OMG. Out of all of the totally adorable things that dogs do when they interact with babies -- teaching them a valuable skill has to be at the top of the list, right? The parents of one 5-month-old baby boy know this all too well -- because their two dogs actually showed him how to properly chew on a teething toy, even though they probably didn't realize they were doing so.

And while parents definitely need to be careful not to treat their dog as a babysitter, I think it's safe to say that sometimes babies really can learn a thing or two about navigating the world just by watching and taking cues from the family pet. Who needs all those fancy baby teaching tools when Fido is around?

At my babies' first Christmas, they received a ton of toys from friends and family (lucky little tykes). I thought the toys were pretty cool -- hey, a lot I'd put on our wish list myself -- but for the most part, the boys seemed more interested in getting back to their favorite basics like their alphabet links, their bendy O-ball, even their utterly entrancing burp cloth.

It made me realize that babies at this age -- under 6 months -- don't need a whole lot of bells and whistles to be entertained. In fact, I've noticed that my babies seem to explore even more when they're just laying on the floor with a few simple links spread around them. Clearly, I've been suckered by the baby toy industry.

When I think of the "most dangerous" baby products, I tend to think of things like old-school baby walkers positioned next to an open stairway, pajamas coated in flame retardant, and lead-painted toys teeming with tiny, removable magnets.According to an email I received from the folks at Brilliant Baby Products, however, it turns out the five most dangerous baby items are surprisingly common. At least that's what I'm telling myself, because I've used almost every item on the list.(Forget mother of the year awards—apparently I'm gunning for mother of the decade.)

It’s not that babies don’t deserve presents -- who doesn’t love and want to shower a baby with gifts? Answer: Evil, terrible people who get coal in their stocking, that’s who. But the reality is, your baby, my baby, that lady’s baby, all babies really don’t need anything at all for the holidays. Except love. Store-bought gifts? Not necessary!

Baby will grow out of or become disinterested in whatever it is you will get her in about five days. And relatives will probably get plenty of things for baby anyway so you don't have to contribute to the vast pile of things that aren't going to fit in your house. Plus, baby isn’t going to get mad at you for scrimping on her this Christmas -- she'll never remember. And besides, she probably wants you to buy yourself that coffee pot so you can be more alert for reading and cooing time. But just in case you feel you need something, here are some free ideas so you can have that Kodak moment.

Even though some may say the best, and easiest, gift to buy for new parents is a six-pack and ear plugs, there are better ways to celebrate a new baby. Or at least more appropriate ways that don't involve hangovers or child neglect.

In fact, when I hear about a new baby in need of presents, there are three go-to spots that make life easier while guaranteeing that I'm getting some of the best baby gifts available.

Here are three of the easiest ways to buy baby gifts that will make babies -- and new parents -- squeal for joy.

Everyone says that babies are too young to be spoiled, and to a certain extent, that is true. If they have a million things now, though, they likely will later, too. And once you go down that road, it's awfully hard to come back without a lot of fight.

Mariah Carey became a first time mom at 41, so it's no wonder that she would lavish her twins Morocco and Monroe with everything money can buy. She had a long and illustrious career and she has plenty of cash to throw around. The problem, of course, is that she is never going to stop.

These babies are going to be so used to the good life, they will come to expect it.

While I didn't get to attend the ABC Kid Expo (*sniffle* some day, some day!), plenty of others did. If you're not familiar with it, it's where companies who make kid and baby products around the country come and show off their new products. It's super exciting, on tons of levels, and many companies hold off on releasing new products until they can unveil them at the Expo. I love the big reveal of all the new car seats, especially.

But along with the cool new things, often comes the questionable and weird items.

Tragedy was barely averted when an 11-month-old baby choked on an oversized plastic nail from the Little Tikes Toy Workshop Set as it lodged in his throat. Luckily, he did make a full recovery, and now Little Tikes is recalling 1.6 million toys, including the workshop set and trucks that contain these plastic nails.

The Electronic Project Workshop, Little HandiWorker Workhorse, Home Improvements 2-Sided Workshop, Swirlin' Sawdust Workshop, and Black Pickup Truck With Tools all contain these plastic "nails" that have now resulted in two accidents, and are being recalled. If you have any of these toys, you should remove the nails immediately, and always consider the age requirements before allowing a baby or toddler to play with a toy with small parts.

So many times the names are not familiar to those of us who might receive them as gifts or we just grab something in the store without studying the packaging, so here are photos of the recalled toys so you can check out your toy box.