Birthday parties : Cosmic

by Lara This past weekend we had our son's fifth birthday party at Cosmic Adventures

I never thought I'd be the parent who paid to have birthday parties outside the home until I realized just how chaotic life with three young children can be.  Because of that I believe that paying someone else to take care of the majority of the work of getting ready for a party is really more of a gift for me than for my kids ;)

This year my son wanted to have his party at Cosmic.  We're members there which meant we got a 10% discount and at 5 it seemed like a great  age-appropriate choice.

The pros

- The kids loved it.  They got to play in the tunnels, they got to play in the arcade (each child got a card with coins loaded on it), they got to get midway prizes with their winnings, they got food and they got entertainment - what's not to love? :))

- Everything was really well organized.  I was given a pager so I could come and greet each new attendee when they arrived, we all had colour coordinated bracelets, all the party attendees' shoes were stored together, when the kids got to get prizes from the midway they were sent to the exit to be given to the child as they left so they wouldn't be lost. I was impressed.

- The party host(s) were a lot of fun. There was basic magic and face painting which the 5 year olds went crazy for.  I'm not sure if they change their act for older kids, but I would imagine if they don't then by about 8 or 9 they might not be quite as impressed ;)

- The cake and food were included in the package we chose, but every package includes a cake and Cosmic is nut free, something I was particularly thankful for because we had a guest with a peanut and tree nut allergy.

- I love that the host coordinated the presents being opened and even kept a list of who gave him which present to send home with us. *I* wasn't that organized and would definitely have been at a loss to figure out who to thank later on.

The cons

There weren't many but:

- We had a package that had choices of a hot dog or slice of pizza and drinks for the kids.  The choices for drinks were pop, pop, fruitopia, and apple juice.  Thanks for the apple juice but I was shocked there was so much pop on the list and no other healthier types of juice to choose from.

- We only had our host for the time we were in the party room, not the time we were in the arcade or in the tunnels.  They were all fine in the tunnels but could have used a lot more guidance in the arcade - something we didn't realize at first and also couldn't coordinate easily for all the kids.  A lot of them lost a lot of their coins not understanding how to use the games.

Overall it was a fabulous party and we'd definitely consider going again. Check out their party pricing on their web site.

Lara Wellman is mom to 4 year old Kiernan and 2 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can read her personal blog at Gliding Through Motherhood, about her weight loss journey at Losing it in Ottawa, and her social media blog at Larawellman.com

Flashback : Multiple Family Birth Association Garage Sale

As a mom of twins I not only buy a lot of clothing at this sale, I sell a lot. I'll be there this Saturday volunteering - come out and find some great deals! by Lara

Nobody knows how quickly you go through kids' clothing better than parents... except maybe parents of multiples! ;)

We've talked about the beauty of shopping at consignment sales before, and tomorrow is one of the best sales the city has to offer! This sale is organized to raise money for the Multiple Birth Families Associaltion and only members of the association can be vendors (I've got about 20 diaper boxes of stuff waiting to head over there tonight :)

The items are all priced at the discretion of the vendors so you can find some amazing deals (and some overpriced items too :)  The sale opens to members before the general public so getting there as close to 11 is best.

If you are looking for clothing, shoes, toys, strollers, exersaucers, playhouses, or books - this is the place to be.  Hope to see you there!

What: Twins & More Bi-Annual Sale When: September 10 11 am - 1:30pm (people line up, to get the best selection, get there early!) Where: Nepean Sportsplex

Tips:

- Bring a laundry basket or re-usable to carry your items around in. - Don't bring the kids - it's insane in there and you're definitely not allowed to bring in strollers. - They take cash and debit, but no credit cards or cheques. - Say hi to me, I'll be there volunteering! :)

photo courtesy of mbfa web site

Lara is mom to 4 year old Kiernan and 1 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can read her blog at Gliding Through Motherhood.

TV for kids : Netflix

by Lara

Although I don't like to admit how much we rely on tv when things get crazy, we do. Sometimes you just need an episode of Backyardigans or Barney to get you through until dinnertime.

If you had asked me a year ago if I would ever consider getting rid of cable you would have heard a resounding NO! The main reason? Because I couldn't do without the children's programming.

We still have basic cable but I'm leaning closer and closer to getting rid of it altogether now that we've found Netflix.

Netflix is a company that offers streaming video via the internet (they will also mail dvds and bluray to your house although I'm not sure that service is available in Canada.  If it's something you're interested in, zip.ca does offer it here).

What does that mean? You can watch what you want when you want to.

The content on Netflix is limited to a certain extent, but the kids' content is really great! They have all the seasons of Backyardigans, they have tons of Barney, Blue's Clues, Sesame Street and other fun things like Pingu and Pink Panther (+much more!). My kids can always find something they would love to watch.

You can stream netflix through your tv by using your wii or xbox, or by getting a device like Apple TV. You can also log in from your mobile devices or from anyone else's wifi (although you'll be eating up their bandwidth).  The best part is it only costs $7.99 a month (and they do a month free trial)! Try it out and let me know what you think!

This is not an ad or in any way paid for by Netflix - I just really like the service. :)

Lara Wellman is mom to 4 year old Kiernan and 2 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can read her personal blog at Gliding Through Motherhood, about her weight loss journey at Losing it in Ottawa, and her social media blog at Larawellman.com

Back to school : litter-free lunches

by Lara My son is back to school on Monday (the French board starts early) so I'm in full back to school mode.  I put the question out to the Facebook Page asking what kind of back to school posts people would like to see and Litter-Free lunches was suggested.  I'm only learning how to do litter-free lunches so I'm going to post a few of the things that I'm going to be doing and have done and want to know what everyone else does!

Reusable snack bags

I bought one of these last year and then copied the design and made a bunch of my own.  They were pretty easy to replicate and I used diaper liner material that I bought at fabricland for the inside and velcro which I thought would be easy for my son to open and close.

I used them all year long for sandwiches and snacks and they worked really well.

If you aren't much of a sewer I know that Nayla Natural Care and Spoiled Sugar both sell them.

Lunch boxes

I just ordered a Goodbyn from Nayla Natural Care.  We haven't used it yet but I really like that I can put all of my son's lunch and snacks in one container without having to worry about finding different smaller containers every day when I'm making lunch.  My only thought is that I'll have to wash it every day and wonder if in time it would be easier to have two to rotate.

I've still been mostly using juice boxes but hope to ease out of that this year, not only because of the litter but to be able to water down his juice or send milk.

What have you done or are you trying this year to make your kids' lunches litter-free?

Lara Wellman is mom to 4 year old Kiernan and 2 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can read her personal blog at Gliding Through Motherhood, about her weight loss journey at Losing it in Ottawa, and her social media blog at Larawellman.com

Flashback post: Being aware of food allergies: how to host a child with food allergies

by an Ottawa mom I am a mom who has been dealing with multiple severe food allergies now for two years (the anaphylactic-Epipen-ambulance rides to CHEO kind). These two years have been the most stressful period of our lives. It has turned me into a total Mama Grizzly on the topic of food allergies and awareness. I am always protecting my little cub at home and outside – constantly on the lookout for crumbs, suspicious food labels and food wrappers left in the park (and more).

The tricky thing with food allergies is that once you’re outside of your safe zone, you rely on your friends and the people around you to be sympathetic to your needs and demonstrate compassion by taking your child’s medical needs seriously.

Here’s a recent (bad) example. One day last month there was a birthday in my son’s daycare and the children had a surprise treat of ice cream (it was a surprise to me too as we have an agreement about giving notice for birthday treats). Because of my son’s egg, milk and nut allergies, he cannot participate in these special activities. When I collected him at the end of the day shortly after the ice cream had been gobbled up by his classmates, I found my little boy in a high chair eating one of his homemade muffins. He looked miserable. His emotions were on his sleeve and he reached up for a big hug and slung his head on my shoulder. I felt horrible for him. And guilt. Then rage. A birthday party shouldn’t be the worst part of your week.

You might not think it’s a big deal, but it is when it happens repeatedly. This is just an example from last month. Month. Typing this story out is making me cry at my computer screen. Food allergies comes with a lot of emotional baggage.

You can show your respect towards a child with food allergies (and their parents) by creating safe situations for them when you invite them to playdates or birthday parties. Hosting an inclusive get together doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are some tips :

1. Ask your guests if there are any food or environmental allergies in advance.
2. Understand the severity of the allergies. Is it sniffles and red eyes? Or is it “911 epipen hives and can’t breathe ambulance ride to the CHEO” allergies? Does the latter scare you? It should.
3. Before the party:
   • Talk to the allergy parent about your menu plan. This allows the allergy parent to decide if they can allow their child to eat the same food or whether they will pack similar food to bring along. If you are the “allergy parent” offer to send recipes or even bake/cook something to bring for everyone.
   • Ask is there are any food items that should not be offered at all.
   • Let all of your guests know about any special considerations. Some parents may ask that children not have peanut butter or nuts before arriving or ask that they brush their teeth and wash their hands beforehand. You may also want to ask guests not to bring any food to avoid any awkwardness if their offering is not safe.
4. Make the party venue allergy-friendly. Give the place a good clean sweep. Wipe down surfaces such as play tables, kitchen tables and countertops with a clean cloth. Inspect any toys that will be shared for food residue and wash them if necessary.
5. Avoid cross contamination when preparing foods. If you are cooking a separate item for an allergy child, always use clean bowls, utensils and ingredients. Cover any baking sheets with tinfoil if you’ve baked with the allergen on them before.
6. Confirm any ingredients and food with the “allergy parent”. Allergens can be lurking even in products that don’t have the allergen on the ingredient list. Have you ever seen warnings that read, “This product has been manufactured in a facility the processes peanuts? ” To many (including our family), that warning is THE SAME as having the allergen included in the ingredient list. And here’s the tricky thing, that warning is OPTIONAL. Processed foods, even things like cereal, may not be safe.
7. Condiments. If you think there is a chance that a knife may have dipped into peanut butter and then into the jelly jar or onto the stick of butter, open a new package or jar. Play it safe.
8. Hosting a BBQ? Have you ever made a peanut sauce marinade for your meat and cooked it on the grill? Shrimp skewers? Maybe? Then your BBQ may still have that food protein residue on the grill. Cook any food for the allergy sufferer on a piece of tin foil and use separate tongs.

Make it a safe party for everyone. And have fun!

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