Best Price Toys are known for their quality. I saw this tent on their site and thought of Baby J. When our son was young, he had a little tent that he loved to play inside of with his toys, and so I know Baby J would have so much fun when he’s a little older playing inside of this tent just like his uncle. He would probably have it full of toys and be right in the middle of them!

They also have swing sets that are safe, tough and durable. The KETTLER® Swing set is known for its uncompromising safety by the leading German Testing Institute. That means a lot to parents! I can just imagaine Baby J in just a few years swinging and saying, “Push me higher!”

It’s been a while since I’ve written about our grandson who is eight months old. He started crawling this week, and it’s so cute to watch his little wobbly, first-attempt at crawling. His parents videotaped it for everyone, and as his mother said, “He hasn’t gotten down the form yet, but he’s definitely mobile.” Now…let the fun begin as he starts getting into things on his level!

This brings back memories of when our children were babies. Here are some of the things I remember them doing years ago when they started crawling and pulling up, things that are pretty common for babies to do:

• Tried to crawl into the open, empty dishwasher and got stuck. Fortunately, mom was standing there to rescue! (after I took a picture, of course)
• Tried to crawl into the fridge when we were getting something out of it.
  
• Dumped all the Cheerios out of an almost new box
• Tore leaves off my plant (non-toxic leaves)
• Took my Tupperware out of the lower cabinet on many occasions
• Got a hold of the toilet paper while I wasn’t looking and unrolled most of the roll
• “Unfolded” the clean laundry for me

I’m so excited about this next weekend! Our daughter, s-i-l, and Baby J are coming for Easter weekend. It will have been five weeks since we’ve seen them, but it seems a lot longer than that. I’m sure there are grandmas out there who understand exactly what I mean, especially “Mamaw.” It will be so neat to see all the things Baby J can do now that he couldn’t do a month ago. He’s seven months old now, so he’s pushing up with his arms when he’s on his tummy and it won’t be long until he’s crawling and getting into things. I can’t wait to hold him, feed him, and rock him to sleep. He’s so precious and adorable!

Our daughter and I will have to get in some time shopping, and that will be fun! We used to shop a lot together when she was in high school and college, and I always enjoy our time together. She’s such a sweet daughter! Our dear son and dear s-i-l will get in some good video game time, knowing the two of them. And my husband and I will be enjoying every minute of having family home for the holidays.  We’ll also get to be with Baby J’s other grandma, “Mamaw” and Aunt L.   So, my Easter weekend plans are to be with all my family, and I feel truly blessed!

After watching a video about the safety of fluoride in our water by Dr. Bill Osmunson, I decided to sign the petition for Congress to have hearings about fluoridation.  It’s especially dangerous for babies.  (I’m glad Baby J’s bottles are made with bottled spring water.)  According to the CDC, one third of children are showing signs of too much fluoride on their teeth.  And if you look on toothpaste tubes, if someone swallows toothpaste, they are to call the Poison Control Center because the fluroide is not safe.   There is as much fluoride in a pea size measure of toothpaste as there is in an 8 ounce glass of tap water.  That doesn’t sound good to me.  Dr. Osmunson urges everyone to check out both sides of the issue for themselves and sign the petition for hearings on fluoride safety.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Ys9q1cvKGk

If you’re looking for something unique and trendy for baby gifts,then check out Polkadot Patch Baby Boutique. They have fun and funky styles as well as colorful designer styles that are unique. If you’re looking for something with that handmade look, they have unusual handcrafted gifts as well. And they offer the largest selection of colorful unisex baby clothes online which is great if you need a gift and don’t know if the baby is going to be a girl or boy.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Kids II Inc. have recalled Baby Einstein Discover & Play Color Blocks.  Models 30726 and 30881 with only the date codes of GE7, GF7, and GG7 are affected. This affects about 35,000 products that were sold from June 2007 through September 2007 for between $10 and $13. The blocks, made in China, are made of soft textures and come in different colors. The surface paint on the blue block contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

For more info, contact Kids II toll-free at (866) 203-6788 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit www.kidsii.com. Contact them to receive a free replacement of the blue block.

On Feb. 1, Evenflo recalled one million Discovery infant car seats, specifically the Discovery Infant Car Seat Models 390, 391, 534 and 552, made between April 2005 and Jan. 29, 2008. This was a voluntary safety recall, and they said it’s not necessary for owners of the car seats to stop using them or return them. Instead, they are offering a free supplemental dual-hook fastener to make sure that the seat remains attached in high-impact side collisions. To order, call Evenflo at 1-800-356-2229 between 8-5 EST or go to Evenflo online.

This is good information to have written down for a babysitter:

• Where you will be or a list of the places you will be
• Phone numbers where you can be reached at all times
• Names and numbers of neighbors to contact in case of an emergency
• Allergies that a child has and what do to if necessary
• Where the food is located that will be used while you are gone (make it easy to fix)
• Schedule for the child/children
• Discipline policy / Time out *
• Bedtime rules

Family traditions mean so much, especially during the holidays. I can think back to my childhood and visualize our Christmas tree with our family around it. I can remember being with relatives at my grandparents small, two bedroom home, all of us crowded in there having the best time telling stories of long ago and laughing and eating the most delicious food. One of our food traditions that we have now during holidays is a simplified version of a strawberries & jello dessert. When our daughter was little, she didn’t like the sour cream in it, so my mother made a special version with just strawberries, strawberry jello, & Cool Whip. We still make it 20 years later, and I think of my mother nearly every time we make it. She passed away several years ago, so that simple recipe is a special family tradition. When Baby J is older, I wouldn’t be surprised if he likes “Mema’s Strawberry Dessert.”

Jude has some good thoughts about family traditions. Click here to read more.

The Amby is the original and safest hammock bed for babies in the market today. This world wide patented natural motion bed has been used worldwide by maternity hospitals and homes for the past 18 years. The Amby Baby Motion Bed has been recognized in the United States by the JPMA, a highly regarded certification authority, for its safety and effectiveness. If you have a baby with colic or reflux, a premature baby, or a baby who is a restless sleeper or short napper, then you especially might want to check out amby baby which mimics the natural movements within the mother’s womb.