Potter & Pehar Sling + Sip Social - Register Now! (Free Event With Care)

Babywearing is a lifesaver for so many parents, but only when you know how to use your carrier safely and comfortably. As a Babywearing Educator I love helping families learn how to make the most of their carriers. That's why I'm so excited to join Potter & Pehar at their upcoming Sling + Sip Social to offer a FREE Ring Sling 101 Workshop. (Full Details Below *Space is very limited so don't wait to register. RSVP to hello@potterandpehar.com)

Ring slings are one of my favourite carriers from infancy right through toddlerhood. In the early days they are perfect for our little babes who need to be kept snug up on our chest. As our baby grows and develops, ring slings are ideal for quick trips using a hip carry. Ring slings are great because they fold up nice and small for travel, can be put on and adjusted relatively quickly, are lightweight for hot weather, and are great for wearing to fancier events. I have worn all of our babies to weddings in my ring slings. I also love ring slings because they are one of the easiest carriers to nurse in. 

Even with all of these amazing qualities I find that ring slings often get a bad wrap. I have spoken to lots of parents at my community events and on social media who just couldn't seem to make their ring sling work. They often reported pain, or felt insecure about their baby's position. Neither of which are any fun. The majority of the time some minor adjustments to the carrier would make a huge difference, and impact both the wearer's comfort, and the baby's comfort and security. Learning the basics of how to use a ring sling properly is essential to your long term enjoyment and safety while babywearing with one. 

If you're a local parent join me at the Potter & Pehar Sling + Sip Social on Thursday August 17th to learn all about ring slings. This FREE event takes place from 11am-2pm at 1830 Bloor St W (3rd floor event room).

Pop by to enjoy some light refreshments and get your photo taken by Jamie Mack Photography for $15. Come and check out Potter & Pehar's beautiful collection of Canadian made ring slings. As a special gift to all attendees they will be offering sale prices on their end of season slings. *Please Note: No purchase is necessary to attend this event. 

*Remaining Space is very limited so please don't wait to register. Email hello@potterandpehar.com to reserve your spot. Feel free to ask any questions below in the comments 

Happy Babywearing!

Care 

In this post:

Potter & Pehar Berkeley Ring Sling    |    Tiny Trendsetter Saltwater Sandals     |     H&M Care's Dress 

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I only partner with products and services that I genuinely love and want to recommend. 

Basement Playroom Makeover Reveal + Amazing Decor GIVEAWAY! (Special Discount Included)

Last year as we awaited the arrival of Penny, our 3rd baby, we realized that we desperately needed more usable space in our Toronto home. We made the big decision to finish our basement, and set out to create a comfortable space for our family that wouldn't break the bank. Originally it was a dark and dingy 70's inspired space with cement floors covered in ripped linoleum and walls cladded in old-school wood panelling. My inspiration for the makeover was light and bright. 

The main part of the renovations were completed just days before Penny's arrival. Every contractor who entered our house looked terrified when they saw me waddling around talking about my home water birth, that was to be held in said basement ;) With 3 kids in tow it has taken me a year to pull together accessories and fun stuff for this kid friendly space. I'm so excited to finally share the kids' favourite new space and give away shop credits for two of our favourite finds! *Please note: the playroom was only this tidy for photos. Typically every basket and bin get emptied out onto the floor daily ;) 

1. Lorena Canals Machine Washable & Dryer Friendly Rugs

Kid's are messy little creatures, so when I set out to find a rug to make a cozy reading space for the kids I knew I wanted a Lorena Canals. These rugs are incredible. They are machine washable, made from all natural materials and dyes, and free from any dangerous chemicals. We have already washed and dried our rug a few times and I can tell you I am so happy with the choice. There are tons of amazing designs and colours to choose from at Amelie & Max. I loved so many of them, but was limited to choosing one without fringe, because we have a cat who loves to destroy all fringe. I love this ABC one the kids helped me choose. Enter for a chance to WIN a $100 credit toward a Lorena Canals Rug from Amelie & Max! (entry details below)

2. Newmies Eco-Friendly Baby & Toddler Developmental Toys

I love supporting small local businesses, so when I met Amanda, the owner of Newmies, at The Bump to Baby Show I knew it was a perfect fit. I absolutely love her handmade stuffed toys, rattles, teethers, painted wooden blocks, and most of all her wall hangings. They have  such great positive messages for our kids. We picked the "Love is Love" and "Wild & Free" hangings, but there are tons of adorable ones in her etsy shop, so check it out. Such a unique gift for baby showers or birthday parties. I'm also obsessed with the Farmer's Market set and the Campfire Set that comes complete with S'mores! Enter for a Chance to WIN a $40 shop credit with Newmies. (entry details below)

Enter for a chance to WIN a $100 Credit for a Lorena Canals Rug with Amelie & Max* + a $40 Shop Credit with Newmies! (*Rug design choices subject to availability at www.amelieandmax.ca at time of ordering)

To Enter simply comment below with your name and email address, or alternatively you may comment below and submit your email address to care@with-care.ca for entry. Plus make sure to check out our Facebook page & Instagram feed for 2 more ways to enter!  Contest is open worldwide for anyone 25+ and closes Thursday June 22nd at 11pm EST. A winner will be chosen at random and contacted within 24 hours. Good Luck!

*As a special treat use code "WITHCARE" for $10 off your 1st purchase over $50 with Amelie & Max and $10 off your 1st purchase over $40 with Newmies. 

Don't wait, Enter NOW! Plus don't forget to enter on Facebook & Instagram. Good luck! 

Care

In this post:

Amelie & Max: rug, sheepskin, house shelf, toy hamper, lightbox  |  Newmies: hand painted blocks, rattle, teether, wall hangings, stuffed unicorn  |  Ikea: book rails, couch, shelving unit, baskets, play kitchen   |   With Care: DIY Simple Floor Cushions  |  Tiny Trendsetters: Penny's dress & bloomers

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Starting Solids Favourite Products GIVEAWAY!

Every month when I teach Starting Solids I get asked about my favourite products for feeding baby. So I thought it would be fun to host a little GIVEAWAY for a few of my favourite feeding products. These are products that I use every day in my home with Penny, and some that have been favourites since I started solids with Ben over 5 years ago! 

This amazing prize pack includes:

An ezpz Mini Mat - I love all of the amazing ezpz mats, so I knew I had to include them in my favourites giveaway. We have pretty much every size they make, and use them daily now that Penny is a solids champ. I love that they suction to the table so she doesn't throw them, plus they can be tossed in the dishwasher, and stand up to daily use with no fading or signs of aging. When you're first starting solids (especially if you're doing baby led feeding) I usually suggest placing the piece of food directly on the table, as it can be hard for your baby to reach into the mat when they are first starting out. Once they have their grasp down, and are confident picking up food and eating well, then you can add your ezpz mat. 

2 Bumkins Sleeved Bibs - I've been using sleeved bibs since I started solids with Ben and honestly don't know why you would use any other bib. These long sleeve bibs save your babes precious clothes and your time doing stain removal. We still use sleeved bibs on our big kids if they're dressed for an event and need a snack. I especially love that these Bumkins ones have a tie back versus a piece of velcro, as my kiddos love to rip velcro open and smear food all over their clothes ;) 

A Kizingo Spoon - Penny has been loving this curved handle spoon that's easy for little ones to grip. The Kizingo has a shallow tipped bowl and a shorter handle making it perfect for little hands. I have definitely added this to my list of favs for little feeders

A set of NumNum Gootensils - These were one of my favourites at the very start with Penny. She loved to dip the blue spoon into food and then gnaw on the bumpy surface of the spoon. Ideal for little teethers! The orange spoon with the openings was the first spoon that she successfully fed herself greek yogurt with. The thick yogurt gets trapped in the holes making it easy for a small baby who doesn't always keep the spoon upright. 

Set of Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags - I love ensuring that our meals are as eco friendly as possible so these snack bags are a great addition to this giveaway. I haven't personally tried the bumpkins ones, but they look amazing! I love that their Nixi line is made from recycled fabrics and have these awesome prints. 

Enter NOW by simply commenting below with your name and email address, or alternatively you may comment below and submit your email address to care@with-care.ca for entry. Plus make sure to check out our Facebook page & Instagram feed for 2 more ways to enter! 

Contest is open to all Canadian and Continental US residents 18+ and closes Thursday May 18th at 11pm EST. A winner will be chosen at random and messaged within 24 hours. Good Luck!

As a special gift use code withcare for 10% off these amazing feeding products locally and online at Diaper-eez. 

Don't hesitate to get in touch if you have questions about my Starting Solids Workshops and feel free to check out my YouTube for a few Starting Solids Videos. More to come!

Care

*Please note that Num Num spoons will be shipped directly from the manufacturer to winner, while other products will be shipped from With Care. 

*This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or product for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Congrats On Your Move Diaper-eez!

Our good friends at Diaper-eez made a big move this past weekend. We're sad to see them leave the Bloor West strip, but we're so happy that they're staying in the neighbourhood. Their Bloor Street location closed on February 19th and their new boutique location at 501 Runnymede Rd (Runnymede & Annette) opened yesterday. Drop by to check out the new shop and mention With-Care for 10% off*. If you can't make it in to the store, head online and use code withcare for 10% off*

Diaper-eez new store hours at 501 Runnymede Rd.

• Tuesday-Friday: 12pm-5pm
• Saturday: 10am-5pm
• Sunday-Monday: Closed

Thanks for shopping small and supporting our local stores. 

- Care 

*Some restrictions apply

Winter Babywearing Essentials

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of babywearing. I babywear almost 365 days a year and don't know how I would survive life as a Mom of 3 (edited to note: now 4!) without my carriers. Although many people express shock and horror at the idea of trudging through the snow wearing a baby, I can tell you from experience that it's a lot easier wearing baby than trying to push a stroller through the snow on sidewalks and up snowbanks. I've had lots of questions recently about winter babywearing, so I thought I would share a few of my essentials for surviving the winter with a baby (or toddler) in tow.

Must Haves For Parent (Babywearer)

1. Flat Winter Boots with Good Tread

Babywearing is safe in most wintery conditions, but it's essential that you have good footing under you. A flat pair of properly fitting winter boots with a nice deep tread are ideal. You can also purchase boots with special grips or add traction devices to your shoes. I recommend that you don't babywear if there is an ice warning, it's a particularly slippery day, or if you have any injuries that could make you more likely to fall. 

2. Babywearing (& Pregnancy) Coat Adapter

Skip the snow suit and wear baby inside your coat! Bridge the Bump (Made locally by 2 West End Moms - See full review here) makes leaving the house with baby so much easier. All you have to do is dress baby in normal warm cloths (cozy pants, socks, a warm shirt, sweater, hat and booties - see below) and pop them in the carrier inside your coat with the insert zipped up. Having the baby directly in the carrier typically means that it will fit better (vs. if they have bulky winter gear on) and your body heat will keep you both warm. This is ideal for errands and trips where you will be going inside, as you can simply open your coat or take it off and baby can stay in their carrier without the dangers of overheating in their snow suit or trapping you in your warm coat. 

3. Slim Neckwarmer

Having the top of your coat open to accommodate a baby in a carrier can leave a gap around your neckline leaving your skin exposed to the weather. To cover up this gap and stay warm a slim fitting neck warmer is ideal. Be careful of large, bulky, loose scarves and neck warmers that could impede baby's fresh flow of air or cover their face in any way. This beautiful neck warmer from Bridge the Bump is a new fav of mine because it's super cozy but also slim, so it sits close to my skin and doesn't bother Penny. 

Must Haves For Baby

4. Winter Hat for Baby

When wearing our baby we always want them to be visible and kissable. Visible means we never want to cover baby's face with a blanket, carrier hood, or scarf, even in the winter months. Parents are very concerned about their baby staying warm in the cold weather, but when baby is facing in against an adult the body heat created should keep them nice and cozy. A winter hat, ideally something that covers the back of the neck, will keep baby warm, but not impede their fresh flow of air or block your view of their face. If you have concerns about your baby's skin getting chapped in the cold air you can apply a thick barrier cream such as Shea butter before heading out.

5. Winter Booties for Baby

Since your baby won't be in a snow suit in their carrier I recommend some cozy booties to keep their toes and legs nice and warm. There are tons of great booties out there, but I recently found these locally made ones from Mimitens and absolutely love them for little babes who aren't walking yet. They're thinsulate, water resistant, and have a leg warmer attached. This is key for me, because they are less likely to fall off and be lost on treacherous winter walks. It's never fun to realize you've lost one bootie from your favourite pair. I think these might actually survive a whole season!

The real winter weather has yet to arrive, but I know when it does Penny and I will be ready. I hope I've given you some winter babywearing inspiration. If you prep now you can enjoy a winter with your cozy babe in tow. *Don't forget to use code WITHCARE10 for 10% off Bridge The Bump.

- Care

 *This is a sponsored post which means I was provided compensation and/or products/services for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I only partner with companies, services and institutions that I genuinely love and want to recommend.

Holiday Gift Guide for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers

When the holiday sales start to roll out it can be tempting to buy everything you see, but do you really need it? We try very hard to remind our children how fortunate we are, and focus on keeping gift giving small and on things that we truly need.

I love to make DIY gifts for the kids and our friends and family, but also always pick a few special gifts to buy for our little ones. We stick to the rule of “Something you Want, Something you Need, Something to Wear & Something to Read”. This year we added a new category “Something to Give”, and are making sure that we think of little ways we can help our community locally or globally every day.

Here are a few of my favourite gifts to give for little ones. Most items included are locally made or sourced from small local stores so that we can reduce our impact this holiday season, and support our local community. Hope you enjoy!  

*Use Promo Code: Withcare for 10% off purchases at Diaper-eez this holiday season

Something You Want: 

There are so many amazing toys available around the holidays, but I love to focus on buying presents that will be enjoyed over the winter months. A Sled is a perfect gift for kiddos of any age. Canadian Tire and many local hardware stores have excellent selections of beautiful Canadian made wooden sleds. From basic to fancy, single to triple occupancy, you can choose what’s right for your family and your budget.

Something You Need: 

With our frigid Canadian winters kid’s need quality winter gear. Here are a few ideas for necessary items that can double as Christmas gifts. 

My absolute favourite snow suit for little ones are the Mountain Equipment Co-op Toaster Suit. Toasty warm as the name implies, these snow suits are made to last through a few kids and never disappoint. Purchase online or locally at Mountain Equipment Co-op. 

For keeping those little hands warm my new favourite is locally made Mimitens. These brilliant mitts have fabric that extends up your little ones forearm to keep them warm and more importantly to keep them ON! If you have a constant mitt taker offer, you know how frustrating it is. Invest in a pair of these and ditch the daily fight. Purchase online or locally at Diaper-eez.  

A warm toque is always needed and my favourite this year is the Je T’aime toque by Whistle & Flute. Made on the West Coast these adorable hats are available locally from Amelie & Max and come in kid and adult sizes. Perfect for twinning! Purchase online from Amelie & Max and choose shipping or local Toronto pickup. 

Something To Wear: 

Little ones need warm feet whether they are lounging at home, out in the car, in the stroller or while babywearing. Padraig Cottage are by far my favourite Canadian made booties. They are soft, cozy, warm and don’t fall off like most other booties. Great for little ones of all ages and the perfect gift. Purchase online or locally at Diaper-eez. 

Something To Read:

Books are one of my all time favourite things to give as gifts. Reading and interacting with babies from a young age has been shown to be very beneficial for brain development.

For little ones who love to put stuff in their mouths and tear at paper, board books are ideal.  One of my absolute favourites is “On the Night You Were Born” by Nancy Tillman. An instant tear jerker for most parents. 

As your kiddos get older and want longer stories I love anything and everything by the super talented Oliver Jeffers. 

For this category also consider thinking outside of the box. Baby Sign Language Flash Cards and board games can be a great way to practice language development.

 
Something To Give:

If you haven’t heard of Cuddle + Kind yet, you need to check them out. These beautiful dolls are part of an incredible campaign to help decrease child hunger worldwide, as each doll purchased provides 10 meals to children in need. It’s too late to order them to arrive in time for this holiday season. Sorry! You’re probably wondering why I included them if their holiday orders were done a few months ago. The truth is I wanted to share them because I think they’re a great gift year round and knew I would have your attention. So get ordering for your 2016 birthday gift list!

Some other great ways to give back include purchasing a food hamper for a family in need in your community, supporting The Stop Community Food Centre which does amazing work in our city, and supporting local Syrian refugee aid groups like the Lakeshore Syrian Connection.

Hope you got some great ideas for your little ones and stay tuned for Part 2 of our Holiday Gift Guide tomorrow with great gift ideas for Expectant & New Moms! 

Don’t forget to use Promo Code: Withcare for 10% off purchases at Diaper-eez this holiday season

- Care

Top 3 Ways to Save Money & The Environment While Dressing Your Kids - Part 3/3

From my last 2 posts you can probably tell that I am a huge fan of buying gently used clothes and gear for myself & my family. You just can’t beat the savings for the environment & your wallet! Having said that, there will always be times when you need to buy something new, an outfit for a special occasion, or something specific to fill a need in your kiddos wardrobe. So let’s discuss how to get the most for your money and the environment when buying new.

1. Support ethical & environmentally conscious companies. Fast fashion has some pretty serious costs, so I try to do my part to reduce our family’s impact as much as I can. It’s not always feasible to buy local fashion, as the cost can be higher, but you can still make mindful choices about your consumption.

2. Buy clothing and gear that is built to last. I don't know about you, but I want pieces that will stand up to being washed hundreds of times while 2, 3 or 4 kids enjoy wearing them, not something that is going to be thrown into a dumpster in just a few weeks or months. 

3. Focus on gender neutral clothing. This goes a long way toward the items longevity, because it makes it easier to be passed along to other kiddies. Which in turn means more bang for your buck. This is especially important for big ticket items like snowsuits & boots.   

Some of My Favourite Companies:

My personal fav for great outdoor gear is Mountain Equipment Co-op. They sell high quality products that are made to last and have a strong commitment to sustainability efforts around the world. They offer many of their kids' products in great primary colours, so you don’t always need to choose pink or blue. Go with red, green or yellow!

I also love to find small local businesses like Ollie Jones, a Toronto based company that makes swoon worthy leggings & accessories for kids that are ethical, environmental & feature awesome gender neutral designs. Not to mention being budget friendly. Check them out, but be warned, you may become addicted! They're currently having a model search on Instagram, so if you have an adorable little one aged 6 months - 6 years send along a pic for a chance to win!

One of my new favorite clothing companies is a local start-up from Toronto called Jill & Jack Kids. They totally fit the bill for me. All of their clothes are designed, woven & sewn locally in Canada. They focus on awesome gender neutral play clothes for kids and feature great graphic prints on bold fun colours that go beyond pink and blue. My little guy Benny modelled some shirts for them, so we got to see the product first hand. I can tell you they are beautiful! The material was super soft and the shirt had a great slim cut. No more terrible square t-shirts!

What I love most about Jill & Jack Kids is that they’re not just trying to make cute clothes. They’re trying to change the way that we gender stereotype children at such a young age with the clothes we dress them in.

Offering gender neutral clothing with no boys or girls department means that kids can feel free to be who they want to be. I absolutely love their message, which is why I was happy to support their Kickstarter Campaign and help spread the word.

Please go online and check it out. They only have 3 more days, until June 5th, to reach their goal of $15,000 and they're already over $11,000. They need your support! If they don't reach their goal Jill & Jack Kids won't become a reality :( ...and I wont get my awesome "Half of all T.rexes were girls" shirt. Which would suck!

If you want to learn more about "How Gender Stereotypes Affect Kids" join Jill & Jack Kids for an online discussion with a panel of experts on Tuesday June 3rd at 8pm (EST). Should be an interesting discussion, so don't miss out!

I hope that you've found this 3 part series helpful in saving money and the environment while dressing your kids. 

- Care

Top 3 Ways to Save Money & The Environment While Dressing Your Kids - Part 2/3

Last week on the blog I told you about one of my top 3 ways to save money and the environment while shopping for our kids - Local Parent to Parent Sales. These sales are such a great resource for families, but since most are held only once or twice a year it can be difficult to get to them. Plus sometimes it's nice to be able to shop on your own schedule in a less chaotic environment. Not that I ever shy away from a good sale ;) 

As a regular go-to for gently used clothing and gear I rely on kids consignment stores. These are an excellent way to get name brand items that still have lots of life left in them. Sometimes you'll even score brand new items with the tags on! The only draw back is that consignment shopping can be time consuming, and as a busy parent and business owner I don't have a ton of time to go out and browse the stores for deals. That's why I was so excited to find a new local online kids consignment store called Eco Outfitters Online. 

Last week I had the pleasure of sitting down to chat with Rebecca Saha the Owner of Eco Outfitters Online, who specializes in high-end, gently used, baby & kids clothing & accessories. In addition to owning her own new business Rebecca is a wife, a mom of 3 kids, and a kindergarten teacher. What a woman! She is also a proud environmentalist and loves to help families learn how to make more green decisions in their daily lives, including purchasing clothing.

Eco Outfitters Online provides families with 2 great options for purchasing their hand-curated line of high-end gently used clothing.

1. Buy online via their easy to use website

Low flat fee shipping, or even the option of free pick up if you live locally.

2. Book a Personal Shopping Appointment online

Meet with Rebecca & check out the goods in person at the Eco Outfitters Boutique located in her West Toronto home. It's a great space with lots of beautiful stuff to browse & choose from. 

I couldn't help myself and ended up buying a few items for our little Lucy :)

Luckily our toddler Ben is still living off of massive piles of hand-me-downs thanks to our extremely generous friends and family, so no need to buy him anything. (Huge shout out to Auntie Meagan, Auntie AnaBela & Auntie Margaret for clothing him for the last 3 years!)

Check out Eco Outfitters Online website for full details and to view some of their adorable clothes currently available www.ecooutfittersonline.ca. Enjoy shopping from the comfort of your own home or book an appointment to visit the boutique in person to find some great stuff for your little ones.

*Eco Outfitters Online offers Full Refund Or Exchange on all purchases (tags still attached). Plus a great Referral Rewards Program & Trade In Trade Up Program. 

Stay tuned for the final instalment in this 3 part series next week to learn how to save money and the environment when choosing to buy New. 

- Care