expecting Triplets
In an instant last May, Chris and Lori Coble lost their three young children - Kyle, 5, Emma, 4, and Katie, 2, - in a horrific traffic accident not far from the family’s California home.
The couple was devastated by the sudden and profound loss of their two daughters and a son, but knew even through their grief they were meant to be parents and would be again.
The triplets Lori Coble is carrying — two girls and a boy — were conceived through in vitro fertilization.
Check out the rest of their story and an interview with the couple from the Today show.
Stocking Stuffer: Elmo and Grover
We found these Play Town Sesame Street Licensed Figures at Target, but they are also available on amazon.com for $6.25 for the set. The figures are wooden characters that remind me of Little People.
They make great stocking stuffers and are the perfect size for little toddler hands. It's also an easy toy to throw into your diaper bag or purse to entertain your little one in the car, on a plane or at dinner.
Toddler's Art Sells Online
As is often the case with modern art, it has been said that Freddie Linsky's paintings look like they could have been created by a two-year old. In Freddie's case, it's true.
Freddie's mother posted her son's paintings on an art gallery web site that lets anyone exhibit and sell their works online. As an art critic and art teacher, she said she thought they were above average and wanted to see what others thought. Freddie sold his first painting last year and a gallery in Berlin expressed interest, but she will not reveal its name. Neither the buyer nor the gallery knew Freddie's age.
Freddie's profile on the gallery's site doesn't state his age, saying only that "the artist's whole life has been dedicated to his art" and that he is an art critic and a familiar face at press viewings at major galleries and exhibitions in London. Both of those facts are true, just not exactly as they seem.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Mother Dies, Leaving Husband and Triplets
We usually try to steer away from sad stories on Baby Blog Addict, but a fellow baby blog addict (thanks, Beth) let us know about this family and we felt that need was there, so we wanted to help spread the word.
During this holiday season, a Tucson father has three reasons to celebrate. Andrue Smith's wife recently gave birth to triplet boys. But tragically, his wife died after the babies were born. Andrue is now struggling to cope with the loss of his wife and raising the babies on his own.
Click here for the whole story and for donation information at the bottom of the article.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Encore "Shrek the Halls"
ABC will air an encore presentation of "Shrek the Halls" this Tuesday, December 11 at 8/7 C.
Our family watched the first airing a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Set those DVRs, so you don't miss it, and make plans to gather around the TV for family night.
Christmas/Hanukkah Gift: Little People
I loved Little People when I was a kid. Check out these gift ideas for your little ones: A Little People Christmas Nativity Set and The Little People Hanukkah Play Set. Each set is $24.99 at Toys R Us.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Docs Deliver Triplets, Quads In 24 Hours
A few days ago we reported that a doctor at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin delivered four sets of twins in 24 hours.
On Tuesday, doctors at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans delivered triplet boys and quadruplet girls within 24 hours.
"The trips were natural," hospital spokeswoman Katherine Voss said. The odds of naturally born triplets are about one in 8,000. Linus, Oliver and Miles Kocke were delivered at 33 weeks and two days.
The quadruplet girls, Molly, Elizabeth, Margaret and Carolyn Murphy, were conceived by in-vitro fertilization and delivered at 32 weeks.
All the infants will stay in the neonatal intensive care unit for a few weeks, standard for premature babies.
Ochsner called it "Seventy perfect fingers and seventy perfect toes!" in their press release about their first ever triplets and quads in a 24-hour period.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
"The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition"
My college roommate Andi (mother of three) blogged about this new Christmas tradition for her family and I knew we had to feature it for all of you.
Andi said, "Our family has started a new tradition this year. It's called The Elf on the Shelf. Have you ever wondered just how does Santa know if you've been naughty or nice? It's all because of the Elf on the Shelf!
I don't want to give too much of this book away, but if you have kids I highly recommend this precious book. It's about a magic elf who comes to live with you during Christmas time and magically flies to Santa every night to give him a report on whether you've been good or bad. The elf then magically flies back home before you awake. We named our elf Snowflake and every morning my kids run to see just where Snowflake landed. They get so excited when they find him. He's also helped with discipline at our house because the kids know Snowflake is watching them and they want him to report good things to Santa.
I had no idea this book would bring sooo much fun to our house. It's definitely worth the $30 bucks. Click here to get your very own copy of The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. I promise you won't be disappointed!!!"
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Stocking Stuffer: Letter to Your Child
Stocking stuffers are often inexpensive toys, but how about something free and memorable? Here's a creative idea that can become a treasured family tradition.
Consider writing a Christmas letter to your baby/child. It can be a reflection of the past year highlighting their birth or birthday, milestones, family vacation and your feelings towards them (love, pride, etc). Each child can read their letter aloud once they are old enough or you can read it to them on Christmas morning. Then add the Christmas letter to their scrapbook or create a special memory book with enough pages to add Christmas letters for years to come.
If you're not sure where to start, check out this list of Seven Words to Include in a Letter to Your Child. This is also a great tradition for birthdays too.
Website Spotlight: Learning Express
Learning Express is the largest specialty toy retailer in the United States with over 100 locations across the country. They believe that toys and games should be fun and encourage learning through play.
Check out the Jester Jack in Box (1-24 months), the Bath Tub Symphony (18 mo -3 years) and the Gearation (3-5 years). You can also shop their site by brand: Melissa and Doug, Thomas, Webkinz, etc.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Christmas Gift: The Happy Elf DVD
I love Harry Connick, Jr., so I couldn't pass up highlighting this cute Christmas DVD, "The Happy Elf".
Harry Connick Jr.'s original song "The Happy Elf" inspired this cheerful, animated Christmas special. He provides the voice of a narrator straightening out a couple of misguided kids who think they've got Santa fooled about their naughty-or-nice status. I guess you'll just have to watch the DVD to see how it turns out.
"The Happy Elf" is listed online at Target for $12.99, but my Target catalog had it priced at $9.99, so maybe it's priced differently in stores.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Spring Cleaning...Now?
I know it sounds crazy to recommend "Spring Cleaning" right before the holidays, but it may actually help to keep your sanity. I'm sure we're all in the same boat right now. Your kid/kids have way too many toys and don't play with half of them, and they are about to get more! Can you even begin to imagine where everything will go?
That's why it's time to do some early "spring cleaning" of the toy room, bedroom, family room, bathroom and everywhere else your kid has toys. I started out this morning with two empty Rubbermaid containers on hand to organize toys into a "give away box" and a "pack away box". It was harder than I thought it would be to pack some of the toys away and it didn't help when my son started to play with toys I thought would obviously go into the "pack away box," but overall the cleaning was very successful.
I realized that I need to do this more often. Jack actually started to play with toys that he hadn't seen in months (it was like Christmas a little early), but that also means you may decide this "Spring Cleaning" is best done during your child's nap time or when they are not in the room with you. I was able to pack away enough toys to feel ready to take on Christmas with the newfound space. Next, I need to tackle his clothes dresser too.
Christmas Gift: GPS
Sometimes it's much easier to buy gifts for kids than it is spouses or parents. That's because kids actually tell us what they want, or they are too young to know the difference. Some adults on the other hand can't give any good suggestions.
The Mio c220 is available at CircuitCity.com for just $139.99. They are currently offering $60 off the regular $199 price. This is a great deal. I received the Mio for my birthday and it has been invaluable. It's a great gift for people who travel a lot, are new to a city or just plain get lost all the time. And how about that gadget-lover on your list?
GPS is more than just map quest in your car. If you are on vacation or in a new city and your child wants Chick-fil-A "NOW", you can just plug it in and your GPS will give you a list of the Chick-fil-A restaurants nearest to you. including their distances from you, addresses and phone numbers. How amazing is that! You will wonder how you ever lived without one.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
"On The Go" Potty Seat
The PRIMO Folding Potty Seat with Handles is an "on the go" potty seat. It's a folding potty seat with handles making it possible for childen to use any public toilet as if they were at home! It folds easily into a compact item that slips it into a sealing storage bag and right into your diaper bag or purse.
With so much traveling over the holidays, this seems like a great product to have. If your child has just potty trained and is used to going on a smaller potty or seat, this will be a lifesaver for your toddler when visiting relatives or having to potty at the airport or restaurants.
Thanks for introducing us to this nifty product, Cindy.
Christmas Gift: Lift-Off Rocket
5...4...3...2...1...We have lift off! The Lift-Off Rocket is a new toy that's "out of this world". Perfect for the kids with great imaginations and what kid doesn't have a great imagination or those aspiring astronauts! It's recommended for kids 18 months and up and is $39.95 at Constructive Playthings.
I think this is on my 2-year-old's Wish List. He's been obsessed with space ever since he witnessed the Space Shuttle Discovery launch a few weeks ago.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Christmas Gift: Pajamas
I think pajamas are a wonderful gift to give or receive during the holidays. I especially love the Nick & Nora PJs from Target. They are available in a range of sizes from 12 months up to adult XXXL, so you can buy for family and friends of all ages. My favorites are the Flannel Monkey Pajama Sets - the boys' in blue and the girls' in pink are currently on sale for $12.99 each.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
One Doctor, 24 Hours, Four Sets of Twins
In 19 years of practice, Wisconsin obstetrician Dr. Ken Merkitch had never experienced anything like it. He wasn’t just seeing double, he was seeing octuple.
In one 24-hour period beginning last Friday and ending early Saturday, he delivered four sets of twins and nine babies overall at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wis.
“It started out very quiet,” Merkitch told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer on Wednesday.
For more of the story and to watch the video of their apperance on TODAY, click here.
As We Enter Cold Season
Here's a bit of advice on preventing ear infections from a fellow Baby Blog Addict.
"I wanted to pass along something that I learned years ago and it saved me so many trips to the doctor.
I noticed when my daughter was almost two that everytime she had a runny nose it would turn into an ear infection. We were helping with a camp session during the month of July and she had gotten her third ear infection of the summer. We were about to do tubes when a nurse practicioner friend of ours at the camp told me something that I had NEVER heard. She said that when you give children a decongestant when the have a runny nose that it dries it up but dries it THICK and that is when they get an ear infection. She said to give then an EXPECTORANT – like Robitussin DM. I don’t think that we have had an ear infection since and she is now 4 ½.
I just wanted to pass this along as we are about to enter this cold season. Thought that this may help someone else like it helped me!!"
During all the recent recalls, I think Robitussin has been in the clear (except for a recall at the end of October regarding missing labeling on their dosage cup). We recommend that you ask your health care professional before giving any medication to your children. Thanks for the advice, Renee.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Live's Family Photo Holiday Cards
Sending out your holiday cards? Live with Regis and Kelly wants to be included on your mailing list! If you have a Holiday Photo they want to see it... and you just might see it on their show during the holiday season!
Photo submissions by mail must be received by December 14, 2007. Send your holiday card and your On-Air Photo Release to Live.
If online is easier or you need more time, they are also accepting submissions online which must be received by January 4, 2008.
Check out Live's site for all the details. Good luck!
Creative Baby Proofing
Worried about your baby or toddler trying to reach for the ornaments or pull down the Christmas tree?
Here are two ideas that might not be the prettiest, but they work.
1) Do you own a Superyard XT? Set it up around your Christmas tree and the presents. Our son didn't like to play in his much, but it was worth the investment when we used a it around our entertainment center when he was reaching at everything. At $64.99 at Babies R Us, it isn't cheap, but it might be worth it to keep your sanity throughout the holiday season and for safety's sake.
2) If you are not using your Pack n Play and you have a small Christmas tree, just reverse roles. Put the tree & presents in the pack n play and let your child play on the floor with the tree out of reach.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Blog Tip: Ctrl-Z to Undo
Blogger has come a long way, but sometimes it's still frustrating to write a "quick post". How many times do you backspace only to delete a picture that you just uploaded? Well, I have a quick tip that will save a lot of time.
If you accidentally delete a picture or a phrase, just use Ctrl-Z (hold down the Ctrl key and press Z) and your last action will be restored!
Christmas Gift: Kitchen Set
Kitchen Play Sets are not just for little girls anymore. Boys and girls alike love the pretend play that their own kitchen offers and what parent doesn't love a toy that keeps a child's attention for hours and hours and years to come?
There are many options ranging from $38 (the Homestyle Kitchen Play Set at Wal-Mart) up to $649 (the Pottery Barn Kitchen Set), so shop around.
Here are a few ideas:
- The Little Tikes Play Smarter Cook 'N Learn Kitchen for $89.88 at Wal-Mart - it's compact if you are limited on space and it's gender neutral. My son received this kitchen set with its faux granite countertop and faux stainless steel appliances for his second birthday and loves it. It's a little limited on counter and storage space, so I guess it's more like a studio kitchen.
- If you're looking for a wooden kitchen set, try the Just Like Home: Wooden Bistro Kitchen on sale for $109.99 at Toys R Us. It includes a refrigerator, oven, microwave and sink all in one.
- Or check out this wooden set at K-Mart if you have a big play house or lots of room. There are three parts to the My First Kenmore Kitchen: the Oven ($89.99), Refrigerator ($89.99) and Sink ($69.99). It's temporarily out of stock at kmart.com, but may still be available at your local stores. It was in our newspaper insert on Sunday.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Christmas Gift: Memberships & Magazines
Today is November 25th and that means exactly one month until Christmas!!!!
Don't stress. A couple of weeks ago, a discussion was started on our forum about Christmas gift ideas. We'll highlight some from the discussion and a few of our own over the next month. Feel free to continue to offer suggestions on our forum too. It's always great to get ideas from other parents.
The first idea is from kerri:
"My favorite gifts for my kids are memberships for things like the zoo, aquarium, dancing lessons or gymnastics lessons or even magazine subscriptions. It is the gift that keeps on giving."
I love this idea! I loved getting Highlights when I was a kid and was just thinking about it for my two-year-old son. He loves to get the mail and he loves to read. I didn't realize that they had one magazine called Highlights High Five for younger children 2-6 and one for older children 6-12 years old simply titled Highlights.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Along with our Sesame Street friends, we at BabyBlogAddict.com hope that everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Pumpkin Pancakes
Why not start a new tradition in your home by making pumpkin pancakes with your kids on Thanksgiving morning.
We featured a recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes a while back, but in honor of Thanksgiving, here it is again. I actually think pumpkin pancakes are better than regular pancakes, because they taste so moist. My family has already eaten them twice this week and we'll have them again tomorrow morning.
1/2 cup canned 100% pure pumpkin
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup milk
2 cups all purpose baking mix (like Jiffy or Bisquick)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I leave out the spice)
1. In a bowl, mix together the baking mix, sugar and pumpkin pie spice (optional).
2. In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin, eggs, oil and milk.
3. Add flour mixture all at once. Stir just until blended.
4. Coat a griddle/skillet with a spray of canola oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
5. Over medium high heat, cook pancakes until golden brown, turning to cook second sides when pancakes have a bubbly surfaces and slightly dry edges.
Yield: 10 pancakes.
Thanksgiving Day Activity
This is a fun activity for pre-schoolers up to adults from National Geographic Kids. You can create your own Wild & Wacky story. There are lots of topics to choose from, but I chose "This Game Is For The Birds" in honor of Turkey Day.
Just fill in the blanks and click "read" to see the results. Print it out and read it to the whole family.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Blog Tip: New Blogger Slideshow
Lots of bloggers use slideshows like bubbleshare and slide as an element in their blog sidebars.
Now Blogger is allowing you to show off your photos with their latest tool for your blog: the Slideshow page element. This feature lets you add a slick little slideshow of your photos from Picasa Web Albums, Flickr, Photobucket, or any site that supports Media RSS.
The photos will show up in your blog’s sidebar, gently fading into one another. Your readers will be able to go forward and backward, pause, and click through to the photo’s web page.
2007 Gap Casting Call Finalists
The 2007 Kodak/Gap Casting Call Finalists were announced today. Check out the Top 20 boys and girls narrowed down from more than 800,000 entries! I'm glad I wasn't a judge for that. Now it's up to you to decide who will be Gap’s next star models. You can vote once a day, every day (after a simple one time registration) through December 15th.+with+logo.jpg)
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If you didn't send in a picture of your adorable child or didn't make the top 20 this year, there's always next year. I'm sure there will be a 2008 Gap Casting Call.
Monday, November 19, 2007
National Adoption Month
We know that lots of baby blog addicts are addicted to Adoption Blogs. They are some of the most interesting and rewarding to follow, and they offer inspiration and support for families considering adoption and going through the same experiences.
November is National Adoption Month. It's a month set aside to raise awareness about the adoption of children from foster care. For more, check out the Child Welfare Information Gateway website.
We also have an adoption category on our forum, so feel free to share you experience or ask fellow bloggers any questions you may have regarding adoption.
Check out this list of the Best Adoption Blogs according to adoptivefamilies.com. But do it at your own risk. You may have to add even more blogs to your ever-expanding favorites list...and do you really have any more time to blog hop?
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Find a Photographer
I discovered The American Child Photographers Charity Guild while searching for a photographer for family pictures and just had to share this great site with all of you. According to their site, they are a non-profit, volunteer based organization of child photographers from all over the country who have come together to form a guild dedicated to children in need and their families. These photographers donate their time and talent for parents experiencing a critically ill, extremely premature newborn or early infant loss at any stage.
The site is a great resource to find talented photographers for family pictures and a great way to support these photographers who give of their talents for such a good cause. Check out their registry to find a photographer in your area.
Tiny Prints Gives Back
A few weeks ago we featured the website tinyprints.com in our website spotlight. Now Tiny Prints is offering a special opportunity for you to contribute money (at no cost to you) to one of three charities through their website.
Tiny Prints has partnered with 3 different charities (Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation, Ronald McDonald House of Stanford and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay) and anyone who goes to the link below can donate $0.10 from Tiny Prints to the charity of their choice with the click of a button.
Check it out at http://give.tinyprints.com/.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
I usually don't like recipes with more than five or six ingredients, but this soup is so easy that I don't mind the longer list. Just dump everything into the slow cooker and let it cook.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken or 1 pound raw chicken, shredded halfway through
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Top with shredded mexican cheese, green onions, sour cream & tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS
1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2. To serve, top each bowl of soup with shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.
Quick tips:
- Try tossing in two or three raw chicken breasts and shredding halfway through instead of going through the trouble of cooking the chicken first.
- Replace 2 cups of water with an extra can of broth.
- Add a can of black beans.
- I like to freeze individual servings of the leftovers for quick meals.
- Double the recipe so you can freeze even more leftovers.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tips for Capturing All of Baby's Moments
If you are a baby blog addict (and you probably are since you are reading this post on BabyBlogAddict.com), I'm assuming you are a baby photo addict too.
Here are 10 Tips for Capturing All of Baby's Moments:
1. Take pictures frequently and a lot of them.
2. Capture feelings.
3. Get close.
4. Try different angles.
5. Use a simple background.
6. Use natural light.
7. Set up before bringing in baby.
8. Use a fast shutter speed.
9. Make sure the temperature of the room is comfortable.
10. Incorporate play.
I am definitely in compliance with #1, no doubt about it. I think #3 - Get close - is so important and often overlooked. How many times do we hand our camera off to someone to take a picture of our family, only to get more of the sky or the building behind us than our faces?
If you are ever asked to take a picture for someone, please use the zoom or if you don't know how, just take a few steps closer to the people, don't just snap without any thought.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Elisabeth Announces Baby's Name
Elisabeth Hasselbeck called in to "The View" this morning to reveal the name of her newborn son: Taylor Thomas Hasselbeck. The baby was born Friday at an Arizona hospital. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces.
Click here to watch the announcement on "The View" this morning.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Website Spotlight: Expressionery
Personalized address stamps are great for birth announcements, thank you notes, christmas cards and invitations.
Check out these from Expressionery.com. In addition to monogram and decorative stamps, they also feature sorority and college stamps.
The personalized stamps are normally $38, but expressionery.com is advertising a limited time offer of 40% off plus free shipping (use offer code HOME4 in the shopping cart), making the stamps just $22.80 each!
These would make great Christmas gifts for teachers, friends and family.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Website Spotlight: Piklpaper
Piklpaper offers fun and unique designs for holiday cards, announcements, note cards, bag tags, enclosure cards, and more.
Polka dots is their holiday theme this year, so you'll see them in lots of their greetings and gifts. Their Christmas cards run $1.25 for a 4"x6" and $1.50 each for the 5” x 7”. What's great is that you can get a collection (cards, enclosures, labels and bookmarks) in the same design.
Don't miss their adorable diaper bag tags and unique piklpocketpics - a series of six photos folded accordion style that travel in a custom made pocket. Piklpocketpics are the same size as a credit card so they fit easily in any wallet or pocket book and are a great gift for grand parents at just $12.
'Like He Was Drunk'
Shelby Esses said her 20-month-old son Jacob, fell down and was limp after getting into his older sister's Aqua Dots, a Chinese-made toy recalled Wednesday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Check out the interview here.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Aqua Dots Contain Chemical Linked To Date-Rape Drug
Just when we think worrying about lead paint in toys is too much to handle, we are learning about another shocking recall.
About 4.2 million Chinese-made children's toys were recalled today after U.S. regulators learned a chemical on the toy beads turns into a powerful "date-rape" drug when swallowed.
Two children in the USA went into comas after ingesting beads that were part of Aqua Dots craft sets. They have since recovered, CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said.
The toy, distributed by Toronto-based Spin Master, was sold in the USA in mass-merchandise stores from April through November of this year, CPSC said. Wal-Mart named Aqua Dots one of its 12 top toys this year, and it was the 2007 Toy of the Year in Australia.
Spin Master says it has stopped shipping the toy. Retailers have removed it from store shelves.
DVD - Leap Frog Letter Factory
A fellow blogger wrote that her twins love the LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD. She said it was a great learning tool for them to learn phonics and she was amazed at how quickly they picked it up. I took her advice and bought it for my son Jack and he loves it too.
The DVD received five stars and rave reviews from parents online. Here's a quick desciption of the DVD:
Tad, Leap, and Lily hop from the pages of the amazingly popular Leap Pad learning toys onto the television screen in this attention grabbing phonics program.
Thanks for the DVD recommendation, Nikki.
Also of note, a great companion to the DVD is the LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnet Set. These would make great Christmas gifts.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Fisher Price Recalls Kitchen Toys
Mattel Inc. on Tuesday recalled more than 172,000 Fisher-Price kitchen toys in the United States and Europe because several children choked and gagged on small, detachable parts. The company has received 48 reports of small parts separating from these toys, which feature a sink, a refrigerator and a range.
For a free repair kit, toy owners should contact Fisher-Price at 888-812-7187. For more information, visit Mattel's website or the CPSC.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Update on Gap Casting Call
We're getting lots of questions about The Gap Casting Call that we featured on Baby Blog Addict a few weeks ago. According to the official contest site, the entry period ended on October 24th and voting for your favorite star models will begin November 20, 2007.
Good luck to everyone who entered!
Forum: Christmas Gift Ideas
Now that Halloween is behind us, I guess it's ok to start talking Christmas. On the Baby Blog Addict forum Tammy asks...
Do you have any gift ideas for Christmas this year? Or have you received or bought anything that you thought was cute? I am trying to get ideas for my 3 boys as well as gifts for friends and family."
Reply to her on our forum and get ideas from other Baby Blog Addicts there too.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Halloween Cuties
We received some adorable Halloween pictures of your little ones. It was so hard to choose favorites, so we decided to feature two pictures that stood out to us as the Most Creative Costumes. We've also included all the Halloween cuties in a slideshow in the post below. You may even get some great ideas for next year! It's never too early to start planning. Thanks to everyone who sent in pictures.
The Murray Crew Halloweiners
The Three Amigos - Luke with his dogs Holly and Gretta
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