Booster Seat Safety 101: Watch My Video + Get 15% OFF Nuna Products at Love Me Do Baby & Maternity

I get so many questions from parents about when their child is ready to make the move to a booster and when they can ditch the booster all together. So I decided to make a little video with my son Ben’s Nuna AACE booster seat. He's almost 7 years old and moved from his forward facing 5 point harness car seat to this high back booster at 6.5 years old. He will be able to use this for many years to come, as it transitions into a no back booster for bigger kids.

In this video I'll go over proper use, appropriate ages and stages, and a very important safety tip that is often overlooked by parents when a booster seat is in the car. 

If you’re in need of an amazing booster seat, infant seat, toddler seat, or stroller, make sure you check out the selection of beautiful Nuna products at Love Me Do. They will be 15% off until June 4th. This is an incredible savings, so don’t miss out. The best part is, you can get complimentary car seat installation by their amazing certified car seat technician on any seat you purchase in store. That's a huge value. 

If you want to learn more about safe car seat and booster use, check out this great handout from the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada. Since all provinces and territories vary in their regulations you can get full details on current laws from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and a summary of other provinces and territories here.

I hope you enjoy the video. Please feel free to comment below with any questions or topics you would like covered in the future. 

- Care 

In this post:

Love Me Do Baby & Maternity: Nuna AACE Booster Seat     |     Homesense: Basket & Throw Pillows    |     Mur Lifestyle: Black and White Blanket in Basket     |     Ikea: Ektorp Couch & Blanket     |     Bird Apparel: Care's Poncho Shirt (See note in link to special order)     |    Lorena Canals: Rug     |     Bensound: Music, Ukulele Clip

*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.

*The information in this video is meant to help you learn about booster seats. Please always read your car manual and booster/car seat manual to ensure compatibility and proper secure installation and use. The information provided does not constitute individual advice or consultation and should not be used as such. 

The Magic of Menstruation with Amanda Laird - Register NOW for the June Breastfeeding Cafe

How much do you really know about menstruation and your body? So many menstruating people don't truly understand their cycles and what's happening each month, so I've invited Amanda Laird the host of the Heavy Flow Podcast to join me at the June Breastfeeding Cafe for a talk about the Magic of Menstruation. 

In this talk, Amanda (a Registered Holistic Nutritionist), will unpack menstrual myths, explain why the menstrual cycle is a vital sign and teach you what you didn't learn in health class. She will also address every new mom's most burning question: "when will I get my period back?!"

This is going to be a good one! If you would like to attend the Cafe on June 5th at West End Mamas and learn all about menstruation Register Here. Remaining space is very limited in this FREE Community Event, so please don't wait to Register. If your plans change and you can't make it, please email care@with-care.ca so we can open up your spot to another community parent who would like to attend. **Please Note that this is a FREE Community event, but this month Participants are encouraged to bring a box of tampons or a large purse to be donated to the Period Purse.

Also, if you haven't listened to The Heavy Flow Podcast yet, I highly recommend it. You can check out the episode that I was a guest on, as well as tons of other amazing episodes here. Enjoy!

- Care

**After this month the Breastfeeding Cafe will be on summer holidays and will resume in the fall. 

Daddy & Me Mini Sessions at Movies for Mommies Humber - Register NOW!

I'm so excited to be offering Daddy & Me mini sessions at Movies for Mommies this year. What a great gift for father's day! If you would love to get a beautiful photo of your little one this spring, join me at Movies for Mommies at the Humber Cinema (2442 Bloor St W) on Monday May 28th for complimentary mini sessions with Anchor Studio Photography. Appointments will be scheduled before the movie between 12pm-1pm. Photo sessions are free and attendees have the option to purchase photos for $25/digital image (discounted packages for more photos are also available). **PLEASE NOTE: Sessions are reserved for Movie Attendees Only**

You're also welcome to do a solo shoot, or have mom/partner in the pic with your little one. You can choose how to customize your mini session.

Please note that space is very limited for these sessions, so please email care@with-care.ca ASAP to request a spot. 

*The movie being screened May 28th is Solo: A Star Wars Story. If you would like to receive notice of our weekly screenings and special events directly to your inbox, please join my Movies for Mommies Humber Cinemas Newsletter.

Hope to see you at the Movies!

- Care

The Bump To Baby Show Spring 2018 *Free Family Friendly Event!

I can't believe May is almost here! That means it's time for the 5th annual Bump to Baby Show. This is personally my favourite baby show in the city, and the one that I'm always excited to take part in. The Wychwood Barns is such a beautiful venue, and the organizers do such an amazing job of bringing together the best local vendors for their marketplace (Of course I'm not biased at all). Most vendors offer amazing discounts and specials for the show, so it's worth the visit! Especially since admission for the whole family is FREE!!

In addition to amazing products, enjoy the family fun zone, face painting, music and dancing, swag bags, delicious food, an amazing raffle, and so much more. Plus a portion of the raffle proceeds will be donated to The Stop's Healthy Beginnings Program; a pre- and postnatal program for women and children that need support in our community. So make sure you grab a ticket!

This year I'm very excited to be partnering with The Big Carrot again for a talk and live food demo covering "Healthy Recipes for Starting Solids." Join me from 2-3 pm in the Play & Learn Area for this special event. You must Pre-Register for this talk *Please note that remaining space for this session is limited. So don't wait! 

Learn More & Pre-Register for the rest of the amazing talks and classes here. This year's lineup includes free prenatal yoga, a fun fam jam, a puppet show, a session on pelvic floor health, and talks on family nutrition & natural sunscreens. There's so much for the whole family to enjoy!

Hope to see you at the show on May 6th. Make sure to pop by my table or workshop to say hi!

- Care

The Ins & Outs of Family Estate Planning with Laroux Peoples: Video + Discount

Once you become a parent, planning for every possibility becomes important. That's why having a Will and Power of Attorney in place is so essential. We all hope that nothing happens to us until we're old and grey, but planning means that your family won't be left in a difficult position in the very rare chance that something happens to one or both parents.

If you don't have your estate planned, you need to Watch this quick video I made with Laroux Peoples, a local mom and awesome lawyer that specializes in Wills and Powers of Attorney. Laroux answers some of the frequently asked questions parents have about preparing their estate, and offers an amazing discount to my readers and clients. 

Plus, if you're in the Toronto area Register NOW to join Me & Laroux on May 1st at 9:30am for the May Breastfeeding Cafe at West End Mamas. Laroux will be talking about Future Planning: Wills & Powers of Attorney for Parents, and answering all of your questions. Remaining space is very limited for this FREE community event, so don't wait to Register. 

Laroux generously offers my clients 20% off their Wills and Powers of Attorney when they mention With Care. Plus she comes to your home when your documents are ready to be signed...aka...no need to pay for a babysitter or parking. Basically the best news ever. 

Follow the link to set up a FREE phone consultation with Laroux so you can get all of your questions answered and finally have this big one checked off the never-ending parenting to-do list. You're welcome ;) 

- Care 

**Please note this video and post does not constitute legal advice or establish a solicitor/client relationship by way of any information contained herein. The contents are intended for general information purposes only and under no circumstances can be relied upon for legal decision-making. Please consult with a qualified lawyer to seek advice concerning the specifics of your particular situation.

*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. 

Mother's Day Mini Sessions at Movies for Mommies with Anchor Studio - REGISTER NOW!

This awful cold weather sure doesn't feel like spring, but in just a few weeks May will be here and it will be time to celebrate the best holiday of the year...Mother's Day of course ;) 

If you would love to get a beautiful photo of you and your little one, join me at Movies for Mommies this April. Anchor Studio Photography will be joining me at the theatre for 2 weeks to offer complimentary Mommy & Me Mini Photo Sessions. Appointments will be scheduled between 12pm-1pm on each day (April 23rd & 30th). Photo sessions are free and attendees have the option to purchase photos for $25/digital image (discounted packages for more photos are also vailable). **PLEASE NOTE: Sessions are reserved for Movie Attendees Only**

Space is very limited for these sessions, so please email care@with-care.ca ASAP to request a spot. Don't forget to let me know which day you prefer, April 23rd or 30th. If the date you prefer is full I will offer you a time on the other day, or a spot on the wait list. These sessions fill up very fast, so please don't wait!

*The movie being screened April 23rd is I Feel Pretty. The movie being screened April 30th is still TBD (I will update this post as it becomes available). If you would like to receive notice of our weekly screenings and special events please join my Movies for Mommies Humber Cinemas Newsletter.

- Care

Family Friendly Homemade Meatballs - Perfect Iron Rich Recipe for Starting Solids

Meatballs are a great option for a healthy family dinner and a perfect way to start incorporating iron rich meats into your baby's diet. They can be paired with a whole grain pasta, tomato sauce and veggies, or some roasted or steamed veggies for a quick dinner. I usually make a double batch with fresh ground beef, and freeze a bunch for future evenings when we need a fast healthy meal. 

Meatballs are great because they can be made out of a variety of types of ground meats, plus you can add finely chopped herbs and greens without most kids being bothered by them. The one thing my kids always complained about was the diced onion, so I recently started grating the onion and it has worked wonders. They never know it's in there, but the meatballs still get the onion flavour and moisture. #momwin

Family Friendly Meatball Recipe

Prep Time: 10 mins          Cooktime: 17-20 mins          Makes about 20 meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or alternative ground meat)

• 1 whole egg (or flax egg)

• 1/2 cup whole grain bread crumbs soaked in 3 tbs milk (I make them with the end of a loaf of bread in the vitamix)

• 1-2 garlic cloves mashed (depending on preference)

• 1/4 cup onion grated (small onion or ~1/3 large red onion)

• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano

• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

• handful of spinach finely chopped *optional

• salt & pepper to taste

• 2 drops of tabasco sauce *optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat Oven to 400°F

• Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until combined. Do not overwork meat.

• Scoop out 1 generous Tbsp at a time and roll into meatballs (you can always change the shape or size of these meatballs to suit your needs, just remember to adjust the baking time accordingly)

• *If your ground beef is fresh you can freeze raw meatballs for future use

• Bake meatballs on a rack over a baking pan for 17-20 mins. Turn once while baking.

• Remove from oven and serve immediately, or allow to cool and refrigerate or freeze

I absolutely love paring these iron rich meatballs with homemade vitamin C rich tomato sauce. I'll be sure to share my favourite sauce recipe soon. 

Don't hesitate to ask any questions below. Hope your family enjoys these as much as ours does. 

Care

From Caterpillar to Butterfly - Take Part in Junction Wings 2018

It's that time of year again. Time for the most fun community fundraiser ever - Junction Wings! For anyone who isn't familiar, it's basically the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (without the inappropriate food choices) come to life in your very own home. 

For only $10 you get a caterpillar in a little container with some caterpillar food. We always get a few caterpillars. In nature not everything works out, so think of extras as an insurance policy to avoid a disappointed kid. Your fuzzy friend(s) will remain in the little cup eating until they're nice and big and tired. Then it will attach to the lid of the container and spin it's cocoon. At this time you can move the container lid with the attached cocoon to an appropriate butterfly habitat.

Check out my post from last year about a simple Ikea Hack for a perfect butterfly enclosure. 

About 10 days later a beautiful painted lady butterfly emerges. Your butterfly will need to remain in the butterfly habitat for a few days while it's wings dry out and it gains strength. Then it can be released outside. (Don't worry, all the details are included in the instructions that come with your little critter) 

The whole experience is so magical and such a fun activity to do with your kids. We look forward to this event every year and are so excited that it's almost time to bring a few hungry caterpillars home. 

If you live in the area and are willing to drive to the Junction to pick up your little fuzzy friend(s), you are more than welcome to take part in this event. Simply Buy Your Caterpillars Here by Tuesday April 10th. 

Please Note: Caterpillar pickup will take place on Saturday May 12th from 12pm-4pm on the 2nd floor of the Legion in the Junction 3591 Dundas Street West. If you can't make this pickup time you will need to arrange for someone to pick them up for you. 

Make sure to share your caterpillar adventures on instagram and facebook with #junctionwings so we can all follow along. 

Care