There are a few special indulgences in childhood.. the sterling rattle, the christening outfit, wooden heirloom toys. We think that every child should play, and dressing up is a fabulous pastime that stimulates the imagination, the senses and the emotions. Of course, dressing up is even better when your attire is crafted of organic flax cotton in a stunning, muted palette. Wovenplay’s designs (exclusive to Enfant Terrible) tranform children into cowgirls, moths and ballerinas with the loveliest fabrics and hand-screened images. Shown: The Lion Cape.
See also our article on activities you can do at home with kids. Have fun making memories!
A Larger Vocabulary
When a baby’s brain develops the area that understands visual information develops sooner than the area that understands auditory information, so a younger baby may be able to understand what they see earlier than they can understand what they hear. Adding the visual component, the sign, to the auditory component, your spoken words, may help babies to understand more. This may improve their receptive language abilities.
Aaah, the French. They certainly know children. And we’re slowly catching on. Sophie the giraffe has arrived to a few more stores. A childhood friend since 1961 in France, this rubber teether is painted with non-toxic paint and is finally more widely available in Canada. (the word was already out for Hollywood celebs like Kate Hudson and Debra Messing). Perfect for tiny hands, and a must-have for it-moms everywhere. Under 20 bucks.
by Elizabeth Nider
Being a fitness instructor for over 7 years, I was eager to get right back into fitness after my son was born in March 2007. One and a half weeks postpartum I decided to go for a run. Boy was that a mistake. I learned firsthand why The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) recommends that women wait 2-4 weeks after a vaginal delivery and 6 weeks after a caesarian before beginning an exercise routine. Childbirth is a beautiful time, but with it comes a much needed recovery, not to mention sleepless nights and feelings of loneliness and even desperation.
Get your lil’ rascal out of trouble and into an apron! This funky blue/brown apron embroidered with ‘I’m the Boss’ and a cool dinosaur motif on the front pocket is sure to keep your tyke mess-free while having fun in the kitchen. Great for arts and crafts plus gardening too! available at Lavish and Lime.
“When You Were Small” by Sara O’Leary, is the kind of tome that brings happy tears as soon as you look at the first page. With unbelievable illustrations by Julie Morstad, it tells the story of Henry wondering about his past. His Father weaves a highly imaginative, dear tale of the life of a boy who is actually tiny. This book not only assists with new concepts and vocabulary, but stimulates imagination and creativity, bringing attention to often overlooked items in daily life. Available in hardcover at Chapters/Indigo, www.chapters.indigo.ca.
So versatile. So healthy. So cool. MyPad Play ‘n Splat Tummytime Mat by Milklush. The myPad™ play n splat mat is a double sided, disinfectable, washable, wipeable, waterproof multipurpose splat mat perfectly sized for life on the go at 27”x27”. Roll it up and go!
For all of you interested parents, British Columbia creates an annual list of the most popular baby names to help identify current trends that may assist you in choosing a name for your baby. Somehow, the list never makes our choice easier, but it’s a good start. These lists are compiled each year from birth registrations, with names given five or more times. The BC Vital Statistics Agency website is also an excellent resource for instructions on obtaining a birth certificate and SIN for your baby.
Here are the most popular baby names for 2008:
Boys Girls
1. Ethan 1. Ava
2. Jacob 2. Chloe
3. James 3. Emma
4. Logan 4. Emily
5. Nathan 5. Hannah
6. Noah 6. Olivia
7. Joshua 7. Ella
8. Matthew 8. Sophie
9. Benjamin 9. Abigail
10. Liam 10. Isabella
11. Lucas 11. Madison
12. Daniel 12. Sarah
13. Ryan 13. Lily
14. Owen 14. Sophia
15. Alexander 15. Elizabeth
16. Jack 16. Maya
17. Aiden 17. Taylor
18. Evan 18. Brooklyn
19. Samuel 19. Julia
20. Nicholas 20. Hailey
See also the UrbanMommies article on Unique Baby Names.
There are times when an artist touches you and you never look at your life in the same way again. This is how I reacted to the line drawings by Lisa Golightly for Kiki & Polly. Check out the new 2009 calendars with art on each page, or for a special present, have a custom portrait done. Above print: Walking the Dog www.kikiandpolly.com
Satisfy the fussy toddler in your house with a hands-on dinner plan. Place a small pita on a piece of tinfoil, and spread with pizza sauce.