momstown KW Babies and Moms Sensorize Oktoberfest!

Every week momstown KW moms gather with their babies to chat and connect with other moms at Baby Basics. Alternating weekly, mamas will discuss topics led by an expert and /or create a keepsake craft in our “Baby Picassos” mini art session. 

This week, with Oktoberfest, we decided to bring Oktoberfest to Baby Basics! First, everyone discussed their Thanksgiving weekend plans and then we broke out a favourite Oktoberfest classic and all did the Chicken Dance with our babies! 

This song is a fun and interactive way to get your baby smiling and giggling everytime! 

Next, we brought out some feathers and let the babies and moms play with them. 

Moms were tickling babies noses, tickling babies toes and tickling babies tummies! Babies were watching them glide, float and sway to the floor.And we even threw in some bright colors too! 

Come join us next week with our guest speaker! 

Not yet a member, get your FREE 3 week trial today!

Glücklich Oktoberfest!

Building Bird Feeders with momstown Kitchener-Waterloo

On Friday, to celebrate our Construction theme for June, our momstown KW mama's and kiddos trekked over to Breithaupt Park in Kitchener to learn how to build bird feeders out of an empty water bottle, a wooden dowel, some fishing line, and of course birdseed! The bonus to this location was that the kids could run wild and play once the bird feeders were built. Breithaupt park has a great little playground, good for littler and bigger kids. It also has a wonderful splashpad for warm days.

Can't splash with your shoes on!

Once everyone actually found the location (who knew there are multiple areas to Breithaupt Park?)  We all had a blast! The splash pad turned on right before we began birdhouse building (which meant a lot of the kiddos took off!).

Thankfully, with some picture assisted directions and moms working together, everybody left with a ready-to-hang bird feeder. They're pretty, functional, and best of all they reuse plastic bottles making these bird feeders eco-friendly!

  

Aren’t they cute?! I am sure all of the birdies will LOVE eating from them! And the kids will LOVE checking out all the pretty birds looking for a snack.  Our momstown moms can't wait for the activity! But, in the meantime, they can check out the momstown Arts & Crafts Blog for more Construction theme ideas.

Mom to Mom Sale May 7th!

The first ever, momstown Kitchener-Waterloo Mom to Mom Sale is happening on May 7th! 

From 8am-1pm, there will be lots of moms selling their gently used baby clothing & gear, with lots of mom vendors showcasing their businesses as well. 

Did I mention there is FREE goody bags to the first 50 moms?  And raffle prizes?  Yep, lots of those too!

Admission is just $1 for non-momstown members at the door.

COME TO THE UPPER LEVEL FOR ENTRY AND BE PREPARED TO SHOP!!

Check out our facebook event page to tell us you are coming!

Easter Eggstravaganza!!

 On Good Friday, momstown KW moms had their 2nd annual Easter Eggstravaganza!! 

Since this was on Good Friday, it was a great opportunity to make this a family event and let Dads participate too. 

All the famillies waited patiently in the coat area of Busy Bees Playground, waiting for me to yell Go!

 With their Easter baskets empty and in-hand, they were all set for searching and finding all the Easter eggs they can find.  No limits, no restrictions, no empty eggs.  Just lots of eggs loaded (I wasn't shy with the treats) with goodies for them to find.

Yes, some of the older kids found more eggs faster BUT they shared.  I loved it.  They knew they had more eggs than the little ones and they went around sharing some of their findings.  Even if they had some encouragement from mom & dad, their sharing was still gracious and welcomed.  Even some of the latecomers were welcomed with eggs that were from over-filled pre-schooler baskets!

After all the hunting, it was time for an eggsciting snack!  Who could resist the colourful cupcakes sitting right in the middle of the tables.  Tables low enough for the kids to reach!  I made sure to remind moms & dads alike that Jennifer Lefler photography was waiting in the back to snap professional photos of our little bunnies and that they might want to hold off on the cupcakes.  Not all the kids were okay with the idea of waiting, especially my little Bunny. :)

Thanks to The Urban Cakery for making and baking all these lovely bunny-topped peanut-free cupcakes.  And the icing, not just any old icing, it was Butter Cream icing.  No expense spared here!

After lots of free playtime, picture-taking, cupcake eating, egg hunting and egg decorating, our Easter baskets were full and so were out tummies.  And full tummies around lunch time only means one thing, Tired Teddies.  As the famillies slowly streamed out of Busy Bees, you could see satisfication and sleepiness on all the little bunnies faces'.   A sure sign of yet another successful Easter Eggstravaganza!

We Survived!

She survived, I survived (barely), we both survived!  My anxiety level leading up to this day was so high and then it came and went so easily.  Just like that.

My little peanut had her first morning of daycare today and loved it!  Although she was whiney and snuggly when I picked her up (only because the other kids were going down for a nap), she wanted to stay.  I was trying to get her dressed to head back outside into the gale force windy weather, and she wanted to join the kids who were napping. Not a bad problem to have I guess..

Her teacher brought her to me with a glowing report of good behaviour, excellent eating habits, wet splash pants and a crafty souvenir to take home!  Although she had done many crafts with momstown Kitchener-Waterloo before, this was different.  This was her very first craft, not mostly done by mommy.  A craft that will be on the fridge forever and then stored away :)

Although I enjoyed the silence and quality work time this morning, I missed my baby.  Will I ever not miss her?  I was so thankful for the whiney and clingy toddler that greeted me at noon today.

For some great craft ideas to do at home with your littles, visit the momstown arts & crafts blog! 

How Important is momstown.ca to You?

Okay, I have to start off by saying that I think this is the coolest thing.  A chance for momstown to gather some honest, organic feed back that will hopefully reinforce the momstown motto, Neighbourhood Moms. Connected.

The University of Waterloo is interested in learning about how momstown has affected its momstown Kitchener-Waterloo members and the impact momstown has had on their motherhood experience.  Since momstown offers an online and offline component to its moms, this makes us truly unique and sets us apart from other locally-based "moms groups".

Diana and Caitlin are offering childcare for the moms while they are conducting the 1 hour voluntary interview.  And, they get to go home with a free gift!!  All this for just sharing how important momstown.ca is to us. 

Are you a momstown member and are interested in participating in this wonderful study?  Contact Caitlin today at cmmulcah@uwaterloo.ca

This doesn't happen very often.....

This honestly doesn't happen very often.  In 14 months, we have not offered a membership sale here in Kitchener-Waterloo, except at local trade shows.  So, it was time, to let our members and subscribers to have a limited time to purchase their momstown membership at a discount. 

Our 6 month memberships are $30 and 1 year just $45 so this is a chance for moms to jump in and buy their 1 year for the price of 6 months.  Sounds like a BOGO sale almost, buy 6 months and get another 6 months FREE!!!  Why didn't I think of that sooner??

This sale ends Thursday January 20th at midnight, so don't wait!

Want more info on momstown KW?  Go to our site and take a peek!  Just remember, most of our site is restricted to momstown members only, so consider signing up for a 2 week FREE trial to gain full access. 

Want to see Your Baby in 3D?

Are you pregnant and anxious to see what your unborn baby looks like? You can!
U-C Baby educates us on how currenty technology allows pregnant famillies to see their growing baby in 3 dimensional views.

Fresh. Local. Friendly.

Looking for some food related classes to participate in? Want to bring the family? Or even just with your child?

How great do these sound?
- Food Allergies for Infants, Children & the Whole Family
- Cooking for Babies
- Healthy Digestion for Infants, Children & the Whole Family (just to name a few)

Fresh · Local · Friendly

Everything from cooking lessons, to celebrity chefs and private rentals - It's a brand new Kitchener Market experience. http://www.kitchenermarket.ca/
















With an emphasis on cooking and healthy eating, and the importance of purchasing and eating local food will support local food growers in the community and in the region, the Kitchener Market offers fun and educational opportunities for children and adults alike.

Tania Heinemann, a registered holistic nutritionist and nutritional consultant practitioner, offers classes on healthy food for toddlers and babies, and food allergies.

"Many people may only get limited information from their health care provider about food introduction for their baby and it may not be accurate or up to date," says Heinemann. "In the workshop on cooking for babies, we focus on baby's digestive system and immune system and talk about what makes sense for your child."

The Market Place is also available for rent!

For more information about programming at the Market place, or about the market itself, please check the website at www.kitchenermarket.ca

Family Craft Night - Camping & Canoes

For our very first Family Craft Night, we gathered in a tent! Yes, I said a tent. Our theme was Camping and Canoes and it was only fitting that we pitched a tent and got craft inside.

Although we weren't really in the outdoors, we thought we should still think about keeping warm :). So, we painted up some paper towel rolls in colours of brown. These would end up being our logs, the main piece of our bonfire puzzle.

While our logs were drying, we decided to keep busy building paper canoes. Somehow I neglected to grab a photo of our crafty canoes so you will just have to imagine coloured canoes sewn together with yarn! (sorry).


















By now, our logs are all dry and ready for a fire teepee. Rather than each make our own individual fires, we teamed up and built one group bonfire! So, criss cross, apple sauce, we placed and stacked the logs to prep for a perfect fire.

Final step, add heat! Not real heat of course, remember, we are in a tent after all. (and indoors). So, instead, we stoked our fire with coloured tissue paper to resemble pretty coloured flames.

Without child safety sticks nearby to roast our marshmallows, we resorted to just putting them right on the fire for a quick toast. :) Perfect ending to a perfect fire and canoe building night, toasted marshmallows....mmmmmmm!

Looking forward to tonight's family craft night theme of School Time. We will be making chalkboards and school buses. Its a good thing we have a big church to craft in! Thanks Highview.

Bears 'n' Buddies stuffed bear and outfit!

Bears 'n' Buddies is your one-stop do-it-yourself headquarters for teddy bears & other stuffed animals & accessories since 2005. We offer a wide selection of high quality unstuffed teddy bears & animal kits you make at home. No more waiting at the mall and no sewing is required. WE even specialize in Do-it-Yourself Birthday parties!

It's day 19 of our momstown birthday contests! Make this bear yours by entering this contest today!

Prize Pack from Drool Mama!

Awesome layered prize pack from Drool Mama!

1. Easy Daysies Starter Kit

This is the "Must-Have" for every family! get kids organized and into routine in a snap! This kit includes the Apple Tree Fold-&-Go and all 18 magnets from the Easy Daysies Every Day Kit. Personalize the board with your child's name using a dry-erase marker. Put magnets down the middle or use the "TO DO" and "DONE" columns for a reward system. Kids can hang or bring their daily routine anywhere: from home to grandma's, or to the Baby-Sitter's!

Studies show that routines help kids to be more co-operative, confident and independent, all because they feel safe and secure knowing what is going to happen next! Easy Daysies are Magnetic Daily Schedules that get kids organized and into a routine. The goal of Easy Daysies is to help kids have easier days.

Mix and Match Easy Daysies Kits to create the perfect routine for your family, child care facility or classroom!

2. Winner choice of Thought Spots package

Designed for kids of all ages (even big kids!). Using these Thought Spots™ will guarantee a smile and make kids feel great. Recognize special accomplishments or simply start their day off with a positive thought

3. $25.00 gift certificate to the Drool Mama Store!

Drool is a Canadian online mama and baby Boutique based out of
Oakville, Ontario. We specialize in high quality nursing and maternity
wear, baby carriers and unique products for mamas, babies, and young
children. We take pride in offering products that support breastfeeding
moms and babywearing moms and dads. Spring/Summer 2010 will bring the
addition of nursing and maternity dress rentals as well as in person
shopping by appointment. Sign up for our newsletter for announcements.
Free delivery for customers residing in Oakville.


Enter to win our momstown Birthday Bash Contest!

Molly Mutt Dog/Cat Duvet & Stuff Sack

The Pawhaus Pet Boutique is for the pet owner that wants unique & high quality products for their cats & dogs. We scour the pet industry's suppliers for the highest quality & most stylish products and do our best to get them to you. Like you, we are pet owners who consider our furry ones part of the family and think they deserve the best there is to offer. From big to small, we cover them all!

Cover your existing dog bed with the duvet, or - here's the cool part - fill it with the old clothes & bedding you've got laying around your house. Ready to toss those jams & one-eyed care bears from the mid-90's? Throw those in your new cover - your pet gets a new bed & you get a fun,easy way to recycle your old things - not to mention some extra space in your closet!

It's day 18 of our momstown birthday contests! Enter to win this creative stuff sack and clear some space in your closet while doing it!

Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless Prize Pack- 2 winners!

This jam packed gift basket includes Naturally Ageless Line Diminishing Day Lotion, Skin Firming Night Crème, Line Smoothing Eye Crème and Intense Repair Serum. Everything a mom needs!

Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless smooth fine lines & firm skin naturally with antioxidant-rich pomegranate, plus other natural ingredients that address specific signs of aging. Burt's Bees has been offering distinctive earth-friendly, natural personal care products for 25 years. From a beekeeper's backyard in Maine to the leading edge of natural, Burt's Bees knows natural body care solutions from head-to-toe. The company creates products for total skin health that keep The Greater Good top of mind.

It's day 17 of our momstown birthday contests! Be sure to enter for a chance to win this amazing prize pack! Enter now!

Snug As A Bug Reflective Jacket

Our Reflective Unisex Jacket features a full zipper, hood, hand warmer pockets and an extended back length for extra warmth. Reflective piping is sewn across the chest and back for safety, and the oversize style will provide years of wear for growing kids! Winner of this prize may choose from seven stylish colors, and all jackets are made of 100% polyester polar fleece. These jackets are also machine washable (aka: Mom friendly!). Made in Canada by Snug As A Bug.

Snug as a Bug is dedicated to providing their customers with a wide variety of affordable, high quality children's items. Whether it's unique Snug As A Bug brand name items or their quality imported products, items sold at Snug as a Bug are chosen for both their functionality and appeal (to both kids and moms!).

It's Day 15 of our wonderful momstown Birthday prize a day giveaway. This contest is now closed.

Pink Onyx Silver Photo Charm Bracelet

Pink Onyx jewellery is designed & handcrafted using sterling silver, Swarovski crystals, glass beads, and semi-precious stones. Win yourself some stylish BLING with a silver photo charm bracelet!

It's day 15 of our momstown birthday contests! Enter to win this beautiful bracelet for any occasion!

This contest is now closed.

Beaded Baby Bracelets

Be one of the 4 winners selected and receive a personalized bracelet for your little one!

Beaded Baby Bracelets are personalized with the newborn's or child's name, surrounded by an assortment of selected beads to celebrate life's precious gift. The bracelets are strung on durable thread that can expand to fit their tiny wrist with comfort, durability & finished with a chrome barrel clasp for closure.

Beaded Baby Bracelets are designed based on your child's taste, style & inner growing love for FAME (Fashion, Arts, Music & Entertainment) so unique to each child - never duplicated. The bracelets are specifically produced & delivered to honour a special occasion & milestone in a child's life. We offer more than 100 new colours outsourced from all over the world, giving customers the opportunity to select from various assortments of beads, added charms and birthstones.

It's day 15 of our momstown birthday contests! Enter to win one of 4 beautiful bracelets!

This contest is now closed.

PocoMama Bedding Set & Blanket

Win a Bedding Set & Blanket from PocoMama Designs!

Quality made products for your little one! All PocoMama products are double sewn for durability.

Tired of the usual patterns that are in the stores? Well, PocoMama has some super cute patterns and designs. I know that there is a certain baby sleeping on a pink monkey crib sheet right now! :) And those taggie blankets, there are many of momstown babies very attached to these!

Enter today to win!

Just for Me Music: Personalized CD & Magic Wand

Just For Me is a fun young company dedicated to creating personalized gifts for kids. We know from experience that kids love to see and hear their own names. With the Songs Just for Me CD you can be sure that young kids will continually request "their music" and parents will be happy & willing to listen to the songs over & over again.

It's Day 12 of our momstown birthday contests! Enter to win a personalized CD & Magic Wand for your little one!

Day 12 - Sullivan & Sawyer Gift Card

One lucky winner will get to go shopping with a $50 Gift Card from Sullivan & Sawyer Baby Company!

At Sullivan & Sawyer Baby Co., all of our products are handmade and top quality. We strive to bring you affordable, unique, and useful baby products - and everything has been tested by our resident in-house babies, Sullivan & Sawyer!

Hope you win on Day 12 of our momstown Birthday Bash contest! Enter now!