PETAL BABIES

Last week I took my first trip to the Western Fair Farmers Market in London to visit Petal Babies, a little boutique up on the second floor that sells handcrafted, locally made items for babies and children. Finding it was easy – just look for the brightly coloured treasures in the cheeriest store there. For me, it was like being a kid in a candy store. So many adorable things to see like dresses, aprons, tutus, toys, cloth diapers, blankets and hats, oh you have to see the hats.When Meaghan told me she wanted us to try out a beanie and a winter hat, I was more than willing to do that! She showed me to a table with over a dozen colours of handmade beanies were laid out. The beanies come in three sizes and each beanie works with their signature snap system which allows you to embellish it with a variety of decals. With each beanie purchase, you get to choose 3 decals: flowers, crocheted flowers, bears, parrots, turtles, dogs, and corkers. The only downside to this situation is narrowing your choice to only three! The fleece winter hats work in the same way – choose a hat from a variety of colours and the same embellishments can be snapped on to make it unique and stylish.

Let’s face it – southwestern Ontario has all ends of the weather spectrum covered; from -20C in the winter to 40C+ in the summer. These extremes mean that wearing winter hats are as essential as wearing sun hats in the summer. When my first daughter was born, I quickly realized that the best way to ensure that she kept her hats on was to put her in a hat every single time we went outside, so that it was as much a part of our routine as putting on shoes. These beanies are the perfect fall/spring hats for kids. They are beautifully made with just enough stretch and a bit of detailing. They’re big enough to cover the ears to ward off cool-weather chill, or a bit higher for a look similar to a tam. They’re cute, stylish, and with the snap system, you can coordinate them to any outfit or jacket. And really, is there anything more adorable than a toddler in a beanie? I think not.

The winter hats are soft, durable fleece, roomy and warm. They fully cover the forehead and ears, but can also be rolled up without covering the snapped-on decal. Like the beanies, they are perfect for boys or girls of any age.

I was so sold on these adorable beanies that I walked out of the store not only with the beanie and winter hat to test out on my two year old, but also a beanie for my four year old and my baby boy. Oh, and one for each of my two nieces. At $15, tax included, they’re an awesome deal!

I love that the products in this store are locally made, many by Meaghan herself. Supporting other local moms is easy when it’s all in one place! If you can’t get down to London to the Western Fair Farmers Market (which has free parking during the week!), then you can visit the store online at www.petalbabies.com or on facebook www.facebook.com/petalbabies If you’re visiting the Western Fair next week, they’ll be set up on the main floor of the Market. Stop in and see the gorgeous products for yourself and make sure you mention that you heard about them here! 

Are you as smitten as I am? Want to get your hands on this swag now? Send an email to jill@londonmoms.ca with BEANIE in the subject line by 8PM on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 and you could win a beanie and winter hat with embellishments! Emails will be numbered and one will be selected using a random number generator. Good luck!

If you would like a product or service reviewed by the Swag Mama’s, send us an email at jill@londonmoms.ca

Waterloo-Moms and LondonMoms are so excited to introduce a new element to the sites!  Busy moms know how hard it is to do the research and find cool stuff for themselves, for the kids, for the house, right? Who has the time? Leave it up to us!  Check out the new Product and Service Review threads because this Mama’s Got Swag!

Mompreneurs!!

Waterloo-Moms.ca would like to review YOUR products and services!

• Only positive reviews will be published

• The review will include important information, links and images related to your product/service

• Your product/service will be tested by moms with children ranging from newborn-18 years old.

• Your product/service will be tested by moms with many hobbies and interests.

This will be a quick and easy way to get your product or service directly out there to your biggest market!

Interested businesses will be required to provide us with 2 samples or 2 complimentary services. One to be tested by the reviewer and a second to be raffled as a prize to our loyal members.

There is no fee for the review.  However, Waterloo-moms.ca does reserve the right to decide what products they review. As a thank you, any business that has a product or service reviewed will receive 2 months of unlimited posting in the Materialistic Moms section to brag about your product or service.

Should you wish to participate, please send an email to jill@londonmoms.ca

Please include some information about your product including a link to your website if you have one.

Check out our first review for Natural Mother Productions mei tai’s! http://forum.waterloo-moms.ca/showthread.php?t=4390

We’re right in the thick of summer. Heat, humidity, horrible hydro hikes… but there’s also swimming, sunshine, and sunkissed sweethearts!

Speaking of sweethearts, a HUGE Waterloo-Mom’s congratulations to KRYS_TINA who welcomed a baby boy in June and MOMOFTHREECUTIES who welcomed a baby girl in July.  Enjoy your babymoon ladies!  Are you expecting soon? Join our Monthly Expecting Clubs and find someone to count down the days, commiserate about pregnancy stuff, and measure your belly with.  http://forum.waterloo-moms.ca/forumdisplay.php?f=14

Aside from birthing babies, how else have you spent your summer so far?  We’ve been doing day trips, swimming lessons, and toilet training. Our next trip will be to Toronto to see the Harry Potter exhibit at the Ontario Science Centre and Centreville Island. Come share your plans and find out which hotels are parent-test and kid friendly!

Are you ready for back to school? Whether you’re counting down the days or already missing your sweet kids, come let us know.  http://forum.waterloo-moms.ca/forumdisplay.php?f=12  I’m still on the hunt for the perfect indoor shoes for my soon-to-be Junior Kindergardener so if you have any tips on where to find the best deals, I’m all ears!

Enjoy the sunshine!

~latte

Congratulations to the new Waterloo-Mommy’s!

Bronwynr, cales 76, and kmbear have all welcomed new babies into their families this month. 

We hope you are all enjoying your new bundles of love and that your babymoon lasts the whole year!

~ latte

This time of year, it’s easy to be green. The sun is shining which begs you to walk, ride, and roll to where you’re going instead of driving or staying inside, sucking up electricity.  Local travel wins over long drives and plane rides. Produce is arriving at your doorstep from your neighbourhood farms.  Nature is everywhere, reminding you to take care of it.

On any given sunny day during the spring/summer/fall, you’ll see rows of cloth diapers flying in the breeze on our clothes line.  I currently have two kids in cloth diapers full time and I love it. My father is something of an environmentalist, ahead of his time. I learnt to separate compost from recycling from trash when I was a toddler.  Energy conservation, water conservation, gas conservation - all a part of my upbringing. ’Single use’ ought to be a four letter word in our house.

But despite my father’s best efforts, there are some green habits I just could not get with.  I have some not-so-green guilty habits that aren’t going to be broken anytime soon.  I am uncompromising on hair care.  My hair dryer and flat iron are going nowhere and I’m pretty sure the salon issue, non-recylcable tubed product I use does not make nice with the earth when I wash it out.  I also have far too much clothing than necessary and it goes without saying that I’m plugged in for the majority of the day!

We all have dirty little secrets. What’s yours?  http://forum.waterloo-moms.ca/showthread.php?t=3750

~ latte

Like many Canadian families, our house had the Vancouver 2010 Olympics on TV from morning until well past bedtime for the full duration of the games. Olympic fever hit us hard.  The Canadian pride was contagious all across the country and having athletes from the area only amplified those feelings.  We were enraptured.

One of the things I loved most about the games was the repeated singing of our National Anthem.  It was sung so often that around here it became a nightly lullabye for my kids. Even now, months later, it can still soothe my little boy like no other tune. 

Today, I heard about an interesting study that quizzed 275 highschool choir students from across Canada. Apparently, only 67% knew the words and 46% had the melody correctly.  Long gone are the days of singing every morning with the morning announcements. How do you fair compared to these students? Do you know the words and do your children? 

The words, I have down. The melody… well, I’m lucky if I get the Alphabet Song in tune. 

Come join the discussion: http://forum.waterloo-moms.ca/showthread.php?t=3742

~ latte

 As the warm weather approaches there are many exciting things  in the works for our members. 

Currently, a poll is running to pick a date for a meet and greet picnic this summer. With over 500 members to our group, this would be a fabulous opportunity to come out, bring the family and meet others in and around the Tri-cities. Come on over to the forum, pick a date or two that works for you and join in the fun. While you’re there, why not jump in on some of the topics or post your own and get to know the community better!

There is a Waterloo-Mom’s sale in the planning stages for this fall and there is a poll running to gauge  interest in that. Your input is needed and appreciated!

About once a month, a MNO (mom’s night out) is planned! Sometimes its coffee and dessert,  dinner, or a movie. It’s always different and on different nights to try and accommodate everyone’s needs and schedules.

With warm weather nearing there will be many play dates posted to meet at splash pads and parks around the tri-city area! Come on over check them out and post your own play dates and meet some new friends!

Don’t forget our Waterloo-Mom’s classifieds section! Come on in, post items that you want to sell, or items you are looking for.

Keep checking the forums for all sorts of deals to fantastic family fun spots like Great Wolf Lodge, Ontario Place and Canada’s Wonderland. It really pays to be a member of Waterloo-moms.ca!!

We look forward to all these exciting plans and hope that you  join us!

Your Friends at Waterloo-Mom.ca

What a beautiful time of year to be thankful. Thankful for the changing leaves, the fall harvest, the time with family and friends! Take a moment this weekend to consider all the things and people in  your life that you are thankful for. Make sure you spend as much time as you can and share your thoughts with those you are close too this beautiful weekend. Whether you are preparing a big meal yourself or will be guests elsewhere enjoy the great food, the good times and remember to consider doing something that will support those in your community that might be less fortunate than your family is. There are many ways to get involved and it’s a great lesson for the younger generation.

Happy Thanksgiving to all the members here who have helped to make Waterloo-moms.ca a great place to greet old friends and make new ones! We can’t do this without you!!