Two Important Recalls

Recall Alert! Dorel Asia Cribs



Name of Product: Dorel Asia cribs

Units: About 635,000

Distributor: Dorel Asia SRL, of Barbados

Hazard: The drop side hardware can fail causing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop side detaches it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can become entrapped and suffocate or strangle. In addition, the recalled cribs can pose a serious entrapment and strangulation hazard when a slat is damaged. This can occur while the crib is in use, in storage, being put together, taken apart or reassembled; or during shipping and handling.

Reports: CPSC and Dorel Asia SRL received a report of the death of 6-month old child from Cedar Rapids, Iowa who became entrapped and strangled in a crib after the drop side hardware broke. The crib continued to be used after the parents tried to repair the drop side themselves. CPSC and Dorel Asia received reports of 31 drop side incidents. In six of those incidents, children were entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. Three children suffered from bruises as a result of the entrapment. In addition, CPSC and Dorel Asia received reports of 36 incidents of slat breakage, including seven reports of bruises and scratches to children and two reports of entrapment that resulted in no injury.

Sold at: K-Mart, Sears and Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009 for between $120 and $700.

Manufactured in: China and Vietnam

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs, find an alternative safe sleeping environment for your child, and contact Dorel Asia to receive a free replacement kit. Consumers should log on to www.dorel-asia.com to order the free replacement kit to prevent child entrapment in these cribs. The repair kits will be provided to owners within the next several weeks.

Consumer Contact: Call Dorel Asia toll-free at (866) 762-2304 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dorel-asia.com

For a complete list of Dorel Asia cribs involved in the recall, and for more information please click here.

Recall Alert! Graco Strollers and Passage Systems



Name of Product: Graco’s Passage™, Alano™ and Spree™ Strollers and Travel Systems

Units: About 1.5 million

Manufacturer: Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.

Hazard: The hinges on the stroller’s canopy pose a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is opening or closing the canopy.

Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received seven reports of children placing their fingers in the stroller’s canopy hinge mechanism while the canopy was being opened or closed, resulting in five fingertip amputations and two fingertip lacerations.

Sold at: AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 and December 2009 for between $80 and $90 for the strollers and between $150 and $200 for the travel systems.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Graco to receive a free protective cover repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.gracobaby.com

For a complete list of Graco model numbers involved in the recall and for more information, please click here.

The Nap Nanny

Doctors often recommend elevating your baby at night to help with a stuffy nose, ear infection, gas, reflux or colic. One friend of ours would always put a book under her daughter's crib mattress when she had a cold. Another friend would put her 6 week old baby to bed in his car seat for the night in order to keep him comfortable. Too bad they did not know about the Nap Nanny. The Nap Nanny is a groundbreaking product designed by a mother (Philadelphia native and Comcast SportsNet Sport Anchor and Reporter, Leslie Gudel) to improve infant sleep. The Nap Nanny is made with a durable, yet incredibly comfortable high-density polyurethane foam that mimics the contours of a car seat. So now you can leave your car seat in the car, because the Nap Nanny combines the comfort of a plush blanket with the stability of a mattress, while elevating your baby 30 degrees.



Light and portable, weighing only 3 lbs, the Nap Nanny can be easily moved from room to room for many uses. Lay it on the floor and let your little one have some tummy time with their head held high, or place it on the kitchen table and let your child watch you cook up a storm in the kitchen. The safety harness holds baby securely in place. Got twins? The Nap Nanny is ideal for bottle feeding twins simultaneously.

The washable cover is available in a variety of solid colors and fashion prints, and the water proof liner protects the foam pad for greater longevity, so the Nap Nanny can be passed down from one child to the next.

The Nap Nanny is available in our store now. If you're a sleep deprived mama, or you know one, please come in to learn more about this exciting new product. The Nap Nanny is currently not available on our website, so If you are not in our area, please contact us to place your order.

Recall Alert-Children's Cloth Books

Children’s “Big Rex and Friends” Cloth Books Recalled Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

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 products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: "Big Rex and Friends" Cloth Books

Units: About 204,000

Importer: St. Martin’s Press LLC, of New York, N.Y.

Hazard: A red plastic dot sewn in the book contains high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves “Big Rex and Friends” cloth books. The book has a black and white striped border with a red dinosaur on the cover. The words “Big Rex and Friends” are printed on the cover. ISBN 031249260X or 9780312492601 is printed on the back of the book.

Sold at: Barnes & Noble, Toys “R” Us, Amazon, Borders and other bookstores and retailers nationwide from May 2004 through October 2009 for about $9.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled book away from children and contact St. Martin’s Press for instructions on returning the book for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact St. Martin’s Press at (800) 347-9411 or visit the firm’s Web site at www.priddybooks.com/recall

Click here for more information.

The Holidays Extended...

We have had so much fun giving away our favorite holiday gift items this season, that we decided to extend the fun into January. Our Alex's Rub-A-Dub bath toy giveaway, has been extended to January 31st. So enter now for your chance to win an Alex's bath toy gift basket.

Here's how to enter.

First, fill out the entry form below. Only one entry form will be allowed per person - but read on to see how to earn extra entries! You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited. The giveaway will end at midnight (EST) on January 31st, and the drawing will be held on Monday, February 1st. The winner will be notified via email.

Earn 5 Extra Entries:
You can earn additional entries by doing any of the actions listed below. Each action is worth one additional entry. Please leave a comment listing each of your additional entries so that we can add them to the drawing.

1) Become a follower of our blog (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
2) Become a follower of our Facebook fan page (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
3) Post a link to this contest on your facebook page
4) Become a follower of us on Twitter (if you already follow us just leave a comment letting us know).
5) Tweet about this contest with a link back to this post.

Last Giveaway-Alex's Rub-a-Dub Toys

As we enter our last shopping week before Chirstmas we are featuring one more of our favorite gift ideas for your little one, and of course we're giving them away!

Alex's Toys was started in 1986 with a line of high quality basic arts and crafts products for children. Over the years, ALEX has grown and today produces over 1,000 items in expanded categories of toys: imaginative and dramatic play, fashion and jewelry, whimsical children’s furniture, Rub A Dub® and Tub Tunes® bath toys, ALEX Little Hands® preschool products and ALEX Jr.®, developmental, plush and bath toys for baby!

ALEX's mission is to provide children with quality creative products that foster personal expression and build self-esteem. Their attention to detail has not gone unnoticed, with over 300 awards from toy review organizations and leading consumer magazines. Alex believes the best children's activities provide lots of fun and they open a child's mind to new skills, new ideas and new worlds.

WIN IT!
We are giving away a gift basket of some of our favorite Alex's Tub Toys. The basket includes the following:

Rub-A-Dub Color Your Tub Fizzy Tints:



Turn ordinary bathwater into a tub of colorful fun! The primary colored tablets (50 each in red, blue and yellow) can be mixed and matched to create all the colors of the rainbow. There are enough tablets for over 50 colorful baths!

Rub-A-Dub Draw in the Tub:



Use this unique set of 6 bathtub crayons to draw colorful pictures on bathtubs, tile or your body! Soak the duck shaped sponge with water to remove your work of art. Fun, clean and easy to erase.

Rub-A-Dub Dirty Dogs:



Big soft dog squirters need to be cleaned at bath time. Magic ink "dirt" disappears in warm bath water and reappears as they cool. Set includes 4 dog squirters and a mini washcloth to get them clean. Phthalate-free. Safe for babies, too. Ages 6 months and up.


Here's how to enter.

First, fill out the entry form below. Only one entry form will be allowed per person - but read on to see how to earn extra entries! You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited. The giveaway will end at midnight (EST) on Sunday, January 31st, and the drawing will be held on Monday, February 1st. The winner will be notified via email.

Earn 5 Extra Entries:
You can earn additional entries by doing any of the actions listed below. Each action is worth one additional entry. Please leave a comment listing each of your additional entries so that we can add them to the drawing.

1) Become a follower of our blog (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
2) Become a follower of our Facebook fan page (if you already follow just leave a comment letting us know).
3) Post a link to this contest on your facebook page
4) Become a follower of us on Twitter (if you already follow us just leave a comment letting us know).
5) Tweet about this contest with a link back to this post.

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bee Giveaway-WINNER!

Congratulations to Nadine Larsen, winner of our Prince Lionheart Wheely Bee Giveaway!

We have one more Holiday giveaway left, so check back with us a little later to enter. And, if you didn't win, but you really wanted that wheely bee you can buy one at a discount here. Don't forget to enter coupon code FTB15 to get 15% off, and FREE SHIPPING if you spend over $99. The coupon code expires on December 24, so get shopping!

Hear Me Sign Workshop

It can be so frustrating for both you and your child when your child wants something and is not able to tell you. For that reason, many parents have chosen to teach their babies sign language so that they can begin communicating with their child at an early age. Since babies master using their hands before they obtain all the motor skills required for speech, they will be able to sign their needs and wants to you before they are able to speak. There are many benefits to teaching your child sign language, besides being able to communicate with your child early. Research shows babies who sign:

Speak earlier than non-signers
Experience less frustration
Develop larger vocabularies
Become better readers
Have IQ’s that are at least 10-12 points higher

Teaching sing language to your child is easy. Once your child is able to wave, point and look at an object that has dropped on the floor, they are ready to sign. To teach them a sign, like the word "more" for example, you would start to feed them some oatmeal, stop feeding them and then say "do you want more" while making the sign, and then start feeding them more oatmeal. You can do this later during playtime, while tickling the baby stop tickling and then say do you want "more" and do the sign. Then again at bedtime while reading books: "do you want more stories?" Of course, in order to teach your child sign language, you will need to know the signs yourself.

Our "Hear Me Sign" workshop will teach you common signs that you use every day during mealtime, playtime, bedtime and getting dressed. Once you learn the signs you will be able to reinforce them at home with your child. The workshop is designed for pre-verbal babies, toddlers and their parents, caregivers, and grandparents. Mother-to-be, nannies, teachers, etc. may also attend! The workshop is most appropriate for all children who are between 6 months and 12 months of age and not yet able to articulate. However, adults are welcome on their own and children from birth- 3 are welcome. Signs taught are developmentally appropriate and are based on American Sign Language.

The workshop is this Saturday, December 12, from 10:00-11:30am.

The cost is as follows:

$45 for 1 adult and 1 child
$80 for 2 adults and 1 child
$20 for each additional sibling (no extra charge for multiples)
$30 for 1 adult

Registration is required. Please register here.