Highest Paid Reality Stars of 2010

The Daily Beast recently published the Top 12 Highest Paid reality stars.

1. Kim Kardashian: $6 MM
2. Lauren Conrad: $5 MM
3. Bethany Frankel: $4 MM
4. Audrina Patridge: $3.5 MM
5. Kate Gosselin: $3.5 MM
6. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino: $3 MM
7. Khloe Kardashian: $2.5 MM
8. Kourtney Kardashian: $2.5 MM
9. Paul D from MTV's Real World: $2 MM. 
10. Kendra Wilkinson: $2 MM

Check out The Daily Beast's article for all the details. They list the various projects each person had throughout the year, which makes me feel a little bit better. They aren't making all of this money from 10 episodes of their reality TV show.

Custom Santa Video Letter For Kids

Thanks to Mom Advice, I came across this super cute video letter from Santa that you can customize for your kids. It allows you to put in their first name, age, and choose from a list of things your kids should do to be "good" (i.e.. listen to your mom, go to bed when your parents tell you to, eat your vegetables, etc...). It even allows you to upload photos of your child to appear in Santa's book and a picture of the toy their hoping Santa brings them. It's easy and FREE!

Check it out. Your kids are sure to get a kick out of it.

8 Great Books For Young Children

Looking for some new great books for boys? Below are the books my son requests over and over again. 

Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash! By Barbara Odanaka

Any boy that has an interest in garbage trucks will love this one. It features two piglet brothers excited on garbage day morning. The story is told through rhymes and has lots of noise, trucks, and dirt. Ages: Preschool - Grade 1

Sheep in a Jeep

by Nancy Shaw

Great rhyming story that is short and sweet, so you won't mind reading it over and over again. Your little one will soon memorize it and love "reading" it to you.
Ages 1+

The Little Blue Truck
by Alice Schertle

A sweet rhyming story with beautiful illustrations that teaches empathy. This story everything little boys love including farm animals and a big dump truck. 

Ages 2+

Super Duck

by Jez Alborough

Super Duck saves the day when his friend frog gets swept off into the sky while holding a kite. Another rhyming story that my son has memorized and loves to read along with me. 

Ages: 2- Grade 2

Corduroy
by Dan Freeman

A classic story that my son continues to request this story over and over again. He also proudly wears his overalls saying "I'm wearing overalls, just like Corduroy."
Ages: 2 - Preschool

What James Likes Best

by Amy Schwartz

James, a preschooler living in the city, goes on four outings with his parents. At the end of each short story, kids are asked "And What do you think James liked best? The toy telephone, the muffin or the..." My son loves the opportunity to share his thoughts and the questions make story time even more of an exchange between the two of us. 

Ages: 2 - Preschool 

Stellaluna

by Janell Cannon

The heartwarming story of a baby bat separated from it's mother and is adopted by a mama bird and her nestlings. Stellaluna finds it difficult fitting in as a bird only to discover that her bat instincts are normal -- a very happy ending. 

Ages: 2 - Preschool

Skippyjon Jones
By Judy Schnacher

This is the first in a series about Skippyjon Jones, a cat with a BIG imagination and takes the reader along with him on his great adventures. Beautiful illustrations. We are still growing into this one.

Ages: Preschool - Grade 3

What's your little readers favorite books? Please share, we are always on the lookout for a good story.

Atlanta Christmas Activity For Kids

I'm a big fan of Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts and recently took my little one to see their production of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. He's 2.5 years old and was riveted. It's a great show (about an hour long) and I was so impressed the puppets are all made on sight and the puppeteers also do all of the singing live.  Looking for a fun Christmas activity for the kids? I highly recommend this show for kids 2 -10 years old.

See below for the show's trailer.

Zoo Atlanta's Mommy & Me 2 & 3 yr olds

I just got back with my almost 3 yr old son from Zoo Atlanta's Mommy and Me program. We had a great time and I highly recommend it. We're scheduled for the next session on Dec 11th: Panda Playtime. They still have spaces available if you are interested. Here are the details:

December 11th 10:30 -1130 am:: Panda Playtime
Join us for this special Mommy and Me devoted to pandas. Learn more about China’s national treasure and the pandas here at Zoo Atlanta.

Join us for a program exclusively for 2 to-3-year-olds and their favorite grownups! This exciting, hands-on program allows you both to explore different toddler-friendly concepts all about animals. A three-week series program and one-day options are available. All topics and activities are designed specifically for the developmental needs of 2 and 3-year-olds.

Each session includes:
    • a guided walk through part of the Zoo to see animals
    • an up-close encounter with an education animal
    • play-time at discovery stations featuring crafts, story time, and other great activities

Program Information

• Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday

•  Cost: $16 for Members for one adult/child pair ($8.00 per person); $36 for Non-Members for one adult/child pair ($18.00 per person)
• An adult must accompany children.
• Payment in full is required at time of reservation; reservations and payment required 1 week in advance of program date.
• Family Programs are subject to cancellation if minimum number of participants is not met.

Register online for Mommy and Me. Call 404.624.WILD with questions or email education@zooatlanta.org.

Hyland's Teething Tablets May Pose Poisoning Risk To Babies and Toddlers

The FDA is warning consumers that Hyland’s Teething Tablets may pose a risk to children.  They are warning people to stop using and discard Hyland’s Teething Tablets. The manufacturer is recalling this product.



Why are they being recalled?
FDA analysis and testing identified some Hyland’s Teething Tablets that contained varying amounts of belladonna, a potentially toxic ingredient.

What is belladonna?
Belladonna is commonly known as Deadly Nightshade.  It is a plant whose leaves and berries are extremely toxic.  Belladonna has been used as both a poison and a medicine throughout history.

What are symptoms of belladonna toxicity or overdose?
Belladonna alkaloids have anticholinergic effects.  Classic signs of anticholinergic toxicity include fast heart rate, increased body temperature, dry skin and dry mouth, skin flushing, constipation, decreased urination, agitation, disorientation, hallucinations, and dilated pupils.  Drowsiness may also be seen in infants.

Are Hyland’s Teething Tablets approved by the FDA?
FDA has not evaluated Hyland’s Teething Tablets for safety or efficacy, and is not aware of any proven clinical benefit offered by the product.

Many thanks to my friend Nicole, for sharing this with me. I used these all the time with my son when he was teething and was planning on using them with my baby-to-be.

I'll be on the lookout for safe teething alternatives. If you know of any, please share them with me.

Hot Dogs: A Major Choking Hazard for Toddlers

In the past two years I've known two toddlers who've died by choking on hot dogs and feel the need to pass on the following information as a reminder to fellow parents.

Hot dogs are especially dangerous for young children because of the cylindrical shape, it can wedge itself perfectly into a child's windpipe and block airways. What most people don’t realize is that the circumference of a hot dog is nearly the same size as a child’s throat. When a round slice or bite of hot dog is swallowed without being chewed, the piece can lodge in the throat causing suffocation, sometimes within a matter of minutes.

According to U.S. News & World Report, "Choking is a leading cause of injury and death in young children, and food is one of the main culprits, causing 60 percent of the 17,000 choking cases that land kids in the emergency room each year. Between 66 and 77 children under age 10 die from choking on food each year. And because of the cylindrical shape that seems custom-made to lodge in a kid's throat, hot dogs are the food most commonly associated with fatal choking among children."

This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending hot dogs come with a warning label.

How to cut a hot dog into pieces so they are less likely to cause choking:
1. First slice the hotdog in half length wise.
2. Then slice the hotdog into small pieces along the width of the hot dog

What do when an an infant or toddler is choking from the Pediatric Care Alliance.