May 16, 2007

I Have Limits To!

Now I realize I'm not the cleanest Mom in the world. I live by the phrase:

"My House is Clean Enough to be Healthy, but Dirty Enough to be Happy."

Sure, I've been known to pick up a fallen toy, dust it off, and put it right back into Baby X's grubby little hands. Hey, I'm strengthening her immune system! Not everything has to be ultra-bleached, ultra-washed, and 100% germ free...But even I have limits. And my daughter found it yesterday.

As I was chatting with Father X over breakfast, Baby X was rolling around the kitchen in her walker. I had a momentary lapse of attention, and realized I needed to check on her when I didn't hear the usual screeching sounds that she's so brilliantly learned to make of late. So as I tilted back in my chair to discern just what was entertaining my daughter into this unusual bout of silence, I was horrified to realize that she'd maneuvered her little self over to the trash can, grabbed the part of the trash bag that folds over the side, and was very contentedly CHEWING on it.

EEEEWWWWW! YUUUUCK! EEEEEEWWWWW!

That's exactly what went through my mind. DISGUSTING!

I quickly took hold of the walker (she was only about 8 feet away!) and pulled her back toward me and AWAY from the trash can. Well, apparently she didn't understand why I'd just removed her from her brand new favorite toy, because she began to cry her eyes out for the remaining 20 minutes of breakfast time. Luckily that particular part of the trash can wasn't actually dirty yet.

Oh well, that was too bad for her. I was not about to let her chew herself into the trash no matter how happy it would make her! I mean seriously, even I have limits!!

May 11, 2007

My Moms Day Gift to You...SMILE!





Maybe now you remember why you had them in the first place!

Happy Mother's Day!!


Love, Learn, Grow!

Moms & Experts Pick Top 10 ToysHelp Your Child Learn and Save
 

eBeanstalk Announces First Annual List of Top Ten Developmental Toys Selected by eBeanstalk Child Experts and 500 Mom Mother Board

With so many choices, shopping for just the right toy can be an overwhelming undertaking for new parents who can find themselves endlessly roaming the aisles and the internet looking for the perfect play experience for their child. In fact, 65 % of those shopping for young children find it difficult to locate toys that help in learning and development. Now finding the best toys to nurture intellectual and physical growth for your infant or toddler has just been made easier.

1 Farm Friends Bowling by International Playthings -- “Set them up, then knock them down! Toddlers love cause and effect (and watching things fall down!).

S T R I K E ! Farm Friends Bowling includes brightly colored, numbered, textured bowling pins in the shape of animals. Each pin makes a noise when shaken and the colorful bowling ball makes a chiming noise as it rolls.”

2 Stacking Toy & Ball Game by Tiny Love -- “It’s two toys in one!”

The Stacking Toy & Ball Game is an exciting 2-in-1 electronic stacker with a ball game. As a stacking toy, the rings can be threaded on to the base. As a game, your child can drop a ball into the funnel-shaped elephant head at the top of the stack to hear fun sounds and see flashing lights. Batteries included.

3 Pizza Pile Up by International Playthings --“A great way to experiment with weights and balance. Too much on one side and you lose all your toppings!”

Pizza Pile Up is a game that features a wobbling Poppa holding a pizza pie. Each player roles the die and then puts toppings on the pie, the first to knock over the pie loses.

4 Counting Cookies by Learning Resources --“Simply THE BEST toy for teaching counting!”

I love to count! Counting Cookies includes ten numbered cookies, each with the corresponding number of chips on top. The Counting Cookies are made of soft plastic and come in their own sturdy plastic cookie jar.

Counting Cookies
5 Fun With Fruit by Small World Toys -- ”A great toy that strengthens the hands and promotes imaginary play.”

Fun With Fruit is a brightly-colored set of plastic fruit that comes apart into segments and can be peeled. The 13-piece set includes a fruit bowl, apple, strawberry, grape, orange, watermelon, peach, pineapple, pear, plum, lemon, banana, and a plastic knife that makes a realistic cutting sound.

6 Zolo Linko by Kushies -- “Hold them, chew them, pull them apart and put them together-a great first toy for manipulation.”

This is one activity-loaded teething toy. Zolo Linkos connect to create a chain or clip onto other Zolo baby toys. Zolo Linko features three lovable characters, four bite and chew teethers, four hold-together rings and a variety of textures.

7 Make Your Own Postcards by Handa --“The sky’s the limit when a child can create a card and send it off in the mail.”

Make Your Own Postcards includes 10 postcards, over 250 pop-out shapes, and a glue stick. After your little one has finished decorating, help them send the postcards to family and friends.

8 Hullabaloo by Cranium --“A fun game that helps listening skills and motor skills all at the same time!”

Hullabaloo is the high-energy game that is full of cool tunes, fun sounds, and all kinds of surprises. Kids listen closely and think fast as they bounce, twist, spin, high-five, and dance to the music, sounds, and friendly voice of Hullabaloo. The manufacturer recommends this toy is for ages 4 and up but our experts have this toy in the 3 year old age because it is a toy that grows with your child.

9 Roaring Dinosaur by Cranium --“Roar with your mouth, stomp with your feet! This dinosaur is a great mix of sensory stimulation and pretend play.”

Unleash the animal inside your youngster with the Giggle Gear Roaring Dinosaur Dress-Up Toy. This soft, plush dinosaur costume is the perfect mix of disguise and sensory stimulation. The T-Rex head growls, rumbles, and roars with movement, while the clawed feet crash, clomp and stomp.

10 Play Foam by Educational Insights. -- “Make new creations over and over again.”

Play Foam is a lightweight, colorful foam sculpting material that won't crumble, and won't stick to skin or surfaces. So there's no cleanup required. And Play Foam never dries, which means you can use it over and over and over again. Includes 6 Play Foam bricks in vibrant colors and an idea sheet.

  Shop Now!