tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76316341895976071812024-02-01T20:26:22.885-08:00Mama in the CityA blog about raising my family in downtown VancouverAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.comBlogger571125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-486261308977133482013-11-22T21:30:00.001-08:002013-11-22T21:30:30.322-08:00Hello Doctor!Oh, lord! I have had the most annoying cold for over 2 weeks now and the whole nose blowing thing is getting rather old. The amount of tissues I've gone through is unreal. So, I sucked it up and headed to the doctors office to get a little check up. I was starting to feel sensitive about all the people giving me the evil eye when I blew my nose around them or the people pointing their fingers saying, 'your sick!!!'. It turns out I have one of those glorious sinus infections that needs antibiotics and is not contagious but more of an inconvenience than anything.<br />
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I had to take Josie to the doctors office with me and, as you'd imagine, bringing a toddler into an appointment is a hilarious adventure. Our sweet girl is still charged up from her stay at Children's hospital and wouldn't stop saying, 'hello doctor!' every 20 seconds during my appointment. Luckily, the GP was very enamoured with Josie and didn't mind the constant interruptions of 'hello doctor!' while she did a check up on me. There is absolutely no exaggeration with the every 20 seconds either, the girl was on it! <br />
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During my appointment I was very impressed with my GP who just assumed I was still nursing my nearly 2 year old girl when prescribing me drugs. While she was deciding what drugs to order me she was talking out loud and said, 'hmm... no, that isn't safe with breastfeeding..you are still breastfeeding right?'. Major kudos to a health care practitioner who is on the up and up with full term breastfeeding. I feel like one day full term nursing will be the norm and not the exception and a supportive health care provider is so important. <br />
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Recently I took an on line survey about my experience with support around my decision to keep breastfeeding past 12 months. The truth is, it wasn't a doctor or a nurse educating me or encouraging me that got me past 12 months of age. Deciding to nurse my youngest till her 2nd birthday was from my own knowledge and my own drive. However, if I wasn't a breastfeeding supporter my experience might have been different. I probably wouldn't know that the World Health Organization recommends normal term breastfeeding as 24 months old and beyond. Which is why I was secretly thrilled when the GP I saw brought breastfeeding into our conversation as Josie toddled around her clinic saying hello. <br />
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Did you receive support around continuing to breastfeed past 12 months? Take the survey and help researchers collect information about breastfeeding toddlers and the support you received. <a href="http://www.breastfeedingtoddlers.org">http://www.breastfeedingtoddlers.org</a><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-59227419372877185012013-11-15T22:09:00.002-08:002013-11-15T22:09:20.021-08:00Look What I Can DoWe're really really enjoying Josie's age right now. At nearly 2 years old she is like the Betty White of toddlerhood and is hilarious, funny and likes to make you laugh. For me, one of the greatest parts of motherhood is watching my children's personalities emerge and define and this girl is no exception. I have two children with totally different personalities and I love that.<br />
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Today in the quiet of the late morning she sat at the table playing with some play dough and just having a good time. I was busy bustling around making beds and wiping yogurt off the floor, again, when my husband snapped these shots. With Ben off at kindergarten Josie gets a chance to play on her own and she is just starting to get the concept of entertaining herself. For the longest time she always had her brother to lead her around.<br />
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<i>'Mama look! Dada look!' (repeat times one hundred)</i><br />
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Just lately she has hit this stage where she does the classic 'look what I can do!' and she genuinely feels so much excitement. I will admit that today I used a bit of sarcasm on her, 'WOW!! Look at that!!! You're amazing!!'. The smile I got in return was so worth the fact that I used sarcasm on a toddler. All day long she wants to have us watch her do something. Put a bowl on her head, a Cheerio in her bellybutton, a whoopee cushion on the couch. It is a constant conversation of, 'Mama! Look!'. She even stops by her sweet old dad's office to show him what she can do. He's always busy working but graciously stops and looks at what she can do. Wear a funny shirt, put her brother's underwear on her head, shake her baby booty.<br />
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<i>This clever girl thinks she is the first one to come up with the idea of pushing pencils and objects into play dough</i><br />
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We know that moments like these ones are short and go by quickly. Everyone ahead of us has already warned us about that and we listened. We know that one day she will tell us to <b>STOP</b> looking at her and to leave her alone. So, we choose to just embrace each one of her sweet shouts for us to look at what she can do. At the same time I try to press the record button in my brain and capture all her cute toddler antics... because seriously, so cute.<br />
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<i>Josie at 22 months old. Look what she can do!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-84994005587289006782013-11-12T21:08:00.002-08:002013-11-12T21:08:15.882-08:00Looking For InspirationI won't ever claim to be a domestic goddess in the kitchen. In fact, I openly admit that one of the big reasons I initially fell in love with my husband was that the man could cook. Oh, could he cook! In our first 6 months of dating I gained a good 10 pounds from all of his delicious cooking. If I was hungry, he would cook for me and it was a real love affair. In the early days, I started thinking about all of the perks there was to having a partner who was a good cook. Besides all of the delicious food I got to eat it also meant that I didn't have to cook.<br />
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Then came marriage and babies in the carriage and life moved on, I persevered over the stove top and became a decent home cook. I am not so much of an inspired cook and do it more out of necessity and fulfilling the good enough mom role. It also turns out that children expect some kind of food multiple times every day. Didn't I make dinner yesterday?<br />
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Is it okay if my kids eat sandwiches for dinner? Will you judge me if I told you that at dinnertime they had scrambled eggs or that they had pudding for dessert? I'm not much for advanced meal planning, mostly because I am out of the house random dinnertimes each week with work. My husband still does do some dinnertime cooking and can whip up something delicious and nutritious from the pantry, but the frequency is vastly different than our days before kids. I'm left with about 4-5 days each week that I need to make something for dinner and I am often left with a lack of inspiration. I can make a mean tomato sauce from scratch and homemade meatballs that are amazing, but that only works once a week or so. I need more ideas!<br />
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<img width=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/WuRjD34.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
<i>What's on her face? Dinner! A tasty red pepper tomato sauce along with a bit of chocolate pudding</i><br />
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I've been reading your Tweets and your Facebook updates and there's lots of talk about soups and chilli and delicious warm homemade meals. I need to know, what are you making for dinner?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-3974116518922112472013-11-06T19:51:00.003-08:002013-11-06T19:51:39.813-08:00Apartment NeighboursThere has always been the talk about how Vancouverites are down right unfriendly. Apparently people don't talk to other people and no one's asking how your day was. The sugar and spice vibe is gone resulting in a lack of friends with apartment neighbours, despite only being separated by a wall. I've always had the opposite experiences with my own apartment neighbours and have made friends with every apartment I have lived in. Sure, it is usually a pretty casual friendship but I've been given keys and watered plants of some of my previous apartment neighbours.<br />
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My husband is a much more friendlier neighbour than me and always finds out peoples names, especially if they have a dog. Well now, hat's Colleen and Colin and their dog Rocket! Across the way is Sandra and Bernard and their dogs Spot and Hercules!'. Recently we've been having our neighbour's dog Spot over for some playful fun. Our old dog Maggie is more at a great grandmother speed and Ben was really wanting to play with an active dog, so we invited Spot over to play. <br />
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Spot, 'the neighbour dog', has come over about 5 times in the last 2 weeks and there's always a lot of excitement in our apartment with each visit. Spot even has his own toy when he comes to play and when he walks outside our front door he gives a little woof to say hello. Being in an apartment doesn't have to be isolating and having the ability to connect with neighbours can be really awesome. Plus, Spot is such a welcomed guest to have over!<br />
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<b>A house or an apartment or something in between... are you friendly with your neighbours?<i></i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-75256101876439333192013-10-28T21:00:00.000-07:002013-11-02T12:21:14.079-07:00Circle Craft Christmas Market: Ticket Giveaway!***The contest is now closed. The winner by random draw is Jenn. Jenn said, <b>"I attended last year for the first time since I became a "Vancouverite" 4 years ago. Was so much fun, and so much amazing, local treasure! Excited for all the cute baby things to discover and maybe get some early xmas shopping done this year while being pregnant!"<i></i></b> Congratulations on the ticket win Jenn. Send me a message to mama@apartmentbaby.com to claim your tickets!<br />
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If you're a Vancouverite, or somewhere nearby, you might be aware that in a couple of weeks the annual <a href="http://circlecraft.net/index.php">Circle Craft Christmas Market </a>will be happening downtown. This is an event I've been checking out for over the last 5 years and it never fails to get my Christmas juices flowing. Plus, I love a good reason to browse and shop and touch nice things. <br />
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A usual annual stop for me includes sampling some of the artisan foods such as Belgian chocolate from Abbotsford's <a href="http://chocolatas.com">ChocolaTas </a> (seriously, oh so delicious!). I have a mad love affair with chocolate and declare these chocolates to be very delicious. Last year I found Josie the cutest organic onesie and purple sweater from local company <a href="http://www.zooluorganics.com/product/expressive-owl">Zoolu Organics</a>. I love supporting local business and the Circle Craft Christmas Market is full of vendors from around Canada.<br />
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<img width=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/0TUT3d1.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>Zoolu Organics<i><a href="http://www.zooluorganics.com"></a></i></i><br />
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This year the market runs from November 7-11th at the Vancouver Convention Centre West and tickets are <a href="https://www.microspec.com/tix123/eTic.cfm?code=CCCM2013#.Um8qM5FilBV">available on line</a>. I have two tickets up for grabs for you to win to attend! Entering is easy, just leave me a comment on this blog post about why you want to attend. A winner will be drawn by Monday November 4th. How simple is that? Good luck!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-44269602667962048952013-10-26T15:31:00.000-07:002013-10-26T15:31:08.262-07:00Celebrating Traditions With Minted!I am not going to lie, I've already given some thought to my annual tradition of sending out Christmas cards. While it still feels like the holidays are a long ways off, I have given a bit of thought about what I'd like our 2013 family card to look like. Last year we did our first photo card and had a terrific shot of us in Hawaii plastered on the front. I really enjoy the whole process of picking out the right card, writing messages and addressing envelopes. I might get a sense of gratification when I put all those cards in the mail box too. I guess I'm a total sucker for traditions and sending out Christmas cards ranks high on my lists of traditions to keep up.<br />
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For me, traditions help to symbolize family and that familiarity of special events makes me feel good. I love collecting our mail during December and pulling out the envelopes that look like cards. Each year I send off a good chunk of special cards to friends and family spanning across North America through to the UK. While, social media helps us keep up to date with day to day events much more than it did years ago, receiving a Christmas card just helps solidify connections and ultimately spread some holiday cheer. <br />
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It seemed completely perfect when indie card company<a href="http://www.minted.com/photo-christmas-cards"> Minted</a> asked me to check out their goods. Minted offers so many choices for the consumer and allows you to play around with your selection before purchasing it. I love Minted's interactive on line card options and also that it is so easy to use. Just upload your favourite photo of your cat, your cute baby, your family, your scenic holiday shot and GO! <br />
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<div style="clear:both;"><a href="http://www.minted.com/board/969193?utm_source=embeds&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=board_embed"><img src="http://www.minted.com/board/969193/minted_board-630.png" border="0" alt="the merriest by guess what?, see more holiday cards" /></a><p style="font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:10px;color:#666;margin:0 0 0 20px;"><a href="http://www.minted.com/board/969193?utm_source=embeds&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=board_embed" title="the merriest" style=color:#8AAD3A;text-decoration:none>the merriest</a> board by <a href="http://www.minted.com/designer/guesswhat?utm_source=embeds&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=board_embed" title="guess what?" style=color:#8AAD3A;text-decoration:none>guess what?</a>. See more <a href="http://www.minted.com/holiday-photo-cards?utm_source=embeds&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=board_embed" title="holiday cards" style=color:#8AAD3A;text-decoration:none>holiday cards</a></p></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" src="http://www.minted.com/board/log?uuid=d87e540baa754c0288f1b13121952112&id=969193&name=the%20merriest&search_term=holiday%20cards" /><br />
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In the olden days, and even very occasionally now, people would sit down and write out a letter telling all about the things they had been up to over the year. Remember those? I still get a couple of letters each Christmas but for the most part it just doesn't happen anymore. When I saw this card I thought it was so suitable as a modern take on the annual newsletter. So perfect for a family who has had a few exciting things happen over the year or for someone who has traveled around.<br />
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<img width=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/lRGMcoT.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
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Back when I was a single lady in the city I still sent out Christmas cards each year, the volume was less but the sentiment was the same. Once we had Ben I felt this excitement about including him in some of the traditions we grew up with and also creating our own family traditions. I think a new baby is a perfect feature for a family Christmas card and a baby jazzed up to look a little festive is pretty sweet in my opinion.<br />
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I am definitely a pre planner and I plan to have my Christmas cards in hand by mid November. Say what?? I know some of you are thinking that is way too early but a pre planner has a plan. Once I select my card and have everything ready to go, I do a bunch of cards each night that I have some down time. I'm usually watching a silly Christmas movie and burning a scented candle while I write little messages inside each card. I always like to have them ready to mail out by the first week of December, just to make sure that each card can get where it needs to go in the world.<br />
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<b>Are you going to be sending out Christmas cards this year? Can I have a 'oh yeah!' for all the Christmas card pre planners like me. Check out Minted at their site <a href="http://www.minted.com/">minted.com</a> or on their <a href="http://www.minted.com/julep/">blog for fun creative DIY ideas</a></b>.<br />
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<i>I was compensated by Minted for this post, but my love of their cards is my own opinion.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-59880730395913268622013-10-24T13:49:00.000-07:002013-10-24T13:49:07.576-07:00Breastfeeding and Social MediaI've just started a new gig and I'm doing a side of teaching with RN students who went back to school to specialize in perinatal nursing. I've only done one week with them but so far it's a great experience for me. I come from a family of teachers and I'm trusting my instinct with how I teach fellow nurses in an area that I feel passionate about. I want them to feel really empowered about becoming a maternity nurse and I want their patients to benefit from them. For me, changing things up in any part of life helps to reenergize me. I've been a RN for over 10 years now and have always done bedside nursing, so this change is definitely warranted.<br />
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We are doing a lot of talking about breastfeeding, because I really want them to feel prepared to help support new mothers. Trying to be current with my style of teaching I've asked them to find a website/blog/Facebook page that helps to promote and support breastfeeding via social media. I knew a couple of sites that came to mind right away, but I'm curious to see what they come up with. I've got <a href="http://kellymom.com">Kelly Mom</a> and <a href="http://theleakyboob.com">The Leaky Boob</a> as a couple of websites that stand out for me with respect to supporting breastfeeding moms. I often tell parents to check out <a href="http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=videos">Dr. Jack Newman's </a> website if they are feeling flustered at 3 AM and their baby just won't latch. He's posted up a bunch of really fab videos. <br />
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I'm curious what you might recommend? Is there an awesome blog you follow that talks about normal term breastfeeding or a website that you think is essential? Hit me up in the comment section and let me know. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-61206233677125716832013-10-17T21:01:00.001-07:002013-10-17T21:01:14.017-07:00I Am Mama in the CityI am <i>a</i> mama in the city. I'm not unique or special, in fact I'm a MITC along with 100's of other mothers in downtown Vancouver. Together we all live in apartments, trek around the city with strollers, walk more than drive, and enjoy local tourist spots as our everyday adventures. <br />
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Today was no exception and while the baby (yes, we still call her 'baby' despite being a solid 21 months old) napped and my husband worked from home, I quickly jetted out of our condo and high tailed it over to Granville Island Public Market for a quick grocery shop for dinner. There are many pro's and con's to having a spouse who works from home, a big pro is being given the chance to whip out during the whole nap scenario that happens around 11-1 PM. <br />
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This morning there was a brisk coolness in the air and all of the trees along the seawall were bursting with gorgeous Autumn colours. As I walked from our place to the water taxi I realized how much I relished being alone to do some errands; so incredibly simple but really appreciated. The water taxi is literally a 3 minute ride from one dock to the next and takes me longer to wait for the next water taxi to arrive then it does to cross False Creek. I love that part of being a MITC. Amidst todays tourists from Japan and Germany, I was heading out to do my everyday errands.<br />
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My plan was to buy groceries to make a sweet potato hash and also grab an espresso to fuel me up for the rest of the day. I love wandering around the public market fetching a little bit of this and that from all of the different stalls. I also really love seeing all of the tourists taking it all in for the first time. My favourite stop for dinner groceries was <a href="http://www.oyamasausage.ca">Oyama Sausage Company </a> where I purchased the best tasting sausages for my hash. Hands down their sausage made my dish, so much so that the 'baby' ate seconds.<br />
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<i>This round trip happens in about 30 minutes and dinner has fresh groceries to cook with. I love this.<br />
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<i>So nice.</i><br />
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Are you a MITC too? I'd really love to hear from you! Of course, there has to be some cons to raising a family in the city, but I really adore all of the pluses, and I love it when something feels just right. So, let's be honest, would you/could you raise your family in the downtown of a city? <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-90573104858272522732013-10-10T21:30:00.003-07:002013-10-10T21:30:44.691-07:00I'm Giving ThanksThis weekend we celebrate Thanksgiving which is so timely as today I have so many things to be thankful for. Besides all of the usual suspects, I'm thankful for Josie finally kicking croup in the ass and for friends who send you gift baskets and wine. I have no problem coming up with a list of things that I would like to change, but instead I chose to be like Oprah and see gratitude in the face. I am thankful.<br />
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Last week while visiting my parents in Victoria little Josie got a bad case of croup. After one ER visit in Victoria we ended up having to hang out at the hospital in Vancouver for a bunch of days. So, we hung out in a tiny isolation room together while she got plied with multiplied doses of medication to help her breathing slowly return to normal. After spending so much time together, Josie's vocab went crazy and the girl won't stop talking! She is expressive and, oh my, so many words and emotions coming out of her mouth.<br />
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<b>The Beginning <i></i></b><br />
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I had heard of croup even before her little seal bark started at 1 AM. It had been preceded by a runny nose and then a moist cough that sounded like Darth Vadar. At 2 AM we sat outside on the doorstep at my parents house and I knew exactly what was happening. Croup had found us, so I did what I thought and so I tried to let the cold air soothe her inflamed airway. She was tired and struggling to breathe and I wasn't really sure what to do. Should I hang tight and see how things go, or should I react and head to the ER? Side note, it was a dark and rainy night and 3 AM in a city I don't know that well.<br />
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<b>The Middle<i></i></b><br />
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You would think that being an experienced RN would mean I could make pretty quick decisions when it comes to emergencies with my kids, but it turns out I am overly relaxed and don't jump the gun with them. I used to always roll my eyes at people who overused the emergency room for bad period cramps, a case of dandruff or because they don't have a family doctor. I'm more apt to nod in acceptance at a severed finger over a paper cut when it comes to ER visits. So, while cradling a croupy Josie I did a quick iPhone google search about how to treat croup at home and what things to look out for. Pink baby=good! Blue baby=bad?!#$%!<br />
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After an hour of trying to make a decision I decided I had had enough of watching her work so hard to breathe, and so I texted my night owl brother in law to please come and fetch us at my parents house. I seriously did not want to drive alone in the car with a girl who was having breathing issues. Plus, it was 3:30 AM and I hate not knowing where I am going. This whole time Josie was nice and pink and in pretty decent spirits despite being tired and dealing with croup. We sped to the ER in Victoria and at 4 AM my girl got a nice dose of epinephrine and steroids and her breathing started to calm down.<br />
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Fast forward a day later and we returned from our weekend away and had a terrible night at home filled with visits to the steamy bathroom and cold air treatments. So, we called it a day and off we went to Vancouver's BC Children's Hospital. It was perfect timing too and Josie needed quite a lot of medications to control her fast breathing, and we ended up getting admitted from the ER to the ward. I can't say enough good things about BC Children's Hospital, or how fortunate we are that this is our kids local hospital. The access to resources was amazing. Need an ENT consult? Hold on, it will literally be 5 minutes. Need a chest x-ray to make sure there isn't a random toy stuck down there? They're here to pick you up! Vancouverites, is that your experience at BCCH too or were did we just have lucky timing on that one? I know how variable things like this can be when it comes to hospitals.<br />
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<b>The Now<i></i></b><br />
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Josie is feeling much much better and is full of craziness and clinginess too. I've chosen to embrace both of those things and am thankful for the now. <br />
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This is what I've learned: Don't mess around with breathing concerns, especially when it comes to young children as they have softer airways and things can change fast. Breathing issues take priority and things can go from being pretty okay to being very intense within a few minutes. No one is going to roll their eyes at you if you take your kid to the ER with breathing concerns. Right now Josie is pumped on a triple dose of steroids and she is extra hungry ('<i>Mama, I hungry!</i>') and she's also a wee bit moody (they did warn us). Yes, a toddler on steroids is quite entertaining. Weeee! Truly, so thankful for everything.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-30754861879936149152013-09-21T21:11:00.000-07:002013-09-21T21:11:48.447-07:00Making The Switch!I am (<i>im</i>)patiently waiting for my husband to finish up with the last pieces of my new big blog reveal. After 4 plus years of blogging on this site I'm switching from Blogger to Wordpress and doing a bit of an overhaul. It is much needed and I'm hoping it helps me feel inspired to write and write and share with you. I think he's getting sick of me asking him if it's done yet, you know, on top of all his other 101 hours of work that he did last week. I went back and looked at some of my first dozen posts and they are hilarious. There has been a definite change in my writing style and ability the more I wrote and pressed the big PUBLISH button. <br />
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In other news, I'm itching to publish some more posts about things that make feel passionate and the new adventures that are ahead for me. Like, how I will be teaching clinical to new perinatal RN's in October on top of my regular job. Or, how I'm currently debating with my husband about being thrifty vs. going on our anticipated trip to Hawaii this winter. Seriously, mama needs a family beach vacation. Plus, doesn't my new teaching gig sort of make up for the expense? I can really rationalize anything.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I went ahead and (finally) created my Facebook fan page and would love if you joined me there. For daily discussion, for tips on city living in Vancouver and to give me advice when I need it! Please join me over on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/apartmentbaby">Facebook at Mama in the City</a>. Let's keep in contact, I miss you!<br />
<br />
-Andrea<br />
xxo<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-12254796342865492902013-09-10T20:24:00.000-07:002013-09-10T20:24:48.115-07:00It's Playtime With Peekaboo Beans!One of my good friends Sarah decided to take her love affair with the local children's clothing<a href="http://www.peekaboobeans.com/index.aspx"> Peekaboo Beans</a> a step further and became a Play Stylist for the company. On top of her job as a busy RN and mama to Brooke, Sarah loves to talk about all things Peekaboo Beans and really loves what the company as a whole stands for.<br />
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<img height=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/zUjCrnz.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<b><i>"I really stand behind the quality of this product and the focus on play"- <a href="http://www.peekaboobeans.com/index.aspx">Sarah Dickinson, Peekaboo Beans Play Stylist</a></i></b><br />
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<br />
When Sarah first told me she was going to become a play stylist I was already familiar with this product line, however, I hadn't yet tried out any of their play clothing. What I did remember was seeing their wears in a local shop and feeling the quality of the clothing and the fun designs that they had to offer. So, when Sarah asked me if Ben wanted to test drive some Peekaboo Beans clothing I did not hesitate to sample what they had to offer.<br />
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I was given the <i>Peace Brah Tee</i> in surf blue, the <i>At Ease short</i> in navy and the <i>On The Go hoodie</i> in dust. My very favourite piece out of all the three was the <i>At Ease short</i>. When Ben first was wearing these shorts they were pretty long on him, which was perfect for covering his knees during busy playtimes outside. He had a growth spurt and they still fit him perfectly because of their generous length. <br />
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If you asked Ben about his favourite piece it would absolutely be his <i>On The Go hoodie</i>. He is able to independently zip it up and when he discovered that the first time there was a lot of happiness and squeals! Peekaboo Beans has made sure to put the details where they matter and gave a perfectly sized zip that is easy for little hands to maneuver on their own. Very important when you are sending them off to school.<br />
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One thing I really like about this clothing is that their fabric washes up so nicely. No pilling or fading, I literally wash and dry and it comes out looking great. Which is important to me as, probably like you, I don't have the energy to worry about wrinkles or creases.<br />
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<img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/yjQIW8e.jpg?1" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/GF645Cr.jpg?1" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
<i>Playtime on the beach! Jumping! Running! Let's go!</i><br />
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When I asked Sarah what was one of her favourite things about working for this company she was quick to tell me about the playgrounds that are built in association with the Canadian charity Playground Builders who help build playgrounds from the ground up in war torn areas. Read more about their work here.<br />
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Connect with Sarah on <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthVan_Beans">Twitter @NorthVan_Beans</a> or check out her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Dickinson-Peekaboo-Beans-Play-Stylist/516937135037294">Play Stylist Facebook page for up to date info and more.</a><br />
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<b>Have you ever tried Peekaboo Beans clothing before? What is important to you when buying your kids clothing?</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-30369513225601545632013-09-08T20:12:00.000-07:002013-09-08T20:12:28.652-07:00The 5 Year PlanThere is nothing like watching a child grow up to really show you how much time has passed by. When people talk about their personal 5 year plan I don't actually have one. However, I can say that I do have a newly minted 5 year old and that alone is quite something. It turns out my 5 year old too is a good example of a 5 year plan; he started out as my premature fussy high needs baby and 5 years later he is a lovely sweet smart considerate boy. <br />
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While doing some birthday party prep I asked Ben if he wanted his friends to give him presents or if he would be interested in having a $5 party. I had heard of this idea from my older sister and was quite into the theme. If you haven't heard of this before, basically, you give the birthday kid their age in money. However, there is a fantastic catch to it all! You give $5.00 to Ben, instead of a present, and another $5 for him to collect and donate to a special cause. Ben got really excited by this idea and chose to donate the collection to the Vancouver SPCA. In his words, 'I get to help some dogs who need extra help!'. He will take his personal collection and we'll go together and buy one awesome toy.<br />
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This kind of birthday party is a big win win situation for everyone involved. Parents of the invited children don't have to feel pinched or stressed about buying another elaborate birthday present. As apartment dwellers we don't have to heave a sigh of exasperation as more and more toys join the ranks. We also get to see our child really understand what it means to give and see how his help can benefit someone/something else. <br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/qfC0BN7.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
<i>It's A Me! Mario!</i><br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/PnTMFRO.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>Even I got into the moustache fun. How do you like my Hulk Hogan stache?</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-69853073314338980942013-09-03T21:26:00.002-07:002013-09-03T21:26:22.821-07:00This Is The WayAlong with many other kids out there today, Ben had his first day of school and is enrolled for full day kindergarten. The two of us had plans to have a nice walk together while Josie stayed at home with her visiting memere who came from Florida to see us. Our walk turned ugly and we got face to face with some serious west coast weather. Seriously glad I decided to bring my umbrella and also a retroactive high five for making Ben wear a rain jacket and not his Peekaboo Beans hoodie that he had been wearing.<br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/qqiIl1f"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/qqiIl1f.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/68z3rgq"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/68z3rgq.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/></a><br />
<b><div style="text-align:center;">"This is the way we go to school<br />
Go to school, Go to school<br />
This is the way we go to school<br />
So early in the morning"<i></i></div></b><br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/rIbIOn6"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/rIbIOn6.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/></a><br />
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Big props to my boy and all those other parents experiencing this parenting milestones for their own. I remember back when Ben was 'baby Ben' and always in the sling (crying). Back then I couldn't even picture this milestone happening, yet here we are. One day you too will be here. I'm selfishly dreading the morning rush out the door but I'm also excited at this new thing in our lives. <br />
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What new things do you hope September brings to you? Many people remark that this time of year feels an awful lot like another chance at a fresh start. I love this idea.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-8935957052481709622013-08-30T21:42:00.000-07:002013-08-30T21:42:04.976-07:00Portland Food Cart Tour FTW!One of the things we had heard about Portland before we left was that they had a reputation for being a foodie city which was enough to send our mouths watering and our expectations increasing. Our experiences dining out around the city did not disappoint and we truly did not have any sub par experiences. We did do a couple of official sit down meals where we dressed up and enjoyed cocktails and multiple plates of delicious dinner. However, a casual find that was really fantastic was the group walking tour exploring various food carts downtown.<br />
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<img width=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/ISukLD7.jpg?3" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>We had brought back up clothing and shoes in case it turned to rain but we lucked out and got a dry afternoon!</i><br />
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We went with <a href="http://www.portlandwalkingtours.com/tours/flavor-street-food-cart-tour/">Flavor Street Walking Tour</a> and sampled 6 different food trucks through downtown. Going on a walking tour, especially one with yummy food, is a fantastic way to check out a new city, especially when you have a limited amount of time like we did. Being able to talk to a local and ask questions and get the inside scoop is really priceless. I also loved the questions my girlfriends asked our tour guide along the way; like, why is there so many peeler clubs downtown? Because there actually is a lot of them, apparently even vegan peeler clubs too. Who knew?<br />
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My favorite food find happened to be at the first stop where we sampled two different dumplings at The Dump Truck. I actually didn't know that I loved dumplings as much as I do until I had these ones. This food cart tour was full of great flavours all the way to the end and we all agreed how much fun we had. A definite must if you are in Portland and want to sample some delicious bites.<br />
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<img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/t1ym3hK.jpg?1" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/FumvTZ3.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /> <br />
<i>We started out at The Dump Truck and finished up with fresh waffles<br />
</i><br />
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<img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/u2TYdja.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/3FVHuwq.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
<i>I enjoyed all the stories from our tour guide that went along with all the sampling. Like the treats from the Paleo style food cart and the salmon shack.</i><br />
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While Vancouver is starting to take off in their food truck culture, Portland already has it down and it is thriving. It would be absolutely amazing if Vancouver eventually caught up and had a similar presence downtown. One interesting difference between the two cities is that in Vancouver the food trucks are actually trucks. They arrive and park, cook and serve, and drive off when it's all over. In Portland they are more fixed carts and many have themed props and awnings.<br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/cLVDwdY.jpg?1" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>This is the girl who made this tour happen and who thoroughly enjoyed the Korean taco we sampled. Thanks Heidi!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-7535116974395303952013-08-27T18:31:00.001-07:002013-08-27T18:31:26.108-07:00Breastfeeding a ToddlerI did it! I went away with girlfriends for 4 days and left the kids behind and we all survived. This is the first time I've been away from Josie overnight besides going to a night shift. Naturally I was curious how my absence would effect our current breastfeeding relationship. At 19 months old Josie nurses about once a day, always in the morning just as we wake up. Sometimes there is an extra feed in there if she is truly thirsty or in need of some extra comfort. I love how nursing in the morning buys me an extra 10 minutes of lounging in bed and I love our quiet cuddles together. With my shift work schedule she has gone 2 days without nursing but never more than that. So, I was curious how things would work with me nursing her on Thursday and not again until late Monday when I got back.<br />
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Reports from my husband was that she was just fine and seemed happy and content while we were apart. Of course, as soon as I walked through the door and said hello she was already to get back to our routine and honestly so was I. It was like we had never skipped a beat and our nursing relationship picked right back up. I am so happy that we have made it this far with breastfeeding and I am thinking we will actually make it to full term breastfeeding, which is 24 months old.<br />
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There were a few things that helped me out with putting our nursing team on hold while I had an extra long weekend out of town. I had been nursing Josie before bed and the week before my lovely husband took over her night time routine. Little Jo did great with cuddles from daddy instead of nursing with me. While I was away I also did a bit of hand expression to keep me comfortable and also to keep the message going to my brain that this mama is not weaning. I did get an extra full decolletage by the last day away and my underwire bra stopped being comfortable.<br />
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Now we are right back to our lovely nursing relationship and it feels great that I was able to go off and have it pick back up so easily. It also reinforces that this toddler is not ready to wean just yet. If she was heading towards wanting to stop breastfeeding, the time apart would have solidified that.<br />
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More to come on my adventures away in Portland! I can't wait to share some highlights with all of you!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-50257382722936423462013-08-20T21:50:00.000-07:002013-08-20T21:50:26.285-07:00It's Time For A HolidayIn just a few shorts day I'm embarking on my first ever girlfriends trip away since I've had babies. Ben will go off to visit his cousins in Victoria, a destination that he absolutely loves and adores, and Josie will stay home and hang out with her daddy and the nanny. The best part is, I feel no guilt at all about leaving my family and going on a long weekend with girlfriends. None. Nada. I will be traveling on a train to Portland with two girlfriends that I met back in nursing school. Seriously, nurses make the best girlfriends!<br />
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I'm looking forward to having moments of relaxation and the opportunity to feel a little bit rejuvenated. I am pretty sure that I will miss my family immensely and I'm sure us ladies will talk kids, but I will enjoy myself. I will be be hopeful and pack along a book that I've been wanting to read and I am hoping that I will be able to actually sleep in and not wake up at 6 AM like my kids do every.single.morning. I want to enjoy the friends I'm traveling with and spend some time together like old friends should. <br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/J7psqo9"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/J7psqo9.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
<i>Josie before bedtime in her brother's old robe.</i><br />
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I've just done a bunch of busy shifts in maternity and I'm busy changing my blog over and am doing some fun behind the scenes blogging work with my husband. I can't wait for the update to be live and am excited to have you see it so soon. I am officially ready to leave Blogger behind and move on! So many exciting things going on. How perfect is it that I have 3 weeks off of work!<br />
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<b>So tell me, would you ever go on a holiday without your children?</b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-73647606187999636902013-08-12T21:06:00.004-07:002013-08-12T21:06:53.736-07:00Kindergarten BabyI haven't been around the blogosphere as much as I'd like to these days, but that's only because I've really been soaking up these summer days away from the computer. I'm in total denial that summer is coming to an end and I get it that Fall is just around the corner. I know all this but I'm wearing blinders because I'm loving this time together with my kids before Ben goes off to full day kindergarten.<br />
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Right now we can have lazy mornings whenever we want to and have play dates at noon on a Wednesday. Right now the days are ours but at the same time I'm totally ready for this change to happen. It is these kinds of milestones that really make parenting fun for me. I know, so mushy. <br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/OqrS6oR.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>Big boy Ben swimming laps</i><br />
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Besides being a sentimental fool I also have a top 5 happy list to share with you. Drum roll please.<br />
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1. I am happy that I had the foresight to book a massage for the afternoon following my night shift. Especially so after applying counter pressure on one of my labouring mamas hips for 3 hours last night.<br />
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2. Subsequently, I am very happy that I booked the nanny till 4 PM. A little sleep, a good massage and lots of water is where it's at. I am not a person who can run on no sleep after being up all day and working all night.<br />
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3. Very excited for the return of Breaking Bad and more excited to be watching it tonight all cozied up with my husband. Bring it on!<br />
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4. The other day my sis and baby came out for a visit. I loved being able to do some baby wearing with sweet Alice while we were outside. It gives me the baby fix I need to help curb my thoughts about a 3rd baby. <br />
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5. My parents came over last week and got busy doing household errands for me. My dad hung up a clock and some art in the kids room and every time Josie sees the clock she shouts out, "PAPA!!". Seriously, that makes me happy.<br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/F7ZgBkK.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>Little Josie hard at work</i><br />
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PS. I just switched my commenting system from Blogger to Intense Debate and am having problems getting my comments to update the count. Has anyone else troubleshooted this before?<br />
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PPS. I've been reading each lovely comment like I always do! I always appreciate hearing and interacting with my blog readers.<br />
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xxoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-89785444868337677502013-08-06T21:08:00.002-07:002013-08-06T21:08:52.684-07:00Are Boys And Girls Really That Different?The other day a woman with a baby girl on her hip and an older boy in tow came up to me and asked me a question about my own two boy/girl. She wanted to know if I found raising a boy and a girl a very different experience as a parent. Raising Ben and Josie has definitely been two totally opposite parenting experiences for us, but is it because they'e a boy and a girl?<br />
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We all know that Ben was a high needs fussy baby and bloomed into this sweet caring toddler. I don't think he ever had a tantrum in his 2's or 3's and we were mostly able to rationalize with him and he slept like a charm. He was a fantastic little toddler and totally opposite of his tumultuous first year. Of course, he likes trucks and likes to wrestle and talk about spiders.<br />
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We quickly discovered that using the same parenting skills with Josie we used with Ben weren't really working the same. Josie is a lot more vocal than her big brother and I could compare most major toddlerhood characteristics and they would be opposite. It is a constant battle to get her to stay in her stroller and she wants to be independent and just walk (girl thing or second child thing or...?). After the mother stopped and asked me the question I couldn't help but wonder if these differences are really a boy vs girl thing. <br />
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<b><br />
Do you think that boys and girls are that different? Is it as simple as just being a 'girl' thing or a 'boy' thing?</b><br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/wr3PcMr.jpg" width="480" /><br />
<i>'This is my ride'.</i><br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/9AipiEi.jpg" width="480" /><br />
<i>Don't touch the ice cream, she will cry real tears in despair.</i><br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/gjE3o2c.jpg" width="600" /><br />
<i>No more pics, she's warned you.</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-45144378965263875202013-08-02T22:07:00.002-07:002013-08-02T22:07:42.962-07:00The Birthday CakeThe other day I turned 34 and had a little celebration the on the eve before with my family and youngest sister, brother in law and their baby Alice. I had told my husband beforehand that I wanted a really good cake to cap off the evening and he listened, he really really listened. <br />
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Let's go back 4 years ago when I had a dinner celebration at my favourite downtown restaurant Chambar with a bunch of good friends. We had the way back room and at the end of dinner we celebrated with the best chocolate cherry birthday cake. It had the perfect density and there were soft cherries and rich chocolate. I totally fell in love with that cake. I really think if you are going to have cake it should be really perfect and this cake was.<br />
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After serving up friends there was a single piece of chocolate cake left to take home. How perfect! A little treat for the next day! It turns out that later that same evening my husband had a hankering for just a little bit more of that birthday cake, so he went and got the last piece of cake and devoured every crumb. The devastation the next morning when I discovered the empty carton in the garbage was palpable. I sort of thought that the last piece of cake went to the birthday girl. The problem really was that the cake was so delicious and hard to resist.<br />
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This year he tracked down the pastry chef that had made the cake back in 2009 and now owns <a href="http://www.cadeauxbakery.com/index2.php#/home/">Cadeaux Bakery in Vancouver</a> and ordered the same chocolate cherry cake. It was a fantastic surprise and enthusiastically enjoyed. We split the last piece the next day and I'm thinking there should be a repeat performance next year. <br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/UQ28w3A.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/uYphFWD.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/afbod93.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-89167085328543451452013-07-29T22:05:00.002-07:002013-07-29T22:05:49.162-07:00Getting Ready For Kindergarten! Guest Post By Teacher SarahThis September Ben will be heading to kindergarten and I feel very fortunate to have access to some of the inside scoop on how to help him get ready for this milestone. My older sister Sarah is a kindergarten teacher at a public school just outside of Victoria, BC and I've been asking her about what we can do with Ben to help him get ready for full day K. I really appreciated her insight and thought she would be a perfect guest blogger to help other readers in the same boat. This will be a first in a series of post on kindergarten readiness. Even if your child is still on the wee side it's still fun to explore the milestones they have ahead of them in the future. Enjoy!<br />
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<img width=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/rO9mrSv.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
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<b>Teacher Sarah’s Top Ten List for Getting Ready for Kindergarten!</b><br />
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As a kindergarten teacher and Mum to two kids (one who recently completed kindergarten), I am familiar with the angst that some parents feel about sending their little one off to school for the very first time. Preparing ahead of time for new routines and new expectations makes the first few weeks of school so much easier (for both you and your child!). Before starting Kindergarten your child should be able to…<br />
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• Get dressed and undressed on their own. Practice zipping up jackets, buttoning up sweaters and putting on shoes before school starts. Velcro shoes area godsend for both your child and the teacher (can you imagine bending down to tie 22 student’s shoes several times a day? Ouch!). <br />
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• Use the bathroom independently (make sure your child knows to use only a little bit of toilet paper and can wipe themselves after as well!) and wash their hands on their own. Don’t be stressed if your child has the occasional “accident” as this is common for some 4 and 5 year olds, especially in the first couple months of school (keep a change of clothes at school or in your child’s backpack). <br />
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• Practice opening and closing containers for snack and lunch before starting school; on this note, I also highly recommend that you LABEL everything you send to school if you want it back! Teachers are happy to help children with their snack containers but learning to be more independent is so important in Kindergarten. I also suggest that you pack food that you know your child likes and will eat (now is not the time to try out new sandwich fillings and vegetables). I guarantee you will find less of it coming home uneaten if you do!<br />
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• Print and recognize his first name (ideally with an upper case and lower case combination). Using the correct pencil grip is important as it helps your child print neater and more efficiently. Here’s some more information on pencil grip: <a href="http://www.schoolsparks.com/blog/teaching-children-the-proper-pencil-grip">http://www.schoolsparks.com/blog/teaching-children-the-proper-pencil-grip</a><br />
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• Listen, follow and complete two to three step directions. Practice these skills at home with something simple as cleaning up after supper: “please put your plate and cutlery on the counter when you are done eating. Then make sure to wipe up any crumbs.” There are also a lot of great activities to reinforce listening to directions skills. A great website to look at is <a href="http://www.playingwithwords365.com/2012/10/five-playful-ways-to-work-on-listening-skills/">http://www.playingwithwords365.com/2012/10/five-playful-ways-to-work-on-listening-skills/</a><br />
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• Sing the ABC’s and recognize some letters and their corresponding sounds. Starfall.com is a fun interactive website that I recommend to parents. If your child is already writing letters, that is great! Just make sure they are printing from top to bottom and using the correct pencil grip. I use the Handwriting Without Tears program in my classroom to develop printing skills. It also has some helpful parent links: http://www.hwtears.com<br />
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• Count from 1-10 and recognize some numbers. With your child, practice counting forwards, backwards and from a given point. For some fun online math games check out: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/games/preschool-kindergarten/pbs-kids-games/">http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/games/preschool-kindergarten/pbs-kids-games/</a><br />
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• Enjoy reading books. Read to your child on a daily basis (at least 20 minutes a day) and offer them lots of chances to look at a variety of books. Children grow and develop at different rates so don’t fret if your child’s best pal is reading but your child is not! Before Kindergarten starts, it’s ideal if your child likes to listen to and look at books and is showing some signs of reading readiness. Here’s a great link for some more information on reading readiness: <br />
<a href="http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Pre_Kindergarten_Reading_Skills/">http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Pre_Kindergarten_Reading_Skills/</a><br />
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• Enjoy spending time with other children in a variety of settings such as at play dates, at the playground, in sports programs or at camp. In Kindergarten, a good amount of time is spent on developing children’s social skills. If you are wondering how to help your child deal with some challenges and difficulties they might encounter with other children, I recommend the Bucket Fillers Program--<a href="http://www.bucketfillers101.com ">http://www.bucketfillers101.com </a><br />
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• Feel positive about starting school! If your child is showing signs of anxiety or has fears about starting school, there are lots of ways to help them transition more successfully into this new stage. Some things that have helped me as a parent are: role play with your child what the first day of kindergarten will look like, familiarize yourselves with the school playground and school yard, discuss who will be picking up and dropping off your child each day, and emphasize what fun your child will have in Kindergarten (and honestly, Kindergarten is a blast!). Also, once school begins, make sure to communicate with your child’s teacher and let them know if your child is feeling overly anxious. Check out this link for some more anxiety-reducing activities to do with your child before school starts:<br />
<a href="http://childparenting.about.com/od/schoollearning/a/first_day_kindergarten_anxiety.htm">http://childparenting.about.com/od/schoollearning/a/first_day_kindergarten_anxiety.htm</a><br />
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<b>Hope this information helps. There are lots of great books to read about starting school and to help calm those first day jitters -I will be writing about my favourite books in my next post! </b><br />
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<i>Sincerely, Teacher Sarah</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-32834583007981359972013-07-27T19:55:00.001-07:002013-07-27T19:55:33.494-07:00Summer SippingIt's nearing the end of the month and soon we will be turning the page of the calendar which just naturally flags that we're in full swing of summertime. Luckily Vancouver is having a gorgeous stretch of perfect weather and I haven't worn pants in weeks now. It's all summer skirts and dresses over here as I've never been too keen on wearing shorts (it's a thigh thing people). All of our neighbours seem to be in a state of a constant good moods and I'm enjoying the mix of locals leaving the city for vacations and tourists coming to check out our city.<br />
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During a recent walk in our neighbourhood we came across a micro distillery and decided to sample their gin. At 33 years of age I've never had a gin and tonic until about 3 weeks ago so this was a new experience for me. Whenever I was to have an adult bevy I'd lean towards a glass of vino or maybe a cocktail. However, a few weeks ago my brother in law mixed up a G+T and it quickly become the summertime drink for me and my husband.<br />
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<a href="http://longtabledistillery.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/fwTkY5u.jpg" /></a><br />
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Tonight we are sipping on a cool London Dry gin from Vancouver's <a href="http://longtabledistillery.com">Long Table Distillery </a>mixed perfectly with their LT boutique tonic and a generous squeeze of lime. I love the ice cubes slinking around the glass and the taste is refreshing and clean. I also totally dig supporting small local businesses, so it's really a win win for everyone involved. <br />
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<b>Cheers!<br />
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Mama in the City<br />
xxo</b><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-11462420189522875192013-07-22T11:09:00.000-07:002013-07-22T11:09:09.049-07:00I Feel Sorry For Kate MiddletonWhen I'm with a labouring mama I get to peep into her private life for the 12 hours I am with her. I get to see how her partner responds to her as the labour progresses or how he (or sometimes she) reacts when an emergency arises. Sometimes I'm able to catch a glimpse of amazing true love between them and other times I can tell that the partner does not really care. Often I'll get the inside scoop on which family members are pressuring them with constant text messages for baby updates or which obnoxious family member or friend posted the details on Facebook before the new parents even had a chance (major faux pas people!). <br />
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Sometimes I've gone to open the door of the delivery room and found a mass of excited family members with their ears pressed up against the door. I'm not talking about 1-2 extra family members, but more like 10+ with all the cousins and brother-in-laws and maybe a next door neighbour too. I've even experienced running out of the room to grab extra birthing supplies and have been met with a wall of women asking me questions. 'When is the baby going to be here? When I laboured I pushed for 1 hour. This is hour 2!'. Really, people? Really? <br />
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The truth is, I don't love having a crowd of extended family members waiting around to hear the baby news. I totally get how exciting and life changing it is to welcome a new baby into the family, but the pressure of having a mob waiting for you to push out your baby can often be too much. We know there is a wide variation in birthing times for women and I feel like the crowd of family members can sometimes unintentionally put constraints on how things unfold. So, when I started to see the 'Labour Watch' reports for England's Kate Middleton I instantly felt a bit of sorrow for this first time mum.<br />
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<img src="http://i.imgur.com/nS9fDb5.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
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I totally get that being in the public eye changes how normal events, like childbirth, will unfold and be reported. That this particular mum-to-be should expect the public wants some knowledge of her personal events. However, I really wish that she was afforded the privacy to birth on her own terms. Without the constant media watch of what was happening with her cervix. Did Kate lose her mucous plug? Is she dilating?<br />
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Just like the excited family members I mentioned waiting outside the birthing room doors, the attention for Kate's birth comes from a kind place but it's truly over the top. Just like any birthing mummy, I wish the very best for Kate and her experience but feel sorry that her birthing experience is so widely broadcast and monitored. I feel sorry for the pressure that must exist around her pregnancy and even through to her birth. Which we all know is apparently happening today. It's hard to avoid the reports of her birth.<br />
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Birth is a uniting force for women; it doesn't matter if you are a crack addict with a surprise pregnancy, a regular joe or the Duchess of Cambridge. Contractions and labour don't care if you are rich or high society. The welcoming of new life happens to be grossly routine all over the world, yet it is still an intimate experience for each and every birthing mama. Hopefully amidst the media drama, Kate will also get to experience the private personal moments that will become her own birth experience..on her own time..in her own way.<br />
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<b>Are you excited for the Royal birthing announcement?</b><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-7977166724252980582013-07-17T22:17:00.001-07:002013-07-17T22:17:20.431-07:00Our Bedtime RoutineBath time has been part of our nightly routine since Ben was about 3 months old and in his high need stage. We used the water time to relax and help get him into sleep mode and the routine really helped him settle. It signalled that it was time to wind down and that nighttime was near. This nightly routine has served us well over the last nearly 5 years and we started doing it with Josie even earlier in her babyhood. <br />
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Calling bath time early is a great trick when my kids are starting to get a bit crazy or are getting a case of the sleepies at 5 pm. There is just something about the distraction of the warm water and playing with toys that is an instant mood lifter. I can count on a bath to give them a reset and so we often have them take a bath pre dinner. They become warm and mellow and sit and eat dinner with a little playtime following. <br />
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For the most part I don't use soap on my kids during bath time and opt for just a splash in the water followed by some body lotion before pyjamas. Both of my kids had eczema as a baby and I found it often got worse when I would use soap to often. Of course, with all the outside playtime we do the kids do need a bit of a soapy wash to rinse the park grime off their tiny feet and get those shiny curls back. Now that my two kids are a bit older we give them a bath together and they love hate it. The brother teases the sister, the sister steals the brothers toys. Eventually the baby gets out first and the brother feels the tub with more warm water and continues to have his own splash around.<br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/H5LM5"><img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/ivInl.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/BGFWJ"><img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/TgofP.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/aFDoZ"><img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/y1NPp.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
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I shop for our families body products with insight and think that it's important the products I buy are especially dye free, especially with all of the recent news about how artificial dyes react in some children. Johnson's Naturals® asked me to test out a trio of their new baby products and my interest was peaked. Johnson's and Johnson's® is a name we've heard our whole lives, in fact they've been around for 100 years already, so I was very pleased to find out that the products they sent me were paraben free, dye free and phthalate free. <br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/8NZBo"><img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/KbcAP.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/yVxt0"><img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/Umhzo.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a><br />
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My favourite part of our bedtime ritual is near the end when things get a bit quiet and the children are getting a little sleepy, and they stop and hang out in my lap while I put lotion on their little backs and tiny feet. Then it is the predictable application of pyjamas and lots of books and cuddles. Just like that the day comes to a close and before you know it, here comes another bedtime routine.<br />
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<img width=200 src="http://i.imgur.com/fbUj37o.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><img width=200 src="http://i.imgur.com/tFMe87l.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><img width=200 src="http://i.imgur.com/GZYVZhs.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/><br />
Johnson's Natural baby products®<br />
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<i>Do you have a bedtime routine?</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-87834281996061070612013-07-13T22:38:00.003-07:002013-07-13T22:38:54.997-07:00A Summer FeastToday was one of those perfect summers day that fill you up and you know that down the road they'll give you those happy lovey feelings (remember the good ol' days! kind of feelings). Ben and my husband left early from a trek around Vancouver's Stanley Park and they returned several hours later with lots to tell and my husband was ready for a nap. Love that kind of adventure. <br />
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The day ticked on and we didn't do any of the stuff on our perpetual to do list or get much done but we did relax and enjoy what this city has to offer families, especially during the summertime. Ben and I played at the park and I finally let him frolic in the water feature next to us. The breaking point was when I saw this dude lounging around on a pool floaty reading his book. So, Ben put on his water shoes on and dipped his feet into the cool water.<br />
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My husband took the water taxi from our neighbourhood over to Granville Island and the unfortunate happened. Josie fell asleep at 4:30 PM and had a 30 minute nap while some grocery shopping went on. Her usual bedtime came and went and she was energized and happy and full of toddler giggles. Ben went off to bed and the 3 of us had a perfect summertime meal together.<br />
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Our weekend summer feast: pan roasted halibut paired with roasted zucchini with parmesan and pine nuts. More local goodness with corn on the cob and a micro green salad with a tomato basil vinaigrette. Things were so fresh that the zucchini had literally just been soaking up the morning rays hours before back at the farm. Little Jo feasted on all of the above and particularly enjoyed the corn on the cob with a lot of enthusiasm. <br />
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<img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/BNR3x9p.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/gZoK1C0.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/zgMlEXp.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><img width=300 src="http://i.imgur.com/ApVSeU0.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631634189597607181.post-57637118349523321422013-07-12T17:24:00.001-07:002013-07-12T17:24:12.333-07:00A Little Weekend ReadingWe definitely promote in our household is reading books. I'll usually drop what I'm doing if someone asks me to read them a book, within reason of course, because I enjoy nothing more than a true love of reading. Whether there is silent 'reading' going on, flipping through the pages of books just to look at pictures or reading a book all together. Overall there is a lot of reading in our home! Our bookcases are usually busting at the seams because they are filled up with so many great reads. <br />
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One thing I don't mind spending a bit of money on is new books for either myself or the kids. I totally support authors and love the feeling of a fresh book in my hands. I'd rather buy books for my kids over cheap toys or more knick knacks that end up in the abyss of my kids toy mess. I'd rather they get books as presents than plastic toys that break or get easily forgotten about. Recently I went to a friends fun <a href="http://www.usborne.ca">Usbourne book party</a> and the person representing the book company was actually a blog reader of mine. Really, Vancouver is such a small world (Hi, Heather!). <br />
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Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Vancouver Public Library and had a great time picking out books. We decided to try and find books that went with our 2 chosen themes; going to kindergarten and dinosaurs. We found many fun books about heading to kindergarten and are taking our time flipping through the pages and reading the stories. I love how books can help you adapt to life changes like starting school.<br />
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<img width=600 src="http://i.imgur.com/i4w5lxQ.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /><br />
<i>Too cool for kindergarten ;) Ben with his stash of new library books and his recently chosen robot lunch kit <i><br />
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<b>Do you love reading books as much as us? Tell me your favourite kids book!</b><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14251956834955281101noreply@blogger.com3