Heading to the Drive-In

Last weekend we went to the Drive-In, something we have wanted to do for a long time.  And it was so much fun!  There are so few Drive-Ins left, and I hope they don't disappear.  This one is a good 1.5 hour drive from our place in Enderby, so it was definitely a road trip!

The early show was Despicable Me 2, which was great fun for our little one...and the late one was World War Z.  Totally not suitable for a toddler, but started at close to midnight, so he was fast asleep by the time it started.

The Starlight Drive-In shares some great tips & rules on their FAQ page, but I thought I would share some tips that they didn't mention. You can join their Facebook page too! I have to say what also made this great was that the Drive-In was clean, the staff were pleasant, and so helpful!

So here a few other things to remember:

1. Snacks - lots of people will bring their own, but we do need to support these places with their concession if we want them to stick around.  If you buy popcorn...bring a small bag to put popcorn in for the little ones. And rig up some sort of drink holder...we forget we don't have one in the back of the car...even a closeable drink container would work. 

 

2. Blankets and pillows - you want it as comfy as possible! A small foamy mattress would be sweet too.

3. Zero gravity chairs...we didn't have any with us, but they look like they work way better than regular lawn chairs.

4. Something to do until the movie starts. Games/sports/etc...it looked like so much fun!

5. Hot cocoa for the late movie (the concession closes 20 minutes after the last movie starts).

And possibly mosquito repellant.   We didn't need it but it could be crucial to your enjoyment!  I think even one of those coils would work well. 

It was such a great experience...and we can't wait to do it again!

Christmas is here!

I can’t believe Christmas is in less than a month!  I’m not a big fan of starting Christmas preparations early, but with a toddler, I need all the time I can get! This year we are making our own advent calendar.  It was actually quite simple.  I purchased 24 wedding favor boxes, I added numbers to them, and  then I hung them on a mini Christmas tree.  Each little box will contain either a chocolate or little gift. And I might even include little festive event ideas, for us to do!  Here are some other great ideas for Advent Calendars, with a free printable pdf of “event ideas” from www.thepetitcadeau.blogspot.ca  when you sign up for her newsletter.

I am also always looking for cool Christmas events to attend. Here is one I just heard about, The 3rd Annual Gingerbread House event.  It is on Dec 16th this year at the Parkinson Rec Center, and not only can you attend but you can also enter!  Check out all the beautiful Gingerbread Houses and help raise money for a good cause, the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs Cool Moves Program .  Details are available at www.gingerbreadcompetition.ca.

Merry Christmas!

They will be what they will be!

As we venture into the terrible twos...we all know that they are so terrible, simply because they want to assert their independence. And the battles keep changing, so we have to learn to keep up! 

First, my son did not want to have his diaper changed. We discovered that if we put them lower within his reach, he could decide if he wanted to be changed or not.  

Then he decided he wanted to choose his own clothes...does it really matter if he wants to wear that sill hat with those rubber boots?

But now we are facing the - not wanting to sleep in his own bed challenge. And the only advice I have been given and that I can share is...consistency is key.  I'll let you know how that works for us!

Four Gift Rule

I can't believe that we have only just packed up Halloween, and everyone is already thinking of Christmas.  I found this back in the spring, and have held onto it until the Christmas season to share with everyone.  I think the words are so wise, because gift giving can get really out of hand if we aren't careful.  Please feel free to share!

              

www.giventolove.com

Peeps S'mores and More!

There is a whole etiquette when dealing with kids and holidays.

You attend baby classes for the first year of your child, and then you are cut loose to figure out not only what to do next, but the etiquette that goes with it! Our first "holiday" this year was Valentine's Day. And our
daycare was kind enough to give us a list of names, so that we could make Valentines. I'm sure some people would have thought that "suggesting" making Valentines may be pushy, but I thought it was great...because I didn't know any different. And it turned out to be fun making Valentines for the class, even Dad got into it! We made simple hearts cut out of red and pink paper, and added the child's name and a sticker (our little one doesn't draw/color yet, so a sticker he could do).

Then Birthday parties have their own etiquette. Who do you invite, what kind of treats do you make, how many people, do you make gift bags, do you have a theme, it can become out of control! All I can say, is that I am sooo fortunate to have a late summer baby. It takes a lot of pressure (and expense) off me.

Now another holiday is upon us, Easter. And I came across this great recipe. Take a Peep (they are a marshmallow treat that come either in pink, yellow, blue chicks or bunnies), 2 graham crackers, and some chocolate and place them in a snack size baggie. Add a label with instructions, and you have a great, inexpensive, and fun Easter treat! This is what we put on our label.

Peeps s'mores!

• Place chocolate on graham cracker
• Place Peep on top of chocolate
• Microwave for 10-15 seconds, make sure to watch!
• Top off with other graham cracker and enjoy one of my favorite peeps! Happy Easter!

Thanks to Lexi from http://confetti.typepad.com/confetti/ for the idea, and Pinterest for helping me find the inspiration!

I know we just missed Easter, but if you love this idea. Lexi suggested using it to wish people, Happy Spring!

This latest blog can be seen on www.okanagan4kids.com.

Twisting that playdate!

Today some friends and I did a twist on the traditional playdate. We had a potluck brunch! 

Our boys are only a few weeks apart.  And now that we are all back to work, it's getting harder to get together.  So we decided to have a Sunday morning brunch playdate! And we included the hubby's!

We had a mini brunch with yummy scones, fresh fruit, and Shrimp and Pea Frittatas (I've included the recipe because they turned out pretty good!).  It was so much fun seeing our little (and big) guys interacting together (something that is quite new for the little ones).

And we ended things with these parting words..."Let's do this again!". 

My baby is turning 1!

I obsessed months ago about what I was going to do for my son's First Birthday.  With only a few weeks left till the day, we are running out of time!

There is a lot of pressure on what to do for a First Birthday.  Do we want a big affair, or a small intimate affair?  What type of food, what type of cake, what type of decorations?  Do we theme it up or just go with the flow?  What can we do to make it special? Clowns, ponies, or pinatas?

But maybe we should just remember what a special little boy we have, to just bring people together to celebrate and visit with us.  And take the pressure off, and just enjoy the day.  And have lots of wine!

This blog post can be seen on Okanagan4Kids. Follow The Mellow Mama as she shares her journey and passions through life. You can see her complete blog at http://www.themellowmama.com/ or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Putting my life in someone else's hands!

Sounds a little daunting doesn't it?  Like I am getting a serious operation or going on a dangerous expedition.  But no...I'm looking for childcare.

Is it normal to have this kind of anxiety?  I'm not afraid of leaving my little person with someone, someone I know!  This whole process of regular childcare is fraught with tension.  And not only is it about finding the right person but also the right type of childcare.

After my research I have discovered this...there are childcare centers, licensed daycares, unlicensed daycares, nannies and casual babysitters. And they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

Childcare centers-these are what we think of as traditional day cares.  Held in public buildings, with many caregivers, and many more children (max 12 kids for infant/toddlers).  Really, to me,  it's like school for the little ones. Advantages are that they are more flexible for when you need part-time and everyone is fully certified, and the disadvantages are (and I'm just guessing) that the relationships built with the caregiver and child are more like teacher/student relationships.

License Not Required Caregiver (unlicensed daycare): they are allowed to care for two children or less that are not related,  not including their own children.  The advantages are that there are less children, disadvantages are that there is no licensing requirements needed.  They can be registered as not licensed and that requires them to have first aid, criminal check, home inspection, and references.

Licensed Caregivers: they are allowed up to 7 children including their own.  And there is a range of regulations regarding the ages of the children.  Advantages, fully regulated and full certifications like, Childsafe First Aid Certificate, Criminal Record Check, References, must comply with the Child Care Licensing, & Facility Act and Regulations. Disadvantages many more children to caregiver ratio.  

Nannies: this is where a caregiver comes to your home to care for your child.  Advantages are personalized care, no need to transport child, ability for child to bond. Disadvantages are no social interaction with other kids, no supervision or other children around, and much more expensive.

Luckily there are a few organizations in Kelowna to help the child caring process.  Nannysitters they will arrange all types of child care for a fee, although the fee can be a little expensive, it does help in a bind. We are actuallly using one of their babysitters next week while going to a wedding.  There is also the Kelowna Child Care Society which is a government funded society with resources and a referral service.  I was able to find a bit of information regarding rates & regulations on their site. 

So there are many things you need to look at when deciding on the type of childcare that you require. Other than the details like, when are they open, what happens on holidays or when the child is sick, or what they charge, it really comes down to the particular person or place. And the most consistent advice that I have received,  is to find someone or somewhere where you feel comfortable.  Go with your gut instinct, it's mother's instinct. 

And if you have any other advice...please let me know! Maybe I should just lock him up in a cage?!

This blog post can be seen on Okanagan4Kids. Follow The Mellow Mama as she shares her journey and passions through life. You can see her complete blog at www.themellowmama.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Mommy obsessions

Why oh why...and how?! Did I become mommy obsessed?  We all have our little obsessions...currently mine are nursing tops, baby carriers, and diaper bags.  Ok I have a bag obsession in general...so it's not a big stretch to become obsessed with diaper bags.  And in all fairness, the shoe obsession has been reduced a little lately. :)

I love trying new nursing tops.  I think I currently own about 5 different brands...but it is an expensive obsession!  But I am on a quest to find that perfect nursing top.  I have to say that one of my favorites so far are the Boob nursing top. (Which are now available online at Toysrus-my Canadian friends!)  It offers just the right amount of ease and discreetness.

My other obsession would be baby carriers.  One of the images in my mind when I was pregnant was carrying my baby while doing chores and while nursing.  That definitely did not happen! First, had a wee little trouble figuring out that nursing thing which didn't get resolved until about the 3 month mark.  And then my little one was much bigger and not so easy to carry. I tried a standard carrier (2 kinds), a wrap, and briefly a sling.  But so far the winner, hands down, is the Ergo Baby! It's comfy for me, comfy for the baby...and easy to use!! Yay, the obsession has paid off!

And finally diaper bags.  I have my assortment of diaper bags, but what I have discovered is that in reality...if you have a bag (any bag...like a sports bag) with lots of pockets, and a couple of bottle pockets (which lots of them do now), you are good to go.  All of them can be adapted to hang off your stroller, they even sell the attachments separately.

The awe of the uniqueness of all these cool items is finally wearing off a little.  Probably due to the lack of use of some of these cool items...I've used my shopping cart cover-exacty twice!  Although, I'm sure if I had the cover when E was smaller, then I would have used it more.  But now he eats goosepoop-so why worry about a few shopping cart germs.

Mommie movies...a little different without a bucket seat.

Last week Mommie Movies were on at the Capitol Theatre in West Kelowna!  I've been a faithful attendee since E was born, but this time I had to pause.  My little guy doesn't use a bucket seat anymore, where was he going to sit?  And two hours!  Can he sit still that long? 

So I armed myself with lots to eat and drink (especially Cheerios), a reclining stroller and some friends.  I was lucky this time, that I had a couple of friends that were free to join us.  And so we headed off to the movie. E was pretty good, he did get a little fussy around the 1 hour mark and again a little later, but I think he was just tired.  I just kept him fed with treats, and I had his stroller ready for him to take a nap in.  The great thing about the Mommy Movies are that it is acceptable to make noise during the movie  (and you don't have to be a Mommy to go, you just have to put up with noisy babies).
And that's a small price to pay for the $6 price tag!

Mommy Movies are held every 4-6 weeks on Thursday's at noon.  Email them for more information.

What does a hippo sound like?

Last night, my husband and I were reading a bedtime story to our little one called "Jungle Babies".  There are four jungle babies, and we act them out and make noises.  And I love when we get to the hippo, because my husband makes all kinds of crazy "hippo" noises.  What exactly does a hippo sound like?

Why do kids books have animals that make the weirdest noises? 

Do you know what a hippo or a giraffe or a lemur sound like?

Birthdays and Loot Bags

Photo: picnic.typepad.com

Although I am still 4 months away from hosting my first child's birthday party, the thought of it instills fear in my heart. I have been to several different birthdays and have picked up a few ideas that I liked.  But other ones were a frenzy of presents, a frenzy of eating, and then everyone grabbed their loot bag and left. All that intensity in a 2 hour period...whew, don't know if I can do it! 

I picked up a few good ideas on Picnic for some different cute types of lootbags (galvanized pails, cloth bags, decorated paper bags).  And to fill them, here are a few more ideas on Yummy Mummy.  We'll see if I will have the energy or creativity to pull off a cool party come the end of summer!