SOLD!

Now that the crazy whirl wind that was the last 6 weeks is over I finally have time to slow down and reflect on the decision we made and start looking forward to the future!
It all started with Grammy passing away.  My mother-in-law had always planned on moving into her mothers condo when this time came.  What hadn't been planned was my husband and I moving into his childhood home!  After the celebration of Grammy's life was over (which was pretty much a 3-day bender enjoyed by the very large Swanson family clan) my mother-in-law began to plan the sale of her home in order to move into her condo.  As we were sitting in her home it hit me and I said it out loud "what if we bought your house?"

Since then it's all a blur.

We were suddenly painting the outside of our house (something we had wanted to do since we moved in over 5 years ago) and then presto the "For Sale" sign was up on our lawn and we moved into my moms house.  The part where we moved into my moms house was not an option - keeping a house "fluffed" for showings and open houses with 2 kids under 2 is impossible.  "The Team"  (Elspeth, Pat and Carolyn with Bosley Real Estate) were awesome and helped us navigate and remain calm through some changes in the market and then suddenly we were sold and moved back in.  It was only then that we had a chance to sit back and look around my house and then onto the lawn at the sold sign and really think about what we had done.  Don't get me wrong - it's all great and no regrets!  It's just kind of crazy to suddenly be leaving a neighbourhood that we love and not to mention a pre-school my daughter was about to start after being on waiting lists since i was 6 months pregnant!!

Since being back in our house for a week now i've already managed to find an awesome nursery school for Kate which is walking distance form our new house.  We're starting to line-up some renovations and can't wait to move in.

What's freaking me out more than anything is how a decision like this that my husband and I make will now completely change our kids future.  It's so different when you make big decisions once you have kids.  This is definitely the single most important decision we feel we've made in their lifetime that will effect their future.  It's a powerful thing to ponder.  Yikes!

Finally A Green Diaper with No Compromises - And Oh So Soft!

Early on in my first pregnancy I became very passionate about learning ways I could improve my environmental footprint and changes I could make to ensure a healthier environment for my baby-to-be.  Some of the changes I made included:

• Getting rid of all chemical cleaning supplies at home
• Purchasing organic produce, dairy and meat and many other food produce
• Cooking fresh food more often and reducing processed and fried food
• Making a “no shoes in the house” rule – did you know this is a major contributor to toxic chemicals in the house?
• I also purchased all natural and organic diaper creams, wipes and baby body creams

Surprisingly enough I didn’t get on the green diaper train right away.  It wasn’t for lack of thought - or even trial.  However, at the time, there wasn’t a whole lot of brands in this space and the couple that I tried I didn’t like.  One brand had an overlay large back panel which made the diaper really bulky and just didn’t fit my XS little girl.  The other felt particularly rough on the outside, which I also didn’t like.   So, up until the more recent introduction of Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers (and one baby later), I stuck with tried and trusted Huggies Little Movers.  I was making my usual diaper purchase and noticed the new line of diapers and decided to give them a try.

Almost as soon as I opened the eco-friendly packaging and felt how soft the diaper was I knew I’d found my new brand!  The diapers were unlike either of the other two “green brands” I’d previously tired.  The first thing I noticed was the soft texture.  Softer than any diaper I’d come into contact with previously – green or not! The diapers are also fragrance free and therefore lacked the perfume smell that so many diapers have.  I’m guessing it’s the aloe and Vitamin E that contribute to the soft inside texture.  The outside is made with organic cotton and the inner liner includes renewable materials.  To be honest, I could do without Tiger and Poo imagery if that would reduce ink completely – maybe something Huggies would consider in the future?    

My 2 ½ year old daughter (now toilet trained, but still needs a diaper at night) and my 8 month old boy are in the same size diaper, so I only need to buy one brand and one size and I’m done!  The only snag is you can’t find Pure and Natural diapers in all grocery stores, as I guess they want to push their own brand of green diapers.  I’ve had no problem finding them at Shoppers Drug Mart and then I get the bonus of optimum points - so I pick them up when I’m stocking up on other staples there.

Not a regular product reviewer, I met some folks at Kimberly-Clark recently and raved about my love for Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers.  They asked if I would share my insights with other moms and as a thank you, they gave me some Pure and Natural diapers as well as some Little Swimmers for the hot summer months!

Boo!

I can't believe how long it's been since i've blogged.  Feel extreme guilt despite so many good reasons that have filled my time.  But I do miss my new little hobby.  Kind of feels like in high school when you skip too many classes and don't know how you can go back without being way behind and getting in trouble.

i've come to visit and looked at the empty space.

This time i decided to break the silence.

we'll see how it goes...

Little Miss Worker Mom

I was at a dinner party last night where the host's 6 year old looked at me in horror (after overhearing a conversation) and said "YOU work?".  It was hilarious and the host (stay at home mother of 3) genuinely laughed and said "Yes, some moms DO work!"
Since having Jack in September - and being back at work (part time) 4 weeks later - I've been challenged on many occasions to make sure I'm doing right by my family.  I took 8 months off with my first which felt really right for me.  8 months was a great amount of time to spend figuring out motherhood and bonding with my girl.  I also went back to work in September which mentally felt good as it was "back to school".  I made a big decision at 6 months pregnant with Jack to jump into a new business venture - knowing that this would mean I'd be following my US counterparts and be quickly working again. The huge difference being - I'd be working from home.  I still struggle some days with the focus I've always had on work, and how I balance that with family.  The way I see it is, I won't be checking into an office 8am-6pm 12 months from now - I'll still be at home balancing and prioritizing family.  I like this about what I'm doing now and feel it's working for me.  I also know that any challenging days I come across are paralleled for every other mom (working or not) - Just different.

Leapfrog Holiday Playdate Party

Because everyone needs something else to do over the holidays - I decided to add to the madness and host a Leapfrog Holiday Playdate Party 3 days before Christmas.  The timing was perfect as the kids were out of school and us moms needed activities.  Courtenay stepped up and co-hosted because she has the most fabulous house with a kick-ass playroom that can hold us all - we ended up with 15 moms and 20+ kids (ranging in age from 4 weeks to 7yrs old). 

As part of my role as a Leapfrog Mom I was given some of their best selling toys to share with my mom friends and their kids.  The Holiday Playdate Party was the venue I chose to share the toys - allowing people to check them out and play with them and then pick their favourite to take home.  The party was hopping, with the working moms off work and kids out of school, we had the best turn out for "coffee" in a long time.  The pictures tell a lot - the kids and moms alike loved the tag junior and the tag read along books.  They help with reading skills and associations between words and pictures with a huge selection of books you can upload and program easily on your computer.  

The Text and Learn was maybe the biggest hit amongst the moms - lucky for me many of the moms already had one or had purchased for Christmas gifts - so the couple I had to give away went to the few people who didn't already have them.  For the youngest kids The cuddly green puppy named "Scout" and the AlphaPet Explorer were big hits.  Once you set up Scout on the computer and program your childs name in he sings songs and interacts with your child by name and incorporates favourite colours/animals and foods into conversation - very cute.  Scout also sings lullabies for 2, 5 or 10 minutes and turns off automatically when finished for a great way to help your little one drift off.  My daughter Kate (2yrs) is a big fan and has renamed Scout "Kate Bear" as he always calls her by her name.  

Another great thing about many of the Leapfrog toys (especially if you have multiple kids) is that they can be used together with parents or independently.  It's great to see how engaged kids get when interacting with the talking toys - it's like you can see the learning happening!  This has helped me out on more than a few occasions as I learn to juggle 2 kids!


As a mom of two pre-schoolers I appreciate the expertise on age appropriate learning toys to help me guide their development.  Check out the Leapfrog Learning Path - an online tool set up to help you see your child's play and learning progress.

Guiding Children's Behaviour

I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Stuart just prior to the holidays, a Child Development and Behaviour Specialist.  With over 26 years teaching and guiding pre-schoolers behaviour and development, I'm excited to have Mary as a new contact (and hopefully business partner in the near future too!).  As a parent of 2 pre-schoolers I appreciate her words of wisdom and mentorship.  Below I've copied her New Years Newsletter to share with you.  


KNOWLEDGE IS POWER- by Mary Stuart, E.C.E.D.H.  childlife.ca

Confidence or more confidence is what most parents and teachers desire when asked about guiding children’s behaviour.

There is a plethora of information on the market with “new” theories, techniques, and “nanny” type shows which seem to focus on a “quick-fix”, or a special “technique” solution.

Children and their behaviour require more than a quick tip or fix!

Knowledge and Understanding of children's development and behaviour gives parents and teachers CONFIDENCE!
When you understand why children do the things they do, you have the knowledge to find the right solution to correct and change behaviour without all the drama!


Knowledge helps you:

• Gain the necessary insight into the child’s perspective
• Maintain control over your emotions, thoughts and actions
• Become successful as a child guider, supportive disciplinarian and ultimate developer of a child’s optimum potential

When children make sense, we feel more empowered to guide them to what is it we want them to do in a more calm, confident, competent way.


5 Tips to Help You Build Your Confidence

1. Next time a child is driving you crazy ask, “What is he/she communicating through this behaviour?  What is the problem?  Who owns the problem?”
2. Take a deep breath so you will put oxygen in your brain in order for you to maintain your composure and to think before you speak.
3. Ask yourself, “What do I want this child to do. What do I want to happen? What do I need to teach?”  Then do it!
4. Review the results:  “How did this work?  How can I improve? What do I need to do the next time to make it more successful?”
5. TIME TOGETHER! This is more valuable psychologically, physiologically, developmentally and spiritually than almost anything else!

Challenging behaviours decrease when you spend more time together having fun!

In just 5 more minutes a day with a child, immediate results begin with a preschooler, school ager, tween and teen!
Take the time to BE Together – your child will thank you. It doesn’t matter what “it” is. Dance, sing, read, play…

Now when you need to set the boundaries and be the parent/teacher, you can with confidence knowing you know your child inside and out.

These are just a few things that can help you be a more confident, competent parent and teacher!

Happy New Year!

Mary
Mary Stuart, E.C.E.D.H., RECE
childlife.ca…Solutions 4 Life with kids!
Have a Question?
We like to help! No question or situation is too big or too small!
E: justask@childlife.ca <mailto:justask@childlife.ca>  or P: 905.420.0799

© Copyright 2010 by Mary Stuart, E.C.E.D.H., childlife…solutions 4 life with kids! Reprinted with permission from the childlife Newsletter. Visit www.childlife.ca

2010 Resolutions

Okay, I'm not perfect - I'll admit that!

So, I spent most of 2009 Pregnant (Jan-Mid September) and therefore working out has been severely lacking.  I'm not one of those people who has to drag my ass to work out - I'm genuinely very passionate about it and enjoy it for all the mind, body & spirit aspects.  And of course the physical benefits are important especially after baby #2!

My husband and I have been ordering in a lot.  Let's blame new baby, new business venture and my husbands shift work = very tired at the end of the day.  We find ourselves in that awful "what do you want to do for dinner" scenario at 8pm, when #1 is down and #2 is between feed and sleep, and too often we default to local take-out.    

Therefore...(drum roll please)...you guessed it - working out and cooking are my resolutions.

I started tonight and it went very well.  I asked for, and received, the new Jamie Oliver cook book - Jamie's Food Revolution.  I'm not a cook so there's a lot of work to be done for this resolution.  It's not just about cooking over ordering in, it's actually about learning to cook and enjoying a new talent.  So you see, this is a BIG undertaking for me.

Tonight I cooked Salmon Tikka with Yogurt Sauce.  I prepped while #1 was in her high chair colouring.  I then read her stories and put her down to bed.  I then fed #2 and handed him over to my husband to play with, while they watched Canada/USA Junior Hockey game, so I could complete the meal.  The meal only took 10 minutes (post prep) and was so yummie.  The premise behind Jamie's Food Revolution is about getting back to the basics and encouraging more people to cook by learning and sharing recipes.  It's perfect for me as I need to be inspired as well as have the recipes broken down to the basics so it's easy and enjoyable.  All in all this evening was a success.  I'm as tired as I always am but, we had a home cooked meal and I learnt something new.  I feel good:)

#2 is up from his nap so over and out!