LEGO KidsFest is Coming to Calgary and We are SO Excited!! (plus a GIVEAWAY!!)

Awesome creativity!!

It's no secret that my kids love LEGO. I grew up with two brothers that really enjoyed playing with LEGO bricks and so did I! While they made rocketships and battle scenes, I made the houses and gardens for our minifigure families to come home to. LEGO was pretty much the go to toy in my house growing up. So when my first-born son was old enough we went out and bought him some DUPLO and they were an instant hit. As he got older he transitioned to LEGO sets, and the DUPLO went down the line to his little brothers. Almost 8 years of building and creating and we have some pretty awesome Master Builders in this house.


Now each of the 3 boys has their favourites of course. My oldest is currently enamoured with Unikitty from THE LEGO MOVIE, my middle child loves everything CHIMA, and my youngest son is a big fan of LEGO Batman.

My kids are going to LOVE this!!

We have tupperware tubs full of LEGO bricks and pretty soon we will be building a LEGO table and will have a dedicated space for the boys to go nuts with their creations (blog post to follow).
I do love how open ended the LEGO bricks allow my kids to be. How they can make everything and anything, and how it really allows them to focus their attentions for quite a long time.
We also use LEGO bricks in our homeschooling - and LEGOLAND is where the boys beg for us to take them. (not Disneyland...lol)

Look! I see Batman!!

While we are not ready to take them to LEGOLAND just yet - LEGO KidsFest is coming to the BMO Centre in Calgary, and I am incredibly excited to take them there.
I can not wait to see their eyes light up when they see the 3 full acres of educational fun!
There is going to be a LEGO Model Museum with life-sized models (including a LEGO Batman),  a construction zone with more LEGO bricks than my kids could ever imagine, they get to meet with Master Builders who play with LEGO for a living, as well as check out all the geekery that is the LEGO merchandise. There are many more activities that we will be enjoying, and you can check out which ones that you want to see here.

This event is so awesome that it may sell out so pre-purchasing tickets would be a good idea!
Five sessions - all identical - are available for the May 16 - May 18 tour stop in Calgary. LEGO KidsFest tickets are $25 for adults and $23 for children (plus tax and fees - and in USD) and can be purchased here.

I have 2 tickets available for you to win! All you have to do is enter below and a winner will be chosen next Wednesday April 30th at 7pm MST. Good Luck!! Hope to see you there!!


Win Two Tickets to LEGO KidsFest Calgary for Friday May 16th

Social Media, Post Partum and My Life - An Ongoing Battle.

A few days ago I was offering advice on a Facebook group that I belong to about anxiety as a first time mom. This wasn't in any special group, another one of those mommy-clubs that are over represented on social media. This particular group is just a bunch of women who shared the same month of pregnancy; a due date club or what have you, nothing else other than the date of conception, morning sickness commiseration's, and the sharing of birth stories and milestones to keep the group a cohesive unit.

It's not that I needed to join another group of mothers, I have plenty of real life amazing girlfriends and a tribe within my own parenting circle of almost 10 years. However, for some reason I am drawn to the first time mom to help and support her. This is probably because I felt so alone and isolated when I, myself, was a first time mom.

As the story goes, I gave this mother some heartfelt advice and it was not well received. Since the invention of Facebook I have noticed new mothers are increasingly more unsure of their new life, maybe because we post statuses every couple hours and our whole lives are up for public scrutiny. I reached out to try and quell some fears that she had on illness, about this whole vaccine crisis, about how everything is risky, and we just have to live our lives well in spite of that. She disagreed vehemently with my viewpoint and it was actually some of the most hurtful words that have ever been thrown my way. This may have been from fear, insecurity or just anger - I am not sure really; but it has profoundly changed the way that I think about myself at the moment.

I have been struggling with post partum depression for a while, and I find that my viewpoint of myself is really coloured by ppd. It's hard to tell what are normal feelings and which ones are exacerbated by the illogical side effects of depression. On a regular day this would have been water off my back, but because of my ppd I have been stressing about it, over analysing and over thinking 2 paragraphs of hurtful comments that happened over a week ago.

This one chance encounter really made me look at why I participate in these online mommy groups, and why I feel that I should be giving advice to people who don't want it, didn't ask for it, and probably really don't need it from some random stranger online. I know that I go into a helping mode so that I don't have to pay attention to the insecurities and fears that I have surrounding my own abilities as a mother. That for me the internet is somewhere to hide when my depression is all encompassing and incredibly hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's somewhere that I can distract myself from the chaos that surrounds me and try and help those who look like they need support when I can't figure out how to support myself.  

This mother told me in not so many words to fuck off, that she hadn't asked for my advice. That I am self-centered and condescending. Patronising even. Pretty much the exact opposite of what I try to be in my life. 

I am not sure if I would have taken it so much to heart if I wasn't in the midst of post-partum, but her words cut so deep to the core that it is hard to get past them. The logical part of my brain tells me that this is insane to continue to feel anxiety and sadness over this as it is just one woman who I don't even know in real life. Just a random mom on the internet with a difference of opinion. Just like me.  I can't help but wonder if she lashed out because of her fears and her insecurities or if it really is a case of me putting my nose where it really shouldn't have been. (as I have been guilty of the latter before.)

All I know is that perhaps my time to help the insecure and frightened mothers online is really a losing battle. It's not for the faint of heart and truth be told I am much too sensitive. I can't take many attacks to my vulnerable spirit. The torch must be passed on and as much as I would like to think that new mothers want the advice that older more experienced mothers have - it's not really so. I remember as a first time mom how much I thought I already knew, and wasn't really open to getting any advice even though I was so desperately lonely and really needed someone to hold my hand.

It's only when you have been a mother for a while do you see value in those that came before. 

This isn't to say that I won't continue to help mothers in need of validation or support as that would go against my very nature. However, I am going to focus on the people I interact with on a real life basis and leave the Facebook couch psychology realm for some other mother/ activist
who is not so burnt out and who doesn't need the support herself. 

So as with everything, this was a wake up call to get my spirit out of the Facebook world where it can so easily get trampled and place it back into my body where it belongs. I guess I should be grateful for that. 

Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

All my kids are sick with a nasty cough. No one is feeling well, and with this perpetual winter I decided to take a great Moosewood classic and put my own spin on it. My kids are not into spicy soup, but I wanted to use one that had all of the Indian flavours that are so soothing to the senses.

They gobbled this one right up!!

Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

Yield 9 Cups
Time: 55mins

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 1/2cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1 fresh hot pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (you can omit these if you have kids who don't like spicy things)
4 cups of water
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup seeded and diced bell peppers
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup *cooked* rice (make sure to make this before hand)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 can of chickpeas or lentils
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice. (I cut cut up half a lemon and squeezed)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

As with all Indian inspired dishes the secret is to cook the spices right into the oil at the very beginning. First take your oil and warm it into the pot. Then add the onions and salt and cook until the onions are softened, around 10 mins. Then add the ginger, turmeric, coriander, and hot pepper and cook for 2 mins. Add the water, carrots and potatoes and bring to a boil. (if you do not have any cooked rice on hand here is where you would add an additional 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of rice.)
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 10 mins.
Next add the bell peppers, tomatoes and the cooked rice. (unless you are doing the uncooked rice version). Simmer again for 5 mins, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Lastly, stir in the coconut milk, chickpeas/lentils, lemon juice, and cilantro.
Simmer again for 5 mins.
If you would like you can add more salt, lemon juice, cilantro to taste.

ENJOY!!

R is for RAINBOW

I am taking two weeks to do each letter of the alphabet with my preschooler and Kindergarten/Grade 1 child. The first letter that we have looked at is the letter R.

We started by doing a whole week on Robots which was a whole lot of fun! (check it out here)

I decided to also touch on the Grade 1 Alberta program of study objective of "Creating Colour" by continuing our lesson in R with Rainbows. 

The first day we watched some videos on Rainbows. The kids really enjoyed all the different "Sing a Rainbow" versions. We also watched some PBS videos on how rainbows are made. 

Next, I gave the kids some bingo daubers and let them have at it. My kids are extremely kinaesthetic learners so smashing the daubers on the paper to make the ink fly was the highlight of this project. While they didn't make a rainbow, they definitely enjoyed themselves seeing all the colours that they could choose from to make for a really open ended art project.

My oldest son just did a science project on polymers for his Grade 3 Celebration of Learning, and so the next project that we did with the younger boys used the same materials.

One polymer that my kids LOVE to play with are water beads. If you have not had your kids play with water beads before you need to stop reading this post right now and buy some off Amazon and then come right back!

Water beads are SO much fun! They are sold as a substitute for soil for plants and for decoration, but as a learning toy they are much more useful! First I had the boys try and separate the beads into all the different colours, which was a true test of fine motor skills. Next I had them use pipettes to fill the test tubes with water. It took about an hour for the beads to absorb all of the water, but when they did the kids dove right in! It is one activity that really fills that need for sensory play. The beads are slimy and bouncy so the kids kept squishing them and popping them, and then sorting them again and again and again. They spent at least a good two hours each day just playing with them. So the $1 investment for the beads it was well worth it!! 

The next polymer that we played with was "InstaSnow". This stuff is incredible! You just use a tablespoon and some water and it expands to a 4th of a cup or so. To make the rainbow I took a little bit of the snow, put 3 drops of each food colouring into separate cups (using 2 drops of red/ 1 yellow etc to make orange etc.) and then put them all into a shallow dish in the correct order. It was so pretty for about 10 mins, and then it was all mixed up. All was not lost though, as it showed the kids what happens when you mix all the colours together....grey!!!

We saved the best for last. As a kid I remember making rainbows with Fruit Loops and loving it! I happily bought the colourful cereal for my kids to do the same. Of course they were able to sneak a few into their mouths without me noticing (or they think that I didn't notice). I always like to have a box of Fruit Loops in my craft room as they are really fun to play with, completely non toxic (lol), and they smell good too! I absolutely loved the rainbows that the boys made - they went up on our display wall as soon as they were dry! 

Once we finished our project with the Fruit Loops our lesson on the letter R and rainbows was complete! However, the boys had a different idea. My middle child decided to use the Fruit Loops and make himself an R out of them and exclaimed "Look mom! A rainbow R!" He was so pleased with his creation.

My older son who was participating in the crafts was influenced by the rainbow theme going on as well. Later that day I found that he had organized all his Trash Pack by colour. It was neat to see them take the lessons one step further.

Crockpot Monday - Vegetarian Butternut Squash and Chickpea Coconut Curry

I love coconut curries. I tend to make a ton of them in the winter months when I want something to warm me up.

I just registered the kids in a karate class that spans two hours at dinner time and we were always rushing to eat before or after, which was causing me so much stress.  To combat this I decided that the best solution for my dinner woes was to make crockpot meals every Monday so that we are not eating at 9pm.

This one is my absolute favorite. It can be eaten on top of rice, noodles, in a bread bowl, or all by itself for those who are grain wary. It's also vegetarian (actually vegan) and it has a ton of protein and iron!

My kids love it (and love helping me make it) so it is win/win/win for me!!

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Coconut Curry
serves 8

2 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups chick peas (dried or canned)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

I didn't have any fresh so I used these!

1 can 13.5 ounce organic coconut milk (light or whole fat)
1 bunch of fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped (or kale, or chard)
1 1/2 cups freshly shelled edamame (you can use fresh or frozen peas as well)
1-2 large tomatoes, diced
3 cups vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (if you don't have any fresh you can use frozen as well)

Kids love to help cook!!

Take 15 mins to prep all of your veggies. Take the skin off the squash, remove seeds and cut into squares. Add them to the crockpot. Add the onion, garlic, coconut milk, edamame, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, curry powder, salt and cilantro.

If you are using dried chickpeas, sort and rinse and add at this step. If using canned add them 30 mins before you want to serve. Add spinach (or other leafy greens) 30 mins before you are going to serve as well. 

Cook on high for 6 hours. If it seems too watery to your liking you can add a little cornstarch 15 mins before serving to thicken it up. It does thicken as it cools. 

 You can serve over brown basmati, jasmine rice, noodles, or even in a bread bowl.  Toppings can include mint, fresh cilantro, basil or some shredded coconut. (anything goes!) 

Bon Appetit!! 

R is for Robot

As a part of getting my blog back to where I want it to be, I will be showcasing some of the homeschooling that we do every week. I will be linking to relevant blog posts and activity sites to help new homeschoolers get some ideas and inspire them for their own schooling at home.

Last week we learned all about the Letter R.

First we started out with a whole bunch of videos on YoTube with our favourite being the one by the StoryBots. These videos are so great and they have one for each letter of the alphabet. I will be getting the kids to watch more of them for sure!





We raided the tool box and made robots out of tin cans and screws. A glue gun is an absolute must for a project like this! The kids also looked through our letter bucket and found the letters that they needed to put the word Robot on the front of their creations. We touched on how recycling, and reusing also start with the letter R and how important they are for keeping our planet green!

Once they had made their creations they were inspired to play with their robot puzzle game that teaches numbers so we were able to sneak a little math into the project as well!

They continued their robot exploration by using this great magnetic robot kit and working collaboratively to build many different robots on the fridge. I loved watching how creative they were!

We read some books on Robots; Robomop was their favourite. We of course practiced writing the letter R on many different worksheets and books. (this was not their favourite part of the unit...)

The kids happened to get a Cogsley for Christmas and he was really put into use for this unit. The kids have a lot of fun turning all of his gears and knobs. He does have 6 learning objectives, but my kids love the dancing mode the best. I was just happy that I had an extra robot themed item already in my schoolroom!!

To finish off our unit on Robots and the letter R we watched the movie Robots for our family movie night.

This was just a handful of all the different things that we could have done this week using this theme. I could have done it for another week!! (and watched Wall-E as well.)

Many of the ideas that I got this week came from my Pinterest board on the letter R make sure you check that out as it will get updated as I scan the web for more ideas with future letters!!

Next week we will be continuing our learning with R as we showcase some of our work with Rainbows which touches the learning objectives for the colours for grade 1.

A New Year - A New Direction

If you have been a long time follower of my blog you will notice that I get into a really great groove, and then I get pregnant and it slows down. Then I have an infant and it basically grinds to a halt.

I feel so guilty about this!

I really do enjoy blogging so I have decided to take it back to why I started this blog. To share what I am doing and enjoying to mostly keep a record for *me* but if it helps people along the way then that is great too!!

So, I am going to break my posts up into super easy tags so that it is more streamlined and so that if I only have a moment to write something - I know exactly what I am going to write about! :)

Homeschooling is pretty much my biggest topic, and with teaching 3 at home now, it is pretty much my number one time commitment. This will most likely be split into two sub-groups Homeschooling Elementary and Homeschooling Preschool.

Vegetarian and Vegan Foods for the ever growing family.

Attachment/Intuitive Parenting / Self Discovery because I am constantly growing as a mother and a person.

Halloween / Holidays because that is just FUN!!!

And Baby Stuff because I have a little girl who gets to have some of blog to herself.

So now that I have written it all down - I best be getting started!!

Winter Babywearing

One of the downfalls of living in a cold climate is trying to navigate the world of baby wearing in minus 30... that's minus 22 for you Fahrenheit folks... Over the years I have tried many different ways to have an active lifestyle in the winter while still keeping my baby close to my heart.

The benefit of having more than one child is that I was able to test out many different things over the years. To be honest, I haven't found what I would call the "perfect fit" for myself as of yet - but I still have 2 more winters to go before my littlest won't want to be up in my arms.

If you have tried any of the following and have a review that is different than mine, or have tried something else that you just loved, share it with me, I am always on the lookout for new baby wearing solutions for winter.

First things first. What should you and the baby wear under the jackets, etc?

Of course it depends on your climate, but for the most part a t-shirt and a cardigan for you and a onsie, and an outfit for them. I usually have my babies in babylegs or tights under pants, and if it is really cold and we are going for a long walk tights, baby legs and pants. Socks and booties like padraigs or robeez. They then go in the carrier. This is if the carrier is going under the jacket. If it is going over the jacket, then dress them as you would yourself, or if they were going to go in a stroller.

After you have the baby in the carrier there are many great options out there.

MAMA JACKET

The mama jacket retails for about $300 and is a really nice looking baby wearing coat. It is great for milder winters (think of Vancouver) and can be used for both back and front carries.

What I loved : I really like the look of the jacket. It's wool and can be dressed up or down. It has a pregnancy insert which I found really helpful at 9 mos pregnant in December. It's really easy to use, the panel just zips in and the baby's head pops through the hole.

What I didn't love : It fits quite small so go up a size. I also did not find it warm enough for our prairie winters. (unless I layered). It can only accommodate front and back carriers, so no ring slings or pouches can be used. The neck area is not covered in the baby wearing insert so you need to wear a scarf or something and that can be cumbersome with a wrap as well.

I did like this jacket a lot and wore it often. It was great for the fall and spring and is really nice looking. Even getting it on and off of your back with a sleeping baby wasn't too difficult.

PEEKARU VEST

The peekaru is about $100 and is now made by Beco. I really like this option. It can be used for both front and back carries and is a nice warm fleece.

What I loved : This is really warm and perfect for when the weather is transitioning. I would wear a sweater or a hoodie under it, and my baby would be dressed up a little more - maybe one extra layer.
I would wear this either by itself or under my own winter jacket. (for warmer winter days as your coat could not zip up if you do this.) Really easy to use.

What I didn't love : It's not a jacket so your arms are exposed. That was about it though.

KOKOALA

This is a new product made in Quebec so it is made for Canadian winters. It's about $200 and fits in any zippered winter jacket.

What I loved : That it fits in my own winter jacket. I like that it is warm as well. It has two places to sinch up the fabric to stop the cold air from getting to you or the baby.

What I didn't love : That it is only good for front carries. It seems a little big for me - but my newest babe is only 2 months old, so it should be better in a year. I don't like how the neck is again uncovered. They do sell a neck warmer separately which leads me to believe this is a common complaint. Also, you have to choose what type of zipper, so if your spouse has a different zipper than you - you will have to buy two different zipper attachments.

This product was pretty warm, which is something that is really great for an add on product.

SUSE'S KINDERCOAT

The Suse's Kindercoat ($200) is the standard for the baby wearing industry. It's design is pretty flawless and has options for front, back and side carries. This is something that no other jacket provides. It also has a fleece liner so it can be used as a winter jacket or rain jacket instead.

What I loved: How warm it is. I was actually quite surprised about how much I liked this jacket. It isn't really my style - but what it lacks in style it makes up for in design. I loved how all of the hoods were in their own little pockets (including the mama's hood). The ability to wear the baby on your back and in a hip carry and still be just as warm is a huge plus. It comes with a little mesh bag to carry all of the other pieces (as they all zip on in different ways) so that you don't lose them...as long as you don't misplace the bag!

What I didn't love : I don't like the way it looks. It is bulky and not flattering at all. I feel like a frump when I wear it - but it is so comfy and warm that I just have to put up with it.

This is the best of all of them in my opinion. The warmest, most versatile, and longest lasting (for all ages of babies). While you definitely have to watch a couple youtube videos on how to wear it - once you get the hang of it you can re-join the world in the winter.


EXTRA LARGE WOWAN/ MAN'S JACKET

This just goes to show you that you can baby wear without buying any of the above products. The pic below is a sweater jacket that is wool and stretches like crazy and I just put the baby in their wrap and zip it up and go. You gotta do what is in your budget and works!! If that means not having to push a stroller through un-shovelled sidewalks - you will find a way!!

Happy Babywearing!!

Ps. There are lots of other jackets, and ponchos available - however these are the only ones that I have tried so far. I will update this list if I get to try any more.

My Last Birth Story - The birth of Audrey Jean

Well, I had been having braxton hicks pretty regular for weeks so when I woke up on the morning of the 22nd with more of them I just ignored them. I did feel like absolute crap and went to have a nap right after I woke up. I posted a depressing status about morning sickness returning and went to sleep for an hour. When I woke up it was 11am and they had still not subsided. We went to do some errands and I felt really tired. They were super consistent at 2 mins apart and 1 min in duration. So when we got home at about 12:30pm I called my midwives just to tell them that the BH were not stopping. They asked me to eat, rest and drink water and call back in an hour. 

My midwife actually decided to call me back before the hour was done and asked if they had stopped - which they had not - so she drove over (40min drive - Thank GOD it was a sunday). 

She got to my house around 4pm and we talked about what was going on and she asked if she could check me - even though it kinda inconclusive for 4th babies. I was 4 cm - and so she asked how my labours usually go - I told her they ramp up after the kids go to bed so we made a plan for her to come back around 7:30pm/8pm just to see what was going on. 

I had an hour long nap and then walked and walked around my room listening to my awesome playlist - no change - just WAY more pressure - I felt like my water would break any second....and at 7:30pm when my littlest son fell asleep it did. 

All over my bathroom floor. 

I frantically called the midwives and my doula and everyone made their way to my house. The contractions stopped for about 30 mins, and then picked up again once my doula and midwives made it. 

I just kept walking for about an hour - they were stronger but still really manageable - I was waiting for them to hurt like my last birth - but they didnt. 

At 9pm I got in the tub and stayed there until I was 8 cm. I didnt feel any contractions in the tub. It was amazing. I was irritated that it was taking so long and I was SO SO tired. I kept asking just to sleep. 

I decided that the tub wasn't making them strong enough to do anything, so I got out and was given some homeopathics and flower essence to speed them up..... I stalled completely, and when checked it was because her head wasnt on my cervix and there was too much forewater - so my midwife asked if she could break it - and I agreed. 

I still had pathetic contractions and so I did about 4 flights of stairs to try and get her head on my cervix. That worked and the contractions picked right back up. Back to 2 mins apart and 1 min long. 

I was offered the tub again, but I just wanted it done so I declined and kept walking and walking. 

The contractions started to ramp up (I am sure I was at 9cm) and I started to complain about doing it again, and feeling the panic, and not wanting to do anything but sleep. I started to have to lean on my husband and my doula used counterpressure on my back as I could no longer walk through them. 

I had about 5 contractions leaning on him, and then 2 on my hands and knees. I complained pretty loudly at this point. 

I asked my midwife if I could push and she said sure, so I climbed up on the bed and started pushing.

For some reason the contractions during pushing hurt - but if I pushed with them it didn't - which is something that I did not have happen before. 

I have to say that the push before crowning made me cry and doubt myself - but everyone was so supportive and my husband held me so tight (we were spooning) that I went by pretty quick. 

It was 10 mins of pushing and she was out.

Since we wanted a water birth - we did not protect the mattress - so it's a write off..... ;)

All in all, it was a great birth. Second best for me. No tears, no stitches and 4hrs of active labour... pretty great for the last one! 

Skip the Babyshower! Have a Mother Blessing Instead!

When I was pregnant with my first child (almost 9 years ago) I was determined to check off every item that babycentre canada said that I needed as a first time mom. My husband and i were both students so we were not as flush as we would have hoped and so we thought a good way to get baby items was to throw a babyshower. It was a good time for sure. We played all of the party games and I got a ton of swag....which I barely even used.

The part about a babyshower that no one tells you is that you probably won't be using all of the "must haves" that the baby companies say that you need. In reality, you only need clothing and diapers. Other than that, everything else is completely personal. (We didn't even use our crib!)
So when baby number 2 and 3 came around I decided to go the more non-traditional route and have a Blessing Way.

A Mother Blessing or Blessingway is a tradition that is taken from many other traditions and then melded to make a beautiful ceremony that celebrates women and motherhood.
Traditionally it is comprised of a group of women that are mothers but who are also incredibly close to the mother who is being celebrated. The guest list is very intimate and extremely exclusive. If a woman invites you to her blessing way, she feels that you alone have a very special place in her heart, and it something to feel very honoured about. (you don't just invite everyone.)

There is no right way to plan a Blessingway, as every mothers needs are different, just as every woman is different. A mother blessing for a first time mom will look very different from that of a second time mom, or a mom who has/going to have a C-birth or a VBAC. If you are hosting the Blessingway for your friend/sister it is important to know this and plan accordingly.

I thought it might be nice if I explained how my own blessing ways typically go, so that you can get a better idea and start planning one for a close girlfriend, or get someone to throw one for you!

About a month before the event send out the invitations. In the invite let everyone know what a Blessingway is and ask them to bring a bead that will be strung on the birth mother's neck while in labour so that she can remember everyone who is there to support her during her birth. Ask them to come with a couple of blessings in mind, one for the mom about her birth, one for the baby, and one for the mom about how her life will change.

Also, ask the guests to bring a potluck item for everyone to share. After the ceremony, it's always nice to nosh together and just talk.

On the day of, if the mother wanted people to place their blessings inside her belly cast, then make sure that she has already made one a couple days before. If not, and she wants to do a belly cast, this can be a fun activity to do at the Blessing so make sure you have the items available.

Once all the guests arrive and are seated in a circle, go around the circle and have each woman introduce herself by her mothers lineage. For example, My name is Alisha, daughter of Ruth, Granddaughter of Audrey, and so on. At this point each woman lights a candle. These candles are to stay lit for the whole ceremony, and at the end each woman takes hers home to re-light when the mother goes into labour. It is also nice at this point to have each mom tell a funny story about the mom-to-be, or how they met, or why they feel their friendship is valuable etc. (The whole point is to make the mom feel supported).

Next, each woman goes around the circle and places a bead on a string, explaining why they chose that particular bead, and what significance it has to them or the new mom, while doing this they also state the wish that they have for the upcoming birth. For example, "I wish for your birth to be one of complete calmness and love. To birth with openness and strength." Once the necklace is done it is placed around the mothers neck.

Next, there is a little pampering where the mother can get her feet washed, hair brushed, nails painted, henna started (henna on the belly). Sometimes a crown of flowers will be placed on her head. Just to signify how beautiful she is; inside and out. Sometimes women bring items for a pampering basket for after the baby is born.

After the pampering is done, the attendants are asked to share their hopes and dreams for the child and mother. They can also be asked to write them down, as to keep a scrapbook if the mother so wished. For example, "My wish for your child is that they are happy and healthy. My wish for you is to have patience  and understand that the early years are so fleeting. Embrace your child with all the love you feel for them now, everyday."

When all of the blessings are over, get a ball of yarn and tie a couple loops around each woman's wrist. This signifies that all the women in the circle are connected and they are asked to wear that bracelet until the baby is born, so that each time they look down at their wrist they think of the special day, the mother, the child and all of the women who were in the room. (After the baby is born everyone can cut their bracelets off - but sometimes the new mom will wear it for 6 weeks post-partum or until it falls off to remind her of the support that is still there if she needs it.)

Lastly, the candles are blown out and all of the women move to the food table. Sharing stories of motherhood, life and support. Sometimes there is a sign-up list for each woman to bring a meal to the family when the child makes an appearance.

I hope that was informative for all of you, and I hope that maybe you will throw one of these, or go to one in the future. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

Hello Baby - A Book Review

With my fourth baby due in a month, the boys and I have been doing a lot of preparation for the upcoming birth. My oldest son really wants to be there and especially wants to cut the cord.
I am still on the fence about him being in the room, especially during transition, but I am open to exploring the options and will probably end up deciding the day of.

Since I am having a homebirth with midwives it will be easy for him to come in and out when he sees fit. I know that my labours are typically short and boring, as I tend to go inward...but the transition is pretty intense and I don't really want to be distracted or scare him because I get a little vocal. (read - swear like a trucker).

But, I also want to honour that he would like to be there, and I think normalizing birth for children is so important for when they are older. If they see birth as a normal, natural process, they will be less likely to be influenced by he media that tries to convince us that it is a medical condition that needs "fixing".

One of my most favourite ways to prepare my kids for my birth is by reading them the story Hello Baby by Jenny Overend. Hello Baby is a wonderful story about a mom with 3 kids who is having a homebirth with a midwife. She goes about her day while her husband and children set up for the birth and upcoming arrival of their new sibling. It is through the eyes of a 4 or 5 year old boy and is so beautifully illustrated that it really shows how calm and wonderful a birth can be.

I really recommend it for anyone who wants to normalize a vaginal birth, even if you would prefer to birth in hospital. The story has many questions that the boy asks that are exactly what any child expecting a new sibling would ask, and so easy for kids to understand.

Here is a link to get it on Amazon

My Top 10 Must-Haves for New Moms

Notice that I said my top 10, because every mom is different.
After having 3 kids and getting ready for baby #4 these are all the things that I found to be valuable.

1. Post-Partum After Care Kit 
There is a reason that this is number one. Sometimes we get so focused on having the baby, we forget that there is recovery after. The recovery is different for a C-birth or a Vaginal birth, but it does have some overlap.

For a Vaginal Birth 
Frozen Pads - these are a must. If you only do one thing, do this. Take some witch hazel or calendula and mix it with water and lavender essential oil and spray it onto extra large and absorbent sanitary napkins. Freeze them open faced and then put them away folded up. Every time you use the bathroom after birth grab one of these. The relief is just amazing.
Peri Bottle - Fill with warm water and spray it on your swollen bits while and after you go pee. Takes the sting away.
Witch Hazel - When you are past the frozen pad stage a spray bottle of witch hazel, lavender and water by the toilet will be a soothing comfort as you heal from your birth.
Arnica - Homeopathic for swelling and for after pains...of course you can use Tylenol or Advil if that is more your style.
Here is a kit that is already made to buy from Earth Mama Angel Baby.

For a C-Birth 
Comfortable Undies that do not sit on your incision.
Arnica and Tylenol for pain and swelling.
Slip on shoes.
Frozen Peas, or other cooling pads.
Stool Softeners.
A hairdryer to dry the incision site after a shower.

http://www.babybuddy.com

2. A Breastfeeding Pillow 
This is a must have for both breastfeeding and bottle feeding moms alike. A nice pillow is really helpful when sitting up (when you are weak) to start establishing breastfeeding, or when you want the baby close to you when feeding from the bottle. (you are still weak). Also for moms that have had a C-birth it helps that you don't have to bend to pick up your baby as they are elevated right in front of you.

3. Lanolin
This is for the breastfeeding mothers. This is for protection of your sensitive nipples. Apply after every feed.

4. GlamourMom Nursing Tanks

http://www.glamourmom.com

Again for the nursing mothers. I practically live in my glamourmoms all pregnancy and motherhood. I found that bras were constrictive and caused me blocked ducts, and so the glamourmoms provide just enough support - but can be really used and withstand all the spit up and abuse.

5. Bouncer
I really liked the bouncer for using when I was in the shower. Some women like to use the bumbo but bumbos are really not for newborns and my kids would star-fish out so bringing it in the shower is not something I feel comfortable with. Having the bouncer right outside the shower door was a nice compromise.

6. Stretchy Wrap or a Ring Sling 

Me 3 days after having my 3rd son.

I found that I didn't need these as much for my first child, but for my second and third there was not a day that went by that the baby wasn't in a carrier. A carrier allows you to eat with both hands and is so helpful in the bathroom...which is pretty much all you do for the first 4 weeks. Babies love to hear their mothers heartbeat so keeping them close allows them to sleep better and be comforted by you.

So cute!! 

7. Baby Nighties 

These are sometimes hard to find but worth it. When the baby is so new all those teeny snaps make for longer diaper changes that can potentially wake the baby up from their deep sleep. Using a baby nightie means quicker and easier diaper changes! I think that speaks for itself!

8. Freezer Full of Meals
There are two ways to get a freezer full of meals. Either you make them all ahead yourself while nesting...or have a babyshower or blessingway where everyone signs up to bring you one. Seriously, not having to think about dinner or snacks when you have a new baby at home is bliss. Just bliss.

9. A Tribe
Finding other parents that are of similar mindset to you is paramount. This is especially true once everyone goes back to their regular life and you are left at home with a newborn all by yourself. PPD is a real epidemic in our society and so finding people that you can relate to, bounce ideas off of, go to the park or a walk with is pretty important. The internet is a great start to find these people - but an "in real life" tribe is even better.

10. A Post Partum Doula/ Lactation Consultant/ Post Partum Support Group.
Professionals are always good to have in your back pocket. They can help us in places that our family, friends and/or tribe can't. They can see where we really need help, and if we are struggling. They can help us get back on our feet. I find them really invaluable!!

So, there you have it, my top 10 for new moms! Did I miss anything?? Leave suggestions in comments.

Two Perspectives

Going into my third child’s birth I was confident. I knew how birth worked, I was a birth advocate, I had researched and supported other women in their birth journey, and most importantly I had two uncomplicated home births under my belt.

When I hit 36 weeks my husband was home from Ft. Mac so I walked and walked and walked to see if I could get labour going - and after seeing some show I told him to call in and let them know that he wasn’t coming back for a little while.
We decided to go for a walk to keep the contractions at about 10 mins apart. My early contractions just feel like braxton hicks...hardly painful at all, and so walking the hour to and from our local coffee store was no problem at all.
Once we came home I decided to send the husband out to the grocery store to pick up snacks and dinner - since I knew that I would probably kick into active labour after my other two children were in bed.

When he arrived home, I decided it was time to call the midwives. I also let my business partner know that I was going on “mat leave” (which really meant maybe a week without working - but I worked from home on the computer so it wasn’t a big deal.)

Once the midwives arrived they checked to see how I was doing. I was at about a 4 and really progressing nicely. We had dinner, put the kids to bed and I started to walk up and down the stairs to keep it going.
I was checked again and was only a 5 and so I asked my midwives if they could do a little stretch to see if we could get labour progressing. I had both of my previous sons quite quickly so I wanted to stop waiting for labour to kick in on it’s own. I wanted to meet my baby!!

After the stretch my labour really took off. I was standing in the kitchen when I had my first painful contraction. It caught me off guard as my last two labours did not get painful until closer to the end. I felt my contraction start at my belly button, move into my back, down my thighs, into my knees, down my calves and end at my ankles...and as one finished, another one started.

I knew at that moment that this was going to be nothing like the first two.
I continued to rock my hips to help the baby get into a good position, but the contractions were really painful. My husband is a paramedic and he asked me, on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest) how is the pain...and I told him that I was at least a 7 or an 8... I really doubted myself, and felt that I wouldn’t be able to do this for as long as I thought that I needed to. Usually my labours were only that painful in transition - not before 6cm!!

I had a huge desire to get into the birthing tub that we had set up, and my husband started to fill it as I rocked and tried to breathe through every one of my odd contractions.
My midwives wanted to check me before I went in the tub and it turned out that I was a 7. I felt a little relief. I was almost there.

My midwives also told me that they thought that it was a bit early to get into the tub and that if my contractions stopped that I would have to get out. I was so happy when they continued while belly deep in the warm water.
This is the part of my birth story where I urge every woman to try and use water in their labour process. My pain went from an 8 to a 4 instantly. It was amazing. Truly “nature’s epidural”.

I sat in the pool feeling none of the pain that I had when I was out of it. Contractions were just in my uterus. It was such a relief. I listened to a music mix that I had made of my favourite artists and chatted with my husband, mom, and sister in between each contraction.

I am not sure how much time passed during this stage, but I do remember my midwives coming in and checking on me more frequently. At one point my midwife said to me that the time was near and that if I started pushing in the water, I could not get out.

For some reason this spooked me. I felt like I had to get out of the water. I am sure that I could have started pushing, but I told everyone that I wanted out of the tub.

Everyone was very respectful of my decision and after the next contraction I stood up...and was hit with a contraction that rocked me to my core. Another as I placed my leg over the tub and onto the bed, and my “I can’t do this anymore” contraction as I breathed through my body protesting at me for moving so late in the game.
I flipped on my back and demanded that the midwives check me, and give me the go ahead to push (which they did) and I started to push my son out.

Each push had a bit of an edge to it, which again was nothing like my previous two births where pushing was the best part. I have to add that during the pushing stage I had 3 midwives and 2 students as well as my baby sister all looking at his head crowning. My midwife decided to pop my waters to see if it would give me some release and she did so while I was actively pushing. The bag exploded all over everyone and my wall, and I was mortified... I think that I also scared my sister for life.

Ewan came out posterior which explained the back labour and the pain while pushing. He only needed 4 pushes (plus the amniotic shower) and he was out to greet the world!

This birth has taught me the most about birth. Although it was my most difficult to date (I am also due in October 2013), it has also opened my eyes to why women need to be supported in birth...all birth. I have had a lot of work to go through to get ready for this next birth and Ewan’s has really made me more aware of what I need to do to feel empowered in my birth experience.

***I also wanted to share my sisters perspective as it was incredibly powerful to me *****

The clock was ticking slowly, the minutes felt like hours in between. The room was dark and silent apart from the swaying water hitting the side of the plastic tub and the mother’s silent cries for relief. It had been hours just waiting for the simple gift of life to arrive and yet the hours dragged on. The anticipation raised in my throat but I knowing the calmer the atmosphere the calmer the birthing mother. I drowned my anticipation with calming thoughts. Her pain gradually building as I could feel it inside my own body, the feeling of helplessness washed over me. I could feel the tears coming forward in my own body knowing that I could not help the one I loved who was in so much pain. I looked at my mother for comfort and let her sooth me. The mindless chatter filled the room to distract the mother from her pain and to pass the dragging time. The mother had enough and knew she wanted to push. The midwife asked her calmly if she wanted to inside the birthing tub or on the bed. In the last moments the mother chose on the bed for better support and leverage. As she got on the bed, the mother was on her knees and elbows squeezing her hands together through the pain and the tears quietly ran down her face. She turned and collapsed. Letting the pain wash over her as she pushed. I watched as she began the production of birth. Push after push and finally her water broke, shooting like bullet towards the midwife at the bottom the bed soaking her. The midwife professional enough to make a little joke and shove to it off like it was nothing. In my mind that gave me relief knowing that if she was joking it was supposed to happen. My mother trying to tell me step by step of what was going on as I starred with my eyes wide and my mouth handing open like a big juicy sandwich was in front of my face, yet being covered by my hand. I started to see blood and my breathing became labored. This was only because of my fear of blood. I knew this was supposed to happen but my brain was scared that my sister would not be okay. I starred down and I saw the little gray head poking through, when the mother stopped pushing the head went back inside. The mother pushed once more and the top of head came out more than it had before. The midwives cheering on the mother as she has done an amazing job so far and was so close to having her baby on her chest. At this moment I was shocked I knew the body could do amazing things but seeing someone else give birth and be born naturally had a shellshocked effect over my body. Apart of myself wanted to look away but the other part knew that if I did I would have missed an amazing thing. The mother had screamed at the babies head finally came out. The babies squished little face was finally welcomed into the world. She pushed again and the rest of his body had followed. Immediately the baby was put on the mothers chest and the mother reached for her husband; the new father of three and kissed him passionately sharing in their special moment as they silently celebrated together. In that moment I knew it was all worth it. That what I had just witnessed was one of the most amazing things that the body can do that in the end it was inevitable and I knew what was to come of my future if I chose to have children and I knew in my heart of hearts that I did and I would I want to do the same way. With no medication, with midwives instead of doctors and the ones I care for most beside me for support. Though the moments were traumatic and at moments I was scared I knew that the little bundle of knew life that rested on my sisters chest made everything worth it. I was privileged to experience the gift of life the way it was intended though I am only 18 I now know what I want when I am given such a chance of giving the miracle of life. I will now forever thank my sister for the chance of a lifetime and letting fully understand the ways of birth and how it was intended.

Vegetarian Ideas when Camping; Pizza Grilled Cheese

When most people think of camping they think of steaks, burgers and grilled chicken kabobs. There are blogs completely dedicated to what to eat when camping. For us making a menu has been a little bit harder since we have been vegetarian now for over a year.

I am going to do a series of blog posts this summer highlighting some of the best meals that we have had. (I may even give you a copy of my menu plan).

So without further adieu, here is the first menu item.

Pizza Grilled Cheese.

I actually got this idea from a fellow vegetarian who has helped me out of more than a couple nights of "Help! I don't know what to make!!" Cooking it over the fire is just a bonus!!

What you need:

Bread
Margarine
Cheese (even Daiya will work)
Veggie peperoni slices (or veggie ham)
Tomato sauce
Anything else you like to have on a pizza.....

Basically you just make a grilled cheese sandwich but on the inside spread some tomato sauce and toppings, add the cheese, top with the bread (buttered on the outside) and cook in the fire with one of these awesome things!

I have never had a better plain grilled cheese - and the Pizza Grilled Cheese was just to die for! Of course you can always use extra tomato sauce for dipping!!

I think the kids LOVED it as much as I did! The best thing about these is that they are not camping specific, if you want to get more protein or veggies into your kids - try have one of these at lunch! 

Try it out and let me know what you to include in your Pizza Grilled Cheese in comments. 

My City Under Water

Photo Courtesy of www.calgaryplaygroundreview.com

As a born and bred Calgarian I have watched in horror as many of the communities surrounding my city - and my city itself - were being completely destroyed by the tremendous force of water.

Living in the suburbs my family has not been affected physically, but I am feeling extreme emotional turmoil about the whole ordeal and scared to death that this will be a common occurrence.

I have sat here for 4 days, hiding in my house, glued to social media, calling friends and hoping that everyone I know that was directly affected will come out okay. (financially as well).

I am so proud of my city for being strong. So proud of all the volunteers. All while feeling so guilty for being 6 months pregnant and useless to help out in any meaningful way.

I decided that instead of hashing it all out for you again, as I am sure that you have seen the news, that I would just do a blog round up of my favourite local bloggers and let them tell you their stories and feelings, and share a video that really touched my heart.

We will dig out, and we will be stronger for it.

I LOVE YOU Calgary!!

Robin of Farewell Stranger - Flood. She also wrote for The Huffington Post - Calgary is Flooded with Love

Tamara from ThatTamIAm - The Greatest City on Earth 

Merry from MerryWithChildren - The Calgary Flood of 2013

Dana from CalgaryPlaygroundReview - CalgaryFlood2013

Samantha an UrbanMoms blogger - Alberta Floods

Kim from TwoBugsAndABlog - And Then The Water Came

The Ladies from FamilyFunCalgary - A Message to our Readers

Mike from MikesBloggityBlog - Six Good Things to Come Out of the Calgary Floods

Sarah from DoingAllTheThings - #yycFlood

Heather from HomeToHeather- Dear Diary There Was a Flood

Leanne from IronicMom - Calgary Flood. She also writes for The Huffington Post - 10 Reasons Why Calgarians Love Nenshi. (I couldn't agree more!!)

Julie from DinnerWithJulie - In Calgary Mud is the New Black

*** All of these Bloggers call Calgary home. This is their city - who better to tell you what happened then the people who live here. ****

Lastly,
I wanted to share this video with all of you. I have really great friends that live in some of the areas that are shown in this video and it brings it that much closer to home for me. Keep Calm, Calgary Strong.




If you wish to help out the people of Alberta recover from these devestating floods please donate to the RED CROSS here.