I like my kids to explore what is around and learn all they can do; I try not to structure too much of our time, and just let them learn from their own curiosity.
Check out my latest post on the CHEO blog to read about Kyle's puddle jumping
Friday, June 7, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Making the Best From the Worst #AverysActOfKindness
Life in the NICU is one I am familiar with; if you read the blog regularly, then you are aware that my oldest was born at 36 weeks, and spent his first 10 days in the NICU of our local hospital. We were fortunate, our little boy came home healthy and happy - but that is not always the case. Please read below to find out about Avery's Act of Kindness - and how you can help raise money to purchase an incubator for Sunnybrook's NICU.
Ashley is a mom who knows the heartbreak no mother should have to endure, the loss of a child. Her precious daughter Avery made a far too early entrance into this world at 12 weeks premature. Although Avery was a fighter, after 11 days in the NICU she lost her battle and grew her wings."The birth of your child is supposed to be one you look forward to and dream of. This is so different, feelings I can’t explain. The tears you cry during a birth are to be one of happiness and joy but mine were of fear and sadness" - Ashley Pullen
In her memory Avery's family is holding a fundraiser in support of Sunnybrook Health Science Center NICU. Avery's Act of Kindness is working to raise $10,000 to go towards an incubator for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sunnybrook Hospital. These incubators are the first home for many preemies providing a stable environment that controls the heat, humidity, and oxygen for the baby. This equipment will help many more babies like Avery in the future.
If you are in the Shelburne, Ontario Area come join in the Avery's Act of Kindness Fundraiser on Saturday June 8, 2013. You can find all of the details on their event page here. Starting at 11:00am this family friendly event will include a BBQ, music, wagon rides, games, a silent auction and more! Tickets are $10 for adults or $5 for children which includes a Hamburger or Hot Dog and Baked Potato.
You can also support Avery's Act of Kindness and Sunnybrook Health Sciences NICU by donating online. Every donation large and small makes a difference. Let's keep Avery's memory alive, help other preemies and change those sad tears into happy ones through Avery's Act of Kindness.
A guest post by Kate. You can find her over at her blog Little Miss Kate, and connect on Facebook and Twitter. Kate is mom to 2 active little boys. Little Miss Kate is a chronicle of her parenting adventures, mixed with helpful product reviews and some exciting giveaways as well.
t
Monday, June 3, 2013
Monday Giveaway Linky
It's Monday - Tales of Mommyhood Monday Giveaway Linky is live! List any of your open giveaways, please be sure to include which countries are eligible to enter; Good luck to those entering and thanks for visiting Tales of Mommyhood. Tweeting or sharing of this linky to gain maximum exposure is appreciated
Sunday, June 2, 2013
How To Make Your Own Angry Birds Birthday Party Invites
Mr. J decided that for his 6th birthday, he wanted it to be an angry bird party. I went searching online for ideas on decorations, food and games. As I was searching (pinterest was a GREAT source for me) I found these really cute home made invitations (you can see her BLOG post)
I am including a step - by - step below!
1) gather all your supplies (red, black, white and yellow construction paper, ruler, scissors and glue stick)
2) decide how big you want your invite and draw a template on 1 piece of red paper
3) cut the template, then continue by cutting out the rest of your invites
4) cut out circles from white paper for eyes (I traced around a large glue stick lid)
5) cut out small black circles for the pupil
6) cut out small strips of black for the brows
7) cut out yellow beaks (I made them 3d, but you coul just cut a triangle if you want(
8) cut out white semi-circles for the breast area
9) glue the pupils onto the eyes
 |
| front and back of invites (the kids names are written on the front, where the white part is) |
I am including a step - by - step below!
1) gather all your supplies (red, black, white and yellow construction paper, ruler, scissors and glue stick)
2) decide how big you want your invite and draw a template on 1 piece of red paper
3) cut the template, then continue by cutting out the rest of your invites
4) cut out circles from white paper for eyes (I traced around a large glue stick lid)
5) cut out small black circles for the pupil
6) cut out small strips of black for the brows
7) cut out yellow beaks (I made them 3d, but you coul just cut a triangle if you want(
8) cut out white semi-circles for the breast area
 |
| all my cuts are complete, ready to glue |
 |
| eyes are ready to go |
10) assemble invites one at a time (I started with the beaks)
12) flip invite over and add details (I printed out my info, and then cut the paper to the size I wanted)
13) if you want, you can add the kids names to the white breast part on the front - which is what I did
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Circumcision - my thoughts
It's not necessary. Yep - those are my thoughts on it. I really don't understand why anyone would want to put their child through an UN-NECESSARY medical procedure. If it was deemed medically necessary, then it would STILL be highly recommended by medical professionals.
OK - so a little more to it than that; to circ or not is a question that often comes up on chat forums and moms groups that I belong to. It often turns into a heated debate with name calling and the like (which I refuse to partake in - my opinion is MY opinion; I will not force it on someone else, just as I don't want their opinion forced on me)
I knew when I was pregnant with my oldest that I did NOT want it done. Unfortunately, hubby and I were not on the same page. He was adamant it be done, I was adamant it not be done. After doing all my research, I told him to do his. He didn't feel it was necessary to do any research. If the procedure was the right decision for his parents to make, then it was the right decision for us to make. WRONG - when we were kids, it was normal. It WAS recommended back then, but as with everything - research is done and thought processes change (and that means that recommendations could change again, and maybe when my kids become parents, it will be recommended to circ)
In the end, we decided we would ask my family doc (who would be the physician for our son) and no matter what, we would go with her recommendation. She was against it - so I won!
When all was said and done, he was a preemie and in rough shape, so the doctors recommended that we wait if we wanted it done. Since we didn't want the procedure anyways, it didn't make a difference (and, the doctor that came to check with me asked if we wanted it done - he is the one who would have been performing the procedure, and himself said it wasn't recommended even on healthy babies)
Below are some reasons why many feel the need to circumcise:
- it's harder to clean an uncircumcised penis (actually, you don't need to do anything different than if you were washing a finger; no pulling back of the foreskin - THAT can do damage; leave the foreskin alone, it will retract on it's own as the child grows)
- and really, all the work to take care of a circumcised penis at first is more effort than I have put into cleaning the boys so far, at 2.5 and 5.5
- they will wonder why they don't look like their father (baby penis, little boy penis, teenager penis and old man penis ALL look different anyways)
- it's better to do it when they are a baby and don't feel the pain (babies feel pain - if you don't want an older child to go through the procedure because of the pain involved, why would you want your NEWBORN to, when they can't tell you it hurts?)
- protects against STD's (this, there is some evidence to point, but all the things I read were NOT from North America - and really, condoms - much more effective at preventing STD's than circumcision)
For me, one of the biggest reasons is that I don't want to change my children's bodies. They were born with foreskin, if it's something that creates a medical issue - then we will deal with it when the time comes.
Honestly, I wouldn't even pierce a girls ears if I had a daughter until she asked me for it. My ears were pierced when I was little - and as I got older I hated it. I am NOT a jewelry person. I rarely wear anything other than my wedding ring (and I didn't even wear that for the longest time.) I am 33 years old, and my holes have NEVER closed over. I really wish that my parent's had NOT pierced my ears.
I think circumcision is a personal decision. Meaning, the PERSON should make that decision. Nowadays, with so many boys NOT being circumcised, I doubt they would even question it.
What about you - what are YOUR thoughts on it?
OK - so a little more to it than that; to circ or not is a question that often comes up on chat forums and moms groups that I belong to. It often turns into a heated debate with name calling and the like (which I refuse to partake in - my opinion is MY opinion; I will not force it on someone else, just as I don't want their opinion forced on me)
I knew when I was pregnant with my oldest that I did NOT want it done. Unfortunately, hubby and I were not on the same page. He was adamant it be done, I was adamant it not be done. After doing all my research, I told him to do his. He didn't feel it was necessary to do any research. If the procedure was the right decision for his parents to make, then it was the right decision for us to make. WRONG - when we were kids, it was normal. It WAS recommended back then, but as with everything - research is done and thought processes change (and that means that recommendations could change again, and maybe when my kids become parents, it will be recommended to circ)
In the end, we decided we would ask my family doc (who would be the physician for our son) and no matter what, we would go with her recommendation. She was against it - so I won!
When all was said and done, he was a preemie and in rough shape, so the doctors recommended that we wait if we wanted it done. Since we didn't want the procedure anyways, it didn't make a difference (and, the doctor that came to check with me asked if we wanted it done - he is the one who would have been performing the procedure, and himself said it wasn't recommended even on healthy babies)
Below are some reasons why many feel the need to circumcise:
- it's harder to clean an uncircumcised penis (actually, you don't need to do anything different than if you were washing a finger; no pulling back of the foreskin - THAT can do damage; leave the foreskin alone, it will retract on it's own as the child grows)
- and really, all the work to take care of a circumcised penis at first is more effort than I have put into cleaning the boys so far, at 2.5 and 5.5
- they will wonder why they don't look like their father (baby penis, little boy penis, teenager penis and old man penis ALL look different anyways)
- it's better to do it when they are a baby and don't feel the pain (babies feel pain - if you don't want an older child to go through the procedure because of the pain involved, why would you want your NEWBORN to, when they can't tell you it hurts?)
- protects against STD's (this, there is some evidence to point, but all the things I read were NOT from North America - and really, condoms - much more effective at preventing STD's than circumcision)
For me, one of the biggest reasons is that I don't want to change my children's bodies. They were born with foreskin, if it's something that creates a medical issue - then we will deal with it when the time comes.
Honestly, I wouldn't even pierce a girls ears if I had a daughter until she asked me for it. My ears were pierced when I was little - and as I got older I hated it. I am NOT a jewelry person. I rarely wear anything other than my wedding ring (and I didn't even wear that for the longest time.) I am 33 years old, and my holes have NEVER closed over. I really wish that my parent's had NOT pierced my ears.
I think circumcision is a personal decision. Meaning, the PERSON should make that decision. Nowadays, with so many boys NOT being circumcised, I doubt they would even question it.
What about you - what are YOUR thoughts on it?
Lovable Lables: Camp Pack Giveaway
Summer is just around the corner, and with that comes camp! My oldest is registered for 2 different week long day camps this year - and he is really looking forward to it. Time to get another Camp Pack from Lovable Labels.
Lovable Labels has been in business since 2003, and their products are sold world wide. I have reviewed them in the past - you can read about them here. The labels stand up well to the dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and microwave.
The camp pack has 150 multi-purpose labels to suit all your needs, and is priced at $44.95;
This year, Lovable Labels has teamed up with Tim Horton Childrens Foundation in support of Camp Day, June 5 2013. Lovable Labels will be donating 20% of all sales purchased through THIS special link to THCF.
.JPG)
THCF was founded in 1974 to help make a difference in the lives of children. It was built in Parry Sound, ON and was home to 200 campers it's first summer open, 1975. THCF provides the opportunity for thousands of children to head to summer camp every year. THCF offers these kids the chance to make lifelong memories and friendships.
.JPG)
Help send a kid to camp by purchasing labels using the special link. If you have forgotten to use the link, just make sure to put "Tim Horton Childrens Foundation" in the Agent/Seller box and your purchase will be credited to the fundraiser.
Are your kids going to camp this summer? Remember "Don't Lose It, Label It!". Enter to win a camp pack of your own using the rafflecopter form below! Open to Canadian and US residents and giveaway will run from midnight June 1, 2013 until 11:59pm June 9, 2013.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)