Baby Language

Posted by gmirage1 on Jan 12, 2012 in Babies | 14 comments

If you’re a mom you’ve definitely experienced those moments when your baby/babies cry or gibbers and you don’t know what to do. You’re pretty sure they’re telling you something you just don’t know what. In 2006, Priscilla Dunstan released a DVD set called The Dunstan Baby Language which covered five universal words babies use.

According to her, the five words (or sound reflexes) used by infants are:

Neh

I’m hungry - An infant uses the sound reflex “Neh” to communicate its hunger. The sound is produced when the sucking reflex is triggered, and the tongue is pushed up on the roof of the mouth.

Owh

I’m sleepy - An infant uses the sound reflex “Owh” to communicate that they are tired. The sound is produced much like an audible yawn.

Heh

I’m experiencing discomfort - An infant uses the sound reflex “Heh” to communicate stress, discomfort, or perhaps that it needs a fresh diaper. The sound is produced by a response to a skin reflex, such as feeling sweat or itchiness in the bum.

Eairh

I have lower gas - An infant uses the sound reflex “Eairh” to communicate they have flatulence or an upset stomach. The sound is produced when trapped air from a belch is unable to release and travels to the stomach where the muscles of the intestines tighten to force the air bubble out. Often, this sound will indicate that a bowel movement is in progress, and the infant will bend its knees, bringing the legs toward the torso. This leg movement assists in the ongoing process.

Eh

I have gas - An infant uses the sound reflex “Eh” to communicate that it needs to be burped. The sound is produced when a large bubble of trapped air is caught in the chest, and the reflex is trying to release this out of the mouth.

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Amazingly, as shown in the video above when Dunstan guested on Oprah, different babies make same sound reflexes. With a group of moms and their babies, we were shown that knowing these reflexes helped the mothers determine what to do when they hear any of the words.

There are still moms who claim that this language recognition is not effective for them…Dunstan explained that yes, maybe for 1 out of 10 moms, it may be different. Anyway, I surely hoped that I’ve known this years ago, when I was starting out as a mom.

Pinteresting Giveaway (Hump Day Wednesday)

Posted by giveaway on Jan 9, 2012 in Blogging, Giveaways | 6 comments

It’s time for Hump Day $50 Giveaway and today’s event is for following on Pinterest . But wait, this week, you can win $50 and a bonus entry for $10! You can win both if you’re really lucky today, or at least have a chance at $50 or $10. This week’s event is composed of the 25 wonderful blogs listed below so feel free to check them out after joining.

A note though in joining: You can only join this on one blog/page. There will be a maximum of 32 entries ONLY. If you have more than 32, I reserve the right to delete duplicate or fraudulent entries. May I request that you use only one name and email address for quicker validation of entries. Also, make sure you do the mandatory entries otherwise if you win using an optional entry but DID NOT COMPLETE the mandatory entries, you will be disqualified and another winner will automatically be drawn.

On the first mandatory entry, please do not forget to write Mirage referred you since it is a mandatory entry. You must complete the first 2 tasks before the others are enabled, and for all your other entries to count.

Thank you very much and good luck. By joining this giveaway, you agree to the Terms and Conditions on the bottom of the form. Contest is open all-day Wednesday, from February 9th, 12:01am EST to February 9th,11:59pm EST (February 9th, 1:01pm Philippine time to February 10th, 12:59pm Philippine time).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Features of Children’s Easels

Posted by gmirage1 on Jan 2, 2012 in Learning | 9 comments

Parents, teachers and others who care for children often seek ways to encourage creativity in their little ones. Children’s easels can inspire them to draw, paint and let their imaginations soar. When shopping for children’s easels, there are several features from which to choose.

For instance, some artist easels have large rolls of paper that hang above the top. Kids can draw, paint, write or scribble to their hearts’ content. When their masterpiece is complete, Mom or Dad can simply snip or tear the paper above the artwork and then pull down enough clean paper for them to start again. Other easels use large pads of paper that clip to the stands. After a child has finished sketching or doodling, he can tear off the page and access a fresh one with ease. Still other children’s easels use a single sheet of paper at a time that connects to the top of the frame. This prevents paint or markers from seeping through and marring other pages.

If you hate the idea of having to purchase and throw away paper again and again, there are other types of children’s easels that you might prefer. For instance, you might opt for a chalkboard on a tripod. Provide your little ones with a variety of colored chalk and an eraser for hours of unlimited creativity.

Likewise, dry erase easels are available as well. Kids can draw, practice writing and play games such as hangman. When they are done, they can wipe off their work and start anew with very little effort. These easels do have a couple of drawbacks, though. Young children might not be ready to use dry erase markers, which can stain clothing, furniture and walls. In addition, if a child accidentally uses the wrong type of marker, the easel may be ruined as well.

Since there are many features available, selecting the best children’s easels can be tough. One way to go is to choose a double-sided children’s easel. Not only will these allow two kids to draw or color at one time, but they provide different features as well. For instance, one side might be a chalkboard and the other a whiteboard, allowing little ones to sketch with chalk while an older sibling doodles using dry erase markers. Some easels are magnetic on one or both sides, offering three features in one.

flickr.com/photos/beatrix_honey

Humpday Wednesday 50$ Giveaway!

Posted by giveaway on Jan 2, 2012 in Giveaways | 9 comments

It’s Wednesday once again and time for our 1-day event through Hump Day $50 Giveaway! The task for today is Twitter Follow and for all entries to be available, you need to complete the first 3 mandatory tasks before the rest of the entries are enabled. There are a total of 34 entries for a chance to win $50. This is all thanks to our wonderful blog partners and sponsors who continuously support Hump Day $50 Giveawayevery week.

NEW: After entering the mandatory entries, you will be taken to a separate page to follow the 25 other sponsors. Please completely FOLLOW ALL 25 on the separate page to be eligible for the 25 points. All the sponsors will verify your entry and if you miss to follow one, your 25-point entry will be disqualified. After following all 25 entries (link to all the twitter button will be grayed out), come back to the blog page you first entered on to complete the rest of the Rafflecopter tasks.

You may also want to visit our sponsors to show them some love:

It’s Humpday Wednesday once again!

Posted by giveaway on Jan 1, 2012 in Giveaways | 5 comments

It’s time for Hump Day $50 Giveaway and today’s event is for Google+ Circles. Thanks to the 27 wonderful blogs listed below, we are giving away another $50 so please feel free to visit their blogs after joining.

NEW: After entering the mandatory entries, you will be taken to a separate page to add the 25 other sponsors’ page on to your Google+ Circles. Please completely ADD ALL 25 on the separate page to be eligible for the 25 points. All the sponsors will verify your entry and if you miss to follow one, your 25-point entry will be disqualified. After adding all 25 entries to your Google+ Circles, come back to the blog page you first entered on to complete the rest of the Rafflecopter tasks. For a short tutorial on how to Follow via GFC or to Add pages to your Google+ Circles, click here.

A note though: You can only join this on one blog/page. There will be a maximum of 32 entries ONLY. If you have more than 32, I reserve the right to delete duplicate or fraudulent entries. May I request that you use only one name and email address for quicker validation of entries.

On the first mandatory entry, please do not forget to write Mirage referred you since it is a mandatory entry. You must complete the first 2 tasks before the others are enabled, and for all your other entries to count.

Thank you very much and good luck. By joining this giveaway, you agree to the Terms and Conditions on the bottom of the form. Contest is open all-day Wednesday, from February 29th, 12:01am EST to February 29th,11:59pm EST (February 29th, 1:01pm Philippine time to March 1st, 12:59pm Philippine time).

Summer that was Gone

Posted by gmirage1 on Dec 15, 2011 in Three | 3 comments

It’s funny whenever I dig into my archives of photos of the summer that was gone I’ll see how these three would look so sweaty and sunburned with unruly hair. Though it’s but natural and knowing that they enjoyed the summer, I’m good with it.