LilSugar

Play Our New Baby Name Faceoff!

LilSugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:00:42 -0800

While a name lasts a lifetime, this game goes fast if you can't decipher which moniker is more popular. Luckily, you can play as many times as you please. Based on the Social Security Administration's list of the most popular baby names that come from card applications each year, these names were in the latest release. Try your hand at the Top 100 Girl Names for 2008 by playing this fun game that pits the names against one another. How does it work? Each time you select the name with the higher "popularity" score based on readers' votes, you get points! Take a chance at winning the $1,000 a month prize!

10 Hip and Helpful Infant Gifts For Under $30

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:15 -0800

Baby's first holiday season is always extra cheerful, but selecting appropriate seasonal gifts can be toilsome for the gift giver. Sure, toddlers want toys, but infants aren't developed enough to truly appreciate all the bells and whistles. Shop smart this holiday - and instruct your family and friends to do the same - and gift the tiniest elves presents that are inexpensive and helpful for mom and dad. Here are some of our classic favorites for holiday first timers.

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10 Great Gifts Under $10

babysugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:00:34 -0800

When nieces, nephews, godchildren and mama's own offspring are all on the shopping list, the wallet can start to feel abused and overused. Folks who want to be generous this holiday season don't have to go for broke. Check out some of these simple yet adorable presents that are sure to leave a smile on wee ones' faces, but won't leave mama gasping when the credit card statement arrives.

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10 Go-To Gadgets For Protective Parents

LilSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

Parenting can be a game of 20 questions. Too hot? Too cold? Hungry? Hurt? Sick? It's a never-ending guessing game and while relaxed moms are not afraid of the unknown, the more protective types are willing to spend a few extra bucks in hopes of getting an edge on caring for their little ones. Check out this selection of ten gadgets safeguarding parents will want in their bag of tricks.

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Five Unexpected Times New Moms Cry

LilSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:46 -0800

As a parent I've come to terms with the fact that my little ones will frequently bring tears to my eyes. I'm a crybaby and I'm okay with it. I had the tissue ready for when she went off to preschool or said momma for the first time, but some events brought on the waterworks without warning. Here's my weepy bittersweet look at five unexpected times new moms can expect to cry.

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10 Ways TV Shows Bared or Covered Pregnant Bellies

LilSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:06 -0800

Try as they might, it is not easy for a celeb to hide pregnancy after the 20 week mark. Actresses may show off their bumps to much fanfare offscreen, but on-screen it depends on the storyline. While some television writers are willing to make a character pregnant, others use creative means to hide their stars' growing midsections or joke about weight gain. Ellen Pompeo will be disguising her belly as Meredith on the upcoming season of Grey's Anatomy and that inspired us to take a look at how other shows handled pregnancy.

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Ladies' Home Journal: The New Nicole Kidman Is a Woman's Woman

babysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:28 -0800

Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress, producer, and vocalist are just a few things Nicole Kidman can rattle off from her long list of accomplishments. But the role the gorgeous red head relishes most is being a mother and wife in her new hometown of Nashville. As country crooner Keith Urban's partner, she is happy to sit back for a bit and let the spotlight shine brightly on him while she spends the majority of her time raising their young daughter, Sunday. The 42-year-old mother recently took time to sit down with Ladies' Home Journal where she talked about her content lifestyle and her desire to give back to the community.

On living in Nashville:

I love living here. . . . It's a long way from New York and Los Angeles, but that's part of the attraction. I feel protected here, especially now that I have the baby. . . . There are certain limitations to my career because I'm based here. And that's cool. Keith has enormous ambitions, which I support. His tours and albums are much bigger than what I'm doing right now.

On how she cherishes her new life:

I was running from my life, in a way. . . . My imaginary life was better than my flesh-and-blood life. That's a sad thing to say, but it was. Now I love my real life so much it requires an enormous belief in a film to want to take it on. . . . I think that we're in the world to connect. Because that's what you're left with. You're not left with your houses or awards or money, you're left with the people that you built relationships with.

On UNIFEM, a charity she has worked with for years:

It's so they'll [battered women] have a place to call. A lot of women are so terrified; they'll go to the police or court and don't win. We can set up shelters and raise money. . . . I'm constantly trying to find new ways to give back. . . . Women are nurturers. There's so much we can do with the power of our feelings, the power of our sensitivity.

To see what the leggy lady has to say about being a strong woman, her past divorce, and her marriage to the hunky, honky-tonk star, just read more.

On how she was raised to be a strong woman:

She wanted us to have a sense of our place in the world. . . . She didn't want us to be shaped by our relationship with boys. She wanted us to focus on our intellect instead.

On how she and her sister Antonia made it through their divorces:

A lot of it was literally holding each other and listening. . . . Our motto is, "Just get in there. Don't retreat. Stay in it."

On her marriage to Keith Urban:

Keith and I have a very honest, profound marriage, which we both contribute to every day. . . . We have a phrase, "Does this contribute to the good of our union?" Because that's what's most important. I love being in love. I believe in the power of love, the way it can heal. The more you keep choosing it - because there are times when you can choose to be angry at the person or to love him - the more it nourishes a family.

Yet Another Reason to Steer Clear of Plastics

babysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:30:31 -0800

The last thing mommy wants to do is add another worry to her already fret-worthy list, but this one may be worth noting. We all know that plastics can contain BPA and other harmful toxins, but we don't always know why they are hazardous. Fortunately, scientists are doing the dirty work for us and informing us of yet another reason to steer clear of items containing phthalates. In a recent study, British researchers found that certain phthalates were not only affecting male genitalia, but their behavior, too. Boys who were exposed to higher amounts of the chemical were less interested in the stereotypical car toys and less apt to play in a rough and tumble manner. Elizabeth Salter-Green, director of the chemicals campaign group CHEM Trust said:

We now know that phthalates, to which we are all constantly exposed, are extremely worrying from a health perspective, leading to disruption of male reproduction health and, it appears, male behavior too... This feminizing capacity of phthalates makes them true 'gender benders'.

While the EU banned such toxins from toys years ago, the US has yet to make such dramatic (and in my opinion, necessary) moves. This is just another good reminder why us moms should speak up and let our voices be known. Join the Million Baby Crawl and speak your mama mind!

Helpful Hints That Could Boost Your Chances of Getting Pregnant

LilSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:30:08 -0800

It seems that some women can get pregnant by merely looking at their partner, while for others it takes much more time and effort and it's not always clear as to why. The one thing for sure is that when a woman decides she wants to become pregnant, it's on her mind 24/7. They may not work for everyone, but here are a few things a hopeful mama-to-be can do to increase her chances of adding a baby into her future sooner.

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The Gifted Child: Gifts Fit For Young Girls

babysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

It's always so much fun buying gifts for newborn babies, but just like babies, the gift shopping just keeps getting better as they get older. Perhaps it's the nostalgia that lives in some of the toys or the cleverness of others that leaves me wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?!" Check out our list of gifts that are sure to be a hit with young girls this holiday season.

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