Holiday Shopping Guide

Happy Holidays! Oh, that's the first time I said that this year and the days are ticking away! I have started my holiday shopping though and I've started it online - no malls, no line ups and home delivery - it's great! We've decided to share our favourite online retailers with you!

Click here to see the first CanadianBabies Holiday Shopping Guide! Our favourite shops spread the joy!

free hugs

I just found this on urbanmoms.ca. It definately made me smile, laugh and hug my kids. Enjoy and please share! Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/v/vr3x_RRJdd4

Free Hugs Campaign has become a global movement. This is what the people at the '>Free Hugs Campaign said:

Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whose sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives. In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.

As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witnessed is the true spirit of humanity coming together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.

In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person...

The response to this video has been nothing short of overwhelming and touching. Hugs to every single one of you who messaged. There have been thousands of emails from all over the world by people seeking to participate in the Free Hugs campaign and asking for permission. You do not need permission. This is the peoples' movement, this is *your* movement. With nothing but your bare hands you can make THE difference.

Mommy Brain!

Ack, does "Mommy Brain" last forever? I just found myself putting the dishsoap in the fridge! It's either mommy brain or I'm becoming more and more like my own mother - eeek!

Vancouver Doula

I just came across the website Vancouver Doula and am so impressed with the information found there. I have two little ones and had one doula at my first born's birth and two doulas at my second born's birth. The joke is that if we had a third (and we're not!) that we would have 3 doulas!

My good friend, Anona, was the doula at #1 and #2 birth and she was amazing. She was my brains during both births. She coached, supported and helped me mentally get through those waves of labour pains.

We hired Rachel, a massage therapist, to also be there for birth #2. While Anona managed by brain, helping me relax and not panic, Rachel massaged the heck out of my lower birth - my very own handmade epidural!

Doulas are amazing! I can't imagine giving birht without the support of an amazing doula!

There's no candy left at our house...

All our candy left the house on the morning after Halloween - yeah! Although I'm sure there's a stash in my hubby's car!

We adapted the following "tradition" because 3 years ago we were all incredibly sick in November and I'm sure it was because our immune systems were weakened by all the sugar we ate after Halloween (I have absolutely no will power when there is chocolate in the house!).

Both of my little ones dress up (Joshua is now 6 and Sabrina is almost 4). This year Joshua was Batman (although he brought a light saber just in case and Sabrina was the same unicorn she was last year (such an easy age!). One parent stays home and the other takes out the kids - half way through the night we sometimes switch.

Here's our tradition...you can find a few different versions of this story on the 'net but around our house, we collect sugar on Halloween night for the Sugar Sprite. Each child gets to keep one piece of candy - usually the number of pieces is the same as their age. The Sugar Sprite is a fairy who collects sugar in the fall and she uses it to make snow all winter long. Children collect the sugar (candy) for her on Halloween and leave it just outside their front door. While they are asleep she takes the sugar and leaves the children a thank you note and a gift. The kids love to see their small gifts in the morning and to see the Sugar Sprite's 'footprints' in the trail of sugar that she leaves on the front porch! :) Luckily we've always had some snow a few days after Halloween! This amazes the kids!

So for the past years we've been giving away the candy that we collect. Sabrina had 3 pieces of candy last year and Joshua had 5. And they were still pretty good about it this year. Around 8:00 pm, Joshua even asked if he could put his candy outside! Hubby brings all the candy to work the next day - where his co-workers groan about it but it's usually gone in a few days!