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!

Merry Christmas!

We hope that everyone had a
Merry Christmas!

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,
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.

In The News

>> Nick considering pregnancy show post-Jamie Lynn Spears...
>> Jessica Alba, boyfriend expecting a baby...
>> Shiloh, most influential infant in the world...
>> Betting on the name 'James' for the Queen's 8th grandchild...
>> Jack and Katie top Northern Ireland baby names...

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.

Today's Headlines

>> From bibs to cribs, baby goes green...
>> Hispanic influence sets state apart in baby-naming trends...
>> Once popular toy now a major concern...
>> Parents cautious when shopping for toys...

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.

Today's Headlines

>> Indonesian Woman Gives Birth to 15.2-Pound Baby...
>> Baby-food makers use controversial chemical in packaging...
>> Losing Weight After Pregnancy Is As Easy As Gaining It...
>> Toddler techies...

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.

Today's Headlines

>> Want to Raise a Fruit-and-Veggie Lover? Be Persistent...
>> Nicole Richie hosts baby shower for 100 moms...
>> Jennifer Lopez admires her baby bump (See Pictures)...

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.