Read Together

From when Owen was in my tummy, up until this present day, we have always made time for reading. We love to pick out new books, and read our favorites over and over again. Owen has a incredible vocabulary for a 3 and a half year old, and I’m positive that our early reading has contributed to this.

When you first start to read with your baby choose a time where you’re little one is alert and engaged.  Choose appropriate age books,  and books with rhymes are really well received by children.

When Owen was only a few months old I would use puppet books like the one found here:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/little-scholastic-old-macdonald-hand/9780545026031-item.html?ikwid=puppet+hand+books&ikwsec=Home&gcs_requestid=0CIimqsaR-LgCFVKj5wodSEoAAA

Touch and feel books are great too:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/cloth-book-fuzzy-bee-touch/9780312491505-item.html?ikwid=touch+and+feel+books&ikwsec=Books&gcs_requestid=0CPC1tfmR-LgCFVLj5wodMg4AAA

( We have both of the above)

Water resistant books are great too, as when your baby is teeting- pretty much everything will end up in their mouth.

Here is a cute teething book:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/hello-baby-shaker-teether/9780312515089-item.html?ikwid=teething+book&ikwsec=Books&gcs_requestid=0CLCxto6S-LgCFYjn5wodCj8AAA

As Owen grew older about 1-1/2 he really loved rhyming books, “Read Me a Book” by Barabra Reid was a favourite, we read this story over and over again for a good 6 months:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/read-me-a-book-board/9780439937177-item.html?ikwid=Read+me+a+book&ikwsec=Books&gcs_requestid=0COj-zaqS-LgCFYo65wodaWYAAA

Today when we read Owen asks one thousand and one questions, so I’ve changed our 5 or 6 books before bed, to 3 or 4. I do this because I want to answer every single little question he has, I want him to enjoy reading and the way kids learn is by asking questions. If you skip over their questions, your kids will become less interested, and so will you. Take your time—pick fewer stories.

If you are interested in reading some books that we recommend ( fun for kids and parents ) refer back to my previous post here:

http://tipsfromamomma.blogspot.ca/2013/03/i-wont-be-posting-blogs-over-weekends.html

 Happy Tuesday Everyone! :)

Photo's from the last few days :)

                                                                   ^^^Port Stanley^^^

                                                             ^^^Burlington^^^

                                                          ^^^Sunday fun-day ^^^ :)

A Work Of Heart

One morning I was browsing through Instagram while enjoying my morning coffee, when I came across a painting of a mother and baby giraffe. What caught my eye was this beautiful painting, but what attracted my full attention was that this painting along with many others were being sold by A Work Of Heart, a small online business that sells artwork and donates a portion to building projects in Kenya.

Immediately I contacted the founder Laura Armstrong and I asked if she would be able to create a superhero painting for Owen, she gladly agreed, and the picture below says a thousand words. Owen could not have been more excited to have received such an incredible piece, and he will grow to know and learn the importance of this artwork.

So impressed with Laura, and her team at A Work Of Heart, I asked her if she would send me a little background on herself and how A Work Of Heart came about, this is what she had to say.

        “If you were to ask me how I came up with the idea to start ‘A Work of Heart,’ I can pin point it back to two moments during a trip to Kenya, a few years ago.

 I was standing in a run down internet cafe, looking at a small selection of postcards for sale. The one that stood out was a Zebra standing in stream of water. I told my teammate I was going to paint it. My team mate who didn’t believe I knew how to paint, told me that if I did, he would buy it. I had never considered selling my paintings before. I painted as hobby.

 Later during my trip I met a little girl named Doris. She lived in the local slum I was working in. She wasn’t attending school, and getting herself in very grown up trouble. This was certainly going to lead to a bleak future for her. It was down right heart breaking to observe.

 When I sold my Zebra painting, I used the money to sponsor Doris for one year. Doris is now in boarding school, receiving three meals a day, a place to sleep at night, and achieving an education that can take her miles away from the drug filled streets of the slum she lived in.

 I loved how my art not only sold, but did something for someone.

 I wanted to do it again.

 I made a Facebook group showing pictures of my work. Anyone could send me a photo and I would turn into it a piece of art. I would then give a portion of my earnings to, Living Positive Kenya (the charity I volunteered with while in Kenya).

 Since then I have raised enough money to renovate the charities daycare and I am in the process of purchasing  1/8^th of an acre of farmland.

 A Work Of Heart is about causing positive change from personal success. We all have the potential to be successful, and then use it to make a difference.

 I look at my paintings and don’t see just art, I see a charity being supported, I see Daycare’s being built, I see a little girl getting the chance to go to school.

 I see change.

 It’s not just a piece of art, it’s a work of heart.”

Teary-eyed after reading this, you can see the passion and compassion this young lady has. With the help from Tetley and One Method, Laura was able to take her organization to the next level. Shown here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBfBlKfjmLA)

This is only the beginning for Laura and A Work Of Heart. Thank you again for this incredible piece of work, we will cherish it always.

Please visit: www.aworkofheart.ca

Follow on Instagram @aworkofheart3

By Email at aworkofheart@live.com

Or on Facebook www.facebook.com/aworkofheart3

After my beauty summer picks from Clinique, I had quite a few people ask me what mascara I use, and if I wear false lashes. To answer the second question, I do not wear false lashes, these are 100% my own.  Although I think lash extensions are absolutely beautiful, I am not at the point to splurge on them just yet. Below are two mascara’s I use and recommend.

Estee Lauder has always been a family favorite for many of their products, and I have been lucky enough to receive their products as gifts over Christmas or birthdays. I say “lucky” because they are a little pricey, and my absolute favorite mascara is one of the most expensive that they offer--go figure! If mascara is a cosmetic product that you splurge on, then Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara would have to be my favorite Mascara. I have been wearing Estee Lauder’s products since I was about 16 years old. I find that this mascara you only need to apply once, holds up all day, and really gives me that full length and volume that opens up my eye.

On the search for a more budget friendly product that will give me the results that I’m looking for, I tried Flamed out by COVERGIRL and I absolutely love it! This mascara will give you length + volume to give you the full lash you are looking for and bonus- it cost about a quarter of the price compared to the Sumptuous Extreme. I had to apply twice to achieve the length and volume I wanted, but that is pretty standard for most mascaras.

Any other questions or comments, feel free to email me! J

Find Estee Lauder products at The Bay or Sears and COVERGIRL at most retailers such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, and Walmart.

http://babyorganicjoy.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/why-breastfeeding-matters/

Breast Feeding Matters

There is no question that breast milk contains everything that your baby needs for the first 6 months of their life. Breast milk contains nutrients and essential vitamins to promote healthy brain development and prevents risks of ear, chest and stomach infections, prevents diarrhea, Crohn's disease, colitis, SIDS and the risk of obesity later on in life.

Breast milk is always available, at the right temperature, and promotes healthy bonding between you and your baby.

Once your baby is born, the feedings will be frequent, and shorter in duration, ( this is where having their crib close to your bed comes in handy) as their little bodies mature and develop, and as their tummy's grow, their feedings will become less frequent and longer in duration. If you are worried that your baby isn't getting enough breast milk, here are some guidelines: To give you an idea your baby's stomach in only about the size of a cherry when they are born. Look for at least one wet diaper, and one soiled diaper the first day, on day two, at least 2 wet diapers, and by day 7, your baby should be having at least 6 wet diapers and 3 soiled diapers by this point. 

Having encouragement and support around you is also important. When I was pregnant, my mother would brag to me about how wonderful and easy breast feeding was for her, that she could feed, pump, have extra milk stored in the fridge. To me it all sounded so simple, and I remember thinking- breastfeeding will be a breeze! Boy, was I wrong! Owen was a sleepy baby and would fall asleep almost immediately, I was having a hard time latching, he preferred one breast to the other, it became frustrating, I was tired, and feeling down.

 Here is a valuable lesson that I learned through all of this, don't be afraid to ask for help. I contacted the local health unit, and had a visiting nurse come by the home to help me stimulate Owen, to keep him awake and interested. She showed me different breast feeding positions and surprisingly, the "football hold" (go figure), worked! A few days passed since the last visit with visiting the  nurse and even though I thought I had breastfeeding down to a science, I still involved myself in a close by breastfeeding group. Although Owen and I were on our way to breastfeeding successfully, it was still great to hear that other Mother's were going through the same trouble with breastfeeding like I was. It was good to feel like I was not the only one, it was a good way to meet other mothers, and learn some valuable tips. 

Breastfeeding and bonding with your baby is one of the most pleasurable aspects of motherhood and infant care. Enjoy it. :)

If you are interested in joining a breastfeeding group, La Leche League is a great resource to use, as they have mother to mother support groups and education, tips and tricks of breastfeeding. To find a group near you, you can visit their website at http://www.lllc.ca/

Happy Holiday Monday! :)