Teething has turned your sweet baby into a drooling, clingy, cranky mess, and none of your go-to remedies seem to be working. You’re giving them all the extra cuddles (the best treatment for most baby drama), extra boob or bottles, you panic-ordered the iconic banana teether toothbrush, and you’re now best friends with Sophie La Girafe, but your little one is still a disaster. Luckily, there are so many other ways to help soothe a teething baby. Try these teething tips to ease your babe’s discomfort fast—and don’t forget to keep wiping that waterfall of drool pouring out of their mouths! (The last thing you need is irritated skin on top of teething pain.)
1. Rub baby’s gums. After washing your hands, give your baby a gentle gum massage. The pressure from your fingers will counter the pressure of the teeth breaking through. It will feel good and offer your little one some relief from sore, swollen gums.
2. Refrigerate a pacifier. Chilling a pacifier makes it even more soothing by lightly numbing gums to dull the pain.
3. Wear baby-safe teething necklaces. Teething necklaces (jewelry for mom with chewable silicone pieces) give your child an easy-to-grab item to gnaw on when you're holding them. Just don't put any jewelry (e.g. amber necklaces) on your baby—these are choking and strangulation hazards.
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4. Try a mesh feeder. Freezing some fruits in a mesh feeder can be a lifesaver for cranky kids and their equally cranky parents. Not only does it chill and soothe sore gums, but your baby or toddler will be occupied for a solid chunk of time before they get through all that frozen goodness.
5. Make milk/formula popsicles. Some babies and toddlers refuse to eat while teething, mostly out of discomfort. Popsicles keep your little one fed and hydrated while soothing those gums. Use silicone popsicle forms to make them, and fill with breastmilk or formula. When eating, slip a bib on your babe or place them on a washable towel or blanket since popsicles can get messy.
6. Wear your baby as much as possible. Strap your clingy child into a structured carrier or wrap, facing inward. They'll feel comfort from being close to you, and you can still get things done. Win-win.
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7. Freeze a wet, textured washcloth. Moisten a textured washcloth, wring it dry, and place in the freezer before giving it to your baby. Terrycloth or a ribbed texture will offer added relief by creating friction as baby gnaws on it.
8. Refrigerate a small spoon. A spoon is something your child can hold on their own, chew on, push against their gums, and even play with to distract themselves from teething pain. Keep a few spoons in the fridge so you always have one at the ready. Those new teeth can really sneak up on you.
9. Serve chilled purees. Chill pureed foods prior to feeding your baby so the food is cool on their gums. It will feel nice and may encourage your child to eat more.
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10. Become a chew toy. Wash your hands in cold water and then offer a chilled pinky for your child to gum on. You can also show your child how to gum on their own fingers, to help them self-soothe.
11. Give your child a foot massage. Studies in reflexology have identified connections between toes and the head and teeth. Gently massage your child’s toes for comfort and a distraction from their pain.
Make sure to capture all the pics of those adorable new teeth—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app. The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.
Newborns are wonderful at all times of year, but a winter baby comes with its own special kind of warmth. Read on for 18 reasons to appreciate your cold-weather cutie!
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1. After a long night with baby, it is socially acceptable to wear pajamas 24/7 or curl up in an oversized sweater and leggings day after day after day. (And yes, we know, 2020 insured most of us were doing this anyway).
2. If baby arrives by the holidays, you’ll get to show off the best gift ever. And you have a good excuse for not cooking, cleaning or hosting.
3. No guilt for not socializing! Chilly weather, COVID and other people's colds are just two great reasons to stay in and snuggle in front of the fire.
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4. You could join a pit crew with your diaper-changing speed. Can’t let that baby get chilled!
5. You’ll never "get" to host a summer-birthday pool party with a dozen short, noisy humans who think of a pool as a giant collective toilet bowl.
6. That super-attractive sweat trail from the back to the ankles that baby-wearing moms get in the summer? Yeah, you don’t have it right now.
7. You know that true happiness is curling up on the couch with a cozy blanket and warm bundle of baby, aka your own portable heat source.
8. You secretly gloat over how your feet never swelled up like giant pufferfish during the last months of your pregnancy.
9. You’re probably still wearing stretchy pants, so indulge in that yummy holiday food you only get once a year.
10. Seasonally spiced hot lattes are the order of the day (literally) when you’ve been up all night with a newborn. All those still-pregnant spring and summer mamas will be jealous you're enjoying caffeine again.
11. Baby hats. There are few things cuter than newborns in ridiculous winter hats.
12. You have a perfect excuse to stay inside and nap with baby when any snow falls.
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13. You can think less about how your post-baby beach body is going to look come summer (that's months away!) and more about what warm, delicious comfort food is in your immediate future.
14. You’ve already got plans for that extra tax break (assuming baby was evicted before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve).
15. You don't have to stress about slathering sunscreen on a newborn.
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16. You can breastfeed without feeling like a sweaty dairy cow in summer's heat.
17. Those tiny-baby-in-a-giant-snowsuit photos are one of a kind.
18. By the time spring comes, your baby will be more mobile, and you can enjoy the longer, warmer days outside. Bring on the long walks and park outings!
Barbecue, BBQ, cookout, picnic—whatever you call your backyard shindigs, they’re an essential part of each summer. While these get-togethers are meant to be laid back, we all know that hosting can be anything but relaxing. Luckily, with a few smart tricks, you can spend more time hanging out with friends and less time stressing about hosting duties. Keep reading for a few of our favorites:
It's always helpful to have an extra hand! If your little one is able to, have them help out with some of your party prep. Shucking corn for grilled sweet corn and assembling kabobs are perfect activities for tiny hands.
Have Local Groceries Delivered
Cross one trip off of your to-do list by getting your groceries delivered right to your door. Alpenrose weekly grocery delivers fresh, local milk, dairy products, staples and local specialty groceries across the greater Portland area. If you’re a last-minute planner, you can even change your order up until 2pm the day before your scheduled delivery!
Hot summer days are perfect for backyard parties—except when you're trying to keep food cold. Make your own ice trays by taking a few aluminum serving trays, filling them with an inch of water and freezing them. Set food on top of the frozen trays for mess-free chilled food!
Lay It All Out
Hosting can sometimes feel like a game of 21 questions from guests. Make entertaining easier on yourself by laying out commonly forgotten items on a central table (think bug spray, sunblock and sunglasses) and by putting large trash and recycling bins somewhere they can be easily spotted.
Simplify Meal Time with Labels
A few notecards and a marker can make self-serve meals much easier. Label each dish with the name and any common dietary restrictions—if it’s vegetarian, contains nuts or is gluten-free, for example. Put out additional notecards and markers for guests to do the same with the food they bring!
I scream, you scream, and living in sunny SoCal, we all scream, in perpetuity, for ice cream. All that volume is not for naught either, LA has responded to our cries, offering a wide variety of shops serving up some of the finest frozen treats fit for any family.
Does your kiddo crave breakfast cereal all hours of the day? Grape-Nuts, Fruity Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are blended into creamy concoctions at two establishments on this list. Have you seen rolled ice cream that could pass for a bouquet of flowers? The chilled dessert from Thailand is available in our city. In search of the perfect scoop of vanilla ice cream? We found it and the secret might be cane sugar. Velvety smooth Italian gelato your thing? This DTLA spot will have you and the kids saying grazie.
Van Leeuwen
Carter Jung
Vanilla is the cheese pizza of ice creams. It’s a blank canvas that with the proper additions can be turned into art. At least, that’s what our family thought until we tried the vanilla bean at Van Leeuwen. Cajoled by a scooper to try the typically beige flavor, we were impressed by their incredibly nuanced and flavorful take on vanilla. Using choice ingredients that include cane sugar, it is the best scoop of vanilla we’ve ever tasted, as are their chocolate and strawberry options. With flavor combinations becoming wilder than a three-year old’s imagination at many boutique creameries, sometimes a familiar ice cream crafted to perfection is everything you need.
Locations: Silver Lake, Platform Culver City, Franklin Village, The Arts District, The Point in El Segundo & via a food truck on Abbott Kinney most weekends Online: vanleeuwenicecream.com
Taking the kiddos to Scoops is a mini-adventure. With the exception of one consistent flavor, they change out their ice cream selection daily, creating a delightful sense of discovery with every visit. Tai Kim, the founder, chemist and Willy Wonka of all things frozen, pulls from a recipe library that is seemingly endless, churning out micro-batches of inventive flavors such as lychee-strawberry, horchata-burnt sugar, blueberry lavender tea, coconut peanut butter pretzel or chocolate-Guinness (made with the actual beer!). No two visits will ever see the same exact flavors, which includes vegan, dairy-free options made of oat milk.
Each “one scoop" at Scoops actually comes with two. Our rec is to go with their daily fixture, Brown Bread—vanilla swirled with caramel and Grape-Nuts cereal—for one scoop and exploring a new flavor for the other. Don’t be afraid to be bold, either. The creamy, not too heavy of a base, deftly mixed in with whatever wild flavors strikes Kim’s fancy that day never-ever disappoints, helping Scoops edge out the other incredible establishments on this list as our family’s top ice cream shop.
I once spent a week in Milan for work and ate gelato every single day. On really rough days, twice a day. When I returned to LA, I experienced withdrawals and went on a hunt to find gelato comparable to what I consumed in embarrassing amounts in Italy. After many false leads, I found Gelateria Uli. Their stracciatella scratched an itch I otherwise thought would require a 13-hour flight. Better yet, if you’re at their original Spring Street Arcade location in DTLA, if you squint a bit, the atrium court with its hanging lights could almost pass for Europe. Almost. But then again, who would want to go across the pond when you can have local-inspired flavors like horchata or vegan California pistachio.
This Little Tokyo outpost whips up intensely flavorful soft serve ice cream in a form factor optimized for photography -- strikingly colored frozen cream artfully swirled in a cup or cone makes for the perfect prop. If you’re going for a B&W monotone mood, the charcoal pineapple and vanilla swirl on a charcoal cone is the look. If pink and baby blue are your colors, or if breakfast cereals are a thing for your small ones, the Pegasus combines their Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Fruity Pebble for a combo that pops. If you feel like flexing for our newly stacked Lakers team -- welcome home, Russell Westbrook -- the Ube and Mango combo will have you repping purple and gold in a handheld, edible form.
Founded in Santa Barbara in 1949, McConnell’s has been serving honest ice cream for over 70 years. Fillers, artificial flavors, colorings and other industrial food processes have given way to fresh, simple ingredients sourced from Central Coast farmers. In 1975, McConnell’s purchased their own dairy farm in Santa Barbara that now produces milk exclusively for their ice cream. Control of their supply chain and passion for quality comes through in every scoop of ice cream they serve. Vibrant seasonings tempered with a creamy, sweet base results in choices such as chocolate covered strawberries, Eureka lemon and marionberries, or peppermint stick that the whole family will enjoy.
LA Locations: DTLA, Studio City & Pacific Palisades Online: mcconnells.com
For Angelinos, no visit to the park would be complete without the ringing bells of vendors selling paletas from their hand-pushed carts. The refreshing fruit popsicles are an affordable counteragent for kids heated from running around the playground. Mateo’s has elevated the humble paleta, tapping a wide range of tropical ingredients such as mango, hibiscus and guava with traditional flavors such as strawberry, lemon and watermelon in a spectrum of colors so vivid, it would make Crayola blush. For parents who are fans of Mexican candy or spice in general, try their mango or cucumber peppered with chile. The firey kick is a nice juxtaposition to the chilled pop.
Locations: Mid-City, Pico-Union, Sawtelle & Culver City Online: mateosicecreamla.com
Has your little one ever asked what a fish eating its own body weight in ice cream would look like? Somisomi takes a freshly baked “ah-boong,” Korean for a fish-shaped pastry (that tastes nothing like a fish), lines the inside with an insulative filling (sweet red beans, custard, taro, Nutella), and loads it with soft serve ice cream pouring out of its doughy mouth. The warm, slightly crisped cone and creamy frosted stuffing are a delicious contrast, and the cartoonish packaging is sure to please the kids (and this adult).
LA Locations: Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Sawtelle, Glendale, Long Beach, Torrance, & Santa Clara
In hot and humid Thailand, for a few local baht, street vendors will pour a creamy liquid onto a chilled, thin metal pan and dice in fruits and ingredients of your choosing. As the mix starts to cool and congeal, the craftsmen spread the blend into a thin, spackle-like coating. The sheet rapidly freezes and is scraped and rolled like a rug, and neatly arranged in a cup resembling a bouquet of flowers. Holy Roly Ice Cream has brought that Thai tradition to our city, offering Western ingredients such as marshmallows, graham crackers, Oreos and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
LA Locations: Koreatown, Melrose & Arcadia Online: holyroly.com
I first heard about Jeni’s on another work trip to Columbus, Ohio, ten years or so ago. The locals raved about a neighborhood ice cream parlor that turned out fantastic scoops. They were right. The smooth creams with fun ingredients were fantastic. Fast forward a few years and the frozen dessert from the Buckeye State has won over the we-scream-for-ice-cream LA, garnering fans for its signature and limited edition flavors. Now with five locations in LA, it’s easy to see what’s so splendid about Jeni’s.
LA Locations: Los Feliz, Venice, Larchmont, Playa Vista & Calabasas Online: jenis.com
When Salt & Straw first landed in Los Angeles, the Portland export opened to much fanfare and for good reason. They craft scrumptious ice cream. It begins with dairy from grass-fed cows free of hormones and antibiotics. Their artisans add locally sourced ingredients, including seasonal fruits and herbs to produce flavors that rotate on a monthly basis. Wild-foraged berry slab pie and goat cheese marionberry habanero are a few mouth-watering examples that are a mouthful to say. If your young ones are daring, check them out during Halloween. Crickets, mealworms and pig’s blood have been some of the components used in past spooky seasons. If you fear forever ruining ice cream for your clan, there’s always chocolate gooey brownie or mint chocolate chip from their Classic Flavors list.
LA Locations: Larchmont, Abbot Kinney, Arts District & Studio City Online: saltandstraw.com
A grownup take on the classic bomb pop? Sign us up! The ever-popular Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is releasing a new collection called “Ice Cream Truck Flavors,” but much like chasing the truck, you can only get them for a limited time.
Starting July 8, you can find a new flavor each week online and in scoop shops. First up is the Rocket Pop, buttermilk ice cream with a tart and creamy blueberry pineapple swirl. Mango Cheesecake Swirl drops on July 14, followed by Orange Freeze on July 22, High Five Candy Bar on July 29 and Golden Nectar on August 5. The last one is rumored to taste like a chilled summer chai!
If you don’t live near a scoop shop, you can buy the full collection and have it shipped to your house, thanks to the wonders of modern delivery services. It’s a lot less sweaty than running after the ice cream man, too.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams burst onto the scene in 2002 in Columbus, Ohio. Today it’s a Certified B corporation with 58 scoop shops and distribution in top grocery stores across the country. With flavors ranging from Fluffernutter Pie to Sweet Cream Biscuits and Peach Jam, there’s a unique combo for everyone!
—Sarah Shebek
Featured image courtesy of Jen’s Splendid Ice Creams
Are those Beanie Babies with the tag protectors just chilling in your parents’ basement? On your next trip home, you might want to pull them out and take a look. Nine different beloved Ty beanies have sold for at least $15,000 (!) today, according to a new study from TheToyZone.
Topping the list is Rainbow the Chameleon Beanie Baby from 1997, which sold for an eye-popping $50,000 on Ebay. Next up, two Valentine’s Day beanies: Valentina (with errors) from 1997 at $29,999 and Valentino from 1994 at $25,003. Pouch the Kangaroo from 1996 comes in at $19,000, the popular rare edition Princess Di Bear from 1997 at $18,950 and the Canadian Maple Bear from 1997 (with spelling errors) at $18,000. Three others come in at $15,000: Curly the Bear, Pattie the Platypus and Peanut the Royal Blue Elephant.
Beanies aren’t the only valuable toys from the ’90s. If you had a Nintendo 64, you probably had the classic, Goldeneye 007. A copy recently sold for $14,499 online! A mint Talkboy based off the film Home Alone 2 was worth $30 in the ’90s, but sells for up to $10,000 today. And if you lucked into an original American Girl doll, they’re worth some cash too. A 1991 Felicity was valued at $7,820.
TheToyZone used Mavin, an online price guide to determine how much money the toys sold for, collecting data in March 2021. Only toys sold individually, as opposed to in sets or multiples, were included and presumably they are all in mint condition. You can read the rest of the lengthy list on their website and start making a mental list of your childhood collection. You might luck into a small fortune!
Carvel cravers get ready to find a frosty cold treat in your grocer’s freezer! The beloved brand recently announced the addition of the new Carvel Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake—and it’s everything you’d imagine.
With plenty of cookie dough chunks, vanilla and chocolate ice cream, Carvel chocolate crunchies, whipped icing and a chocolate-drenched drizzle, this cold cake is perfect for parties, special occasions and the random Saturday night, Monday evenings, or Sunday afternoon at home.
photo courtesy of I Love Ice Cream Cakes/Carvel
The new chilled creation is a Carvel Ice Cream collab with Rich Products’ I Love Ice Cream Cakes. Kimberly O’Brien, Shopper Marketing Manager for Rich Products’ In-Store Bakery & Deli Division, said in a press release, “Whether it was at a birthday party or in line at an ice cream shop, we’ve all made memories enjoying two of life’s best desserts, ice cream and cake.”
You can score one of these classic cookie dough-packed Carvel cakes nationwide at major grocery retailers, such as Shop Rite, Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Publix, Wegmans, Kroger, Giant Foods and The Giant Company. Check out the I Love Ice Cream Cakes’ product locator to find one of these sweet treats near you.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Dunkin’! The fave donut brand brought back its limited time holiday menu—and it includes two delectable drinks.
Treat your sweetie, or yourself, to a Pink Velvet Macchiato or Mocha Macchiato on Valentine’s Day. The Pink Velvet Macchiato combines Dunkin’s espresso with a red velvet cake flavor. Add in hints of cream cheese icing flavor and a generous scoop of ice and this chilled drink is a beverage that will make you fall in love. Mocha Macchiato offers the combo of rich espresso and deep chocolate flavors.
According to Jill Nelson, Vice President, Marketing & Culinary at Dunkin’, “Dunkin’ is the perfect place for anyone to find the spirit of Valentine’s Day. With our gorgeous Pink Velvet and Mocha Macchiatos, joined together with our beloved heart-shaped donuts, we’re making it easy to treat yourself and bring a little love and sweetness to any way you choose to celebrate.”
Along with the two limited-edition drinks, Dunkin’ is also serving up a heart-shaped Brown Batter Donut and the Bavarian Kreme-filled, strawberry icing-topped Cupid’s Choice Donut.
Look for the Valentine’s Day menu in participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide through the end of February.
Like many of us Jenny Slate has honed in on her baking skills during quarantine. Along with bread she also has another type of bun in the oven. Last night on Late Night with Seth Meyers Slate announced she was expecting her first child with fiancé Ben Shattuck.
After telling Meyers she may have overdid eating bread she stood up to show off her growing baby bump.
“That’s a lot of carbs,” joked Meyers.
When asked how quarantine has been Slate said, “How have the exact last nine months been? They’ve been real pregnant for me!”
She is also enjoying having something positive in her life during this very hard and sad time. “It’s nice to have a little secret treasure,” Slate said. “I’ve basically been just chilling out, doing exactly what I wanted to do, not having to see anyone or having to figure out how to gracefully wear pants. I haven’t worn pants in many moons.”
Slate has been spending an hour a day practicing hypnobirthing meditation to get ready for the big day.
“Everything is weird. This isn’t what I thought I would be doing,” she said. “But I do all the birth prep stuff and I really like it.”
This collection is wickedly awesome! The Disney Villains x Heidi Klum Collection features elevated and unexpected sportswear designs inspired by fan favorite Disney Villain characters like Hades, Ursula, Maleficent and The Evil Queen. The collection is available now exclusively on Amazon.
The collection was directed by Klum herself, drawing on her extensive background in high-fashion and love of Disney Villain characters. Throughout the design process, Klum integrated the bold graphic aesthetic of emerging streetwear trends with key story elements unique to the Disney Villains, ultimately creating a chic and chilling collection fit for the villainous in everyone.
The collection includes a number of effortlessly edgy styles, including essential graphic tees, fashion hoodies and tunics, sweatshirts, joggers and a bomber jacket. Design elements including glitchy overlays, glow in the dark effects and distinct front and back graphics featuring distorted imagery convey the sometimes chaotic, always enigmatic, personalities of the Disney Villain characters.
The Maleficent Eyes Skinny Sweatpants ($50) will have everyone doing double takes and turning green with envy at your comfortable and stylish look.
The iconic Cast Your Curse Bomber Jacket ($129) is the perfect statement piece. With classic appeal and a daring design, the jacket is sure to become an instant staple.