Parenting Archives - Moms & Munchkins

Fisher-Price Bath & Body Line

May 12, 2013 By Cheryl Leave a Comment

Want to hear some exciting news from Fisher-Price? They’ve just launched a new bath & body line! The company that has made quality toys for children for over 80 years has now launched a gentle Fisher-Price Bath & Body Line. We received the entire collection and it all smells so good! I see that my husband has been using some of the body wash for his own showers too. It has such a soft scent that it’s perfect for everyone in the family – including me who has allergies to many body wash products. These products are all natural so they are perfect for even the most sensitive skin.

Fisher-Price Bath & Body Line:

They have three different lines – Newborn (0+months), Infant (6+ months) and Toddler (18+ months).

The Newborn line consists of:

Fisher-Price Sensitive Skin Cleanser & Shampoo
Fisher-Price Sensitive Skin Body Lotion
Fisher-Price Sensitive Skin Soothing Ointment

The Infant line consists of:

Fisher-Price Calming Foam Bath
Fisher-Price Moisturizing Lotion
Fisher-Price Foaming 2-in-1 Shampoo & Body Wash
Fisher-Price Creamy Baby Oil
Fisher-Price Soothing Body Cream

The Toddler line consists of:

Fisher-Price Bubble Bath
Fisher-Price 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash
Fisher-Price Foaming Hand Soap
Fisher-Price Detangling Spray

You’ll already find these Fisher-Price Bath & Body Line products on the shelves at your local Babies R Us and Rexall stores so you can stop by and try them for yourselves. The infant line would make a great addition to a baby shower gift basket!

Another piece of cool news for you – Nick Lachey has released a new album with Fisher-Price filled with sweet lullabies to share with your little ones. Check out the cover of the album – is that baby sweet or what?! A Father’s Lullaby includes 12 soothing tunes including one of my personal favourites – You Are My Sunshine. You can find this album on iTunes among many other stores (like Toys R Us). This makes me miss the nights of rocking my little guy to sleep. Oh, they grow up way too fast!

Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price Play Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: fisher-price, mom and baby, parenting

My Son’s Birth Story

May 7, 2013 By Cheryl 9 Comments

It was this day 2 years ago that we welcomed my sweet little boy into the world. I can’t imagine my life without my little guy. He’s such a funny little character and so full of energy! Today seems like the perfect day to share his birth story. Although it was the happiest day of my life, the day did not go smoothly for us.

I had attended the prenatal classes but I didn’t really pay attention to the parts on c-sections and the dangers of high blood pressure. My blood pressure has always been really low so I didn’t feel like high blood pressure was something I needed to be worried about.

On Thursday, May 5^th, 2011, my doctor recommended that I go into the hospital to be induced. I had been experiencing issues with high blood pressure for 3 weeks and was in and out of the hospital more times than I could count. She left the decision up to me on whether or not I wanted to be induced but she was clear about her recommendation. I was only two days away from my due date but the issues with my blood pressure were getting worse. I felt that being induced was the right decision and I was so excited to soon meet my little boy.

The next morning I received a call from the hospital telling me that they were ready to start the process for being induced. Knowing that it would be a long process, my husband stayed at work while my mom came to the hospital with me. The process seemed to go well and I was sent home a few hours later to wait until labor started. I couldn’t believe that I would meet my little man soon!

A few hours after I got home, something didn’t feel right. I started having major pain in my lower back and I didn’t know if this was some sort of labor pain. I took all of the prenatal classes but I wasn’t expecting such strong pain in my lower back with no pain in the front. Throughout my pregnancy, my little guy was always moving around in my belly but now he hadn’t moved in several hours. I called the hospital to ask if I should come in and told them that I was worried. They said that it was normal for babies to go periods of time without moving but I knew something wasn’t right and I went to the hospital anyways. I am so glad that I did – always trust your instincts.

Once at the hospital, I was hooked up to several machines to monitor both me & the baby. Even at the hospital, they weren’t seeing any movement from him at all and his heartbeat was dropping to dangerous levels. I hadn’t dilated at all and I remember thinking to myself “If labor hasn’t even started yet, how am I going to get through this?”. I was in so much pain and I was so worried about my little guy. The machines kept going into alarm and the nurses would come in saying things like “This doesn’t look good” or “I’m not comfortable with this” but the doctor kept insisting that it was too early to make the decision for a c-section. As you can imagine, I was completely overwhelmed! Do I insist that the doctor does a c-section or do I trust his expertise?

I was feeling such a wide range of different emotions and so many questions were going through my mind. Did I make the right decision to be induced? Would he be in this situation if I would have told my doctor that I didn’t want to be induced? Should I tell the doctor that I want an emergency c-section or was the decision even up to me?

After almost 12 hours at the hospital, the doctor told me that it would be awhile before my son was born. I sent my husband home to get some sleep and my mom came to stay with me. It was then that there was a shift change in the hospital and another doctor came on shift. The new nurse with me was looking at the monitor and I could see that she was worried. She went to talk to the doctor and within a few minutes the doctor came into the room and I received the worst news of my life.

“We have to do an emergency c-section right now. I don’t know if the baby will survive but I will do my best.”

As you can imagine, I was crying uncontrollably. My mom was trying to comfort me but she couldn’t stop crying either. I couldn’t imagine losing my baby. My mom quickly called my husband and my dad and told them to get to the hospital immediately. In the meantime, I was being prepped for surgery.

Thankfully my husband made it to the hospital just as they were taking me down the hall for surgery. My little guy was born about 15 minutes after my doctor made the decision to do the surgery. I’ve never witnessed a birth before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I always thought that when a baby was born that they would immediately start crying. My little guy wasn’t making any noise at all. There were so many people in the room, including a pediatrician, who immediately took my son into a corner and started examining him. I didn’t know if he was okay and I remember crying for someone to give me an answer.

It was probably only a few seconds before someone gave me an answer but it seemed like such a long wait. I had a healthy baby boy born at 7 pounds, 2 ounces and 19 ¾ inches long. They took him to the nursery and my husband went with him while they finished working on me. It was close to 2 hours before I had the opportunity to see him and hold him. He was adorable! So tiny – so perfect!

The doctors never were able to explain why we came so close to losing him. This is why I’m too scared to go through another pregnancy. My little guy is healthy and perfect in every way and I am so thankful for him. I still cry when I think of the day he was born and all of the stress and uncertainty that we went through. I can’t go through that again.

So now we are a happy & healthy family of three! My little guy is my best buddy and I love him more than I could have ever imagined loving anyone.

Did your pregnancy go as you imagined it would?

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: parenting

Fisher-Price Favourites in Baby Gear

March 19, 2013 By Cheryl Leave a Comment

Fisher-Price has launched their Fisher-Price Favourites campaign to shine a spotlight on some of their most popular pieces of baby gear and toys. Included in this list are 5 pieces of baby gear and 7 toys. This month I’d like to focus on the baby gear items and I’d love to hear about your experiences with any (or all) of these items!

The 5 pieces of baby gear that have proven to be the “Best of the Best” are:

My Little Snugabunny Cradle N Swing
Ocean Wonders Aquarium
Infant to Toddler Rocker
SpaceSaver High Chair
Discover’n Grow Jumperoo

Have you used any of these items?Are you able to offer advice or opinions on any of these Fisher-Price Favourites? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Fisher-Price Favourites – My Little Snugabunny Cradle ‘n Swing:

When my son was first born, we borrowed the Fisher-Price My Little Lamb Cradle ‘n Swing (similar to the My Little Snugabunny Cradle ‘n Swing). My son absolutely loved it and so did I! The gentle rocking motion and soothing music helped him get to sleep. When my son was first born, I never wanted to put him down because I loved (and still do!) those snuggles. When I needed a few moments to myself to rest or pump, the swing was a place where I could set him down while knowing he was comfortable and secure. The friend who let us borrow the swing is now using it for her second child. In 3 years, this swing has been used for 3 babies and each one has enjoyed it.

I was just reading more about the My Little Snugabunny Cradle ‘n Swing and I noticed that it has a plug-in option to save on batteries. I love that! When your little one is resting comfortably, the last thing you want to do is disturb him to change some batteries.

Fisher-Price Favourites – Ocean Wonders Aquarium:

Although we didn’t have the Ocean Wonders Aquarium, we did have a Fisher-Price crib mobile and I can tell you that it was very well-made and well-loved. We’ve taken down my son’s crib and my husband and I were both sad to see the mobile go. Like the Ocean Wonders Aquarium, this mobile played soothing music that my husband and I both found to be comforting as well. We have many fond memories of rocking my son to sleep by the light and sounds of the mobile. The Ocean Wonders Aquarium plays music and sound for up to 18 minutes but also comes with a remote so that you can restart it without having to enter the room and disturb your baby.

You can read more about each of the Fisher-Price Favourites here.

Now after all the reminiscing about my son’s infant stage, I need to go give him an extra snuggle!

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: family fun, fisher-price, mom and baby, parenting

Getting Ready for a Baby with Sears Canada

March 17, 2013 By Cheryl 1 Comment

Getting ready for a baby can be a very overwhelming experience. Of course, there is the excitement you feel as you wait to meet your newest addition. There is also the long list of things to do to prepare before the baby arrives – cleaning lists, shopping lists, books to read to prepare for delivery and the list goes on! Sears Canada has recently completed some renovations in The Baby’s Room both in the department layout and the selection of products. Have you checked it out yet?

Sears Canada is launching the Newborn Nesting Event in The Baby’s Room from March 22nd – April 4th. Here I’ll share some great tips for your nesting shopping along with details of this exciting event hosted by Sears Canada. There are some great deals that you are not going to want to miss out on!

Getting Ready for a Baby:

For me, my nesting shopping started the instant that I found out I was pregnant. I was thrilled with the news and I couldn’t wait to start shopping for our little baby. It seemed like I was coming home with bags and boxes of baby items daily. After my first few baby shopping sprees, I knew it was time that I sat down and made a list of all of the items I needed. Although the baby shopping sprees were a lot of fun, I knew that we’d run out of funding and space if I continued with these shopping sprees for the next 9 months!

I love this ultrasound photo of my little guy at 23 weeks. Doesn’t he look like he’s saying “Come on people! Would you please let me get back to my nap?!”.

Before you start your nesting shopping, here are a few items to consider:

Will your nursery have a theme? If so, keep that in mind while you are picking out bedding and other nursery decor.

Will your nursery have a specific colour-scheme? If so, you’ll want to shop for items that match your vision.

Will you be decorating for a specific gender or gender neutral? Keep in mind that if you want to pass along the decorations to your little one’s future siblings, you may want to stay gender neutral.

What are the dimensions of your nursery? Write these down and bring the information along during your shopping trips. You want the nursery to be a comfortable space for the baby so be sure to leave plenty of space to easily move around. You don’t always want to be stubbing your toe on furniture when you get up for those late night feedings!

What is your budget? You’ll want to figure this out before you go because it is really easy to overspend when shopping for a little one.

There are so many items to purchase for a new baby and even though the experience is exciting, you can easily become overwhelmed with too many options and decisions. To help stay on track while shopping, stick to items for a specific age group. For example, in the nesting phase focus on the items you’ll need when you first bring the baby home like the crib, mattress, bedding, glider/rocking chair, decor, etc. Leave the jumper, highchair and baby food making supplies for a few months until your little one reaches that stage. This way you can save yourself some valuable storage space while keeping an eye on Sears Canada for sales and special events.

Be sure to bring along a small notebook, pen and a camera. You can make note of the dimensions of certain items so that you can sketch out a plan for the nursery when you get home. You can also make notes of items that you’d like to purchase for later stages in your baby’s life. The camera comes in handy for taking pictures of furniture, designs and colours of decor. This is useful later when you’re trying to plan paint colours and room layout.

Throughout Sears Canada you’ll find plenty of guides to help you during your selection process. Not sure about car seat stages and how long little ones ride in the travel system bucket seats? Not sure what type of firmness and support you need in a baby mattress? Sears Canada has many informational displays throughout the store to help you to make an informed decision. The Sears Sales Associates have received extensive training on the inventory in The Baby’s Room and they are there to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask!

The Sears Sales Associates can offer tips on items to consider when purchasing pieces for your nursery, where you can find more detailed product information, what have been popular purchases with other parents, what is in stock and what new arrivals are expected to arrive soon.

Newborn Nesting Event with Sears Canada:

From March 22 – April 4th, Sears Canada is hosting an exciting Newborn Nesting Event. This is the perfect time to stock up on some of those newborn essentials! During this event, if you spend $250 (before tax) worth of nursery items (including cribs, furniture, gliders, and nursery decor/bedding) you’ll receive 15% back on a cash card! This cash card works similarly to a gift card, so you can come back to The Baby’s Room for another mini shopping spree until May 31. For those shopping in Edmonton, you’ll receive 15% off at the point of purchase, instead of a cash card.

There are so many styles of cribs and nursery furniture to choose from. Sears Canada has an adorable selection of crib bedding. My absolute favourite is the Carter’s Laguna Monkeys set. How can I not love a bedding set that includes fish with snorkel masks?!

Here are some other adorable crib sets that were in stock at my local Sears store.

You Could Win BIG with The Waiting Game Club!

While at Sears Canada, don’t forget to inquire about The Waiting Game Club. Simply create your baby’s registry, guess your baby’s birth date and if you guess correctly you win BIG! Last year Sears gave away rewards worth over $164,000 to Waiting Game Club winners.

Have you selected your adorable Easter outfits?

With another 20cm of snow expected this weekend, it’s hard for me to believe that spring is on the way. Even if we’re still up to our noses in snow this Easter, I’m determined to get cute Easter pictures of my little guy. Sears Canada has a large selection of Easter outfits for your little ones and they are on sale until March 31st. If you’re covered in snow as well, a local greenhouse is an excellent place to take your spring family photos. You can even pack along a little picnic and make a family date out of it!

What item are you most excited about purchasing for your little one?

If you already have a little one, is there something you would recommend to other expecting parents?

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears Canada The Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: mom and baby, parenting, sears

Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan Expansion

March 14, 2013 By Cheryl 13 Comments

“Giving sick children what they need most…the presence and support of their families“. This is the vision statement for the Ronald McDonald House and you can see these words in action at any of the 300+ houses across the world (14 in Canada). Today I had the pleasure of attending a media event in Regina where Ronald McDonald House had a chance to thank all of the Regina donors for their support in the For Every Family Capital Campaign in Saskatchewan.

Before I tell you more about what I learned about Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan today, I’d like to share a personal story from a dear friend of mine. Her son was born by emergency c-section at 28 weeks and weighed just 1 pound 14 ounces. She has kindly let me feature her story here to help get the word out to others about the amazing support available at Ronald McDonald House.

After a horrible pregnancy from the beginning and a routine weekly check up at my specialist, it appeared I had gone toxaemic. I was immediately checked into the Calgary Foothills Hospital. The next afternoon (Wednesday, August 4, 2004 at 2:03 pm) I was rushed for an emergency c-section. Ben was 28 weeks and 1 lb, 14 oz. This was the beginning of a long road.

He was in NICU for 4 days but off the ventilator in 11 hrs. Once he could breathe on his own he was moved to the special care nursery. He stayed day in and day out in his incubator – the nurses called it his “condo”. He was 4 days old the first time I held him. He fit in my hand. It was unimaginable. Like a bad dream. Babies weren’t suppose to be this small.

On day 4 after being able to hold him I was released from the hospital. The problem being we didn’t live in Calgary – we were in the middle of moving back to BC. The social worker for the hospital came in and explained Ronald McDonald House to us. I knew the house existed but had no idea what it did or was. Since the home was filled at the time, we stayed in a hotel for 2 nights before we moved in. My husband had to run back and forth to work so he settled me in and left the next morning. I was worried I wouldn’t make it through on my own. I soon realized I wasn’t on my own at all.

Ben was 55 days old when we came home. The whole time I was there either with or without my husband, I felt at home at the Ronald McDonald House. The staff (which were all volunteers) are amazing. They all take the time to know you and your situation. The other families become friends away from home. It didn’t matter what time you came back from the hospital – as soon as the volunteer for the evening heard you come in he or she was up and greeting you. I remember having tea at various late hours and they had all the time in the world for you to talk, laugh, cry or even just sit and sip tea with you.

The house truly is a home away from home. I’d recommend it to anyone in need. It’s affordable and filled with love. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the home, I don’t know what my husband and I would’ve done. It was one less thing for my husband to worry about. To anyone who may stay at a Ronald McDonald House, don’t worry about feeling out of place or being judged. They are a support group without you even knowing. They’re for their own reasons and if they ask about your situation it’s just that they are trying to understand.

Benjamin is going to be 9 this summer. It has been a bumpy road at times. He still has a few small learning curves but it doesn’t slow him any. He’s almost as tall as me and if we tackle each other he knows he can defeat me. He reminds everyone of a very old soul. Very loving and caring but will take charge if needed. He’s the best big brother. He makes sure his little brother Justin gets to and from school each day, fixes him snacks and reads him stories.

He’s aware of his story but I’m not sure he understands it only being 9. He does however know how McDonald’s raises money for the Ronald McDonald House on certain days. When he sees the ads for these days coming, he tells everyone to go and buy something to donate to the Ronald McDonald House.

It’s a memory that started off scary but ended up perfect. Something my family will never forget.

Thank you to Crystal, Joe, Ben & Justin for sharing your story!

Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan (located in Saskatoon) is currently undergoing a $10 million expansion and renovation project that will add a 30,000 square foot expansion including the addition of 18 rooms (bringing the total to 31), laundry facilities, computer room, maternal baby care rooms, play areas for siblings, expanded kitchen facilities, and family gathering areas. In 2010, nearly 300 families (more than 30% of the 914 families who came to them for help) had to find accommodations elsewhere because Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan was not able to accommodate them. These new expansion and renovations are currently underway and are on schedule to be completed in early 2014.

Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan Interesting Facts:

Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan has been available to families for over 25 years
Families of sick or injured children 18 years and younger are able to use the accommodations.
The fee per night is only $10; however, no family is ever refused accommodations due to inability to pay.
Your child does not have to be in the hospital for long term care in order to stay at Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan. Even if you have to come for one night for a special doctor’s appointment, you are welcome to call the house to inquire about accommodations.
For every 1 staff person, there are 3 full-time volunteers at the house.

How You Can Help:

Spread the word about Ronald McDonald House – let friends and family know about the support and accommodations available.
Since Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan is currently limited in storage space due to the construction phase, their wish list consists of items such as gift cards for groceries, household items, restaurants, taxis and toys.

To learn more about Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan, you can visit their website.

Have you, a friend or family member ever used one of the Ronald McDonald Houses? What would you like others to know about your experience?

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: mom and baby, parenting

Fisher-Price Million Moments of Joy Contest

March 9, 2013 By Cheryl 2 Comments

The time is here – Fisher-Price has launched the Million Moments of Joy campaign and contest! There’s nothing a mom loves more than showing the world how smart and simply adorable her little ones are. This is your chance to do just that while entering for a chance to win a fabulous prize package!

Million Moments of Joy Contest:

Simply visit the Million Moments of Joy page to upload a photo of your moment of joy with your little one(s). You can read all of the rules and regulations here (open to Canadian residents only excluding Quebec, you must be the parent or legal guardian of the child aged 1 day to 7 years at the time of entry) . Once you upload your photo, you are automatically entered to win one of eight weekly prize packages (each valued at $200). Good Luck!

Feeling OVERstocked:

Since becoming a Fisher-Price Mom, I’ve shared monthly posts with you on the many OVER-moments of becoming a new parent. In January, I told you a little bit about the birth of my son and all of the OVERjoyed and OVERwhelming feelings that came with that experience. In February, I shared my OVERwhelming experience of finding out that my son has a peanut allergy. This month, I’d like to share my feelings about being OVERstocked.

Expecting a new child is such a wonderful experience. I loved watching my belly grow each month and feeling those little hiccups in my belly. I loved hearing the words “It’s a boy” and starting to picture our life as a family of three. I loved the shopping…oh how I loved the shopping!

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I started shopping for all the essentials and my mom was always right there by my side. Actually, my mom started shopping for her “grandchildren” when I was still in high school. Since I didn’t have kids for 15 years after I graduated high school, she had quite the collection when my son was born! She saved many of the Fisher-Price toys from when my brothers and I were young and she grabbed any that she’d find at garage sales too. You can read all about our retro Fisher-Price toys here – how many of these do you remember?

With my shopping adventures, my mom’s shopping adventures, hand-me-downs from friends, a work baby shower and a baby shower from friends and family – we were OVERstocked by the time our sweet baby boy arrived! I felt so blessed to have so many wonderful people around me that wanted to share the joy of our upcoming arrival.

A few weeks ago I started sorting through the baby clothes from my son’s first year (pardon the poor quality of the photo from my phone). As you can see, we were certainly OVERstocked on clothing.

Are you expecting your first child? Not sure what you’ll need? Fisher-Price has a great baby gear product guide to help you get started. You can also check out the Fisher-Price Favourites to see what has proven to be the “Best of the Best” in baby gear.

What advice can you offer other parents who are starting to shop for their first baby? We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below!

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: family fun, fisher-price, kids activities, mom and baby, parenting