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DIY Story Stones

I’ve had a lot of interest in the set of Story Stones that I made for Olivia, so let’s talk about how you can make your own, how you can use them, and why they are such a helpful developmental tool. Story Stones are simply a set of small stones with vibrant pictures on them. I love Story Stones because they engage all of the three main learning domains in some way: the bright pictures provide visual stimulation; the act of moving the stones helps with tactile development; and talking about the stones (alone for older children, or with an adult for littles) helps with auditory processing and oral communication.

The primary purpose of Story Stones is to help inspire children to craft their own stories. Storytelling is a wonderful way for children to develop creativity, imagination, and communication skills, but most children require prompts to help them with their storytelling. Using Story Stones, children can look at the images on the stones, and maneuver them into different positions to help with the storytelling process. But there are so many other wonderful and developmentally appropriate ways for much younger children to use Story Stones!

Toddlers: Olivia loves to line the stones up in rows, move them from one container to another, and shake them in a plastic tupperware container. We sit and look at the pictures, and she loves to pick out the nouns she recognizes: “fish!” “heart!” “meow!” It’s very exciting when you see a picture of something you recognize and can start putting a word to that image!

Pre-K and Kindergarten: Story Stones are wonderful for developing a wide range of skills. Pre-K and Kindergarten children can sort stones into categories such as colours (shown below), animals, or foods. Another great use is for phonics practice. I like to use simple flashcards and have students search for a stone that starts with the appropriate letter for each card (shown below). You could also make two identical sets of stones and use them for a fun twist on a classic game of memory where children must find the matching stones. At this age, I would also recommend you simply allow children to play with the stones – you might be surprised at all of the ways they discover, play and learn on their own!

Sorting by colour.

Sorting by colour.

Working on literacy development.

Working on literacy development.

Elementary: Elementary students can use the stones for storytelling, as described above. A fun and challenging variation I like to add is to have a student select one stone randomly from a bag, and create a sentence inspired from the stone they selected. The next student then selects a stone and also tries to create a sentence inspired by the image on the stone, but the goal is for their sentence to build off of the one before so that the group creates a unique story one sentence at a time. This is a great team building exercise, or advanced activity for students who could benefit from a challenge.

Alright – time to make your Story Stones!

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  1. I drew some simple pictures on thick drawing paper with a smooth black pen, and coloured them in using pencil crayons. Use materials and images that are meaningful to your family! If you’re not particularly artistic, you can cut images out of a magazine, or print out some images to colour yourself.
  2. Cut out all of the images, leaving a small white or dark border to help your images stand out against different coloured stones.
  3. I ordered a small set of “garden stones,” but you can also check the gardening section of your local hardware store.
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White borders help these pictures stand out against dark stones!

  1. Modge Podge is a strong adhesive that dries clear, hard, and smooth. Spread a generous amount onto a stone using a sponge, place your image on top, and then cover the image and a large area of the stone with more Modge Podge. Don’t worry about using too much – mine were pretty gloopy and I was worried they wouldn’t dry nicely, but they ended up clear and cute.
  2. Put some wax paper onto a baking sheet, and place your stones on top to dry. Allow them dry overnight and enjoy!

*please use large enough stones so as to not create a chocking hazard for toddlers!
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Shimmy and Shake with Miss Sarah

“Music expresses that which cannot be said, and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
‘William Shakespeare’ by Victor Hugo.

Welcome to Shimmy and Shake with Miss Sarah! My goal is to create the type of music class that I want my daughter to enjoy – a place where she can learn to express herself, find her heart song, and practice some fantastic developmental skills along the way. At Shimmy and Shake, we are inviting you along with us on this journey!

A little bit about me: I have a specialist degree in Child Development and Educational Psychology, and a Bachelor of Education with qualifications to teach tots to pre-teens. I spent the last five years of my career absorbed in the world of preschool and kindergarten, where I truly found my calling. I’m a classically trained pianist, and self-taught guitarist, with experience providing piano and guitar accompaniment for my students’ performances and experience coaching the prestigious Kodaly choir. I completed an intensive Art and Music Internship with the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery and Symphony, with a 40hour component specifically targeting Art and Music Education. I also dabbled in fronting my own band for two years, and continue to compose regularly.

If my teaching background is the peanut butter, and my love of music is the jelly, then Shimmy and Shake is truly the perfect sandwich! IMG_1616

So why do I believe that music so important for children? Where do I start! Singing, dancing, playing instruments, and listening to music in a social setting does so many wonderful things to help children develop and grow:

  • Teaches self-regulation, such as how to calm down when listening to a lullaby;
  • Boosts self-esteem and confidence;
  • Encourages sharing and turn-taking, particularly in call-and-answer songs;
  • Helps children develop important gross motor skills, such as balance, body awareness, and cross-body movements;
  • Encourages cultural awareness when experiencing songs and instruments from other cultures;
  • Helps develop cognitive skills such as counting, rhyme, memory, symbolic play, patterns, literacy skills, phonemic awareness, and cause and effect (to name only a few!);
  • Introduces children to the world of music, where they can express, feel, find their rhythm, learn about pitch, tone, beat, instruments, be silly, and have fun!

Shimmy and Shake is designed to encourage all of these skills through careful song choice, the use of instruments, and a safe environment for children and their parents to experiment, explore, and enjoy themselves!

Please visit the Shimmy and Shake Facebook page HERE for information on classes, location, and cost. I will keep the Facebook page updated weekly with class information, articles, videos and resources. Olivia and I can’t wait to Shimmy and Shake with all of you!

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Wanderlust – Lake Tahoe

Originally written for The Vacant North.

IMG_7766 (1)I’ve always had a wanderer’s soul, and when I found out that I was pregnant with my first daughter, I wondered if my previous life full of jet setting adventures would come to an abrupt end. I can admit that my first few months of motherhood were full of challenges; I felt burdened by self-doubt and resentment towards my new role. I built a comfortable nest inside of my small apartment, and my fear of venturing back out into the world kept us cooped up in our protective bubble for weeks on end.

After seeking out and joining a community of new moms, life started to change for my daughter and I. We started actively participating in life outside of our nest, and I started to feel like my old self. I realized that it wasn’t healthy for me to ignore my adventurous spirit simply because I became a mother, so I decided that it was time to start incorporating my new little appendage into my adventures – we were in this together.

IMG_1569Within a three-week period, we visited Las Vegas, the Ancient Redwood Forests, and, most recently, Lake Tahoe. Walking through the mountains, evergreens, and piles of crunchy snow in Lake Tahoe with my daughter strapped to my chest gave me all of the feels. I felt so thankful that I am able to give her these experiences from such a young age and introduce her to the great big world that is just waiting for her to leave her mark on it; I felt at peace with my role as a new mama and with realizing that I can continue to live my life outside of my nest; and I felt connected to my daughter as we explored this winter wonderland with our sniffly noses and chilly toes together.

IMG_1565The thought of leaving the comfort of your home when you have a new baby can be overwhelming. There is a lot more planning, packing, and effort involved in even the smallest outings, and it is easy to get caught up worrying about the dangers that could be lurking outside of your door. But I think that it’s important for new mamas to understand that having a baby shouldn’t necessarily mean that their adventures are over. As I looked down on the sparkling blue lake and held my baby girl close, I realized that mine are just beginning.

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The Importance of Preserving Memories

Before my daughter was born, people warned me that once you are a parent, “it all goes by SO fast; don’t blink or you will miss it.” I am already feeling the sting of this reality. During each special moment of my daughter’s development, I am acutely aware that I won’t get this precious day/hour/minute back. Typically, we preserve our memories by taking photos; but the digital age has made it possible to take and store an obscene amount of photos, and after only seven months in this world there are literally thousands of photos of my little girl. How do I cherish the really special moments?

baby olivia 6I have been completely amazed with the way photographer and artist, Dan Kaufman, has been able to help me capture the special moments of my daughter’s first year of life. After sending him a simple bird’s-eye view photo, we then worked together to create a story for the photo. He asked me all of the right questions to help me recall important parts of her “story,” such as her age, weight and height, what she said, what she did, and even what she ate. Within a few days, he sent me an artistic rendering that perfectly captured her personality during these special moments. I couldn’t think of a better way to preserve our memories!

Dan and I have many more story ideas on the horizon, including a crowd-surfing scene at a rock concert, a Fourth of July spread, and her first vacation to Las Vegas. I love knowing that the small details of these precious moments in her life will not be forgotten. These early years truly do go by so quickly, and then all you are left with are memories – why not make a few of them extra special?

If you want to contact Dan about creating a photo memory for your own little one, you can reach him at: info@photosbydan.ca, visit his Facebook page, or follow him on Instagram.

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What is in Olivia’s Book Bag?

Now that Miss Olivia has entered my life, I have a great reason to keep expanding my book bag! Anyone who follows my blog knows that as an educator, picture books are one of my biggest passions. The storybooks that I love best incite curiosity, emotion, and wonder in my students; they are full of engaging illustrations, important lessons, and have the power to help the reader explore the limits of their imagination.

IMG_7191Teaching kindergarten has allowed me the opportunity to experience childhood all over again through my students: I squealed with amazement at the sight of a blade of grass poking through the snow in spring; I felt the disappointment of realizing that there was no mermaid exhibit at the aquarium; I experienced the sting of betrayal when your best friend chooses somebody else to be their partner; and I went on magical adventures with my students every day during story time.

I’m not going to fill this post with developmental and psychological research about why reading with young children – right from the day they are born – is so important (by the way: it’s really, really important!). Instead, I’m going to encourage you to enjoy your children, and experience childhood once again, by reading storybooks together. And of course, I’m going to help you get started by sharing some of the must-have books that fill Olivia’s book bag.

I have decided to avoid the most obvious book choices, and give you a selection of more unique teacher-tested, mother-approved picture books. Remember, my book bag is reserved for books that I think are particularly special, so if a book has made it into Olivia’s book bag you know it must be wonderful! Please feel free to add some of your favourite books in the comment section below, and let me know if you would like regular updates on what I am adding to Olivia’s book bag!

Rosie“Rosie Revere, Engineer,” by Andrea Beaty. Rosie is a dreamer, a problem solver, an inventor, and she learns the importance of perseverance in this book. The soft watercolour illustrations gently bring each page to life, and the rhymes help little readers develop their literacy skills. I adore that the main character’s name, Rosie, is a throwback to Rosie the Riveter and her empowering slogan, “We can do it!”

Waiting“Waiting,” by Kevin Henkes. Adult life is full of waiting, and for a young child, waiting can be a challenging part of growing up. In this book, five toys sit on a windowsill, each of them waiting for something. As the story of friendship, emotions, and surprise unfolds, children can connect with the sentient toys, and parents are provided with the opportunity to discuss big topics with their little ones.

Doug“Doug Unplugged,” by Dan Yaccarino. Doug, a young robot, gets plugged in every day to download knowledge and information. One day he unplugs himself and ventures out to experience the world firsthand. In our technology-driven society, I love that this book helps remind young children (and their parents) that exciting adventures are waiting right outside of their front door – they just need to unplug!

Stuck“Stuck,” by Oliver Jeffers. A selfish choice from me considering I love just about everything from Oliver Jeffers, but I think “Stuck” deserves particular mention. It is sure to have both children and adults in stitches from laughter as they read about Floyd throwing just about everything he can think of up into a tree, all in the attempt to rescue his kite. I also love the underlying lesson: perhaps throwing more things at a problem isn’t the most successful course of action, because eventually it all comes crashing down…

Pool“Pool,” by Jihyeon Lee. Two shy children meet at a chaotic pool and dive below the surface, only to discover a secret underwater world. The illustrations are the standout superstar in this book, and the lack of text gives children the opportunity to create their own story. The wild and wonderful nature of a child’s imagination is something to be treasured and celebrated, and I think that this book does just that.

Lifetimes“Lifetimes,” by David L. Rice. I have read this book so many times that the pages are currently being held together by staples and tape. This book chronicles the lifetime of various living plants and animals on Earth – from the one-day long lifecycle of a mayfly, to the 2000-year lifetime of a giant sequoia. The end of each page contains a short life lesson that each plant or animal can teach us, and there are ideas for making additional connections on each page as well. I love that such a wide range of living creatures is represented in this book, and that it helps teach young children to appreciate the connections between all living things on Earth.

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The Best Superfood Lactation Cookie Recipe for Breastfeeding Moms

I have yet to meet a nursing mother who hasn’t worried about her milk supply at some point in her breastfeeding journey, and maintaining a full supply can often feel like a full time job. Breastmilk quality is also a concern for many mothers, as breastmilk is often the only sustenance a new mother’s infant receives during the first few months of life. Right from day one moms are working hard!image2

That’s why I created this Super Food Lactation Cookie recipe to help new moms take a little break from all of that worrying! This recipe helps improve milk supply, but is also full of ingredients that are important for the health of breastfeeding moms. Not to mention that they taste delicious (I always have to set aside a small container for my husband!) You’re welcome to make any substitutions you desire, but there are a few ingredients that I recommend you try to leave intact to ensure that you get the full nutritional benefits from these cookies!image3

Oatmeal, nutritional yeast and ground flax seed are the three amigos of breastmilk stimulation! Combining all three of these ingredients in one recipe is at the heart of why these lactation cookies work so well with increasing milk production. Many people like to substitute margarine for butter, but I would advise against this. Margarine is typically high in trans fats, which can replace good fats (such as omega-3 fats) in breastmilk and in a developing baby’s body. Butter is a natural source of absorbable vitamin A, which can play a role in regulating a nursing mother’s thyroid and the development of the heart and vision of growing babies. Butter gets a bad reputation, but in this case you won’t be consuming enough for any health risks to outweigh the benefits.image4

Most of the other ingredients were chosen for their nutritional value. Pecans are a nutritional powerhouse, providing mom and baby with important vitamins and minerals like folic acid, potassium and calcium. Dark chocolate and cranberries are a dynamic duo for delivering cancer-fighting flavonoids, plus the cranberries help add a satisfying tartness to balance out sweeter ingredients. Just a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds contains about half of the recommended daily intake of magnesium, which aids in heart function, bone and tooth formation, and digestive health. Shredded coconut offers fiber, iron, and protein, and acts as a natural sweetening agent in these cookies, which gave me an opportunity to decrease the amount of added sugar. Finally, a little cinnamon goes a long way in helping reduce inflammation in the body.image7

There you have it – delicious cookies, loaded with nutritional ingredients guaranteed to help a breastfeeding mama with her milk supply and overall health. Enjoy!

For full ingredient list and recipe click HERE to view original article!image6

City Mom

An Ode to City Living

Originally written for, and published in, Positively Oakes

Photo credit to Nicole Schoentag

When my husband and I first told our family and friends that we were pregnant, the questions started rolling in almost immediately: “Is it a girl or a boy?” “What type of birth do you want?” “Are you going to feed with bottle or breast?” DSC_0053

One of the most common questions of all was “so when are you going to move out of the city?” For some reason, people became very concerned about us living downtown in a big city, as if we couldn’t possibly raise our child properly unless we moved out to a suburban sprawl. Sure, there are challenges when it comes to raising a baby in an urban setting, but I think there are many benefits as well. So this is an ode to city living!

DSC_0012One of the biggest benefits of living in the city for me is being able to walk just about everywhere. Whether we are going to the doctor, grocery shopping, or grabbing coffee, we are always walking. Not only does my daughter get plenty of fresh air, but it has also helped me get back into shape. Once I hit 10 weeks postpartum, I started tracking the distance we were covering during our walks, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that we were logging 15 to 20 miles each week!

Another thing I love about raising a child in a big city is the amount of activities available to us. We have a children’s creativity museum across the street, a skating rink one block away, plus art galleries, festivals, parks, swimming pools, libraries, an aquarium and lots of public parks just a short walk away. We have so many choices, and it helps to keep us busy, out of the house, and meeting other families.DSC_0008

One of the biggest criticisms I hear is that raising a child in a large city isn’t safe. People have asked if I worry that our daughter will be exposed to “too much,” and given me their (sometimes unwanted!) advice that what she really needs is a large, fenced backyard on a quiet street to keep her protected. But I disagree!

DSC_0064I believe that exposure to different people helps build compassion and tolerance, which is something we need more of in our world. I want to teach my daughter that just because she sees a lot of different people in our city, it doesn’t mean that they are scary or bad – people are simply different!

It can definitely be tough to raise a family in a large city; sometimes there isn’t enough room for our stroller on the sidewalk, she wakes up from naps to the sound of fire sirens, and we have strolled into our elevator only to meet 3 slobbering dogs all trying to sniff inside her car seat. But moms are incredibly resourceful, and we make things work for our families no matter what challenges we face. So whether they are living in a one-bedroom apartment, or a 2000 square foot home, I think that all moms should be celebrated for doing the very best that they can – no matter where they live! DSC_0057

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Milk Drunk in Public

Originally written for, and published in, Her View From Home

There is a lot of buzz right now surrounding the topic of breastfeeding in public. I don’t exactly know why there is so much buzz, since I don’t think it is much different than eating a snack or drinking from a water bottle in public. But there is buzz. My baby and I struggled initially with breastfeeding, but eventually we hit our stride and it has worked out well for us. She gets hungry, my breasts get full, she eats, she empties them, we watch Netflix, we nap… everybody is feeling pretty good.

I have found breastfeeding in the privacy of my own home to be very comfortable, but for some reason I was terrified of having to feed in public for the first time. I fully support women breastfeeding in public, I lost every shred of my modesty during childbirth, and I live in extremely liberal San Francisco. If there was ever a perfect candidate living in the perfect city to feel comfortable breastfeeding in public, then surely I was that candidate. So why did I still find it so daunting?

When I really thought about it – which, coincidentally, I do most of my thinking while breastfeeding these days – I identified two sides to the breastfeeding debate: on the one side is the shaming of women who nurse publicly; and on the other is this sort of glorification of it. It became apparent to me that I really don’t fit into either of these categories. I don’t shame, nor do I idolize, the women who breastfeed in public. I simply believe breastfeeding in public to be, well, normal.

When I searched the hashtag #NormalizeBreastfeeding, it was full of tweets, photos and posts of women being praised as martyrs for breastfeeding in public. But in the process of glorifying this topic, I think it actually isolated women like me from having the confidence to nurse publicly. As I looked at hundreds of images of well-dressed women, discreetly and effortlessly nursing their content babies while enjoying brunch with friends, it felt like the equivalent of looking at magazine covers featuring seemingly perfect women and believing them to be “normal.” If this was what “normal” breastfeeding in public looked like, then I simply would never measure up. Our society really is quite good at finding ways to make women feel isolated, even from something as absolutely basic and instinctual as feeding our offspring, whenever and wherever it needs to happen.

I think that the main reason I was so nervous about feeding my baby in public was because it ultimately felt like a no-win situation. I didn’t want my public nursing to be met with condescending stares, and I also knew that a photo of me and my baby would never make the #NormalizeBreastfeeding highlight reel. But in the end, I conquered my fears and nursed publicly. I had to pull out my entire breast because my baby fidgeted and fussed trying to latch on, my outfit and nursing cover were horribly mismatched, my sister fed me spoonfuls of ice cream, and I ended up with a huge, wet milk stain on the front of my dress due to milk leaking from my babe’s mouth as I held her in an incredibly awkward position. My baby was satisfied, nobody stared, and it was the farthest thing from brave or glamorous; but when all was said and done, it felt pretty normal.

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A No Monkey Business Guide to the Perfect Halloween Costume

When I started searching for the perfect costume for my daughter’s first Halloween, I squealed with delight over the little kitty cat, mermaid and bumblebee outfits.

image2 (4)Although the possibilities for a cuteness overload were endless, I decided to take a slightly different approach to her first Halloween costume. Always a teacher at heart, I couldn’t resist taking this opportunity to create a “teachable moment” by making her costume educationally significant. But don’t panic – she will still be irresistibly cute!

Women have been at a disadvantage throughout most of history, and gender inequality is still a major issue across the globe. Despite the many inequalities that women have faced throughout history, there have always been countless examples of women making tremendous breakthroughs in medicine, art, technology, science, and the humanities. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate bringing a beautiful little girl into the world than by dressing her in the likeness of an inspiring woman who has had a positive influence in the world. So for her first Halloween, my daughter was dressed as the famous primatologist Jane Goodall.

"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you make." - Jane Goodall

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you make.” – Jane Goodall

Two of the most important lessons that I hope to teach my daughter are to respect all of the plants and animals on our planet, and that she can make a difference in the world. I really believe that Jane Goodall embodies both of these lessons, and I hope that when my daughter looks at photos of her first Halloween costume she believes in her potential to make a positive difference in the world as much as I believe in her. I hope that we can see an end to gender inequality in her lifetime; but until we get closer to realizing that goal I want to give her the confidence she needs to overcome adversity, and provide her with positive female role models to look up to. Dressing my baby up like an inspirational woman for Halloween might seem insignificant in achieving this goal, but after my many years of teaching I truly believe that learning starts right from birth. I think that caregivers can set a positive tone in a child’s life right from day one that will stick with them forever, and I hope that my daughter’s Jane Goodall costume is an early step in helping her become a strong, inspirational woman herself. Plus… I promised she would also be adorable, right? I think I delivered!

Filling out our 'Mushy Books' baby book has been one of our favourite activities.

A Few of My Favourite Things

I was not paid to endorse or review any of these products – these thoughts are my own and I simply want to share a few of my very favourite things!

One of the biggest adjustments to having a new baby that I have faced is just how much stuff they have. It’s not just a few things – it’s so. much. stuff. Our small home, which typically remains free of clutter, knick-knacks, or much of anything that would make it seem as though somebody actually lives here, has been overrun with an unbelievable amount of stuff. But as much as this influx of swings, toys, and carriers exacerbates my need to keep my home tidy and organized, I have to admit that the usefulness of some of this gear has made it slightly easier to cope with the ever growing piles of stuff. That’s why I wanted to share a few of my very favourite things that have made their way into my home. If somebody as orderly as me can find space in their home for these items, then you know they have to be good!

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Olivia and I snuggled together at just three weeks postpartum.

My Nesting Days Carrier has been one of my most treasured items in my first few months of motherhood. It is designed to promote skin-to-skin contact with your new baby, but it has done so much more for me. The inner lining has a control-top panel that has helped my postpartum tummy feel supported without being restrictive. It was also the only carrier that allowed me to fully be hands free when babe was a newborn, since she was quite small and would sink down uncomfortably in my other wrap carriers. Not to mention that it looks beautiful – I can wear it without a shirt underneath and nobody would ever know. If your babe is anything like mine and refuses to be put down in her early months of life, you need this carrier… and even if she does let you put her down, you still need it so you can snuggle her close and still be able to brush your hair in the morning.

For some reason I became extremely focused on finding the perfect baby book during my pregnancy. In our world of digital photo albums and special events being immortalized with their own hashtags, a real baby book that could be touched, held, and would contain my handwritten notes felt like something that my baby needed. But I wasn’t going to be satisfied with just any baby book, and when my Mushy Book arrived in the mail it was everything I could have hoped for and more. Each thoughtfully designed page prompted me to recall our most special memories and select our most beautiful photos. And as I worked hard to move on from my bout with Postpartum Depression, completing this book offered a sort of catharsis. This baby book did more for me than simply storing our baby photos – it helped heal my heart and strengthen the bonding process between me and my baby. **Olivia is posing with her Mushy Book in the feature image of this post! 

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My friend’s daughter, Kali, loves her cookie teether! My little Olivia adores her pink elephant.

My newest favourite thing is our Little Squish Designs teether. It’s the perfect soft – yet firm – teether for sore gums, and is completely safe to spend extended periods of time in babe’s mouth. I was impressed with the size – it’s big enough to help baby practice her gripping skills and to never pose a choking hazard, but the edges still fit inside of her mouth comfortably. There are plenty of adorable designs and colours to choose from, so we will be stashing many more of these in every corner of the house. They make wonderful baby shower gifts as well.

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Sexy, functional, comfortable – yes please!

 

 

One of the most obvious visible signs of motherhood (besides the bundle of joy in your arms, of course) is how much your body physically changes, both during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. In addition to my growing hips and belly, I also developed breasts for the first time in my life. But when I went shopping for my first big-girl maternity bra, what awaited me was what I can only describe as a sea of beige and black “grandma bras.” Alas, I finally had the bust of my dreams and it was going to be hidden behind a thick wall of nude fabric. Fortunately, I stumbled upon You! Lingerie. Their maternity and nursing bras are beautiful, and when I tried one on for the first time it’s functionality did not disappoint – supportive, soft, comfortable, and it enhanced the look of my breasts instead of smothering them in cups that went up to my jawline. Every woman deserves to feel beautiful at all stages of her life, and pregnancy is no exception. These bras helped me feel fantastic without compromising the basic requirements that a good bra needs to fulfill.

One last thing that I should mention about all of these shops is that they were all started by mamas. These Mompreneurs saw a need for something, and on top of late-night feedings, temper tantrums, diaper changes and playdates were able to realize their dreams and create wonderful products that make other mom’s lives just a little bit easier and a lot more beautiful.