Parent tested
Quick, and quick dried
“I gave Ethan one of the dried pouches in his applesauce for dinner and it was a hit!” What is our parent tester talking out? A new powdered baby food brand, NurturMe, that is all natural, organic, gluten-free, and made of quick-dried fruits and veggies. Giving parents the flexibility to make it anyway baby likes it, you can add breast milk, whole milk, formula, or water in any amount and combination. As your baby’s tastes’ mature, try adding it to foods like grains, home-made purees, yogurt, pvvand even macaroni and cheese to boost nutritional value. All packaging is recyclable and is manufactured using wind energy. Best, the company has partnered with feedthechildren.org. For each 18-serving variety pack sold (about $20), one will be donated to Feed the Children, with a goal of donating over 100,000 meals in six months. While our tester noted that the dried food “smelled a little funny” she also noted her child didn’t seem to notice and ate readily. Available locally at The Wedge, Target and Whole Foods, and also at nurturme.com.
Have a 2012 graduate?
According to Pear Tree Greetings, an online personalized greeting card company (peartreegreetings.com), announcing a graduation is much more than a “one-size-fits-all” senior portrait. The 2012 graduation announcement has an emphasis on uniquely individual photos that exude character. Says Angela Ferrara, director of product development, “Graduates are looking for announcement designs that showcase their personalities, while parents seek that elusive combination of style and affordability.”
When making final decisions on announcements, consider folded, die-cut or layered designs; a companion thank you note; bold stripes, as well as traditional patterns. And for those parents who will be scheduling a senior portrait session this coming summer? Consider that the location of the shoot and props, will add vibrancy and personalization to your soon-to-be-senior’s photo.
Changes to note: Acetaminophen
Every maker of infants’ acetaminophen products is changing the amount (concentration) of acetaminophen in their medicines. These changes, according to the makers of Tylenol, are intended to standardize dosing across product lines and help reduce medication errors.
What is important to note:
• There may be a time when infants’ acetaminophen products with the old and new concentrations are in stores and in your medicine cabinet concurrently.
• The old infants’ acetaminophen products are three times more concentrated than the new.
• Using directions from the new product with the old product (concentrated drops) could result in serious overdose and cause liver damage. Always read and follow the label directions on the product you are using.
• The dosing device will change as well. It is important that you always use the device that comes with the bottle you have. Old concentrations came with a medicine dropper; the new concentrations will have a dosing syringe.
All bottles and boxes clearly label the concentration.
This information came from the Tylenol.com website but you can find similar informational warnings on sites such as webmd.com and babycenter.com.
More area
theaters announce 2012–2013 shows
The 2012-13 season at Stages Theatre Company features eight productions for children and young adults, with the selected titles evoking imagination and inspiration. The 29th season includes six original commissions, two plays based on books with Caldecott recognition, as well as four world premiere productions.
Shows include Duck for President, Sept. 21–Oct. 21; Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Oct. 12–Nov. 4; and Madeline’s Christmas, Nov. 16–Dec. 27. In 2013: Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly, Jan. 18–Feb. 17; Owl Moon, March 8–March 24; Zen Shorts, April 12–May 5; Cinder Edna, April 25–May 25; and Stages Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s Aladdin Jr., June 28–Aug. 4, 2013. For more information, go to stagestheatre.org. Over at the Children’s Theatre Company, there will be two world premieres, an American premiere, and a regional premiere. The season opens with the world premiere of Buccaneers!, Sept. 11–Oct. 21; Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, Sept. 25–Dec. 2; and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Nov. 6–Dec. 20.
In 2013: Pinocchio, Jan. 15–Feb. 24; The Biggest Little House in the Forest, Jan. 24–March 17; Jackie and Me, March 12–April 14; and Alice in Wonderland,
April 30–June 15.
In brief
The Choo-Choo Bob Show, a live-action television show based in the Twin Cities, will debut regionally on broadcast television this spring. While the TV Choo Choo Bob and his friends are played by local actors, there is a real Bob behind it all, Bob Medcraft, the show’s producer and owner of St. Paul retail store Choo Choo Bob’s Train Store.
“Our show is about friendship and social learning. But it’s also educational and fun. Trains are so much a part of our country’s history—it’s great to introduce this generation to them,” says Medcraft. “What people like about ‘The Choo Choo Bob Show’ is that it’s simple, and demonstrates good values. It’s the live action fun many of us enjoyed when we were small. Everyone on our show’s nice, not cynical or rude.” Go to choochoobobs.com for more airdate information; Minnesota mom Lyndsay Szymanski won Working Mother magazine’s “Moms of Invention” contest for her Pump-a-Pair Hands-Free Pumping Accessory, an affordable hands-free accessory that works with any breast pump and top-hook nursing bra or tank. Go to yourpumpingstation.com for additional information; People for Parks announced that it received a $5,000 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The grant will be used for a Universal Access playground where children and adults, whether with or without disabilities, can challenge themselves to explore, interact, and play on universally accessible playground facilities with independence and dignity. The playground is planned for Wabun Picnic area, east of Minnehaha Regional Park. A universal playground is a playground that incorporates special features to make it accessible to people with disabilities, while also supporting the activities of people without disabilities.