I recently read about a charity organization based out of California called "Loved Twice." Started in 2005, Loved Twice is the brainchild of Lisa Klein, who started her mission by sending newborn clothing she had collected from her friends to a church in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Loved Twice has donated over 20,000 pounds of recycled baby clothing to more than 3,000 newborns in need. I love this idea and am planning on sending some clothing their way... especially since my boys seem to wear a onesie only once before they grow out of it. They also take tax deductible cash donations.

We discovered Leo had dairy sensitivity when I tried to feed him yogurt. Not only did he make a face like it was the worst thing he had ever tasted, he also started breaking out in hives around his mouth and on his chin: the clear sign of a food sensitivity or food allergy. We immediately stopped feeding him any dairy products. Luckily, it's not anaphylactic, and he should grow out of it. However, it makes for a daunting task as a parent to come up with new foods for a picky toddler, when most kid-friendly foods have dairy as a main ingredient (mac-n-cheese, pizza, ice cream! etc).

(***Please note that I am NOT a doctor and all foods given to your allergic child should be cleared by your pediatrician***)

Here a list of things that we like to feed Leo, for snacks, meals, or a mix of both:

• fresh fruits: bananas, pears, peaches, plums, blueberries, strawberries, etc
• fruit cups: the kinds that are in light syrup or water
• black beans
• avocado
• soy cheese
• soy yogurt
• chicken nuggets (I like the kind in the natural food section... all white meat and wheat breading. A little more expensive but I serve less nuggies with more veggie and fruit sides)
• turkey sausage or meatballs
• sliced deli meat and soy cheese in wheat tortilla roll-ups
• grilled cheese (made with soy cheese)
• ritz crackers with jam (we taught Leo how to 'dip' and he loves it!)
• cereal bars or soft granola bars
• broth based soups (ministrone, chicken and rice, chicken veggie, etc)
• cooked veggies (peas, broccoli, carrots, edamame beans, etc)
• sweet potato, microwaved, skinned and cut into cubes OR sweet potato fries (basically cut into stripes, dipped in oil and baked in the oven)
• cheerios or any wholesome cereal
• toast with jam (I use Olivio instead of real butter)
• soynut and jelly sandwiches (Leo's absolute favorite)

To increase the calcium lost by not having a dairy intake, try to buy:

• calcium fortified cereal
• calcium fortified orange juice
• calcium fortified soy milk

Important fact: There are dairy / food allergies, and food sensitivities. Leo is in the sensitivity category, so he can have things that come in contact with dairy, and still be okay. PLEASE always consult your doctor about what your child can and cannot have. This is only a list of ideas if you child is cleared for most items due to a dairy sensitivity.

Here are some websites/articles with great info:

http://www.faiusa.org/

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/

http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html

http://www.allergykids.com/

http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/food_allergies.html

http://www.cookiemag.com/brain/kidhealth/2009/02/allergies

Good luck, and please comment / email if you have any other info.

If you have any doubt that there are toddlers who like black beans, check out this video:

Hello Little One welcomes guest blogger, "Cece," a modern design enthusiast, but most importantly, grandmother to Jenny's son, Leo.

My grandchildren, ages 3 and 10 months, visit and spend a lot of time at my home. Although both my children always bring a diaper bag filled with the necessary baby items, I quickly realized that I needed to stock my home with some infant and toddler essentials. This way, if something is inadvertently left at home (so important as Infant Motrin or a baby bottle), no one has to assume panic mode, because Grandmother's cupboard has a backup.

Here is a list of items that I have on hand:

• baby food: check with your children regarding what the baby is usually fed and have on hand powered formula (mixes with water and has an extended shelf life)
• baby cereal
• baby food fruits, vegetable and meat mixes
• box of cheerios
• juice boxes
• baby bottles
• baby utensils (fork and spoon)
• diapers and wipes
• bibs (many times, so many bibs are given at the baby shower, so ask your child to give you a few)
• a soft blanket for cuddling and a soft stuffed animal
• Infant/Children's Motrin or Tylenol, whichever the parents have designated for their child
• and of course, an array of special toys that they love to play with at Grandmother's House!

The Biggest Loser host and Days of our Lives star, Allison Sweeney, used our Hello Little One design, "Sweet Chicks" for her bird themed baby shower. I'm addicted to The Biggest Loser, and watched Allison's pregnancy unfold over last season. I always admired her for being so sweet, calm and professional during her trimesters. Pregnancy Magazine's February issue has a great article about the details of Ali's baby shower and features her personalized invitations.  Megan Hope Sanov -- who weighed 6 lbs., 7 oz. -- was born 12 minutes to midnight on Monday, January 12th. Congratulations Allison and Dave, as well as big brother Ben!

If you've been following this blog you know that I have a newborn baby, Leo, who is now 4 months old. Leo was born big (10 pounds!) and luckily, he was content and good-natured from the beginning. One thing that Leo did have, however, was a bad case of seborrheic excema that went from his scalp all the way to his toes. It was itchy and red and scaly and it broke our hearts to see the little guy trying to scratch his dry body. Since most cases of excema are genetic, we knew it wasn't anything we had done to cause it. However, I started reading up on excema and also took him to my dermatologist. What I did find out is that anything with frangrance in it can make his outbreaks worse. And if you haven't noticed, frangrance is in everything! I immediately re-washed all his clothes and anything that would touch his skin in "ALL Free and Clear." (I had previously washed them in a "baby" detergent marketed as the pediatrician's choice.. and of course it's doused in fragrance.) I threw out all the popular and well known brands of baby oil, moisturizer and soaps that I had been given or bought myself... Leo is now taking baths in lukewarm water and baking soda only. Besides a cream from my dermatologist, the only other thing that touches his skin is a fragrance-free moisturizer from Whole Foods.

Why am I writing all this? Well, if I had known that Leo would have sensitive skin I would have never used anything with fragrance in it from the beginning. And since you can't predict what type of skin your baby has, I would recommend (as a mom, not a doctor!) to use all fragrance-free products for the first months of their lives. Then you can gradually introduce other products if you choose, but it's a good way to make sure you don't irritate a dormant skin condition. And what's great about all this is that once you take away everything with fragrance, your baby smells so sweet and natural... like a baby, not a baby product! :)

I just wanted to give a shout out to my friend Maureen, an amazing Boston area photographer who just completed a photo session with our new son Leo. Her blog address is createtruelife.com which will give you access to her portrait as well as wedding sites. She works with natural light which give her photographs a magical quality that I love. She's a true talent and fills her calendar quickly so contact her as soon as possible if you are interested in her services.

For anyone who is looking to have a photo shoot with their newborn, Maureen recommends that you schedule your appointment within the first two weeks of your baby's life--before baby acne sets in and while he/she is still fairly tiny and willing to be positioned in various cute poses. Researching and booking your shoot in the last weeks of pregnancy is a great way to pass the time before your little one arrives.