CHECK OUT IT'S HIP HOP, BABY! AT THE TASTE OF CHICAGO 2009!

CHICAGOLAND PARENTS!!!

It's Hip Hop, Baby! will be performing at the Taste of Chicago 2009!



FRIDAY, JULY 3!

***Show Times: 12:10pm, 1:40pm, 2:55pm

Bring your toddlers and children out for a wonderful day in beautiful Grant Park in Downtown Chicago!

There will be plenty of action and excitement at one of the most memorable events of Chicago's summer: The Taste!

We will have a stage just for your children to dance on with the kids from the It's Hip Hop, Baby! DVDs and CDs!

Miss Dre will host the show with a fun-filled dance routine and plenty of expertise to teach your kids some moves!

Come out for the perfect family outing and support It's Hip Hop, Baby!

***Look for "The Fun Stage" on the Southwest corner of Columbus and Jackson!

***Parking Garages: Millennium Park, East Monroe, or Grant Park

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

GREAT FOODS FOR EATING AND EVEN BETTER FOR TEACHING!!

Here at It's Hip Hop, Baby! we're all about teaching toddlers and children in the most effective and fun ways!

Check out this article we found at www.parenting.com about 6 cool foods that are wonderful for teaching your toddler about the world around them!



These foods are great for learning colors, numbers and more!

Your toddler won't mind learning when it tastes so good!

Here's the list!

1. Jell-O (colors)
2. Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (letters)
3. Keebler Graham Bug Bites (insects)
4. Cheez-It Scrabble Junior (letters)
5. Fruit Roll Up Stickerz (colors)
6. Campbell's Chicken Alphabet Soup (letters)

Click this link to see the full slide show!

http://www.parenting.com/recipes-gallery/Recipes/7-Snacks-that-Teach

SAFER TEETHERS FOR YOUR BABY!

Here at It's Hip Hop, Baby! we have a 6 month old who LOVES these safe, creative and colorful teething toys by DANO2. This company focuses on making products for infants that are made of non-toxic and FDA approved materials that qualify as medical grade.



Daniel Monahan started this business after deeply wanting to always have safe toys for his young daughter to use. Out of that vision, DANO2 was born. With a mission to make their products in the US while using the best materials possible, this unique toy company really sets itself apart from the rest!

Check out their website for super cool and super safe products for your babies!

http://www.dano2.com/

KEEP THOSE SUMMER SEASHELLS LOOKING NEW!

Taking a family vacation on the beach this summer?
You know your kids LOVE finding cool seashells on the ocean's shore, right? Even though their new-found treasures look shiny and beautiful when they first get them, they don't always have the same appeal once you get back home.



To prevent the shells from drying, check out this fun and creative way to keep those shells looking like they just came out of the water!
Your child can even create his own masterpiece by decorating the jar how he or she pleases!

We found this article at: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf67project0697/famf67project063097.html

Gather rocks, empty shells and sea glass in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Fill a canning jar with a layer of sand and wedge in larger rocks or driftwood, then add the smaller shells. Fill the jar with seawater, screw the lid on tightly, and wrap in a towel to prevent breakage on the ride home.

Stand the jar in a kettle and cover it with water. Heat until the water boils, then simmer for 15 minutes (the cooking kills any algae). Carefully remove the jar from the kettle (parents only) and cool. Let your child label the jar and decorate the lid with sand sprinkled over glue.

Happy hunting!

ADORABLE AND EASY TWIST ON A CLASSIC SNACK!

Here at It's Hip Hop Baby, we love finding quick and fun recipes that even your kids can help you with!



Check out this super cute recipe for PB & J blossoms we found at:

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50225!

Great for parties, after-school snacks or just a fun way to get your kids going in the kitchen, these edible flowers are perfect for the summertime!

-Bread  
-Peanut butter or cream cheese  
-Jelly or jam  
-Water bottle cap  
     

Step 1 
For each sandwich, cut two slices of bread into flower shapes with a cookie 
cutter. 

Step 2 
Cut a hole in one of the slices by pressing a water bottle cap into the center. 

Step 3 
Spread the peanut butter and jelly on the whole piece and place the slice with 
the hole on top. 

WHAT A COOL SUMMER TREAT! FROZEN S'MORES!

There's nothing like the delicious treats that come along with summer! After a hot day out by the pool or running errands in the baking sun, come home to this interesting twist on a classic camp food and your kids can help!

Frozen s'mores use ice cream instead of marshmallows; no fire needed! We found this recipe Allrecipes.com and it looks gooood!



Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 14 or so graham crackers
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened on microwave's defrost setting for 30 seconds
• 1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened on microwave's defrost setting for 30 seconds

Directions:

1. Microwave cream and chocolate in a 1-quart glass measuring cup on high power until very hot, about 2 minutes. Whisk until chocolate melts into a smooth sauce.
2. Line an 8-inch square metal pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang. Arrange 1/3 of the graham crackers over bottom, cutting the final few with a knife to fit. Drizzle 1/3 of the sauce over the crackers; spread evenly. Freeze until chocolate is just set, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Spread vanilla ice cream over the chocolate. Top with another cracker layer as before. Drizzle another 1/3 of the sauce over the crackers; spread evenly. Freeze until just set, 5 to 10 minutes. Spread chocolate ice cream over the crackers. Arrange a final layer of crackers over the ice cream. Spread remaining sauce over crackers.
4. Freeze until set, about 2 hours, or double-wrap in plastic and freeze up to 5 days.
5. To serve, lift dessert from pan; discard plastic wrap. Halve the dessert; cut each half into 6 slices. Return to freezer briefly.

Enjoy with a cold glass of milk! YUM!

***Instead of graham crackers, try chocolate chip cookies!

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDS OVERLOOKED: KEEP YOUR BABY SAFE!

Here at It's Hip-Hop Baby, we care so much about keeping children safe at all times! Cnn.com ran a very helpful article on many household hazards that are commonly overlooked. We thought we would share what we found to keep your precious babies and children out of harm's way.



While most parents know to cover outlets and put chemical cleaners out of arm's reach, there are still some things in the house that can be very dangerous.

The article warns parents that putting furniture right under a window can be very hazardous, giving a child a clear opportunity to climb the furniture which could lead to falling out of the window. It suggests using window guards instead of screens, which may not hold the weight of a child. You can find these for around $30 and it's worth it!

We know it sounds like an old record, but we think it's worth mentioning over and over again!

Window treatment cords can also be a danger, so they should be tied up high enough that child or baby wouldn't be able to reach them. Also, keeping cribs or changing tables away from window treatments is a smart idea!

Power cords can potentially be incredibly dangerous, as well. They can cause electrical burns, tripping, strangulation and head trauma if an appliance is pulled with the cord.
Parents should always remember to unplug and secure these cords whenever possible and keep appliances out of the way, too. **This includes exercise equipment cords! If you have a gym, limit the child's access to this room - shut and lock the door if possible.

Link: Remembering Mike Tyson's daughter and the importance of treadmill safety!
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2009/05/mike-tysons-daughter-in-preventable-treadmill-accident-treadmill-safety-tips-.html

In the article, they stress another commonly overlooked hazard - tipped over furniture. Dressers and flat screen televisions are common dangers. Leaving one drawer pulled out makes a dresser less stable if it isn't mounted to the wall. You can buy inexpensive wall mounting kits at baby stores and hardware stores that can hold up to 400 pounds of weight!

With flat screen televisions, try to mount it on the wall but if that's not an option, push it back as far as you can on a stand so a child still wouldn't be able to reach it.

Read the full article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/27/hidden.home.hazards/index.html

FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO KEEP YOUR LITTLE ONES SAFE!

DID YOU KNOW YOUR BABY COULD HELP SAVE THE PLANET?

As more and more people take notice of how important it is to protect Mother Earth, babies can be just as much of a force in this GO GREEN movement!


Cloth diapers may stir up images of constant washing, safety pins and 1957, but they are becoming more convenient and more eco-friendly! Most importantly, they are becoming more Mom-friendly!

Here are some environmentally smart diaper options that we researched that just may help keep our planet healthy and prosperous!

Pocket Diapers, by Happy Heiny's

What they are: They can be made more absorbent with washable fabric inserts that slip into a pocket on the inside of the diaper.

Eco-benefits: These pocket diapers are handmade by moms in the United States from custom-milled fleece. Hemp Stuffins inserts are made from organic hemp -- a plant fiber that's less toxic to process and more biodegradable than fibers from other crops, like cotton. ($16 per Pocket Diaper, $6 per hemp insert; happyheinys.com)


Bamboo Fitted Diapers, by bumGenius

What they are: Superabsorbent and well-fitting diapers with an adjustable hook-and-loop closure.

Eco-benefits: They're made from bamboo, which grows easily without fertilizer or pesticides and has been found to have natural antibacterial elements. ($13; cottonbabies.com)


Adjustable Velcro Diapers, by Under the Nile

What they are: Fitted all-in-one diapers (meaning they're diaper and diaper cover in one) with elastic legs.

Eco-benefits: They get their superior absorbency -- and softness -- from 100 percent organic Egyptian cotton that hasn't been bleached. ($13; underthenile.com)


Organic Absorb-It-All Diapers, by Ecobaby

What they are: Fitted diapers with adjustable side snaps that come in a variety of colors, like pink, seafoam, and buttercup. (Use them with a diaper cover.)

Eco-benefits: Not only are these diapers made of organic Indian cotton, they get their cute hues from natural dyes. ($16 www.ecobaby.com )

GO GREEN!

Kansas City, Missouri: Stay on Budget and Have Fun with the Fam! **MIDWEST MOMS: READ!**

NEVER THOUGHT OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI WHEN PLANNING A FAMILY VACATION? THINK AGAIN!

Cnn.com ran a very informative and fun article on a city that offers PLENTY to do without breaking the bank!

In the article, they discussed how Kansas City, Missouri may just seem like a small Midwestern city known for their fantastic barbeque, but it actually is a great tourist spot, especially for children and families! With countless museums, a theme park and the Kansas City Zoo, over 200 fountains in the area, an award-winning children's theater, The Coterie Theater, the incredible Science City Science Museum, and family friendly restaurants like Fritz' Railroad Restaurant, your kids will have tons of fun running around and exploring this great vacation city!

From the looks of it, your children can get their artistic buzz going in the FREE Kaleidoscope in Crown Center Building. Kids can make their own artwork with a colorful array of art supplies and recycled materials, including markers, colored paper, ribbons and so much more! More than 40,000 children have stopped in last year alone! Your kids won't want to leave!
**Ask about their family workshops! (We did!)
While you're in the Crown Center, visit the Hallmark Visitor Center to find out the history of Hallmark and how Hallmark cards are made!

Here at It's Hip Hop Baby, we understand the importance of keeping a reasonable vacation budget! The article shares that there are numerous hotels in the Kansas City area for under $100 a night and the entire family can find something to do in this "best kept secret" vacation city!

Check out the full article at :

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/getaways/06/08/kansas.city.family.travel/index.html?iref=newssearch