Why not to plan so hard for Christmas!

This is the first Christmas I have had off in the last 4 years, mainly because I am on Maternity leave. This is also the first Christmas with the first great-grand baby on my fathers side, so my little man was going to be the center of attention. The weeks leading up to Christmas we forwent visiting with friends that we knew were sick just because we wanted to limit my son from getting sick over the holidays. About a week and a half before Christmas he got sick, but was over it before the holidays even started. Breathing a sigh of relief that, hey at least he got it out of his system before the holidays. I should have known that all the work I put into him not getting sick, that the inevitable was coming.

Sure enough the morning of the 23^rd started the projectile vomiting. Thinking that he just started his medication again that it hadn't kicked in yet that is all it was. Boy was I wrong! This was the start of almost a week long virus that is super contagious.

On the 24^th, he was still vomiting and was starting to refuse to eat. The little that he did would just come right back up. Tradition, on Christmas Eve on my fathers side is we all go to my grandparents and snack on meats and cheese from the Italian supermarket, until midnight when everyone gets to open gifts, then off to bed and we get Santas gifts in the morning. Now that my uncle has three young kids and I now have Logan we opened gifts much earlier so we didn't have screaming children underfoot. Not knowing what Logan had yet we went over, warning everyone that he had been sick all day so not to hang around him so they didn't catch it. Once everyone was ready to and all packing up, my uncles smallest girl kissed Logan goodbye. Of course we all thought it was so cute so we got her to do it again so we could all take pictures. Oops, big mistake!

Next day still vomiting and now the lovely watery diarrhea. Starting to get a little worried because I am now having to force liquids on my son just so he doesn't get dehydrated, I call the Health Link. I explain what has been going on and what should/ shouldn't I be doing. I was then informed that he has Norwalk virus and it is super contagious, and there is nothing to do for him other than make sure he keeps hydrated, and oh ya STAY home and start cleaning everything with bleach. As the words stay home are ringing in my head all I can think of is that cute little kiss goodbye. As soon as I got off the phone I had to call everyone that was at my grandparents last night and warn them!

The 26^th, this is when the whole family was supposed to get together for the family supper. My father and I usually cook all the family supper get togethers, and that was the plan for this day. Now my dad has caught this virus and my uncles little girl and it was passed to my uncles, wife's mother. Our Supper of 13 is now 6(more family members couldn't make it because of being sick). I went over just to help cook and once we were done I came right back home.

The endless watery diapers and following Logan around cleaning up vomit has now gone till the 28^th. He was still getting sick on the 29^th but is now starting to eat again. However I now have it. Christmas did not go as planned this year. Hopefully next year we will get it right.

The positive side to all of this is all the cuddling time I got out of it!

Making a SMART New Year's Resolution

             It's 2 days until New Year's Eve, and the dreaded task of coming up with a New Year's Resolution has overcome me. Most people never achieve their New Year's Resolutions, mostly because they're such cliche things as "lose weight", "quit smoking", or I've even heard "win the lottery". I feel the need to make one, even if I don't achieve it, because it means I haven't given up on bettering myself...I make goals all year too, but the ringing in of a new year seems as good a time as any for a new start.

          So this year, I decided to come  up with a goal that I will actually achieve. As some of you know, I'm finishing a degree, and this past semester I took an Education course that taught us how to make goals that were SMART-that we could achieve. So I'm going to make a New Year's Resolution using this process. I encourage anyone else who is setting a goal this New Year to use this too :).

Basically, a good goal is:

Specific - Generally if you make a goal that is broad, doesn't actually specify what exactly it is that you're going to do or how you're going to get there, it is not measurable. See below.

Measurable - You must be able to measure whether you actually achieve this goal or not. This rules out "lose weight" or "get in shape"...How much weight? Per month? Per week? Define "in shape".

Attainable - don't make a goal so out there that it's highly unlikely you'll be able/have the motivation to follow through on.

Realistic - this is solely based on you. What is realistic for YOU based on time constraints, money, kids keeping you running, etc.

Timely - Make it something you can actually achieve in a reasonable amount of time. This will keep you motivated to follow through. If you think about it, how many of us will really follow through on a goal that we don't succeed or fail at for an entire year? You forget, get busy, a lot changes in a year.

                 My goal, considering my destination wedding is coming up,  has to do with looking great. But I wanted something better than "look wonderful in my wedding dress". I've also always wanted to be a disciplined enough person to run, but that always fails. Discipline is my arch enemy.

                 I think I've decided on my goal to run the "Spring Thaw" 10K Run on April 29th, and then proceed to run "Melissa's Road Race" , the half marathon, on September 22nd. Hmmm...let's see how this holds up.

Specific - that's pretty specific, two specific dates by which I have to be able to run 10 and 22 kilometres.

Measurable - I guess when April 29th and September 22nd come, I'll be able to measure whether I hit my goal based on whether I can breathe halfway through these runs ;).

Attainable - hmmm....well my plan is to do (and actually complete) the Couch 2 5K, a plan that gets you from the couch to running 5 kilometres in 12 weeks, so if I accomplish that these goals are both doable.

Realistic.....yes.

Timely.....With two separate timelines, I think I have this covered.

               Two things missing with my elaborate plan? A running buddy/person I'd be standing up if I don't get out of bed, and a gym membership. On the hunt!

What are YOUR New Year's Resolutions? Or do you make them at all?

Bringing Smiles to our Seniors

I have always had a huge soft spot for the elderly. I choke up when they have to run to a bus because the driver is to impatient to wait, and I offer my arm when they walk across the street and I always ask if they need help finding something in stores.

Because of this love for seniors, it felt natural for me to work in seniors home. I am completely comfortable there and the things I have learned are incredible. Just to hear someones life story is amazing and makes me realize how good we got it. As much as I love working at the seniors home it also breaks my heart. Many not having family or have family but they do not visit. I have seen many residents that I have grown to love pass away. Christmas is one of the worst times of the year for resideI have always had a huge soft spot for the elderly. I choke up when they have to run to a bus because nts passing away.

While on maternity leave I was introduced to momstown. I instantly loved it, it got me out of the house and connected me with other women who were going through the same things I was as a mother. Then I got a wonderful opportunity to co-own the Edmonton North chapter. While planning events for our calendar the seniors home always pops into my mind and I think about how lonely some of the residents are. I knew that the residents love having children around, it brings a sparkle to their eyes! We started with Knit Night last month, and this month we thought it would be a great idea to do Christmas carolling with the kids.

We didn't end up singing as much as I thought we would, however it was a great event and it almost made me cry at how well it went!A bunch of balls were pulled out and the children played toss with the residents. We made such a huge impact on the residents day, for most of them it was probably the happiest part of their day. The smiles it brought to their faces and the absolute enjoyment they got from tossing a ball was amazing. And the seniors weren’t the only ones who had fun, the children did too. I could tell by their laughter and rosy red cheeks!

I know we were able to lift many spirits today, and I thank everyone that were able to make it. We were treated to cookies and punch and were asked to come back again every month, actually every week, but they would be happy to see us a least once a month!

Your momstown mama, Kandice

Your momstown mama, Kandice

The "F" Word

As mothers I think we all feel guilty about things ... most of the time for no reason.  We all work so hard, putting everyone ahead of ourselves and never thinking twice about it.  It's just what we do as mothers.  I don't think I'm alone -- sometimes when I do something for myself I feel so guilty, even when it’s well deserved.  From spending money on myself to time away without the kids, there’s always a little feeling of guilt and that I should be spending the money on my family instead or should be there to tuck my babies in at night.  But those are things I know I need to do for myself once in a while. THIS TIME however, it’s a BIG feeling of guilt that I have, more than ever before.  I feel like the worst mom today. 


Yesterday I made the decision to stop breastfeeding and to give my son formula. 


I've been struggling since day one with breast feeding.  Not physically though.  Supply, latch, feedings in general ... it was working out great -- for Xavier.  But for me? Not so well.  To be honest, I despised the time I had to feed him. I would put it off as long as humanly possible before breast feeding him.  I don't know what it was, but I almost resented him. Am I nothing but a milk factory?  I never felt the "bond" that mothers talk about.  I never got the "warm fuzzies" when breast feeding him. It made me feel depressed and I just plain dreaded having to breast feed him.  Sometimes I’d cry while feeding him because I wanted so bad to enjoy the time with him like all the books said I was supposed to.  Those books painted this picture that there was no greater joy than to breast feed your child.  Why didn’t I feel this way? As the days went on I was getting more and more sad, upset -- angry even. 


But how can a mother make a decision like this based only on her?  It was only not working for ME.  HE was perfectly content with it all.  I debated with myself daily for the last few weeks.  Is it right for me to stop only because I want to? In my 2 years of motherhood with my first child I never made a decision based on my own needs.  Everything was for her and our family. 


He's now one month old and I just couldn't do it anymore.  There I stood with my son in my arms.  He was crying from hunger.  I knew it was time to feed him.  So purely for my own sanity I decided enough was enough.  I fed him a bottle of formula.    


I love him more than anything and was breast feeding him because I knew it is what's best for him.  But in this situation I guess I just needed to be selfish for once.  I really couldn't continue with the breast feeding.  The last few feedings now, with a bottle, I was able to look down at him and smile.  I could look into his eyes and feel happy to be holding him.  The late night and early morning feedings weren’t that bad.  I didn’t feel so tired and was almost excited to be able to pick him up and feed him.  Before, I would drag myself out of bed dreading the inevitable breast feeding session. It was an instant emotional shift though from the first bottle I gave him. Now I feel so much better already.  

I learned a little lesson from all this and the support I’ve received from friends.  I think as mothers we owe it to our children to make sure we’re happy as well.  They’re very fine tuned little beings and for their own happiness, they need their mommy’s to be happy also. 

Alicia
Mother to Avaya (2yrs old) and Xavier (4 wks old)

Call Me Crazy..

So Friday night I went out for dessert with an old friend that I haven't seen in a while, and we got to talking. This friend doesn't have any children yet, but of course she asked how Gabrielle was. I found myself spending an inordinate amount of time talking about how hard being a mom is. Funny, because I love being a mom. There's nothing I love more than my  job as a mom. But I think sometimes it's nice to just ....well, if we're calling it what it is...whine.
     
              I whined. Yep. I told her how I hadn't slept in 3 days, how I expected for some strange reason that once babies slept a reasonable amount of time that meant that they'd CONTINUE to sleep that long. HA. HA. HA. I laughed (and whined) about how my lovely child was about to get teeth, and I'm hearing one horror story after the next about babies biting their mothers until they bleed. And I told her how Gabrielle just discovered that if she stops eating and squeezes my boob, milk shoots everywhere. Okay, that one's funny. I then proceeded to whine about how hubby just told me me my boobs are just "food objects" so it's not weird that they're everywhere all the time. LOL. Oh man. The life of a mom. And then we talked about television and kids, and I whined about how I wished I had cable so that just once in a while, I could plop my baby in front of the T.V. to give myself 20 minutes to breathe. And I went on about poop, and diapers, and on. And on. And on. At some point, she told me I was scaring her, and laughed. We continued talking about other things not baby related, and I thought nothing of it.
           
                   As I was walking to my car, I thought about how my stories probably sounded very scary to someone who doesn't have kids....to us mamas all of that is just another day, something we'll laugh off in a few days after we complain and have a giggle to each other about it. But then I thought, "Wow, I kind of scared ME." Lol. Wow, what a thought. Why on earth would I want more children if being a mom is this crazy? Really, I probably made it sound exhausting. Well, I thought, I didn't lie then. Okay, so I was crazy to have children. That's what came of that conversation.

              And then I got into my car. And the first thing I thought? I miss my baby. I want to wake her up when I get home, get a hug, and a kiss, and a snuggle. And then I want to see her big gummy smile and big blue eyes looking at me like I'm the most loved person in the whole world, and then my night will be complete. Then when I wake up in the morning, I get to play and cuddle and LOVE all day.  Everything about being a mom is funny, and scary, and overwhelming and.... amazing. And worth every second. That little girl is the greatest, most interesting, humbling, amazing, best thing that has ever happened to me.   Wow, do I ever love my little girl. And I want a whole bunch more just like her....call me crazy ;).


Your momstown Edmonton North mama,

Amanda

Are YOU a Horse?

For our November Scholastic story time, we read the very exciting book Are you a Horse? by Andy Rash. Keeping up with the Wild West theme at our story time we made ourselves sheriff badges before we dived into this awesome book.

Are you a Horse is a great tale of a cowboy receiving a saddle for his birthday but not knowing what it is for. He learns that the saddle is for a horse, and so his adventure begins. He sets out to find a horse to fit his saddle. Along the way he encounters different creatures that do not fit his saddle. Andy Rash writes in such a way that it engages the children to participate in finding the horse. Again the kids loved the book so much they sat as close as they possibly could!

Congratulations to our winner of Are you a Horse, Liam!

Hope to see you at the next Story time! Your momstown mamma Kandice

Story Time At Our First Playgroup!

During our first playgroup since becoming the new owners of momstown Edmonton North, we read Story County by Derek Anderson sponsored by Scholastic Canada. We are very lucky to partner with Scholastic as every month we get to read and give away one copy of that months selection. Story County was Octobers book, however we thought it would be a nice treat for our first playgroup. 

The children were enjoying the book so much they were climbing over each other trying to help me to turn the pages! Story County is a tale of friendship and team work, everyone gets together to make a farm. This silly adventure has cows wearing shoes and chickens planting corn and dog putting up the fence instead of the farmer. This story brings giggles and smiles.

A huge congratulations to our first story time winner Ivy!

Momstown was able to get an exclusive Q&A with author/illustrator Derek Anderson, click here to read his insights into the wonderful world of Story County.

Momstown Conference!

This weekend, Kandice and I attended the momstown National Conference in Toronto. And wow. All of the momstown chapters in one room, learning about and creating this amazing vision for our chapters, and momstown as a whole. It was powerful. 

It is so amazing to see where momstown's beginnings started out and where their big plans for the future stem from. We learned about momstown; what it was, what it is, and what we want it to be. We had workshops, corporate meetings with Fisher Price and CBC Kids, a wine tasting, and a fantastic dinner out. It was a packed weekend that motivated us and connected us as a complete team.

                                                                                      

The momstown mamas at CBC in front of Mr. Dressup's Treehouse!

Our Wine tasting, after a long day of work!

                         

                                                       
 

Gabrielle had a blast playing with all the toys in the Fisher Price boardroom!

Some of the key things I took away from this weekend:

1.   Momstown is a kind of a big deal. With the new partnerships we made with companies like Red Cross, Toshiba, and CBC Kids, we have access to some amazing resources. We also carry with us a name that means something to people. It won't be long before momstown is everywhere in Canada, and it's a powerful thing to be reaching out to moms nationwide. The influence that momstown has is evident when you look at all the amazing companies that want to partner with us, because our moms and their feedback are valuable, especially looking at it from a national level. Canada wide, we represent a LOT of mamas. 

 

2. Our members set us apart. It's our members that make us so fantastic.  On their own, moms are influential- in their families, in their community, in the world. But together, our momstown mamas make up this amazing force of influence, support, and love both to each other and to the community. 

3. Momstown is about connecting real moms. It's connecting each and every one of us to a support system that we need. Whether it's because you need a night away from your family to breathe, or advice about something, or somewhere to bring your kiddos to tire them out before nap time while you chat with other mamas, momstown is it.  It's not about the desperate housewife mom, or the crafty mom, or the supermom, it's about all of us. We all need support. And we can all offer it. 

      

           All in all, an amazing weekend, and a priceless learning experience that brought tons of motivation to this momstown mama to "bring it" this next year. As our team would say, "WOOHOO!"

Your momstown Edmonton North mama,

Amanda 

Fisher Price Laugh n' Learn Puppy!

        So for my first product review, I got the honour of reviewing the Fisher Price Laugh n' Learn Puppy. And I can honestly tell you that if I didn't already have the toy, after testing it I would go out and buy it. My 7 month old daughter LOVES it. The giggles every time it comes on, the hugs and kisses she gives it when it talks to her make me smile, and I love watching her reaction to it every time it talks to her.  It also says "I love you!", and makes a kissing noise, which is very sweet and gets a big smile every time.

    

          Another thing I really like about this toy is the educational value she'll get out of it when she's a bit older; it sings many of the songs I sing to her, it sings the ABC's, it counts and claps. Putting a spin on classics like "Patty Cake" and "Do Your Ears Hang Low?", this dog is a talented little pup! He's also totally gender neutral which is nice, the only problem you might have if you have multiple children is a fight over who gets the puppy and for how long...a shared custody agreement may be necessary!

          Needless to say, this dancing, singing, clapping,  fun little puppy is going to be a favourite in my house for a long time.

Happy Halloween Edmonton!!!

momstown Edmonton North & Edmonton South are getting excited for our BOO BASH this Sunday! Our members and their kids are getting costumes ready to celebrate with a family focused event.

Big thanks to our Activity Sponsors

Toadstool Music

Nicole Werbicki
780.902.3745
nicole@toadstoolmusic.com

We are an exciting music studio in Sherwood Park that believes music and imagination go hand in hand. We strive to engage our students' creativity and imagination in a positive and enjoyable environment. Our music lessons use a variety of methods to make music come alive, including singing, rhythm instruments, creative movement, and games. Check out our website for our current group and private programs.

Discovery Toys

Debbie Wong - 780.718.0919, debbie@ilovediscoverytoys.ca

Discovery Toys has been helping parents to "Teach. Play. Inspire." with our high-quality educational toys, books, games and music for over three decades.

Java Mama

Donna Emsley & Sharla Nuijens, 780.719.1949/780.985.2641, stalbert@javamama.com

Java Mama is your kid-friendly coffeehouse opening mid-November in St. Albert. Come in and enjoy a coffee while your kids happily play in one of two areas designed for children up to the age 6. Book your birthday parties or private events with us and participate in a wide variety of classes that we have to offer. We look forward to serving you very soon! Sip. Play. Relax.

Azure Music

780.417.4771
info@azuremusicstudio.com

Drumming, customized music lessons and more! Azure Music Studio offers creative, jazz and contemporary quality music lessons on several instruments such as piano, guitar, violin, vocals, drums, bass, winds and brass. Azure Music also provides drumming circles for school workshops, corporate events and birthday parties.

Music Together

780.484.9722
info@musictogethernl.com

Music Together® is an internationally recognized early childhood music program that encourages the development of your child's natural musicality through the joy of family music making.

Willowby Hall

Alla Ternikova 780.481.1456, admin@willowbycommunityleague.com

Willowby Community League serves the communities of Ormsby, Jamieson Place & Dechene!

Bounceroo

Brad Dick
780.406.6332
info@bounceroo.ca

Bounceroo! - We rent Interactive Inflatable Play Structures that we call Bounceroos!, We also rent popcorn machines and cotton candy machines! - Don't party plan by yourself. Renting Bounceroo! is easy. The bouncers, popcorn machines and cotton candy machines are a guaranteed blast for your next birthday, barbecue, picnic, fundraiser, corporate or community event. No deposit required and we take care of delivery and set up (approx. 15 min.). Go Bounceroo!

Christine Wills Photography

Christine Wills, 780.200.5929, christine@cwillsdesign.ca
Christine Wills Photography believes that photography shouldn’t be a luxury for those who can afford it, but a reflection of your life and the happy experience of recording it. Packages are reasonably priced and reflect the time and talent of the photographer. Christine Wills-Thornton has been a professional family, wedding, and lifestyle photographer since 2009, serving Alberta (Edmonton & Calgary) and willing to travel! She mixes traditional styles ( BDes 2012) with the latest trends to produce stunning images of you and your loved ones.

Bibagogo

Catherine Finlayson, 780.498.0326, bibagogo@gmail.com

Bibagogo® offers quality, functionality, value and appeal! An absolutely must have for all busy parents. It's fashionable and practical for happy feeding, eating, and playing at home, on the go, in the stroller and carseat. Lifetime guarantee. Great for baby, and last to preschool years. Go ahead. Get messy.

Adventure Bus

Debbie Brown, 780.700.8287, debbie@adventurebus.ca

The Adventure Bus is a full sized school bus that has been converted into a mini gym - brought directly to your location. All activities take place inside the Adventure Bus and no transportation of participants is involved. The Bus is equipped with a large variety of FUN equipment including: zip line, monkey bars, rock climbing wall, mini-trampoline, rings, bean bags, ribbons, climbing rope, balance beam, mats, shapes, parachutes, tunnels, hoops, etc.

Amber Leigh Photography

Mandy Benesocky, 780.554.5763, mbenesocky@gmail.com

We are Carolyn and Mandie Benesocky, two sisters who have joined our love and passion for taking photos. Together we capture happiness.

Zumba

Hannah Gray 780.908.8826, hbgray@shaw.ca

The Zumba® Program: The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-akind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba® Fanatics achieve long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

Everyone is welcome at a Zumba class; it is designed for people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels. Anyone can come to a Zumba class and have fun whether they are just beginning to exercise or already at an advanced level. Zumba is for everyone!

The Traveling Teacher

Lisa Murdock

780.463.3620
info@thetravelingteacher

Welcome to the travelingteacher.ca!! Do you lack the time and/or creativity to create fun and educational crafts and activities for your child? Are you a day home that would appreciate some assistance? Would you like to provide a craft at your child’s special party? Then you have come to the right place! The Traveling Teacher is a service that offers children exciting and fun thematic, pre-packaged crafts and activities each month – you choose the theme!

Door Prize Sponsors:

Mommy Connections
carol@mommyconnections.ca
www.mommyconnections.ca

Blackbird Photography
info@blackbirdphotography.ca
www.blackbirdphotography.ca

Bibagogo
bibagogo@gmail.com
www.bibagogo.com

Belly Dancin' Babies
info@bellydancinbabies.com
www.tascheleia.com

Usborne Books
www.usborne.ca

Sweet Tutu 4 U
sweettutus4u@hotmail.ca
www.sweettutu4u.com

Discovery Toys
debbie@ilovediscoverytoys.ca
http://ilovediscoverytoys.ca

Fisher Price Stride to Ride Dino!

What can I say about this adorable green and purple toy. My 20 month old and my four and a half year old love it equally (you can imagine how that is going). Even though the age limit for this toy is, I believe 3 years... my four year old has staked a claim on it as well. So all is peaceful in the house, not! Anyway, I think it is a neat idea to have a riding toy that also serves as a walker. This concept allows the toy to be used more and probably gives it a longer life span. Not to mention, who doesn't love dinosaurs. Even at my age, I still love dinosaurs. We recently watched a very interesting documentary with the children about dinosaurs, I really enjoyed it!

So if you are stumped as to what to buy and hide in the closet for 5 months until Christmas... this might be the item you are looking for! Amazon has it for $49.99 but Walmart has it for $34.99.

This is a paid advertorial.

momstown 4th Bday Bash!

Hi to All!

This week I am copying over momstown Edmonton South's blog about the upcoming Birthday Bash. They have a great party planned. As many of you know I had originally planned a bday bash at Fort Edmonton for momstown North but it seemed attendance would be low so momstown South and North decided to join forces in hopes of having great attendance at this very fun event! I will be helping to promote the event and we will be drawing prizes for the momstown North winners as well. I myself won't be able to attend the bash as I have another committment that day (which was part of my original reason for planning something on a different day), but I will be there in spirit and thinking about all of the fun you will be having!!!
If anyone would like to volunteer to help keep the bday bash running smoothly please contact me. Thanks!

 momstown.ca celebrates 4 incredible years of building community!

When I joined momstown I thought it would just give me something to do.  I liked the idea of a message board with local moms and having a calendar of events catered specifically to my neighbourhood.  I found so much more than I expected with momstown and for the whole month of August we're celebrating momstown.ca's 4th year of building community among moms all across Canada!!

Be sure to join in on the momstown.ca facebook fan party on August 18th! So much fun and of course amazing prizes!

Join us on August 21st at Jackie Parker Recreation Area from 10am-2pm for tons of fun for the kids and as always local moms looking to connect with each other!

• Snow Pea Portraits will be doing FREE family photo sessions all day!
• Par-T-Perfect will have a face painter on hand as well as a Bouncy Castle to get some energy out!
• Tiny Labs is providing some scientific fun for all ages!
• Marr Mac Dance and Theatre Arts will be doing providing entertainment as well as fun activities with the kids!
• Cupcakes for all provided by Whimsical Cake Studio!

You'll also have a chance to win some great prizes!!

• Presidents Choice Gift Card
• Smashbox Cosmetics
• Littlest Pet Shop
• Little Tykes Sports Coupe
• Greenworks Gift Pack
• Gift Basket from Stella & Dot Stylist - Sabrina Komarniski
• Scrapbook from Linda's Stampin' up!
• Clorox Gift Pack
• Life Choices Food Prize Pack
• CBC Kids - Super Why Prize!
• Maple Leaf Foods
• Epicure Selections Gift Basket!
• Gift Basket from Cafe O' Play

Thank you to our fabulous sponsors!

Don't live in Edmonton? There are Birthday Parties just like ours happening all over Canada for the whole month of August!

Ontario

• momstown Barrie - Aug 20
• momstown Burlington - Aug 14
• momstown Georgina - Aug 27
• momstown Guelph: August 16
• momstown Hamilton: August 13
• momstown Kitchener-Waterloo: August 21
• momstown Markham: August 31
• momstown Milton:  August 5
• momstown Newmarket-Aurora: August 13
• momstown Oakville:  August 10
• momstown Toronto:  August 27
• momstown Whitby: August 27

Manitoba

• momstown Winnipeg: August 14

Alberta

• momstown Central Alberta: August 29

The Many Hats of Eve... 5KM Walk & Rally in support of PPD!

We had a very successul 5km walk today! I woke up this morning to a beautiful blue, sunny sky and was so happy not to see rain. Don't get me wrong, I love rain, but didn't want to walk 5km's in it!

Upon arrival at Headcas Hats this morning, our starting point,  I quickly got all of the walkers checked in and then was met with a nice surprise: A camera man from Global! He interviewed me and filmed the start of the walk. It was a good beginning. The interview aired this evening at 6pm, I will place the footage or link on the PPDA website this week.

We had a good turnout. There were a few more than I expected and I think we had around 30 people. I had originally hoped for 50 or so, but 30 was a good start for our first year! And so we began our adventure shortly after 12:00pm. We stopped into all of the sponsoring businesses one after another for stamps on our prize passports (which will later go into a draw for a wide variety of prizes). Many of the businesses also had coupons and gift certificates for us and some had beverages or snacks. We had a nice scenic walk along the river and also had an opportunity to walk throught the city market!

We ended our walk at the new locatoin of 101.7 World FM where we got our last stamp and had a short rally. We took lots of pictures which I will have up on the website soon. I think everyone had a really good time and I feel like we made an impact! Thank you to everyone who took part!

Tascheleia

Nursing & Weening

Many new Mothers are still uncertain whether they should nurse their babies. Other Moms are unsure how long to nurse and when to ween. When we are unsure on such important topics we are subject to the opinion of others which is not always helpful, especially if we are being given out of date advice.

This is such a widely discussed and important topic. I believe it really is between the Mommy and her baby to decide how things will go. However it is becoming more and more widely understood and accepted that breast really is best, for so many reasons. There is no one food on earth that fully duplicates the complex variety of nutrients found in human breast milk. Also nursing is such an intimate bonding experience between Mother and baby. Nursing is also part of the biological circle of reproduction, it is something our bodies are meant to do. As well, it helps us lose some of the excess weight we put on during pregnancy and the "happy" hormones involved in milk production help mothers have a smoother recovery from hormone changes after giving birth.

Of course things don't always go as planned and nature is far from perfect. There are certainly situations that do not allow for breastfeeding; and as hard as some Mothers try they just aren't able to breastfeed.
I am always surprised when I hear that a Mother has been given the advice to stop breastfeeding. Something important to remember: there are no "shoulds". If someone gives you any kind of advice involving the word "should", like "you should stop breastfeeding", ignore it. Follow your instincts. What does your heart, soul, stomache, lifestyle and sanity level tell you?? There are many factors involved in making a big decision like whether to nurse and when to ween.

Something else to think about:
Recently I read an excellant article/blog called "African Babies Don't Cry". Essentially it discusses how many African countries still maintain the same child-rearing ways that have existed for forever. And that due to African Mother's natural instincts to do things like "wear" their babies and "nurse" their babies and "feed on demand" and "co-sleep", their babies are happier, more well adjusted and rarely cry. This article boasts that in many African cultures it is believed that if a baby cries something is really very wrong, because a baby has no need to cry if it is nursed and coddled and loved 24 hours a day. I agree with this, but agreeing with it and practicing it may be two different things. Let's face it, parenting is hard work and even with the best intentions we don't always make the right decisions. Much of parenting is also societal and cultural. North Americans sadly grew away from this kind of instinctive parenting and developed new ideas about mothering that have been passed down through the generations. We are only just starting to realize in North America that the kind of instinctive mothering that has been going on world wide for thousands of years is probably right and we need to find our way back to our roots. Getting there is a process and we cannot go backward, we can only go forward to a kind of mothering that will probably be a little of both.

Here is the link to the article I am referring to:
http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/claire_niala.html

Space...

If anything ignites the imagination it is Space. So much is unknown about space and with our human curiosity and imaginative minds we like to conjure up all kinds of ideas as to what is out there and not out there. I have been enthralled by it since I was a child. Having grown up in the country, stargazing was a regular activity. It was an activity I really enjoyed doing with my Mother, she too loved astronomy. I learned so much about astronomy as a child: how to plot stars and constellations, how to find the planets and their moons, how to find other celestial bodies such as galaxies and nebulas. I have seen some incredible Aurora Borealis over the years as well and viewed a few comets too. Oddly enough, stargazing is something I became interested in because my Mother enjoyed it and I wanted to spend time with her, but I quickly learned to love it very much!

Sir Edmund Halley Returns in a Flame

In Junior High, my Science Fair projects for all three years were space related. One year, my subject was Aurorae Borealis and I created a computer simulation (on a very old Apple computer) that made Northern Lights dance across my computer screen. The year that Halley's Comet passed by our planet I did a project entitled: Sir Edmund Halley Returns in a Flame. Ok, the title is a little cheesy I know, but the project was a lot of fun. Space completely captured my imagination as a child. I even fancied the idea of becoming an astronaut when I grew up. Something I could not (puke) possibly imagine now as I get nauseous just being in a car sometimes, never mind a plane or a rocket ship!

The year that Halley's Comet came my Mother and I travelled to what was then called the Space Science Center and stood in line for two hours in the freezing cold to witness this celestial event through one of the largest telescopes in the area. To our amazement, Halley's Comet was in fact bigger, brighter and more amazing through binoculars out in the country than it was through this massive telescope in the city. Interesting.

You Can Hear Your Own Heartbeat

The stars were always their most amazing at my Grandmother's house out in the country. That is quite an experience in itself, to be out in the country at night in complete darkness. It is so quiet you can hear your own heart beat. Definitely unnerving for city folk. Outside at Granny's house however I had the comfort of a familiar place and the darkness of the countryside. There, the sky is littered with stars, too many to count, too many to imagine. What a sight!

When I was about fourteen I saw the most amazing and unnerving Northern Lights I had ever seen in my life. I don't remember what alerted me to the situation, but I stepped out onto the deck and the sky was gone. In it's place from the center of the sky above me were red and green streaks reaching down to the ground in all directions. It truly was like something out of a science fiction movie. I think it was at this time that my Mother told me of some Northern Lights she had seen as a child that she found almost frightening: Big, long, bright red ribbons streaking down vertically through the sky. That would scare a small child for sure.

Over the years of observing the night sky out in the country we saw so many beautiful things: Satellites of other planets, lots of comets, the Horsehead Nebulae just below Orion's belt and the Andromeda Galaxy. I bet a lot of you do not realize that you can see our nearest neighbouring galaxy through binoculars if you are out in the country!

As an adult I have tried to keep up my Astronomy hobby mainly through reading but have lost a lot of the knowledge I once had. I am finding now though, that as I renew my hobby, the knowledge is coming back. We joined the RASC - the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada this year! I am looking forward to some really cold nights of stargazing - the night sky is always most impressive in the Winter - there are a lot of really cold amateur Astronomers in this country!

Happy Stargazing!

Tascheleia

Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another
~Plato~

And The Winner Is....

... Dawn H! Congratulations! You've won one Family Lifestyle Photosession in June 2011. This includes a complimentary photosession fee for a family up to 5 members at your home with pets, or at Hermitage Offleash dogpark and a $50 credit towards artprints.

Blackbird Photography offers fabulously modern photography. Families, Maternity, Babies, Pets, Glamour, Pin-up, Boudoir, Engagements, Weddings and Life!

Check out our new contest for June and to increase your chances of winning, enter every day!

Butterflies and...

...Bugs! That was our theme this month for our momstown crafty playdate. What better way to make butterflies and bugs than with our own handprints and fruit loops!! Fun times are always had at these playdates every month with special projects to take home and be proud about! And of course the visiting and playing too and when we're all cleaned up... the running around in empty space! Who knew the kids enjoyed that part so much?!

Come out to our next crafty playdate: Construction!

Looking for more craft ideas for your little ones? Check out the momstown arts and crafts blog!