Wednesday 5 October 2016

Event Review: Lego Imagine Nation Tour




Everything is awesome, everything is cool when you're part of a team... Our 3 year old has graduated from playing with Duplo to playing with "big boy's LEGO".  When we found out that LEGO Imagine Nation Tour was coming to Vancouver, we knew that we would have to check it out with him!

The first-ever LEGO Imagine Nation Tour is making 5 stops across Canada, with Vancouver being the second last stop in Canada.  Each stop offers 5 timed sessions, over the weekend.

With different experiences and interests of builders in mind, the venue was divided into 9 different themes (LEGO Duplo, LEGO City, LEGO NINJAGO, LEGO Friends, LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Elves, LEGO NEXO, LEGO Minecraft and LEGO Video games), some of which had interactive digital experiences where the kids had the chance to turn their creations to life.  Life-sized LEGO models were found throughout the venue for plenty of photo opportunities, a huge Brick Pit was set up for kids to play in and the Master Builder Lab was the place to go to for tips and tricks with a Master Model Builder.

We picked the first session to attend, on a Friday evening from 4pm to 8pm.  We didn't know what to expect but ended up spending the whole 4 hours there! While there were activities that were definitely designed for the older kids like the video game area or the bridge building challenge, our 3 year old still had a great time and has been talking about the tour since.  He really enjoyed seeing his own creations come to life at the LEGO NINJAGO area and LEGO Friends area.  C has also been really into cars lately so we ended up spending a lot of time in the LEGO City area where kids were encouraged to build their own vehicles and have a friendly race with other builders with their creations.

Strollers were welcome but I was glad I had baby C in the carrier rather than the stroller as there were areas which were rather crowded and would have been a bit hard to have to maneuver the stroller if we had it with us. A small concession stand was available on site and a selection of LEGO products/sets were also available for purchase at the Toys R Us mobile shop.


For more information on future tour dates/locations:
http://legoimaginenationtour.com/


Tuesday 31 May 2016

Toddler Activity Review: Whistler Bounce!

We had our first weekend getaway as a family of four this past weekend to Whistler after spending Saturday in Squamish at Day Out with Thomas.
Our first stop on Sunday morning was Whistler Bounce Acrobatic Academy at Function Junction, a 10 minute drive from Whistler Village.
Bounce features 23 trampolines, a foam pit, trampoline half pipe, a SUPERTRAMP and a ball pit upstairs! Aside from drop in sessions, Bounce also offers trampoline lessons, birthday parties and corporate events.

This trampoline park has destinated hours in the morning for toddlers (5 and under) between 9am-11am(12 on weekdays), which is great as the older kids (adults included!) could get a little rough at times, making it less appropriate for the toddlers.
We arrived at around 9:30 that morning.  It was actually busier than we thought it would be when we arrived; but not to the point where it makes you feel crowded. There was a good mix of tourist like ourselves and locals from Whistler.
After signing the waiver, I thought I would have to watch C and daddy dubs from the reception area, but Bounce is very baby friendly that I was told that I could just bring baby C in with his carseat.  A few other babies and new moms joined us not long after.  
It took C a little while to warm up but once he remembered what trampolines were all about, it was just pure happiness on his and daddy dubs' faces. In fact, we had a hard time getting C out of there because he was having so much fun. I am sure we will be visiting Bounce again the next time we are in Whislter!




Venue Info:
Whistler Bounce
101-1055 Millar Creek Road (Function Junction) Whistler B.C.
Toddler Time Drop In: $10.50

Friday 20 May 2016

Birthday party idea: Thomas and Friends



C turned 3 today!  We decided to throw a Thomas and Friends birthday party for him this past weekend since he loves trains and Thomas.  Who doesn't love Thomas?







Invitations:
We found a train ticket template and personalized it with all the party details.

Decorations:
Decorations were mostly store bought this year as we have the newborn to take care of this year.  Plates, napkins and table cloths were all Thomas themed or blue and green for Thomas and Percy.  We also used some of C's toys as decorations - train tracks with motorized Percy around the plates and utensils, Thomas as a centrepiece, an AirWalker balloon and other blue helium balloons to keep it consistent with theme.

Gift and Loot Bags:
We included a few things Thomas in the goodie bags - a mini Thomas train, Thomas and Friends bubbles, some Thomas stickers and a Thomas stamps.

Games and Activities:
This was the part we were all so excited about and it turned out to be a blast! The kids at the party (from age 1 to 5) all had so much fun with it that all the adults wished that they could give it a go too.  The Step 2 Thomas the Tank Engine Up and Down Roller Coaster was such a hit.  It was the perfect size for the toddlers.  The train stayed on safely on the track and it was hours of entertainment for the kids.  We just took it out of the box the morning of and it took Daddy dubs less than 30 mins to put it together.  It's a great alternative to the regular ride-on's or an indoor slide for both boys and girls.

Aside from the roller coaster, we also included C's Thomas train table at the party.  We have the Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway Grow With Me Play Table which has the pre-grooved tracks.  It was perfect for the party as it allows the kids to play without having to worry about losing the tracks or having to constantly rebuild the tracks for them.  Even though the manufacturer suggested age is from 2-4, C has had this table since he was a little older than 1 and all the younger kids at the party seemed to have no problem with it as well.

Thomas Pinata was another highlight of the party.  We got a pull string pinata as that seemed to be a safer choice for kids his age.  We didn't want to stuff the pinata with candies and we wouldn't want our kids to be picking up just candies from a pinata if we were at a party with it.  We ended up stuffing it with some random noisemakers, mini boxes of raisins, wooly balls, bouncy balls, some granola bars and fruit gummy.

Cake:
Because Thomas and Friends is such a common party theme we didn't have to go through the trouble of finding a baker to make a custom cake this year.  We ordered a cake from a local grocery store which included a movable plastic Thomas train and a cargo with it.  Very cute cake and was perfect for the theme!

It was surely a fun and exhausting day for all the kids, we were told everyone had a good long nap after the party!  It has been two days now since the party but C is still busy opening the presents and is still talking about his birthday party.  Happy birthday, little one! :)



Tuesday 3 May 2016

Toddler Learning Activity: Name Tracing

I was looking for things to do with our almost 3 year old at home while our newborn was taking his nap the other day.  I wanted to find something that's somewhat eucational yet can be done quietly so that we could make it an activity during baby's nap time or during quiet time on days when C wants to skip his naps.

A while ago, C was really into the line tracing activities in one of his colouring books so I started looking up line tracing printables on pinterest.  I ended up seeing various pins on letter tracing.. on line tracing.. and eventually came across customized name tracing worksheets!  So I printed a copy for C and planned to laminate it so that it could be used over and over again with a dry erase marker. The printout size is perfect for a preschooler.  Not only are the words (names) customizable, the fonts are customizable too.

Unfortunately, C only showed interest in it for a short period of time so it didn't exactly do it's job of keeping him busy like I had originally hope for.  However, I'm still bookmarking the page as it would be such an useful tool to have when he does start to learn to write in preschool.

Want to make your own name tracing worksheets? Check this custom name tracing printable out from Powerful Mothering.

Sunday 17 April 2016

Baby has arrived!

The journey to my pregnancy ended on Friday morning with a smooth delivery of our baby boy. It was definitely an interesting experience as this time round we also had to make arrangements for our toddler whereas last time all we had to worry about was our hospital bag.

We have arranged for C to stay with grandparents during our stay at the hospital. I was a bit worried as it would have only been the second time of C sleeping over at grandparents and let's say he had a bit of trouble sleeping without daddy and mommy the first time round. In the past month, I have been talking to C about what would happen when it was time for us to head to the hospital and was basically hoping to prepare him mentally for it.  Thank goodness for the fact that C has been super excited about the arrival of the baby and has accepted the idea of having to sleepover while we were away.

I also wanted to make sure that C is going to find meeting his sibling to be a positive one as I am sure it's quite a dramatic change for a little person to deal with and to adjust to.  So we decided that we would ask C to pick out a gift for the baby and at the same time we have prepared a gift from the baby to him.

C picked out a Jellycat rattle bunny, he loves his Jellycat bashful bunny himself so he felt that the rattle is his bunny's baby sibling.  For his gift, we got him a cute book about brotherhood called "I am going to be a big brother" by Caroline Church.  The illustrations are very cute in the book just like other books by Church and it's written simple enough for a toddler his age to relate to and understand.  We have also included a boogie board that we found him enjoyed very much awhile ago when he was visiting his cousin, along with some of his favourite snacks.

Needless to say it was a huge surprise for C when he got the gift from the baby; it was also such a precious moment to watch him give the baby the rattle he picked out for him.  I am glad that we did this as it was such a great way for the brotherhood to begin.

Friday 8 April 2016

Baking with a toddler

We have been talking about baking some muffins the last two weeks but never got around to it as the weather has been really nice to stay in. We finally managed to get some baking done this morning and I didn't expect it to be so much fun to do with a toddler! C loved it.

I basically got everything measured out for him and he ended up doing all the mixing. He was so excited for it that he sat in front of the oven for 20 minutes to wait for the muffins to be ready. The whole "project" took around 40 minutes, which was perfect. I think it would been a little too much for C if it took any longer.

Here's the simple recipe (from allrecipes.com) we used for our banana muffins this morning:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

... and I almost forgot to mention that I am so glad that we got him the BEKVÄM stool from Ikea.  It is a much more affordable alternative to a learning tower.  Daddy dubs is planning to try an ikea hack out on it to make a safer for C to be on it especially if we were to keep using it as a learning tower! To be continued...

Tuesday 5 April 2016

Toy Review: Playfully Delicious - Sushi Selection by Hape Toys

As we were shopping for a wooden play kitchen for C awhile ago (which we'll be doing a review on it soon with pics!), we wanted to add in a few new food items in the kitchen.  I was never much of a fan of plastic or paper food toys as they don't seem to last the rough play sometimes toddlers may have on them in addition to the toxic materials that they may contain.  Now that we are expecting Baby #2, we wanted to make sure we make purchases that would last through at least the play of these two kids and hopefully even be able to get a reasonable resell value through kids swaps once they outgrow them.

During our search, I came across several wooden sushi sets. Unfortunately most of these playset were only available online but I am glad that we decided on this particular set. The Playfully Delicious Sushi Selection by Hape Toys definitely fit what we were looking for.  Hape Toys have always been well known for their quality and sustainability; all the main materials used in this set are materials that we are all familiar with - wood, bamboo, fabric and water based paint.
The set itself is a 21 piece set that includes a soy sauce bottle, the serving plate, 2 pairs of chopsticks, soy sauce plates along with various sushi pieces. 

This set is very colourful and it allows for imaginative play.  Even though it says it's for 3+, most of the pieces are big enough for them not to be a choking hazard for a toddler (those who don't frequently put everything into their mouth I suppose).  The smallest piece you would find in this set would be the chopsticks holder.  Aside from the quality, I really like the fact that it's Asian food which is different from many other food playsets you commonly see in the market (I'm still on the lookout for Chinese food). 

Sushi is something we often have when we go out for a quick bite so C has actually been able to associate what he's playing with to what he sees in real life.  In fact, ever since we got the set, he actually showed interest in California roll for the first time in a long time!   My only complain about this set is the fact that it's very hard to use those chopsticks so unfortunately C cannot practice his chopsticks skills using those! 

I would recommend this set to anyone who is looking to add some quality pieces to their kids' play kitchen. It encourages imaginative plays and communications. The price itself is reasonable for a set with quality Hape delivers.


Sunday 27 March 2016

The end to co-sleeping?

We have been co-sleeping with C since he was 3 months old, he has been our bedtime sidekick for the last 2.5 years. Few nights ago, while we were cleaning our room to prepare for baby#2, we asked C to sleep in his room while we clean and that we would move him back into our bed when we head to bed.  To our surprise, that never happened and that's how it all began.
It's been kind of strange to not be waking up next to our little man, but at the same time I think C is mentally preparing himself to be a big brother. He has been talking a lot about sharing his room with baby, especially lately how excited he is to get to meet Baby#2 soon. He has been waking up once or twice during the night screaming out loud for me, but as soon as I go into to check on him, he goes right back to sleep. I am guessing that would stop with time, after all, we are all fairly new with this arrangement. Daddy dubs and I were just saying how it is so strange to have so much space in the bed now especially when it used to feel like this in bed...


Do you co-sleep with your child or co-slept at some point? If so, how did you transition them into their own bed and did you find yourself having to take a bit of time to adjust to the new arrangement? 

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Event Review: Gearapalooza 2016 in Vancouver BC

It was so much fun at the Gearapalooza held at West Coast Kids on Main Street in Vancouver BC, presented by Bump Club and Beyond tonight! It's a must for anyone who is expecting, especially for those who wants to learn about all the essentials for the baby.  For me, I found it to be a great refresher on things like what to look out for when it comes to car seat fitting. It was also a great way to learn about the newest products out there!

It started off as a meet and greet with the sponsors of the raffle draw that took place at the end of the show. They were all representatives from the manufacturers themselves so they were all very knowledgeable in the products and were able to answer questions about the specific brands. The highlight of Gearapalooza was of course the presence of Jamie Grayson (TheBabyGuyNYC), the infamous baby gear guru, and the angry baby that he uses to demonstrate the baby products.  Jamie was there to talk about all the different baby gears that are available out in the market. I liked the fact that he didn't only focus on the pricey products out there; he covered products with different price points and talked about what he believed it's the best bang for the buck.  He was super funny and covered mostly on the bigger price tagged items like car seats, baby carriers, strollers, and breast pumps.

         

In terms of the show itself, there were different tickets categories you can choose from when you purchase the tickets. The tickets ranged from $55 to $135USD.  I was a bit hesitant about purchasing a ticket at the beginning because of the higher price points for the tickets comparing to other family/baby shows. 

At the end, I ended up getting a platinum ticket to the show that included a Beco Gemini carrier - which I am now super excited to try out on baby #2 when he/she arrives. The other ticket options would get you either a Beco ring sling (gold ticket) or the swag bag itself. The swag bag itself was stuffed with different interesting baby products, including teethers by Mam and Little Toader, swaddle blankets from Swaddle Designs and Angel Dear, the Halo swaddle change diaper changing pad cover, an Ubbi snack container,  and some utensils by Beaba and BabyBjorn... The only thing I am a little disappointed about the bag was the fact that it was quite gender specific! I wish it could have been a little more gender neutral as they all look like great products to try out on baby#2. Baby#2 is going to be a surprise but almost everything that's in the bag are pink so we will see how that works out!

The other highlight of the show was more personal than anything. I was lucky enough to win a BabyBjorn One carrier at the raffle! Now we just will have to figure out which carrier to keep for Baby#2!

Gearapalooza tours mostly in different cities in US.  The next Canadian city they will be visiting is Toronto in June. If you have the opportunity to check them out,  you should definitely do so because it's well worth it!!

Thursday 17 March 2016

March Break Fun in Vancouver!

I have always had my eyes on the different projects that Home Depot offers kids to build at their monthly kids’ workshops that take place every second Saturday of the month (across Canada) since last summer.  Of course C was way too young back then but I kept telling my husband that when he’s old enough we must make it a daddy and son activity.

This past February, when we made a trip out to Home Depot for flooring tiles for our kitchen, we came across the poster for the upcoming workshop for kids.  At the time, I was still a bit hesitant about bringing C to the workshops as they advertise it as a 4+ activity.  Nevertheless my husband way was too excited about it (the handy man in him) and decided to bring him to it.  I'm glad that he did since C had such a blast.  Partly thanks to Bob the builder for making C super excited about using hammers and screwdrivers.

My husband has been bringing C out to these workshops since and he has always enjoyed it.  It has been such a great bonding activity.  C is always so proud of what he and daddy make at these workshops and can never wait to show the final products off to mommy when I get home from work!




You should definitely check these out with your toddler if your toddler is one who shows interests in using tools or has always wanted to be the little helper at home whenever you take the toolbox out.  The projects and the instructions are simple enough for any adult to follow and is a great way to bond with your kids.  That big smile the finish projects put on their faces makes it all worthwhile if nothing else!

Home Depot now offers these activities for kids everyday during March break (March 14-25, 2016, from 10am-12pm).  Be sure to check the schedule with your local store as we went to a different Home Depot the other day only to find out that they are only offering their workshops in the second half of the break.
 

For their monthly kid’s workshops, you can check the schedule out at
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/ideas-how-to/workshops.html

Let the adventure begin!

I have always been wanting to do this - to blog and share my experiences as a mommy which I never thought of doing so when I was pregnant with C.  This first post definitely checks off one item on my to-do list before the adventure as a mommy of two begins!