So it seems like a huge oversight that baby and toddler clothes have no such rule. The Consumer Products Safety Commission has issued voluntary guidelines about children’s clothes, such that manufacturers should not use drawstrings in hoods for babies and toddlers as they pose a strangulation hazard. But despite this, 27 children have died since 1987 in accidents involving drawstrings in clothing.

Baby clothing is often decorated with bows, buttons, little flowers, and other trimmings, which look pretty, but can be pulled off and can be a choking hazard. Trumpette’s mary-jane socks are the must-have footwear for the crawling set. Their Rosie mary jane socks with little rosebuds are adorable but have have fabric flowers on each sock which could easily come loose and find their way into baby’s mouth - especially so since many babies like to play with their feet.

So it’s up to us, as parents, to make sure our children’s clothes are safe. Most major baby clothing brands, conscious of possible lawsuits if their product harmed a baby, sell generally safe clothes. Carters, Old Navy, Gap, and Gymboree, don’t sell clothes with drawstrings, and usually avoid excess decoration.

Clothing that is more likely to be hazardous are value brands, second-hand clothing, and designer baby clothes.

Value clothes sell by looking cute, are more likely to have extra embellishments and features like buttons and studs and drawstrings.

Second-hand clothes with decorations on should be examined carefully to make sure any trimmings are not coming loose with wear.

Designer baby clothes are designed to look good first and foremost, then functionality and safety tend to come in second and third. So as well as the label, check that the workmanship is as high as the price tag and that any sparkly or frilly bits are not going to come off in baby’s mouth.

It’s almost impossible to resist pretty baby clothes, and they can be worn safely with just a little care. Keep an eye on your baby’s clothes, and if any decorations on your baby’s clothes are coming loose, either sew it back down securely, or snip it off. Watch for snaps coming loose, and loose threads too, and either repair or toss the garment.

Have a fashionable and safe wardrobe!

Once, I lost my blind child in the store. I thought she was holding onto the cart, but when I looked around a few minutes later and discovered that I’d lost her. We did find her a short while later sobbing in the next aisle. That experience prompted me to make some changes in our shopping routine.

During busy shopping seasons, I don’t take the kids with me. If my husband is traveling on business, I pay a neighbor to watch the children for me. If I have no choice but to shop with kids in tow, I go smart shopping. I go early in the morning or in the evening when the stores aren’t so crowded. I avoid the mid-day shopping rush and also the rush at the stores at 5pm when people are getting home from work.

I’ve found that it’s best to go shopping with a game plan. I make sure I know what I want and where I’m going to get it. This means that I research before hand to find out where the best sales are. If an item I want is not in stock during a sale, I ask for a “rain check” at customer service. This means that I can get the sale price on the item when the store gets the item in stock.

In recent years, I’ve found that I can find great deals online. This has cut back my shopping time and saved me a lot of stress! Many online stores offer free shipping deals during this time of year and that makes it worth my while to shop there. However, it may still be worth it to shop at an online store even if you have to pay shipping. For example, how much gas and time will you spend driving to that brick and mortar store? How much will it cost you in “aggravation dollars” to have to deal with the kids and the other stressed shoppers? And in my case, how much does a sitter cost? When you look at it that way, shipping and handling costs are a deal!

This year, will you do most of your shopping online, or at a brick and mortar store?

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Groovy Fashions™ Sassy Jammies™ Doll Clothing Sets

Units: About 9,200

Manufacturer: Manhattan Group, of Minneapolis, Minn.

Hazard: Surface paints on the pajama pants contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled doll clothing set features a two-piece pajama set, eye mask and slippers. The pajama top is pink satin and the pants are dark brown with multiple-colored flowers printed on them.

Sold at: Mail order, Internet and specialty gift stores nationwide from January 2008 through October 2008 for about $12.

Manufactured in: Indonesia

Remedy: Consumers should take the product away from young children immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund or store credit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Manhattan Group at (800) 541-1345 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.manhattantoy.com

But the truth is that it’s NOT all good. In fact, according to the Josephson Institute’s 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth, our kids are not good at all.

After surveying 30,000 students in private and public high schools across the U.S., researchers learned that our kids are not only more troubled than ever, but their consciences are clear about it.

“Not my kid” think most parents. Well, chances are–yes, it is your kid. And I hate to say it, but kids in the religious schools were in the bottom of the barrel. OK, so most of us have told little lies, things we can’t even remember. We try not to. But when it comes to important things, the kind of lie that you have to think about, most adults wouldn’t do it. But our kids would. In fact 83% of them (and that’s just the ones who will admit it) say that they have lied to their parents about something SIGNIFICANT! They even get a little cheeky about their dishonesty. 26% of them said they lied on at least one of the survey questions! Of course, the gender breakdown shows that boys are worse liars than girls, either that or they are more honest on surveys.
OK, so maybe you don’t think a lie now and then makes them a moral failure. Does cheating?

64% of American teens cheated at least once this year. But if you’re in the midwest, take heart–”only” 59% of your kids cheat. As a former high school teacher, I know that a huge number of kids don’t even consider some of their actions to be cheating. They’ll protest that a friend “helped” them with their homework, meaning they copied word-for-word the last five questions they didn’t finish. Sadly, the highest rate was among kids in private religious schools.

Here again, you may say, “Well, I cheated on a couple of tests, but I turned out fine.” But were you a thief? Now, let me be fair and say most kids are not admitting to stealing. But way too many of them are quite willing to admit their klepto tendencies. Overall, about 1 in 3 of them take things from relatives, friends–and stores.

But it’s all good. When asked how they feel about their own character, they feel pretty good about themselves. Especially when compared to the wretches they call friends. 77% said they are better than MOST of the people they know. But we’ve been telling them for years that they need to follow their own hearts and moral compasses, and not compare themselves to anyone else. That must be why 93% said they are satisfied with their personal ethics and character.

Just think, these are the leaders of tomorrow. I am not entirely surprised about the cheating thing, having been in the public schools for twelve years. But I was so disheartened by the results. I know it’s just one survey, but it was a huge sample. And this Institute has repeated this research, and the results are getting worse every time. I look at my precious baby girl and wonder what am I going to do to steer her away from what almost EVERYONE around her is doing?

Every parent knows the routine: the fussy baby, the listless toddler, the cranky pre-schooler, the high thermometer reading, and then comes the question - what do I do now?

The two most common fever remedies for children are paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) and ibuprofen. I have to admit I’ve tried both for my kids. According to both products’ labels, they can only be given to the child with a time interval of 8 hours. From my experience, however, the fever comes back long before the 8 hours is up. What do we do then? Do we wait or do we risk giving them a second dose too early? I’ve heard from other moms that they tended to combine the two by giving alternating doses, as recommended by their GPs or pediatrician. I wasn’t really sure about the wisdom of this treatment. It is even against the guidelines of some health authorities. Then I read about this study in the British Medical Journal comparing the two drugs. The study was based on data from 156 children aged between 24 weeks and 6 years.

Here are the results:

• Ibuprofen on its own is the most effective of the two in lowering the temperature within the first 4 hours
• Paracetamol and ibuprofen work differently when addressing the fever.
• The two drugs actually complement each other; children given both drugs spent about 4.4 hours less with fever compared to children given paracetamol and 2.5 hours less with fever when given ibuprofen.
• The drugs, however, shouldn’t be given simultaneously but rather alternately.

Please take note that this is not meant to be a medical advice. I am simply sharing the results of a scientific study. If in doubt, your doctor should be the person to go to for advice.

In these days where obesity is becoming an epidemic, there are surely lots of potential customers to trick out there.

A lot of weight loss remedies are marketed as nutritional or dietary supplements and are therefore not subject to the strict regulations set by health and drug authorities like the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).

Many of these remedies (in the form of pills, tea, and other drinks) are useless, even dangerous (see this FDA warning). Many contain misleading brand names, labels, and packaging which usually contain unsubstantiated claims of health benefits.

The study authors went on to say that of all the numerous weight loss products currently on sale, “only energy-restricted diets and exercise, the drugs orlistat and sibutramine, and in some cases bariatric surgery, are safe, effective and cost-effective.” The rest are quack.

The latest regulations in the European Union may be able to prevent this blatant exploitation of consumers. The EU Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices was adopted by some EU countries this year and among its provisions is the banning of advertisements that encourage children to buy high calorie, fattening products.

Now, I think that is a step in the right direction.

I have given away many toys over the years, as my older boys have outgrown or lost interest in them. It feels good to recycle and give less fortunate families a brighter Christmas. For several years, I thought our family of four was complete. Fortunately for our recent addition, baby #3, I did save some of our nice, classic toys (to pass on someday to our grandchildren, or so I thought!).

We still have our train table and huge container full of Thomas and Brio trains, tracks, buildings and more. Wooden trains are classic, something to pass down to the next generation. I recommend hanging on to them even when you’re kids have outgrown them, to give to your grandkids someday. Giving or loaning them to family members is another option but if lending is what you intend to do, be clear about your intentions.

Other classic toys worth storing away include wooden blocks, shape sorters, building sets such as Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, certain dolls, books and wood puzzles. These toys stimulate creativity and things like hand/eye coordination.

Toys with sentimental value are also worth saving. Some classics change over the years but it can be fun to store away your or your children’s editions for grandkids or future guests to enjoy. I have the Fisher Price schoolhouse that I played with as a little girl, which was fun for my older kids to inherit and play with (and will be enjoyed by our 7 month old, I hope!). I wish my mom had held onto more Fisher Price classics, like the school-bus, dollhouse and farm. Fortunately, I saved the ones we bought for our older boys, so our little guy can play with them someday, too.

Classic games like checkers, Candyland, and Chutes and Ladders are nice to keep around (their look may change but the games cross the generations).

So what do I recommend tossing or giving away? Usually the toys that quickly lose their appeal for kids, particularly the trendy things that are “in” one year and “out” the next are safe to give away. Trendy things like character-themed toys and dolls usually won’t be missed.

Of course, the really junky, “no-name” plastic stuff that was made in China can be tossed (you may have tossed them already, due to health or safety concerns).

There are definitely some toys I wish I’d held onto but didn’t, like our older boys’ elaborate Playmobil sets. We were never organized enough to keep all the pieces together. Our youngest child would definitely have enjoyed these. If we do buy him well-made, expensive toys such as these, I will try to keep them in tact for future grandkids.

As my kids have grown older, it’s become clearer just which toys stand the test of time and which are best donated to someplace, or someone, else. I’ll be steering clear of the low-quality stuff with our new baby, if he’ll let me.

I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter and a newborn baby boy.  I’ve experienced it all during photo shoots with our children from distractions to inconsolable meltdowns.

Here are some tricks that I have learned along the way for taking picture of baby:

Infants

Toddlers

Preschoolers

If you have more than one child and you are getting a group shot done along with individual portraits, make sure you speak up with regards to the order in which the photos will be taken.  Aim for the group shot to be taken first and then individuals in order of priority according to moods, cooperativeness and age.  Remember to remind the children to not worry about themselves and to focus on the camera, not each other.  Too often, children worry about their siblings and then get caught not looking at the camera while they are trying to help out.

• Walk’N Sounds Digger the Dog - The toy is intended for young children, but the long walking string is a choking hazard.  The group points out that according to federal law, all strings on pull toys are supposed to be no longer than 12 inches.  This string is 26.  I truly had no clue that the government even regulated this.
• Meadow Mystery Sounds Book with Cuddly Pooh - According to the packaging, the toy was tested for children from 18 months up.  The group says that the mask included in the book could pose a choking hazard.
• Inflatable Giga Ball - This toy is a blow up ball that is so huge that a child can crawl into the ball.  The toy is not recommended for children under 4.  The group feels that the ball poses a huge safety threat even though parental supervision is suggested.  This toy looks like fun, but I don’t know if I’d let my kid play inside a big plastic ball in our unfenced yard.
• Spiderman Adjustable Skates - This one made me laugh because it’s a set up Spiderman skates with “safety gear”.  However, there is only 1 knee pad and 1 elbow pad.  The packaging does say that you should make sure to wear knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet when skating.  If you decide to purchase this toy for your child, you will need to purchase safety gear separately.

What do you think?  Were you planning on purchasing some of these toys for your children?  Does the fact that these toys made the “worst toys” list cause you to reconsider? Stay up-to-date with current baby related recalls and unsafe toys right here at the Babies Online blog

An elated Nagra was quoted as saying, “We are thrilled and overjoyed at the prospect of becoming first time parents.” She also spoke about their future wedding plans, saying, “Yes, our plans are to get married but there’s no confirmed date yet. We have been together for nearly seven years.”

UK born Nagra is a member of the cast of the hit show ER which is currently filming its final season. On the subject of remaining in the US after the birth of the baby she said, “The plan is to stay in Los Angeles. We still have a home in London, so eventually the plan is to be bi-coastal, but who knows what the future holds. We are just taking it one day at a time.”

Currently the producers have no plans to write Nagra’s pregnancy into the show. Fans may remember that her character, Dr. Neela Rasgotra, received a marriage proposal from Dr. Michael Gallant, played by Sharif Atkins. Addressing that issue, Nagra said, “There are no plans to write the pregnancy in the show. I feel like I will want to work, but who knows what I’ll feel like when the baby arrives.”

The last episode of ER is scheduled to air in February. This should give the actress some time for a well deserved break before the baby’s birth. Nagra found fame in the US when she appeared in the hit film Bend It Like Beckham alongside another British beauty, Keira Knightley.

We look forward to the good news of Nagra’s delivery next summer. It is doubtful that the final episode of ER will be the last we will see of this talented actress.

Aren’t diaper wipes wonderful? I’ve used them to wipe down tables, wipe my hands, wipe runny noses, and once in a while I actually used them for their intended purpose and used them to wipe up my baby’s behind after a messy diaper.  Even though I never really liked schlepping a diaper bag around it never ceased to amaze me that diaper wipes could be used for so many purposes.  It was like I could fix anything just by reaching into my bag and pulling a diaper wipe out.

Now that both of my kids are (thankfully and blissfully) out of diapers, I don’t carry a diaper bag around as much as I used to.  If we’re going somewhere for more than an hour or so I usually do grab my diaper bag because it’s always a good idea to have a change of clothes for my kids because you never really know what is going to happen, but quick trips to the store or library usually just involve me grabbing my purse and dashing out the door with the kids.  There have been more than a few times when I reached to grab a diaper wipe out of my bag only to discover that I had my purse instead of the diaper bag.

I bought some of the single-use hand wipes and stuffed them into my purse, but the cleansers and anti-bacterial ingredients make me apprehensive about using them to wipe my kids’ faces or to blow their noses.

One option I’ve hard about is to make your own diaper wipes, which is supposed to aid in the elimination of things like the dreaded diaper rash. Admittedly, I haven’t tried that option. I will tell you that graduating to a reasonably-sized purse instead of my whopper or a diaper bag was a joyous occasion, so I’m reluctant to get a bigger purse just so I can start carting diaper wipes around again.

For the record, though, I still rank diaper wipes as one of the greatest inventions ever.

Women pregnant with a son who used or were exposed to hairspray during the first three months of pregnancy are two to three times likely to have a baby with hypospadias. Hypospadias is a birth defect where the urinary opening in the penis of a baby boy is malformed, and requires corrective surgery. Most milder cases can be completely repaired although severe cases can cause lifelong problems with urinating, sexual relations and fertility.

Hypospadias affects around 1 in 250 baby boys in the US, and the cause is usually unknown. With the results of this study, scientists think that chemicals in hairspray, namely phthalates, a chemical found in many beauty products that has been linked to genital abnormalities in baby boys and girls. Phthalates in hairspray may be more damaging than phthalates on other products because it’s very easy to inhale hairspray, where the phthalates can be absorbed internally.

It’s scary what seemingly innocent products can affect babies. At least we can avoid hairspray quite easily. So if you are pregnant, stay out of the restroom when your colleague with the updo goes in, and perhaps consider changing your hairstyle for something a little less high-maintenance if you are use hairspray on yourself.

Consider it part of the lifestyle transition to when your baby is born. Most new moms don’t have time to maintain anything more elaborate than a ponytail with a newborn!

Thanks to all the babies (and their parents) who participated in this weeks round.

From now until December 14 we will be accepting entries for December’s contests. December’s theme is Christmas & Holidays!

The contest is free so enter your babies picture today! Or just vote for your favorite. (Anyone can vote)

At the end of each preliminary week one (1) winner is chosen and will be awarded a prize package. The winners of each preliminary round (3 total), as well as two (2) runner-ups from each round are automatically entered into the Final Round. The winner of the final round is awarded the Grand Prize.

Round 1: 1st through 7th
Round 2: 8th through 14th
Round 3: 15th through 21st
Final Round: 22nd through last day of the month

Click Here for more information.

• Peas Porridge Hot
  We sell onesies, bibs, infant/toddler/kids T-Shirts & gifts with a variety of cute themes.
• The Pickle Patch
  Organic Infant & Toddler clothing. Baby gift sets, & gift baskets, toddler rockers & matching furniture, step stools, Organic crib bedding, nursery room decor, wall murals, kids shoes, baby slings & carriers. 100% Organic Site.
• The Children’s Nest Baby Boutique
  The Children’s Nest Boutique is a one-stop shop with over 3,000 must-have items for babies, children, and moms! Items from bedding and furniture to gear, toys, baby care, organic items, maternity, and more! This upscale boutique features custom designs, handmade originals,and designer boutique labels.
• Loft Beds
  Specializes in loft beds for kids bedrooms and dorm rooms with built in desks and drawers. Secure online ordering. Direct delivery.
• Shopping Cart Covers Boutique
  A Chic Boutique for the Trend-Setting Tot! Itzy Ritzy Shopping Cart & High Chair Covers are designed with your little one’s safety and comfort in mind. They cover the entire cart and are perfect for twins. Made 100% in the U.S.A.
• Birthing Body Doula Services
  Amy is a doula in the Denver area and provides Labor Doula services, unlimited FREE breastfeeding support, Sibling Doula services (for those who want to include their children at birth), henna tattoos for Mother Blessings/Blessingways, and photography.
• Dotty tots
  We sell fashionable bibs for babys and toddlers

Do you have a quality site created for new and expectant parents? If so, be sure to get it added to our directory.

For You

When I packed my bag the first time around, I went a step beyond simply preparing for labor. In fact, there was little I didn’t bring along. Not only did I have an iPod docking station, but the iPod was loaded with playlists for delivery, birth, infant and many other events. Not only did we barely listen to it, but it was one more thing to have to haul out of the hospital and home upon discharge.

When packing for yourself, think about what you really need – do you need a nightgown? The hospital will have you in a gown for the duration of your stay, and most likely you’ll need to change it a few times over that period. Do you want to have to bring several nightgowns that may end up stained?

My necessities list includes:

• A camera
• Pad of paper and pen
• Phone list of friends/relatives to notify
• Shampoo and other toiletries
• Change of clothes for the ride home (note: these clothes are maternity clothes; most women continue to wear maternity clothes for at least a month after delivering)
• Magazines
• Lip balm
• Makeup

For Partners/Coaches

Your partner and/or birthing coach will probably be there a while; bring along a magazine or two, as well as bottled water and snacks.

For Baby

Newborn babies need very little, and much of it will be provided by the hospital, including receiving blankets and diapers. However, there are some items to make sure you have, and a few that you will be required to have. My list includes:

• Car seat
• Blanket to put over the car seat in case it’s cold outside
• Outfit for coming home
• Pacifiers

Don’t wait until it’s too late for those last minute things to do. Making a checklist and completing early will give you much needed peace of mind.

What are your hospital essentials?

Here’s some of the must-haves in my Christmas shopping list:

• UNICEF christmas cards. These cards are usually art works of children from all over the world and all proceeds go to the UN children agency, of course. UNICEF has other gift items available online as well.
• To go with the UNICEF cards are Christmas seals from organizations such as the American Lung Association (ALA). The ALA seals have been in existence for 100 years now. You can have them now online as well add it to your Facebook profile.
• What about retailers who work together with not-for -profit organizations? An example is the Early Bird Baby, a specialty shop catering to the special needs of preemies. The retailer will donate $10 “from the sale of every Preemie, New Baby, and Back-to-Work Gift Boxes to support the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Project”. These gifts are available online. After all, parents of preemies usually do not have time to shop on site.
• I love to buy my kids something from the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). They have online and retail shops wherein they sell the most adorable stuff toys and children’s T-shirts.
• How about some healthy gifts for the family? I’m giving friends a CPR learning program kit this year, a product of CPR Anytime, one of the partners of the American Heart Association. There are kits for adults as well as for children.

On the other hand, I also have a No-No list. I will not buy from manufacturers and retailers who:

• have a poor history of social responsibility
• have a poor safety track record
• run sweatshops in developing countries
• are not up to environmental standards in their manufacturing practices
• do not take animal welfare seriously

These are just a few of the things on my list. You see, I believe in social responsibility even in the things I give away.

So tell me, what are your criteria in buying your Christmas presents?

Sadly, the builder went bankrupt somewhere near the end of the project leaving us in a difficult situation. Almost four years later, we are still finishing and fixing the house as time and money allow. In the beginning, it wasn’t too difficult. My 4 children are old enough to know to stay away from nails and not to eat spackle. They don’t have a desire to pick up a hammer and see what they can smash either. We didn’t have to worry about baby-proofing our building projects.

Then we had our son and life changed slightly. When it was time to do very dusty projects, we’d take him to our neighbors for a few hours until we could clean things up. Otherwise, it was simple to put him in his playpen with a few toys and do whatever needed to be done. It was slightly challenging to baby-proof our work projects and supplies, but we managed.

For a while, our project stalled due to lack of time and finances. This weekend, we decided to tackle a few building projects when the children were out with family members. It was then that we realized that remodeling with a toddler is not an easy thing to do!

Our son can now crawl out of the playpen and he’s curious. While my back was turned, he played in the paint. After a bath, he discovered a dust pile. After another bath, he discovered it was fun to play with the wall spackle. After another bath, I put him to bed and we worked furiously to finish what we needed to do.

We’ve realized we need a new strategy: we’ll need to do repairs during nap time, or hire our neighbors to watch our son at their house while we work on the house for any extended length of time. Let’s hope that this strategy works!

Allergies

This study by Cornell University researchers suggests that our annoying allergies, previously thought to be due to a malfunctioning immune system, are actually defense mechanisms that can protect us from certain types of cancer. Yes, the big C. Especially cancers involving organs exposed to the environment (e.g. skin, lungs, throat, uterus, cervix, and gastrointestinal tract). It seems that allergic reactions are a way in which our body tries to get rid of invading substances from the environment - including toxins and carcinogens. So next time you feel the hay fever coming, think twice before you start moaning.

Pre-eclampsia

Now, nobody would wish to have this pregnancy complication, considering the risks involved. Sometimes called gestational hypertention, pre-eclampsia can present risks to both mother and fetus in the form of miscarriage, pre-term delivery, and fetal problems. But would you believe it that mommies who had pre-eclampsia have baby boys with lower risks for testicular cancer? This is according to a study by Swedish researchers. This doesn’t mean that normal pregnancies translate into increased risks for this cancer for the babies. Let’s just say, it’s just a little bit of silver lining to the very dark cloud of pre-eclampsia. This upside notwithstanding, pre-eclampsia is still something best avoided.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Young Colors Children’s Hooded Jackets

Units: About 1,500

Importer: R&D International Inc., of Salida, Colo.

Hazard: The jackets have drawstrings through the hood and at the waist. Children can get entangled in the drawstrings that can catch on playground equipment, fences or tree branches. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines (pdf) to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstring in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts. From 1985 through June 2008, CPSC received reports of 27 deaths and 70 non-fatal incidents involving the entanglement of children’s clothing drawstrings.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The cotton knit and woven hooded jackets have a drawstring through the hood and waist. They were sold in sizes 12 months through size 10 in a variety of solid colors and prints. “Young Colors” is sewn into the jacket tag located at the neck.

Sold at: Specialty children’s stores nationwide from April 2004 through September 2007 for about $45.

Manufactured in: Peru and Indonesia

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the drawstrings from the jacket to eliminate the safety hazard.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact R&D International Inc. collect at (719) 539-3812 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site www.youngcolors.com

This year, I found that Bass Pro Shop will take your child’s photo with Santa absolutely free! The best part about getting your child’s photo taken here is that you don’t have to wait to see Santa either! If the lines are long, you can ask for an appointment with Santa. The store personnel will give you a time to return with your child so you can bypass the long lines. That’s wonderful.

The store we visited also had coloring pages for the kids, free crafts, and free snacks. The best part was that there was only one other family in line and our wait time was very short.

The store has also set up a virtual Wonderland where your relatives and friends can use a special code to log onto the site and view your child’s photo. If they like the photos, they can purchase a portrait package online. In our case, we live far away from all of the relatives. I’m going to be sending the site information to all of them so they can see how much our son has grown since we visited last year.

Will you take your child to visit Santa this year? Do you take your child to the same place every year, or do you look for photo specials?