All Star Eating

by Amy My family is big on going out for breakfast. It's something my husband and I have been doing together since we started dating and the kid's first trip out was to meet a friend for breakfast when she was two days old. We're always looking for a good breakfast place and we've tried quite a few. Last weekend we decided to head over to the Big Rig Brewery on Iris to see how their brunch tasted.

Big Rig is fairly new and I had heard a couple of good reviews but really had no idea what to expect from the place which is partly owned by Sens defenceman Chris Phillips (also known as Big Rig).

Right away I was impressed with the family friendliness. Kid-sized breakfasts are $2.99 and there's a decent selection. Our kid always wants pancakes and she got one big one and two little ones, which is much more reasonable that what some places serve for kids. Important note: The pancakes were served with some fruit and REAL maple syrup. In fact, all of our breakfasts seemed very fresh.

They also have small glasses for kids' drinks, which is one thing that I really look for in restaurants - please don't give my child a big glass that she can't hold, or a heavy bar glass.

Another thing that I'll give Big Rig a big A+ for is the TVs. We have been some places where the kid was so distracted by the TVs placed so close to the tables that she stopped paying attention to her meal. At Big Rig there are TVs - I got to watch the basketball game between Canada and Australia that Canada very nearly won - but they were placed around the restaurant and weren't so in-your-face as they can be.

The staff were great, they checked in and talked to the kid, got her another glass of milk when she finished the first, and she really enjoyed the high chair on wheels.

I can say we'll definitely try Big Rig for dinner sometime, especially after looking at the kids' dinner menu that seems to be healthier than a lot of places.

Amy is mom to two year old Maggie and a 6 year old schnauzer named Henry. You can read her blog at amyboughner.ca where she writes about motherhood and anything else that’s on her mind. She also shares a blog with her husband at boughner.ca where they talk together about parenting a daughter.

Preparing for the First Day of School

by Jayda

The first day of school preparations are in full swing. My oldest son, JWS, will start half-day senior kindergarten in September. Here, in Ontario there are two grades of kindergarten: junior kindergarten (JK) and senior kindergarten (SK). Junior kindergarten begins at age 4 and senior kindergarten at age 5. Since we did not live in Canada last year, this will be the first year JWS has attended school.

We are all having mixed emotions about this milestone.

Anxiety.

We are anxious about the unknown. For JWS this is the unknown of what to expect. He has never met his teacher, seen his classroom, or taken a school bus. He doesn't know any of the other children in his class.

For me,  it is the unknown of how will he 'do'. Will he like it? Will his teacher and peers talk to him and treat him in a loving, kind way? Will he be bored, discouraged, or will he be stimulated and eager?

What will the days look like, for LLS and I at home? Will LLS be lost without his big brother or will he embrace the time to himself/with me ?

Excitement.

JWS is excited to go to school to learn some 'stuff'. He has been counting down the days.

I am excited for JWS to experience school. I am excited for him to make new friends, learn new skills and have experiences independent from home.

Pride.

I am certain he will do very well at school. He is a confident child. He easily makes new friends at the playground. I am proud of him and the wonderful, kind, loving, inquisitive 5-year-old he is today. I am proud of us (his parents) for our parenting philosophies that I believe have shaped him and fostered his confidence.

Here are some of the things we did to prepare for the first day of school:

1. We made a routine folder. I took photos of JWS doing all the things he will need to do (eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, play, eat lunch, put on shoes/coat) in order to get ready for school. Luckily, this year, we have all morning, since he is going to afternoon, half-day kindergarten. I will let him choose the order that he wants to do them in. This will be a nice visual reminder of what he has done and what needs to be done. He is a visual learner.

2. We attended our school district school bus safety course for first time riders. JWS is still undecided if he want to take the bus to school or not. I wanted him to be prepared, whatever his decision. He was very excited about the bus. This course alone relieved a lot of his anxiety.

3. We went school shopping (supplies and indoor shoes), just the two of us. To my surprise he is very possessive over his supplies and very happy to use it everyday. He likes to practice writing the letters, something he learned on his own.

4. And finally, we drove the bus route to his school and played on the playground and spied in the classroom windows.

Are your memories of school influencing how you portray school to your children or how you prepare them for school? Sometimes I catch myself projecting my emotions on JWS. This is how I felt therefore he must feel this way to. I have to stop myself and allow him to have his own feelings, positive or negative.

What did you do to prepare for the first day of school?

Jayda Siggers is a Mom of 2 ( JWS, 6 and LLS, 4), a nutritionist, a coach at Clean Plate Cleanse, a master mediator living under a co-dictatorship, whole food advocate, trying to live a little greener everyday.

More books to stretch the Imagination this summer!

 Our August post from the Ottawa Public Library was written by Andrea Gowing at the Centennial branch.  Thanks for more great books suggestions!!

Imagine a Day ; Imagine a Night; Imagine a Place - by Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Rob Gonsalves

These three books encourage the reader to ‘imagine!”  Stunning illustrations by Rob Gonsalves remind us of Eischer and Chris Van Allsburg as they draw you in to experience this world of illusions and fantasy art.   There is so much to look at that you see the impossible, you look twice because you are not sure that you really saw what you think you saw!

Thomson's brief sentences pack in imagery and paint pictures in your mind.  The beautiful text helps you to open up your or mind to a sense of wonder.   Experience these books together with a child of any age!

Not a Box; Not a Stick - Antoinette Portis

Both written and illustrated by Portis, these two simply drawn books open the child’s mind to possible uses of both a box and a stick.  Bunny is NOT playing with a box, he is imagining that is so many other things: a car; robot; hot air balloon; a building on fire, and more.  Likewise, Pig is NOT playing with a stick, it is: a caveman’s spear; a fishing rod; a paintbrush.

Children will love guessing what Bunny and Pig will dream up on the next page!   These are great read aloud books for Preschoolers.

If I Were A Jungle Animal – by Amanda Ellery;  Illustrated by Tom Ellery Who hasn’t watched the bored young outfielder building sandcastles or making daisy rings during a particularly slow game?  Well, Morton is no different.  He gets little action during the game, and when coach yells at him to pay attention he uses his imagination to go on a wild adventure in the jungle.  Lions, snakes, giraffes, monkeys and elephants join him on this jungle journey.  But uh oh, here comes a fly ball, will Morton catch the ball?  Amanda & Tom Ellery have written and illustrated a bright and funny tale for children 3-6 yrs.

Flotsam – David Weisner

What better time of year to discover this book, than summertime!  Beach day and a young boy is ready to explore all that the ocean pitches onto the sandy beach.  With binoculars, magnifying glass, and microscope at hand he can look closer and closer at so many interesting things.   He finds an old barnacle encrusted camera, that still has film in it – he waits for the film to be processed and finally he can see what has been captured through the lens.  Astonishingly, the pictures depict amazing scenes of aliens, mechanical fish, an octopus leading storytime, and then lastly a young girl holding a picture of another child holding a picture, of another child holding a picture...back and back in time it goes.  Through pictures alone, this wordless book has such a clear narrative that the reader quickly creates a greater story with their own storylines.  Spend some time absorbing the pictures in this book and share your story with a curious young person.  Pre K – grade 4 and even older.

You are a Lion: and other Fun Yoga Poses  -   Taeeun Yoo

How much fun is it for a preschooler to pretend to be something?  This book allows children to imagine that they are a lion, a dog, snake, butterfly and more, while assuming simple, safe yoga poses.  Stick out your tongue and you are a lion, hop and you are a frog, down on your belly you are a snake!   Simply illustrated and told, children will love trying the different poses, and seeing how they can really imagine being this animal.  This book would be wonderful with a group of children or one on one.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret  -  Brian Selznick

This stunningly illustrated and written book is the story of Hugo, who lives in the walls of a Paris train station.  Hugo’s story is brought to life through a blend of written language, the language of illustration, and cinematic technique.   One “reads” the illustrations as they continue the story past the written word rolling out like a silent film.  Twelve year old Hugo lives alone and hand to mouth as he tends the station’s several clocks.  Hugo’s late father was a clockmaker at a museum, where he found an automaton, and early robot, that sits human like at a desk, pen poised ready to write.  Hugo becomes obsessed with restoring it to working order.  He uses the notes his father kept as he was working on the automaton, but there is mystery surrounding where it came from and how it works.  Children aged 9-12 will crawl in your lap to see more deeply into the pictures and adults will be mesmerised by the plot tied to the history of cinema.   A magical and imaginative read to be sure!

Except If  --  Jim Averbeck

This book, with its very simple text and illustrations, allows the reader to stretch their imagination by presenting a puzzle on every page.  "An egg is not a baby bird, / but it will become one / except if..."  Turn the page, and see what it could be.  Children can use their imagination and predict what it could be; will it be a snake, a bird, a dinosaur?  A very clever storyline that teaches children about animals who hatch from eggs, surely an added bonus.   Preschoolers to Kindergarten will love this interactive book.

Don’t forget to visit your local library branch to sign up for the TD Summer Reading Club and get  your free poster, activity booklet and stickers. Keep reading all summer long!

Top 5 Baby Items to bring when Travelling

by Amanda Over the past two years we have travelled with at least one child (and now have 2!) under the age of 2 to Florida, Toronto and Montreal (frequently!), cottages, Eastern Townships and a few other places in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.  With trips being for the day up to 10 days we are learning how to pack more efficiently and only bring what we truly need.  Here are my top 5 baby items that we don’t leave home without!

1. Baby Carriers- we don’t leave home without a soft structured carrier like our Ergo  or Onya  baby soft structured carriers and a woven wrap.  This way we always have a way to carry both children at the same time! Our woven wrap can also double as a blanket, something to sit on or a way to shade the sun.

2. Bumbo Chair - once baby is able to support their own neck and head this chair comes on all travels with us. It allows baby a place to sit when we are eating so they feel part of the conversation.  Note: DO NOT LEAVE baby unattended on any surface at any time! We use ours when sitting on the deck and put baby under the umbrella, at restaurants, to sit in the bathroom when we need a shower and many other times! We’ve also been known to leave it on top of our car when travelling and drive away leaving it behind in places like Hudson, Quebec ;)

3. Aden & Anais blankets - these light blankets are very big which allows a place for baby to lay down and play or can cover up our toddler and make the perfect sun shade when the kids are in a baby carrier and it’s a hot sunny day.  Also? These blankets are big enough to snuggle up your toddler!

4. Goodbyn Lunch containers - These containers have compartments that allow us to pack a variety of food for the whole family on a road trip.  We have adult size and kid size ones! Packed with raisins, goldfish, sandwiches, cheese and crackers the long drive is made a little easier so we don’t have to stop too often.

5. Planet Wise wet bags - Not only are these wonderful for cloth diapering families we use our waterproof bags for when we spend days at the beach and splash pads so we can throw our wet stuff in it. These bags are also wonderful for dirty laundry.

What are your most have items when travelling with a baby? What kind of adventurous family trips have you taken with baby?

Amanda is a mom to a 2 year old boy and 4 month old baby girl.  When she is not out having fun with the kids you can find her getting her yoga on at www.littlelotusyoga.ca

Early Years

by Amy We just moved to an entirely new neighbourhood and I have switched to being at home all day with the kid, so we've been looking for some activities to keep her busy and tire her out a bit. The last time I was at the doctor, she mentioned the community resource centre not too far from our new house, so I went in to pick up some information and found that it's also the location of an Early Years Centre.

Every Early Years Centre has scheduled drop-ins and special programs. I had previously been to one of the centres to see a lactation consultant and they actually loaned me a breast pump. My husband also took our daughter to a drop-in for Dads when she was younger. This week I decided to try the toddler drop-in, partly because I want her to play with other kids, which she hasn't done much of since she left daycare, and I wanted to meet people from our new neighbourhood.

When we arrived I was worried we would be the only ones there, but it was packed. The Early Years Centre was a big room with a place to hang you coats and leave your bags, a few shelves of books, and then a play area and a craft area with tables. There was also a play area outside. My kid spent most of her time in the play kitchen, but I don't think she noticed the dress-up area.

After a good long play and snack time, there was circle time with songs and movement. My kid was shy at first but got right into it by the end.

I think my daughter was the oldest kid there, so next week we'll attend the open drop in instead, that one is for kids up to age six. She got some play time, so fun and interaction, and I had a couple of nice conversations too. I'm looking forward to next week.

Amy is mom to two year old Maggie and a 6 year old schnauzer named Henry. You can read her blog at amyboughner.ca where she writes about motherhood and anything else that’s on her mind. She also shares a blog with her husband at boughner.ca where they talk together about parenting a daughter.