“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.
Having a baby who is only a few weeks old cry, inconsolably, on and off for hours at a time is a dramatic challenge. Parents are exhausted, and often feel conflicting emotions that cause them to question themselves and the health of their baby. Parents of colicky babies can become isolated and confused at a time when being connected and calm would be so much more helpful. There are more lay theories about colic than virtually any other paediatric disease, and while some of these may have some truth to them, none of them have been proven, and some are just wrong.
Whenever I talk about traveling with babies (which is a lot), for the most part I come across like-minded parents who have concerns but love the idea of travel with their young family. Occasionally however, I’m met with a look of horror, or – at the very least – disbelief.
We’re believers in inexpensive and easy first foods, and know that it can be daunting to do it yourself. As a start, try this. The next time you have the oven on, peel some parsnips, carrots or yams. Rub with a tiny bit of olive oil and roast until dinner is done or the kids are out of the bath.
Green is definitely a great colour for the bedroom — and we don’t just mean for the walls. Since your child spends approximately 1/2 of their day in bed (hopefully!) and research shows that our bodies are much more sensitive to environmental influences while sleeping, your child’s bedroom is the natural place to start implementing more eco-friendly products. Some eco-friendly flooring options include: bamboo, reclaimed wood from old buildings and they are even making flooring from trees damaged by the pine beetle and from trees fallen in Stanley Park during the infamous 2006 windstorm.
Autism refers to a group of neurological disorders that unfortunately—and for unconfirmed and unknown reasons—are affecting more and more children. It has received a lot of publicity in the last several years resulting in a lot of confusing and conflicting information being circulated. What are the facts?