The Stork has arrived with some wonderful personalized baby gifts to welcome home the new baby girl! This Here Comes The Stork Welcome Wagon contains many sweet things for baby girls that the new mom will surely appreciate including a personalized baby bib and baby blanket featuring the name of her new special delivery!
Gift Contains:
Radio Flyer Mini Wagon
30×50 Personalized Baby Blanket
Personalized Oversized Bib
Burpcloth
Hand Print Tin
Stork Plush
Cotton Onesie
Long Sleeved Romper
This special baby gift includes Free Personalization! $119.95
Welcome Home the new Baby Boy with a very special delivery such as this Here Comes The Stork Welcome Wagon Gift Set! This adorable little wagon gift set is filled with all sorts of baby essentials and extras that the new mom will so appreciate! The personalization of the baby bib and baby blanket included makes an even more special!
Gift Set Includes:
Radio Flyer Mini Wagon
30×50 Personalized Baby Blanket
Personalized Oversized Bib
Burpcloth
Hand Print Tin
Stork Plush
Cotton Onesie
Long Sleeved Romper
This adorable baby gift includes Free Personalization! $119.95
Today we celebrate Earth Day but what exactly does that mean and why should we care, especially as mothers and fathers?
Earth day is a day designed to inspire awareness of the need to protect and preserve our Mother Earth and appreciation for the environment. After 40 years since the first Earth Day our world is in the worst shape ever. Now is the time to get serious about doing our part, each of us to NOT leave our footprints behind for future generations to deal with! It’s important for our children…it’s more then important…it’s CRUCIAL!
We must all learn and educate ourselves as to how we can do our part but as “mothers” and “fathers” it’s especially important that we educate our children and teach by example. School age children, this very day are celebrating Earth Day in their class rooms but if we don’t encourage a daily involvement at home, it won’t be real to them and therefore, just another day that they learned about in school.
Our children look up to us for advice and guideance, we spend lots of time making sure all of their needs are met on a daily basis to ensure a good, long, happy & healthy life. We worry about what foods they are eating, how they are doing in school, saving for their college educations, etc, etc, gosh the list just goes on and on but…ensuring they actually have a world to live in someday should be a top priority for all parents as well.
Envirionmental Tips set forth by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)states that there are many ways we can work to reduce or elimate our footprints on the environment.
Here are some ways you can help them learn about the earth and get involved in making it a better place.
Play
Funschool is a collection of online games and crafts that entertain while teaching children about recycling, the earth sciences and the environment.
Primary Games is another excellent site full of Earth Day games and stories for kids.
Environmental Kids Club Game Room is sponsored by the EPA and features games that teach about everything from air quality to the water cycle.
Read
Earth Book for Kids is packed with great ideas for crafts, projects and experiments that encourage young children to become active participants in healing the earth.
Holiday Facts & Fun: Earth Day features students participating in Earth Day activities and learning about the importance of maintaining the health of our planet.
Planet Earth — The Future reveals the vulnerability of the earth through astonishing images and the stories behind them.
Act
Environmental Kids Clubis sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and includes lots of educational information, as well as links for middle and high schoolers who want to get involved and go green.
Earth Day Networkis packed with information on Earth Day and provides a searchable database of events and activities around the world.
Earth Hour Kids is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund and and provides information on conservation and ideas for kids who want to take action.
Any of us lucky enough to have spent time in the kitchen with our own mother or grandmother most likely hold those times in our hearts as one of our most fond childhood memories. The aroma of chocolate cookies in the oven or licking the batter from a yummy cake mix and the time spent chatting with the one who made us feel so special and so loved remain in our minds still today.
Children are natural little born helpers and love being creative…and especially love spending time with you. Nothing creates a warmer feeling of love when you bake up some warm scrumptious cookies or a cherry pie together. Memories are made in the kitchen and as your child grows, the time you spend together teaching and learning, (really a life long and worthy skill), will remain sweet in their hearts forever.
Children also love to be creative and baking is just one form of letting them express their creativity. Children as little as 2-3 years old can help bake a simple recipe by performing some of the more simple tasks such as pouring ingredients, stirring and decorating. As they grow to around age 5 or 6, they begin to enjoy more involved task such as measuring, using cookie cutters to create shapes and forms and using the rotary mixer. At 9 or 10, they are old enough to learn to operate electrical appliances such as the oven, blender and microwave and are able to read through recipes themselves.
Beside the bonding factor, baking with your baby is also educational as children also love to learn and love to absorb all the information you are willing to share and teach.
Educational Skills Learned from Baking
Reading lessons
Improving their reading skills
Vocabulary through new words
Chemistry and Science lessons
Discovering food groups
Making predictions
Experimenting
How food grows
How food changes while cooking
Five senses
Sensory exploration-with hands on and feeling the ingredients while cooking
Geography lessons
Cultural recipes
Where food grows
Art lessons
Creating
Creativity-make their own unique recipes
History lessons
Recipes through generations
Family recipes/family history
Health lessons
How to eat healthy
Good nutrition
Social Skills
Responsibility
Safety and Cleanliness
Working together
Sharing
Building self esteem
Fine motor skills
Chopping, whisking, kneading, pouring, mixing, cutting, rolling
For this baby girl, it’s all about the fun!
BASIC KITCHEN RULES
Get permission to use the kitchen.
Wash your hands with soap and water before starting your kitchen preparations. Continually wash hands as needed like touching the trash can or picking up items from the floor.
Re-read the recipe several times.
Make sure you have all of the necessary ingredients. Put them out on the counter.
Get out all of the equipment like pans and measuring cups.
Follow the recipe exactly.
Use oven mittens or pot holders when taking food in and out of the oven.
Clean as you go along.
Share your wonderful dessert creation with your friends and family.
BASIC KITCHEN TIPS
Use newspaper or wax paper on counter-tops to minimize mess and make for easier cleanup.
Wear apron or old clothing
Teach children SAFETY FIRST Rules
Teach children to clean up as they go.
Keep your cool at all times…have fun!
SAFETY TIPS for Baking with Children
Worrying about safety when it comes to kids cooking in the kitchen is a normal concern for many parents but with a little help and direction from you, baking can be both fun and safe! Talk to your kids about safety and set a good example.
Sharp Knives – Children under 8 should not be allowed to handle sharp knives. Children between the ages of 8-10 should be supervised when using sharp knives.
Burns – Baking in the oven requires heat and can cause burns. Never allow children under 10 to operate the oven or handle hot baking sheets. Older children, with supervision, can be taugh to use oven mitts and pot holders. Running and horse play of any kind should not be allowed around a hot stove or appliance.
Basic Hygiene – A must in the kitchen – hands should Always be washed before beginning to bake and periodly washed if touching anything off the floor or waste baskets during cooking.
Falls – Small children may not be able to comfortably reach the counter top so make sure a sturdy stool or chair is used. If flour or other spills happen, make sure they are cleaned up immediately so no one slips on it (flour can be especially slippery on a kitchen floor).
Easy Pie Baking Recipes
Easy Cobbler Cherry Pie Recipe for Younger Children
Ingredients
2 21 oz, Can Cherry Pie
Filling
1 Box Yellow or White Cake Mix
1 Cube Margarine
DIRECTIONS
In a 9 x 13 Pan pour pie filling.
Sprinkle Cake mix on top of pie filling
Slice Margarine and place slices evenly over top cake
Put in 350 oven and cook
35 to 40 minutes
Apple Pie Recipe for Older Children
Pie Crust
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. ice water
Directions
Ask your child to measure the flour, sugar and salt into a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Seal and shake the bag to combine.
Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bag, then have your child press down on the bag with their palms.
The goal is to flatten the butter and shortening and coat them with flour to produce a flaky, layered crust.
Open the bag and add the ice water. Reseal, then press and shake until the dough holds together (add more water, if necessary).
For mess-free cooking with kids, mix up pie crust and other doughs in a seal-able bag instead of a bowl.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it together, then divide in half.
Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that’s about 12 inches in diameter.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, trimming any extra from the edges with a sharp knife (parents only). Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie. Makes 1 double crust.
KIDS’ COOKING SKILLS: Use this recipe as an opportunity to teach your child how to measure and mix ingredients.
This recipe shows kids how to make a sweet cinnamon pie filling with a creative upper crust.
Ingredients
6 to 8 apples, such as Granny Smith, Cortland, Rome or a local variety of tart apples
Juice of half a lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter, cut into chunks
Milk (for glaze Flaky pie-crust
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, show your child how to peel the apples.
An adult, or an older child who can handle a paring knife, can then core and slice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces. Place the apples (about 6 cups) in a large mixing bowl.
Next, pour the lemon juice over the apples and add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour. Toss well.
Spoon the spiced apples into the lined pie-crust and dot with the butter.
A pie’s top crust is as much art as food. For a lattice-style crust, roll out the second disk of dough, cut it into 14 strips about 1/2 inch wide, and lay 7 of the strips across the pie, 1/2 inch apart.
Working from the middle of the pie toward one side, fold back every other strip, then lay a cross strip across the remaining flat strips. Return the folded strips, then fold back the alternate strips and lay in the next crosspiece.
Continue, creating a weave pattern. When one half of the crust is woven, repeat with the other side. Finally, use your thumb and index finger to crimp the edges.
For a top crust, place the rolled-out dough loosely on top of the apple mixture. With the tines of a fork, make a decorative pattern around the edges.
Next, cut pie dough ornaments. Place these on top of the pie and cut slits in the dough to allow steam to escape. Brush the top with milk for a glaze.
Place the pie in the preheated oven and lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any juices.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, and you can see the juices bubbling. If the crust begins to brown before the pie is fully baked, cover it with foil.
Let the pie cool, then slice it into wedges. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of cheddar cheese.
Serves 8.
KIDS’ COOKING SKILLS: Use this recipe to teach your kids how to slice apples (older kids only), measure spices, roll pie dough and crimp and decorate piecrust.
This is one of my most favorite tunes. Thought it was appropriate for this article. Great little song to sing with your baby while spending quality time baking together…enjoy and let’s get baking!
Baby Gift Suggestion: Lil Sweetie Gift Set (Lil’Bakery Gift Set)
So far this month, a few baby items have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC)., that you should be aware of . The CPSC alerts parents on a daily basis if any baby or children’s products have been found to possibly pose a danger to their children. Baby bottle recalls, crib recalls, baby food recalls, carseat recalls and more are of special interest to parents bringing home a new baby.
First up is a baby walker which apparently poses a fall hazard due to it’s design. It’s small enough to fit through doorways and if there are stairs through a doorway, baby can just cruise right through and ultimately fall down the stairs. Funny, I had often wondered while viewing walkers in preparation of our first grandson, while so many of the baby walkers seemed so big and bulky as I did not remember them being that way years ago when purchasing them for my own children but now I get it!
This particular walker is named Baby Walker and is imported from Taiwan and has been sold by smaller independent retailers in California and Arizona. Parents are strongly urged to stop using and return immediately for a full refund. Others include baby clothes recalls such as a child’s snowsuit, sweatshirt and child’s jacket due to a strangulation hazard. A complete list of infant/child product recalls (not including toys) is provided by the CPSC, listing the most recent recalls first enabling parents to double check on any they may have missed in the past.
It’s amazes me how many products are carelessly made and distributed for our children to wear and play with. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), approved in 1999 – 2010, was a much-needed response to dangerous toys and products that were reaching our children. Parents and industry groups asked the government to do something about baby products safety after all of those lead paint recalls of 2007, and the magnet recalls and the phthalates and BPA and other potential health risks to children posed by their toys, clothes, blankets and other everyday items. The government’s answer was CPSIA, which is enforced by the CPSC.
CPSIA Testing For Lead, Phthalates and More
CPSIA requires companies to show that their toys and products intended for Kids Gifts under 12 do not contain harmful amounts of lead and other chemicals, including phthalates. Products must meet certain standards in order to receive a certificate of approval.
Stork Baby Gift Baskets is proud to offer only baby gifts have been tested and approved according to the CPSC standards before ever being included in one of their baby gift baskets. Consumers can be rest assured that when they select a baby gift to give to a precious newborn baby or child, all products included in their gift have been certified.
Dr. Seuss baby gifts are the latest and hottest craze! Dr. Seuss has become a very popular baby shower theme as well, and our Diaper Cakes are being featured as the center of attraction as baby shower centerpieces on the gift table!
It’s not surprising that these colorful and practical items would be so sought after, after all Dr. Seuss is famous and has been loved by both parents and children alike for years. Our Dr. Suess “ABC” Horton Diaper Cake features Horton, the loveable and sensitive elephant made famous himself from the Horton Hears A Who book published in 1954 by Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. It also features a collection of Dr. Seuss “ABC” nursery hooded towel and washcloths, Dr. Seuss finger puppet characters, flannel receiving blankets in coordinating colors, diapers of course and smaller practial baby necessities.
Dr. Seuss "One Fish Two Fish" Diaper Cake
Another favorite theme for Dr. Suess baby showers is featured after the book “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish“, a simple rhyming story about a boy and a girl and their amazing collection of pets, published in 1960.
This Dr. Seuss theme baby gift features a One Fish Two Fish baby bib, 2 cloth diaper burp cloths, washcloths, diapers and more. It makes a wonderful welcome gift for the new baby.
More Dr. Seuss Baby Gift ideas would be diaper bags, baby blankets, nursery bedding, baby gift baskets, nursery accessories and baby outfits featuring other popular Dr. Seuss characters such as Cat in the Hat and Thing One and Thing Two.
A newborn baby is already so precious but somehow manages to exuberate even more preciousness while sleeping! These snoozing babes will steal your heart!
Check out this gallery of 24 Sleeping Beauties photographed by Tracy Raver and Kelly Ryden , twin sister photographers from Omaha Nebraska. They are mothers themselves and professionals at capturing what newborns do best…sleep. Some are wrapped in cocoons, curled on blankets, draped from hammocks – all wearing not more than their birthday suits. Some are shots with twins. Some infants curled in bowls. Some with that half-drowsy smile at some secret dream, and others with lips pursed as if pondering deep, philosophical theories. All are simply adorable!
Their work can be compared to that of their famous predecessor photographer Anne Geddes with their lighting and focus on expression, but using fewer props. In order to get the right kinds of shots, mom’s bring babies to the studio when they are nine or ten days old, well fed and sleepy and the studio temperature is kept at a toasty 90 degrees in order to keep them that way for about 3 to 4 hours at a time for six or seven setups. The resulting pictures are enough to make your heart melt and portray the complete and pure innocence of a newborn baby off in dreamland.
A first book by the duo was released last month and they appeared on the Today Show on April 8th and are currently working on a 2nd book. A portion of the proceeds from the book sales will be donated to a world children’s charity.
Big A, little a, what begins with A? The Dr. Seuss ABC nursery collection produced under license by Trend Lab! The classic book’s Icabod and Izzy characters are spotlighted in the center motif alongside large ABC letters embroidered on white mini-waffle pique. The rich deep colors include a barn red, avocado green, cornflower blue, mango orange and chocolate brown. Bold dots, variegated stripes, and a whimsical alphabet and character scatter-print bring a fun Dr. Seuss classic to life.
If it’s not evident by now, I am a big fan of Dr. Seuss and proud and excited to be able to offer this classic children’s favorite in a beautiful nursery bedding ensemble! Not only are his characters absolutely original and adorable, but I love what he represents…reading to your children! I’m a huge believer in early reading so what a wonderful theme for a child’s nursery. I love the fact that there are enough accessories to follow the theme throughout the whole room from bedding to wall hangings. The only thing missing from this nursery pictured above would be a white children’s bookcase filed with the entire collecetion of Dr. Seuss Books and a plush Dr Seuss the Cat in the Hat 20 too!
Stork Baby Gift Baskets carries a full line of nursery bedding and accessories and this adorable Dr. Seuss 4 pc ensemble can be purchased for $179.95 Accessories are sold seperately.
4 pc Ensemble Includes:
4 seperate bumpers to fit any crib
appliqued patch quilt
Dr. Seuss “ABC” print 100% cotton percale sheet with deluxe 10″ pocket
If you’ve never visited the official Johnson & Johnson site, you are missing out on valuble coupons and a great resource for information on personalized baby care for your baby.
Save $1.00 on Johnson & Johnson Bubble Bath & Body Wash
You will need to install a Coupon Printer if you don’t already have it but then you can print out your coupon off your computer.
This special baby gift includes Free Personalization! $119.95
Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bag, then have your child press down on the bag with their palms.
Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that’s about 12 inches in diameter.
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Continue, creating a weave pattern. When one half of the crust is woven, repeat with the other side. Finally, use your thumb and index finger to crimp the edges.
and a plush 
too!
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