3 Delicious Super Bowl Finger Food Recipes

Super Bowl is this Sunday and on top of cleaning the house and prepping for your big party – make it easier on yourself and cook simple finger foods to entertain and feed your guests. Here are 3 recipes that are sure to please the football madness at your home – and even the kids!

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Helmets and Kids Skiing

Not sure if you are reading this blog item and you are from New York or the east coast, but there have been major blizzards there the past two days. I barely made it back to California for my friend’s birthday in Lake Tahoe. On the way to California, I was re-routed to Utah – a beautiful state with unbelievable snow. My boyfriend’s niece was geared up and ready to go skiing. This morning as I was bidding farewell, I got to watch her try on her K1 skis and get fitted for her helmet. What I found interesting is that she wanted to pick her helmet before trying on her skis! I think it is fantastic that she learning ski safety at age 3, and she even remembered from last winter ski season the importance of helmets from when she first learned to ski at age 2 (see picture). It’s all about safety!

Head injuries are one of the biggest contributing factors toward deaths in the snow, so it’s vital you teach your children early about the importance of wearing a helmet.

Purchasing a helmet for your kids when they ski is one of the first important steps before going to the snow and learning to ski.

What to consider:

• Does the helmet come with a certified safety standard? Check for a label of certification.
• Is it made for skiing? Don’t opt for letting your child wear their bike helmet instead just to save money.
• Ensure that the helmet fits your child’s head correctly. If it doesn’t fit, there it completely defeats the purpose of having it in the first place.
• It is recommended that you purchase brand new, as most helmets need to be replaced if they have been involved in an impact.
• Check if it has a UV rating and protect your little one’s eyes.

How to know if it fits
When looking at kids ski helmets refer to a sizing chart to assist you. Most helmets are measured in centimeters.

Steps:

1. Measure the circumference of your head (just above the eyebrows) for the most accurate measurement.
2. When a helmet is on and secured under your child’s chin, you should only be able to fit one finger between the strap and the chin
3. When secure you should be able to place 2 fingers above the eyebrow as a measure before you hit the front top of the helmet
4. Check to make sure the back of the helmet doesn’t touch the nape of the neckline.
5. Ensure ear pads are covering the ears
6. If you tilt your child’s head backwards the helmet should not move

NOTE: If you are wearing goggles, it’s important to fit your helmet with these on as they do impact on the weight and fitting of the helmet.

ALL IN ALL? Kids ski helmets are no longer considered “not cool” or “dorky” – they are cool and a fun new accessory to purchase during the winter season or a great holiday vacation!

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Milk and Honey Kids Children’s Boutique: PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

Sweet and adorable – two words to describe the Store Manager of Milk and Honey Kids children’s boutique, Barbara Ballard whom we interviewed this week for our “Premier Store Spotlight.” We couldn’t get enough of Barbara’s tips for the winter, especially with two store located in chilly Pennsylvania! From the Crayola factory to must-have winter items to her parenting tips – this store is worth visiting and worth reading about. Read below to find out more about Milk and Honey Kids stores.

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Le Top Darlings of the Day: Donny and Grayson

Brothers Grayson (6-months-old) and Donny (20 months-old) are an impressive pair. Their striking good looks and obvious charm will take them far in life. Congratulations to Donny and Grayson for being Le Top’s Darlings of the Day!

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Mike Tyson Welcomes Son Morocco Elijah

Photo By: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Mike Tyson‘s new baby boy, whom he welcomed with wife Lakiha Spicer Tyson, is sure to be a knockout! Son, Morocco Elijah Tyson, arrived January 25th in Henderson, Nevada, weighing in at 8 lbs., 13 oz., and measuring 19 inches in length. Our Le Top Baby cozy “Plane Ride” Collection footed coverall in velour will keep him cozy with all of his daddy’s jet-setting.

Le Top Baby Plane Ride collection footed coverall - click on for link

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Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem welcome a baby boy!

Photo by: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Actress, Penélope Cruz and actor Javier Bardem welcomed a baby boy in Los Angeles this past weekend. Cheers to the lovely couple and their new addition. We think this little Le Top Baby “Playtime Pups” Collection double layer blanket would be a nice addition to the baby room.

Le Top Playtime Pups blanket - click for link

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Le Top Takes: Out of the Mouths of Babes!

No, I did not say that!

A mother woke up sick so she put a movie on for her two daughters who were snuggling on the couch. The older one got off the couch and walked to her mother and said,

Go back to bed. You need privacy so you get better.”

–Jocelyn, age 3

Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!

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Toddler Discipline Secret Tactics

Every parent has been there….found themselves in deep negotiation with their 2-year-old over whether he can wear his cookie monster shirt 5 days in a row? What parent has not, at one time or another, taken a “walk of shame” out of the grocery store when their child throws themselves to the floor with a tantrum? Toddlerhood is a hard time for many parents because this is the age at which children become more independent and discover themselves as little people that are independent. BUT – although they may be able to communicate well, many have limited ability to reason.

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Here are some secret tactics I gathered from various moms on how to discipline your toddler: 

1. Think Like a Toddler
Toddlers aren’t mini-adults. They have trouble understanding many of the things we take for granted, like how to follow directions and behave appropriately. Try to see the situation from your child’s perspective and help prevent a tantrum.

Giving choices also shows that you respect your toddler and recognize your child’s feelings. In a way, this can make your child feel as though he or she has some control over the situation while you remain in charge.

2.  Avoid Stressful Situations
By the time children reach the toddler stage, you’ve spent enough time with them to know what can set them off. The most common ones are:

• Hunger
• Being tired
• Quick changes in location

With a little advance planning, you can avoid these potential “meltdown” scenarios and keep things relatively calm. If you can, try to make sure your child is home at naptimes, bedtimes, and mealtimes. If you are out, always keep food on hand in case of a sudden hunger attack.

3.  Try Distraction
Fight the urge to raise your voice at your child when he or she acts up, because your tone will either make your child distressed or curious. Instead, quickly and calmly get him interested in another activity. This is especially a good tactic for toddlers who fall down and get a “boo-boo.”

4.  Be Consistent
You and your spouse also need to be on the same page when it comes to family rules. Sending your child mixed messages about whether she’s allowed to get up from the table while everyone is eating or splash you in the bathtub will only confuse and frustrate a child.

Try to keep to the same schedule every day. That means having consistent nap times, mealtimes, and bedtimes, as well as times when your toddler is free to just run around and have fun.

5.  Keep It Positive
If you say the word “No!” to your child all the time, he may start to tune you out — or worse, begin using it himself when he doesn’t want to do something. “Save ‘No!’ for situations when safety is involved.

6. Praise Good Behavior
Sometimes, toddlers act out because they lack communication skills — and it’s a surefire way to get your attention. That’s why you should always let your child know you’re pleased whenever he does something that you like or remembers to follow one of your rules.

7. Know When to Give In
Certain things in a toddler’s life are nonnegotiable. A child has to bathe, eat, brush teeth, and ride in a car seat. Hitting and biting are never OK. Pick your battles.

8. Do the Best You Can
Finally, know that it’s OK to feel stressed out by your toddler sometimes and that you do the best you can. There are good days and bad days, but as long as you parent consistently, you are doing all you can.

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Le Top Tip: Advice and other things parents say to their children

We were talking in the office about parenting tips when the conversation turned to things our parents always told us. Some are funny and most are true. I thought I’d share them with you. They may bring back some memories or give you new ammunition with your kids. Enjoy!

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Just like mommy and daddy? Stress? Is it inherited?

I notice that many babies that are calm and relaxed, tend to have calm and relaxed parents…but is it inherited? I did a little research and here is the scoop! It is hard to tell which traits are genetically hardwired from parent habits, but it the age old question of “nature versus nurture” is what comes into play. I do know that there are thousands of genes in the chromosomes that we pass on to our children and stress is not just a simple “one-to-one”

During pregnancy any mom who claims she wasn’t stressed, even just a little, is completely lying! There is always a moment of worrying and anxiety. But, if your anxieties are high, there is a good chance of having a baby who could be just as nervous. Studies have shown that the more on “edge” a mom can be, the more negatively a baby reacts to these types of situations. According to Parents.com, “Experiencing lots of stress in pregnancy (the kind that comes from moving or fighting with your partner) can make it harder for baby to relax, even if you’re generally laid-back. Researchers suspect that Mom’s stress hormones actually affect her fetus’s central nervous system.”

I read a very interesting article that was an update to this topic: “Cathi Propper, a developmental psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her colleagues studied infants at several periods over their first year of life, inducing stress by separating them from their mothers. Using an electrocardiogram, the researchers determined the babies’ vagal tone, an indicator of how strongly the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain stem to most organs in the body, is suppressing heart rate. During stress, vagal tone decreases, allowing the heart to speed up and the body to handle the stressor. But some of the babies did not show this normal decrease in vagal tone during distressing periods; the researchers found that these infants who lacked an effective response at ages three and six months shared a particular variant of the DRD2 gene.”

Good news? These genes are not destiny. The same researchers also evaluated parents who stick to calm and sensitive parenting. So does this tactic help despite the genes that cause stress? Yes and yes! By 12 months, these babies attended to consistently with calm mannerisms responded just as effectively.  So what does that mean? There is a poster in my apartment that sums it up, “Keep calm and carry on” – it helps keep the stress away! 🙂

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