Family day was first introduced in Ontario in 2008. Beyond another long-weekend to break up the looooooong winter, it’s a great way for a family to spend some much-needed time together. While my husband and I enjoyed this long weekend even before we became a family of three, we love it even more now that we can celebrate it with our little one.
I was recently told about a new and exciting event that will be taking place in Yonge-Dundas Square Toronto this upcoming Family Weekend (February 17th & 18th). The Sears Great Canadian Chill (www.TheChill.ca) is a nationwide series of Polar Bear Dips that will Stop Kids Cancer Cold! It’s mission is to raise money for kids cancer. Specifically in Toronto, the funds raised will go to support pediatric oncology research and treatment initiatives at the Hospital for Sick Children. This is such a great initiative that I just had to spread the word.
One year ago I came up with a crazy idea to start my blog. I can’t believe it’s already been a year and I can’t believe people are actually reading my blog. At the time, I didn’t even know what a blog was; but I had so many stories to share and write about my life as a parent. When I first started, I was hoping that at least a handful of my friends would read my blog and that I would get a few followers (20 to be exact). But here’s what has unfolded since my idea came to fruition.
I have written a total of 64 posts (including this one)
I’ve had over 44,000 unique views on my blog (approx. 3,667 views a month)
With my 32nd birthday (today) and our second child’s birth looming around the corner, it got me thinking about my “bucket-list”. Not too long ago, I had fulfilled many items on my list. I went back-packing through Europe for four months, I skydived 10 times in places such as Switzerland, Israel and New Zealand (3 tandem jumps and 7 solo jumps), I bungee jumped, white water rafted and scuba dived in British Columbia, I parasailed in the Philippines, saw the Pyramids in Egypt, ran five half-marathons, obtained my MBA and married the love of my life.
Of course, all of that was pre-baby and even pre-wedding. That’s not to say that becoming a family has slowed me down, but it just changed my priorities (for the best I think). So now, as I think about my future, it’s time that I re-visit my bucket-list and update it to reflect both my current and future life-style. While I will probably not be able to complete most of the items before I’m 40 (i.e. the travel ones), I hope that I can complete most of them in the next eight years. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far, in no particular order:
Complete a full marathon. Preferably the NY marathon
See a live taping of the Ellen Show in California
Have a third child
Take art lessons and create a piece that’s nice enough to hang in our house
Take photography lessons and use something other than the “auto” button on my awesome Nikon SLR camera
Swim in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
Go on a safari tour in South Africa
Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
Walk the Great Wall of China
Travel all over India
Watch baby turtles hatch in their natural habitat
Watch an olympic sport in-person
Actively volunteer for a charity that’s important to my family
Become mortgage free
Learn something new like: wine making, sewing, cooking Indian food or a new language
Get back my pre-baby body (after I have our last child)
Have 1.000 followers on my blog
See a live taping of SNL
Learn to bake
Go to Disneyland
What about you? Do you have a bucket-list? What else would you add to my list or what is unique to yours? I would love to hear!! Suggestions are always welcome 🙂
Or let me know if you’re able to help me out with any of my bucket list items!
With several friends expecting between July and September, the time for the baby showers has finally arrived. A few weekends ago, I attended two very different, but very special baby showers.
With four of our close-friends all due within two months of each other, we decided to throw a “group” baby-shower, hosted by six of the girls in the group.
Soon-to-be moms in order of due date
We made brunch reservations at a local restaurant called Joy Bistro in Lesliville (btw – great brunch spot for those of you in the area). We decorated the tables and enjoyed some girl time while cheering (sans alcohol of course) the moms-to-be. As for the gifts, we all put in money towards a gift-card and we bought each lady a onsie with the baby’s last name. Everyone just loved this personalized, unique gift (from www.kids-spot.ca).
All of the ladies
After brunch, I quickly headed up to my second baby shower. The theme was “high-tea” and was hosted by my friend’s mom and mother-in-law. The beautifully decorated back-yard looked very elegant and sweet. With tables, chairs and tents set up, servers went around filling up people beautiful tea-cups with different tea and ensured that our platters were full of the delicious food that was served throughout the event. Specifically, the menu included: Mini Scones, Quiches, gourmet Tea sandwiches, miniature Desserts & Fruit Plate.
Various games were played throughout the event including; 1) Guess how many tea bags are in the jar (total was the month and day the baby is due) 2) match pregnancy terms to candy name, 3) guess how big the belly is using string, 4) baby clip game where you can’t say the soon-to-be mom and dad’s name or baby 5) a scratch card game and 6) poppy diaper game lottery. The detail put into these games was amazing. My best-friend and I told each other that we want a due-over on our baby showers (and yes, we each hosted one another’s shower).
At the end, the amazing cake was brought out. It was too cute and very special (hello – a baby in a tea cup). Of course, each guest left with a parting gift. A tea bag holder with a tea bag that was created especially for the shower.
What a special filled day for all of the soon-to-be moms. I can’t wait to meet all of the little ones and for Kyle to have some new friends* 🙂
* Special congratulations to Andrea and Mike on the birth of their son Grey (July 7th, 2012).
I needed to see it with my own eyes. Strangely it wasn’t as traumatizing as I thought it would be. The ultrasound just showed a blob with no heartbeat. It even shrunk to an 8-9 week fetus. I guess that happens over time. I am past the stage of disbelief, and coming to terms with it more and more as each day passes.
I’m supposed to be 12 weeks and 2 days today. We met the OB and she went through our options in detail. I asked a hundred questions about the risks and benefits of each option, but wanted to know most importantly which option was best for avoiding future child bearing problems. We’ve decided to take the Misoprostol in a few days. This drug is supposed to induce contractions. It’s our best choice right now as it’s 85 per cent effective in expelling all contents. We may still need to do a D&C. I want to move on and have closure. I want to have a baby and forget this all happened.
I know I’m not alone. Hundreds of women go through this every day. Miscarriage in early pregnancy is common. Studies show that about 10 to 20 per cent of women who know they are pregnant have a miscarriage some time before 20 weeks of pregnancy (that’s about 1 in 5); 80 per cent of these occur in the first 12 weeks. But the actual rate of miscarriage is even higher since many women have very early miscarriages without ever realizing they were pregnant. One study that followed women’s hormone levels every day to detect very early pregnancy found a total miscarriage rate of 31 per cent. (source: UpToDate).
Although I knew I stand in solidarity with many women, I still felt alone and at fault. When I first heard the news a week ago I blamed myself. What did I do wrong? Did I miss one too many prenatal vitamins? Did I exert myself too much that week? Did I keep my cell phone too close to my uterus? Did I eat too many cookies? Really, these thoughts go through one’s head! But after some research– I am a facts and numbers kind of girl – I found out you can’t shake off a good pregnancy.
During the first trimester, the most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality – meaning that something is not correct with the baby’s chromosomes. Most chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of a damaged egg or sperm cell, or are due to a problem at the time that the zygote went through the division process. (Source: American Pregnancy Association)
Now that I’ve had time to let this all sink in, I’m trying to look at the positive side of things. We have so much for which to be thankful. We are grateful to have one child already; I am physically able to conceive; this miscarriage happened at 10 weeks rather than at 5 months or, even worse, full term. We are very lucky and need to see the good in all of this. I believe there is a reason for everything in life. I am unsure why I need to go through this ordeal, but hopefully one day it will all make sense.
To my amazing blog readers and followers. As some of you may already know, I made the top 30 mom bloggers in Toronto list on Toronto Mom Now (TMN). An honour in itself considering how many mommy bloggers there are in Toronto. If you like my blog, please vote for me 🙂 It doesn’t take more than 5 seconds.
As a blogger, I’m always checking out a lot of other blogging sites and local mommy sites. The trending topic these days is “what is your ultimate mother’s day gift?” Most people have answered with something along the following lines: Hugs, snuggles and kisses from my kids. Or, spending the entire day with the kids. And while I generally agree that hugs and kisses from my son are amazing and spending time with both my husband and my son are my favourite days, it’s not what I want for a mother’s day gift.
I mean, I receive the hugs and kisses daily. I’m a stay at home mom and I sneak them in (wanted or not) at least 100 times a day if not more. I also love my husband to death, and I’m very fortunate that we get lots of time together either at night after Kyle’s asleep and on weekends.
Last year was probably the most special mother’s day for me. It was my first!! But this year’s mother’s day might be the most important. Not so much for me, but for my mom. You see, it was almost 11 months ago that my mom had a stroke.
Luckily, it was just a warning sign. My mom’s recovery has been nothing short of remarkable considering what happened to her. When people see her, they’re shocked to learn that she ever went through that. Physically, she looks fine. However, her brain is still recovering, and may continue to heal for years to come. Continue reading “Why this year is the most important mother’s day for me”→
I’ve known Wendy since junior-high and we’re now fellow residents of Riverdale, Toronto. Wendy is smart, funny, witty and a very talented writer. Her blog is www.sadinthecity.com and I’m constantly waiting for her next post to be published. I can’t get enough of her writing. She also happens to be the inspiration behind me starting my own blog. I often read her posts multiple times and then re-read them to my husband. This is her most recent post and I just loved it so much, I had to have it on my blog too!
Mothers love to compare labour and delivery stories in some zero-sum one-upmanship of who is really suffering the fallout of Eve’s disobedience. “You think 682 hours of labour is bad? When I gave birth, I walked ten miles to and from the hospital, uphill both ways. Barefoot. In the snow.”
Short version:We’re getting a dog, and we need name suggestions!!
Long version:John and I always knew that one day, we would get a dog. We just didn’t know when.
At the dog park, moments before a dog came and ate those crackers
Since we both grow up with dogs, we knew the responsibilities that came along with dog ownership, and we just weren’t ready for it. We figured we’d at least wait until we had some kids since surely we’d have to be responsible by then! Once Kyle was born, our plates were full enough and we just figured the timing wasn’t right. And so, we dragged our heals a little longer.
Mayahood 