wordless wednesday: flashback {linky}

Found a picture of Lil J taken last Halloween.  He was a train conductor :)

Please feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday posts below, leave a comment & say hi {not mandatory}.  Thanks!

"don't cry mama"

Today I saw a post on Facebook asking for advice on how to make a child feel empathetic towards others when they are hurt or in pain.  In this case, the poster's child was 2 years old.  A lot of the comments from readers were that their child or children weren't very empathetic and just laughed those situations off.

It got me to thinking about Lil J and how he deals with situations such as this.  I may be one of the lucky ones but Lil J has always been extremely empathetic towards my feelings and others - despite the fact that he may hit me {and only me of course} with super toddler force and quickly apologize for it.  Well at least he says sorry, right?

When he does lay those blows, I either tell him sternly that it is wrong and he'll apologize or I'll fake cry and make him feel bad.  I know the fake cry probably won't work much longer but I love what he does when he thinks I'm crying:  he comes up to me, hugs me tight and pats my back while saying, "Don't cry mama, don't cry" in a soft, soothing voice.  He also sometimes asks if I'm okay.

There was one instance when I was putting Lil J to bed and he pummeled me out of nowhere.  My face was in pain and I was actually kind of angry with him so I started fake crying.  He told me not to cry which is usually my cue to stop but I kept on "crying" to make him feel bad.  All of a sudden he gets off the bed, opens the door and runs to my hubby.  I thought he just wanted to get out of bedtime and play with his toys when all of a sudden, my hubby and Miss S come running into the room.  My hubby flicks on the light and asks me if I'm okay and I was like I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?  Well apparently, Lil J had ran to my hubby to let him know that "mommy was crying".  I think he had just turned 2 at the time.  I couldn't believe it!!  How sweet and thoughtful.  I was so proud of him.  Could I actually depend on my 2 year old to get help if I was in distress?  What an amazing thought!

I've also been told by people that Lil J is extremely empathetic for his age.  I see it as a good thing - that he's in tune with other people's feelings and reacts appropriately.

To answer the person's post on Facebook, I would say that it totally depends on the child.  While I didn't think Lil J, being a boy, could express such empathy, my theory has obviously changed.  But I also know that Lil J's personality could change as he gets older so I'm definitely going to enjoy this stage while it lasts!

Does your child display empathy?

the journey 2.0: confessions

There was one day where I could only see myself having sons - not because they would carry on the family name but because I relate to boys so much easier than I do girls.  I grew up a full-on tomboy.  My love for sports and anything non-girl related was my pride and my motto was "Anything a boy can do, I can do better".  I think my dad secretly liked this and my mom not so secretly loathed it.  I remember her trying to convince me to wear short skirts and lipstick when I was in grade 6 and I happily refused and sported my baggy white t-shirt and baggy jeans {hey, that was the style!}, which I had begged my dad to buy me.

Now that I'm pregnant with my second child, I get excited every time I see a tutu or those cute little headbands. Plus it doesn't help that Miss S proclaims to me every day that she wants a sister and can't wait to meet her baby sister.  Only problem is, we're not finding out the sex!

But that hasn't stopped me.  I've been secretly "liking" Facebook pages that exclusively offer girl's clothing - the cutest boutiques with amazing tutus in 500 different colours - what cotton candy and lollipops are made of!  One of these pages is MelissaJane Boutique.  I just cannot get over the designs they post on their Facebook page daily.  For example:

Even Stella&Dot have taken over the girl's jewelry market with their adorable pieces.  They're to die for!!

Seriously?  Who has taken over my body?

So now I wonder every day if I am actually having a girl.  It would be so fun to go shopping for dainty little girl things.  But is this my excuse to just go shopping?  I haven't bought one baby item since I found out I was pregnant because....well....we have everything you could possibly imagine....if baby is a boy.  If baby is a girl, there's no doubt that my credit card will be maxed out in record time!

the art of the tantrum

The past couple days Lil J has broken out into the full on "terrible twos".  It's like a non-stop temper tantrum from the minute I get home.  I kept wondering if he was maybe trying to punish me for being away at work all day.  Or if he was mad because I didn't let him play on the playground.  Thankfully, the tantrums have been limited to the privacy of our home {so far} and miraculously only usually in my presence.  Go figure.

I came across a Baby Center article today that reassured me that what I am going through with Lil J is completely normal.  In fact, I'm surprised it took Lil J so long to start expressing his "terrible twos".  Up until now I've always referred to his age as the "testing twos" because he was always trying to find ways to test me, but not necessarily to make my life miserable.

According to the article, defiance is a normal part of a two year-old's life.  I'm guessing Lil J may feel a little overwhelmed with his surroundings or maybe he just needs a little bit of loving from his Mommy.  My goal when I get home today?  Smother Lil J with love like I always do but also reassure him that everything will be {and is} okay.  I shouldn't be in such a hurry to make dinner before my hubby gets home {that's on a good day, by the way} or so distracted by my iPhone that I don't have time for my son.  All he probably wants is Mommy's full attention - even if it's only for 15 minutes.  Yes, I'm fully guilty of being distracted when I come home.  I admit it.

So hopefully when I get home tonight, I'll see this smile:

Bobs & LoLo Present: ShamROCK!!

Any parent who has a kid between the ages of 1-12 knows that Bobs & LoLo is a household name.  Since debuting in 2003, Bobs & LoLo have captured the hearts and minds of parents and children alike - appearing on Treehouse and performing in elementary schools across Canada and the United States.  They produce original songs and interactive segments to engage their audiences in an upbeat and educational manner.

I am very excited for this duo - Robyn {Bobs} and Lorraine {LoLo} - as their latest album has just been nominated for Children's Album of the Year at the 2012 Juno Awards in Ottawa, Canada.  In case you didn't know, the Juno's are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammy Awards.

In order to offset travel costs to the Juno's at the end of March, Bobs & LoLo will be performing at a St. Patrick's Day concert, ShamROCK, on March 17, 2012.  The concert will take place at Handsworth Secondary School in North Vancouver at 1:30pm {doors open at 1pm}.  Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.  They can be purchased in-store at Jack & Lola, BC Playthings, Beansprouts and online at Raspberry Kids.

Partial proceeds {$1 per ticket sold} will go to the Gaby Davis Foundation - an organization that offers financial support to children {and their families} battling cancer.  Kids are encouraged to show their St. Paddy's Day spirit and wear GREEN to have a chance to win some fun prizes!

I am also excited to announce that Bobs & LoLo will be participating in {swank}mama's Rainy Days Giveaways coming soon - local companies are teaming up with {swank}mama to celebrate Vancouver's infamous rainy weather!!

{swank}review: bamboo bottle

After a long delay between reviews and giveaways, I'm finally ready to jump back on the wagon!

Every day I hear about something BPA this and plastic is toxic, etc. etc.  So what about water bottles made out of plastic?  The reusable ones can't always be BPA free and the disposable ones definitely aren't.  And what about the waste that we're contributing to by using disposable water bottles?  Sure, they can be recycled but how friendly are all those bottles to our environment?

In comes the bamboo bottle.  The outer core is made of bamboo and the bottle itself is glass {not plastic!}.  The glass can be removed from the bamboo sleeve for effective cleaning - in the dishwasher or by hand.

I love the stylish look of the bamboo bottle and take it to work with me every day.  The only cons to the bottle is the weight {it's quite heavy due to the glass bottle & is even heavier when filled with water} and the twist top lid.  Thankfully, the Bamboo Bottle Company heard my silent cries about the lid and just recently developed a flip top lid:

Looking to buy online?  Both the classic top and flip top styles retail for $25 each and can be found in select retail stores.

the journey 2.0: side effects

This morning at almost 6 o'clock on the dot, I was suddenly pulled out of dreamland and it felt like my leg was being chopped off.  Wait....that wasn't it.  I rolled all over the bed screaming in excruciating pain - so loud that I think my husband thought I was in premature labour.  I was also probably squishing poor Lil J who was sleeping beside me.  Leg cramps.  Another joy of pregnancy.

"Get up!  Stand up!" yelled my husband.  Drowsy and in pain, I immediately got up and the pain slowly subsided.  Whew!  I didn't lose a leg.

Of course, as soon as I got to work, I googled "leg cramps during pregnancy".  It's common - thank goodness!  But hopefully for me it's only a one time thing.  I'm even walking with a slight limp since my calf muscles are super tight and it's mildly painful when I walk.  Ahhhh, the joys of pregnancy!

trendiest kids on the blog

While I'm not sure if I really need to add anything else to my plate, I do know that I have the Trendiest Kids on the Blog.  I mean, who could argue with this picture?

Miss S and Lil J - the trendiest kids

And of course Lil J has plenty of style:

Supermodel in the making!

I would LOVE the opportunity to guest post on Trendiest Kids.  You can't go wrong with a name like {swank}mama and a mother whose passion is to pass along her style to her trendy kids {and who also refuses to sacrifice her style in the name of motherhood}!  Lil J is 2 1/2 and Miss S is almost 12.  I also have a little one on the way - due June 7th!

Can't wait to hear what you have in store for us guest bloggers.  Looking forward to {hopefully} working with you both!

the journey 2.0: what i didn't expect

In comparing this pregnancy to my last, I'd have to say there are a couple things that have been slightly different.  For one, my cravings or non-cravings are a little off.  Some days I crave cheese and other days I am totally put off by it.  Can't even go near it.  This goes for a lot of other foods.  It's not a big deal because I can pretty much pick and choose what I want to eat on a daily basis.

The next thing that has been different, and totally unexpected, is my current skin condition.  I've been susceptible to dry skin patches in the past during the winter months but never to this degree.  I remember my brother suffered from bad eczema as a child and I would always use his cream to cure my not-so-serious dry patches.  They would go away in a day or two.

I first discovered a few dry patches on my legs a couple months ago.  Since I moisturize every day, I figured it would go away on its own.  A month later and the patches were getting worse.  The skin was darkening and getting more irritable.  Finally I consulted my doctor and she said it is fairly common during pregnancy and recommended a over the counter topical ointment.  I bought one and applied them to the affected spots and the patches disappeared eventually - not as quickly as my brother's 'magic' cream but it still did the deed.

A couple of days ago {much to my demise} I found a couple more dry patches and thought, 'here we go again'.  It's only concentrated on my legs and funny enough, I just came across a Baby Center post about a mom complaining that she had eczema during pregnancy but only on her legs and feet.  Glad I'm not the only one.  I'm just hoping that my legs will be all cleared up before I rock a bikini {Kourtney Kardashian style of course!} on our upcoming trip to LA.

It could be a lot worse right?  I avoided the morning sickness and all I can complain about is my eczema.  At least there's a cure for that!

wordless wednesday: chillin' with gong gong {linky}

I just connected to Google+ and found this sweet picture of my dad and Lil J on his Google+ profile!

Please feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday posts below, leave a comment & say hi {not mandatory}.  Thanks!

to my hubby

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and  in honour of it, I wrote a love letter to Lil J.  This morning it hit me that I had forgotten to write a post to my husband or at least included him in Lil J's post.  After all, he is my other Valentine!

We've been together for a solid 7 1/2 years and married for almost 3.  We met {dare I even say?} at a local club and at the time I wasn't looking for a relationship.  I was a young 21 year old just looking to have fun.  I mean, who goes to a club looking for a serious relationship?  All things said, it took my now hubby over 30 minutes past closing time to score my number {after much begging}.  After all I didn't give my number out to random guys.  And as the story goes, the rest is history......

Us in Vegas - 2007

Over the years we have taken many trips together - to LA, Vegas, Jamaica, Austria, Germany...just to name a few - and are now going on trips with our soon-to-be expanding family.  Next stop is Disneyland!  We were married on May 18, 2009 in a very private ceremony a month before Lil J was born.  It was my hubby's wish that we get married before the baby arrived.  I could have gone the non-traditional route but thought it was sweet that G was being more traditional.  So I just went with the flow.

On June 24, 2009 our lives changed forever.  We welcomed our first child together....our sweet Lil J.

Lil J

And now we are expecting our second child in early June 2012!  Big sister Miss S is super excited and hopes it will be a girl.  G and I just hope the baby is healthy {so cliche but so true}.

Here is my love letter to my hubby:

To my hubby:

As I browsed Valentine's cards yesterday, I came across some mushy, lovey-dovey sayings and immediately thought, 'that is so NOT us!'.  I look back at the years we've spent together and although it sounds long, 7 1/2 years have flown by like I would have never imagined.  I have never laughed more or felt more comfortable and at ease with someone than I do with you.  I love that we don't plan the immediate future {even though sometimes we should} and that we are always spontaneous and go with the flow.  Life shouldn't be about planning every minute of every day.  Even despite our 13 year age difference {which I never see}, we have always been on the exact same wavelength from day one.  I could say our relationship is near-perfect but nothing in life is perfect.  Sometimes Every day I nag you for one thing or another - whether it's your procrastinating ways, the balls of used paper towels all over the kitchen {the garbage is not that far away!}, dishes in the sink, etc. etc. - and I know I can be annoying, but you always say 'yes hunny' {probably while tuning me out} and take everything in stride.  Even your imperfections are perfect.

The love you have for our children is what I cherish the most.  I witnessed this first-hand when we first started dating and you were fighting to get your daughter back after she was wrongfully brought to another country.  I saw how extremely hard it was on you emotionally and knew I would never be able to fill that void.  I accepted that I would always be second in your life and I understand this even more ever since Lil J was born.  I couldn't ask for a better father for my children and I have no doubt that you will always be there for them.  They are unbelievably lucky.

I thank you for everything that you've given me.  I love you more and more every day.  And as evident from your Valentine's card yesterday, you know me all too well :)

Valentine's 2012

Love, 
Your Wife

dear lil j: happy valentine's day!

Dear Lil J:

Just over 2 1/2 years ago, we were anticipating your arrival into our lives - anxiously waiting and not really knowing what to expect.  Fast forward 2 1/2 years and now we have the most beautiful son in the world.  Not to mention smart, playful, charming, empathetic and slightly devilish....in a good way!  The list could go on and on.

I looked at you last night and marveled at how fast you've grown.  I remember hearing seasoned parents tell me that you would grow up before my very own eyes and, of course, I didn't believe a word they said.  Now, I have no idea where time has passed.  In 4 short months you will be 3 years old!  That kind of scares me.  But it also makes me VERY proud.  Extremely.

Life has changed in the past 2 1/2 years...all for the good...and it will continue to change.  Also in about 4 months, you will have a new brother or sister {a sister if your big sister has any say!}.  I'm not sure if you quite understand that Mommy has a baby in her tummy but every time I ask you if you've kissed baby today, you will lift my shirt up and kiss my belly.  Moments like that make my heart melt.  You are so kind.

I have no doubt in my mind that you will be the best big brother ever.  Your little brother or sister will look up to you and put you on the highest possible pedestal you can imagine.  And I know that you will be the best influence for your little sibling.  I have no doubt.

Happy Valentine's Day to my gorgeous son.  I love you more than words can express, more than you can ever imagine.  My heart is yours.

Love,
Mommy

re-decor & nesting

As soon as the New Year hit last month, something felt different.  I felt the need to clean up and rearrange things in the house and donate any unused and not needed 'junk' that has accumulated throughout the year.  Anyone who knows me, knows that this happens once in a blue moon.  I will be the first to admit that I'm no housewife nor do I strive to be one.  Heck, if we had the extra money, I would have my own personal housekeeper!

Little did I know, I was actually officially nesting.

My goal is to get everything done before baby comes in 4 months.  I think that's enough time.  In between, I have two birthday parties to plan and a baby to prepare for but that's just motherhood.

As I looked around the house {pictures to come} I made a mental note of the things we needed the most.  A wardrobe for our room, one for Lil J's, a desk, chair and pretty much all new furniture for Miss S, paint on the walls, a storage solution for Lil J's massive toy factory and the list goes on and on.  How would we be able to afford all of this in such a short amount of time?  Oh, I was determined to make it happen!

And then I found the re-decorators Bible known as....................Craigslist!!!

Seriously, I had never really considered getting things second-hand.  I always found the best deals at the stores - and I'm not talking just stuff on sale......I'm talking really steep sales.  But I decided to give Craigslist a try - especially for stuff for the kid's rooms.  My first purchase?  The exact desk Miss S fell in love with on a recent visit to Ikea.  I had promised her that she would get it but my husband thought the price tag was too high.

Micke Desk @ Ikea.  Regular $99

The desk was listed for $50.  I ended up getting it for $35.  There was the tiniest knick on the front edge of the desk that was easily covered up by a black Sharpie.  The best thing about Craigslist?  The prices are negotiable - most of the times.  Definitely up my alley.

Of course with any desk you need a chair!  We had one set up for Miss S already but it was old and a plastic piece on the bottom was missing.  I asked Miss S if she wanted a white or black chair and she said she wanted white.  But I just couldn't resist the price of my next purchase:

SNILLE Swivel Chair - Black.  Regular $29.99

Dare I say the price?  $5!!!  It was a bit dusty - looked like it had been stored in a garage or storage area.  A few wipes and it was good as new - save for a few surface scratches that you really couldn't see unless you were looking super close.

These purchases jump-started my Craigslist obsession.  I am on my phone every morning, afternoon and just before bed.  You never know when these great deals are going to be posted.  For example, yesterday at 7:00am I found myself on my phone surfing....you got it......Craigslist and a few entries down was an Ikea PAX wardrobe selling for $90!  If you know Ikea prices, you would know that that is a phenomenal price.  The frame itself is already $150.  Plus you have to add on everything you could possible imagine you would want in a wardrobe - the doors, the door handles, drawers, pant hangers...and the list goes on.  Below is a picture of a similar wardrobe except ours has two drawers:

PAX Wardrobe with 2 doors+4 drawers.  Regular $484 {not including add-ons}

You really have to see this beauty to believe it.  I was {and still am} in absolute awe with this purchase.  I'm sure my husband had as much fun disassembling it {and re-assembling it very soon} as I did just looking at it.

My other Craigslist purchases for Lil J's room include:

LOVA Bed Canopy.  Regular $24.99

STUVA Storage Combination in birch.  Regular $150 {not including add-ons}

TROFAST Storage Combination.  Regular $129

The previous owner of the LOVA leaf canopy insisted that it had never been used.  It did look like it was stored in the garage and I noticed one minor hole after I purchased it.  But for $10, I can't really complain.  The STUVA wardrobe would probably be over $200 in the store and I got it for $90.  Wish it was a little bit cheaper but still better than paying regular price.  The TROFAST storage combination is amazing!  The best purchase for Lil J - ever!  He takes things out of the bins and actually puts them back - in the bin and back to the storage frame...right where it belongs.  I got this baby for $50 including 3 huge storage bins, 1 small one and a huge bin full of Mega Blocks.  I did end up purchasing extra bins at Ikea for around $10.  No biggie.

I think I'm pretty much done for now.  You may have noticed that all of my purchases were from Ikea.  Not intentional at first but I had been meaning to get these items for some time now.  Plus everything was assembled already - a major plus!!  If you ask my husband, I can't put Ikea items together with....well you get the point!

I will be posting before and after pictures of the redecorated rooms - as soon as they are done.

Have you started your spring cleaning yet?