How Does She Do It? – Staff Edition

11 May

We want to hear how you do it, Moms!  Are you a mom in Edmonton, a career mom, a stay-at-home mom, an entrepreneur mom, something somewhere in between?  Contact us (hello@urbaninfant.ca) to be profiled!

 

Tell us about you, your children and where you live

Kjristen – I have been married for 10 years and have two beautiful little girls (almost-7 & just-turned-2).

What do you do?

I have recently been blessed with opportunities that allow me to work partially from home. In addition to being the Online Content Manager for Urban Infant, I am also a financial advisor and work as an office manager on a part-time basis. I work anywhere between 25 hours per week and 40.

Do you have help? (incl childcare, housework, personal assistant)

Oh how I wish! I have made career decisions based on my desire to keep my children out of childcare however, I would love to have someone who regularly cleaned my house. And while we’re wishing, I wouldn’t mind a personal chef, a personal trainer, and a gardener. :)

Best hobby?

I really don’t have a lot of time for hobbies. Each morning while I drink my coffee, I browse Pinterest (I particularly love anything about organizing and clever storage ideas). There are definitely some past hobbies I would like to pick up again such as playing the piano and singing.

Extracurricular activities for you?

This falls into the same category as “Best hobby”…not much going on right now in terms of extracurricular activities.

Extracurricular activities for your babe/children?

We generally make a point of not overbooking our children. We ensure that swimming lessons are taken semi-regularly and then try a variety of different activities to discover what is a good “fit”.

What does a typical family day look like to you (Saturday/Sunday)?

As my husband works shift-work, he often works weekends. On those weekends, I play catch-up and try to get as much housework accomplished as possible. On weekends he doesn’t work, we have as laid back of a weekend as possible. We spend time with the kids, catch up on PVR’d shows, putter…pretty low key.

Who cooks dinner?

Usually my husband does. He said early in our marriage that he learned that if we wanted to eat well, he’d better do the cooking. :) Sad but true. I will cook on days he works but it’s nothing adventurous and usually nothing great.

How does the grocery shopping get done, by whom, with the kids, and do you use coupons?

We do the grocery shopping when we need groceries. There’s no scheduled time or date and who goes is usually determined by who is cooking. I’m not a big coupon user but have recently become a fan of price-matching.

How often do you buy something for yourself?

I rarely buy something for myself unless I need it. I’m frugal – not in the coupon-clipping way, but in the “do without” way.

Do you exercise and if so, how/when do you fit the time in to do that?

I haven’t been lately but definitely need to.

Favourite movie?

I’m not a huge movie fan so nothing really stands out. I enjoy movies but on weekends, I’d rather discover or start catching up on a new TV series on DVD.

Favourite beverage special coffee, cocktail?

I love beverages…but rarely the alcoholic type. Every morning I have one cup of coffee with a flavoured cream.

Favourite pair of shoes?

I’m a fan of things that are cute but comfy.

‘Cannot leave home without it’ item?

My Blackberry. Which will be exchanged for an iPhone at some point.

 

Thank you for sharing with all of us Kjristen!  Thanks for being a member of the Urban Infant team!

· Filed Under: How Does She Do It?

Urban Family Events: Mother’s Day 2012

10 May

While some events such as the Mother’s Day Brunch at Fort Edmonton Park are sold out, there is still time to plan for Mother’s Day. Be sure to check out the following events honouring mothers:

Mother’s Day Magic – The Zoo Becomes a Spa! (May 13th from 12pm-4pm at the Edmonton Valley Zoo) - While moms can get pampered with mini-manicures and tasty treats, children get to make a surprise gift for her or purchase something special from local artists. Other fun activities include a magic show, preschool activities and more!

Mother’s Day at the Muttart Conservatory: Health & Happiness (May 13th from 12pm-4pm at the Muttart Conservatory) - Children can make Mother’s Day cards and assemble gift boxes of chocolate while their moms enjoy mini-massages or take classes on flower arranging. Other activities include live music, tours of the pyramids and planting activities.

Mother’s Day Garden Party (May 13th at Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm; various times/seatings) - Enjoy Mother’s Day brunch or afternoon tea or spend the day together as a family while visiting the farm. Activities include craft-making, a petting farm, live jazz music and more.

Mother’s Day Run & Walk (May 13th at Foote Field) - Participate in Alberta’s largest family fundraising event by running or walking a 5k or 10k course. All proceeds in Edmonton go to the Stollery Children’s Hospital funding the iE33 Echocardiography System.

Mother’s Day Activities (May 13th from 11am-4pm at Telus World of Science) – Included with the day’s admission, the little ones can paint a flower pot for mom and then fill it with a marigold. Pots and flowers are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Mother’s Day Tea (May 13th (three different seatings) at Devonian Botanical Garden) – Enjoy wandering the garden, sipping on tea, listening to harp music and eating strawberry shortcake. Sounds lovely!

Mother’s Day Fashion Show (May 13th at 2pm beneath the Maggie Walt Design store) - With all proceeds going to charity, enjoy refreshments and shopping while enjoying a fashion show of Maggie Walt Design’s spring/summer 2012 collection.

Mother’s Day Brunches:

And don’t forget the traditional Mother’s Day Brunch. Open Table always has a great list of restaurants featuring special Mother’s Day menus and/or brunches.

 

Wishing all of you moms a very special day! – Kjristen

 

As always, if you have a family-friendly event that should be featured on our Calendar, please send the details to kjristen@urbaninfant.ca

Times, locations and details are subject to change. Please ensure that you confirm details with event organizers/websites prior to attending.

Image: phanlop88 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

 

 

· Filed Under: Urban Family Event Listings

5 Cool Things about Pregnancy

9 May

Yes, parts of pregnancy are cool.  Bloating, morning sickness, and pickle cravings are not on this list!

A Monthly photo

Take photos of yourself at least once per month.  You might feel yucky or not your best, but you’ll love these memories later on.  Your child will also love to see photos of him in your belly!

A Maternity photo shoot

Alright, you may not want to get this extreme, and it might feel weird going down to skivvies to pose for a photographer when you’re 30 pounds heavier than your usual self, but you might just adore revisiting this time in your life twenty years from now. I’m willing to bet you will!  It’s a fantastic keepsake, even if only for yourself.

Telling your family and friends

Be sure to tell family and close friends before posting gorgeous announcements like this one to Facebook for the world to see.  I have heard many a hurt friend recently talking about how their so-called ‘BFF’ revealed the big news on social media before reaching out personally. There are so many fun ways to tell your family, from tee-shirts, to pictures, to framed ultrasound images, the list is endless and full of exciting possibility.

A Baby Shower

If it’s your first baby, your family and/or friends will want to throw you a baby shower.  Don’t hesitate to voice your prefereneces, we’re in the 21st Century after all!  Themes are adorable, and if you know the baby’s gender, it’s a fun way to start collecting specific items like books to create babe’s first library, or layette items.

Maternity Fashion

It’s not all bad.  At least we’re not limited to overalls and mumu’s like our moms were.  There are some very beautiful maternity fashion boutiques in and around Edmonton to help you dress your bump in high style for these very special few months.  Remember also, that you’ll likely be wearing your maternity clothing for a few months post-partum.  My advice?  A great pair of designer maternity denim paired with a few good tees plus a couple of special-ocassion outfits and you’re good to go!

BONUS #6! Decorating the Nursery

We recently wrote about all the amazing ways to be inspired to create your baby’s first bedroom in a way that is practical and beautiful.

Enjoy these ten months, and do check out our Pinterest boards for endless inspiration for pregnancy and beyond!

By Connie Peters, Modern Mama

· Filed Under: Baby, Pregnancy

Urban Finds

8 May
Thanks to our amazing mom scouts, some inside scoop for you!:
  • Pinkberry is opening up in West Edmonton Mall. The “original” frozen yogurt + add your own toppings company. Yum-o!
  • Carters.com now ships to Canada! Their website has lots of super cute stuff.
  • Three Boars restaurant opened in April (84 Ave & 109 St) and is already receiving rave reviews. Check out their FB page here. A perfect new spot to try for date night.
  • Kiehls.ca: use promo code LUVMOM when purchasing any of Mom’s Favourite Products and receive free shipping and deluxe duo samples! Ends May 6, 2012. I love their Ultra Facial Cream!
  • Have you heard of the Loose Button Luxe Box program? Based on the super popular US counterpart, Birchbox, it’s a monthly service that delivers 4-5 deluxe samples to your doorstep every month. Brands include Essie, Dermatologica, Shu Umera, Benefit, Morccan Oil, Nars, and Philosopy – to name a few! These samples are hand picked by their beauty editors and allow you to try things that you might not know about or ever think to try. They do try and match samples to your profile but it’s always fun to get something a little new and different! After being on a wait list for a few months, a spot finally opened up and our scout Carolyn is anxiously awaiting her May Luxe Box!
  • Carolyn’s in love with the iPhone cover shown. The SwitchEasy “Blossom” cover is not only pretty but functional (i’s made with durable polycarbonate). Shipping is only $3 to Canada!
  • Pottery Barn is set to open up in WEM. It will occupy the space formerly filled by Jacob & Jacob Lingerie. Look for them to open in Fall 2012!
· Filed Under: Urban Finds

The Making of A Mom … Part Four

7 May

My life had been going along nicely for almost 3 years, I had a toddler and 3 foster children and things were good. Being a Mom was definitely better than I thought it would be and I was content but then my Husband suggested that we should maybe have another baby. One month later, I was pregnant.

I was blessed with a normal pregnancy, which was a very welcome change to my first experience. I actually got to “enjoy” being pregnant for 9 months as opposed to waiting in fear and just hoping for the best. My labour and delivery went exactly as it should, and it all seemed so foreign to me. When I was handed my perfect little boy, with no complications, it was almost too good to be true. We were truly blessed to have such a smooth start, as his little life was going to be full of nothing but fears and challenges. His birth marked the beginning of a very long and tough journey.

When we brought M home, we quickly noticed that he would never really “settle”. He was always wriggly and would never stop moving. He would cry for no reason and he didn’t really like being touched. To make things worse, the boy started getting sick. He had RSV 4 times before his first birthday, and then had pneumonia or a lung infection at least 6 times a year, for the next 7 years. We were at the doctor or in the emergency room more times than I can count, or truly care to remember. At 18 months, he stopped walking, talking and sleeping. He stopped eating. His little body seemed to be failing him. It was the scariest time of my life.

As the days wore on, it became obvious that something was really wrong with our perfect little boy. Physically, we learned he had Asthma and a number of different allergies, but there was more. His initial diagnosis was autism, but in my heart, I knew that was wrong. We went through a barrage of tests, and our proper diagnosis was finally made. He had Sensory Integration Dysfunction and PDD-NOS, along with ADD and a few other little syndromes. In a very rare test of fate, we discovered that his sensory disorder also affected him internally which explained why he always got so sick, so fast. We finally knew what was wrong. All of those titles may sound scary to others but for us, it meant freedom. Our little boy could now get the help he needed.

Thankfully, with understanding, things got better. Every day was a struggle but the struggles were with purpose. We learned creative ways to help him function. We accepted his weird little quirks as part of his personality. We figured out his triggers and the situations to avoid in order to keep  him calm. We made the choice to put him on a number of different medications and they turned his life around.

This little boy changed my life. He taught me more about patience and grace than I ever dreamed possible. His life was given to teach me more about myself and the world around me. The lessons I’ve learned because of him have given me the words to help and understand others. My perfect weird little gift made me become a better me and a better Mom.

 

April Wiens, The Making of a Mommy Series:  April has an addiction to Mango Salsa & Coke Zero. She enjoys spending time with friends and family just hanging out and laughing uncontrollably. Most of her days are spent in front of a computer working on both of her businesses.

Image: memekode | Flickr.com

· Filed Under: Motherhood

How Does She Do It? – Staff Edition

4 May

We want to hear how you do it, Moms!  Are you a mom in Edmonton, a career mom, a stay-at-home mom, an entrepreneur mom, something somewhere in between?  Contact us (hello@urbaninfant.ca) to be profiled!

Tell us about you, your children and where you live

Connie, mom of three girls, 3, 6 & 8 living in Vancouver

What do you do?

I work from home around my girls schedules, I run Modern Mama, Urban Infant and Entrepreneur Mom Now Edmonton, I’m guessing I work about 30-35 hrs per week.

Do you have help? (incl childcare, housework, personal assistant)

Unfortunately not (I wish)!  I put Ivy in daycare one day a week during the hours the big girls are at school.

Best hobby?

Pinterest, Twitter and magazines.

Extracurricular activities for you?

I go in spurts of doing yoga classes and then not doing them.  I’m currently not doing them.

Extracurricular activities for your babe/children?

I typically say swimming + 1.  Nya is not into anything right now but typically does swimming & piano, Berlin does gymnastics 2/week and Ivy nothing yet.

What does a typical family day look like to you (Saturday/Sunday)?

My husband usually takes the girls to the gym with him on Saturday and Sunday mornings so I can get alone time at home (and I cherish this time so much!).  Then it’s swimming on Saturdays and the rest of the time is just bumming-around time, the beach, park, sight-seeing, whatever we feel like.  Mike and I try to do date-night out at least once a month on a Friday or Saturday night.

Who cooks dinner?

I do.  Hubby makes crepes or potato pancakes once a month, maybe?  Oh, and he does the grilling, I have no idea how to work a barbeque.

How does the grocery shopping get done, by whom, with the kids, and do you use coupons?

No coupons, I do the shopping every Monday morning with Ivy.

How often do you buy something for yourself?

At least once a month!  If I’m on a tight budget, it’s Superstore or Forever 21 and it’ll be just a cute top or a new pair of earrings.

Do you exercise and if so, how/when do you fit the time in to do that?

Not really, but I know that I need to.  I like dancing, yoga and walking but I’m not good at being committed to it.

Favourite movie?

Gosh I have lots of favourites.

Favourite nookie song?

Anything by Pitbull.

Favourite beverage special coffee, cocktail?

Tea in the morning, red wine at night!

Favourite pair of shoes?

UGGs in the winter, flats in the summer.

‘Cannot leave home without it’ item?

My iPhone, of course!!

 

Thank you for sharing with all of us Connie!  Thanks for being a member of the Urban Infant team!

· Filed Under: How Does She Do It?

Urban Family Events: May 4th – 10th

3 May

You can tell that the seasons are changing as the theme of the following family-friendly events and activities are largely nature-based:

Backyard Biodiversity Day (May 6th from 11am-4pm at John Janzen Nature Centre) – The whole family can participate in this event where everyone learns how to help the environment. Children can participate in making recycled crafts, playing eco-games and have their faces painted.

Annual Bedding Plant Sale (May 10th-12th (various times) at Muttart Conservatory) – Stock up on your favourite bedding plants!

Arbor Day 2012 (May 4th from 9:30am-12:30pm at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park) – Celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree during the Tree Planting Celebration at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park.

Callingwood Farmers Market’s Season Opening (May 6th from 10am-3pm at The Marketplace at Callingwood) – Celebrate the season opening with a petting zoo, face painting, bouncy castle and balloon artist for the kids.

Japanese Children’s Day (May 6th from 11am-3pm at Devonian Botanic Garden) – Recreate Kodomo-no-hi (Japanese Children’s Day) with traditional activities such as listening to Japanese folk tales and making Japanese crafts.

The City of Edmonton attractions offer many drop-in classes over the weekends. Be sure to check out the drop-in classes offered at:

 

And don’t forget to celebrate Star Wars Day this Friday…May the Fourth Be With You! (yes, I am a nerd)

As always, if you have a family-friendly event that should be featured on our Calendar, please send the details to kjristen@urbaninfant.ca

Times, locations and details are subject to change. Please ensure that you confirm details with event organizers/websites prior to attending.

Image: domdeen / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

· Filed Under: Urban Family Event Listings

Little (Bra) Shop of Horrors: The Quest for a Nursing Bra

2 May

I don’t know a single woman who likes bra shopping under the best of circumstances. Any men who have stumbled across this article are probably scratching their heads saying, “Really? I thought it was swimsuit shopping that was most detested by the fairer sex!”  While I applaud you men for your sensitive and empathetic observation, you are wrong. While swimsuit shopping is not fun, you can give up and resolve yourself to wearing a festively printed muumuu whilst lounging in the sand and sun.

A bra however, cannot be avoided or substituted for.  When the last one you managed to purchase is being held together with safety pins, it is time to subject yourself to the brightly lit, too small, too warm fitting room at an establishment where the staff is either too perky or too sullen.  Despite their variations in mood, all employees will have a tape measure around their necks with which they are waiting to assault you.  Aside from all of this, the male readers are still wondering, “How can it be that bad?”  Unfortunately men, we women cannot just pick up a 3 pack of Jockeys or Hanes in medium and know that they will fit.  Based on the store, the brand, or the style, not to mention fluctuations in weight, you can never count on being the same size.

All of this is totally separate from the horror of shopping for a bra while pregnant. But even that wasn’t as bad as what I experienced yesterday.  You moms out there may have guessed that yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of shopping for a nursing bra.

Can I just say that if the fabric wasn’t such a utilitarian beige, nursing bras would be almost dominatrix like, what with their strange clasps and oddly placed cut outs.  As the fabric is so steadfastly practical and bland however, there can be no mistaking that these are undergarments with one purpose, and one purpose only.  Visions of those stainless steel farm apparatus used in the cow shed come to mind.  Not only are these garments decidedly un-pretty, they are also really expensive.  And when it comes to size, you are forced to rely on the staff and their dastardly measuring tapes to help you make an educated guess, because while no one will mistake the nursing bra for an item found in the dressing room at an establishment called Carmen’s Cabaret or the like, the body parts they house would look right at home in that same dressing room, or so I’m told.

I survived the experience yesterday, just barely.  After leaving the fitting room strewn with crumpled beige rejects from end to end, I emerged, triumphant and out of breath, ONE tolerable option clutched in my sweaty palms.

Thanks to my sister for her help in making this traumatic experience bearable. Ladies, if this will be your first time buying one of these horrific contraptions my advice to you is do not do it alone!!  You need a sponsor who will encourage you to take it one bra at a time.  Otherwise the burden may just become too difficult to bear.

Yours in melodrama,

Shelby

Shelby Quinlan, First Baby Due: Shelby is a teacher preparing for the arrival of her first child in May.  Having always been a planner and researcher by nature, Shelby is frantically studying all there is to know about pregnancy, childbirth, and life with baby in Edmonton.  Some might say all of this planning can lean toward the obsessive, especially when they see that her birth plan contains no less than 14 contingency plans and three appendices.  She looks forward to sharing what she’s learned with you, including information on everything from prenatal classes to choosing a doula and making a baby registry.

Image: FreeDigitalImages.net / Sippakorn

· Filed Under: Fashion, Motherhood
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