Food safety for the Summer

Just watching TV tonight and saw a news item on Dateline about bagged lettuce and E.coli. Click here to read the story.

Also, you can sign up for food recall notices and allergy alerts from the Canadian Food inspection Agency here.

~New e-Store at York Region Baby

We've added a small online store for your shopping pleasure. You can find it under, "Shopping and Services", "e-Store". From Bumbo Chairs to IsaBooties and more...!! We'll be adding more items in the coming weeks. Thanks to everyone's suggestions for adding the store. FREE delivery on all items in York Region!!

24 hours to go...

Just over 24 hours to go until our newsletter contest closes. To win a West Coast Baby Kimono Nighty and Hat valued at $34.99, all you have to do is subscribe to our newsletter. It's that simple. Each month we'll draw for something fabulous. We have a strict privacy policy and we don't share you email address with anyone! We will send you newsletters with events, contests, stories, special discounts from our sponsors and anything else that comes across (my very newly organized) desk. Go to York region Baby for more details.
~kirsty

Discovery Toys Spring Sale - Sunday April 30th

One of our great sponsors, Angela at Discovery Toys let us know that they are having a Spring Toy Fair, this Sunday April from 2:30 pm - 4 pm at the Holiday Inn at Woodbine & Steeles. All those who attend receive a FREE gift valued at $20.00. It is free to attend, but you must RSVP to

Nine Pound Dictator

Self professed Idol-head, hip mom, journalist, & author of Knocked Up: Confessions of a Modern Mother-to-be Rebecca Eckler entered the world of blogging a few months ago, and I became addicted to her blog last week.

Like her book, Eckler's blog is fun take on modern mommy-hood. You can follow along with her adventures with her daughter (aka, the nine pound dictator), dog Ruby-the-lemon-8-Pound-Dog-who-limps, the Fiance and Nany Mimi. Eckler's blog is fun, witty, and a must read for "trendy mothers who still feel, or often feel, that the most important word in "momme" is ME!"

Check out this must-read blog at http://ninepounddictator.blogspot.com. And why not start your own blog? Go to www.blogger.com and sign up for your free online-diary (all the cool kids are doing it!)

Mother Shock

I just finished reading a great book that a friend, and fellow mom, recommended to me. It is called “Mother Shock: Loving Every (Other) Minute of It” by Andrea Buchanan. After reading it, I can see why my friend recommended it! It is a great book that takes a different look at being a mom.
Mother Shock is a collection of thirty essays that Andrea wrote about her transition into motherhood. Some of the titles include “Fear of the Double Stroller", “Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Playgroup," and “The Invisible Woman”. The essay “Sleeping Like A Baby” had me laughing out loud. This book is really an easy and enjoyable read that reassures us that it is ok to have bad days and to not love every single minute of being a mom (I mean, who really enjoys changing 5 poopy diapers a day?).
A quote from the author’s website www.mothershock.com explains the book like this; “Mother Shock asserts that being conflicted about motherhood may in fact be a perfectly normal response to the identity shift inherent in becoming a mother—and reassures those of us who were made and not born mothers that the journey to embrace motherhood is acceptable and possible, even if we don't love every minute of it.”
If you go to the website you can read a couple of the essays from the book.
~Happy reading! Tricia
p.s. I’ve had a different kind of mother shock over the last couple of days. Like Kirsty, my baby just turned one on Sunday. I still can’t believe the year went by so fast!

What's your... "If I only knew then what I know now..." ? We've been asking moms around our area and so far here is my favourite!!

"Don't ever say "I will never....." because you WILL eat your words!!!" Amanda, Newmarket

We've added lots more "Tips from Real Moms" which can be found in "Mom Zone. Email York Region Baby with your trips and tricks for getting through pregnancy & parenthood.

Bye Bye Baby

Well it's official Liam's not a baby anymore! He is officially a toddler today We had a very exciting day yesterday, with a little family party for him, cake, presents, balloons -- and more! We also ended up buying a new house! It's amazing, just what we have been looking for -- so now the fun begins of selling our house!

Coming next Monday at York Region Baby, a whole new batch of articles and information. We have added a section on cord blood banking, thanks to our great contributor Tricia. If you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby, have a read and do some research on cord blood banking for your baby.

In May we are also introducing, "Great Expectations - Stories about the Bump & Beyond!" . Read about Ali's experience, from visions of a natural birth, to emergency surgery. It is an amazing story! We invite you to contact us if you would like to write about your experience for June 2006.

Chaos Theory...

For all of those who know me, you know there is something up when I am up anytime before Liam, the sunrise or 6am! While in university I spent a whole semester in a class talking about chaos theory, and connecting random events to each other and when do events start. Chaos theory is that whole thing about a butterfly flapping a wing which produces a tiny change in the state of the atmosphere. Over a period of time, what the atmosphere actually does diverges from what it would have done. Well, there must be a butterfly around here flapping it's wings at us!

It's a big day in our house today, Liam is one tomorrow, so we're having grandparents, great aunts, great-grandparents and aunties over for a birthday party AND we're putting in an offer on a house that we found, after a year and a half of looking... so needless to say, chaos!
~happy Sunday, kirsty

PS -- We added a "Mom Zone" on York Region Baby, a place just for mommies(daddies are welcome too!)

Sale at Imagine Baby

Just wanted to post that Imagine Baby (my other little venture) is having a 10% off Milk Factory gear. From now until April 30 -- some of my favourite stuff to put Liam in. Also, $5, flat rate shipping in effect. Enter code YRBABY when you are checking out to receive an extra 10% off every thing else, except Nursery Decor.
www.imaginebaby.com

Relax & Exhale...

Liam and I went to the Spa today! That's right mommy got pampered and Liam played and had fun! Where you ask, is there a land where mommies can relax, be pampered with spa treatments while babies are welcome? Spa Day at Baby Ola in Newmarket. Exhale Mobile Spa is now at Baby Ola every other Friday. I had a great time, and Professional Esthetician, Jennifer Fineberg, is great (and gentle!) For more information about Exhale Mobile Spa check out York Region Baby's favourites page -- as Jennifer's spa can come to your home for a unique spa experience to moms-to-be and new moms.

Get some extra zzzzz's

Don't hate me, but as things stand right now I don't need this book. Liam is a great sleeper and I put it down to following a bedtime routine from 6 weeks on wards. Bath, Bottle, Bed... Since he is nearly one we've changed it up a little, as he doesn't have a night time bottle, but he's still snoring by 8pm. Enough about me!!

We are really excited to let everyone know that Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler and Preschooler : The Ultimate No-Worry Approach for Each Age and Stage (Mother of All Solutions) by Ann Douglas is in bookstores!! YEAH!!!! Sleep for mommies!!

From the cover "Sleep: it’s the stuff of which dreams are made. And Canadian parenting expert Ann Douglas intends to save parents of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers a lot of sleepless nights, thanks to her new book on sleep. Written in the same parent-friendly style that have earned her legions of fans and made the books in her THE MOTHER OF ALL® books series Canadian bestsellers, this kick-off volume in Ann’s new THE MOTHER OF ALL SOLUTIONS™ series is sure to be a favourite with Canadian parents, too. The book blends parent anecdotes with the information that every sleep-deprived parent needs to know: the facts about sleep safety and the science of sleep; advice on promoting healthy sleep habits; parent-proven strategies for trouble-shooting common baby, toddler, and preschooler sleep problems; a helpful summary of the major "sleep training" schools of thought and a detailed discussion of how other parents went about choosing from—or adapting—these various methods to meet their children’s needs; details about the latest sleep research; and invaluable strategies for sidestepping marital and co-parenting conflicts when you and your partner are each exhausted; and troubleshooting any sleep problems of your own that develop while you’re doing your time in the parenthood trenches"

Great Canadian Company!

Fun! Fun! Fun! Tricky and Titch create amazing baby and children's wear that is bold and modern! The clothes are made in Canada, with cute pictures and sayings on them. From newborn to toddler -- onesies, hats and more, they have the funniest stuff around!! For more information you can go to York Region Baby or to Tricky and Titch.

Help, I can't find the Community Resources Page!

Don't worry! The information is still there! We have just moved it to under either "Before Baby" or "Welcome Baby". We've still got all the links to the resources in the area for babies in York Region!

Did you know we have a baby gear classifieds section, where you can buy and sell gently used baby items for FREE!!

Book Review: Another great Ann Douglas book!

I received The Mother of All Toddler Books by Ann Douglas for Christmas this year and had flipped through it. But since Liam will "officially a toddler" in just over a week I had some questions that I needed answered. I've read most of the book over the weekend -- and it's great. It covers it all, from crafts with toddlers, to toddler temper!, doctor visits, when to wean off the bottle, (which Liam has pretty much done now), toilet training and more. There is also a great directory in the back for First Aid care and online resources, and again it's a Canadian focused book! If you've got any more toddler resources let us know. Look for a new toddler section on York Region Baby coming this summer.
~happy reading! kirsty

Reminder: e-Newsletter Contest

Hello! Just wanted to remind everyone to sign up for York Region Baby's e-Newsletter. We are running a contest to win a West Coast Baby Kimono Night & Newborn hat (Retail values$34.99). To enter visit York Region Baby and sign up for our newsletter. One reader will be chosen as the lucky winner! Contest closes April 30, 2006!

Adventures in Mommy-dom

Follow a local mom's adventures, as her daughter turns one. Read stories that are funny, some silly, some exciting, some sad-- follow a local mom as she documents major milestones and the everyday for her daughter.

Amazing Mother's Day Contest!

Cocoa Spa and York Region Baby are happy to announce the "3Rs Mother's Day Contest"! Relinquish, Relax & Renew at Cocoa Spa.

Nominate a mom or mom-to-be to win a great spa package valued at nearly $200!!

~Enter today & Good Luck, Kirsty

Never miss a post...

We've just added a new feature to the blog! You can now sign up to receive our posts via email. So now you'll never miss out on a post!! Just register with FeedBlitz and you can receive all your favourite blos via email.

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York Connection Mommy Group

Created by a local mom, it's a place for moms and moms to be to swap stories, advice, post news or tips. It's a thriving newsgroup for moms in York Region! York Connection Mommy Group is an virtual support group; for help with issues with pregnancy and beyond to advice from other moms on everything from where to shop and more!! Look on the left sidebar, enter your email and find great moms in our area!

A great event for the family!

Last weekend we packed up lunch and drove West.... to Puck's Farm in Schomberg. Every April they have an Easter Egg Hunt complete with the Easter Bunny! Although my litte guy was a little young for Easter egg hunting, he did enjoy seeing the pigs, emu's rabbits, cows, ponies and more. It's a great family outing just 15 mins from Newmarket. Get a coupon for buy one, get one free admission ($8/adult) on their website.

Let us know great places to go, so we can let all of our readers now the best places for baby!
~Kirsty

Easter Safety

I love April! Grass turns green, a large white rabbit delivers chocolate!, my birthday is always fun and this year for the first time I share my birthday month with my little guy!! Easter is lots of fun, but I just recieved a reminder about Easter safety and wanted to share..

EASTER EGG SAFETY
*Hard-boil eggs then cool quickly. Do not let your children colour eggs that have cracked shells. *Use a colouring dye that is non-toxic.
*Store the coloured eggs in a container in the refrigerator until you're ready to hide them or eat them. If your children want to eat their Easter eggs after using them as decoration, display the eggs in a bowl of ice.
*Do not eat Easter eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
*Do not eat Easter eggs with cracked shells.
FOOD SAFETY TIPS FOR EGGS -- Eggs are good for you, but like other foods, they must be handled with care! Although Salmonella is rarely found in eggs in Canada, it pays to take care. Follow these tips from Canada's food safety experts:http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/foodfacts/eggtipse.shtml

Event: Healing your Child @ Prenatal Plus

On April 11, 2006 Prenatal Plus Pregnancy & Parenting Centre in Newmarket, welcomes back Meredith Deasley from "The Resourceful Mother" to speak at the Spring Parenting series. Meredith will discuss commonly seen symptoms in children i.e. colic, rashes, constipation, chronic runny noses, or congestion and mood swings that might alert you to the possibility of food sensitivities. She will explore the uses of different alternative therapies to help your children become healthier and happier. For more information on this event and others please visit York Region Baby.

SickKids hosts The 20th Annual Radiothon on April 5, 6 and 7

Listen to Newstalk 1010 CFRB, 97.3 EZ Rock and MIX99.9 of Standard Radio broadcast from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Atrium on April 5, 6 and 7. Be inspired by over100 patients and families who will share stories about the care provided at SickKids. Last year's radiothon raised a record amount of $3,218,656 for SickKidsFoundation, with this year's goal being to surpass that amount and beat theFoundation's world-record of most funds raised in a hospital radiothon. Click here to donate and beat last years record!!

Book Review: The Mother of All Pregnancy Books

York Region Baby Contributor Tricia takes a look at a book that is fast becoming the must-have book for mom-to-be!

The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: An All-Canadian Guide to Conception, Birth & Everything In Between -- Author: Ann Douglas

"After starting to read a couple other popular pregnancy books, I still wasn’t satisfied with the information I was getting. These other books seemed too negative or to take things too lightly. After speaking with a friend about this, she recommended "The Mother or All Pregnancy Books". Finally, a book that tells you honestly about conception, pregnancy, labour and life immediately after having your baby. It tells you what you need to know, plain and simple, with an easy-to-read format. It is a comprehensive guide that is medically accurate and includes lots of insight and facts. Ann Douglas also touches on some of the difficult situations that may arise during pregnancy without dwelling on them or making you take away a negative feeling. Instead, you feel well informed.

The bonus is that this book is Canadian! It has a directory of Canadian organizations and Internet resources that are very helpful for new or expectant parents. This is the first book I recommend to friends who are planning a pregnancy or are already expecting!"

Dare to Dream!!

Local business, DreamKids has created a new line of baby and toddler t-shirts that are different from the rest! These high quality shirts, celebrate, inspire and develop the potential of children from birth. They offer inspiring messages for boy and girls. Their philosophy is simple: A PASSION FOR CHILDREN. A MISSION TO INSPIRE POTENTIAL. We love that a portion of all DreamKids profits are donated to support the United Nations Children's Fund. Find more at York Region Baby.

Looking for something to do today?

Huge Children's Clothing and Equipment Sale
When? 1-3pm TODAY! Sunday April 2
Where? Newmarket Optimist Club - 56 Forhan DriveNewmarket(Davis Drive and Leslie Street)

Gently used children's clothing and equipment sale sponsored by Newmarket Parents of Multiple Birth Association. Check out www.yorkregionbaby.com for more events in our Region!

Spring Ahead ...

Don't forget to turn your clocks forward tonight for Daylight Savings! Just what every mommy and daddy need -- losing a very precious hour of sleep!!

Also, it is a great time to check all the smoke alarm & carbon monoxide detectors in your house. Effective, March 1, 2006 it is now law in Ontario to have a smoke detector on EVERY level in your house -- as well as outside sleeping areas. A few minutes can help save your family in case of a fire. If you don't have an escape plan, check out Staying Alive to help plan your escape!