Reminder of our Cozy Cocoon Eco-Giveaway!

If you are not participating yet, act now! It is so easy.....

We  are celebrating May with the cutest Eco-Giveaway: be entered to win a  Cozy Cocoon! The winner will be able to choose one of the following:

- Organic Sweet  Pea and Pea  Pod Hat set
- Organic  Leopard Tassel  Bunting and Tassel Hat set
- Football  Bunting and Cap  set
- Flowers Bunting and Tassel  Hat set

Cozy Cocoon is designed in soft stretchy cotton knit. You simply roll it up and the baby is completely covered  and held. A perfect solution to swaddling!

Become Fan of Eco.Logical.Mom on Facebook  by May 30,  2010 and be entered to win one of this fantastic Cozy Cocoon! 

All Facebook fans of Eco.Logical.Mom are automatically entered. The winner will be announced on May 31, 2010. 


Good Luck!

Click here to become fan of Eco.Logical.Mom  

Cozy Cocoon products are provided by Cozy Cocoon Corp.
Winner will  be chosen at random.

Worst Kids' Foods

The Children's Health publication released a list of the 20 Worst Kids' Foods in America. Many products can be found overseas too!
From Smiley Face Potatoes with 524 calories and 31 grams of fat, to SunnyD Smooth Style beverage with 60 grams of sugar, it is really hard to believe that these products are marketed to kids.

Nothing like the good ol' banana, homemade smoothie, granola bar.....

Check out the complete list by clicking here.

Sources: Children's Health and msnbc

Recall: Drop-side Cribs

Here we go again, more cribs recalled! This time they were distributed in the US between January 2000 and March 2010 under the names C&T International, Sorelle and Golden Baby.

Drop-side hardware can disengage from the tracks, causing the drop side to detach from the crib. It creates space between the drop side and the crib mattress. The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space, which can lead to strangulation and/or suffocation. Complete detachment of the drop sides can lead to falls from the crib. Infants and toddlers can then become entrapped, strangle or fall out of the crib. 

Over 100 incidents have been officially reported.

Please stop using those cribs immediately. Click here for model numbers.

 

Presentation Increases Fruit Consumption by Kids

According to a recent Dutch study reported by LiveScience, if fruits are presented in a visually appealing way, kids can eat almost twice as much!
 
Researchers divided children into three groups, which were all presented with two plates of fruit. In the first session, one group was told not to eat from the plate of visually appealing fruit, while another was told not to eat from the plate of regular fruit, and a third group was told they could eat from any plate. In a second session, all children were told they could eat from any plate of fruit.The kids ate on average 4.8 ounces (135 grams) of the visually appealing fruit and about 2.6 ounces (73 grams) of the regular fruit.

Kids are recommended to eat about 1 to 2 cups of fruit a day. Parents, let's get creative!

Sources: LiveScience and msnbc

Pampers New Technology under Investigation

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission  is conducting an investigation into Pampers diapers with Dry Max, from Procter & Gamble Co.

Pamper's brands Swaddlers and Cruisers have been innovated by P&G to feature a thinner, more absorbent technology. Several parents have said that their children developed diaper rashes and some claim to have seen chemical burns on their children after they started using the products, which P&G said went through extensive testing.

Source: msnbc.com

Italy: Remembering

Was it less than a year ago? I was strolling along the streets of Venice, feasting on ribollita in Florence, taking a dip in the ocean at the Amalfi Coast, and eating zucchini-topped marina pizza in Rome after a day of visiting the Coliseum and the Forum?

My Italian literary travels have me reminiscing about by actual visit. How I remember...

The sun setting in Venice.

Nuns interacting with the famous residents of St. Mark's Square.

A contented Burano cat.

A cozy bar in Venice.

A man with his dog.

A cheerful table at our bed and breakfast in the outskirts of Venice.

Wanting to take a dip myself in a Venice fountain.

A fruit market in Venice in the evening.

That laundry hangs out to dry everywhere in Italy, from the tiniest apartments to country villas, we yet think it's impossible to part with our dryers.

Wondering if I was in Italy, or Norway?

The road in Tuscany outside our country inn.

Mushroom parpadelle eaten...

....under the stars in Florence.

Always finding a little bit of France wherever I go. These biscotti were made by a French baker at a street market in Florence.

Snoozing among the souvenirs in Capri.

Finally trying campari, and realizing I don't like it!

A garden paradise by the sea in Capri.

In the land of lemons, a lemon Vespa.

Lemon risotto.

Have my Marge from the Talented Mr. Ripley moment (before Tom Ripley entered their lives).

Wishing I could express my enthusiasm for life the way this Tuscan cat can.


Over fancy jewelry, over pricey clothes, over flashy cars, over expensive gadgets, I take travel.

Musical Instruments for Kiddos

Music is an important element of kids education. Learning to play musical instruments will give them a new perspective and appreciation for high quality music in general.
We did some research and found a few great instruments designed for kids. They are all well rated  by parents, and loved by kids. Definitely a good start!

Melissa and Doug Learn-to-Play Piano: 25 hand tuned keys, and songbook included.

Vilac Maracas: Colorful, and made with high quality wood.

Sevi Tambourine: Hand-made,  painted with kid- and eco-friendly materials.

Plan Toy Xylophone: Solid wooden mallet strikes the bars for melodious notes.