Baby Shower – Page 226 – Marisa Meidle's Baby Showers

Peg Perego Stroller: The Luxury And Aesthetic Baby Stroller

While many businesses are started purely to make money, the Peg Perego Strollers company was started in 1949 as a solution to a problem. In that year, Giuseppe Perego and his wife were disappointed in the choices of baby strollers for their son, who was an infant at the time. After awhile, Giuseppe decided to build a stroller for his son that would have all the functionality the couple was looking for, as well as a sense of style. Once the neighbors caught sight of the stroller he designed, a new baby trend began and people began asking him to build Peg Perego Strollers for their families.

Today, the Peg Perego products are considered to be at the very pinnacle of excellence in baby strollers, bringing not only excellent craftsmanship, but also giving the units an Italian design flair that appeals to so many these days. The Perego baby stroller is considered to be one of the finest examples of functionality, yet they are also wrapped in elegant fabrics, creating an aesthetic look that is pleasing to the eye while also being supremely practical at the same time.

You can rest assured that all of the Peg Perego Strollers are only made of the finest and best materials, with great attention to detail by skilled and experienced craftsmen in Italy. Not only are the Perego line of baby strollers available in Italy, but they are also widely distributed in other European countries, as well as the United States and Canada.

The Italian Peg Perego company operates under the philosophy and mission of being dedicated to designing and manufacturing innovative, original baby stroller products that are “designed for discriminating consumers.” The company is committed to making their strollers live up to the demands of upscale parents who insist on having products that reflect individuality, fashion and quality, while providing safely and security for their babies and young children.

The Peg Perego company is able to boast of having one of the very few baby stroller models on the market that can be converted into a carriage with one easy step. The innovative stroller features a reversible handle that lets the baby either sit facing the parent for interaction and comforting when needed, or facing forward to take in all the interesting things in their surroundings.

This stand-out line of strollers also has a variety of bright and vibrant color schemes, which integrate three different modern and fashionable colors, instead of only two colors, as is common in other baby strollers. These energetic color schemes help to add more winsomeness, panache and depth to the overall design and appearance of the little one’s ride.

Luxuriously padded and ample sized seats are a hallmark of the Peg Perego Strollers and the seating area also has an integrated zippered seat boot, which serves to keep the baby toasty warm and cozy no matter what the weather outside is like. A sturdy five-point harness is also an integral part of all models. This design assures that baby stays safe and secure while also allowing for enough movement to be comfortable.

Her Royal Disney Highness – Princess Tiana

All rise – as Disney introduces the latest member of its Royal Family…

Princess Tiana is the protagonist of Disney’s upcoming 2009 film ‘The Princess and the Frog’. The film has a limited release date in the USA (in NY and LA only) as the 25th November and will be released in US theaters on December 11th. This film also marks the return of Disney to traditional hand-drawn animation and will bring to fans the 9th Disney Princess. The latest member of Disney’s Royal Family, Princess Tiana, is the first Disney Princess to come along in 11 years – with the last Disney Princess being 1998’s Mulan.

The Princess and the frog storyline centers on young Tiana, a girl living in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the 1920s Jazz Age and a prince named Naveen who has been transformed into a frog by the evil voodoo magician Dr. Facilier. The story features a trumpet playing alligator, a love sick Cajun firefly and a host of other adorable characters at every turn.

At the recent US Toy Fair, a preview was given of the Disney merchandise that will accompany the movie.With vibrant and regal colors like green, purple and gold, the toys evoke life in New Orleans and the bayou, where the film is set. The collection includes dolls, playsets, role-play items and costumes as well as colorful accessories.

The Princess and the Frog Tiana doll ($25) from Mattel, will probably be the most popular toy from the line. Just as in the story, beautiful Princess Tiana wears her sparkly blue ball gown and comes with her frog Prince Naveen. The fiber-optic gown lights up and the doll and frog interact! In addition to the signature Tiana doll, Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana will be available in wedding attire.

Websites centered around Princess Tiana and the movie have already begun to appear. Of note are those that applaud Disney’s choice to feature a princess of color and other sites that offer coloring pages, printables and paper crafts that feature Disney’s latest Princess.

Little girls of all ages will enjoy the many, free, printable coloring images of Princess Tiana (plus party invitations, various paper crafts and party room decorations) available from Princess Tiana Coloring Pages a site that has many Princess Tiana colouring sheets

As we await the movie’s release, Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Princess Tiana in the movie gives us a glimpse into the princess’ character. Tiana is a “diamond in the rough” who will have to learn some lessons before she reaches true princess status. She is a determined, motivated and a fiercely independent young woman. She wants to do things her way, without anyone’s help. “She’s a strong woman who doesn’t need anyone to do things for her,” says Anika Noni Rose. “She is keen to do things for herself…”

Toddlers – the importance of drawing and coloring

To the casual observer a child who is drawing or coloring in, is just scribbling. The marks seem to be haphazard, almost meaningless. But there is more going on in your young child’s mind as s/he engages in the physical act of drawing and coloring.

In fact, examining a child’s drawing gives us important insights into how drawing fits into the overall physical, emotional and cognitive development of the young child. From toddlerhood through primary school, children choose to draw and color, but the process starts much earlier – during toddlerhood.

At around the age of 18 months, toddlers become interested in scribbling. It seems to provide sensory enjoyment, but the child is also interested in the marks that are made. The act of scribbling can serve several useful purposes for the young child. Small muscle coordination and control improve with practice, cognitive abilities are exercised, opportunities for social interaction arise, and the physical movements provide emotional release.

Because a toddler’s small muscle control is not fully developed, he or she may approach the coloring sheet by grasping the marker with his or her fist and may have difficulty placing the marks exactly where he or she wants them. Movements are typically large, involving the whole arm with very little finger or wrist control. This is because the pattern of physical development proceeds from the center of the trunk outward.

With practice, the toddler will naturally improve his or her control, full control, however, will not be achieved until much later. A few toddlers rest the forearm on the drawing surface to give them additional control. A repetitive scrubbing motion is common among two-year-olds. This provides them with sensory enjoyment and making drawing a very physical act.

By providing children with the materials and opportunities to scribble we can promote physical skills. Just as babbling is a natural way to gain language, scribbling is a natural gateway to muscle control and coordination.

Intellectually toddlers are concerned with both the process and results of their art. They do not intend to represent objects at first. Instead, they are concerned with color and line. However, they may look at the marks and scribbles they have made and, in surprise, recognize a shape and name it. While they may not have intended to draw a car, a house or a tree, the scribbles suggest the shapes. Children interpret, rather than intend. This is called fortuitous realism and becomes common as a child approaches three years of age.

As a parent you can encourage your child to draw and color by offering him or her opportunities to do so. Provide them with blank sheets of paper to let their creativity run wild or supply a coloring book or coloring sheets – many of which are available free of charge online. Little boys may enjoy coloring images of cars and trucks or of favorite characters such as Pokemon and at sites like Pokemon Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Pokemon to colour in

Little girls on the other hand tend to prefer images of fairies and princesses and these too are plentiful online.

Remember to always supervise toddlers while they draw and color – due to the choking hazard that crayons pose.

Drawing and coloring and your child’s fine motor skills

The simple acts of drawing and coloring are literally childs’ play, however, they both play an important role in a child’s physical, emotional and cognitive development. Like no other activity, drawing and coloring allows young children to express emotions, experience autonomy and build their confidence. Drawing and coloring are also excellent pre-cursors to developing writing skills because the toddler is honing his or her fine motor skills which are essential when learning to write.

Parents and caregivers can promote drawing and coloring as a way to improve physical, social, emotional and cognitive development – and to have a lot of fun along the way too. Here are some ideas you can try:

1.Provide kids with nontoxic materials, blank sheets of white paper and coloring pages.

2. Model drawing. Show children that you like to draw and color too – make designs but do not show your children what they should draw.

3.Encourage all drawing and coloring activity and efforts by talking about the beautiful colors, the lines and shapes the child has made.

4. Rather than ask “What is it?,” say “Tell me everything about your drawing”.Asking “What is that?” suggests to the child that s/he has failed to depict what they intended.

5. Talk about concepts like thin, thick, wide, narrow, dark, light, edge, shape, contour, etc.

6. Display their art in a prominent place – such as the kitchen fridge, in their room and in places where visitors to your home will see them. Point them out to visitors – the praise for the work will boost a child’s self esteeem and confidence.

7. Give children the freedom to choose the subjects of their drawings and of their coloring sheets. For example little boys may enjoy coloring images of cars, trucks or a favourite character such as Pokemon – and at sites like Pokemon Coloring Pages you’ll find printable colouring pages. Little girls on the other hand prefer images from fairy tales such as Princess pictures – choose whatever pleases your child to encourage their enthusiasm for the activity and their interest in it.

8. Always supervise younger children while they draw and color – crayons pose a choking hazard.

Travel Easy With Kids On Strollers

The history of baby carriages is long beginning in Europe. It is only in recent times the baby carriages have become immensely popular as a mode of transport for infants and small children. These days people have to travel a lot. Often they have to take the children along with them. Baby carriages are also called by such names as carry cot or pram or perambulator. These baby carriages are actually bucket shaped. They are fitted with wheels so that they can be pushed as you walk. There are also other kinds of baby carriages such as baby slings, backpack carriers, soft front carriers and hip carriers. The difference is that you will have to carry these baby carriages with you while the former is pushed in front of you.

Baby carriages are made from different materials. They are available in different designs and vary in its comforts, support and rigidity. A stroller is a carriage to transport infants or small children up to the age of three or four. A stroller is often called also as a buggy or push chair. The children face forward away from the pusher in strollers while a pram usually has the infant facing the pusher so that the child can constantly be within the full eye sight of the pusher. Strollers are normally designed for carrying one child. But there are strollers that carry two and also three children. It is also designed to accommodate children with small age gap. Strollers to accommodate three children are a recent addition.

The stroller is designed for easy maneuverability. This is aided by its free wheels allowing it to be turned around within small spaces. The Maclaren Quest stroller gives an instance of a stroller that is meant for babies 3 months and old with an underneath storage basket for holding goodies. The stroller also has such safety features as rain cover, shoulder strap and hood. Its seat can be reclined in 4 positions and has adjustable 5 point safety harness.

You may choose the stroller from amongst the models that are in the market. They differ in their features and weight. You can also buy strollers online.