Discussion Topic: Do children = happiness?

I do plan on writing about topics pertaining to our roles on motherhood and interesting articles I come across and form some sort of discussion area on this, I am new to blogging, it's been a great 3 weeks.   Right now it's all about shopping and great stuff to get your kids.  I have a 16 month old running around our apt so I only have so much time to get stuff across and to actually sit still and type.  When he's napping I'm cleaning or cooking and I if I have time I get some blogging done.
I've swapped my addiction for make up and skincare for baby carriers, cloth diapers, wooden toys, organic food and anything and everything to do with baby.  Have I lost myself? Who am I now?
No, I'm a mom.  I love my new role and it's a privilege that I get to stay home and raise our son.  I don't have to worry about the costs of daycare(it's a 2-3yr waiting list!) or nannies or the type of care and attention they are giving Charlie.  A few months ago city workers went on strike here in Toronto and I felt horrible for the parents and the positions they were put in because city day cares were on strike, no garbage pick up, new moms couldn't have the public health nurse come by and help them after just giving birth because of this stupid strike.  Shame on those public city workers. The fact that a public nurse couldn't come to see if a newborn is latching properly and to check in to see how mom is handling her new role, most of Toronto I'm sure has forgotten this strike.  But that's a whole other topic.
But there are woman out there who aren't a 100% content in their in new role as Mother, they love their children but they miss the adult interaction, the after work cocktails, lazy Sundays, carefree shopping and everything else they enjoyed before baby.  I don't blame those moms(I'm a Libra, I see both point of views all the time) they are entitled to feel that way, I see her point but I don't agree with her.  I look at motherhood differently and I enjoy my mom groups.  The moms I hang out with are fun and we do hit the pub or cafe once in a while after our play dates.  Why not?
Times have changed since the good 'ol days and moms today aren't June Cleaver, what type of mom am I or you?  Do we seriously have a category and does it even matter what strangers think? 

I'm the type that if I have lemons, I'll make lemonade.  I suit motherhood and I enjoy it, to be honest some adults are quite disappointing to hang out with(I have more fun with Charlie than some people I know) and I don't miss the idle chit chat or the partying I once used to do.  I still go to pubs, cafes and restaurants, it's with  my husband and our friends and yes, Charlie is with us.  Mind you, it's once in a while and it's just to have a beverage & some food in good company.  The place we go to is close to home, child friendly and the waitresses are smitten with Charlie.  At 16 months he knows how to flirt.  He's already given a hug and a kiss to one of them.
I read this article on Do Children=Happiness in Red magazine and I must say I was a little stumped on the writer but she is brave for writing it.  It's a taboo topic for an article so we'll see who comments first. 

Read the article and post your thoughts and comments. Do you feel the same way as this writer does or the complete opposite?
http://www.salihughes.com/articles/REDkids.pdf

Mama Bargains is now shipping to Canada!

Alright mama's we will officially be in the poor house thanks to this.  Babysteals.com was enough and now Mamabargains has come north of the border.  Mamabargains just informed me that there will be Canadian shipping in the next day or so and all mama's up here in the great white north are thrilled!

Huge and I mean huge discounts on awesome baby gear will be readily available to us and at a great price plus they are going to be using USPS to ship.

So get ready, get hooked on one deal at a time!
Check the website everyday and through out the day as things sell out quickly and there's always something new.

Vintage Lucy's- The Coolest Clothes for your bebe!

Okay, have I found the coolest little company that's just south of our boarder.
It is called Vintage Lucy.

These are original and so cool, I have not seen anything like this in any baby shop here in Toronto, ON.  I like this style and it's refreshing to see some vintage style for our kids.  All of her items are serged and professionally tailored to standard sizes.  Their printed items are also guaranteed not to crack or peel and can be machine washed and dried. Their items are HANDMADE not Home made as they make this very clear.  And as you know I support all things that are handmade.
This little outfit is the cutest thing I've seen for a little girl.  How great is this for a little girls 1st birthday party dress.
Now for boys....I have to get this set.  Charlie is a chick magnet.  I hope she has a 24 month size available.  Check out the Big Blow onesie, perfect for any birthday.
And the Glamour Baby onesie.  Look at that!  This is just a sneak peek from Vintage Lucy.
She's got the best vintage inspired materials for baby blankets, burp cloths and the little knickers on this site are too friggin' cute.
She's got tea towels, aprons and other home decor for us hip, cool cats and birds so if you like this kind of style you must check her link out.  She ships to Canada and you will be the coolest dame and all that other mother jazz this north of the border.
Say you saw it on EMB ;)

SALE at Auckland Sheepskin- Wool Duvet & Mattress Pads

Auckland Sheepskin is having a sale!!!
Those who have read of my blog and those who know me, know I love the benefits of sheepskin and I have sheepskin for our son.
But I was thinking what me?  What about Papa Ash?
We spend on our little prince which is so easy to do and we enjoy doing so.  But I look at his crib and I see him sleeping ever so peacefully on his sheepskin and I'm like wait a minute...what about us? We're tossing and turning.
Everything here has been all about baby and stuff to buy for baby.  Well, now I have something for us and I just placed my order. Please know this will never go on sale at the Bay, so order through Auckland.
New moms, it's important to sleep when baby sleeps you will have a soft, warm, comfy bed to crawl into after a long, wakeful night with your newborn.  This product is healthy for you too, it improves and regulates your circulation, can ease back pain and for you night sweaters out there, this will keep you DRY.
Wool is 100% non allergenic and non flammable.  You will not itch.

How luxurious is this and it's not so crazy to get one for yourself.
The benefits of this is as follows:
Wool can absorb up to 30% it's weight in moisture before it begins to feel damp.  For the night sweaters, wool will wick this dampness away providing extra comfort all year round.  This will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. 
Their wool duvet comforters contour to the body for superior and optimum comfort, air flows through the fibers enabling the skin to breathe, the dense wool fibers distribute pressure points and cushion the body for a more restful, less tossing and turning for a  therapeutic sleep.
The mattress pads can be washed in lukewarm water using a gentle soap or a wool soap and hang to dry, where as the duvet comforter can be dry cleaned, just tell them it's wool.
So what do you think?  Pretty good 'eh?  Treat yourself, it's on sale and the price is right!  They have beautiful baby products as well, get a rug for baby and put it in baby's crib.  Baby will have a longer, restful, therapeutic sleep as well!  This makes a spectacular shower gift and the baby sheepskin is on sale too.
For more info on the benefits for baby please read:
http://everythingmomandbaby.blogspot.com/2010/01/baby-slippers-and-shearling-more-of-my.html

Beretta Farm Organic Pork Sausages

Good day everyone!
Last night for dinner we had delicious sausages, finally I have found the yummiest of sausages as I am usually disappointed when it comes to buying these.  These are the only ones worth buying.  Good for us & good for my local favorite farmers.



Organic Pork Honey Garlic Sausages
Beretta Farm Sausages were a hit in this household, thank you Shan and the Beretta family!
This was Charlies first time eating sausage, they are nitrate free and gluten free and the meat is amazing, if you read my earlier post you'll know what I mean by happy pig=yummy meat.
I had to share these pictures because my normally fussy toddler who insists he feeds himself loved these sausages!

I baked them in the oven and for Charles I served them with organic apple sauce and even though you don't see it I served them with some brown rice spaghetti and spinach.
I never got around to going shopping yesterday as it is cccccccold today so I didn't make mashed potatoes as I had planned.

I loved watching him eat all by himself, he had a big smile as he was scooping up everything and opening wide...

The ingredients in these sausages are pure and simple, no unnecessary fillers.


And here he is getting every last scoop...
More please :)

I cannot stress how great this farm is so check 'em out.  You know the logo by now and when you see them, you and your family won't be disappointed by their produce.
Now I have to order more and make these in a delicious tomato sauce with fusilli, cheese and glass of red wine for moi :) Bon Appetit!

Imagination Kids-Eco-friendly Toys

Imagination Kids toys are all made in an Indiana home from start to finish. They use only child and earth friendly materials including sustainably harvested wood, AP certified non-toxic/ACMI non-toxic water colors, AP Certified non-toxic paint and homemade natural wood polish.

How fun and cute is this little set?  Beautiful quality that lasts a life time and the prices are quite affordable.  I've paid more for wooden toys made in China, but no more!  I am always going to push wood toys instead of plastic because I love the originality in the products of the woods features and it's a gift from nature that we can create such toys for our sweet children.  Wood lasts a lifetime and they are worth holding on to so your children can pass them along to theirs.  I'm a sentimental kinda gal and I plan on holding on to my special crafted toys that I get from creating this blog. I will give them to my grandchildren, god knows what the world will be like but I'll still have these and the memory of Charlie playing with them when he just a wee one.  I love the toy companies that I support on my blog because they are handmade.   I also enjoy supporting family businesses through my blog.

Charlie is getting this, I know he'll enjoying turning the propeller and moving it across the floor. $7USD. He just came up to the computer and saw the helicopter, he calls it "'ruck".  Anything with wheels is a 'ruck.
All little boys love this kinda stuff, you can't go wrong.  They also sell a set of 6 of them so can buy the set and give each one as a gift to a special little boy in your life.

And for the princess in your life you can get this Magic Star Wand set for only $22USD
Happy shopping and please mention you heard about them on my blog.

Beretta Organic Farm-Best choice for your meat products

If you are vegetarian this is not for you!
Beretta Farms is a local, Ontario family run farm that produces the most glorious meat available.  They are located just outside of King City and their farm covers over 800 acres of land where whole grains, vegetables and greenhouse greens are grown.
Beretta Farms grow their animals and feed according to strict organic standards and are certified by the Organic Crop Producers and Processors OCPP.
Beretta Organic Farms not only grows the meat and produce, but does the processing as well. They do all their own cutting and wrapping, smoking, sausage making. This makes them truly accountable for the product from farm to table.
Their pigs are not confined to concrete floors or in a controlled environment to maximize growth they are raised to roll around and roam as they like.  Happy pig, happy meat, if you're a foodie like me you'll taste the difference.
One of the reasons I love local farmers and it's produce is because of the care that is put into the animal before it makes it's way to our table. I rarely ever buy big commercial name brands ...I picture those poor animals injected with growth hormones, antibiotics and caged up, sad pathetic meat where an animal cannot roam freely and be amongst their herds the way they were meant to be.   I do not want to eat that meat nor do I want my son or husband to eat that meat. 
I found this interesting that if an animal at Beretta farms becomes sick enough to require an injection it is no longer sold as certified organic beef, but is instead taken to the local stockyards.

I was graciously given some beautiful products from Beretta Organics and tonight's dinner of shear delight is their Organic Gluten free Pork Honey Garlic Sausages, I think I'll do a side of mash potatoes and some creamed spinach.
What is organic and how is it regulated?  You can easily find out by going to there site.
I'm looking forward to putting an order through for some hen bones(for soup) and smoked chicken, whole chicken,chicken breast and double smoked bacon...are you kidding me how heavenly..again if you're a vegetarian why are reading this! Beretta Farms has tonnes more to offer as I have just listed a few.  I wonder if they deliver farm fresh eggs?  How yummy for my family!  Please go to their link and place and order today and tell them Mama Ash sent you or ask your local grocer to carry this fine, local organic produce.

Recipe of the Day for Baby-Carrot, Lentil and Coriander Puree

Carrot, Lentil and Coriander Puree 

Ingredients  
12 oz carrots
6 oz potato
1/4 cup red lentils
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/4 cup formula or breastmilk

Directions

Trim and peel the carrots and potatoes and then chop into small cubes and place in a saucepan. Rinse the lentils thoroughly, discarding any black hits.
Add the lentils, coriander and milk to the pan and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 4 minutes, until the lentils are very soft. Top up with a little extra hot water if necessary.
Puree or sieve the vegetable and lentil mixture until smooth.
Spoon a little into a bowl. Test the temperature and cool if necessary, before giving to baby.
Cover the remaining puree and transfer to the fridge as soon as possible. Use within 24 hours.

Recipe of the Day for Toddler-Veggie Quesadilla

QUICK CHEESY VEGGIE QUESADILLA

1 flour tortilla
2 slices of cheese
chopped cooked veggies(zucchini, tomatoes,muchrooms, red peppers whatever veg your tod' likes)

On the tortilla, spread out the veggies then cover with cheese slices
Bake or broil until cheese has melted
If broiling, watch carefully as cheese may burn quickly.
*I've found organic preservative free tortilla's at Sobeys in the frozen section, the brand is Sepps. They are small and the perfect size for my Master Charles.

little alouette-Beautiful wooden organic and handmade toys made with love

little alouette toys are packaged beautifully- ready to gift and they provide you with a wood toy care guide that includes information about their charming family business and the locally sourced products they use.   
What I especially love about this family run company in the U.S.A is each product is made by hand and usually all the wood is surrounded by cups of tea, laughing children, and disco music so each product will come to you infused with love and bliss!  As it states on their website. I love that.
I am eagerly awaiting my shipment from this lovely company & I can't wait for Charlie to get his hands on it.  If you know me, you know I love wooden toys and I'm glad to have found such a quality product made in North America.
Check it out and treat yourself, I'll post some pics of Charlie and his love infused teether when I get it.
Just in time for your Valentines give baby a teether shaped in a heart! Especially sweet if it's your first together.

$12USD

Natures Path Organic Rice Puffs

In one of my earlier blogs I wrote about cheerios vs nutrio's and I am finally rid of the Nutrios and have found an even better snack cereal that our sweet babes can easily graps with their little fingers.
Its Natures Path Organic Rice Puffs they are brown rice, sodium free and sugar free and cost around$2.69- $4, depending where you shop.  If you are already giving your baby a cheerio type cereal for snack and if your baby has the chewing skills to eat them then these are a great alternative.  They dissolve easily in baby's mouth as I have tried them myself.
So if your looking for something different and thats healthy and yummy go to your local health food store and pick up a bag of these Rice puffs.  They are way better and healthier than Cherrio's and Nutrio's.
My favorite place to shop for all things healthy stuff other than Whole Foods is Evergreen Natural Foods 513 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, 416-536-2932(Bathurst & St.Clair)
Best prices for everything in the GTA.  Seriously.  It's that cheap compared to other places.

Handcrafted Natural Wooden Toys-The Wood Garden

Moms, dads, friends and family have I found a great gift solution for you!
I am tired of all the plastic I see out there for our children and I always try to buy wooden toys and teethers whenever I can.  When I do I am quite picky as to the origin it is from and quality.
To make things easier for us I have found a great local Canadian company call The Wood Garden.
 They make a line of natural wooden toys handcrafted with love in their home workshop in Southern Ontario.  Made in Canada.
All of Wood Garden toys are made with wood from sustainably farmed hardwood trees and they use only woods that meet Canadian Standards Association's "Sustainable Forest Management Standard".
Even better as a finish they use certified organic flax seed oil, and they never use paints or dyes on their toys. The colours you see are the beautiful natural colours of the woods.
Please note that the grain and colour of the wood in each item may vary slightly from the pictures shown.
All our toys come with a care sheet printed on 100% recycled paper.
Maple Teether, $11USD, a free shipping on this product!  You can find them on an American site called Etsy, that's why prices are in US funds, but our dollar is practically the same give or take a buck.

Beautiful Baby Rattle $15USD
This rattle is made from rock maple and purpleheart. (Purpleheart is a tropical wood which has a purple-ish tone.)  You'll love the warm, gentle tone of this rattle. It's nothing like the harsh sound that plastic rattles make.
This makes a beautiful shower gift and keepsake.
So please support your local Canadian businesses and check out the link above and get some real, good quality toys that will last a life time and that you can feel really good about giving to your child, your family and friends.
Please tell them you saw it on Everything Mom & Baby!

Apple Butter- Did I get your attention?

Make this when your making you children's lunch next time.  Make an apple butter and cream cheese sandwich, or use a goat cheese spread..yum.   This is delicious on a nice whole grain toast with melted cheddar(or white cheddar)cheese on top of the apple butter or better yet with butter and cinnamon raisin toast.
Thank you weelicious for sharing this recipe.

Apple Butter (makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups)
2 Apples (1 tart such as granny smith or wine sap, 1 sweet such as golden delicious or Fuji)
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp Apple Juice, Cider or Water
1. Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat.
2. Cook for 15 minutes, covered or until apples are soft and tender.
3. Smash apples with a potato masher or back of a spoon. You want to apple butter to be slightly chunky.
4. Cool and serve.

Vintage Baby Revival-Beautiful Handmade Knits

I love knits, I also love to knit but it takes me too darn long and with a monkey by the name of Master Charles keeping me on my toes, I haven't the time to sit and knit.
I love homemade projects and receiving such things as gifts is extremely special because someone put their thought and energy into making you something.

If you are looking for a unique, beautifully handmade gift or even something for your own little bundle please checkout Vintage Baby Revival that I found courtesy of Etsy and she's a local Torontonian.  She also makes her own onesies with cool prints.  I want a pair of these wool slippers but they come only in 3months,6months and 12months which also come in different colours.  There are other colours available as well with the poncho that are made of cotton.
as well to read about the importance of baby foot health and the best type of shoe(besides barefoot being best) for their little growing feet please view this post:
http://everythingmomandbaby.blogspot.com/2010/01/olly-shoe-store-for-kids-and-foot.html

oh Snap Baby Carrier by BabyHawk

I have a weakness for the company Babyhawk as I am on the hunt for another version of my beloved Toddlerhawk.
It's called the oh Snap and I want one...really...really bad.  I hope there's an online store somewhere in Cyberspace that has them on sale. These carriers are awesome, they are comfy and supportive and it keeps my bebe nice and secure for his size, plus they can carry the weight of up to 45pds+. Triple padded top straps, foam core bottom strap makes it the perfect baby carrier for larger babies.
It is the most comfortable carrier I have worn and now they have this style.
I love the Blakely Bloom, I think that would be a nice one for spring and summer ;)
It only makes sense to have one that matches the season...right?! Hmm, I wonder if Papa Ash would agree. If you see these on sale please let me know!
I have to get the Blakely Bloom and hopefully I'll have an oh Snap to blog about :) I will post where to buy these as well....you could go directly to Babyhawk.
Canadian shop locations and online shops:
http://www.babyhawk.com/Wholesale/Distributors/

I got an Oh Snap...stay tuned for a review......

Hey Baby Hey Nursing Cover

This is my Hey Baby Hey Cover Me nursing cover that was generously given to me to blog about recently by one of my favorite mompreneurs.
This is made from 100% cotton, it has a flexible and sturdy viewer so I can see my little monkey and an adjustable neck sling for more room and privacy.
It is a generous size so you don't have to worry about flashing anyone baby's gourmet meal.
You can also get a matching sling with the nursing cover, how great is that? Baby is secure, fed and covered and you can nurse in privacy and still be part of the group wherever you are.  
Mama Jess makes these and can do special requests such as specific sizing for you and your bundle of joy.  She already has received orders so check out her shop and get one for yourself or if you need a gift, this is a great idea. For more info check out the link:

Tea and Sympathy for Baby

I will admit I am one of those moms who doesn't give juice to their toddlers.  I know and I know what your thinking.  I established Charlies introduction to tea when I could see he actually drank water and that he enjoyed water.
He loves tea. I love tea and my husband appreciates it when I brew tea.  Have I said tea enough times?
I made Rooiboss tea recently as Charlie has never had Rooibos and I thought it would be lovely for him to try and in that blend was Lemongrass and Calendula. I chose that blend for him in particular because we do a lot of play dates with others and as you know, germs spread and our kids can get sick easily since they are new little souls on this planet and Lemongrass and Calendula both help in defending the immune system. I like to put a little honey for my honey and he drank all of it in a matter of seconds, thirsty indeed but he loved the flavour of this new blend.  Sweet success, a new tea to have for Master Charles. *honey is not recommended for baby's under the age of 1 year.
Rooiboss is caffeine free and loaded with antioxidants and traditional medicinal uses of rooibos in South Africa where this lovely tea comes from include alleviating infantile colic.  Lemongrass boosts the immune system, helps reduce colic as well & flatulence amongst many other health benefits and beautiful Calendula is soothing and gentle on baby's digestive system.

Another favorite of mine for baby/toddler is Chamomile.
" Like a camomile bed- The more it is trodden, the more it will spread"
Chamomile or Camomile is the first type of herbal tea I ever gave Charles.  It helps him sleep after a rough night of teething and it can soothe a baby's fiery bum during a bout of teething(made in a herbal compress), I also use Weleda Baby Calendula oil to wipe his behind during this time as it is cooling and soothing.  Camomile aids in digestion and keeps baby regular, this to me equals one happy & healthy little guy.  Here's a little blurb on camomile......
There are different qualities when it comes to buying tea.  I use Egyptian Camomile as it is the best quality to buy and I but them loosely so I know I am getting the flowers and not just the stems.A favorite place of mine to buy is The Tea Emporium 

As well if you have concerns or questions about herbs and the medicinal benefits contact your local herbalist as I am not one.  I just have a passion for herbs and it's remarkable healing and preventative abilities.
My favorite place to visit and to speak with when I'm down in Roncesvalles is Celina Ainsworth, Clinical Master Herbalist of The Herbal Clinic and Dispensary.
She has beautiful herbal products that are made by the Dispensary that offer soothing balms for mom/baby, a special blend of herbs that make a delicious Nursing tea and even a perineum tonic.
So give tea a try.  It's a nice alternative to juice.
For more info on Weleda Baby Calendula products please visit:
http://everythingmomandbaby.blogspot.com/2010/01/favorite-teether-weleda-products-born.html
*A special note on tea and iron absorption, as long as your child isn't iron deficient and has a good balanced diet, tea should be okay. It's up to your own judgment you know your child better than anyone. Apparently Vit.C added to tea makes the body absorb iron better so add a squeeze of lemon if you are concerned, you don't need that much unless you want to see a cute puckered face :)
In regards to iron there are two kinds. Haem(heme) and non haem.  Haem is found in meats and meat products. Our iron absorption is derived from this type and this factor is usually unaffected by other influences of our diet.
Non-haem(non-heme) is in cereal, dried fruit etc and isn't really easily absorbed.
  Tea drinking mainly affects the absorption of non-haem iron as haem iron is relatively unaffected by tea. You'd only be giving your child 1 cup anyways and brewed lightly,  it's just a nice alternative to juice.

Favorite- Little Soles Shoes

I've been meaning to write about this fabulous Canadian company since I got Master Charles his first pair.  I got him the sandals shown in the picture below.
What is so great about these shoes and that every parent should buy?  They are  affordable and toxin free.  As you know everything goes into baby's teething mouth and they love to chew and explore new textures, especially when they discover their own kissable toes.  Finally there's a baby shoe where you don't have to worry about toxic chemicals leaching into your sweets ones body. We have enough to worry about, thank you. Little Soles leathers are all tested along with the out sole for the following: formaldehyde content and 7 Toxic elements (Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Antimony, Selenium & Barium)

I love this Canadian product(they are from one of my favorite cities, Calgary) and I can't thank them enough for making such a remarkable product.  This gets the EMB seal of approval!
http://www.littlesolesshoestore.com/

Recipe of the Day for Baby- Peachy Mangos

Peachy Mangos

3 peaches
1 mango

Directions:

1. Peel, pit and cut peaches into chunks
2. Peel, de-seed and cut mango into chunks
3. Steam fruits together gently until tender if needed

4. Place in a blender/food processor and puree until smooth or mash with a fork and let baby try to use a spoon or her fingers.

* why not add this to baby cereal for a thicker consistency

Recipe of the Day for Toddler-Shepards Pie

Shepards Pie
Preheat oven at 375 F use a 13-by-9 baking dish
1 1/2 lbs of ground beef( I'll leave it up to you if you want to use lean, medium or regular)
2 tbsp chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried herbs(parsley, thyme & sage)
1 1/4 gravy or bouillon (try to find MSG free bouillon)  Recipe below
1  frozen peaches and cream corn (8oz)
2 cups of mashed potato
1/4 cup of Cheddar cheese (optional, but I'll use more sine Charlie loves cheese)

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat brown beef. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in salt, herbs, gravy and corn
3. Pour beef mixture into a baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are browned.  If desired top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes.

Add different veggies it you like, I've replaced gravy for tomato sauce and it tastes really good.

I don't have the necessary ingredients for gravy so it's nice to improvise on recipes.  Feel free to play around with your meat choices.  I don't have enough beef so I'm going to make a combo since I have lovely, organic ground lamb.
One of my favorite farms for local, organic meat is Beretta Farms.  Try it one night, the meat is beautiful.  Support your local farmers and check the link out, lots of great info as well:
www.berettaorganics.com
* Beef Gravy
1 1/2 cups water
3 teaspoons beef bouillon(MSG free, it is out there but if you can't find don't fret)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Combine water, bouillon, flour  and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until thickened.

Hey Baby Hey

I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to Hey Baby Hey Shop for giving me a beautiful sling and nursing cover to write about.  I can't wait to use it, I love supporting my mama's and all things made with love by mom.  This is one the best gift sets from the heart that you can give an expecting mama.  This mompreneur has impeccable stitching skills and quality is top notch.  The selection of fabric swatches that you can choose are stylish and fun.  More to come from Hey Baby Hey.........
http://heybabyheyshop.blogspot.com/

Olly Shoe Store for kids and Foot Health

http://www.ollyshoes.com/
Finally a great shoe store for our children.  Compared to the huge selection of quality kids shoe stores in the States  I was thrilled to come across a  Canadian store called Olly Shoes and it's in my city.
The staff there are so helpful and humble.  There's toys for your kids to play with while you're looking around and I knew I made a mistake letting Charlie run free in the store after his feet were properly measured.  He's 15 months and his feet are 7D(he's got wide feet thanks to his dad) He loves trucks and he had all the trucks with him as he was doing his little dance and the happiness on his face to run free after being strapped in the stroller was priceless.  Putting him back in the stroller was a minor disaster(that's why it's a mistake taking him out of the stroller) but he got over it once I gave him some peas to snack on.
Olly carries quality brand names such as Geox, New Balance, Pedi Pied, ecco, umi and these are just the few of the many brands.
Yes our kids grow fast but foot health is important and it's worth to pay the extra dollars so baby's feet grow normal & healthy.  Feet are our foundation and if feet aren't taken care of imagine the back issues that could arise such as poor posture caused by unnatural foot positioning in poorly designed shoes.  So go to Olly and tell them Mama Ash sent you!  It's a great shoe store with knowledgeable staff that are there to help you find the perfect fit and the right shoe for your child.

Here's a great article on preventing foot troubles for your baby, read here 

For wool booties check this out, if you read the above article you'll know, During the first year of life, wool booties are the best type of footwear:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38384057
as well read about Padraig slippers here
So if you can buy quality do so and if price is a factor check out gently used kids stores such as OnceUpon a Child and know your brands walking in.

Baby Steals- Something for my Canadian Moms

Reversible Moby Tattoo Wrap  $24.75 USD!  Ships to Canada and one mom from MB wrote that she got her order within 2 weeks.
How cute!  Hold your baby close to you in this lovely carrier.  Natural cotton & machine washable.
Get one fast, they sell out extremely quickly. Makes a great shower gift as well, or keep it for yourself and your little bundle of love.
www.babysteals.com

Mama Bargains- For my American Moms

How cute are these wall cards?  I love the look of them and what a price! $9.50 USD, great gift!
  www.mamabargains.com

Green beaver Jr Boreal Berry Bubble bath

A little something for you moms with older babies. I love finding great Canadian products and ones with organic ingredients like this.
Picture a berry pie baking in the oven and the smell of fresh berries wafting through your home.....mmmmm.
I love berries in fact throughout much of my pregnancy all I wanted was berries and anything potato :)
I just picked this up.  Charlie is a little young for this but I couldn't resist the smell.  Heck, I might even use it for me.  Boreal Berry Bubble Bath is gentle on your little ones skin, it's tough on dirt and hydrating thanks to the soothing & delicious oils used.  Another plus, it won't leave a greasy ring around the tub either.
The aroma of the berries in this bath gel are so delicious you'll be tempted to drink it.   The packaging states that it is vegan and gluten-free, so there you go.
This is made in Canada, not tested on animals and it contains Canadian berries. Cranberry and Raspberry. Yum. It's also paraben free and phthalate free as well if that is one of your concerns with skincare, you'll be happy with this. This is one healthy bubble bath for your kid or you.
I got this on sale at Your Good Health on 355 Queen St West, Toronto.  There are 6 other locations across the GTA, please visit:www.yourgoodhealth.com
and for more info on Green Beaver visit: www.GREENBEAVER.com
I'm still on the hunt for more baby/toddler/kids skincare.  If you know of any worth trying, let me know or if you make some, send some my way and if I like it, I'll write about it.

Recipe of the Day for Baby- Mixed Root Veg Puree

Mixed Root Veg Puree
You can choose any 3 from the following:

carrot/sweet potato/butternut squash/potato/parsnip/rutabaga

Wash, peel and chop. You can boil theses veggies for 20min or steam.  I prefer steaming veggies to keep the nutritional content up as boiling loses some.
Once boiled or steamed, puree the veggies, if you need more liquid for puree use the water from your boiled pot or steamed pot.
You  can also add baby's usual milk.
As I've mentioned before you can find some of these veg's already freshly peeled and chopped at Bruno's Fine Foods($2.99-$4.99) and at Sobeys($2.99-$3.99) that are commercially done. All are found in the salad section.

Recipe of the Day for Toddler-Cherubs Couscous

Cherubs Couscous
1 cup sodium- reduced chicken stock or sodium reduced vegetable stock
1/2 cup of couscous
1 tbsp on butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup zucchini
2 tomaotoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1tbsp of olive oil or grapeseed oil for frying
1/2 cup diced cooked chicken(steam, boil, bake make it anyway you like)

Cook chicken first.  Add your olive oil or grapeseed oil to pan and cook chicken breast about 6 min on each side. Let cool and dice later. I like to steam chicken for Charlie because it's gentler on his tummy.
Bring the stock to a boil and pour over the couscous, stir with a fork and set aside for 6 minutes, by which it will have absorbed the stock.
Meanwhile melt butter in a saucepan and saute the onions for 2minutes.  Add the zucchini and saute for 4 minutes, then add the tomato and cook for 1 minute.  Fluff the couscous with a fork and mix in the zucchini and tomato mixture together with chicken.
If you don't have coucous, try quinoa.  Quinoa is a lovely grain, it cooks just as quickly and is loaded with protein it tastes just as yummy with this recipe.

Tonight's dinner!

Recipe of the Day for Baby-Peaches & Brown Rice Cereal

2 oz (1/4 cup) brown rice cereal
1/2 ripe peach
8 fl oz (1 cup) water
a little breast milk or formula

Peel the peach, remove the pit and cut the flesh into little cubes, puree
Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan.
Stir in the rice cereal, lower the heat and continue to stir.
Add the peach puree, then - stirring often - simmer gently for 10 mins.
If the texture is too thick for your baby at the end of the cooking time, thin it with a little breast milk or formula. Breakfast is ready!

Recipe of the Day for Toddler-Brocolli Soup

Broccoli Soup (6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Small Onion, chopped

1 Tsp Salt

1 Large Potato, peeled and chopped into a small dice

1 Pound Broccoli (about 2 cups), use florets and stems (stems peeled

and chopped)
1tsp of Lemon Juice

4 Cups (1 32 Oz Box) Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Yogurt, Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream for garnish.

1. In a large stock heat the olive oil and saute the onion and salt for 5-7 minutes over low to medium heat.
2. Add the potatoes, broccoli and stock and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
3. Cook covered for 12-15 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes are fork tender.
4. Pour the ingredients along with the lemon juice into a blender and puree.
5. Serve garnished with yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream.
Serve in a sippy cup if your toddler hasn't mastered the whole spoon concept :)
Courtesy of weelicious...check out www.weelicious.com
One of favorite baby recipe websites!

EWG's Guide to Infant Formula and Baby Bottles: Safe Baby Bottle and Formula Guide

This is a must read!
Moms & Dads please check this out.  Info on bottles to buy, tips on buying the right kind of formula, BPA info and much more.

 EWG's Guide to Infant Formula and Baby Bottles

h ttp://www.ewg.org/reports/infantformula 

http://www.ewg.org/node/25637 
http://www.ewg.org/node/27257                                                                                                               

 

1st Time Moms,1st Tastes for Baby what do you do? Where do you begin?

We all want the best for our baby but where do we start when we want to do it on our own?  This book was a baby food bible for me and the main reason I bought this book was because of the meal planners.  I'm a first times moms and we've been breastfeeding for the past 6 months and we got that routine down, we know when and how much.  But now baby is ready for soft, yummy gentle food to ease into it's tummy because really all baby digestive system knows is warm, sweet milk.                                            
Here is  what helped me and I'd like to share it with you. I have searched online for something like this and never found any useful information.  Here are guidelines to baby's 1st tastes at 6 months, I intuitively fell into this routine but it's nice to have confirmation:
Day 1:
Breakfast- breastfeed or formula
Mid-Morning- breastfeed or formula
Afternoon- bf or f (1st before solids), then 3teaspoons of baby rice cereal mixed with milk
Mid-Afternoon- bf or f
Supper-bf or f
Bedtime-bf or f
 and the same would be for Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 and so on until you are ready for the 2nd phase.  To be honest I breastfed after his meal.  My thought was that breast milk would be better for him after his meal to help him digest.


 That's the gist of it.  Now rice is best to start off with because it is gluten-free and easy for baby to digest.  For me I did plain cereal with breast milk for about  2 weeks and then I added some banana to the mixture and from there I began to get a little creative as Charlies response was quite positive to fruit.  So you can follow the above plan and once you've established the whole rice cereal routine go with your instinct, you'll know when baby is ready for fruit.  Sprinkle some cinnamon on the cereal after the 2nd week for taste.  My favorite baby cereal is Healthy Times Organic Brown Rice Cereal.  I tried the Barley and Oatmeal but for me I found it too glutenous for Charlies little tummy so I always did the Brown Rice cereal.

Once you've established your feeding routine you can then follow the next suggested plan:
Day 1: Breakfast   Mashed banana
Mid Morning bf or f
Lunch Veggie Puree
Mid-Afternoon bf or f
Supper bf or f ,
Bedtime  bf or f
and the same for Day 2, Day 3 etc just change the menu up for when babe is eating real food.

For me we established this routine when Charlie was about 8-9 months and after that we were ready to substitute breast milk for real food at supper.

Annabel Karmels Superfoods for Babies and Children is great as some of my recipes of the day come from her book.  I hope you find this tidbit helpful and I hope you get her book.  It is so easy to make your own food.  Buy organic when you can, store your baby's food in BPA free containers whenever possible.  You can make batches at a time and freeze it easily.  You don't have to be a chef to figure these recipes out as you are providing the freshest best choice of healthy food possible.  Not to knock commercial ready food purees but when you see the difference in freshly pureed peas, it is bright and vibrant and then you look at ready made it's sad, lacks life and it looks like poop.  Which one are you going to pick for your baby?  There are containers that you ca use that are great and they're called,  Baby Cubes they do leak so zip them up in ziplock bag when heading out.

Healthy Times can be found at Whole Foods Markets, The Big Carrot and most natural health food markets.  I like that they are Soy free and that they don't contain unnecessary fillers.

As well read this article I wrote last week, click here:


Plus BPA has been found to leak into ready made food. I know what can you do..chemicals are everywhere but here's the articles.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/securit/bpa_survey-enquete-eng.php

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/bisphenol-a-found-in-baby-food-in-glass-jars-survey/article1213956/

*Just in case bf stands for breastfeed and f stands for formula for whichever you are giving your baby.

Another fabulous book that is a MUST HAVE and I must say, the info in Sprout Right is more valuable.  I like the recipes and her facts are more interesting as well. Lianne Phillipson-Webb is educated in this field and I'm lucky her business is in Toronto but you cab shop on her site as well if you're in the US.  Let her know I sent ya :)  She has great DVD's as well to show you how to make you're own baby food.
Add both books to your shopping cart, you won't be disappointed!