I walked into babysitting yesterday and the Hermanns had put up a beautiful Christmas tree, complete with glass bulbs and delicate ornaments. Lights were twinkling and candles were burning and it was beautiful. And my first thought was, "Great. Just great. There'll be no taking my eyes off Vivi now!"

Vivi is the youngest Hermann kid, who at 11 months is a little speed demon on all fours. Like every baby, she's curious about everything and most of it ends up in her mouth. So while the holidays are magical and absolutely my favorite time of year, they do bring along some extra safety challenges to take into consideration. Here are a few tips...

• Make sure Christmas trees are in a secure stand and will hold up to a baby's tug on a lower branch. Keep the glass and other breakable ornaments up high out of baby's reach, and if you're going to hang soft ornaments on the bottom, try and do so with string, not metal hooks. Clean up fallen needles often.

• All those lights mean extra wires! Inspect to make sure nothing is frayed, tape up the wire along walls so baby can't wrap it around herself, and make sure unoccupied outlets are covered.

• Some of the beloved holiday plants are actually poisonous to people (and pets, so keep your eye on Fido too). Mistletoe, Jerusalem Cherry, holly berries, and amaryllis, while really pretty to look at, can have all sorts of unpleasant effects if ingested, and in some cases may cause death. The ubiquitous poinsettia, while not toxic, may cause a rash if the sap contacts the skin, and eating a few leaves could leave baby feeling sick.

• Remember, houseguests and visitors may inadvertently bring potential dangers along with them. Suitcases left on the ground may contain medicines and small objects baby can ingest, so make sure everyone in the house knows to keep these things out of baby's reach.

So the holiday season doesn't have to mean stress and panic for your sitter or yourself. With a little extra awareness and vigilance, you can have your fruitcake and eat it too!

Happy Holidays!

-Zoey, sitter to the Hermann kids

-Recently our hearts broke for the family of the 4 month old little boy who died after being given drug store cough medicine. Read the tragic story here.

This winter, make sure you and everyone who cares for your child knows the ins and outs of coughs & colds.

* Don't give cough and cold medications to children under 4 years old unless prescribed by your Pediatrician. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), every year thousands of children under age 12 go to emergency rooms after taking over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. In response to safety concerns, the leading manufacturers of children's cough and cold medicines are voluntarily changing the labels on these products to state that they should not be used in children younger than 4 years of age. Previously, the labels stated that these medicines should not be given to children under age 2. Products with the old labels will not be removed immediately from store shelves but are expected to gradually be replaced with products bearing the new labels.

*Don't give your child two medications that contain the same ingredients. It's not uncommon for cough, cold and allergy medications to share some of the same ingredients so make sure you read the labels and understand what you're giving your child to avoid a potential overdose or reaction.

*Don't leave any medications where your child might be able to reach them. This goes for visitors too- ask house guests to keep medication out of the reach of children.

*Don't give honey to children younger than 1 because of the risk of botulism. Honey can be used to treat a cough in children 2 years and older.

*Saline drops or spray can help with stuffy noses.

*Popsicles or frozen Pedialyte Pops can help with dehydration and sore throats.

*Consult with your Pediatrician regarding diagnosis and treatment of cough and cold.

*When to Call 911
-if your child stops breathing or is struggling severely to breathe.
-if you infant is making grunting noises while trying to breathe.
-if nail bed, lips or mucous membranes turn blue or purple.