Trout Lake

One of the reasons I agreed to move to the East Side was the proximity to Trout Lake.  I often take Baby around it, we stop at the swings, and say hello to the ducks. I've been noticing playgrounds way more since having a baby, knowing that I will probably spend a lot of time on them soon, and man, there are quite a few old, and rotten playgrounds around the city. Kids love these so much, it's sad to see how lame some are. I'm 37, and I can still remember my favorite childhood playgrounds. With the near completion of the new Trout Lake Community Center in 2012, I was hoping I could see a bit of the $22 Million allotted to a new playground. I don't see it anywhere on the plans..... hum.... I was fishing around on the Vancouver Park Board project website, and it looks like there are no plans for it in the near future. The new playground at Kits Beach cost 1/2 million dollars. HALF a MILLION dollars! I guess that's what it costs these days. AND it's really, really fun! You can tell the community loves it when you see 30 parents chatting with lattes in their hands and 40 kids freaking out on the new swings and spinning climbing ropes.  My only other hope so far is that Lord Selkirk School up the street will win the Aviva Community Fund and get a new playground! We find out on January 25th, 2011 if we win!! Cross my fingers! I want a new swing for Baby! (and me!)

Cultural Differences at Hillcrest Pool?

What a great pool! If you haven't been there yet, Hillcrest Pool is across from Nat Baily Stadium at the bottom of Queen Elizabeth Park. I've attended both the deep water and the shallow water aquafit classes and what a fun workout! You can really make it as intense as you like; but you have to follow the instructor, not other participants, most are very elderly and don't seem to be moving much. As a 37 year old new mother, I wanna move! Out of my way ladies, make some waves! :)

The facilities are excellent, the change rooms clean and easy to use. There is even a baby cot, so you can have your wee one with you while you change. After the class, I like to lounge in the hot tub, capacity 70 people! What a great way to soak the Mommy arm and back aches.

There are some funny cultural differences in public pool behavior that need some getting used to. I don't know about the men's changing room, but some Asian ladies like to put their leg up and scrub their privates very vigorously, which, to me looks a bit painful. Personally, I like to treat my lady parts with tender care, it's not like I'm out working the farms with no pants on. I don't know, it bothers me to see this. What ever happened to "When in Rome, do like Romans do."? I've never seen non-Asians do that. I don't really feel comfortable saying to the lady across from me in the showers, "Uh, would you mind scrubbing at home?". It would be funny if suddenly there was a sign on the wall with a sticklady with her leg up in the shower saying: "Please no vigorous scrubbing of vagina in public showers."

I've also noticed signs up asking swimmers not to spit in the water?!!! I don't remember ever seeing this before at public pools. Is this a new thing? Hoarking phlegm in the water, yum! Isn't it obvious that one should consider the others when cleaning the pipes? Do we need a sign to remind us? Scary-weird. I've had friends tell me that they don't go to certain pools because the spitting is too prevalent.

One day I arrived in the changing room and saw a lady sitting on the bench cutting her toenails. The nail bits were flying all over the floor. I couldn't handle it and whispered to her: "You're going to pick those up, right? There are people here walking around bare foot. Maybe you should do that at home." Now, she happens to be Asian as well. I've never been to public pools in Asia, so I don't know. Is that normal? Are pools there more like private bathrooms there? Would someone please enlighten me? Is this common practice or just bad behavior by a few?

Time Out

Baby is almost 1 year old. I'm finding myself being extra conscious of my time breastfeeding him, knowing that some day soon, he may not want to anymore. I've noticed that there's something so relaxing about sitting, Baby at my breast surrounded by peace and quiet. Like a mandatory time out several times a day. Like parents say to their kids: "Sit there and think about what you've done!" and I do. I sit there and admire my Baby. It makes me think about Muslim people who pray 5 times a day. I suppose we could do the same, Muslim or not, but there something nice about having someone, or something to "force" you a bit to stop. And a latte at Starbucks doesn't count. Maybe breastfeeding is part of the whole big amazing miracle of birth, not only to feed our babies, but to allow moms a moment of respite. Amazing, isn't it?

The Men are Out to Lunch

Literally!

Grandpa arrived from Brazil yesterday and my Awesome Husband has taken him and the Baby out for lunch while I wait here for my girlfriend to go out to eat! I haven't gone out with her since Baby was born! Thank you guys! Awesome Husband is sooo cute sometimes. He asked me 10 times about how much water to add to Baby's mushed up veggies to warm it up to perfection, and confirmed that yes, he would need to bring the diaper bag, just in case, and restaurant friendly toys and... and... and...then they left.

I don't remember the last time I was in my house, alone.

I feel like I should do something! Take advantage!

Put the stacks of photos in the family album- nah!
Switch the laundry-nah!
Clean the gunk at the bottom of the stove which smokes up every time we use it.-nah!
Fool around with the camera- Yes!

Christmas Eve Mass

Yup, I'm one of those "practicing" Catholics who occasionally go to mass. There were a lot of us at Christmas Eve Mass. Most of the time, I am conflicted about being Catholic, there is so much I disagree with and yet, I forget it all when I walk into church. There's something really magical about a packed church on Christmas Eve...

Last year, I was pregnant and about to have my son. I thought a lot about Mary, traveling on a donkey (she's must be blessed to suffer that) and having her baby in a pile of hay. How brave she was to have this child and trust that everything was going to be okay. So I sought comfort in that. That I could be brave and that my birth would be great. And it was!

This year, I thought about us, us on earth, children of God. I thought about my son, how much I love him, and then I knew how much God loves us. As his children, we can fall and make mistakes, and he will always love us. Isn't that comforting? That we are always loved?

God loves me, even if I only "practice" occasionally.

A Christmas Present to Myself

... Knives.... you know you have these your drawer, don't try to deny it!:

• The one that wobbles from side to side making your cheese slices more like cheese lumps.
• The one that feels like an axe, winding it up way above your head to get any cutting power.
• The one that feels like a saw, back and forth, pushing hard and working up a sweat just to get through the skin of a tomato.
• The one that gives you blisters! Blisters? Yes, blisters!
• The one that should be for cutting, but is only good for poking the toast out of the toaster
• The ones that are rusty, bent, and dented, the ones you grab out of a friend's hand, and say: "Oh, no don't use that one!"

So this year, as I notice that I spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing meals for my family, I decided to splurge. Get the best tool of the trade, and drop the cash on the counter! $161 of pure joy! Presenting my new Henckels 8" Professional Chef's knife, all the way from Germany!

I came home and tested all the crappy knives on a potato. Then I pulled out "Henk" and massacred my potato with a giant smile on my face and what feels like butter in my hand. I've made a special place in the drawer for him with little "Henky" which we got as a wedding present. All the other knives have gone on to knife heaven.

I am definitely adding "Henk" to my previous post "Mommy Tools of the Trade" along with my slow cooker and our dishwasher!

Christmas Shopping is a Breeze!

Yup, I've decided that it's actually easier to shop for Christmas with a kid in a stroller. This means:

a. There is no time to browse- I had to know what I wanted and where it was before I left the house
b. Wherever my stroller got stuck, that's as far as I'd go. If I can't reach it, I don't buy it.
c. I didn't enter stores with crowds, line-ups or salespeople I couldn't identify from afar.
d. No easy parking? No shopping.
e. I used simple language: Man-need soap with man smell. Shirt-red-large.
f. I said no to stores with narrow aisles, breakable merchandise at stroller level, narrow doorways, and salespeople who followed me around.

Isn't it great? Knowing what I wanted before I left home and then choosing stores I knew I could push a stroller through made the whole thing so much easier! No more hours of browsing, humming and hawing about will so-and-so like it? or maybe I should get it elsewhere in case it's on sale etc....

As for wrapping? It was great! Baby sat with me, ripped and crumpled the paper, pulled the tape out of the dispenser in ultra long strips, mangled the ribbons and undid most of what I could manage to finish. I loved it!

So next year, if you need a good way to limit the shopping frenzy, take my kid along. I'll stay home and sip on eggnog. :)

6 Week Nutrition Challenge

Is this the right time of year to try this 6 week nutrition challenge? Why not? I've enrolled a friend who is going to take this on with me until our last challenge day February 1st, 2011. We haven't decided on a prize yet, but I'm going to think of something big!

1. Eat one big salad a day.
2. At least one serving of beans a day
3. One serving of steamed greens a day
4. Avoid white flour
5. Avoid sugar
6. Satisfy sweet tooth with fruits
7. Limit holidays sweets: Select 1-3 sweets (ie: 1 dessert or 3 small cookies) (except Christmas Day)
8. Limit coffee to one small cup a day.
9. Drink water throughout the day.
10. Allow for 1 cheat a week

So today is the 1st day. It's good to have a fridge well stocked on the first day! Looking forward to my beet, pecan, feta, and pear salad! Yum. Plus a small lentil soup! Double Yum. If anyone else reading this post is interested in joining us, write us a comment! We'll let you in on the prize! (It's going to big!!!)

Here are my potential pitfalls! I'm naming them in bold so they know I'm aware of them!

Cookies....
Chocolate....
Frozen waffles...
Baked goods of any sorts... 
Here are your replacements you deliciously sweet yummies!

Dates and other dried fruits
Nuts
Boxes of mandarin oranges
Frozen berries
Carrot sticks
Organic apples

Wish me luck!
 

If These Ads Are Ridiculous Now, What Will Today's Ads Say About Us Later?

http://www.shockblast.net/sexism-vintage-ads/

Take a look here for more sexist ads from the past. Isn't amazing? I laughed when I read most of these, and at the same time I can't help but think about some of the images we see these days like why are so many women in music videos practically naked? Soft porn... to sell a song? Boring. Women's magazines are no better. How many articles can one write about how to please your man? How about pleasing yourself, besides buying a new Full EyelashTriple Lashfull Bashfull Super Length Mascara? Well, I don't really want to go down this road, I may not come back, there's too much to say. I just hope that in the future, we can laugh about how stupid today's ads are (even though, most of the time I'm already rolling my eyes). Do we really fall for these? I would like to think that I make choices more logically rather than lead by my primitive ego, but I wonder.... Sometimes I long for the days when things were not all covered in advertisements. Bus stops were just bus stops, and buses were just buses. There were no sneaky ads on ceilings, sidewalks, bathroom doors, and at the bottom of public pools. I've stopped going to movie theaters because I don't want to sit through 40 minutes of ads just to save a decent seat. I can barely handle t.v. anymore. I'm saturated. Seems it's time to go to the woods. That's a pretty safe place to be adless. But then again you never know....

Mommy Touch

It's fairly common knowledge these days that physical touch such as holding and rocking a baby has physiological and emotional benefits. It's been proven that touching increases the baby's heart and gastrointestinal function, and promotes respiration. Also, holding and rocking often helps digestion. Kissing, cuddling, making eye contact and massage are all ways parents bond with their child, letting them know that their needs are being met. But what are the effects of physical touch for mommies?

I ask myself this because the other night, my husband was rubbing my back in bed and all of a sudden tears came gushing out.  I couldn't really say why I was crying, just that a flood of emotions just let loose out of me. What a release! I can say that since the birth of my child last January, I feel like I've been in a never ending aerobics/yoga/weight training/marathon event. The toll of lack of sleep, lugging my wiggling Baby and the emotional roller coaster of adjusting to parenthood seems to have wound itself up in every fiber in my body. Everyday I feel like I need a massage. Everyday I feel like I need 100 hugs.

Wouldn't it be great if MSP could offer a free monthly massage to all moms? (with childcare included of course) Prenatal massage has shown to relieve stress, reduce water retention, muscles and joint pain, and increase circulation. Some studies even show that women who receive regular prenatal massage reduce the probability of suffering from postpartum depression. I don't think any woman would argue that quiet music, a calm atmosphere, and physical touch can ease what is quite possibly the most stressful time of a woman's life. I think I will scrounge around in my Christmas budget and find a way to treat myself to a massage. So, next time you see a mom you know, give her a hug. Take her hand and squeeze it. Rub her shoulders. When you say to her; "Keep in touch!" Mean it and do it!

My "Did That" List

Last weekend, my husband was upset about having to do "chores" and even though I pointed out that we had in fact not done any chores for 3 days, it still felt like there were chores out there for us. And the thing is, there are. The "to do" list never ends especially with a kid. Some days I feel like I've never left the kitchen. Other days I feel like I'm stuck in a perpetual laundry nightmare. And those are the just the basic household chores.

95% of the time, the "to do" doesn't bother me. It's life. Things get done, some get postponed, some forgotten, some don't get done. What if I kept track of a "did that" list? To increase my awareness of all the things I do get accomplished, even the little invisible things. So that's the plan for today. Here it is:

1. Read 2 magazine articles in bed before baby woke up!
2. Fed myself and Baby breakfast.
3. Played a scrabble word with my uncle online.
4. Cleaned the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher.
5. Researched baby eggplant recipe for dinner tonight.
6. Put one load of laundry in.
7. Crawled up the stairs behind Baby twice and squeezed his butt.
8. Changed Baby 7 times.
9. Tidied up closet while Baby played with laundry basket.
10. Played with blocks, sang, read books and was a human jungle gym.
11. Cleaned bathroom while entertaining Baby with toys.
12. Rocked and sang made-up lullaby for Baby and put him down for a nap.
13. Drank tea and ate yummy Christmas cookie.
14. Cooked eggplants for dinner while Baby napped.
15. Took a shower. ahhhh! Love the shower.
16. Burned eggplant dinner.
17. Fed myself and Baby lunch and cleaned up the kitchen.
18. Phoned magazine subscription to change our address.
19. Lugged Baby and giant bag of books to the downtown library.
20. Played in the library with Baby, my friend Lynn and her daughter H.
21. Picked out a giant new bag of books for Baby and me.
22. Bought a chai latte for the ride home. Yum.
23. Read new books with Baby and put him down for a nap.
24. Watched t.v. for 20 minutes.
25. Prepared dinner for Baby.
26. Comforted Baby when he woke up with a runny nose.
27. Talked to a friend for a few minutes on the phone.
28. Made plans for a Christmas lunch next weekend.
29. Showed Baby the night lights outside.
30. Kissed and hugged husband when he arrived home.
31. Launched some flying kisses for Baby and my husband while writing this.
32. Ate dosas with my husband. Yum.
33. Cleaned the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher.
34. Lay on the carpet listening to the bedtime stories my husband was reading to Baby.
35. Watched a little t.v.
34. Read a new library book in bed.
35. Kissed husband and snuggled up to him, closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Wow! Look at that. I accomplished a lot on my "did that" list!

Michelle Allard with the Magic Hands

Michelle is a great friend I've know since high school, 20 years ago (already, yuck). She's multi-talented, and when I say multi-talented it doesn't really seem to capture what I really mean, more like multi-talented in many different ways with lots of talent. Yah, that's better. You could say that she might have magical hands... She uses them a lot to transform living and non-living things into new, beautiful, unique, and thought provoking shapes. I would never assume that I can talk intelligently about the art that she creates, most of the time I can't understand what artists are saying about art even though it's in English. But I can say that when I see her pieces, I'm taken away from myself and the room I'm in for a moment. They make me smile. I want to touch them. And that's what I like about her work.

I went to her opening the other night. Put Baby down to sleep and booted downtown to see her piece. Downtown at night! Oooohhh, it's been so long. I miss those nights of fancy cocktails... I digress. I took a picture, but my camera (it's the camera's fault not me) just didn't do it justice. SO, I'm posting other images you can easily find online instead. Google her and you can find lots of neat things she's done. Go Michelle! You're awesome!

My Neighborhood Watcher

Am I a bird-person?? I never thought I was, but it seems I notice them all the time. Geese in formation, crows chatting, an owl eying me, and recently this eagle on the tower behind our building. In the mornings a thousand starlings sit on that ugly tower and chat about their plans for the day, and then this eagle comes by to admire the snowy mountains.

Step Away from the Baby

Do you know why I have an awesome husband? Because after a long last day at work, saying goodbye to his co-workers and packing up his things, he comes home and takes over the screaming, crying and whining baby. My patience was already wearing thin when I got my finger caught in the clasp as I was trying to tie Baby into his highchair. It hurt so much I started crying, like a tired, damn it hurts, I can't take this anymore, and it's kinda of funny at the same time type of cry. And then baby started to cry again because I was crying. What a mess. My husband swhooshed in just at that moment. I swear I heard the sound of his super hero cape whip up behind him.

I've run away upstairs. I can still hear a faint cry but I choose to ignore it. For my sanity. I choose to ignore it. Thank you my husband. Meu querido.

Date Night!

I really can't remember the last time I went out on the date with my husband. It had to be before the Baby was born.... Oh, no. It was one week after Baby was born, it was our anniversary. My parents came over to babysit while was dragged our tired bodies to the neighborhood sushi restaurant. It was short. It was not glamorous. I think I wore my pajamas. It was great! When we came home, my parents had decorated our kitchen table with paper bells, a cake and sparking juice. That was almost a year ago...

I've got that tune from the Black Eyed Peas in my head.... "Tonight's gonna be a good night..." If I can keep my eyes open. I woke up at 5am this morning because of hungry Baby. I hope I can muster up some energy to have decent conversation with others. I'm going to wear a slightly annoying g-string to help keep me awake. And some slightly itchy make-up. And put on some slightly tight shoes....

And I'm going to look GOOD. Dammit. It's about time. 11 months of saggy butt maternity pants, too tight pre-pregnancy jeans, yoga pants, t-shirts, and slippers. Enough. YES to the g-string for a smooth butted pair of silky pants!

"Cause tonight's gonna be a good night!"

Babyproofing Your Marriage- A Great Book

"I expected to add diaper, pacifier, formula to my new motherhood vocabulary-I didn't think f*!k and s#*t would feature so prominently!" Lisa married 5 years, 1 kid

Babyproofing your Marriage, 2007

Funny. Babyproofing Your Marriage-How to Laugh More, Argue Less, and Communicate Better as Your Family Grows is a hilarious, down to earth book written by real mom authors, Stacie Cockrell, Cathy O'Neill and Julia Stone. At first, I was saying to myself: "yawn, not another self-help book that takes 233 pages to explain a one paragraph concept.", but I decided to give it a try and do some armchair reading slash breastfeeding.

I absolutely loved this book. It covered everything that's missing at those mommy groups and what other parents are too tired to share with you. The best chapters are "What's the score? The post-baby battle of the sexes" and "The sex life of new parents. Coitus non-existus." Too tired to read? Cartoons are included.

What's also really nice about this book is that it's written for both women and men and highlights real examples from both moms and dads! Also provides lots of useful advice on how to say goodbye to your "single, where should we fly to this weekend, pour me another glass of wine self" and embrace "your turn to change diapers, what's my name, I'm so tired self."

Visit the library or order online!

Fun for Worms

I have a confession to make. I use my garburator. I feel bad to see the totally compostable food going down the drain.... but happy that I can take the garbage out with Baby on one arm and not have garbage juice running down my leg. BUT, still, I feel guilty.

The city of Vancouver launched a Residential Food Waste Collection Service this spring.  Why not reduce waste from the landfill for better use? Unfortunately, this service is not available for the folks who live in condos and apartments who are serviced by private waste removal companies. This doesn't really make much sense in a way; my parents live in a private home, collect their food waste in an ice cream container, have their own compost heap and a garden to put it in.  We don't. My garden is the size of a bathtub. Even if I had nifty ice cream container under the sink, where would I put my banana peels at the end of the day? Wouldn't condo and apartment dwellers be the people who would benefit most from this service?

So I found this cool invention by NatureMill. Your very own compost maker! It's about the size of a garbage can and it fits under the sink.

Here's how it works: lift the lid, throw in your coffee grinds and orange peels, forget about it for about a month, then open the drawer at the bottom. That's where you'll find ready-to-go compost for the worms in your garden. Check out the video on the site for the more "techie" version of my description.

That still leaves me with where would I put this lovely compost? um..... Maybe the gardeners could use it?

I will find a way! Stay tuned for the impending solution!

Getting Ready for the Season

Yesterday I found myself looking online to rent dishes to host a Christmas dinner for 10 people. Rent dishes for a dinner? No, maybe go to Ikea and buy stuff. More Ikea stuff. Am I crazy? Where will these 10 people sit? 6 inside and 4 on the patio? "Whoaaaa les moteurs"- as my mom would say. Pull the horses back, bring the sheep in, chew your carrot sticks.... slow everything down.

I seek simplicity. Abundance of simplicity. I am seeking it even more now that I have an 11 month old during this holiday season. Tonight, the power went out in the neighborhood. I came up from the underground parking and everything was much blacker. Baby and I came in, lit some candles, sat on the couch in our jackets and read stories. It was simple and lovely. Just like the night Baby Jesus was born, in complete simplicity, I will keep this in my mind. I will take time. Today, I started my simple and beautiful season with a small rosemary bush shaped like a Christmas tree. This will do.

Less running around in the stores, more time with friends.
Less line-ups, more walking in the snow.
Less gorging, more tasting.
Less spending, more giving.
Less stressing, more enjoying.

Right. 'tis the season to be jolly, darn it and that's what I'll be.

Great Moments

On the weekend, my husband installed our baby gates. Watching Baby help out was a super-precious-awww-he's-so-cute moment.

Alberto, our friend and awesome house painter came over 2 days ago to do some touch ups and while we were waiting for the plaster to dry we watched clips of Canadian comedian Russell Peters. I was laughing so hard and couldn't stop.  All the while Baby was looking at me, smiling and questioning me with his eyes 'I don't get it mom, what's so funny?' which made me laugh even more. This was such a great hurt-your-ribs kinda-of-laughing moment.

Yesterday, I got a message from a dear friend who lives in Toronto. She called to say that she was secretly in Vancouver working and wants to meet up on Friday! I miss her a lot. Whenever I see her, it seems like our time together is too short. She makes me laugh a lot and I wish she lived closer. Anticipating Friday, gives me lots of little happy-I-can't-wait-moments.

Last night, around 4:30am, Baby was crying hysterically in his crib. You can't help but wonder what is going on in his little head. Is it a bad dream? His teeth? Gas? Is he tangled? Mangled by monsters? My husband came down to his room to check on us. He picked up Baby from my arms, gently put back in his crib, shushed him softly and rubbed his back. Baby cried a little and went back to sleep. That was a really tired middle-of-the-night-love-my-husband moment.

Today, I learned my lesson. Don't give a 10 month old your car keys when walking on a leafy path. My mom, her dog Misha, Baby and I wanted to catch that 1 hour of sunshine today and headed for the beach. We returned from our walk to the jeep and couldn't find the keys anywhere. Baby! Where did you put the keys? Argh. After retracing our steps with a full bladder and not finding the keys, I called my husband at home. He was home nursing a nasty cold and I'm sure wasn't impressed when he had to take a cab across town to come get us. While we waited for him, Mom, Misha, Baby and I huddled in the back seat of the jeep, (which luckily I hadn't locked), and read through a big stack of kids' books I had just picked up at the library. This was a really nice get-cosy-with-those-you-love moment.

Right now, Baby and husband are asleep. It's 8:00 pm. The house is silent, the kind of silence that makes you wonder if there's something in your ears. I'm here with my thoughts, typing. This is a relaxing hey!-mom-you-did-good-today moment.

Ahh! The Smell of Baby Shampoo

I love the smell of Baby's hair when it's all clean and fluffy! So I decided to investigate his shampoo, Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Baby Wash. Here's the list of ingredients, all 22 of them. Seems like a lot!

• Aqua
• Decyl glucoside: 0-100%
• Coco-betaine: coconut 0-100%
• Lauryl glucoside: sugar 0-100%
• Sucrose Laurate: another sugar type substance 0-100%
• Glycerin: naturally occurring alcohol compound of animal or vegetable origin 2-74%
• Betaine: viscosity controller 2-82%
• Coco-glucoside: foaming agent 0-100%
• Sodium cocoyl hydrolyzed soy protein: hair conditioning agent 0-100%
• Sweet orange peel oil: 0-100%
• Lemon peel oil: astringent 2-71%
• Vanilla fruit extract: 1-94%
• Glyceryl oleate: beeswax 0-93%
• Glucose: 1-82%
• Xanthan gum: binder 0-94%
• Sodium chloride: salt 0-0%
  
• Citric acid: fragrance agent 2-72%
• Glucose oxidase: enzyme 2-87%
• Lactoperoxidase: enzyme derived from milk 0-97%
• Benzyl benzoate: solvent and preservative 5-75%
• Geraniol: scent from essential oils 6-61%
• Linalool: hydrocarbon 5-65%

I marked in blue the 7 ingredients I know for sure. Then I visited the Environment Working Group Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to check out what the rest of the ingredients are, their hazard score (known and suspected hazards from more than 50 definitive databases on scale of 1-10, 1 being the safest and 10 being of highest concern) and their data gap (a measure of how much is unknown about an ingredient.)

Results:

• The top 3 worst ingredients are benzyl benzoate 5, geraniol 6, and linalool 5, with associated studies showing a variety of results such as immune system toxicity, irritation, allergies, endocrine disruption, not to mention the results of studies made on animals. 
• Both benzyl benzoate and linalool are banned in Europe.
• Most ingredients were not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel
• 7 ingredients have 100% data gap: meaning there are no studies found to see if there might be effects on our bodies.

Overall score for Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Baby Wash is:

• 2 out of 10 hazard
• 81% data gap
• Non-compliant: This company has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics but is not in compliance because of their use of one or more ingredients prohibited or restricted under the Compact. 
• 45% of baby shampoos in the database have a better score for hazard

So what does it mean to me and Baby?

• I can make more informed choices.
• I can buy and use products that make us smell nice and feeling good inside and out! I'm scared to see how Baby's butt cream scores...
• I can spread the news.

If you haven't already seen the amazing and informative animation, The Story of Stuff, check out The Story of Cosmetics.

Time Alone on Kingsway

Yesterday, while Baby was napping, the rain stopped and I jumped on my bike. I love my bike! I rode up 19th and stopped at The Cedar Cottage Coffee House on Kingsway. The French lady there makes the best cookies ever. At first, it seems like paying $0.75 for a thumb sized cookie seems a bit steep, but they are so delicious! I ate mine really slow and savored every bite. These homemade sweets are so much better than those giant, plate sized cookies most coffee shops offer nowadays. Why does it seems all baked goods are on steroids anyway?

I digress. Since moving to Cedar Cottage-Kensington, I've noticed that Kingsway is really lacking in interesting shops. Shops that lure you in, that lull you along to the next block, that make you buy things, like flowers... How many Vietnamese restaurants does one neighborhood need? I counted 13!

So I've decided to find something that would make this diagonal street special. I found some gems among the tacky glass chandelier shop, the $6 haircut salon, the Vietnamese video rental shop, the thrift store, the home gym equipment shop, the prayer rooms (?), and the Dutch Pannekoek House which is never open.

• The House of Dosas- Just eat the dosas. Your mouth will be happy.
• Famous Foods- Good for finding obscure organic grain from mountains far, far, away.  Nice organic meat section, buffalo steaks anyone?
• The Cedar Cottage Coffee House- The ceramic coffee cups are really cool.  Cooooookies!!!!

That's it! So far. Doesn't seem like much...

Vancouver Illustrator Bambi Edlund did a much better job of discovering and drawing the gems of Kingsway Street.  Check it out! Le Pen Now and Again

Remembrance Day Weekend

Where should we go? Go to the States? Wait in line at the border? Go to the Island? Pay an arm and a leg and a foot for the ferry? Go to Whistler? Las Vegas? Go to Kelowna and visit friends? Take the train to Seattle? Seems we can't decide. Everything seems blah... or too complicated with the baby... or too expensive....but we have a 4 day weekend!!! Shouldn't we make the most of it and travel?

Well, it's Thursday morning, it's raining and cold outside. I'm at home with my tea, Geraldo installing safety gates and Baby is napping. I'm starting to give up on traveling....On Sunday we might regret staying home. So be it. Besides it's time to remember.

War. I can't imagine how it feels
I was born in 1973
My grandpa, he trained in the army
He would run through an airfield
while planes dropped 10lb bags of flour on him
I wonder how he felt at that time

He didn't go to Europe in the end
He had 8 kids instead, is a great-grandpa
and is celebrating 60 years of marriage
Too many Canadians didn't make it
To be grandpas and great-grandpas
and those who did make it back
they still remember...
Thank you, all of you

Cure for a Sore Throat

Woke up with a sore throat yesterday, you know, the kind that hurts every time you swallow. Yuck. I picture a little bug in there playing with sharp scissors. So how to alleviate this? Some people swear by: oregano oil, vitamin C, ginger tea, iodine, chicken noddle soup, hugs and kisses, and rest (oh, ya rest, what is that again?)

This is what worked for me: Heritage O's, a cousin cereal of Cheerios, made of Kamut and Quinoa. These little O's are really hard and scratch my throat all the way down to my belly. Yum!

Today my throat feels great! It's those little O's, I swear! ;)

Safe Toys

Choosing safe toys for Baby. It's simple isn't it?

As long as the toy is BPA and Phthalate free, has low VOC, isn't painted with lead paint, is bigger than an apple, but smaller than a fridge, is not sprayed with fire-retardant chemicals, isn't too loud, isn't chipping, breaking, rusting or sharp and isn't recalled, then you're okay.  Oh, and watch out for Cadmium too! And it can't be made in China, 'cause you never know about those toys from China, right? It's safer if it's a seemingly overpriced, wooden puzzle from Germany, made in Thailand, right? Make sure you read the warning labels just in case you can't use it while sleeping, jump on it, or submerge it in water (all fun things to do, by the way) Oh, and no magnets! And to top it all off no annoying adult voice pretending to be a kid repeating: "Let's play 1-2-3!" over and over again.

Where are those affordable, fun, all organic, painted with beet juice toys made with recycled corn husks, that make soft, soothing noises, which are not wrapped in questionable containers? uh?

My kid loves banging on plastic bowls and cardboard boxes, he loves to wave my keys around and loves to chew his books.... hum....

Sometimes I feel like I'm back in university. Okay, for Toys 101, research and write a 50 page report on safety. Then for Car Seat 102, research and test 50 models and write a 20 page summary. Don't forget Baby Nutrition 201... Midterm is today.

Luckily, I have husband who loves research. Baby and I do all the testing.

All joking aside, it's worth looking online to familiarize yourself with good toy-choosing habits and to check products if you have any doubts. Visit

Healthy Stuff
 
Health Canada

One last funny bit. Read Curious Dad, Chad Skelton's funny article "Warning: Don't file away children in storage containers."

Gotta go! I have Installing Safety Gate 101 today!

Active Mom and Baby

As a new mom, it seems that on most days, the walls at home seem to get closer and closer together and by midday I'm itching to get out of the house. I've done some fun activities to beat the "piles of laundry to do, dishes to wash, carpets to vacuum, don't want to play on the floor anymore" blues.

I've done a lot (okay, maybe not a lot) of those painful "burpies" with Fit For Two and their workouts really do get you back into shape. A sport bra with extra support is essential and way better than wearing 2 bras at a time. I found mine at Lady Sport. I purchased one with velcro straps with makes it super easy to access for mid-workout baby milkshakes! ah ah! Working out outside at Kits Beach or Trout Lake, breathing in the fresh air while Baby fools around on my yoga mat beats the smelly gym any day.

Baby and I trained for the 10Km Turkey Trot with Lynn and baby Hannah, by taking long walks around the city. The seawall is so awesome! I also discovered the 19th avenue bike route from Commercial Street to Main Street. Main Street is a good motivator, there's lots of neat coffee shops to stop in for a mid-walk tea. There's no lack of walks and runs in Vancouver, some are stroller friendly, and for those that are not, dad and baby can always cheer you on at the finish line!

Yesterday, I visited Unity Yoga Teahouse and Studio and took my first Mom and Baby Yoga class. It was great! The studio is relaxing and unpretentious and the tea room adjacent to it is great for chatting with other moms. The floor seating was really popular with Baby too!  The instructor, Lou, led us through a series of gentle yoga poses, stretches, and infant massage with the option of incorporating babies to our session. The November sun was shining in, Baby barefoot on my mat banging the floor with his eggbeater and charming the other babies with his smile. What's not to love about doing yoga with wee ones cooing around you?

I'm always open to try something new.... any suggestions?

Sun Salutations

 

Yesterday, I went online to learn how to do Sun Salutations. This morning I managed to wake up before Baby and decided to do a few. I opened the blinds and WOW! The sun sure was saluting back at me! 

Thank you Mother Earth, God and the Universe!

Teaching My Body to Relearn

I've been observing Baby as he has been learning to sit up, balance and move about on the floor and I can't help but admire how straight his spine is and how his head just seems to sit there at the top, perfectly balanced on his thin, little neck. He seems so at ease sitting cross-legged on the carpet, while am sitting next to him feeling sore and uncomfortable. As he's been gaining more and more weight, I've also noticed how my body has been reacting to lifting and supporting him. Every fiber in my body seems to be screaming: "What about me? I need a massage!"

Ohh... how I love massages! But, there's something bitter sweet about getting a professional massage, it feels so good but when its over, you just want more and it just doesn't feel as good when you massage yourself.

And so, if you ask and let go, the universe provides.

Thanks to my friend Nisha who treated me for my birthday, I just had my second Alexander Technique session with Gabriella at the Alexander Technique Centre.  http://www.alexandertechniquecentre.ca/.

Quoting from Gaby's website, "The Alexander Technique is a practical, self-care, educational method for improving awareness, movement and posture. It provides the tools to recognize our habits and patterns of responses so that we can change them. It emphasizes the relationship of the head, neck and back which is fundamental to improved use of the body."

I've come away from these 2 short sessions with more awareness of how my body moves and holds itself, especially when holding and breastfeeding Baby.  It's also really wonderful to do something for me, and have someone guide me toward feeling better. Unlike a massage, it nice to know that I can apply what I learn and it will benefit me over time. I look forward to more learning!!! Thanks Nisha and Gaby.

Wonders

There are wonders everywhere.

This morning, I lay in bed with Baby at my breast, and my husband spooning me as I watched the rising sun light up the Northshore mountains. Isn't that the most wonderful?

Baby tried yogurt for the first time and he loved it! No gagging- how wonderful!

Got my scrabble-butt kicked by my uncle Pascal who lives in Toronto! We're playing a game online and he used all his letters to spell s-t-a-l-l-i-o-n. How wonderful to play with a loved one who lives so far away!

After breakfast, Baby had his first swimming lesson! How wonderful it was to watch him clutch his plastic ball and float around with his dad!

 

 It's only 11:00am and already so many wonders!

Top 5 Mommy Tools of the Trade

1. My slow cooker! How wonderful it is to prep when Baby is napping and to smell dinner when we come home from the park! It's the best! Check out the web or Secrets of Slow Cooking for tasty recipes. The lamb tagine with raisins is amazing! (Thanks Dolly for this discovery)

2. The Kensington Library. I love my local library. No late fees for kids gives you plenty of time to find books lost in the car or under the couch. Our favorite book these days is "Gallop", a scanimation picture book. The library also offers cool programs like "Man on the Moon" a story time hour with dads and babies only. How cool is that?

3. Our dishwasher. To think that my husband and I almost bought a 101 year old, fixer-upper house without a dishwasher this summer.... what were we thinking? I love, love, love my dishwasher!

4. Cardboard boxes. Nothing new here. Best toys ever.

5. Smelly soaps.  I treat myself to a fancy soap every month. Off limits for my husband. ah ah! It's cheaper than a massage and smells like the spa!

An amazing Halloween treat

Here is why I can't complain about the library being closed and having to carry all of Baby's books back home.  I was privileged to see this beautiful bird just above me on the way home. I love living in Vancouver!

Getting Crafty

There's something about being on maternity leave and at home that gets you feeling really crafty! You want to use your sewing machine again, start painting or scrapbooking, and can your own food. You visit Etsy and you start dreaming about starting your own pink tutu making business. Why not, right?

I decided to start simple: to recover my white, stained, dining room chair seats covers. Easy right? First get some fabric, unscrew the seats from the chairs and then staple the new fabric over the seats, and then ta-da! New covers!

Day 1. Visited the fabric store, brought home fabric which was promptly vetoed by my husband. Good call babe.
Day 2. Visited another fabric store, picked out something similar to the original fabric but that has specks in it to hide the stains better.
Day 3. Drove to my mom's to get her stapler.
Day 4. Walked to Canadian Tire to get staples. They didn't have any that fit.
Day 5. Walked to Rona to get staples. The guy there laughed at me and said that they didn't carry staples for that stapler anymore because the model was too old and to try their competition.
Day 6. Drove to Home Depot to get staples. Forgot to bring the stapler but did bring the model number. They didn't have the right staples, but suggested to try others instead. They didn't work.
Day 7. Went into the storage room, suddenly remembering that I had my own stapler. No staples.
Day 8. Return old staples to Home Depot, try to find new staples for my own stapler. No staples.

You would think that after all this, all the while lugging, pushing, and carrying Baby, that I would give up!

WELL, I DID!!!!! (only after I had a major tantrum when my husband, who didn't know about all this, asked me why I hadn't finished my covers yet.)

This is a classic case of not listening to the universe! Until a stapler fully loaded with staples rings my doorbell,  I officially give up and I'm okay with it! At least I have the fabric!

On a more positive note, I have successfully completed other crafts since then. Thanks to my friend Michelle for inspiration and my mom for her help! I made some cute pants and a hat for Baby from a pair of old maternity pants and some curtains. I will not be on Etsy anytime soon.

The Case of the Wet Towels

I have attended "New Mommy Groups" and have met new moms and their babies as well as received good advice from the nurses there about safety, nutrition, development etc... but what about the really important issues like;


The Case of the Wet Towels:

Finally baby is napping. I get to take that long awaited shower. Ah! the privacy, the hot, steaming water and fresh soap smell! What bliss! And as I bring a towel to my face, Bam! The stink of rotten, moldy bacteria fills my nose. All the towels are still damp and moldy.

Solution:

1. Wipe myself down with a moldy, damp towel, effectively canceling out all the bliss of the shower.
2. Wipe myself down with the small, dry, dirty hand towel.
3. Silently blame beloved husband for not putting the towels in the dryer which seems to be the only way to prevent this moldy issue.

No one tells you at the new mommy group why this becomes such a big issue, why I want to cry over these wet towels, why talking to my beloved husband about it makes it seems like a much bigger deal than it should be. Like, come on, wet towels?  
Not the end of the world, right? But it feels like it is!

My good friend Carolina, who has 3 lovely daughters, listened to my plea, and reassured me that I wasn't crazy for crying about wet towels and that as a new mom, sometimes things like that can really put a damper (no pun intended) on your day. And it's okay to cry over it! And it's okay to lose your cool!

So lessons learned:

1. When you need advice don't ask the newbies, ask those with experience! Thanks Carolina for making me laugh about it all!
2. When you need dry towels, think of solution that works and just ask again nicely. Thanks, my beloved husband, for being on board with me!