Christmas picture time

To keep our spirits high send us your favorite Christmas pictures.

Tis still the season to be jolly!

Four Seasons Poster

Materials

• Poster board
• Marker
• Old magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Family photos (optional)

Instructions

1. Divide the poster board into four sections.
2. Label each section with one of the four seasons.
3. Help your child look through old magazines for pictures that depict seasonal elements and activities.
4. Cut out the pictures and glue them onto the appropriate sections.
5. If you like, look through your photos and choose ones that depict your child or family in seasonal activities: swimming at the beach, admiring spring flowers, playing in the snow, and so on.
6. Glue the photos into the appropriate sections.
7. If you like, create a “Day and Night” poster by dividing the poster board into two sections and gluing on magazine pictures or family photos that depict day and night activities.

Helpful Party Hints

Party Planning

• Keep the party short and sweet (one to two hours) to match your guests' short attention spans. Children ages one to three get cranky if they're kept awake too long.
• In general, the best times for young children are late morning (after the morning nap) or late afternoon (following the afternoon nap). To plan the party when your child is most alert, pay attention to your child's day to discover the optimum times.
• Try to plan the party for a weekend. The children won't care what day you select, but a weekend party is usually more convenient for the adults who will attend.
• For ages one to three, be sure to include the parents as guests, so they can help their own children participate in the fun.
• Inviting one guest per each year of your child's age, plus one extra guest, is a good rule of thumb. Too many guests may put the party at risk of deteriorating into an almost unmanageable gathering with a fair amount of crying.
• Get extra help from a babysitter, grandparent, or friend-so you can participate in the party activities and share the fun with your child.
• Take lots of pictures, but avoid shooting flash photos too often. Camera flashes can irritate young children and make them edgy. Be sure to use film that photographs well in indoor lighting.

Provide Breaks During the Party

• For ages one to three, some children have difficulty handling the extra excitement and attention at parties. To help keep your child calm and relaxed, be sure to give him or her a nap or rest period before-and after-the party. In addition, allow for some "time off" during the party-such as a break in the kitchen alone with you while you prepare the treats.
• If other children have trouble handling the excitement of the birthday party, tell the parents they are free to take a break from the party, too, such as a walk around the block or some time in the garden.
• If your child cries or has a tantrum during the birthday party, take him or her to another room to provide a break from the noise and activity. Then give your child something specific to do for the party to help ease into more cooperative behaviour. Doing a simple chore helps relieve tension, distracts attention from a problem, and makes a child feel more in control.

Keep Party Guests Occupied

• Have extra playthings on hand to amuse the young ones and lots of party party bags that guests can take home. They will delight in having something new and be less likely to be jealous of the honoured child's gifts.
• For ages one to three, some children prefer the gift-wrap to the gift, the frosting to the cake, and the old toys to the new toys. That's perfectly normal-let your child enjoy the party his or her way.
• If guests don't want to participate in the fun and games or food, don't force it. Some children simply need time to adjust to the novelty and excitement of birthday parties. Many prefer to watch the fun-and they enjoy the party just as much!
• Ask the birthday child to pass around the gifts, and promise him or her that they will come back! If the birthday child doesn't want to share the new toys, set out a box of toys the other children can play with. Or, give the guests their party bags early in the party, so they can play with them during the party and then take the party bags home.

Food at Birthday Parties

• When birthday party planning, check with parents to make sure their children don't have any food allergies, and do your best to avoid using any of the allergy-causing items in the party food. If that is not possible, let the parents know which foods are off-limits for their child. If you have pets, be sure to discuss animal allergies as well, making any needed adjustments.
• Keep party treats simple, but decorate and package them creatively; the snacks should be fun, but safe to eat.

Go With the Flow

• For ages one to three, if your child dozes off during the party, let him or her sleep. Some children shut down if there's too much excitement. Keep an eye on the sleeping guest of honour while entertaining the rest of the guests.
• Roll with the unexpected. If the guests like the props of the game better than the game itself, let them make up their own play. If they won't touch the food you've prepared, they won't starve. If they want to go home, they can go home. If they won't leave parents' laps, they can still enjoy the party. And if they fight, it will be over in a few seconds and they'll soon be friends again.

Wrap It Up

• When departure time arrives, mention that it's getting close to your child's rest time and begin to clean up and get out the good-bye goodie bags. This should help wrap things up for those parents who want to linger. It's important for you and your child to have some time alone after the birthday party, and for the event not to seem endless.
• Birthday party planning and hosting can be as tiring as it is rewarding. After the party is over and your child is asleep, sit down, put your feet up, and enjoy the memories of this very special occasion. You can clean up the mess when your child wakes up.

Fish: What’s Healthy and What’s Not

Dr. Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, M.D., M.P.H.
Pediatrics
Adults and children need to eat a nutritious diet for overall health, energy for daily activities and growth. It can be confusing, however, to know what’s healthy and safe to eat. It seems that the news is constantly filled with conflicting reports about food—especially when it comes to fish.

We’re told, for example, that it’s important to eat fish as part of a balanced diet, but then we learn that some fish is contaminated with mercury and other pollutants. If you’re confused about how to make this food source a healthy part of your diet, consider the following fish facts.

What is healthy about fish?
Fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein. Protein is needed to maintain healthy tissue, which is especially important for pregnant women and children who are growing rapidly. Fish is low in the artery-clogging saturated fats found in meat. It is also rich in healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can decrease triglycerides and plaque in the arteries, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. In babies they promote the development of the central nervous system.

What is unhealthy about fish?
Since fish live in oceans, lakes, rivers and bays, they are exposed to pollutants that enter the water from different sources. Industries and cities pump waste into the water; factories send smoke into the air, which rains down into the water; and rain washes run-off from agriculture, mines and waste disposal sites into the water. As a result, fish can become contaminated with toxic chemicals and infectious diseases. Contaminated fish poses health risks for anyone who eats it, but it is most dangerous for young children, whose growth, development and immune systems are most vulnerable, and pregnant women. Some of the contaminants in fish include:

Mercury
Mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal and a waste product of industries such as coal-burning power plants. Once mercury enters the water, it is consumed by microorganisms, which are eaten by small fish, and these, in turn, by bigger fish. At each step up the food chain, the mercury is retained in the muscle meat of the fish, resulting in the highest concentrations of mercury in large, long-lived predatory fish, such as swordfish and shark. Mercury has a toxic effect on the human nervous system and can cause problems with learning and coordination. It is particularly dangerous for pregnant women (who can pass the mercury to the fetus through the placenta), breastfeeding women (who can pass the mercury to the baby through breast milk) and young children, whose nervous systems are developing.

PCBs
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a chemical produced in electronics and other industries. In 1977 the manufacture of PCBs was banned due to their toxicity. Since then, PCB levels in the environment have been slowly declining, but significant amounts continue to be discovered in fish. For example, farm-raised salmon has been found to have high levels of PCBs. Similar to mercury, PCBs accumulate and become more concentrated in larger fish, collecting in the fatty parts of the fish. PCBs also accumulate over time in the human body, particularly in fatty tissues, and are concentrated in breast milk. Like mercury, PCBs can be toxic to the developing nervous system, so they are especially harmful for pregnant and nursing women as well as children. In addition to causing developmental problems in children, PCBs have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and may cause cancer in humans as well.

Infectious Diseases
Fish and shellfish can be contaminated by infections of bacteria, parasites and viruses such as hepatitis A and norwalk virus. Shellfish, such as oysters and clams, are particularly risky. Contaminated fish and shellfish can typically cause diarrhea, but they can also cause more severe illness, particularly in pregnant women, young children and people with immune problems.

How can we make fish a healthy part of our diet?
In order to maximize its health benefits and minimize its health risks, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children should eat fish that is low in contaminants and prepared in the healthiest manner. The following recommendations combine the 2003 guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce mercury exposure, as well as the recommendations of the U.S. centres for Disease Control and other health authorities to reduce the exposure to PCBs, other chemical contaminants and infectious diseases carried by fish and shellfish. They apply to women who are trying to get pregnant as well as those who already are, nursing mothers and children. (Note: The portion sizes listed below are for adults and should be reduced depending on a child’s size.):

1. Select fish that is least likely to be contaminated.

• Do not eat fish that contain high levels of mercury: shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.
• You may eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) a week of fish and shellfish that are low in mercury, e.g., shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, catfish and pollock (commonly used in fish sticks).
• Or, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) a week of fish that has moderate levels of mercury, e.g., lobster, grouper, fresh tuna or canned white albacore tuna. (Canned light tuna—which comes from smaller, younger fish—is preferable since it has less mercury.).
• If you plan to eat fish caught by family and friends from local lakes, rivers and coastal areas, first check local advisories regarding contamination levels.
• Inspect fish carefully before buying it. Don’t buy fish that looks or smells spoiled.

2. Prepare fish and shellfish in a manner that minimizes contamination.

• Avoid raw fish and shellfish. Cook both thoroughly.
• Keep fish refrigerated or frozen until preparing it. Cook refrigerated fish within two to three days. If it smells spoiled, do not use it.
• Wash your hands, utensils and cutting boards thoroughly before and after handling raw fish.
• Before cooking fish, remove the skin and fat.
• Broil, grill, roast or steam fish on a rack to allow the fat to drain away. Serve less fried fish, since frying seals in the chemical contaminants in the fat.
• Don’t reuse fat drippings from fish in other dishes.
• Use a clean platter and utensils for the cooked fish. Serve fish warm or cold, but don’t let it sit out at room temperature for more than one hour.

How can we make fish safer to eat?
Recent changes in EPA policies have weakened controls on pollutants, particularly mercury, entering the environment and our food supply. Help protect your family’s health by urging your legislators and public health officials to implement tighter regulations on mercury and other pollutants.

For more information, visit the following websites:

FDA Food Safety website: www.cfsan.fda.gov/seafood1.html

EPA’s Fish Advisory website: www.epa.gov/ost/fish.

Mercury Action Now: www.mercuryaction.org/fish/learn_more.html

Environmental Defense website: www.environmentaldefense.org

Bathing & nappying Essentials

What does baby need for bath time?

• Infant bath tub
• Baby shampoo and soap
• Several hooded towels
• Cotton swabs
• Baby wash cloths
• Infant-appropriate water toys

What should I have in the changing area?

• A changing surface (either a changing table, the top of a dresser that’s at least waist-high, or just a changing pad that can be put down anywhere)
• Washable changing table covers
• A plastic changing mat to lay on top of the changing surface
• Plenty of clean nappies
• Disposable cleaning cloths. Avoid wipes that contain alcohol
• A soft cloth and warm water to use instead of wipes if baby has nappy rash (try filling a thermos each night to keep warm water easily accessible)
• Ointment or petroleum jelly, for treating nappy rash
• Cotton balls
• A washable nappy pail with a tightly-sealed cover (works well for storing either cloth or disposable nappies)
• A laundry bag or hamper with a lid.

Merry Christmas

http://www.fisher-pricestore.in/gift-cards/

Precious Planet Blue Sky Bouncer

 

Product # T1454

Maximum Weight:

25 lbs (11,3 kg)

Maximum Retail Price:

Rs.3999

A fun-filled toy bar keeps baby entertained, with four playful friends, two fun tunes, animal sounds, and activities to explore! Baby can pull the bunch of bananas to hear the lion and monkey play music. When it’s time to relax, just remove the toy bar, turn on the calming vibrations and let the friendly giraffe cradle baby in the cushy seat. Requires 1 D and 2 AA batteries, not included.

Developmental Guidelines: Use from birth until child is able to sit up unassisted.

Weight Limit: 25 lbs (11,3 kg)

Better for Baby

Promotes Comfort and Security
• Calming vibrations and cushiony seat soothe baby.

Stimulates the Senses
• Bright graphics, friendly faces, music and sounds stimulate visual and auditory skills.

Encourages Developing Motor Skills
• Invites baby to reach, grasp, bat and tug, enhancing eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills.

Better for Mom

• Removable toy bar for easy access to baby.
• Machine washable seat pad.
• Easy to move around the house.

Special Offer: Precious Planet Bouncer+ Ocean Wonders Deep Blue Sea  Fish Bowl: Rs.3,999.00

Give Back

Click ‘Like’ if you given back to those less unfortunate than you are & in the comment section do mention the name of the organization, their website to help benefit them.

Life-Sized Snow People

Make a life-sized snow friend to play with or to hang on the bedroom wall for all to see.

Materials

• Cardboard
• Three sheets of white construction paper or poster board for each child
• Washable markers
• Safety scissors
• Tape
• White glue
• Cotton balls

Learning Skills

• Fine motor development
• Social interaction
• Cognitive/thinking skills
• Creativity and imagination
• Self/body awareness

Instructions

1. To prepare for the activity, cut out three circles from cardboard in three sizes, from small to large, to use as a guide for making each snow person.
2. Lay one sheet of white paper or poster board on the floor for each child.
3. Pass out the cardboard circles to the kids and have them place the circles on their paper or poster board. (Make more circle guides if you have more than three kids.)
4. Have the kids trace around the circles onto the paper using a marker. (If they have trouble keeping the circle on the paper, use a little double-stick tape to keep it secure until the circle is complete.)
5. Exchange cardboard circles and draw another size on a second sheet of paper or poster board.
6. Repeat for a third time, so that each child has drawn 3 circles in 3 different sizes.
7. Have them cut out the circles with safety scissors. (Help the ones who have trouble cutting.)
8. Ask the kids to arrange the circles in a row, so that the smallest circle is on top and the largest circle is at the bottom, to form the snow person's shape.
9. Tape the snow person together on the back. You can also punch a hole at the top and bottom and tie the circles together with ribbon or yarn, so it dangles when you hold it up.
10. Let the kids add details to the snow person's face using colored markers, or provide large wiggly eyes and felt or construction paper cutouts for the nose, mouth and hat.
11. For added fun, let the kids glue cotton balls all over the snow person.
12. Hang up the snow person, give it a name and let the kids have fun with their new friends.

Paper Play *

There are so many wonderful things for your baby to explore that sometimes we overlook the obvious. A simple sheet of paper can provide your baby with a fascinating opportunity to explore and experiment.

Age : 9- 12 months Learning Skills:
·       Cognitive skills
·       Exploration of the senses
·       Fine motor development
Materials:
•	Variety of papers, such as typing paper, stiff tagboard, tissue paper, rice paper, coloured paper, wrapping paper, and so on
•	Floor space

What to do:
1. Stack a variety of textured papers on the floor.
2. Seat your baby in the middle of the floor.
3. Give your baby one sheet of paper at a time and let her explore the properties of each sheet.
4. When your baby has explored all the papers, show her ways to experiment with them, such as tearing, crinkling into a ball, floating, folding, and so on.
Safety:  Stay with your baby while she plays with the paper, in case she decides to eat it.

Pregnancy E-Cards

Tell your friends and family the BIG NEWS in a sweet way by sending them e-cards from Fisher Price.

Birth Announcements

A baby boy

 

A baby girl

         

Special Delivery

It's a Boy!

It's a Girl!

Baby Boy

Baby Girl

Baby Congratulations

Welcoming Baby

Pregnancy Announcements

We’re expecting!