Choking Hazards

Lately, my 1-year-old has been an eating machine.  Anything we put on her little high-chair table goes into her mouth.  It's been a joy to watch her eat with such gusto, particularly since my older child was a picky eater. 

However, I recently read a sobering article about choking hazards that has given me pause at the dinner table.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the top 10 choking hazards for young children are:

1) hot dogs
2) peanuts
3) carrots
4) boned chicken
5) candy
6) meat
7) popcorn
8) fish with bones
9) sunflower seeds
10) apples

I will admit that I let my 3-year-old daughter eat popcorn because it keeps her quiet while we are at Target.  But apparently, anyone under the age of 5 is in danger of choking while eating popcorn.  A New York Times piece describes a popcorn incident which had fatal consequences for one family.  Scary stuff.  I probably won't buy it for her again. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics is now urging the Food and Drug Administration to require warning labels on these choking hazard foods.  Do you think this is necessary?  Or should parents just know better?

Cooking with love...

I have to admit that I cook because I have to and no one else will do it if I don't.  I wish I had a passion for cooking but I honestly don't.  With that said, I still want to provide my family with healthy and nutrious meals that taste good.  My go to resources are:

• Cooking Light Magazine
• Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Recently, I discovered two other resources -- blogs:

• Cooking with Trader Joe's:  This is a fun resource to learn about new offerings at Trader Joe's.
• Simple Bites:   Nice, simple and casual read. 

 What are some of your favorite cooking/recipe resources?

Taking Better Photos of Your Kids

After my firstborn arrived, we didn't have the budget for professional baby photos.  But like every typical first-time parent, I was camera happy and wanted to capture every...single... moment.  Too bad my pictures looked like the amateur that I was.  For every 20 shots I took, I got one good one.  (Thank goodness for digital cameras!)

Slowly, through trial and error, I finally did learn how to take some decent photos.  One thing I did learn quickly was that using natural light instead of a flash made for much prettier pictures.  Of course, this is tip #1 from New York City-photographer Sabra Krock's article on the Estella blog. Wish I had these three years ago!

1. Turn your flash off and use natural light
2. Get to know our camera
3. Get candid
4. Don't forget yourself -- remember to include yourself in some pictures!
5. Don't leave home without it (your camera)
6. Hire a pro
7. Get in close -- don't be shy about getting in your baby's face.
8. Click, click, click -- channel your inner-fashion-photographer and take as many shots as possible.
9. Pay attention to the background
10. Experiment with framing your shot

See all ten articles here.

FREE Disney music

Our kids love music. We listen to music when we're cooking, driving and just whenever we want a jam session. Their daddy is really good about introducing various types of music from classical to techno dance. So, I was so happy to learn that Walt Disney Records is giving away FREE Disney music (anything free is a good thing)! On Monday, Disney Records started 50 Days of Summer on Facebook where they are offering a free song a day for 50 days. Become a fan (or "like') them on Facebook and you'll see a new link everyday for the next 48 days. Enjoy!

Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) came out with a shopper's guide to pesticides. See the list below:

The Dirty Dozen (worst to worse):

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)

The Clean Fifteen:

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn (Frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6. Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe (Dometic)
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Honeydew Melon

Realistically, most people cannot afford to buy 100% organic all the time. But by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and buying the least contaminated produce, you can lower your pesticide consumption by 80%. When you eat the 12 most contaminated product, you'll be exposed to an average of 10 pesticide a day. When you buy fresh produce from the least 15 contaminated fruits and vegetables, you'll consumer fewer than 2 pesticides per day.

Children are at greatest risk because of their rapid development. Children's exposure to pesticides can pose a risk to vital organ systems that grow and mature from conception throughout infancy and childhood. However, with all that said, the EWG writes that the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweighs the risks of pesticide exposure. Eating conventionally grown produce is better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

Come one, Come all! Join us on FACEBOOK!

We are partnering with TotBargains for a $50 e-giftcard giveaway!

To enter our $50 enfanta e-gift card giveaway, complete these three steps by Monday, May 10th at 8pm EST:

1. Become a fan of (or “like”!) Enfanta on Facebook.

2. Become a fan of (or “like”!) TotBargains on Facebook.

3. Comment to our Facebook announcement of the contest with what you’d like to buy with your $50 at enfanta if you win!

For one extra entry each, you can re-tweet our contest announcement on Twitter and/or “Share” our post with your Facebook friends. In both cases, make sure you leave a comment in the same Facebook thread as your original entry that you did!

The contest ends on Monday, May 10th at 8pm EST. TotBargains will choose the winning Facebook comment using random.org’s random number generator.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Children's & Infants' OTC recall

If you haven't already heard, McNeil has just voluntarily recalled some of their over-the-counter children's and infants' liquid products including:

Children's & Infants' Tylenol
Children's & Infants' Motrin
Children's Zyrtec
Children's Benadryl

According to the FDA press release, the products were recalled "due to manufacturing deficiencies which may affect quality, purity or potency." If you should have a need for any of the above products, the FDA advises to use generic versions of the above products which have not been affected by the recall. See the full release here.

I just used two of these products on my 11-month old a couple weeks ago and while we suffered no ill effects, I'll be chucking them in the wastebasket as soon as I finish writing this post.

Earth Day

i have never been the most eco-friendly person but as a parent, i've found myself making the change. in the last four years, we've taken steps as a family to be more "green" - eating organic, recycling, solar panels, reusable bags, making my own cleaner, etc... i ran across this great article - "40 Ways You Can Go Green on Earth Day" by Discovery's Planet Green. reading through the list, i realized that as a family, we are already doing at least 19 of the 40 recommended things. how green are you? what kind of changes do you plan to make?

1. Start carrying a reusable bag.


2. Bring a travel mug to your favorite coffee shop.


3. Eat an all-local meal.


4. Take public transit.


5. Walk or bike instead of driving.


6. Install a water filter on your tap so you don't feel the need to drink bottled water.


7. Install an aerator on your kitchen tap to reduce water use.


8. Replace old toilets with dual flush models.


9. Invest in rechargeable batteries.


10. Start buying and using compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or LED light bulbs.


11. Take hazardous waste to your local drop-off center.


12. Switch to all-natural cleaners (homemade or store-bought).


13. Stop using paper plates.


14. Buy a bunch of tea towels and ban paper towels from your home.


15. Build a backyard compost bin.


16. Plant a garden to help promote biodiversity.


17. Switch to eating organics, especially fruits and vegetables.


18. Flush your pet's poop instead of throwing it in the garbage.


19. Install a water-saving shower head.


20. Invest in cloth napkins and stop buying paper ones!


21. Plant a tree in your yard.


22. Share your green know-how with others.


23. Try a locally-brewed and/or organic beer.


24. Plug your electronics into a smart power strip, which automatically senses when electronics aren't being used and cuts power to avoid phantom power use.


25. Take a short shower (5 to 10 minutes).


26. Head to the library to indulge your reading habit instead of the bookstore.


27. Turn your thermostat down at night or when you're at work.


28. Throw a clothing swap.


29. Find new ways to use old things.


30. Recycle your old sneakers with Nike's Reuse a Shoe program.


31. Get a solar charger for your iPod and other electronics with built-in batteries.


32. Take the train instead of a plane if you're traveling.


33. Switch to a renewable energy provider.


34. If you're not doing it already, start recycling!


35. Carpool with coworkers or friends who work close to your office.


36. Ask your boss if you can telecommute even one day per week.


37. Plan a green vacation.


38. Repair a pair of favorite shoes instead of buying a new pair.


39. Recycle your old electronics at Best Buy.


40. Donate your old cell phone to a charity.


41. Turn off your computer, head outside, and do something that requires only your own energy!

April Showers...

...bring May flowers! I remember learning that saying in grade school. And although the showers here in the Pacific NW aren't officially gone until July (yes, it's true), all that extra rain means gardens really thrive here.

Many moms I know plant small gardens and get their children to be involved. Sure, it's a great way to show kids where our foods come from and perhaps give them a watered-down science lesson as well. But my daughter just loves the digging, watering and playin' in the dirt. Since it's outside, I don't mind the mess, and it's been a great way for us to bond.

I found some safety tips from Parents.com that are well-worth keeping in mind while creating a garden haven with your little ones:

• Pay attention to which products you use. Keep chemical fertilizers, weed killers, and insecticides away from kids. Better yet, the association advises, don't use them. Stick with natural methods instead.
• Offer kid-sized tools. Shovels and rakes that are the right size for an adult can be dangerous for your kids. Invest in pint-sized versions.
• Test your soil for lead. Homes built before 1970 often have lead paint. Even newer homes may have lead in their gardens, since soil is often trucked in from another location.
• Be careful with water. Remember that a bucket of water can be dangerous for a toddler, so be sure to supervise carefully when water is around.
• Monitor for allergies. Kids may have reactions to certain plants or flowers. Be on the alert for sneezing or skin irritations.

See the full article here.

Facts about Sun Exposure

it's not even summer yet, but since we're in california, i need to start thinking about sunscreen for the little ones. the other day, they went to the playground for several hours, it was still in the 60s, so we didn't even think about applying sunscreen. the next morning, they both woke up looking a little red. so now, i'm on a mission to find the perfect non-toxic sunscreen (i'll cover that topic in another post). in the meantime, i thought, i would share an article that covers the facts about sun exposure and sun safety.

we've really been lucky with my older daughter when it comes to dental hygiene. one of her favorite parts of the bedtime routine has always been brushing her teeth. it doesn't hurt that she's got a fancy personalized step stool, yummy tasting toothpaste, and several character-laden toothbrushes on rotation in her bathroom. hey, whatever works right?

unfortunately, she's in what i like to call her DIM phase or "do-it-myself" phase of her toddler-hood. which sometimes means that she likes to brush her own teeth without any of mom's or dad's help. we usually let her give it a try and wince when she gives her teeth a cursory brushing, and then sucks off all the fruit-punch flavored paste from the brush. then we go back in and do a proper cleaning.

of course, there will be a day when she'll brush her teeth without our help. but how to teach her the importance of doing a proper job? i found this idea (via ohdeedoh!):


how cute is that? i know my daughter will love pretending to brush these marshmallow teeth.

Birthday Party Etiquette

i love parties as much as the next person, but i think i'm burned out on little kid birthday parties. throw in some wine, i might be singing a different song. anyway, before i start to digress... starting in late february, we have been to at least one birthday party a weekend, sometimes even two in one day. don't get me wrong, i appreciate the fact that my daughter has friends and they want to celebrate their birthday with her, but i am EXHAUSTED. it's surprising because we only go to about a third of the parties that our kids are invited to, but even still, we have been to a lot of parties in the last 4 weeks.

since we are still in the middle of birthday party season, i thought i would share with you an article on birthday party etiquette for kids. we could all use a little refresher, right?

Spring Showers Bring May Flowers or Allergies?!?

i love everything about spring - crisp air, spring showers, sunshine, sprouting flowers, etc. so, to get in step with spring, i wanted to get new plants for our front yard. i wanted to get "allergy friendly" plants because my husband and daughter have seasonal allergies. when i asked around about "allergy friendly" plants, everyone gave me blank stares. even my husband.

today, i ran across an article from health.com, "10 worst plants for your allergies". it gave me a good sense for what i should avoid. now, i need to find a list of 10 best plants for your allergies. anyone have any leads for me?

we had a beautiful sunny day today and the fresh air inspired me to do some spring cleaning. this wasn't just the casual counter wipe-down. i was on my hands and knees with a toothbrush trying to get the last bit of grime out of the grout on the bathroom floor tiles.

by the time i was done, my back was a wreck, the skin on my hands was dry and reptilian, and worst of all, the entire house smelled of chemicals. so much for my fresh spring air. of course, the culprit behind the scaly skin and stinky house were the harsh chemicals in the cleaning products i've been using. i know none of this is good for me, my family or the environment. but since i already had these products, i feel obliged to finish off what's left in the bottles.

i have been meaning to try cleaning without these harsh chemicals. of course, there are lot of tips on the internet. i found a compilation tips on cleaning without chemicals from trusty Martha, cleaning-with-vinegar tips and some homemade cleanser recipes. green, clean and cheap.

as for my backache? nothing a good massage can't fix, something i deserve after all that cleaning anyway.

we had a playdate the other day with some of my older daughter's friends at an indoor play area. it was a typical playdate for 3-year-olds: squealing, some squabbling, and of course, snacking. my daughter saw her playmates starting to munch so she wandered over to the coffee bar where they had all the kiddie snacks placed at her eye level. my daughter grabbed her preferred mid-morning morsel right out of the display area (chocolate milk and veggie straws) and made a run for the eating area.

of course, when we got home an hour later, my daughter had no appetite for a real lunch. "i'm not hungry!", she declared. which made me think about the nutritional value of those veggie straws and the sugar content in her chocolate milk. and then i was reminded of a New York Times article i read last week about how parents these days are raising a generation of snackers. instead of eating well-rounded, nutritious meals, our little ones are constantly grazing on chips, cookies and sugary drinks. A few choice tidbits from the article:

"...On average, children reach for cookies, chips and other treats about three times a day, consuming nearly 600 daily calories from snacks. That’s an increase of 168 snack calories compared with what children ate in the late 1970s..."

"...Although daily snack calories have increased by 168, overall daily eating during the study period increased by only 113 calories. This suggests that snacking has eroded meal time and that children are taking in slightly fewer calories during breakfast, lunch and dinner, when more healthful foods are typically served, because of their intense snacking habits... "

yikes! what the article said was totally true. at home, i thoughtlessly give my daughter snacks from time to time and then wonder why she isn't hungry for lunch or dinner. every playdate or child-oriented activity my older daughter attends has a correlating snack. it's almost as if a playdate just wouldn't be complete without a snack.

so, here's a late new year's resolution to cutting down on snacking and serving up healthier grub when a snack is requested. more fruits and veggies, less cookies and chips!

dirty bath toys

what kid doesn't like playing with toys in the bath? my daughter probably wouldn't take a bath unless she had her menagerie of rubber dolphins, and fish, and ducks (oh my!). i do try to disinfect them, but it's one of many chores that usually falls by the wayside... after watching this piece from NBC's Today show, i'm heading up to the girls' bathroom and just throwing out most of her tub toy collection.

as part of the Today show's "Secret Filth Exposed!" series, Today asked NYU microbiologist Philip Tierno, a household germ expert, to test several bath toys on loan from a handful of families. what he found coating these innocent looking toys is truly disgusting: fecal matter, e. coli, strep, and staph aureus bacteria.

"bathwater becomes literally a bacterial soup. the toys are the depository of these organisms" said Tierno.

the worst culprits of course were the toys with holes since they usually allow for bacteria to be trapped inside. Tierno opened up some of those toys and what they found inside were compared to the walls of sewers. blech!

see the entire eye-opening and stomach-turning clip below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

For my first blog entry, I want to share some of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes. I think you'll sense a common theme. I grew up reading Dr. Seuss books and now, I love reading them to my kids.


“Today you are You, that is truer than true.
There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”


Happy reading everyone!
nancy

cross-body convenience

i try not to be a slave to fashion trends, but the latest cross-body handbag trend is made for multi-tasking moms. i can picture myself ditching the oversized diaper bag and draping a small pouch over my torso for a morning of errands. keys, wallet and phone -- all I need to pop into the grocery store or pick up my older daughter at school. on-trend, casual, and best of all, hands-free (in a non-fanny-pack way).

now all i have to do is find the just-right bag to take that spot next to my hip. here are my top candidates:

MARC by MARC JACOBS' Totally Turnlock Percy

Clare Vivier's Le Mini Sac

Anya Hindmarch's Handsfree

introducing....

enfantamama!

a little about me:
born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love (a.k.a Philadelphia)
currently living in the Pacific NW
former reporter
mother of two little girls
married to a sports nut & devoted dad

i'll be one of the contributors to this blog, posting on anything relating to moms + kids: fashion, design, latest news, food, crafts, etc. and sometimes, i'll just be using this blog to share my own experiences.