It's always a good sign when you pick your kid up at the end of the first day of camp and they immediately say "Today was the best! I love it here. Can I come back tomorrow?" Yup, that was Ben's initial reaction to True North Sports Camps. After 2 weeks of camp I can confidently say that he's still feeling the same, and totally pumped for more camp in August.
Summertime is so much fun with little ones, but it can also be a dangerous season if we don't consider how to keep our little ones cool and hydrated during extreme heat. Babies and young children have a smaller amount of liquid in their body, so dehydration can progress more quickly than in adults. Additionally, babies and young children can't sweat as well as adults, so they can have a hard time cooling their bodies down once they begin to heat up, putting them at higher risk of overheating.
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.
When we were looking to buy a home in Toronto we never thought we would get lucky enough to have a garage, let alone the big 2 car garage we managed to snag. The only issue was that it was a bit of an eyesore with peeling paint, old sharp metal siding and an ugly broken garage door that faces directly into our yard. Fixing up the garage has been on our wish list for the last 4 years, and finally this year we decided to do it. We love our gardens so much, and want to enjoy our beautiful backyard with a fresh backdrop.
"The days are long, but the years are short". When I look at my kids I feel this sentiment to my core, as I'm sure most parents do. In parenting, some days can feel so long and so trying, so isolating and so overwhelming. Then you look at your kids in a quiet moment and realize it's all flying by in the blink of an eye. You try to soak up every squeeze hug, every sloppy kiss, every sweet cuddle, because you know one day this phase will all be done. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.
With planting season upon us it seems like the perfect time to share a post that I've been meaning to write for 3 years! I've had tons of requests by readers and friends for a DIY of our raised garden beds, so here it is. Better late than never...right? Some of these photos are really old, so don't get confused. That's little Lucy! These pics are making me so excited for our Garage Makeover on a Budget, coming this summer!
As a 3rd baby there are lots of things that I haven't gotten around to doing for Penny (eg. a baby book or a real first birthday party), so when Silvia from Anchor Studio suggested a Cake Smash session, I decided to go for it. I knew it would be a special way to mark Penny's 1st year, and get some sweet shots of our growing babe. I didn't realize just how adorable it would all turn out. Take a look.
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!
As promised, I wanted to share some butterfly habitat inspiration as a follow up to my post about The Junction Wings Project. So here it is! Don't hesitate to post questions in the comments.
Now that you've welcomed (or will soon be welcoming) some fuzzy little caterpillars into your home, you need to start thinking about a habitat. Lucky for busy parents, your caterpillars will remain in their little cup with their food for the first week, so you don't need to rush out to prepare this right away.
I'm proud to admit that I plan to twin with my kids until they no longer let me. I've heard at some point us moms become total losers, and then they want nothing to do with us. So until then, you'll see me over here planning our matching outfits ;)
Every spring our family takes part in the most fun community fundraiser ever - Junction Wings! Basically it's the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (without the inappropriate food choices) come to life in your very own home.
Spring is here and that means it's baby show season! With so many shows and so little time, it can be tough to decide which ones make the cut. If you want to skip the huge crowds, long line ups and over zealous vendors, you need to check out The Bump to Baby Show.
With Earth Day coming up this weekend it feels like the perfect time to share one of my absolute favourite eco-friendly products. One that my family couldn't live without, and that I highly recommend to everyone (big or small) who packs a lunch. It's Planetbox!
Before you have kids, teething seems like some event that happens over the course of a few days. Once you become a parent, you learn the truth about teething. That it lasts for years!!!
I've wanted to write a post about this for a long time, but kept holding off. Probably because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, or make parents feel guilty, but that's not what this post is about. I am certain that almost every parent makes decisions with their kid's best interest at heart. We all want what is best for our little one's development, growth, and definitely safety.
If you have a baby on the way and want some beautiful pregnancy photos you can't miss out on this amazing GIVEAWAY from Sara Elisabeth Photography. Enter Now (by simply joining her mailing list) for a chance to Win a Maternity Photoshoot & an incredible assortment of products valued at $350!
A few weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to bring the kids to check out TIFF's digiPlaySpace. Since taking all 3 littles downtown on my own seemed a tad daunting for a Wednesday morning, I decided to make it a special date for my big guy Ben (with the baby in tow of course).
I'm so excited to welcome West End Mamas to our Bloor West Neighbourhood! This total wellness centre for motherhood was created by Sarah Mickeler, a neighbourhood mom and incredibly skilled Chiropractor.
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.
Happy Valentine's Day! Hope everyone is having a wonderful day celebrating LOVE with your friends and family.
I wanted to share these adorable photos captured by Silva of Anchor Studio Photography at Movies for Mommies a few weeks ago, during our Valentine Mini Sessions.
It's hard to believe that it's already time to start thinking about summer, but it'll be here before we know it.
If your kids are anything like mine, they probably don't actually sit on furniture the way it's intended. Mine seem to sit on the floor most of the time, so I decided to make them some oversized floor pillows to make a cozy spot for reading books or watching a movie.
Every year as the holidays approach I try to think of some ways that our family can give back. We are so fortunate and privileged, and it's essential that our children grow up knowing that. Throughout the year we try to instil a sense of gratitude in our kids and actively help in our community where we can, but the holidays are a great time to reinforce this giving mentality.
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 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...
Now that I'm 5 1/2 years into nursing my 3 babes I've become a bit of an expert on breastfeeding friendly attire. So I was very excited to try out Bridge The Bump's new Reversible Maternity Top. This beautiful top is designed by 2 local moms and made right here in Toronto, which is amazing!
I've had so many requests for Babywearing advice from community parents, friends and family, I have decided to start a monthly West End Babywearing Meetup. Bring your babies and join me on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 9:30am-11am at Body Language Academy of Dance (272 Jane St). This is a FREE community event, open to all families.
I love cloth diapers, but I have to admit that the more kids you have the less ideal washing your own cloth diapers becomes. Especially when you're trying to run a home, a few businesses, and perhaps stay sane in the process. So this spring when we faced the diaper dilemma with the pending arrival of our daughter Penny...
The city is bursting with summer fun and a few of my favourite online stores are having amazing summer Pop Up Shops, so I thought I would share the details.
Pop up shops have become such a fun way to meet amazing online retailers & small local vendors, and get a chance to see the products up close and in person.
Join me on Sunday May 15th for a FREE Family Friendly Community Event, The Bump to Baby Show at the Wychwood Barns. As long as my baby stays on the inside (39 weeks on the 15th!) I’ll be speaking about “Pregnancy & Labour Prep: The Natural Way” with Rachel Schwartzman N.D & Silvia Kwon D.C at 12pm.
