Before the party, spend an afternoon – or two – making enough masks for all your Mardi Gras revelers. Or get everyone in on the fun: Keep these supplies on hand for kids to make their own masks to take home. Materials needed:· Different colored paints· Glitter· Popsicle stick (one for each mask)· Construction paper· Glue· Scissors· Feathers, pom-poms, beads, glitter, and other decorative materials What to do: Step One: Holding the construction paper horizontally, trace and cut out a long “figure eight....

While avoidance has long been the go-to strategy doctors and parents have used to manage a child’s peanut allergy, a new study has found that “microdosing” toddlers and preschoolers with small amounts of peanut can significantly reduce the risk of a life-threatening reaction. The treatment, known as oral immunotherapy, can reduce the impact that managing a peanut allergy can have on a child’s quality of life—but it may not be right for everyone....

Effort: Easy - no sewing required Materials: Black and white striped shirt, or black turtleneck Black jeans White face paint Black lip paint Black French hat (beret) White gloves Black shoes Black or white suspenders Other face paint (optional) Instructions: Put everything on, then paint whole face white and lips black. Tips: Do not talk! Act like stuff is there when it really is not. Pretend to be inside a box, pulling a rope, etc....

Directions Divide the box into two rooms by cutting the additional cardboard and wedging it into the box. Line the walls with fabric or wallpaper. Cover the floors with felt or furry fabric. Make small pieces of furniture out of matchboxes, spools, or cardboard. Draw the windows and doors with felt pens and carefully cut them out. Add lace curtains by gluing or stapling. Continue decorating and furnishing until the miniature house is ready for some inhabitants....

Misoprostol for Managing Miscarriage Misoprostol is labeled as an ulcer medication but has been found to be an effective option for miscarriage management. Using the drug for the management of missed or incomplete miscarriages is considered to be an “off-label” use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, using this medication to manage miscarriage has been well-studied and is widely recommended. Misoprostol is sometimes used in combination with an antiprogesterone drug called mifepristone (also known as Mifeprex or RU486)....

Paintbrush Mud Directions

Directions The object of this activity is to observe how water gets muddy and clears again. Fill the jars two-thirds full of water. Drop a handful of garden soil in one, a handful of sand in another, and a handful of dirt in the third jar. Watch how the soil, sand, and dirt settle. Stir each jar with a stick. Notice how the water changes color and that each jar is a slightly different color....

Homemade rhythm instruments, real musical instruments, such as piano or guitar, or recorded music Directions

There’s no question that forging a good relationship with your stepchild while not stepping on the parenting toes of your new partner takes a delicate balance. One option is to embrace nacho parenting. This parenting approach offers a simple way to envision your role as a stepparent that lets the biological or custodial parent take the lead. What Is the Nacho Parenting Method? Nacho parenting is a parenting method for blended families that encourages the stepparent to take an auxiliary role while the biological or custodial parent takes the lead in parenting their own children....

Types of NK Cells Despite their negative-sounding name, natural killer cells are not the enemy. They are an essential part of the immune system. Natural killer cells vary depending on where they are in the body and their molecular make-up. Slight molecular variations can make a big difference in how the cells act. Peripheral Natural Killer Cells Natural killer cells that circulate in the bloodstream are known as peripheral natural killer cells, or pNK....

Wait—this means newborns will be sleeping in a cardboard box as opposed to a crib or bassinette? Yes. Studies Show… Before you buy fancy bedding and blankets for your newborn, know this: Over the years, the use of Baby Boxes has been credited with helping Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates. According to the World Health Organization, thanks to Baby Boxes, Finland’s infant mortality rate went from 65 deaths for each 1,000 children born in 1938 to 1....

Ten or more index cards Small notebook Pencils, crayons, colored pencils, or markers Directions

Materials needed: Step One: First, lay a sheet of wax paper down on a flat surface. Step Two: Now, take your cheese grater and grate the bits of crayon into small shavings over the wax paper. Step Three: Spread those shavings around until you are happy with the colors and patterns. Step Four: Lay the other sheet of wax paper on top of all the crayon bits. Step Five: Now (with an adult’s help), take a warm iron and press it over the top sheet of paper carefully....

Multiple Marker Screen The multiple marker screen is a test offered to most pregnant women between 15-20 weeks. It is used to identify those fetuses with certain chromosomal abnormalities and also neural tube defects. The test is not inclusive of all chromosomal abnormalities, but it does look for the more common ones, such as Down syndrome. If the test is abnormal, then the patient may be offered a comprehensive ultrasound of the fetus, as well as the opportunity to have an amniocentesis....

But if you’re breastfeeding your baby and bottle feeding part-time or transitioning to bottles, it may not be that simple. Sometimes, it can be difficult to get breastfed babies to take a bottle, and/or you may be concerned about your baby beginning to prefer the bottle over your breast. Even if you are primarily bottle feeding, you want to make sure that the experience is comfortable for your baby, and sets them up for healthy eating habits....