50 Simple Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter

Moms and dads, try these tried-and-tested tips from other parents like you! Compiled by Heather Moors Johnson.

Infant-development experts believe that the first years of a child's life are a prime time for learning, but sometimes it may be hard to think of new ways to stimulate your baby. Let these fun -- and scientific -- activities will inspire you.

Stimulate Baby's Vision

1. Make eye contact. Take advantage of those brief moments when your newborn's eyes are open, and look right into them. Infants recognize faces early on -- and yours is the most important! Each time he stares at you, he's building his memory.

2. Stick out your tongue. Studies show that newborns as young as 2 days old can imitate simple facial movements -- it's a sign of very early problem solving.

3. Let him reflect. Have your baby stare at himself in the mirror. At first, he may think he's just eyeing another cute kid, but he'll love making the "other" baby wave his arms and smile.

4. Make a difference. Hold up two pictures about 8 to 12 inches away from your baby's face. They should be similar but have one small difference (perhaps a tree is in one but not the other). Even a young infant will look back and forth and figure out the distinguishing features, which sets the stage for letter recognition and reading later on.

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Colon Cancer

When I saw this colon cleanse research website, it reminded me of my friend here in Utah who was diagnosed of Colon Cancer late last year. He was not feeling well for quite some time and when he was finally convinced by his Filipina wife to go see a doctor, that's when they found out that he has cancer. His doctor found a huge mass blocking his colon so he was advised to undergo a surgery to remove it. He also underwent series of chemotherapy to help kill the remaining cancer cells. Right now, no traces of cancer has been found on his body and hopefully he will recover fully.

Sleep Incentives

Mommies, especially the new ones, lack sleep all the time. Apart from taking care of the baby, they also need to juggle their responsibilities at home and at work. But moms, you should try to bump up "sleep" on your to-do list because aside from the fact that you will feel better, you will also enjoy these incentives:

1. YOU'LL BE SLIMMER

Previous studies have linked a lack of sleep with obesity, but exactly why was a mystery - until now: Not getting enough shut-eye significantly lowers nighttime levels of grehlin, a hormone involved in appetite control, say UCLA researchers. Grehlin levels may rebound, and then some, during the day - making you even more hungry.

2. YOU'LL BE NEARLY SNIFFLE-FREE

Routinely logging fewer then seven hours a night makes people almost three times more likely to catch a cold that those who get eight hours, according to a new Carnegie Mellon University study. Restless sleepers have it worse: They're nearly six times more prone to coming down with a cold.

3. YOU'LL BE SMARTER

When you're short on pillow time, proteins build up in your brain, giving you that thick, fuzzy-headed feeling the next morning, say researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine. These proteins also interfere with how the brain processes information and affect your ability to learn the next day.

4. YOU'LL BE HEART-HEALTHIER

If you spend fewer hours in bed that you ought to - and toss and turn once you're under the covers - you could be at risk of high blood pressure, reports a new study from Penn State College of Medicine. Insomnia paired with short sleep duration increased cortisol levels and upped heart rates, both of which can lead to cardiovascular problems.

Filter Fast

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So remember, for all your water and air filter needs, Filter Fast is ready to help you! Just visit their website and choose among the wide selection of filter types and brands. And as always, orders over %75 ships for only $1.99! So what are you waiting for? Avail of this great promo now!

Turn Off the Tube

Moms and dads, don't use the TV to babysit your children! Read on to know why...

Is the TV always on, even if you're not really watching? Switch it off and you may improve your baby's language development. Researchers from Seattle Children's Hospital found that for every hour of television that's on (even in the background), children babbled 7 percent less. Even more surprising: parents talked 75 percent less!

No Riding This Weekend...

I got an invitation from a friend to go horseback riding with her family this weekend but I declined because I don't have the proper riding gear such as breeches and boots. And I'm not confident with my riding skills either so instead of risking my safety, I'd rather stay home with my little boy and finish my never ending house chores. It will not be as much fun as horseback riding but hey... mommy duties first before anything else! ;)

Hello!

Just in case you're wondering why I was gone "again" for more than a week, well, I took a break from blogging to get some much needed rest. The past few weeks had been really hectic and all the stress has finally taken its toll on my body. So before I get sick again, I decided to rest for a few days. I had my "angels" work on my tasks and glad that it all turned out well despite my absence.

Okay... enough rants. I know you're tired hearing all this nonsense. I'll see yah in a bit. I'll just finish some work. ;)

Early Birds!

Would you believe it? I already received Halloween Invitations this month! Looks like my friends are not so excited huh?! LOL! They said they sent out the Halloween Party Invitations early so I can plan ahead. Well, with all these Invitations Halloween coming, I should really start planning how my day will start and end and which parties to attend to. Last year I only received one Halloween Invitation so it wasn't hard. But this year is different. Although Jaden is too young to remember his first Halloween but I still want to make it special for him. I will take lots of pictures and videos so when he grows older, he will see what he did on his first Halloween party. :)

Anyway, to those who are wondering where my friends ordered their Halloween Invitation, they got it at Invitations-Shoppe. You can check out their store on this link: http://www.invitations-shoppe.com. They are running a special promo right now where you can get 10 FREE cards with envelopes as well as FREE shipping. And you can modify your invites any way you like it. For more information,feel free to visit their website.

The Bachelor's Dating Meme

The fun is HERE! :)

Are you up for the challenge? Take a look at these seven dating profile headlines from real dating sites. Imagine you are trying to find a date and these gems have just landed in your inbox. How would you respond to them? Write a comeback response to each one. Be sarcastic, be funny, be brave! Spelling errors not my own. Names and locations have been changed to protect the terminally single.

1. Birdbrain looking for a mate. Go chekc out the aviary. I bet you'll find your match there.

2. Where Are All The Bad Girls? In the jail. Haha!

3. A Good Woman Is Hard To Fine. Yeah coz they always stick to the rules.

4. Does God Know You've Escaped From Heaven? I guess NO coz I'm still here on earth. Haha!

5. I Put the Fun in DysFUNctional. Whatever!

6. Does this profile make me look fat? Fat-ter!

7. I'm a no nonsince person with little tolorrance for stupitity. What the pack?! Haha!

Affordable Halloween Party Invitations

Looking for affordable Halloween Party Invitations? Well, look no farther! Just go to http://www.holiday-invitations.com and pick a design you like! There are plenty of party invitations Halloween choices but if you can't find what you are looking for, then let the in-house artists of Holiday-Invitations take care of the problem! For a small fee, they can create a unique and exclusive designs for your birthday Halloween invitations. Just tell them what's your idea of scary Halloween invites and they will do their best to interpret it just as you have envisioned it.

And order right away to avail of their limited time offer! If you order one right now, you can get 10 FREE Cards with envelopes at no additional cost.

Bonus Stress Tip

If your man gripes about you chatting with your BFF to much, tell him it's scientifically proven to make you feel better. Bonding with a buddy raises levels of the hormones progesterone, which boosts contentment and lowers anxiety, reports a new University of Michigan Study.

~ Is Facebooking with friends counted? I guess so! At least now I have a perfect excuse to spend more time at FB! Haha!

Still from the Parenting Early Years Mag!

Let's Play Ping Pong!

Jaden and I visited our community club house this afternoon and I was so surprised and happy when I saw the new ping pong table! Now we have a reason to visit our club house more often. I hate to brag but I'm quite good at this game you know. And I think I got the highest grade in Ping Pong in all my PE classes. That's how good I am! Haha! And my uncles and cousins are good ping pong players too so I guess it runs in the blood. Now I'm bragging! LOL!

FYI: Moms and Dads Read This!

CLEARING UP CAR-SEAT CONFUSION

The safest way for a kid under 4 to ride is facing backward, according to a new British study. Aim to keep your tot rear-facing up to your seat's weight and height limits - not just until the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) minimum of 1 year of age and 20 pounds.

IF MOM AND DAD ARE HAPPY...

... odds are their newborn will be, too, according to a study in Bioscience Hypothese, which found that mood-related brain chemicals can affect genes in egg and sperm cells. All the more reason to look on the bright side when you can!

SOURCE: Parenting Early Years Magazine

A Bundle of Joy

And yet another angel is about to be born... a bundle of joy is coming to a proud family! I feel happy every time I hear a news about someone who is going to have a new baby being born soon especially if they are in my family or among my close friends. I know how it feels to have a baby of your own. I have my baby Jaden and I feel so blessed. We all know that every expectant parent like we were then would be so happy and the baby's coming is one joyous celebration that shouldn't be missed by our family, relatives and close friends.


So most first time parents do have the baby shower and when you plan for such a special occasion, you do need the best baby shower invitations you can send out to your loved ones and Cards-411 at http://www.cards-411.com is your one stop shop for personalized Baby Invitations and announcements. Unique and beautiful designs of invitation baby, they have those and you can have your own wordings or you use theirs in your stationery. I like it that they are ever so willing to help you every step of the way till you get the invitation that you want for such a special event. They have free shipping plus they also give away ten free thank you cards each time you place an order with them. You can get the proof emailed to you within ONE Hour during the Business Day and they allow you to make unlimited changes at no extra cost charged to you. They also have matching baby shower thank you cards and even baptism christening invitations, and a lot more! Go shop for your baby invites now at Cards-411 before it's too late to be sent out to your guests.

Fast Fix for Minor Scrapes

No first-aid cream?

Just rub a little sugar in the wound; it's been used for centuries as an antibacterial agent, says Lillian Beard. M.D., author of Salt in Your Sock and Other Tried-and-True Home Remedies. To sweet-treat a small cut or scrape: Wash your hands and the boo-boo, then gently apply a paste of sugar and water. Rinse after a minute or two, pat dry, and cover with a bandage.

Got this helpful tip from the Parenting: Early Years Magazine. :)

My Star...

I lost my mom last March 14, 2009 and when I read this quote somewhere, it somehow made me feel better.

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”

Baby Shower Guidelines

Is this your first time to host a baby shower party and not quite sure where and how to order baby shower invitations? Well, don't panic! CardsShoppe, the leading maker of personalized cards for every special occasion, is offering free guidelines on how to choose the right invitations baby cards. From choosing the right card for the occasion to mailing the invitations, they will guide you every step of the way!


And they also offer Free Baby Invitations which is really a big help because these days every penny counts. If you can get it for free, go for it! But if you have some extra cash to spare, go for the invitation and announcement cards that requires a little fee. You won't regret it. You can do as many revisions as you like until you're satisfied at no extra cost. And you can even instantly preview the changes you made after personalizing your cards. So before it's too late, order your baby shower invitations right away at http://www.cardsshoppe.com.