Centre of attention

Before my daughter's fourth birthday a couple of weeks ago we started talking about what kind of party she wanted to have and she declared that she wanted the exact same party she had last year – An hour of play at the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre followed by time in their party room. I booked it immediately, because it's a great place to have a party. The kids get an hour with an instructor in a completely padded room jumping on trampolines, swinging on rings and ropes, climbing and getting worn out by all the activities.

Both years we had a couple of kids who were a bit nervous and wanted a parent with them and the instructor didn't have any problem with having them out on the floor.

Then an hour in the party room to have snacks and cake, with plates, cups and cutlery provided.

If she asks for the same thing next year, I will have no hesitation to do it again!

A Poem for Ty

I met Rachel online through a local Facebook group. Her posts are always touching, and often hilarious. I convinced her to publish something here at Kids in the Capital. This is a poem she wrote for her son...get the kleenex!

A Poem for Ty, With Love from your Mummy

Make time for me mummy Slow down your pace You know what I need Life isn't a race

Let me feel your touch Breathe in your scent Let me lay with you The way babies were meant

Let me run my hands Up and down your arm Let me snuggle and cuddle Safe from all harm

Make time for me mummy I'm not little for long Take me for walks Sing me a song

Let me be carefree Let me set the pace Let's sit here for a while Let me memorize your face

Make time for me mummy I don't need money or stuff Make time for me mummy Your love is enough

In a time when the world Is running around Make time for me mummy The time can be found

We may have less in terms of material things But you'll soon see what joy The time alone with me brings

Painting and laughing Giggles, a book This is how My childhood should look

I won't remember the house The nice cars or eating out But I'll remember the time spent Of that there's no doubt

So make time for me mummy Because when I get old The memories we're making I'll cherish like gold

Rachel Gill is a local Ottawa photographer and mother to 3 year old Ty. For examples of her work or to contact Rachel please visit her Facebook page  or email her at rachcameron@hotmail.com

Welcome to our new Community Manager - Misty

You may have noticed some changes around Kids in the Capital lately - we have a new Community Manager! Ali was such a wonderful asset to the Kids in the Capital community over the last year and we were sad to see her go (thanks for all your hard work Ali!!) but Misty has stepped into the position and we're excited to have her with us.

Misty has been a part of our community for quite a while now.  She is a mom of two girls, four and one and a half, and works in research at The Ottawa Hospital. In her spare time, she's a doula and childbirth educator. Misty moved to Ottawa 8 years ago, and loves raising her children in this city!

Misty will be your contact if you're interested in writing for the blog (we are always looking for more parents to share what they love to see and do with the kids in the Ottawa area!!) or in advertising on the blog (we have a lot of great opportunities for businesses to reach Ottawa families.)  You can always reach her at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com or fill out the form below!

[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]

Surviving Winter: February Fun

January felt like a looong month. It always does, but in particular, this winter has been brutally cold. Our dog is depressed, our girls have cabin fever, and we're drooling over vacation catalogues. Alas, no warm vacation for us this year, as we blew that budget in 2013. So 2014 will be a stay-cation kind of year, with a week of family camping thrown in for fun.

Camping in August is a long way off, though, so I'm trying to come up with ways to make February a Fantabulous Month! Here are some ideas we have for making it through until March:

1. Create an indoor "park" - we'll set up cushions to make slides, and our rocking chair will serve as a swing. We might get really brave and create an indoor sand box!

2. Make homemade pina coladas (virgin for the wee ones, but a splash of rum for the adults!), and decorate them with fun drink umbrellas. Play Bob Marley while drinking the coladas.

3. Build a quinzee! Find the courage to sleep in there overnight? (highly unlikely)

4. Take part in all things Winterlude, and eat a copious amount of Beaver Tails.

5. Indulge in a warm, comforting meal with my partner to celebrate Valentine's Day - we're thinking tacos at El Camino!

6. Pull out the seed catalogues, and make 2014 garden plans. Can't wait to try new vegetables we've never grown before, including potatoes, onions and strawberries.

7. Welcome family guests to come check out the Capital in full winter swing! Which means extra play partners for the girls, and a chance for hubby and I to  escape for #5.

8. Declare Family Day to be annual Stay-cation day. Acting like tourists in our own town, we will head out to see Parliament, take in one of our kid-friendly museums and catch a bite to eat.

9. Put some of my New Year's resolutions into effect, and participate in a Wellness Program. I'm excited to cut back on processed foods, and meet some of my fitness goals....which leads me to:

10. The Olympics! Not only will we take in some of the Olympics as couch potatoes, but I also plan to involve my girls in fitness goals, and create our own Family Olympics.

What are you going to do to make February a Fantabulous Month?

Farm Fresh Eggs

Here in Ottawa there is a by-law in place to prevent urban/suburban dwellers from owning and raising chickens. If you're anything like me - suburb born and raised - you probably don't know the first thing about chickens. But we all know about EGGS. Delicious, versatile eggs. My go-to meals during the week if we're rushed are quiche, frittata or omlette. And don't forget Sunday breakfasts of fried or scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. As a family, we go through a lot of eggs!

We're lucky to have a big backyard, and our vegetable patch has grown considerably since we moved here 3 years ago. But I still dream of a little chicken coop out in the back corner by the fence, where my 3 little hens lay their eggs every day.

Some Ottawans are fighting to have the by-law changed, but while I wait for the chicken politics to play out, I must find my farm fresh eggs elsewhere. If you've never tried an egg from a chicken raised in its natural environment (space to move, preen and roost), you're definitely missing out! I swear I can taste the difference from the eggs we used to buy in the grocery store.

Luckily I have a co-worker who lives outside the Capital, and has agreed to share some eggs with me. He's also shared these adorable pictures of his chickens - my girls have a great time chatting about where our dinner came from :)

(if you want to know more about raising chickens, I love this article from Lee Valley Tools)