Last night, the CPSC, in conjunction with Land of Nod, announced a recall of more than 2,500 plush handmade baby dolls in five styles and colors. Each of the all fabric dolls measure out to be about 12 inches tall and 10 inches wide; they come dressed in a one-piece printed floral fabric outfit with white lace trim on the hood of the dolls.

The plush handmade dolls were recalled because the hands can detach, posing a choking hazard to young kids.

Here’s what you need to know:

The SKU number can be found on the sewn-in label attached to the right leg of the doll. It can also be found on a hang-tag fastened to baby’s right arm.

Here are the recalled dolls names, colors, SKU numbers and item numbers:

Clara:Yellow, 404543, 3710080-YE

Eleanor: Light blue, 404551, 3710080-LB

Hannah: Cream, 404608, 3710080-CR

Lila: Dark blue, 404756, 3710080-DB

Rose: Red, 404799, 3710080-RE

If you own the dolls, you should immediately take it away from children and return it to The Land of Nod for a full merchandise credit. The dolls were sold at Land of Nod stores and online from October 2012 to March 2013 for about $30.

Want to make sure you don’t have any recalled baby gear at home? Read more of the latest baby product recalls.

Do not! I repeat, do not! upset the baby!

A study from the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Infant Cognition found that babies have a bit of a mean streak when they meet people they perceive as different.

During the course of the experiment, babies were given a choice of snacks (either graham crackers or green beans). Then, researchers conducted a puppet show for the babies (aged 9 or 14 months old). The first puppet ate the same snack that the baby chose and the other puppet ate the other snack. Puppet 1 (who ate the same snack as baby), either acted indifferent, friendly or aggressively toward Puppet 2 (who ate the other snack).

From the puppet show, researchers found that when babies are given a choice of which puppet to play with following the puppet show, “almost all the infants at both ages preferred the character who harmed the dissimilar puppet over the character who helped him.” One of the researchers, Kiley Hamlin said, “The fact that infants show these social biases before they can even speak suggests that the biases aren’t solely the result of experiencing a divided social world, but are based in part on basic aspects of human social evaluation.”

While researchers were not able to peg the reason behind the babies’ choices, Hamlin believes, “Infants might experience something like schadenfreude at the suffering of an individual they dislike. Or perhaps they recognize the alliances that are implied by social interactions, identifying an ‘enemy of their enemy’ (i.e., the harmer of a dissimilar puppet) as their friend.”

One things for sure — don’t be the person to disagree with baby!

Have you ever seen your baby be mean?

Plus, more from The Bump:

10 Ways to Tame a Tantrum

How to Raise a Happy Baby

10 Signs Your Baby Likes You

Today, the CPSC announced a voluntary recall of the Imaginarium Activity Walkers, sold exclusively at Toys R Us. There is a small bolt and spacer that attaches each front wheel to the walker — it can detach, causing a choking hazard. Roughly 9,000 walkers have been recalled. Though no injuries have been reported, Toys R Us has received five reports of the front wheel detaching.

Here’s what you need to know:

The Activity Walkers were sold nationwide and online from August 2011 through January 2013 at all Toys R Us locations.

The recalled walkers have the model number Toys ‘R’ Us 5F5E972 printed on the bottom of the activity walkers. The barcode number is 3700217300319 and can be found on the bottom of the activity walker box.

If you own the recalled walker, stop using it immediately. The product can be returned to any Toys R Us store for a full refund or store credit.

Want to make sure you don’t have any recalled baby gear at home? Read more of the latest baby product recalls.

Last night, the realization totally hit me: spending time with my kids reinforces and reminds me of my own important life values.

I got home from work last night and my sons were on the floor playing with their Legos and trying to build towers.  I jumped right down there with them on the floor and started discussing what they were doing and handing them Lego pieces.  My son, Lincoln, who is 3 years old, is quicker with his building, but my son, Carter,  age 2, is more thoughtful.

And then it happened — without any more consideration than just playing together, this dad and son moment became bigger than I ever imagined.

I am not sure how many of you watch Agent Ozo on Disney, but the gist of each story is that Agent Ozo must complete a task with his secret agents while at the same time being called out to a mission to help a child in need. While helping the child, he realizes how the helpful message he gives the child will also help him solve his challenge with the secret agents.

While sitting there with my boys I said, “Now remember, the taller and greater the tower, the more fragile it becomes; the base or foundation must be large enough to support the growth or else each time it will tumble.” I instantly thought of my work, my business, my family life and it made me realize that we often teach our children with the most simplest of tools and moments; while building Legos, we are in fact teaching important concepts and values that will last a lifetime.

There are so many more messages that could apply to the Lego building last night:  “Never give up”, “Try, Try Again”, “Learn to Share”, “Compliment Others on Their Work”, “With Thought and Focus – You can always go ONE block higher”. The teachable moments were endless.

I woke up this morning, gave my wife a huge good morning kiss, made pancakes for my boys, and went to work fired up and ready to tackle another day.

How do you handle all the teachable moments that come with parenting?

Plus, more from The Bump:

The Best Advice for All Dads-to-Be

10 Things Every New Dad Should Know

“Holy Crap — I’m a Dad!”

I recently read an article about Mattel’s attempts to boost the sagging sales of their Hot Wheels line by targeting moms and “teaching” them how to play cars with their sons, thinking that this will make them more likely to buy them for their kids.

Really? We need formal lessons?

Admittedly, I am a total girly-girl who grew up with a sister and was obsessed with Barbies, so I never played with a Tonka truck or Matchbox car until my son was born. I didn’t know a digger from a backhoe. And I had no idea that all these different cars – that I lumped together and referred to as “race cars” — each had their own name and personality. But trust me when I (proudly) say that I am now quite well-versed when it comes to construction vehicles and “hot rods,” thanks to my son.

Even as an infant, he was immediately drawn to anything that had wheels, making “vroom, vroom” sounds before some of his first words. Although I didn’t have the slightest clue how to “play cars,” and couldn’t understand his utter fascination with them, I learned. I learned by watching my son, by following his lead.

If his cars were crashing, I made sure my cars had the most dramatic and noisy collisions. I didn’t complain when he assigned me the “jalopy” car when lining up the vehicles on our family room rug for the big race.  And when he asked me to read “Hot Wheels Super Stunt Show” – a poorly written book we picked up at a yard sale and was clearly published in the 1980s – I read it to him night after night, nearly memorizing the darn thing.

The reality is that playing cars was something my son, who is now 6, absolutely loved when he was younger. So that’s what I took pleasure in when we played together: his joy, his passion, his ability to create an elaborate obstacle course race track. Sure, I would have preferred playing a board game, but it’s not about what I wanted. All that mattered was that I was spending time with my son doing something that he enjoyed – even if I didn’t really “get it.”

And that’s why I don’t know what to make of Mattel’s claims. I understand moms drive the toy purchasing in most households, and there are many of us who were not exposed to the world of Hot Wheels before welcoming our sons. But I’ll go out on a limb and say most of us just want our kids to be happy. Just because I don’t understand the fascination with cars doesn’t mean I won’t buy them for my son who adores them. It would be like saying my husband won’t buy dolls for our young daughter because he doesn’t know how to play with them.

Today, my son’s cars sit neglected in a box in his playroom. He’s moved on to Legos and video games – things he can play with independently. He’ll only occasionally ask us to join him, and he’s starting to read books on his own. I never thought I’d say it, but now I kind of miss our days of racing teeny tiny cars around the kitchen and reading stories about  cars named “Rocket-Bye-Bye.”

Do you think moms can “play” trucks with their sons and dads can “play” Barbies with their daughters?

Plus, more from The Bump:

5 Wacky Parenting Methods… That Work?

What Baby’s Playing With That Isn’t Safe

The Best Toys for Baby and Toddler

This week, The Bump editors scouted out the latest, greatest new toys at Toy Fair 2013, and here’s what we’re most excited about.

What’s your child’s favorite toy?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Best Toys for Babies and Toddlers

Top 10 Classic Toys

The World’s Worst Baby Toy

As parents of an 11-month-old, our home is bursting with obnoxious toys: there’s Latke Larry, a Jerry Stiller-voiced singing Jewish robot who croons about potato pancakes; then there’s the Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes, a handheld music box that blares out the William Tell Overture on infinite repeat.

But nothing – nothing – makes me want to stab myself in the eyeballs quite like the V-Tech Spin ‘n Learn Top.

According to the manufacturer, the “interactive” Spin ‘n Learn Top “has lots of ways to get baby started learning early,” including animal names, numbers, dancing lights and “silly sounds.” This includes a maniacally giggling dolphin who sounds eerily similar to Jack Nicholson’s Joker character after sucking on some helium, and an 11-year-old hyper-caffeinated girl scream-chanting, “TAKE A SPIN AROUND THE SEA, MAKE NEW FRIENDS, FEEL THE BREEZE!” There appears to be no. volume. control.

I normally love V-Tech’s line of toys so I’ve allowed this bad acid trip of a product to remain under our roof, but yesterday’s latest hallucinatory migraine pushed me over the edge. And so, I will be placing the following ad on Craigslist: ‘Free to a Good Home: World’s Most Annoying Toy.’

The ad will read:

Barely-used, much-despised, nine-inch tall V-Tech Spin ‘n Learn Top available at no cost to a good home. Originally purchased for $15 by a well-meaning grandmother, this multicolored plastic auditory Molotov cocktail features a punch-drunk octopus, a hysterical galloping turtle and a lobster with “Side of Drawn Butter” written all over him. Ideal home is larger than 3,000 square feet to allow ample sound-dispersing room between parent and child; hearing impairment with mutable hearing aid buttons a plus. Please do not contact Seller to complain; she cannot hear you, as her ears have already bled out.

Any takers?

What toys drive you crazy?

Plus, more from The Bump:

The Best Musical Toys for Baby

Hottest Toys for Baby and Toddler

What Baby’s Playing With That Isn’t Safe

Have you seen the Best Holiday Gifts from Amazon at The Nest? It’s this amazing gift guide our sister editors have put together, and we’re getting tons of fantastic ideas for giving to our friends and family this season (and believe us, we need them!). Every day during the holidays, we’re going to be posting our favorites, since we thought you could use the ideas too!

Today, we’re into this cool toy — the Crayola Light Designer. It reminds us of a high-tech version of the Lite-Brite. (Remember those?)

Why we love it: Kids draw with light, so there’s no messy marks or paint to cleanup.

Price: $40

Buy it

See more of the best holiday gifts for kids at The Nest

Plus, more from The Bump:

Best Toys for Babies and Toddlers

Worst Baby Gifts Ever

Top 10 Classic Toys

Just when I thought I was done with all my Christmas and birthday shopping (Lovie turns 3 just four days after Christmas), Lovie starts telling me that she’s going to tell Santa that she wants “a new dolly with lots and lots of milk and a doggie.”

Uh, a doll was not something I bought — and for selfish reasons, I admit. I hate dolls. And the color pink. And princess crap. All of which Lovie adores. I couldn’t have a more girly girl if I asked for one. Which I didn’t. Because I hate girly stuff.

So where does she get it from? And why? Why can’t she like LEGOS and soccer and playing with trucks? Why does she have to love dolls and playing dress-up in the frilliest of dresses so much?

Because she’s my Lovie, that’s why. And while I may not like the dolls, the pink, the princess attire, I love my Lovie so much that I’m actually (dare I say it out loud) growing accustomed to the pink, the princess, the dolls. I adore watching her be girly, goofy, sweet, loveable, pink-princess-loving Lovie. And I love watching her believe in the magic of the season, so I’m putting on my mom panties and getting her “a new dolly with lots and lots of milk and a doggie” for her to open from Santa. (Just in case the real Santa forgets!)

Now I just need to figure out which one because apparently there are like 16 thousand varieties of dolls out there.

What are you getting your kids for the holidays? Is it something you hate?

It seems like every year, there’s a hot Elmo toy for the holidays. This year, it’s Playskool Sesame Street LOL Elmo. This furry guy laughs and kicks his feet when you tickle his belly or feet, and he tells jokes too. Any toddler will go crazy for it.

Why we love it: It’s an interactive new way to enjoy every tot’s favorite puppet.

Price: $53

Buy it

Check out more of the best holiday gifts for kids at The Nest.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Best Toys for Babies and Toddlers

Top 10 Classic Toys

Holiday Shopping With Baby