Shopping With Care

With only 3 weeks before school is out and summer vacation officially begins, it's time to lock down your camp registrations. I know there are definitely some parents that are scrambling to find something perfect for their kid, so I thought I would share these 3 awesome West End Camps that are sure to have something that fits every kid's summer camp wish list. Plus enjoy a discount for each camp, which is sure to please mom and dad. 

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.

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**

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!!

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

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. 

I was so excited when Many Milks from Today's Parent asked me to collaborate on a video for her Easy ish series about Safe Car Seat Cleaning. As a Certified Passenger Safety Technician and mom of 3, I'm pretty passionate about this stuff (I know I'm a total nerd), and since almost every parent will have to face a disaster car seat situation at one point or another, this video seemed absolutely essential.

Easter is around the corner, so you know what that means? Time for some ridiculously cute pics of babies in bunny ears! Anchor Studio Photography will be joining me at Movies for Mommies for 2 weeks to offer complimentary Easter Mini Photo Sessions. Appointments will be scheduled between 12pm-1pm on each day (March 5th & 19th). 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**

This winter has already been a tough one, and if the groundhog is right we still have several more weeks of battling our kids into snow suits, hats, mitts and boots...argh. I'm already so done with the cold and snow, and totally dreaming of summer weather. Soooo... as a little reminder that summer will arrive (seriously, it has to!!) I have an amazing GIVEAWAY with Westside FUN Day Camp!

I absolutely adore babywearing, so it only seems natural to talk about it during the month of love. In fact, carrying your baby close to your body gets your love hormones surging, and helps keep baby (and parents) happy. If you want to learn more about babywearing with a ring sling, join me and Potter & Pehar at Love Me Do in Liberty Village on February 9th for Babywearing, Bubbles & Special Treats in celebration of Valentine's Day. 

Valentine's Day is a holiday that I was never really into, until I had kids. Now I absolutely love sharing all the love with my kiddos on February 14th. Doing heart themed crafts, making heart shaped foods, and giving special little notes of love are some of the ways that we love to celebrate. As a mom, my absolute favourite way to mark this special time of year is with holiday photos. How could you not? Look at these adorable Valentine's babes.

As a long time avid DIY'er I absolutely love making our friends and family some homemade goodies for the holidays. This year I thought I would share a few of my simple DIY recipes with my readers in case you're in need of some last minute gifts or stocking stuffers. These all make great gifts for party hosts, teachers, neighbours, family and friends, and most can be made in a few minutes. 

With the holiday season fast approaching it's time to capture some adorable pics of your little elves. Anchor Studio Photography will be joining me at Movies for Mommies for the next 2 weeks to offer complimentary Holiday Mini Photo Sessions. 

I don't know about most of you mamas out there, but getting out for a night out with friends is a rare event for me. So when I heard that my friends Freda (owner of Bridge the Bump) and Christine (owner of Olilibaby ) were hosting a fun evening out I knew I had to score a ticket. The Modern Mama Social isn't just any typical night out. These ladies have thought of it all, right down to the dream mom venue...Anthropologie of course ;) 

This year for Lucy's 4th Birthday I decided to go all out and throw her the party of her dreams. As a true 2nd child, she has never had a real party until now. While Ben has had several epic birthday parties. So basically, this party was making up for a few years of some serious parental guilt. 

I'm really excited/totally terrified to share this with everyone. A few weeks ago I was a guest on my first ever podcast. As someone who firmly hates listening to their own voice (I hear it's common), and who is a bit anxious about being an "expert" speaker (I know that's silly since i'm a midwife and teacher, but it's true), this was a bit outside of my comfort zone. I have know Amanda Laird, the amazing creator of The Heavy Flow Podcast for over a year now, since meeting at one of my CPR workshops that she attended with her partner and adorable daughter Maisie. Amanda and I hit it off right away and have stayed friends since, so when she asked me to be on The Heavy Flow I knew I had to toss my fears aside and do it. 

It's finally here, the day I get to share our garage makeover reveal with you. This project took a lot longer than we anticipated due to delays with materials and summer plans, but in the end it has all come together beautifully. Check out this before and after to see a truly amazing transformation. 

I'm so excited to be taking part in The Bump to Baby Show's 1st ever fall show on Saturday October 21st at The Riverdale Hub. I always love the spring show because it's such a great group of finely curated local businesses, that genuinely love to help and support expectant and new families in our communities

With back to school right around the corner I have received some panicked messages from friends and clients who have left prep to the last minute, and are feeling overwhelmed. So many parents believe they need to break the bank and buy a tons of supplies to make sure their little one is ready, but that's not the case. I firmly believe back to school shouldn't be stressful for parents, especially if you're little one is headed to Kindergarten (or early elementary years, grades 1-3).

We just returned from our annual backcountry camping trip, so I thought it was time I shared my complete packing list for camping with kids. A lot of friends and family are surprised that we can enjoy our time camping with 3 kids in tow, but it really is one of our favourite traditions. As I've said in previous posts about Camping with Kids (found here & here), preparation is key to your enjoyment. There is nothing worse than forgetting a vital piece of equipment that means you're left wet, or uncomfortable, or hungry. In an effort to make sure this doesn't happen to any family, I'm sharing my Complete Family Camping List.

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)

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.