Lego Duplo Fire Station

As you could probably tell by our recent by our recent post on Lego-inspired cupcakes, I'm a huge fan of Lego toys. The fact is I almost always prefer lo-tech, building toys to ones that only require a child to press a button. So when I was offered a chance to try out the new Lego Duplo Fire Station this month with my 3-year-old, I grabbed it with both hands.



Just a tip: If your child is a toddler or preschooler, he or she will definitely need help setting up the fire station and vehicles the first time. (I put my husband in charge of this duty. *wink*) But after that, feel free to let their little imaginations rip. My son has thoroughly enjoyed taking apart the original creation and turning it into lots of different things. To be honest I'm not even sure our Lego set is even a fire house anymore, but it's exactly what the munchkin wants it to be. Another good point: the pieces are larger than the Legos you might remember from your childhood, so I felt these were much safer for the under-5 crowd.

Finally, outside of the lighthearted play we've enjoyed in the last couple of weeks, we also are happy to see such a diverse crew for this fire station. My son takes all of them to bed with him each night and it's comforting to know that Lego is reinforcing the idea of a diverse world. Would I buy this toy for my son? Absolutely. In fact, with Christmas coming up, I'm also eyeing the Busy Garage

Birthday Cake Idea: Legos!

-by Erica

Aren't these awesome? They're courtesy of Betty Crocker and would be perfect for my little Lego-lover. Check out the recipe, here

So, What's the Deal With the Tylenol Recall?

Many parents of young children were already wary of giving their little ones over-the-counter cold medicine and pain reliever. Now Tylenol is in the midst of a major recall involving children’s and infants’ liquid products made between April, 2008 and June, 2008. Apparently, the company is concerned that an inactive ingredient in the formulas may have been contaminated with bacteria.
Need to see the whole list of Tylenol's recalled products? Click here

Tuck In The Kids, Turn On Mo'nique

This Fall, mommies and daddies will have a new way to unwind at the end of the night. That's because actress/comedienne Mo'Nique is hitting the airwaves with yet another project. This time it's her very own late-night program airing every weeknight. The Mo'nique Show premieres one week from today (that's Monday, October 5th) on BET. She promises lots of laughs, celebrity guests and musical performances.

Here's a taste of what viewers can expect:




And you can click below for more about the show, and its lineup:

Fall Shoes: See Kai Run

Just in time for Fall, See Kai Run is rolling out several new styles for babies, older kids and everyone in between. For the first two years of his life, my little one wore almost nothing but SKRs because we liked the sturdiness and the craftmanship. Here's just a sampling of what See Kai Run is offering this season in butter soft leather and suede:

To see more, visit See Kai Run online. In addition to showing off new designs, the shoe store is also having a nice sale on older styles.

Find of the Day: Little Boy Lounge Pants

I love the Fall. It's absolutely my favorite season. But the transition from Summer can make it difficult to know exactly how to dress your little boy, since the only choices are shorts or pants. We find ourselves asking each morning "What's the temperature doing?" But don't fret. When shorts aren't enough send in the lounge pants (NOT pajama pants, mind you), especially since they're being sold for a song this time of the year. Here are some really great handmade buys on Etsy right now.


By JaEmArt
$9



By BCreativedesigns
$10.50


By Layetteonmebaby
$9


By Tikitales
$30

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Good Stars

"Good stars!" My dad used to say that every now and then. How we miss those old sayings when our parents pass on.

Today's image was provided this week by the Hubble Space Telescope. It shows stars bursting to life from the chaos of the Carina Nebula. Pictures like this remind us all that so much of nature is beyond our control - and our reach. Is it any wonder our children seem to appreciate the sun, moon, and stars more than we do?

Is Your Child Active Enough?

by MrsCCM


I think many times we forget that our children have physical activity needs just as we do. Are we being good role models? I know some times I am not the best role model and others I am a great role model for my kids. So, to make sure kids get the proper activity I think we should consider the CDC’s guidelines which are particularly not difficult to follow.
First of all we need to make sure our kids are getting enough physical activity. Kids should have sixty minutes or more of physical activity daily. Simple things such as walking, running, riding bike, you know the things we used to do before the video games came around. Make sure three days a week it is vigorous activity such as walking. How about a game of hide and go seek? You remember the games we played outside, I have found once I introduced them to my kids they absolutely loved it. Remember you can do these things with your kids and get in your physical activity in as well.

We also need to consider muscle strengthening activities. Things such as gymnastics, and push ups are good options to strengthen muscles. I am sure you can think of many more activities such as those to help strengthen your child’s muscles. These should be done at least 3 days a week for 60 minutes or more.

Finally, we need to include bone strengthening activities. These activities should also be done 3 times a week for at least 60 minutes. Jumping rope and running are good examples.
If you noticed a lot of things overlap and easily can be a part of child’s daily life. Kids and adolescents have to meet the same guidelines, but they are going to of course be approached differently. Make sure you provide things that will encourage your child to play with things that encourage activity. Does your child have a bike, balls, skates or rollerblades and things such as those? You can get out ride your bike with your kids. Many places are incorporating walking trails in there communities, we should be taking advantage of those. The latest and greatest is Wii Fit, kids just think it is fun and don’t even think about the exercise, so it may be something you want to invest in for your family. We need to make these family efforts and start doing “old school” activities with our children.

The best gift we can give our kids is a healthy life. Too many kids are obese, have adult onset diabetes due to weight, and are being teased which ruins their self esteem and we need to help do our part in solving this problem. It is easy for us to get out motivate our kids to be active. Remember we are ALWAYS our child’s first and best teacher he will ever have.

Britax Car Seats: On Sale!

Just a quick note today to pass along word that the folks at Diapers.com have put several of their most popular Britax car seats on sale. Right now, you can save $50 on various models, including the Marathon and Boulevard convertible car seats. On top of all that, you also get Free Shipping on Infant, Toddler, and Convertible Car Seats, and Booster Seats. Here are some of the styles available:



Get all the details by going to On top of all that, you also get Diapers.com

Happy Soap from SunBasilGarden

Having trouble getting your little one excited about taking a bath? It helps to have a few tubby toys and a little bubble bath on hand. But, you also can't go wrong with a fun bar of soap. I fell in love with this one from SunBasilGarden, called Pancakes, Eggs and Bacon soap:



Genius! Now why didn't anyone have this kind of stuff when I was a kid???