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Fisher Price Haul of New & Old Toys

 

Do you remember your favourite toy as a baby? Maybe you do by looking at baby pictures or your mom/dad must’ve told you a story that went something like this ..”you wouldn’t put it down and it went everywhere with you:..or…”we had to sneak it out of your hands to wash it”.. or simply.. “it was your favourite”. When I think of Fisher Price I remember my favourite telephone toy:

fisher price telephone

Fisher Price has created some pretty awesome toys since this telephone one and I think I’m having more fun playing with baby D’s toys than he is.😆 Five of these toys are part of their new Smart Stages™ line of toys. This Smart Stages™ technology allows you to change between 3 different playing levels. You change levels according to your little ones age. Or if your LO (little one) is like baby D and loves to explore and play with different things everyday then switching between the levels is a great idea. I’m a true believer that every child learns differently and there’s no one way. By switching between levels you can determine which level your LO enjoys the most. 

fisher price toys

The Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Puppy ($29.94)

This cuddly puppy goes with baby D where ever he goes! He loves songs and interactive toys, so the level that plays the most songs is his favourite. When he was just over a year old he learnt how to shuffle through the songs by pressing the correct paw. Incredible! Now Baby Z has the same one but the girl version.

The Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Scooter ($39.99)

His first wheels! I remember the very first time we put him on this scooter he was under a year and his legs didn’t even touch the ground. That didn’t stop him from smiling and squealing when we pressed a few buttons on it for music and sounds. He grew up with this scooter beautifully. He learned very quickly that in order to stay on he had to hold the handlebars and once he turned over a year he was getting pushed and pulled on this scooter. His grandfather used his cane to pull him on the scooter and then his grandmother tied a stretchy fabric band on it to be pulled. Soon his legs were able to touch the ground and he started moving around. Absolutely loved going for the ride and as the scooter moves around it plays different sounds of vrooming, music and more!

Beat Bo ($49.99)

I remember the first time I saw this little robot I was so impressed with the lighting and the way it dances! This robot jukebox plays music and engages with babies and toddlers to dance along. Baby D and Z have loved this toy for years! My personal favourite feature is the record option. You record something and it plays it back in music form.

SMART STAGES TABLET ($19.99)

I love how this was Baby D’s first tablet! It lights up and twinkles to different sounds and music. It also has different stages so it grows with your child. They can learn the alphabets, animals and the letter it starts with and the sounds that go with the letters.

TEACHING TOTE ($20.00)

Baby D didn’t play with this as much as his other toys but Baby Z loves it! She loves pushing the tote flap back and putting random items she finds inside it! I also love that this tote bag comes with over 50 songs, words and phrases.

 

LAUGH AND LEARN PUPPY TRUCK ($8.00 ON SALE)

This satisfied Baby D’s obsession with trucks and construction. Comes with a puppy driver, truck bed moves up and down and 5+ sing-along songs, tunes & phrases.

Do you have any favourite Fisher Price toys?

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bloggers brunch
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What Happens During Brunch With Bloggers

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

bloggers brunch

During my early years as a blogger, I wondered what it would be like to sit among other like-minded individuals in the blogging world. So here I am, this year, with lots of breakfast, lunch/brunch and dinners with other bloggers and I gotta say, what an awesome experience! Some bloggers are very different in person from what I actually thought they’d be like according to their posts and online voice. And others, like the below crew, are exactly the same offline as they present themselves online. When they’re exactly the same, I have to admit I get such a feel-good feeling. It’s wonderful to see that realness and authenticity come to life. So here’s what happens during brunch with bloggers:

Bloggers – Left to right: YesMissy – Cat Forsley – Dianas Healthy Living –
Maggie Adhami – ME – Shoeteasetoronto bloggers

What Happens During Brunch With Bloggers

Last month I met up with some amazing bloggers for brunch, in downtown Toronto. You might recognize them(see above). First, there are the quick intros and then the “omg that’s you!” chit-chat. And then lots of talk about blogging. Everything from how to editing, favourites applications, google analytics and SEO – (I’m drooling!) brands and events. I love talking tech! Plugins and what works for us and what doesn’t. If there is one takeaway you should get from this post, it would be “together we are stronger”. As similar as we may seem for content creation and voices; we all still have our own style, community, and our own niche experiences/opinions.

blogger brunch toronto

I love how bloggers bounce ideas off each other and the best part is when the food comes out, it comes out altogether so we can take flat lays, single shots and just pictures galore without anyone getting upset. Because we all get it! It’s a no judge zone and at that moment while taking pictures we are all pulling in the same energy and are alike. That is the very moment everyone really comes together. When we’re in our natural blogging element. Brunch with bloggers is not only about food, but getting to know the beautiful individuals I love to follow online and getting to know them at a much more realistic level.

outfit of the day toronto
Leather crop top – Zara
outfit of the day toronto
Bomber Jacket – Dynamite/Garage Clothing Outlet at Dixie Mall

 

 

Breakfast of champions!🤤 @joebirdto also does take out. What did you have for breakfast today? 😊

A post shared by Lifestyle • Fashion • Beauty (@humjk) on

Here’s what I wore to the brunch. I have been looking for a pleated winter skirt for so long! Now that I’ve found it, I want to wear it as much as possible! I found this skirt online at Aritizia and it was on sale for $80. Linked it and some others:

ONE – TWO – THREE

aritzia jude skirt

Matched the grey tone with a color block grey purse from Zara. Sorta similar: ONE – TWO – THREE

BRUNCH WITH BLOGGERS
Boots – Steve Madden

brunch with bloggers

 

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Watch Netflix with Your Toddler
Tech

TOP 3 Interactive Ways to Watch Netflix with Your Toddler

To be honest, I’m enjoying the freedom to watch cartoons again. I mean, of course, with him. I read an article a few months back about interacting with your children while they get screen time helps them actually focus and learn from what they’re watching. Otherwise, they can easily fall into just watching shows aimlessly. So here are my TOP 3 interactive ways to watch Netflix with your toddler:

Watch Netflix with Your Toddler

TOP 3 Interactive Ways to Watch Netflix with Your Toddler

1. ASK QUESTIONS:

Asking your toddler what/why/how pertaining to the episode they’re watching helps them to stay in focus on what’s going on. It always opens communication with the parent. Usually, when I ask questions, soon after I’m holding some toys and we’re reenacting what happened on the scene he just watched on Paw Patrol.Or I’m googling for answers to his questions about specific animals. If you ask questions, they will too. Watch Netflix with Your Toddler

2. SING ALONG OR REPEAT:

If Baby D is watching, for an example, Mother Goose Club or the opening credits to any of the shows I sing along or even say the words I remember in the song and encourage him to join in. Even repeating important parts of the show helps with being interactive. Dora the Explorer is an easy one for this. This show actually interacts with the viewer, by asking questions, asking for help in making decisions and lots of repeating of words in English and Spanish!

Watch Netflix with Your Toddler

3. USE TOYS:

I use toys that relate to the show. If we’re sitting down to watch shows with animals, then I line up all his animals. This one is a really good one if you have a hard time shortening your toddlers’ screen time. It’s a great transition into playing with toys.

Watch Netflix with Your Toddler
netflix for toddlers

Here are some great shows to watch with your toddler (for more, click the image):

Watching shows with Baby D that he loves, shows him my interest in his life. Shows him how much I care and love his obsession with animals. The beginner steps to being a supportive parent start here.

If you like these tips, please take a moment to save the below image to Pinterest! You never know when it’ll come in handy.

TOP 3 Interactive Ways to Watch Netflix with Your Toddler

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brother sister
Motherhood

Sibling Love: 5 Tips On Transitioning Your First Child

motherhood advice brother sister bond

The early days of being pregnant for the second time, I remember people asking me, what do you want? A boy or a girl? My main concern was, which would little one D get along with more? Would he be more jealous if it were a boy vs a girl or vice versa? Transitioning a toddler from being your one and only to ..”you’re a big brother/sister” can be difficult and/or naturally easy. Every child is different. I’m not sure if it was just luck, or if everything I did leading up to the birth and a month into her being here actually worked. He absolutely adores her. His transition and current status of being a big brother is working. He’s everything I wished for him to be towards his baby sister. Thank god! 

Sibling Love: 5 Tips On Transitioning Your
First Child Into Being a Brother/Sister

I’m sharing the best tips and advice I either read about in baby forums or was told to try via friends and family. P.S I don’t consider myself some kind of baby/toddler expert. I’m constantly absorbing as much information I can on how to handle every stage of life for my LO’s. I also still believe a mothers instinct wins over any advice or tips. Here goes: 

<Disclaimer: These tips may not work for everyone. Every child is unique and their personalities require less/more attention when it comes to preparing them for a sibling. A mother always knows best. And only YOU can determine what’s best for your child. Watch for cues from your child on what to do and say. Congratulations and good luck!>

child
Click image to view more details on Baby Z’s new favourite blanket.

  1. Have the talk. As soon as I started showing I was pregnant I had a talk with my LO (Little One). As a matter of fact, I had more than one or two talks. Finding the right moment, when your LO’s entire attention is focused on what you’re saying is the best time to have that talk. Even if it’s for a few seconds. They do retain that information. Especially if you’re having that talk more than once. Opportunities like, before/after reading a book to your LO. During a car ride. At the grocery store while shopping for your new baby. These are all great moments to have that talk. What does the talk sound like? What do I say? I start off with rubbing my belly and saying there’s a baby in here. Are you excited for the baby? And then I just ramble on about being a big brother, how much fun he’ll have when baby can play and how much he’ll love being a big brother. I would end my talk with the same belly motion and saying again, baby is inside here. Baby is coming! I believe repetition is key. To a certain extent of course.
  2. Ask questions. Little D is 2 years old. I’m always asking him questions. Allowing him to make decisions and so naturally I always asked, “what’s inside here?” (Pointing to my belly) Because of our talks he knew I was talking about the baby and he would reply “bay-beeee!” There were some days where he wouldn’t answer at all and just give me a weird look. I’d ask 3 more times and if still no answer. I’d try again in a few hours or the next day. Especially closer to my due date, i asked him like clockwork everyday during his bath time. Building his excitement for the baby’s arrival. Now that she’s here, my questions have changed to: “Is she cute?” “Do you love your baby sister?” “Do you want to give baby a kiss?”

    READ MORE: Little D’s Carters OOTD

    toronto mom blogger

  3. Our baby/Your baby. The first time Little D met Baby Z we got a present from her to him. A lot of my friends recommended this. I’m not sure if it worked and if he understood, but since so many recommended it, I had to try it. We got an elephant rocker and told him baby brought it for him. He smiled and played with it for awhile, and quickly lost interest in it. The excitement wasn’t there. Since I didn’t get the reaction I was looking for, whenever I took them both shopping with me, I’d get him something small and say this is from baby.
  4. See, see, no touch. I know babies are tough, but newborns to me, will always be fragile little humans. So naturally when my LO wants to hug or touch Baby Z, I get scared and my first reaction in the beginning was to say “No.” But I soon realized saying no isn’t the best approach. Something I learnt from his daycare teachers was to use the word “gentle” instead. Now whenever he comes close I say “gentle, gentle.” It sounds obvious right? But when you’re in the moment, sometimes the first word to say that comes to mind, especially if it’s no, doesn’t seem to feel wrong to say. But the word no, could lead to your child feeling angry, confused or jealous towards the new baby. Gentle on the other hand, welcomes your child to be around the baby but to not be rough.

    READ MORE: Motherhood series

    mom blogger toronto

  5. Let’s do this together. When Baby Z cries, my LO and I both look for solutions. “Does she want a toy?”, “Where’s her Tee Tee (pacifier)?” – He use to reach for her pacifier to use it and now because I’ve included him in giving it to her, he reaches for it to place in her mouth. Even when she needs a diaper change, I ask him if he wants to help. Sometimes while I’m nursing her, he’ll come and sit beside me, or if he doesn’t, I always ask him if he wants to come. To make him feel like, we’re in this together. As your child grows and changes, their needs and wants change, and so will their emotions towards everything around them. The best we can do is to engage, ask questions and ensure your child is always a part of everything. Now when anyone is around Baby Z, he’ll grab them and point at Baby Z and say, “aweee. So cute.” Moments like this make me feel like all that work to make that sibling bond strong is so worth it. What are your fondest memories with your siblings? Any tips for mama’s?

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Style

Long Weekend Ready with Dixie Outlet Mall

dixie outlet mall long weekend wear

The wait for the long weekend is over! *insert happy dance* That one extra day of having my husband home makes a world of a difference. It means I get to do so much more than I usually do on the weekends. The weather has been really topsy turvy and because of that I opted for a long weekend ready outfit from Dixie Outlet Mall that would work in rain or shine.

ardene fashion dixie outlet

How To Get Long Weekend Ready with Dixie Outlet Mall…

We often forget the power of the sun and being outdoors for long periods of time can get you sun burnt. I keep my make-up to a minimal on a long weekend. Just don’t want to be bothered with spending hours applying it just to take it off again. Best fashion accessory to hide behind is a cute hat of course! I got this hat from Ardene and you won’t believe the deals they have here! The hat (regular price $12.50) was under a section that said 5/10. This means, 5 items for $10! Mind blown, right? I actually had first picked up a cape from the front rack of the store that I really liked. At the cash register they said it was $25, but because it was under the 5 for $10 section, I could pick up 3 more items and get them all for $10. *Heck yea!*

spring shoes dixie outlet mall

long weekend style

READ ALSO: Spring Wardrobe Refresh

It felt like I was getting freebies at Ardene. For the 3 additional items, I chose knee high socks (regular: $5) and flip flops (regular: $6.50) for when I go swimming. Where else can you go shopping and get 5 items like this for $10?! There are so many #DixieDeals at the Dixie Outlet Mall. It’s a matter of learning about them all so when you go there next, you know exactly where to shop, what part of the store and what you’ll be able to get.

long weekend what to wear

I love slip on sandals because they can be dressed up or dressed down for a day at the beach. I got these beige ones from Call it Spring on sale for $29.99. As a side note, you’ll notice the mall has colour coded entrances. This store is closest to the purple entrance. Check out the mall map here to plan out where to park.

 

call it spring toronto shopping

I heard via social media that Suzy Shier opened up at the Dixie Outlet Mall. Naturally I had to check it out! Short story: I use to shop at Suzy Shier all the time years ago. I remember getting the perfect black dress pants and I wore them so much that they ripped. Months later, I went back to Suzy Shier to see if they had a replacement for them and to my surprise they did! I bought 3 pairs that day! For my long weekend look I found the perfect white sheer t-shirt for $22.50; that will transition well from spring, through the summer.

toronto outlet shopping

High-waisted pants are my best friend, especially since having Baby Z a month ago. The grey pants were bought at Dynamite for $20 on the clearance racks! Can’t wait to style these pants this long weekend. Shopping for my little ones is so much fun! Although I’m pretty set for the year with clothes for both Baby D and Z, how could I ignore the great deals at Carters? This entire outfit worn by Baby D is from Carters.

carters dixie outlet mall

Shirt – $18  – Pants – $20  – Shoes –$34

carter shoes

These shoes are really comfortable. He has a pair he wears at daycare as his indoor shoes so this pair will be great for outdoors. They’re called Robeez soft soles and the soles are just that. Ultra soft, flexible leather bends easily making these shoes really comfortable. You can find them at the front of the Carters store on a rack.

carters fashion

toronto kids fashion

His sad face because he said hi to a girl at the park and she didn’t say hi back. Tough love.

That moment when Baby D flung sand up and got it in his eyes. This is real life, mom life.

Our long weekend plans usually consist of spending some time outdoors by the river, at the park, shopping and some good quality time with our families and friends. What are your plans for the long weekend? Do you have an outfit planned out?

READ ALSO: Spring shoes favourites

 

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Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.

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baby goes to daycare
Motherhood

What to expect when your baby starts daycare

baby goes to daycare

Every baby is different. Transitioning for your baby might be easier or worse than my experience. I hope to shed some perspective and light on this topic for those mama’s who might be going through this or are thinking about going back to work.

Transitioning Day 1

We were both up really late last night and although my husband gently woke me up this morning, we hit the snooze and slept in just a little bit more. Transitioning days at baby D’s daycare are 930 – 1130am for three days. We arrived for day 1 around 10:05 ish. During the visit I hadn’t seen any cool toys or books laying around so I was a bit hesitant on choosing the place but as soon as we entered the infant room, we could see lots and lots of cute stuff. As usual, baby D was a little shy at first. Scoping out the room and looking at his new playmates. I had fun talking to the caregivers and also sat there and observed baby D to see whether he was enjoying himself, scared or did he have an idea of what was to come on day 4. He played shy for a bit but every time someone acknowledged him or when other babies would come to talk, touch or play with him he’d turn to me and smile. After 30 minutes he was slowly and cautiously walking towards other babies and different toys. He would then come walking back and give me a big hug (maybe in case I was feeling scared) and quietly babble stuff to me. He’s so loving. Come 11 am I noticed they started to have their lunch so we left early and planned that tomorrow we’d come for 9 am – 11 am. So I think even though it was just an hour, I feel like he’ll enjoy his time there. He loves other babies and he’ll love making new friends. *fingers crossed*

TIPS: I held him at first and then every few minutes tried to move away and let him explore. Also, when I was playing and talking to the other babies I think it made him feel more comfortable with them and curious.

Transitioning Day 2

Today baby D warmed up to the new environment in 5 minutes! Which is pretty awesome considering he was woken up from his nap. He walked around the room and played with the other babies and all was great! Everything was great until I found a staple on the ground and that really concerned me. Considering how baby D is going through a stage where he puts everything in his mouth, this was scary. I gave the staple to one of the caregivers in the room. I scanned the room to see where it came from and noticed that they use staples to put up “group work” on a board right above where the babies play. I thought about this when I went home and I really don’t like “complaining” because I’m afraid it comes off rude or bitchy. I asked my mommy friends what they would do and they had a good point when they said bring it up as a suggestion rather than a complaint. So, tomorrow I’m definitely letting them know.

Transitioning Day 3

Baby D and I woke up late today so we only went for 30 minutes. Plus tomorrow is his birthday and I have some last minute things to do. It took him just a few minutes to warm up to everyone again and once he was cool with everyone he was playing, walking, talking.. doing his thing. I think he’s going to be okay! On my way out I let the manager of the daycare know about the staple board. I suggested maybe they could use tape to put things up instead and how baby D puts everything in his mouth so I was just concerned about him getting a hold of a stray staple. She was very appreciative of my suggestion and told me she was glad I told her. Phewf. His full day of daycare without me starts after the weekend and I don’t think I’m ready to part with him for that long but it must be done. I’m really nervous.

Full Day One

I was feeling brave as I left him at daycare. He looked like he was having fun too. I went downtown to see my mom and I logged on to the live streaming video of him and first think I see is him crying. My heart broke in a million pieces. Bittersweet having this extra service to be able to watch him whenever I want. It was a busy day for me so I didn’t get many chances to watch him. There was a snow storm so I was running late to pick him up, so D (husband) picked him up. When he brought him home baby D just ignored me. He was definitely upset with me and kept giving D hugs and lots of attention. I tried to redeem myself with games of peekaboo and cookies. Finally he forgave me and I got those hugs I longed for all day.

Full Day Two

I’m depressed. I ran some errands at wal-mart and some other stores and saw so many babies and I started missing him really badly. His smell, his cute smiles and everything about him. I just keep thinking this isn’t right. I can’t do this. I just want to break down and cry but I’m holding back. Because I know if I do, I’m going to be even more miserable for the rest of the day. Logging in to watch him on the live stream and he’s being rocked. I can tell he’s sad. Probably thinking he can’t believe I did it again. I don’t think I can do the full day, so I’m going to pick him up in a few hours from now. In total I think after I pick him up he would be there for five hours. That’s enough for today, because I really need his hugs right now.

Full Day Three

He was so good today! I watched him explore the room, eat lots of food and give hugs to the caregivers. I think he’s starting to build trust with the environment and the caregivers.

Day One (back from the weekend)

It’s like starting all over again. He cried so much when I left him and he’s been crying since. It’s now lunch time and I’m watching him on the live stream and he’s eating a little bit but crying. But there’s hope. After lunch he took his nap, hopefully a good long one to recuperate from all the crying.

The best thing to do before you decide if daycare is the right approach so you can go back to work is list out other options and the pros and cons of each one. That’s what I did and I found daycare would be best for baby D. Some of my pros were his early interactions with other babies, having a fixed schedule and the location being very close to home. Also, if you’re starting your baby in daycare a little bit before you go back to work (highly recommend) you can have some time to adjust, get yourself together and get all those things you’ve wanted to do around the house, done. If your daycare doesn’t offer live streaming maybe you can suggest it to them for an opportunity to make more money and just keep yourself busy and ask lots of questions when you go to pick your child up. I saw some moms even stay by the door so they can peek and know what’s going on. Whatever you have to do to get comfortable with everything.

What do you find the most challenging about this change? Let me know below!

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How To Use a Baby Sling and the many benefits of one
Motherhood

Hotslings Adjustable Pouch Baby Carrier

hotsling

I’ve tried two different carriers before the hotslings one. The first one I had was one from wal-mart that you have seen me wear on snapchat and some of my posts on instagram. It was good but very bulky looking. It definitely wasn’t my favourite accessory when I wore it during our trips to Mexico and Italy. But carriers are different from slings. A sling looks like a hammock. When your baby is a newborn up until they are ready to sit, their spines are best supported in slings. This is because their weight is distributed along the length of the spine. Most carriers that hold the baby in an upright position with their legs hanging down, can stress the spine because they put all the baby’s weight at the base of the spine. I wish I had the hotslings when we were travelling. It would be perfect for that! Especially if you pick out one with a pattern that would go with most of your wardrobe, you’re pretty much set! Not bulky,easy to fold to put into your handbag and super light!

how to use a sling and the many benefits of one

Baby carriers usually have all of those ribbons hanging down and you have to snap it on in more than one place. It can be really discouraging and annoying. On the hotslings, the adjusting ribbons are all hidden but easy to find. Here’s a video of exactly how you would use hotslings:

How To Use a Baby Sling and the many benefits of one

So how do you know if you really need one or if this will become one of those never used items? You can start off by answering these questions:

  • Does your baby like being held?
  • Does he/she enjoy watching you cook/clean?
  • Does he/she sleep better close to your chest (skin to skin)?
  • Do you hate being bothered with taking out a stroller every time you go shopping or for walks?

If you answered YES to almost all of those questions then honey, you need one! Have you tried the fabric sling that has no adjustments and it’s basically just fabric? Well I also had one of those too and I had zero patience in putting it together to use. I tried it once and it was cool and comfortable but one day when I was in a rush, going in and out of the car at an outdoors mall/plaza, I was so annoyed that I didn’t have something easier to throw on to put baby D in. Instead I just kept him in the car seat and held that! And you know how heavy those car seats can be. True story. But thanks to my new hotslings, that will never happen again! Yay!

Side note: Here’s a good read on some of the many benefits of holding your baby more often that you can check out, by James Prescott, Ph.D.

One of the most helpful times to use the hotslings in my opinion is at home when you’re trying to get chores done. Especially when folding clothes! He loves watching me put clothes away and a little part of me hopes he retains what I’m doing.

how to use a sling and the many benefits of one

How To Use a Baby Sling and the many benefits of one

What baby carrier/sling are you using now? Do you prefer one over the other? Leave a comment below.

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