With these handy online calculators you can now assess and track his or her growth quickly and easily.

Infant’s Body Measurement Percentiles Calculator

Children’s Body Measurement Percentiles Calculator

Children’s Body Mass Index Percentiles Calculator

Children’s Adult Height Prediction Calculator

There are several websites that make it easy to check whether there are any recalls on the products your children use. Knowing this information can prevent injury (or worse).

If you borrow or buy second hand items it’s even more important to check. With products you buy new be sure to send in their registration/warranty cards whenever they’re included so that you’ll be notified of any recalls on that item in the future.

Online Recalls Information:

Recalls.gov – Six federal agencies with vastly different jurisdictions have joined together to create this “one stop shop” for U.S. Government recalls.

Recall Warnings – An independent site with recall listings in a variety of categories.

Walmart and Sam’s Club Recalls – Products recalled from Wal-Mart Stores and SAM’S Clubs.

Walmart.com Recalls – Products recalled from Walmart.com

This is a fun idea for a simple dessert at kid’s parties!

What You’ll Need:

· goldfish bowl, nice and clean
· red hots or Jelly Belly gravel beans
· blue Jello
· ice cubes
· cold water
· purple endive
· parsley sprigs
· gummy fish

Instructions:

Use a new or well cleaned goldfish bowl. In the bottom, the original recipe called for red-hots as the ‘gravel’, but the Jelly Belly beans that look like rocks are also a good choice. Mix up as much blue Jello as your bowl will hold. Mix using ice cubes & cold water instead of the cold water called for on the box. Pour this into the bowl over a knife blade or something to keep from disturbing the gravel. If you want it to have ’seaweed’, poke a couple of pieces of purple endive or something similar down into the gravel. When the whole thing starts to jell, use a wooden skewer to push gummy fish into different parts of the bowl. If you’re going to be able to supervise the serving, you could even add a plastic diver man or other fun accessories.

For more fun kid-friendly recipes visit That’s My Home.

Want to wow the mom-to-be at an upcoming baby shower? Choose something that no one else will be bringing! Here’s 6 unique gift ideas that are sure to have everyone talking:

Baby Print Glass Tile

Order one of these kits and you’ll be sent everything needed to make an impression of baby’s hands and/or feet. When the new parents are ready they simply mail in the impression (postage paid envelope included) and in a few weeks they’ll be sent a breathtaking glass tile that is truely a one of a kind keepsake.

Magic Blessing Bonnet

This special bonnet can be worn home from the hospital, or when baby is christened. Then it easily becomes a handkerchief that a baby girl can use on her wedding day, or a baby boy can give to his bride-to-be. Includes a beautiful poem that explains how the bonnet works.

Baby Scrubs

These are tiny versions of the adult scrubs, and are too cute for words!

Daddy’s Tie

The perfect gift for new dads. Includes a silk tie, stamp pad and instructions on how to create a unique keepsake.

Baby Time Capsule

A beautiful gift that the new parents can fill with information on the day baby was born. Then it’s sealed until the child is grown and can see what treasures were saved.

Paint Your Own Onesies

A fun gift that’s great if the new baby has older siblings. They can paint up special onesies just for the new baby.

Making sure your family eats right doesn’t have to be a difficult task.

With all the research that shows eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes, some cancers, and osteoporosis, we’re sure you understand the importance of making good choices. The key is to know what’s in the food you’re eating. Food labels can help you do this.

Food Labels Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) require labels on almost all packaged foods that include nutrition information in readable type. The information usually appears on the back or side of packaging under the title “Nutrition Facts.” It’s also displayed in grocery stores near fresh foods, like fruits, vegetables, and fish.

The nutrition facts usually include:

- a column of information, “% Daily Value,” that shows what portion of the amount of daily recommended nutrients the product provides
- information about saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, fiber, sugar, and calories from fat
- serving sizes that are close to the amount that people actually eat
- health claims, such as “light” or “low fat,” that must meet strict government definitions so that they are accurate and consistent from one food to another

Learning Label Language

At a glance, it may appear as though everything on the shelves either adds fiber to your diet or reduces fat intake. In order to make healthy, informed food choices, it’s important to understand: food label claims; serving sizes; calorie requirements; percent daily values; and important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Food Label Claims. Manufacturers often make claims about the healthfulness of a food on the front of a package – like “fat free” or “no cholesterol.” Many people wonder if they can trust these claims to be true. The fact is, the FDA does require food makers to provide scientific evidence in order to make those claims. Even so, it’s a good idea to carefully read the claims and understand what they mean.

- Reduced fat means that a product has 25% less fat than the same regular brand.
- Light means that the product has 50% less fat than the same regular product.
- Low fat means a product has less than 3 grams of fat per serving.

Even if a food is low in fat, the food may not necessarily be nutritious. Even a low-fat food can be high in sugar. Food companies also may make claims such as “no cholesterol” (meaning there is no animal fat used in making the product), but that does not necessarily mean the product is low in fat.

Serving Size and Servings Per Container. At the top of each food label you’ll see an amount listing for serving size. These are determined by the food manufacturer, and they’re based on the amount that people generally eat. All of the information about the nutritional value of the food that is listed on the label is given according to the serving size. So if a serving size is 2 crackers and you eat 4 crackers – which would be two servings – you need to double all of the nutrition information.

The number of servings per container tells you how many serving sizes are in the whole package. So if one serving is 1 cup, and the entire package has 5 cups, there are 5 servings per package.

Calories. A calorie is a unit of energy that measures how much energy a food provides to the body. The number of calories that’s listed on the food label indicates how many calories are in one serving. Calories From Fat. The second number, calories from fat, tells the total calories in one serving that come from fat. The label lists fat so that people can monitor the amount of fat in their diets. Dietitians generally recommend that no more than 30% of calories come from fat over the course of the day. That means that if the food you eat over the course of a day contains 2,000 calories total, no more than 600 of these should come from fat.

Calories Per Gram. These numbers show how many calories are in 1 gram of fat, carbohydrate, and protein. This information must be printed on every Nutrition Facts label for reference. Percent Daily Values. Percent daily values are listed in the right-hand column in percentages, and they tell how much of a certain nutrient a person will get from eating one serving of that food. Ideally, the goal is to eat 100% of each of those nutrients each day. If a serving of a food has 18% protein, then that food is providing 18% of your daily protein needs if you eat 2,000 calories per day.

Percent daily value is most useful for determining whether a food is high or low in certain nutrients. If a food has 5% or less of a nutrient, it is considered to be low in that nutrient. A food is considered a good source of a nutrient if the percentage is between 10% and 19%. If the food has more than 20% of the percent daily value, it is considered high in that nutrient.

Keep in mind that the information found on food labels is based on an average diet of 2,000 calories per day. The actual number of calories and nutrients that your child requires is going to vary according to your child’s age, weight, gender, and level of physical activity. For more guidance on this, check with the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid.) So use food labels as a guide to determine whether a food is generally nutritious, but don’t worry so much about calculating the nutrients down to the exact ounce of the serving size, as long is your child is healthy and growing well. If you have any concerns about your child’s nutrition, talk to your child’s doctor.

Watch their eyes light up when they see one of these amazing cake creations! Far from ordinary their designs include all the instructions you’ll need to create one yourself.

Some of our favorite kids birthday cakes are:

Rubber Ducky Cake

Treasure Chest Cake

Tropical Fish Cake

Check out all these great childrens birthday cakes and more fun birthday items at Birthday Express.

If you’re expecting a little bundle of joy any time soon, you’re undoubtedly already planning ways to make a smooth transition into parenthood. Although you can’t prepare for all the bumps along the road, here are a few things you can do to make this time a little easier:

1. Cook and freeze meals before baby is born. You can do this by having a big day of cooking (be sure to ask family and friends to pitch in!) or by simply doubling or tripling your favorite recipes and freezing the leftovers. Then when baby arrives all you’ll have to do is reheat the frozen meals and voila, dinner is done. Use disposable containers and you won’t even have any mess to clean up!

3. Address and add postage to the envelopes you’ll need for birth announcements. When baby is born you can have inexpensive announcements made up at your local print shop. Include a photo, all baby’s birth details and a short personal message. There’s no need to write anything on them. Just put them in the envelopes and mail them out.

4. Think ahead about any gifts and/or cards you’ll need. For the first couple of months after baby arrives you may not feel up to going shopping. If you do great! But if you don’t it will be helpful to have everything you need already for birthdays, anniversaries and other upcoming special events. Be sure to remember the wrapping paper, tape, bows and ribbons as well.

2. If you have dogs, introduce them to baby’s scent. If you’re a dog owner you probably know how much chaos they can cause when they’re not happy. Let your furry friends get used to baby by bringing a blanket or clothing home from the hospital and letting the dogs smell it before baby arrives home. Once they know baby’s scent they’ll be less likely to be traumatized when you show up with their new competition!

5. Test all of baby’s products so you know how they work. Practice using the carseat, walk around with a doll in the sling and disassemble products such as your breast pump. Knowing how these things work can save you frustration once baby arrives and you’re ready to start using them.

6. Plan a “meet the baby day”. If you’re worried that you’ll have lots of unannounced visitors during the first few weeks, get it out of the way all at once by having a “meet the baby day”. Invite everyone over for a couple of hours at a time that is convenient for you. While they’re there don’t be shy about mentioning that the reason for the meet and greet is so you can some time alone with your baby for a few weeks.

Babies at this stage like to make things happen – they enjoy pushing a button and hearing a song, or seeing something light up. Having the ability to interact with their surroundings is very exciting and once they find something they like, they do it over and over (and over!) again.

At this stage introduce…

- Interactive Toys: Babies can now interact with their toys in a way they weren’t able to before. Anything that responds in some way to baby’s actions or makes a noise will become fast favorites and will teach baby about cause and effect.

- Language Development Toys: Baby is now able to say simple words such as “no” and “dog”. Encourage his growing vocabulary with toys and games that develop language skills. Great options are toys that say words when a button is pushed or videos that focus on language development. Fabric or board books are also good because after reading the story you can give the book to baby to flip the pages and “read” it back to you.

- Co-Ordination Enhancing Toys:Babies at this stage are very mobile and enjoy pushing and pulling items. Toys that require them to use their whole body are great for encouraging them to walk. Other favorite games will include stacking items and then knocking them over and filling up an item and then dumping its contents.

- Role Playing Toys: They watch you and will want to start mimicking the things you do. Toys such as play telephones, brooms, shopping carts and steering wheels will be a big hit and will help baby explore the world of make believe.

This recipe is from the Baby Bistro Cookbook by Joohee Muromcew. An excellent book full of nutritious, easy recipe that your kids will actually eat!

In the description for this delicious Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, Joohee writes the she feels “very June Cleaver when I make this homey, old-fashioned dinner. Substitute peas, spinach or any green vegetable for the broccoli.”

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup finely chopped broccoli florets
3/4 cup finely chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1/2 breast)
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, bring the rice and broth to a boil over high heat and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for five minutes or until the rice is tender but still quite wet. Stir in the chicken and cheese. The cheese will melt into the excess liquid.

Serve as is or puree in a blender or food processor to a consistency appropriate for your child.

Makes about 3 cups.

* Note: You can freeze this dish in an ice-cube tray or in small freezer-safe storage containers. The texture of the rice will be slightly gummy upon defrosting, but it’s easily fixed with a pat of butter or a splash of milk.

There are lots of great freebies for babies and freebies for kids available online. Here’s some of our favorite offers:

$250 in FREE gifts from Enfamil – A program that brings you up to $250 in FREE gifts and offers before baby comes – and after baby arrives! Register now to become a member of Enfamil Family Beginnings(R)!

Subscription to BabyTalk Magazine – Babytalk has all the information expectant and new parents want and need — from health and safety issues to the latest and greatest products for baby. And it’s yours FREE! (You will never receive a bill.)

Free Subscription to American Baby – Say YES to your FREE SUBSCRIPTION today! Simply fill in the form below and click “Subscribe.” You’ll receive American Baby® ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Free Child Safety Kit & Information – Sign up for the free Sex Offender Search Engine and keep on top of who lives in your neighborhood. When you register you’ll receive a FREE Child Identification Kit! The kit helps you record all the information, hair samples and fingerprints necessary to find your child if he/she is ever abducted.

Free Beech-Nut Bowl – Sign up for their monthly e-newsletters, and they’ll send you information tailored to your baby’s age, helpful tips, money-saving offers, plus a FREE Beech-Nut bowl.

Free Bright Beginnings Baby Formula and Coupons – Sign up with Bright Beginnings today, receive a free 4.5oz milk formula sample pouch – perfect for a day’s supply – along with a formula voucher and valuable coupons. Plus, qualify to win free formula for a year!

Free Diaper Bag Tag – Get a FREE diaper bag tag courtesy of Nikon and Lamaze. (Note: This offer is in a popup window so make sure you aren’t blocking popups)

Amazing Free Book Offer – State Farm is giving away the Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 for expectant parents and parents to a child of under five years old. This is an amazing offer but will require a little bit of legwork on your end. Contact State Farm for the user name and password that will allow you to access the offer page. If you are a State Farm customer, the easiest way is to contact your agent. If not, try 1-888-SF Event or Click Here.

Brighter Vision Learning Advertures Kit – For babies one year old and up, get $20 in FREE Gifts! Brighter Vision Learning Adventures® is a program created by teachers who know kids learn best when they’re having fun. Each kit has books, activities, stickers & more. Order now & get alphabet stickers too! (All you pay is $1.99 s&h).

Free Potty Training Kit – Stickers, magnet, poster, book.