Baby's First Memories

What is your earliest memory? Mine is playing with a car in my parents' living room with my grandmother looking on from the sofa. I was probably 4 or 5. I remember other things from pictures, so I'm not sure what's a real memory or a "Kodak memory." The editor of American Baby magazine says most adults suffer from "infant amnesia", meaning we don't usually remember much before age 3 or 4. But, even though adults don't remember infancy, infants themselves can remember things.

>> Video

Baby Food Recall

Gerber Products Co. recalled all packages of its organic rice and organic oatmeal cereals Friday because of potential clumping, which can pose a choking hazard.

Updates...

>> Addicts Across America (Quads in Indiana and Kylie's family in Tennessee)
>> Beautiful Babies (Kylie in Tennessee)

Oops. I deleted the first column on the Addicts Across America page and had to rebuild it. Please check it out and let me know if I left you off this time or didn't include all of the information you submitted. Send your submissions to editor@babyblogaddict.com.

Dillinger

That is the most pretentious baby name ever. So says Gawker. After sorting through more than 500 submissions, Dillinger pulled in 26 percent of the vote, followed by Epitome, Panache, Goldman, Palmares and Gingerly. Thankfully, we don't know any babies--or people for that matter--with those names.

Today's Headlines

>> Woman uses infant to pull off robberies...
>> Baby born WITH teeth...
>> Beyonce's father and sister launch toy line...
>> Former senator, 70, excited about new baby...
>> The importance of baby shower gift wrap...
>> Hilary Swank wants a baby...
>> Dad's cuddles can help soothe baby...
>> Driver takes off with mom, baby on hood...
>> New advice on plastic baby bottles...
>> Is your baby at risk for tooth decay? ...

Nursery: Family Pictures

When planning our baby's nursery, I collected baby photos from all of our family members. I scanned them and turned them into black and white prints. I left the top middle open for the baby's first picture and put mommy and daddy's baby pics on the sides. The bottom left frame includes my family and the bottom right, my husband's family.

It was such a great way to see who Jack looked like when he came along. He still loves looking at all of the pictures and letting me point out who is who.

Here's a tip for hanging the J-A-C-K letters and the bow. I used velcro circles to stick the letters and the bow to the wall. It was much easier than nails and allowed me to tilt them. The C has fallen a couple of times over the past year, but I'd still do it this way again.

My baby picture...Jack's baby picture...Scott's baby picture

Talking Baby and Mom Kicked Off Plane

Talk about a firestorm in Houston. Kate Penland, the mother of a 19-month-old boy, says she and her son were kicked off a plane after she refused a stewardess' request to medicate her son to keep him from talking.

“As we started taxiing, he started saying ‘Bye, bye plane,’ said Penland. “At the end of her speech, she leaned over the gentleman beside me and said, ‘It’s not funny anymore. You need to shut your baby up.’

In disbelief, Penland asked the woman if she was kidding. It was then, Penland said, the flight attendant went too far.

“She then said, ‘You know, it’s called baby Benadryl. And I said, 'Well, I'm not going to drug my child so you have a pleasant flight.'"

Click here for video.

Luckey Baby Born On Lucky Day

The Luckey family lucked out when their baby girl was born early - on the luckiest day of the millennium.

Picky Eater: Pumpkin Pancakes

Here's another sneaky recipe for picky eaters. This one is for pumpkin pancakes. According to wikipedia, pumpkin is botanically a fruit, referring to a plant part which grows from a flower; however, it is widely regarded as a vegetable in culinary terms, referring to how it is eaten.

1/2 cup canned 100% pure pumpkin
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup milk
2 cups all purpose baking mix (Jiffy or Bisquick)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. In a bowl, mix together the baking mix, sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
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.

*On our forum, shedrick suggests adding wheat germ to anything with flour or baking mix such as cookies, pancakes or muffins, since it's an excellent source of vitamin E and folic acid.

Yield: 10 pancakes.

See our other Picky Eater posts: V8 Splash, Triple-Stuffed Potatoes, Chocolate Pudding, Blueberry Muffins.

'90210' Star Welcomes Baby Girl

It's officially daddy duty time for "Beverly Hills 90210" star Jason Priestley, who welcomed a baby girl with his makeup artist wife Naomi Lowde in Los Angeles on Friday.

"I'm not nervous at all… which makes me nervous," Jason said just weeks before the birth of their daughter whose name has yet to be announced.

Website Spotlight: Murray Crew QUADS!

Another multiples blog (the most addictive kind) to fuel your baby blog addiction. Actually two blogs for one family:

• murraycrew.blogspot.com - Launched when all FOUR BOYS came home and chronicles the first few crazy months.
  
  
• triplet-update.blogspot.com - The Murray's pregnancy blog with the whole story of the triplets...nope there's another one that we missed...it's Quads!

According to Mom Jennifer, the Murray Crew has been enjoying our Baby Blog Addict site. They are quads from Indiana and admitted baby blog addicts. Henry, Brooks, Clark, and Isaac were born to Jennifer and Brad on February 2, 2007 making them 5 months old.

Isaac, Brooks, Henry and Clark

My Son Won't Feed Himself

Some kids refuse to be fed by you (they want to be independent), while others refuse to feed themselves.

On our forum, txthompsons asks for help...

"My son just turned one and absolutely refuses to put anything in his mouth--including food. I mean, he's never put toys in, things he finds on the floor--nothing. I need some advice on what I can do to get him to eat by himself. He does pick the food up, but he looks me dead in the eye and throws it on the floor, which I give him a big NO for doing. Things I've tried include...putting food in front of him every 45 minutes thinking he would eventually eat, putting food in his hand and guiding it to mouth, giving him things I normally wouldn't (like sweet snacks) to entice him. All result in screaming. Anyone have this issue?"

Any advice or tips for txthompson? Share it on our forum.

Appearance of Baby Teeth

According to DrGreene.com, many parents worry about the timing of the appearance of their children's teeth. While the average time for the appearance of the first teeth is between five and seven months of age, there is a wide normal variation of timing. The teeth might come in as early as one month of age, or they might wait until a child is almost one-and-a-half-years old.

The following chart outlines the normal ranges for teeth to erupt:


Looks like our 20-month-old son Jack is right on target with his central and later incisors, cuspids and first molars. Can't wait for his second molars to come in. I'm sure those are lots of fun.

To discuss appearance of teeth or other baby and toddler milestones, go to the Milestones section on our forum.

Daughter May Give Birth to Mom's Baby

In a medical first, a Canadian mother has frozen some of her eggs so her seven-year-old daughter can give birth should her genetic disorder make her infertile as an adult. If Flavie Boivin should become infertile, her mother's eggs could make it possible for her to give birth nonetheless, to a child who would be not only her offspring, but also her half-sister or half-brother.

What to Pack

I hate to pack. It takes me forever and I always overpack, yet I always manage to forget something important. When Jack came along, I dreaded packing even more, if that was possible. I mean, how can one little baby need so much stuff for an overnight trip!

Since I'm a list person, I decided to type out a "What to Pack" list with one side for Jack and one for me (luckily Scott packs his own suitcase). I kept the list in Jack's suitcase pocket and pulled it out for each trip. I updated it occasionally to keep up with Jack's changing needs (from bottles to sippy cups and 10-12 diapers per day down to 4 or 5). I still hate packing, but would have to say that my "What to Pack" list has been a lifesaver.

Blogapathy

"A condition caused by excessive blogging leaves little time for keeping up with current events and pop culture."

Blogapathy is especially prevalent in the younger generation who traditionally tend to ignore world events—but are now tuning out once popular networks like MTV. “What’s the TV supposed to stand for?” says one youth “I know the M is for music, but the T and V?—I should Google this...” (from Bloggers Anonymous)

Website Spotlight: Baby Face Design

Baby Face Design offers custom invitations for all occassions, gift tags, luggage tags, stationery, notepads and waterproof labels.

Also check out the Baby Face Design Blog for even more printed designs plus monogrammed children's clothing and gifts.

Owner and designer Renee Guest will be happy to walk you through the process for your custom design. If it's a gift, simply give her the information you want on the enclosure card and she will ship the gift directly to the recipient. So easy!

How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I'm 72%. Yikes! Find out how addicted you are by answering a few questions and then post your results on your own blog or in the comments section here.

72%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Liars!

Psychologists used to think that babies weren't capable of lying until they reached four-years-old. Now, behavioral experts believe infants can master the fine art of fibbing as early as six months. According to studies of more than 50 children and interviews with parents, infants quickly found that using tactics such as fake crying and pretend laughing could win them attention.

Today's Headlines

>> Baby delivered in police department parking lot...
>> 'The View' co-host to blog about pregnancy...
>> Growing up in a batting cage... (funny story)
>> Baby gear boom...
>> What's in a baby name? ...