"Little Man The Movie"



This is a movie that every mom should see. Done as a documentary, this movie chronicles the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) journey of life partners Nicole Conn and Gwen Baba. They struggle to keep the balance between parenting their two-year old daughter Gabrielle and supporting their micro preemie, who is in the hospital, Nicholas.

If you have never been to the NICU, this movie will be an eye opening experience for you. Every parent that has given birth to a full term, healthy baby should experience the secret world of the NICU at least once.

My girlfriend found this movie on Rogers-on-demand and watched it a few weeks ago. After watching it she called me and told me how moved she was. Although she did have the oppurtunity to visit our son in the NICU, he was already 4lbs and almost out of danger. Seeing what we experienced, through the movie, made her realize how intense day to day life is when your child is born early.

Just watching the video on the movie’s website brought back all of the nervousness I felt when our child was born.

Little man is a must see. Get a box of kleenex - you’re going to need it!!

You may have to do some looking around in order to find this movie. Rogers on demand is no longer showing it and I couldn’t seem to find it at Blockbuster or Rogers video store.

The official website has it available for purchase if you still have no luck.

Little Man the Movie Official site


Sleeping Beauty



Photo sent to me by Vickie…Tks!!


Bugaboo By Bas Kosters



Bugaboos are very popular. They come in pink, blue, green, yellow, and red. Basically every colour of the rainbow. When you are at the mall you can be sure to see one, if not a few. This is one you will probably never see.

There are only 1000 of these bugaboo’s in production. This stroller was designed specially by Dutch fashion icon Bas Kosters.

Besides the exclusive design, the Bugaboo By Bas Kosters combines all of the features of the Bugaboo Cameleon—except the adjustable handle bar—and adds a wide range of accessories.

It includes:

  • A matching sun canopy, rain canopy and mosquito netting
  • A matching under seat bag capable of holding up to 6.3 gallons
  • A carry handle
  • Easy folding mechanism
  • Matching footmuff for cold weather
  • Aerosleep mattress
  • A matching sun parasol
  • Completely machine washable fabric
  • A maintenance kit bottle silicone spray, pump, container of petroleum jelly, cloth for silicone spray, cloth for petroleum jelly
  • Instructional DVD

The reversible seat and two-wheel position make three different modes for all sorts of terrain and comfort levels. The swivel wheels allow for a more maneuverable steering position.

Price: $ 2808 CAD at Crocodilebaby.com

This stroller is adorable. It reminds me of when Louis Vuitton came out with the Murakami handbag a couple of years ago. Not many in production, very exclusive and very different!!

Having this stroller would guarentee no one else out shopping had the same thing.


Comfy Shoes for On The Go Moms


I have seen these shoes all over and now I want a pair. They are perfect for my hectic lifestyle - no laces to tie!! There is only one problem, I am having a terrible time finding a Canadian company that carries them.

I swear they were designed for the on the go mom. Slip on and fashionable, what more could you want?

Toms, a shoe company owned by Blake Mycoskie, was inspired by the ancient alpagatos and the impoverished kids in Argentina while he was traveling there earlier this year.

“TOMS was created with a singular mission: To make life more comfortable. TOMS accomplishes this through it’s ultra lightweight design and the company’s commitment to match every pair purchased with a donated pair to a child in need…there are no complicated formulas, it’s simple…you buy a pair of TOMS and the company gives a pair to a child on your behalf.” Blake Mycoskie


They are cute, come in great colours and are reasonably priced. $40 U.S. You have your choice of 15 colours/patterns. All that plus you are helping our children who are less fortunate.

As soon as I find a Canadian retailer I will post it!!

See the selection for yourself www.tomsshoes.com


Alberta’s Children’s Hospital Opens!!


Today is a big day in Alberta for families of sick children. Alberta’s Children’s Hospital opened it doors today after 7 years of planning and 3 years of construction. The new Hospital is the first free-standing comprehensive pediatric facility built in Canada in 20 years.

“There was an incredible amount of thought that went into designing and building this hospital, and as a community we should be very proud. This state-of-the-art facility will ensure our talented staff can provide the very best care to sick children, while at the same time helping them to push the boundaries of excellence. The sky is the limit in terms of the innovative, leading-edge quality care that we’ll be able to offer.” Charlie Fischer, a key advocate for the new hospital, who co-chaired the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation’s fundraising drive for the new building

Steve Hoscheit, President and CEO of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, which raised $53 million during the fundraising campaign for the new hospital, and more than $25 million since, says, “This facility is the hospital of our dreams. It allows us the opportunity to provide state-of-the-art care for our children because it is truly a state-of-the-art building.” Pride and commitment to excellence are evident in every square inch of the $253 million hospital. Among other things, the new building features:

  • The new hospital will be 50% larger than the current hospital — an increase of about 500 thousand square feet of working space to 741 thousand square feet. It has the ability to double its capacity again if needed.
  • More operating rooms (from five to nine) and post operation beds will accommodate more surgeries.
  • An outpatient clinic area that will eventually become twice as large as the original site.
  • A specialized air flow system, inter-operative MRI and SMART technology capabilities as well as the ability to isolate a number of areas in case of an infection outbreak.
  • The Emergency Department in the new hospital is designed to accommodate 60 thousand visits per year. While the current hospital was built to handle 23 thousand visits, it now handles about twice that number.
  • The new hospital will have 133 beds. One-hundred-and-five of them will be single patient rooms - nearly five times more than the existing facility - an important factor in preventing the spread of infection and illness.
  • The new hospital is designed to further excellence in family centred care with enhancements like daybeds for parents in patient rooms.

While the new hospital features state-of-the art technology, it is also designed to be adaptable to changing technological needs without major renovations, thanks in part to dedicated interstitial spaces between floors where infrastructure can be replaced and upgraded without disrupting the hospital’s operations.

Hopefully this will be the beginning of new hospitals in Canada. Our current hospitals need to be updated to accomodate the growing population in this country.

SOURCE:Alberta Health Region


Organics or Not?


The organics awareness has been growing over the last few years. Major grocery chains now have a section of the store for organic products and health food stores are popping up everywhere.

Organic farmers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. All products sold as “organic” must be certified. Certification includes annual submission of an organic system plan and inspection of farm fields and processing facilities. Inspectors verify that organic practices such as long-term soil management, buffering between organic farms and neighboring conventional farms, and record keeping are being followed. Processing inspections include review of the facility’s cleaning and pest control methods, ingredient transportation and storage, and record keeping and audit control.

In Canada, the organic industry has been growing at a rate of 15 to 20% annually for the past decade with approximately 3 670 certified organic farms in 2004.

The cost of organic food is higher than that of conventional food because the organic price tag more closely reflects the true cost of growing the food: substituting labor and intensive management for chemicals, the health and environmental costs of which are borne by society. These costs include cleanup of polluted water and remediation of pesticide contamination. Prices for organic foods include costs of growing, harvesting, transportation and storage. In the case of processed foods, processing and packaging costs are also included. Organically produced foods must meet stricter regulations governing all these steps than conventional foods. The intensive management and labor used in organic production are frequently (though not always) more expensive than the chemicals routinely used on conventional farms.

Because the cost of organics is almost twice the cost of regular produce, some families are not able to buy all organics for their household. Ewg.org has compiled a list of the most contaminated produce so…if you can’t buy all organic, you should at least get these ones.

12 Most Contaminated
Buy These Organic

Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Imported Grapes
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries

12 Least Contaminated

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn (sweet)
• Kiwi
• Mangos
• Onions
• Papaya
• Pineapples
• Peas (sweet)

Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) has an extensive report on the pesticide level for all produce. It is definitely worth reading because we should all know which are good for our families and which are not.

SOURCE:www.ofrf.org


RECALL: Suave Kids Bath Sets Sold at Wal-Mart


About 11,000 Suave Kids Bath Sets sold at Wal-Mart are being recalled. Items in the baths sets contain small parts that pose a choking hazard to young children.

Recalled bath setsAdditionally, some of the handles on the carrying case are long enough to pose a strangulation hazard. Also, the plastic carrying case poses a danger of suffocation.

No injuries or incidents have been reported.

This recall involves “Suave” brand bath sets that contain a 3-in-1 shampoo, bath sponge, and various other toy animal and character bath products. The baths sets are packaged in brightly colored vinyl bags with a clear window. Style numbers involved in this recall are: SVK 9498, 9499, 9501, 9506, 9507 and 9508. The style numbers are located on the back and/or bottom right corner of the package, above the UPC code.

The sets were sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide from March 2006 through June 2006 for about $10.

Consumers should stop using these bath sets and either dispose of them or return them to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Almar Sales at (800) 251-2522 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or e-mail the firm at recall@almarsales.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).


Sip’n Snack



This cup is great! Juice on top, snacks on the bottom. What more do you need?

I’m sure it’s been out forever, but I’m new to this sippy cup thing so I just found it. I thought that anyone else who is just starting with the sippy cup may want to check it out.

It’s not very expensive $4-$5 depending where you find it and it comes with a strap so if it falls you don’t loose it.

I found it at Perfectly Safe


Too Much Fluoride?


Are our children getting too much fluoride? It is being added to our water and toothpastes are loaded with it. It is alright for adults, but children can get too much, which makes their teeth look spotty and sometimes weaken.

Fluoride is a mineral found in nature. There is fluoride in the ocean, in the earth’s crust and in fresh water. Fluoride works by making the outer layer of teeth (called tooth enamel) stronger. When the outer layer is strong, teeth are less likely to get cavities.

Adding fluoride to the water is the best way to provide fluoride protection to a large number of people at a low cost. That’s why many towns and cities put fluoride in the water in a controlled manner. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recently named fluoridation of drinking water one of the 10 most successful public health measures in this century. Canadian Dental Association

Dental fluorosis occurs when white specks appear on a child’s teeth and is the result of a child getting too much fluoride. There is recent evidence that dental fluorosis among children is increasing. Most dental fluorosis is mild and barely visible. Moderate to severe fluorosis readily takes up stain, creating permanent brown and black discolorations of the teeth. Dental fluorosis is not health threatening. It is mainly a cosmetic condition. In more severe cases, it can be easily treated by the dentist.

As a result of the staining and crumbling of enamel, children with moderate to severe dental fluorosis can suffer a great deal of social embarrassment and pyschological stress - with a corresponding loss in self-esteem.

A new fluoridated toothpaste guideline is only one step towards fixing the problem. As follows:

  • Children Age 1-2 should only use a slight smear of toothpaste
  • Children age 3-5 should only use 1/2 of a pea-size amount of toothpaste
  • Children Age 6 and older should only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
    • always supervise the amount of toothpaste used
    • teach your child to spit after brushing
    • help your child brush until 8 years of age

There are also non-fluoridated tooth pastes which are recommended for use before the age of 6. Burts Bees is the one I like the best - they also make one for children.

Ewg.org has posted the results of a study, done at Harvard, that finds a strong link between fluoridated water and bone cancer in boys.

The study, led by Dr. Elise Bassin and published online today in Cancer Causes and Control, the official journal of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention, found a strong link between fluoridated drinking water and osteocarcoma, a rare and often fatal bone cancer, in boys. The study confirms studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the New Jersey health department that also found increased rates of bone cancer in boys who drank fluoridated tap water.

Bassin’s study comes on the heels of a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report that found the federal “safe” limit for fluoride in tap water did not protect children from dental fluorosis or increased bone fractures. The NAS recommended that the allowable limit for fluoride in tap water be lowered immediately.

“This study raises very serious concerns about fluoride’s safety and its potential to cause bone cancer in teenage boys,” said Richard Wiles, EWG’s senior vice president. “The findings raise fundamental questions about the wisdom of adding fluoride to tap water.”

SOURCE: fluoridation.com
SOURCE: cda.com


Tummy Time!!



Normally babies hate tummy time, but this cute invention may change that. Made in Germany, this unit called the Wingbo allows babies to be on their tummy and swing themselves.

From the very beginning wingbo supports the locomotory development, promotes a healthy posture and stimulates mental development. It allows the baby to be active with their hands and feet, to grasp, to move, to achieve something and to learn with success.

The baby is in prone position due to the ergonomic conception of the swing. It enables the baby to develop a healthy posture and, at the same time, strengthens the whole locomotory system.

This mat is a great idea. My only issue is space. We have sooo much stuff already. New parents may have to decide between having this unit or a traditional play mat in order to cut down on the number of “things” the baby has.