Corner Stork Baby Blog

America’s 4th of July is a fantastic day for family fun and fireworks, and we’d like to like to wish you a very happy holiday to celebrate the incredible country we’re so fortunate to call home!

No doubt you’ve got big plans, and if they include your infant–we’d like to remind you that young babies shouldn’t be taken to a fireworks display, because the loud noises can make babies scared, uncomfortable or cranky. Even worse, those sharp, loud sounds can damage a young baby’s eardrums. If you must take in a fireworks show,  get a babysitter or watch the action from very far away or on television.

FUN IN THE SUN?

If you’re going to spend a good part of the day outside in the hot July sun at a picnic or a parade, make sure you have plenty of sunscreen slathered on your baby at all times—unless your baby is under six months old. Sunscreen is not recommended for babies under six months old. Dress your infant in lightweight long pants and a long-sleeved shirt to keep the sun off that sensitive skin, and don’t forget a light hat to protect baby’s head. Just in case, here’s some good info from Examiner.com:

If your baby does become sunburned, there are a few things you can do to minimize the discomfort and the lasting damage it could cause. Here are a few suggestions:

• Keep baby in the shade until the burn is healed; further exposure to the sun can aggravate the symptoms and make the burn worse.
• Give baby a cool (not cold) bath or gently apply a cool, wet towel to the affected areas.
• Apply pure aloe vera gel to the sunburned skin. This can be purchased at any pharmacy or retail store.
• Administer the proper dosage of a pain killer such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for babies over 3 months old. If you are unsure of the appropriate dosage, contact your baby’s pediatrician.
• Apply a moisturizer safe for babies to rehydrate the skin and reduce swelling associated with sunburn.

If blisters develop, call the doctor immediately and try to keep your baby from touching the blisters so they don’t pop; sunburn blisters can become very easily infected.

Enjoy your holiday, keep your all-American cutie safe, and remember:

“The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people.”

  Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

 Here’s an interesting, new invention I thought you might like to check into. It’s called the “Babyglow,” and it’s an infant bodysuit that changes colors when baby gets overheated or has a rising temperature, so parents can catch a catastrophic illness early. Not a bad idea.

 HOW BABYGLOW WORKS

The photo on the left is inventor Chris Ebejer, who says heat is invisible, so his suit changes color to make it visible. Mr. Ebejer got the idea from a documentary about babies with high temperatures, which can cause baby’s brain to shut down. High temps can also be an indication of meningitis.  A father himself, Ebejer began the search for an ink pigment with heat-sensitive molecules. He worked with scientists to develop the color-changing pigments which are embedded into cotton. Your baby can’t tell you when his or her temperature is rising, but the Babyglow bodysuit can.

 COLORS AND COST

Babyglows come in pink, blue and green, and they all turn white as soon baby’s temp rises above 98.6 degrees (see photo below.) I wonder if the same pigments might work and be effective in baby blankets or sleep sacks. It might get a bit costly to buy enough Babyglows to get baby through the year at about $32.50 each.

The Babyglow won’t be available until October, but there’s big buzz about this product. So what do you think?  Even if they didn’t have an important and practical purpose, I think these bodysuits are pretty darn hot–and theyre fantastic baby gifts!

While the rest of us grownups have had the chance to get used to this big, bad world, your little baby is just beginning to get comfortable in these new surroundings.  Leaving the cozy comfort of their aquatic abode must have been a rude awakening.  I’m sure if babies could talk, many of them would say it’s better in that out! But, you can change that with these simple soothing techniques from Parents Magazine.

1. Swaddling

Wrapping your baby as snug as a bug in a rug satisfies his longing for the tight fit of your uterus. There are plenty of other benefits, too!  Swaddling with baby blankets controls jerky, reflexive movements that can lead to crying and can help baby sleep longer (just make sure he doesn’t get overheated.)

2. Side (or stomach) position

Putting a fussy baby down on his back or holding him lying on his back can create a falling sensation, startling baby and leading to more crying. Holding your baby on her side or stomach is calming. However, always put your baby to sleep on her back.

3. Shushing

People tend to want to be quiet around babies, but a loud, harsh shh can be music to baby’s ears. It mimics the whooshing sound of your blood flow that your baby heard in the womb. Creating “white noise” with a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or a soothing sounds toy (like this lamb on the right) also works to stop baby’s cries.

4. Swinging

After nine months of floating along, the world can seem like a pretty dry and motionless place.  The stillness of lying in a crib can drive them crazy. Rhythmic, vigorous motion has an almost hypnotic effect for baby. Automatic swings, bouncy seats, car rides, rocking your baby, or walking while carrying your baby in a sling all give the feeling of motion.

5. Sucking

Offer your baby a nipple, bottle or pacifier to suck on. It releases natural, calming chemicals in your baby’s brain.

Fun for a one-year-old! Fun for you! Fantastic memories and photos! The zoo is a magical place for a child’s first-birthday party! The kids love it, and so do the adults! Naturally, the little ones will love the wild animals—lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes and those ever-popular monkeys. But most zoos have a “petting zoo,” with tame animals that don’t mind having their ears twisted,  their fur pulled and their noses tweaked.  As you can see, here’s where you’ll get the best first-birthday party photos!

While most zoos have birthday-party packages, they’re typically for kids at least three years old. Not a problem. Take the guests to the zoo first, and then head to a restaurant or home for cake, ice cream and the most-important opening of the gifts!

Great Gifts To Celebrate Baby’s First 365 Days!

Here are a couple of first birthday gifts that truly commemorate the event! Remember those adorable photos I mentioned earlier? Let baby pick out the top 12 and put them in the so-soft “My First Birthday” Photo Album (left.) Another fitting and fun first-birthday present is “My First Birthday” Six-Piece Plush Playset (right)—check out the cute, plush camera and cupcake! It’s also got a squeezable bear that sings “Happy Birthday!” A first-birthday party at the zoo is the perfect place and time to start teaching baby a love for all animals!

I loved her in The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, but my favorite Molly Ringwald movie is 16 Candles. One minute, she’s freaking out because her panties are being worshipped by a bunch of salivating, adolescent males in the school bathroom, and the next minute, she’s pregnant with twins. Not in the movie, of course.

Now 41 and playing a Mom in TV’s “The Secret Life of an American Teenager,” Molly Ringwald spent her own teenage years playing characters reflecting the lives of teenage girls in the ’70s.

She already has a six-year-old daughter with husband Panio Gianopoulos, and now she’s expecting twins–a boy and a girl. Must be something in the water out in LA, because it seems a lot of Hollywood celebrities are popping out two at a time these days.

CELEBRITIES WITH TWINS!

Let’s see–there’s J-Lo, Angelina, Rebecca Romijn, Paulette Washington (Denzel’s wife,) Julia Roberts, Beverley D’Angelo, Angela Bassett, newswoman Nancy Grace, Holly Hunter, Geena Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Tracy Pollan (Michael J. Fox’s wife,) Holly Robinson Peete, Marcia Cross, and the list goes on. Some have two girls, some two boys, and some one of each. Hey, did you know there are far more fraternal twins born than identical twins?

Whichever way, they still require twin baby gifts, and Corner Stork has you covered for every combination. Below from the left, if it’s two girls, we have the gorgeous Girls’ Twin Deluxe Welcome Wagon; for one of each, I love the Twins Celestial Basket, and two boys gets the baseball-themed Boys’ Twin Deluxe Welcome Wagon. It’s double the giggles and double the grins, and double the trouble if you’re blessed with twins. As somebody once said, it’s double the giggles and double the grins, and double the trouble if you’re blessed with twins. 

Sometimes, getting a guy to go to a baby shower is almost like getting him to go the doctor or pull over to ask for directions.  But here’s one way expectant Moms can make that happen.  A Texas Hold-em Poker Pamper Party will definitely get the guys gathered around the table.

Don’t let the name throw you.  I’m not talking about “pampering” but “Pampers.”   One pack of diapers is the buy-in to play.  Sound like a fun idea?  Here’s how to stack the deck in your favor with this manly baby shower idea:

1.  Pick a Friday or Saturday for game night.

2. Choose a Western-themed invitation, and ask the guys to wear cowboy hats and western gear just for fun.

3.  Set up plenty of card tables and a buffet of everyone’s favorite snacks so they can graze all night long. Be sure there are lots of hearty foods like ribs, corn on the cob, chili or burgers.

4.  For decorations, use green felt for table cloths so they’ll feel like a real card shark.  Add some Texas flags and other items from the Lone-Star state.  If you really want to go all out, rent some poker tables from a party rental store and have somebody be the dealer.

5.  Ask each guy to bring a pack of Pampers (or any other brand of diaper) as the buy-in to play.  As far as baby gifts go, you can never have enough of them, and they’re easy for guys to shop for them. Just think of all the money you’ll save on diapers.  It’ll be just like hitting the jackpot!

6.  As far as favors go, you might not think there are many baby favor ideas for this type of sit-down, but there are. In addition to the obvious choice of chocolate poker chips, you can commemorate the event with one of these personalized shot glasses.  Or how about a personalized tin of mints.  This one has a little lamb on the front, but there are dozens of other styles to choose from.  When it comes time to fold ‘em, they’ll be glad to take one of these beauties home.

First, Some Fun!

Happy Tuesday! Today’s blog starts out with a quick quiz. Take a look at the photo on the right. Is it:
a) Angelina Jolie
b) Octomom with 1/14 of her army

If you guessed a, of course, you’re right. What gave it away for you? For me, it was the diaper bag. A woman with 14 kids–eight of them infants–would be schlepping a U-Haul behind her with all the things she’ll need for kids’ day out. With thanks to MarloElaine’s blog, here’s her list and a photo of items that need to travel with moms on the move:

Items for Baby:
Cloth bibs
Burp cloths
Diapers (2-3)
Baby wipes
Lap pad
Change of clothes (onesie, socks, hat, pants, long-sleeve shirt)
Blanket (in case baby gets cold or wants to play on the floor/glass)
Infant Motrin and syringe, Tylenol Suppository and lubricant
Thermometer
Bulb syringe & saline water
Infant feeding kit (2 oz. water, bottle with 1 scoop formula, 1 nipple)
Cherrios and crackers - snacks for baby

Items for Toddler:
Diapers (2)
Baby wipes
Lap pad
Change of clothes (t-shirt, socks, pants, long-sleeve shirt)
Children’s Motrin and Syringe
Snacks (fruit snacks, cheese crackers, raisins, etc.)
Disposable bib
Toys, crayons, and paper

Items for Mom:
Extra t-shirt
Bottled water
Snacks (granola bar, fruit, etc.)
First Aid Kit (adhesive bandages, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment, gauze, etc.)

No, octomom isn’t going anywhere with all her kids at once until they’re all kindergarten graduates. But if you’re a normal, new mom (emphasis on normal) who likes to be on the go with her baby, you can find lots of stylish diaper bags—just as fashionable as Angelina’s—to sling over your shoulder, and you’ll pay a fraction of the price. I’d like to show you three primary styles and the differences between them:

Tote or Sling Style: Totes (left) have been around for a few decades, but the newest designs are hot enough for today’s mom. They have plenty of pockets, compartments and amenities to store everything you need safely. Sling bags are an offshoot of totes, and like totes, they look like oversized purses. Also called hobo bags, sling bags are great for active parents because of their versatility and smaller design.

Messenger Style: They’re called messenger bags (right) because of the across-the-chest strap (which made the bag comfortable and easy for messengers to carry,) their many pockets and compartments and the flip-top flap which lets the user access the bag without having to put it down. The messenger-style diaper bag gives you the same nooks, crannies, etc. for stuff as the other styles.

Backpack Style: Certainly a matter of preference, these diaper bags (left) are modeled after a standard hiking pack. Some backpack diaper bags have adjustable straps so you can wear it over the shoulder, too, and they have the same pockets, compartments and amenities as the tote and messenger bags.

Just pick the style that works best for you, and thank your lucky stars you’re not the octomom.

Those wacky Brits!  I got a great big chuckle out of this photo from the London tourism board encouraging summer travel.  It just goes to show you that they’re always up to something, and you can definitely see their influence just about everywhere.  But while there are so many similarities between our cultures, when it comes to language–we’re worlds apart.  Do you know what you would call an umbrella in England?  A bumbershoot!  It even seems funny reading it, let alone saying it out loud.  Yes, in jolly old England, an elevator is a lift.  A guard is a beefeater, and a baby carriage is called a pram.  All funny words to us, but then again, maybe our words sound funny to them!

But when you think of England, you might just ponder images of the Queen of England, castles and rolling hills.  Or maybe some of the famous poets like Charles Dickens or the Thames River may come to mind.  But, as for me, I’m thinking baby gifts!  (Probably because I’m surrounded by them every day.)  So in honor of our friends across the ocean, here are some baby gifts that are as striking as Big Ben (get it?!) and as regal as royalty.  What makes them so great, you might ask?  They’re personalized–or as the English would say–personalised baby gifts.

Fit for a king, but made for a baby:   Your baby can make a royal statement in this regal onesie that features a whimsical gold crown and the phrase “His Royal Hind-Ness” on…well the rear, of course. Personalize this onesie by including your baby’s name underneath the crown.

Crown Jewels:  This elegant baby bracelet would be a charming addition to your little princess’s wrist.  Crafted from freshwater pearls, her initials can be engraved on the silver charm, making it an instant keepsake.  You might also consider a personalized jewelry box to store your baby’s precious heirlooms.

Monarchy has its privileges:  It’s no question that the royal family is loaded. They have more money than any of us will see in five lifetimes.  But, even though you might not have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you can certainly act like it with this personalized silver spoon.  Or how about a silver sippy cup?  Whether you include an initial or the baby’s name, it’s a gift that shows you have good taste.

About 40% of NASCAR fans are women—not surprising when you peel off those helmets to find some of the hunkiest men in sports with 750-horsepower engines all ready to go! Yes, I confess I’ve sat in front of my family-room TV watching lots of loud cars go screaming around in circles for hours. And I know auto racing is not supposed to be a contact sport, but I guarantee you most NASCAR fans will agree with me that it’s much more exciting to watch when it is.

DON’T GET ME WRONG!

It’s not that I want to see anyone get hurt. 99% of the time, drivers in racing wrecks come out completely unharmed. It’s just their cars that take the dents, dings and scratches. Better the cars than those mighty-fine faces.

 DRIVERS THAT MAKE MY HEART RACE

There’s something incredibly masculine about race car drivers. Not only do they take their lives in their hands every time they pass the green flag, they seem to have that outdoorsy, rugged look—always a turn-on. Combine that with a gorgeous face, and vroooom-vrooooom! I’d love to check under the hood of these three NASCAR drivers–David Ragan, Kasey Kane and Carl Edwards:

More and more women in all walks of life, and especially moms, are becoming NASCAR fans every day. CafeMom.com actually has a NASCAR group page where moto-moms can talk about their favorite driver, share photos, share race experiences and talk about their favorite tracks.  If you know a NASCAR mom, and you need some NASCAR baby gift ideas, you’re parked at the right place. Corner Stork has NASCAR baby gifts that will drive Mom wild!

Baby boys and girls look adorable in the NASCAR “Frequent Pit Stops” Romper (left,) and you must admit it tells it like it is! On the right is one of my favorites, the NASCAR Youth Rocking Chair for babies a little closer to learner’s permit age. The rocker comes in your choice of orange or red, and you’ll also be interested to know that car #9 on the race track belongs to none other than Kasey Kahne. For the record, number 20 is Tony Stewart, who’s also a speedway sweetie. Bottom line, Corner Stork Baby Gifts always take the pole position—and the checkered flag!

Come on! You know you love the show! And now that you’re going to host a baby shower, you have the chance to pay tribute to this star-making program and have more fun than you can ever imagine. It’s simple!

You’ll need a fairly large, private room somewhere, perhaps in someone’s home. Why? Because you’re going to set up a Karaoke machine! If you really want to make it easy on yourself, rent a private room at one of thousands of Karaoke spots that have popped up all over the country in the last few years. For lots of laughs, have two judges—the guest of honor and you! Do your best Simon! It’s all in fun! Be sure to have a photo camera on hand and a video camera, if you can!

MAKE THE MUSIC RELEVANT!

Give your guests lots of songs to choose from, but they all should have the word “baby” in the title. If the mom-to-be already knows the gender, include songs that have the baby’s gender in the title, too, like “Let’s Hear It For the Boy!” by Deniece Williams or “My Girl” by the Temptations.

 “GREEN ROOM” SNACKS

In TV studios, the green room is where the celebrities hang out before they’re called to the stage for a show. In the green room is a table filled with tasty foods and snacks for the talent. Your menu doesn’t have to be complicated. Soft drinks, iced tea, perhaps wine and beer. Think about what you’d eat while you’re watching TV–finger sandwiches, chips, dip, popcorn, pizza, chicken fingers, nachos, salad, deviled eggs, fresh fruit. Have a couple of sweets (doughnuts, brownies, etc.) on the table, and you’re good to go. Of course, if you want to make it more elaborate, that works, too.

SPECTACULAR DECORATIONS!

Baby shower decorations are a snap! Hang silver stars and blue streamers from the ceiling.  Sprinkle silver and blue star confetti on the tables along with baby favors that fit the theme. I don’t think you’ll find more perfect baby shower favors than “A Star is Born!” Chrome Bottle Stopper, “About to Pop!” Popcorn Favor Boxes or “A Star is Born” Stainless-Steel Cookie Cutters (below.) You’re going to Hollywood, baby! Your ratings for this shower will soar!