momstown KW Hosts The Fisher Price Baby Basics Special Event!

We are so excited that coming up on Thursday March 7th at our new location, Fisher Price is sponsoring our momstown Kitchener-Waterloo Baby Basics: Baby Picassos baby playgroup!  momstown Kitchener-Waterloo mamas meet every Thursday morning, at The Westhill Residence for this program but this event is extra special!  There is no other modern mom's group where you can try out, and potentially WIN, toys from Fisher Price. That's right, we're raffling them off at the end!

Please join us, there's still time, sign up for your free 3 week trial membership and you can come too.

Here are the fun toys we'll be playing with:

My Little Snugabunny™ Cradle ’n Swing

Ocean Wonders™ Aquarium

Laugh and Learn™ Say Please™ Tea Set

Laugh and Learn™ Click 'n Learn Remote

momstown KW is a community that provides fun and friendship for moms. If you would like to get connected check us out! A membership is only $45/year - you even get to try us for 3 weeks FREE!! Register here.

Remember with every full year momstown membership purchased in 2013 you will receive a BONUS 1 year subscription to Today's Parent magazine.

Top 10 Ways to Turn Winter Blah's into Winter Ya's

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) says about two to three per cent of Canadians suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and another 15 per cent of Canadians suffer from a milder version known as the winter blues. 

Generally, these symptoms are caused by a combination of lack of sunshine, less activity, and less socializing. Personally, I just think it's because it's to darn cold! Send me to Jamaica, where I can sip on rum punch in my bikini, and I'd be perfectly happy. Well, unless I win Flyday, I'm stuck here in Canada...in the cold...So, how do we make your winter blahs into winter ya's?

Here's momstown KW's top 10 list!

1) Join momstown!

momstown members are actually happier and less stressed out than nonmembers, according to an independent study done by UofW! With more than 30 events every month that you can enjoy with your family, momstown helps to build friendships and get you out of the house!

2) Be a Sun Goddess!

OK, so I'm not suggesting lying in a tanning bed! But do get out when it is sunny out! Dress warmly, so the cold doesn't discourage you, and go for a walk or a jog!

3) Throw a SAD Party!

Who cares if you don't have a birthday, anniversary or special occasion to celebrate. Throwing a party is just about getting your friends and family together. Who knows, maybe SAD Parties will be the new Ugly Sweater!

4) Watch What You Eat!

Eating an unhealthy diet, is not going to make you feel any better. So, stock up on fruits and veggies (frozen is better than nothing) and eat a balanced diet. Reach for an apple instead of those potato chips!

5) Have Fun!

Why not bundle up and build a snowman with the family, a snow fort or snow angel? And even though it's cold, don't forget to take pictures of those snow moments! A picture won't show how cold it is, but will show how much fun everyone had!

6) Give Yourself a Goal!

Sometimes, all you need is a little push to get something done. So why not give yourself a goal to get you through the winter. Beach body, redecoration, winter vacation or finishing that sweater you started!

7) Embrace a Winter Sport!

If the snow isn't going anywhere, why not get up and embrace it. Go tobogganing, skiing, skating, snowboarding...the list is endless! 

8) Go swimming!

If you can't go swimming in the warm waters of Jamaica or Mexico, then head over to your local pool and get your swim on! Sure, there's no pool bar, but there is a swirl pool and the water is certainly warmer than the snow outside!

9) Smile!

Smiling is actually contagious...not even lying! So, if you're smiling than so is some else...and then some one else...and then some one else...Well, you get the point. So, smile!

10) Get Help!

The winter blahs affect many people in many different ways. However, they are always manageable  If you are experiencing symptoms of depression that are disruptive or debilitating and that last for a while, you should think about consulting with a medical professional!

momstown KW Families Combine a Pizza Party with Alphabet Play!

We had pizza party fun at momstown KW today.  We were having fun with Alphabet Play and momstown Monet at the Ontario Early Years Center in Waterloo.  Just in time for Family Literacy this weekend.

We celebrated the letter S with a story about sheep.

 

We ate yummy pizza. Sometimes, 2 at a time!

 

Then we decorated a felt letter S.

 

There was lots of social time for moms and kids with lots of toys,and fun. There was even an impromptu "pupit" show!

 

Join us next month when we celebrate the letter T. We are reading about Thomas the Train and making Egg Carton Trees! And of course, there will be more pizza :)

momstown KW Moms Learn Baby Signs at Baby Basics

Moms at momstown know all to well how frustrating it can be when their baby or toddler cries and cries and screams and screams! Now imagine how easy life would be if your baby could just tell you what they wanted!

"Hey Mom! I hate peas...I want blueberries!" or "Hey Mom! My diaper is dirty!"

Oh, my, goodness...Could you imagine? Life as a mother, life as a parent would be SO much easier! "Oh, OK darling, here's your blueberries" or "Oh, OK darling, let's go change your bum". Life as a mother would also become a whole lot more interesting too. Could you imagine having conversations about how neat the dog food bowl looks or why that sneeze was so absolutely hilarious.

Well, since that will never happen, moms at Baby Basics learned another way to communicate with their babies. Pam and Beebo from Baby Signs joined momstown KW at Baby Basics to teach us all about baby signing.

This easy form of communication uses simple and easy hand gestures to communicate with your baby. By the time babies are 9-10 months old, they know exactly what they want or need. What they don't know is how to communicate it verbally, which only causes more tears and frustration for both mom and baby.

When a baby is able to use signs like "eat", "drink", "hot" and "cold", they can make their needs know quietly and without tears! Though a baby may not be able to sign until 8-12 months of age, beginning to use signs at an early age can help babies learn and understand language and how to communicate. In fact, 2 year olds who have used baby signs had a significantly larger vocabulary than those who didn't sign. And by the time those babies were 3 years old, they had the vocabulary closer to that of a 4 year old!

Baby signing can help in more than just communication too. Babies who actively uses signing as a form of communication may have more confidence, it can stimulate their intellectual development and most importantly can strengthen the parent-child bond!


Learn more about baby signing at Baby Signs!

*All information was taken from www.babysigns.com and learned during our Baby Basics class*

What to Do When Lice Strikes this Season

Fall and Winter are prime time for not only the flu bug, but for another type of bug as well - the head louse!

Head lice season peaks shortly after the school season starts, especially among younger children. These ugly little bugs are most commonly found among preschoolers and elementary-school students because children that age love to play together and have close head-to-head contact. Despite the persistent social stigma associated with head lice, they have nothing to do with poor hygiene and seem to prefer healthy, clean heads,

So, when you discover your child or your child's friend has lice, what do you do?! 

Firstly, make sure it is actually lice, and not just a scratchy scalp caused by another condition, like dandruff. A great thing to remmeber when looking for lice is that nits will latch onto the base of the hair and won't come off easily, like a dry scalp. 

If your child does have lice, try an over-the-counter insecticidal (anti-lice) shampoo, but make sure you follow the instructions closely. If this doesn’t work, your doctor can prescribe stronger products. Don’t use insecticidal products repeatedly because they contain strong chemicals and can irritate and inflame the scalp. Also, using them too often may lead to resistance in head lice, making them immune to the products. Don’t bother nit-picking the scalp after treating with insecticidal shampoo. As long as the nits are dead, there is no reason to remove the dead bodies. 

Lice don’t fly, hop or jump and are only spread through direct contact with an infected person or by using an infected person’s hat, bedding or hair brushes, where nits and lice can survive for up to two days. Head lice only live on human heads. Deprived of regular blood meals, they typically die within 36 hours.

Looking for some more information? Check out the Canadian Pediatrics Society website for more details or Check out our 5 Steps to Tackle Lice in your House.  And don't forget you can call the Lice Squad!

Be the momstown Kitchener-Waterloo Official Photographer!

Do you enjoy unleashing your creativity with your DSLR camera?  Do you love snapping photos and capturing those candid and fun moments?

momstown Kitchener-Waterloo has a 2013 sponsorship opportunity available for a great photographer that enjoys photographing kids, families and fun events.

Our partnership package will include:

• a business listing in our Member Discount/Referral Directory Page
• a professionals editorial spot in our monthly newsletter (your choice of month)
• an online block ad posted on the momstown Kitchener-Waterloo website
• a momstown membership for your family
• planned photo sessions throughout the year (grandparents session, family sessions)
• photographic coverage of one momstown weekend family event per month (Valentines, Easter, etc)
• provide professionally-edited photos with time sensitivity to momstown KW for blog and social media sharing
• social media sharing of your business website and facebook fan page

If this sounds like a great way to grow your photography business and portfolio, please contact Paula Garceau for pricing and contract details at paula.garceau@momstown.ca.

Please note, this is not a paid position for hire, this is a business sponsorship opportunity for a budding professional photographer.

Thanks for your interest and happy clicking!

Silly Hand Monsters Invade momstown KW Babies & Toddlers

For our momstown Kitchener-Waterloo Art and Play program this month the theme was "That's Silly".

It was a perfect opportunity for Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge tots and preschoolers to make Silly Handprint Monsters.

First, we all painted our hand, but we skipped a finger or two for fun effects

Then we pressed our painted hand to paper

Next, we made our monsters silly and spooky with googly eyes, feathers,glitter and more.

We finished off the fun morning with silly knock-knock jokes that had us all in stitches.  With giggles galores, the kiddies ran off for some toys and social time before heading home.

It was a great way to spend a chilly January morning with fun and friends.  Join us next month for our Art & Play program with a Polar Animals theme!

.

Super Silly Putty Slimes Little Scientists

Today at Little Scientists we made Super Silly Putty.

We added cornstarch to water and mixed it up. The results we amazing!

The Super Silly Putty looked like liquid in the bowl but when we touched it it went hard.

Then when we picked it up in our hands, it melted again.

 A great experiment to learn about solids vs liquids and getting slimed!

Silly Spaghetti Slurping at Junior Chef

Today at Junior Chef we made Silly Spaghetti !

The kids sliced hot dogs and pushed dry spaghetti noodles through the pieces. Then after boiling it in water until the pasta was tender we all topped the dish with tomato sauce and cheese.

The result was silly slurping fun!

Then, we made Honey Baked Carrots for dessert.

After cutting clean carrots into rounds, we dipped them into melted butter and honey. We baked them for 10 mins. at 400 degrees and...TA DA... a sweet, silly, healthy dessert.

 

All our little Junior Chefs loved helping create both recipes and projects.  They of course nibbled all the way through our preparation too :)

momstown and Today's Parent Bring You the Best Parenting Gift in 2013!

There’s never been a better time to join momstownKitchener-Waterloo! When you purchase or renew a full year momstown membership in 2013, you received a BONUS subscription to Today’s Parent!

Included in your membership to momstown is a one year (12 issues) subscription to Today’s Parent! This includes all new memberships as well as existing membership renewals, and applies only to full year momstown memberships ($45). This special offer is available from January 1^st to December 31^st, 2013, inclusive.

Already receive Today’s Parent? Then your subscription will be extended for one additional year!

I have to say that before this promotion ran with momstown.ca in the summer of 2012, I have never really read a Today's Parent magazine.  Sounds crazy doesn't it?  The largest national media and parenting resource and I hadn't read it.  Well, now I am a faithful follower and reader.  That says a lot because I don't really buy magazines anymore or do a lot of reading (unless its audio), I am just too busy.  BUT, the day that my Today's Parent arrives in my mailbox, everything else gets quickly shoved aside.  I love their crafty ideas (not surprised right?) and the age specific editorials that always address an issue we are having at home with parenting.   Some of our momstown Kitchener-Waterloo family fun event ideas come straight from the magazine.. Bet you didn't know that!  I love this magazine and so many of their discussions and the sharing they offer on their facebook page as well. The value in a momstown membership was already immeasurable but now, with a Today's Parent subscription served as dessert, how can anyone say no?

Click here for full details and mark your calendars to renew or sign up soon!

My Friend Henry Joins momstown KW at Chapters Gateway for Tales for Tots Program

Every month Scholastic Canada generously sponsors the momstown program, Tales for Tots, held at Chapters Gateway, and donates a special book to give away to one special child!
 

momstown Kitchener-Waterloo moms and tots loved this month's brand new Philippe Beha story "My Friend Henry".  This is a story about a young boy looking for his best friend Henry.  

He asks all his wildlife friends along the way until he finds Henry, who has a big surprise ready for him!  It really is a cute story about friendship.

After this great story, all the children got to make their own version of the Butchers Cat from the book. We used cardboard tubes and glued yellow construction paper around them. We then fastened the eyes,ears and nose and the children were able to draw or embellish the cats with marker, crayons and ribbon.

There was lots of fun and laughs with glue, paper and imagination!

Join us next month at Chapters Gateway when we read the story The Very Hungry Bear,  by Nick Bland.

momstown KW Babies Get Silly with Jack-In-The-Box!

momstown Kitchener-Waterloo moms and babies all had a great time at Baby Basics yesterday making their own "Jack in the Box" toys! Since the momstown theme this month is "Silly" what better way to incorporate  this theme than with a silly toy!

When a baby is starting to understand the idea that something still exists even when it can't be seen, any game where things appear and disappear are always a hit! Peek-a-Boo, Where's Baby, and so many more fun games can be played at this stage of development. 

While a traditional windup jack-in-the-box can still be a little terrifying and startling at this age, momstown KW created a more baby-friendly version: The Jack-in-the-Cup!

This fun and easy craft is simple and you can use materials that are just lying around the house. We used plastic cups, but old formula cans, coffee cans, yogurt cartons, really anything will work as your "box".

Punch a hole in the bottom of the container using a chopstick, pencil, shish kabob stick then glue or tape a fun "Jack" at the end of the stick! We printed off fun circus characters and colored then ourselves, but you could use finger puppets, small stuffed animals or even a plastic figurine!

Now you have a fun and safe jack-in-the-box that you can operate yourself. Simply pull the stick down so the toy has "disappeared", then quickly push it up when you want "Jack" to greet your baby. You can even add a "Pop" sound or "Boo" as you push the character up!

momstown KW Toddlers & Preschoolers Welcome their own Event Coordinator - Sarah!

momstown Kitchener-Waterloo is so excited to welcome another new member to our team, our very own Toddler & Preschooler Event Coordinator!  Watch out for Sarah as she coordinates everything that is "momstown movers", assisting Lindsay (our Pre and Post Natal Coordinator) and owner Paula Garceau with all of our momtastic events for 2013.

Introducing Sarah Janzen:

My name is Sarah Janzen.

I was born here in Kitchener-Waterloo but spent most of my childhood in Kincardine, Ont.

I went to college in Bellville, Ont. where I took Recreation Leadership and afterwards
worked in various roles including recreational progamming, fundraising and community awareness efforts.

I moved back to Waterloo in 2006, and married in 2008 before having my *spirited* daughter Layla in 2010.

I have recently been taking photgraphy courses in effort to improve my skills and advance in my side job, Fern Road Photography.

I am excited to begin my new role as Toddler and Preschool Event Coordinator at momstown KW and look forward to meeting you and your children personally!

Kick-Off Your New Year's Resolutions with our 2013 Healthy n' Fit Challenge

We kick off on January 8th with our first set of measurements, inspiration and motivation, followed by the first fitness class at Urban Wellness on January 15th.

The last fitness class at Urban Wellness is on February 19th and final measurements will be taken as well.  Then, our Challenge Awards night is Wednesday February 27th at 7pm for a wrap-up, prizes and the winner takes the pot home! 

 

Join Urban Wellness Studio with their Bootcamp style fitness class to achieve your challenge goals!

6 weeks of a Bootcamp style class of 60 min, followed by 15 minutes of nutritional advice & guidance.

Tuesday evenings at 7pm, starting January 15th, for just $110!

 

Book your spot now with Urban Wellness! 

http://www.urbanwellnessstudio.ca/