LilSugar

Ever Wondered How Many Balloons?

babysugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:00:36 -0700

Tying a balloon onto your child's wrist at a birthday party hardly gives a parent reason to fret. But one geek dad decided it would be fun to figure out just how many He (Helium for us lay persons) filled balloons it would take to lift his child into flight. Basing his calculations, the daddy figured he needed 1,143 helium injected balloons to hoist a clothed 30 pound 2-year-old boy.

Next time you're at a kiddie soirée ask your fellow partygoers, "How many balloons do you think it would take to get Johnny off the ground?"

Source

Text and Tunes: The Red Balloon

LilSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:00:57 -0800

The Red Balloon ($17) is the picture book version of the 1956 children's short film, Le Ballon Rouge by Albert Lamorisse. The film, which received a Best Original screenplay Academy Award and the Palme d'Or for short films at Cannes, captures a 34-minute adventure of a small boy who happens upon a red balloon in Paris, France.

The book showcases stirring stills taken during the filming of the movie alongside the storyline told page-by-page. If you missed this lesser known classic when you were growing up you can watch part of the film below for a taste of the fantasy-fueled excursion.

Toy Box: Vilac Balloon Powered Boat

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:01:00 -0700

The days of "Rubber Duckie, you're the one - you make bath time lots of fun" may have gone down the drain, but that doesn't mean your child's nautical entertainment needs have to end.

The Vilac Balloon Powered Boat ($9) offers a retro option for playtime in the bath, pool or pond. I'm no mechanic, but it appears the balloon lets out air through a little tube and propels the all-wooden boat for some simple, all natural fun. Splash, splash, it's definitely time for a bath.

Mamas-to-Be Have Your Back at The Pregnancy Posse

LilSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00:32 -0800

Bump bellies with the best of 'em! Feel like talking fundal height, stretch mark prevention and the best bras to harness your ballooning boobs? Join The Pregnancy Posse over at the LilSugar Community where no topic is too personal! Offering tips for fathers-to-be like The Guy's Guide to the delivery room to big belly issues like botched circumcision, everyone is welcome to weigh in with their opinions! It's also a great place to meet up and gab with other women who are in the same stage of pregnancy!

Source: Flickr User jaaronfarr

Sibling Shower: Décor

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:00:20 -0700

The key to this soiree is simplicity so all you need to decorate the sibling shower digs is some helium balloons and a sharpie marker. Make baby face balloons by drawing fun lil expressions - sleeping babe, pacifier sucking tot and yawning youngster - what ever comes to mind, on balloons of your kiddo's favorite colors. If the guests are old enough, design a few and then let the tots go wild decorating their own with washable markers. Ask the children to doodle up what they envision the baby looking like or their own smaller sibling. Tie the baby face balloons off in bundles or let them roam freely around the room for the wee one's to bat at.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids!

Should CPS Investigate the Heene Parents For Child Abuse?

babysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:30:34 -0700

In the case of Richard Heene, the acronym UFO may mean something else: Unruly Father Overacts. While the giant Jiffy Pop saucer may have attracted the whole country's attention, it was the parents' history of taking their three children on storm chases that made me raise my eyebrows. While I may have little in common with people who race after hurricanes, I would like to think that moms and dads always have one goal in mind - the safety of their children. Putting babes (unbuckled and all) in the back of the family car to videotape record-breaking gusts of wind and funnels of debris seems flat-out mad. But it was the silver balloon that had Child Protective Services (CPS) questioning the Heene household.

Officially declared a hoax, it seems the larger concern now is making sure the children are being cared for in the best possible environment. One source claims Richard Heene used his sons as pawns to gather media attention. While it may be questionable to parade one's offspring around on television, it is another to ask children to lie and support felony-inducing behaviors. Not only are the boys learning how to break the law, they are being dragged through a media circus and are sure to face judgment thanks to their parents. Do you think CPS should investigate the parents to see if they are guilty of child abuse?

Blockbuster Inspired Costumes For Wee Ones

babysugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:00:58 -0700

Tots will be over the moon when mama brings home the latest flick inspired costume for their trick-or-treating pleasure. It's easy enough to dress youngsters up in butterfly wings and lofty ghost sheets but their imaginations will run wild if they can act out their favorite movie character from the silver screen.

Kiddos who adore Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are will jump into the gray pajamas with glee while UP fans will find the idea of a suit and a gaggle of balloons quite enticing. Wee ones who can't quite mobilize yet can get in the Monsters and Aliens act with the hand knit beanie from Etsy. And for last minute moms looking for a miracle, the Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs get-up can be whipped up in no time with an umbrella and some al dente cooked spaghetti noodles splayed atop.

What Do You Prefer: Newborn Gift or Fresh Dinner?

babysugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:00:18 -0700

Pop the cork - the baby has arrived! Celebrating the newborn life often begins with balloons, bubbly, blooms and a written sentiment or two. When the visitors start arriving at the new family's doorstep, they often come bearing gifts of layette, blankets or tiny toppers. Others show up with trays full of lasagna and other prepared meals so that the recovering mama can focus on her newest addition instead of the messy kitchen. Obviously both are appreciated and icing on the cake, but which type of gift do you think most mums prefer?

Time to Turn That Guest Bedroom Into a Nursery!

babysugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:08 -0700

When baby makes three, it's time to take that extra bedroom in the house and convert it into a darling nursery. To kick off our nursery makeovers, I'm dishing on how I turned my scary old guest bedroom into a nursery with the hopes you will share yours with us, too! Join our Revamping Baby's Room group over in the LilSugar community and share your before and after pictures. Your room and style could be featured on the site.

To see the room and all of the improvements I made, just read more.

During my first pregnancy, I paid attention to every detail to ensure she and I would both enjoy every moment in her abode. I chose to paint stripes in a gender-neutral green and decorated around that. I picked a white matelasse bedding with sage scalloped trimming and matching gingham sheets for her white crib. I mixed up the prints a bit with a toile glider that just so happened to have gingham piping, too. I picked up the bookcase at an antique flea market, painted it white, and replaced the knob with a delicate bird-adorned pull I scored from Anthropologie. And instead of spending a mini fortune on wall art, I painted a few animals and framed them with yellow gingham paper and white frames from IKEA. The final touch was hanging the gifted hot air balloon in the corner for my baby to gaze at as she lay on the changing table.

View 16 Photos ›

What Is the Appropriate Age to Leave Kids in Car?

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:00:38 -0700

I ran into the grocery store for a few items over the weekend. While exiting with my kids, I noticed a baby in the backseat of a vehicle and did a double take since there were no passengers in the front of the parked car. The child looked to be about a year old and was sound asleep. Upon closer inspection, I saw that there was another little girl seated next to him reading a book. Though she was small, I figured she was about seven or eight-years-old since she was engrossed in a thick paperback.

The SUV was packed with presents and a few balloons as if the family was headed to a party, the sun roof was cracked, the doors were locked and the youngsters looked well cared for, but I still worried about them being left in the car alone. Though there is much debate and even laws in certain states about latchkey kids and when it's alright to leave children home alone, when is it appropriate to let them sit unattended in the car?