Joy To The World
Most kids don't understand the meaning of the word irony, but this Christmas photo starring some rather grumpy tykes seems to sum it up quite well.
Who cares about JOY mom, make with the TOYS!
Dogwalker Stops for Play Break
At first it appears that young Arthur is walking the dog, but then it becomes clear that Watson is babysitting. That's a good dog. And the music for this video is perfect. -via Arbroath
Santa's Snooze
This is how to get the perfect picture of baby's first Christmas when baby can't stay awake for the portrait! Link
This Baby Doesn't Know How To Feel About His Bath
The cute little guy in this video really doesn't know how to feel about taking a bath, so he just runs through every possible reaction in hopes of finding one that fits. A comedic star is born!
Zoo Baby
Call Zooborns! A new baby was born at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! However, they might not get the furry baby pictures they are used to, because this specimen is human. An unnamed 21-year-old woman went into labor as she was visiting the zoo in Syracuse, New York, Friday morning. Zoo Education Coordinator Liz Schmidt was called to help.
“I honestly didn’t expect her to deliver at the zoo,” Schmidt said this afternoon. “I thought we’d pop her in a wheelchair and she’d be good to go to the hospital.”
It was obvious to Schmidt when she arrived that the baby had other ideas.
The woman had been touring the zoo with a group of five to seven adults and children when she went into labor, Schmidt said. An adult lead the children away to go look at the lions, as the woman was giving birth, she said.
As a first responder, Schmidt has taken courses in all aspects of first aid, including delivering babies. But she doesn’t carry medical equipment or blankets with her on her daily job, she said.
When she arrived, Schmidt immediately radioed out for back up and blankets.
The birth moved quickly from there, she said.
Zookeeper Sarah Kohler assisted, while elephant keeper John Moakler took over crowd control. An ambulance was called and took mother and the newborn baby girl to a hospital. Link -via Fark
(Image credit: Gary Walts/The Post-Standard)
Old Jetliner Turned into a Kindergarten Classroom
The headmaster says, "I wondered for a long time how to make a kindergarten where children would not want to go home." I think that Mr. Chapidze has found a way. This school in the nation of Georgia has converted an old Yakovlev 42 into a kindergarten classroom:
The refurbishment took several months and Mr Chapidze says he was concerned at first that people would not take to the idea, but the unique playpen has become a hit with the parents too.
Staff hope that in addition to being a fun place full of knobs to turn and buttons to push, playing on the aircraft will help children develop technically.
Santa's Yodeling Song
Eight-year-old Ezrah Noelle yodeled her way to second place at the 2011 Oklahoma Kids State Competition, Specialty Act division. Who knew Santa yodeled? -via Everlasting Blort
How To Make a Baby
Photo: Patrice Laroche
Patrice Laroche is here to tell us how to make a baby. It's a lot easier than I thought, it doesn't involve birds or bees! Ahh you know it's late in the day when people start throwing around corny jokes like that.
Photo: Patrice Laroche
Link | Via Modern Met
The Power of Youth
A talented countertenor busker in Krakow, Poland, has a child, or more likely a grandchild, who wants to follow in his footsteps. The baby sure knows the song well! -via Arbroath
The Making of "It's a SpongeBob Christmas"
What TV show required 60 pounds of baking soda, 20 boxes of fruit flavored, gluten-free breakfast cereal, 21 pounds of googly eyes, and 42 pounds of glitter? The new Spongebob Christmas special! Nickelodeon will present "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" on December 9th. The special was filmed in stop-motion, a first for Spongebob. Boing Boing has some background and trivia about the making of the special, like what all that stuff was used for. Link
Balloon Rocket
This looks like fun! It's also a way to demonstrate to kids how a rocket works. From the Toys from Trash series by Dr. Arvind Gupta. Link -via Laughing Squid
Stuffed Animals Worn Out By Decades Of Love
Kids see stuffed animals as more than just toys- they're a fuzzy best friend, confidante and a great snuggle buddy come bed time.
But what do these stuffed critters look like after years of being loved? Photographer Mark Nixon explores that very question in his photo series MuchLoved, and some of his subjects are over fifty years old! The backstory for each toy is cute, but the pics are kinda creepy...
A Royal Spotlight on a Rare Condition
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is pregnant with a child who will be in a direct line to inherit the throne of England. The news is not all good, as the Duchess has been hospitalized for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe and debilitating morning sickness. The New York Times spoke with Dr. Marlena Fejzo, an obstetrics researcher and former H.G. sufferer, about the condition.
Q. What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
A. It’s severe, debilitating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that generally leads to more than 5 percent weight loss and requires fluid treatment. Sometimes, in more extreme cases, it requires nutritional supplements.
Q. Are there treatments?
A. Doctors try to give IV and anti-nausea medication at first. About 20 percent of the women who contact the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation require tube feeding. It’s very serious. They have to have a tube inserted above their heart. Blood tests have to be done every day, or every other day, and the bag of nutrients has to be monitored to make sure it’s personalized for the woman’s needs. But I don’t think Kate Middleton (based on news reports) has it that bad. She’s just gone in for the IV fluids.
Fejzo also tells us about the prevalence, prognosis, and possible complications of H.G. Link -via Metafilter, where you'll find more links.
Music For Mom
While Tammy Williamson undergoes treatment for cancer, her family waits in the lobby. That's when her son, 8-year-old Martin Williamson plays the harp for other patients, staff, and other families who wait. It's his contribution to her recovery, and it means a lot to everyone who hears his music. Link -via Arbroath
8 Banned Children's Toys From Yesteryear
From the look of the banned toys on this list kids used to have much more to worry about then windowless vans and strangers with candy.
Home atomic energy kits, Derringer belt buckles that really burned, and giant darts you tossed in the air and hoped didn't put somebody's eye out, now those are some really good reasons to keep an eye on your kids during playtime!
Bucky Balls, on the other hand, really don't belong on this list, but some people ruin the fun for everyone...
