A Question of Capability

Sometimes I mull over the things I read for days.  For some reason, Alanna McGinn's blog post Stop Trying to Teach Your Baby to Self-Sooth really stuck with me.  It argued that sleep training is not about teaching your child to self-sooth but rather, that they are capable of sleeping on their own.  

Capability.  

 

It weighed on me.  As a new mother, had I completely missed the boat with my first child?  Was I so sleep deprived that I didn't see the signs that she was, in fact, capable?

I should disclose that I have never been interested in trying the cry it out method.  I think that whatever method you choose is up to you - no judgement here!  I just couldn't do it - and neither could my husband for that matter.  

Capability.

 

We tried everything short of having her cry it out.  Each time we made a concerted effort to have our little one fall asleep on her own, we all ended up with less sleep.  For the most part, we just let her fall asleep in our bed and then moved her once she had fallen asleep.  Most nights she would stay there for 12 hours.  It was working for us.

 

Capability.

 

Then our son was born.  Our daughter was 2 years and 4 months old.  She was over the moon to be a big sister and lavished affection on her brother.  This meant that she wanted to sleep where he was - all night.  And he was in a crib, in our room.  

Our nights became full of tiny ninja kicks between feedings.   Although I would often retreat to the couch to get some rest, we found that everyone still slept better.  Our son was a decent sleeper off the bat, sleeping 8 hours overnight.  Our daughter would sleep 12 hours on average without waking and, if she did, a little cuddle and she was back to sleep.  No tears.

Capability.

Fast forward to today, she is 2 years and 10 months old.  This week, I decided that she was ready to try again.  I took her to her big girl bed, read her a story and said that I would stay with her until she fell asleep.  She asked once to go to Mommy & Daddy's bed.  I told her that her room was cool and she agreed.  By the third night, she would go to her own room at bedtime.  No tears. She even only asks to hold my hand for a few minutes before she tells me she is "finished" and goes off to sleep.  I often leave the room with her sleepy but awake.

Capability is the extent of someone's ability.  

Do I think I missed the early signs of her readiness to sleep on her own?  No....I really don't.  When she was ready, she did it.  She showed me she was capable.  Sometimes, capability just takes awhile.

 

 

 

Stop Trying to Teach Your Baby to Self-Soothe

Stop Trying to Teach Your Baby to Self-Soothe

Stop Trying to Teach Your Baby to Self-Soothe

Valentine's Day Fun: Pipe Cleaner Heart Banner

My little one gets excited about every. single. holiday.  With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to decorate using items we have in our craft bin.  This colourful Pipe Cleaner Heart Banner was super easy and fun to make.

What you will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Ribbon (you can go as fancy or as simple as you like)
• Ruler/Tape Measure

Directions:

• Using a measuring tape or the ribbon itself, measure the length of the area where you plan to hang the banner.  Add about another foot or two of extra ribbon to ensure you have enough.  Set it aside.

• Shape pipe cleaners into hearts.  My preschooler helped by first forming each pipe cleaner into a "V' and then we rounded the tops and twisted the ends together.  This is a great activity for those tiny fingers!  

• Next string each heart onto your ribbon, alternating the different colours.  We made a little knot to secure each heart into place.  If you are a stickler for accuracy, measure out each segment so they are the same.  

• Once all the hearts are in place, you're ready to proudly display your labour of love to the world!  We were so happy with ours, we made more to give to friends!

  

 

The Wonders of Baking Soda

I've been feeling pretty crafty lately.  We recently attempted these Fingerprint Heart Ornaments which, I'll admit, didn't quite turn out the first time around.  Note to self:  when the instructions say remove from heat immediately once the mix comes together - remove from heat immediately.  Even though our ornaments didn't turn out, we had a great time playing the with clay which is just a simple mix of cornstarch, baking soda and water.

So that got me to thinking - what else can I make with baking powder?  

If you do a quick search on the internet, you will find all kinds of great stuff.  This week I'm experimenting with a DIY honey and baking soda cleanser which is working really well so far.  I have sensitive skin and I find it isn't irritating while it exfoliates. 

While I was giving myself a home facial, I also got around to unclogging a rather stubborn drain with baking soda and vinegar thanks to the helpful tips from Small Footprint Family.  You have no idea how much I hate harsh chemicals - especially now that we have a little one running around - and this totally works!  I repeated the steps a couple of times but our sink is back to draining properly.

I should mention that there are some natural brand baking sodas out there which have not undergone a chemical process.  They cost a little more but it might be well worth it for baking or DIY skincare.  For my experiment, I'm using Arm & Hammer baking soda.  

 

The part I love the best is the savings.  Buying a product like Drano would usually run around $5.  Our DIY solution cost $0.60.  A leading brand name facial scrub would run about $8.  For that investment, I can make a 6+ month supply of my all natural facial cleanser.   All without increasing our carbon footprint.

The Big Reveal

I'm pretty sure this should be our holiday card this year.

All fired up

A mom friend shared a great post by Ashley Csanady:  Can girls be heroes? Target’s pajamas say no

I didn't realize how much this bothered me until I became a mother, but for months now it has been building and I'm just about ready to blow. 

Why does everything have to be gendered?  

I'm sick of it.  I'm sick of all the pink.  I'm sick of all the limiting logos, slogans and tag lines that are meant to be "cute."  And while I'm on the topic, why do animal costumes need little pink bows?  God forbid my daughter be mistaken for, oh I don't know, a leopard.

I used to think there was no harm in it.  I think that I'm a fairly confident, well rounded woman.  But now I'm responsible for teaching my daughter how to navigate this world and it feels like we have somehow taken several steps backwards.  I want her to grow up free of the limits that others put on us with stupid t-shirts.

My daughter is a force to be reckoned with.  When she's around other toddlers, her energy is off the charts.  People regularly comment that she'll be a "tomboy" or is "just like a boy."  But I'll tell you what I see.  I see courage and a sense of adventure that I truly admire.  I imagine that when she grows up, she'll go bouldering and jump out of planes.  She's fearless, warm, funny and outgoing.  She's not a tomboy - she's active! 

We need to change the conversation that limits us.  The words we choose, the media we consume, the t-shirts we wear - they matter.  I choose to be a better example, starting now.

  

Meals On The Go: Homemade Zucchini Bread

Breakfast is particularly challenging around here.  Despite my best efforts to wean my little one, she's still nursing overnight.  So in the morning, instead of mowing down on breakfast, she grazes.   Her appetite really doesn't pick up until later in the day.  

To encourage weaning, we've been enjoying a lot of outdoor play.  My hope is that by giving her lots of exercise and distraction, she'll start to drop one nursing at a time and opt for the healthy foods that I offer.  It's a slow process, but it works most of the time.  I just make sure that I have plenty of snacks ready to go in my cooler bag.  

The latest addition to my mealtime arsenal is a homemade zucchini bread.  I love making it.  On days that my toddler is particularly curious, I set her up in her highchair so she can watch as I explain what I'm doing.  Other times, I measure and sift all my dry ingredients while she naps so that I can quickly put it together later.  It's a fantastic breakfast item or snack on the go.

Homemade Zucchini Bread 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 2 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated zucchini (don't press to remove moisture)
• 1 cup chopped almonds or flax seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool and remove from pan.

The recipe makes two loaves and freezes really well.  You can also substitute some of the zucchini for grated carrot for added nutrition.  I'm still tinkering with other healthy substitutions and will post an update if I find something that works really well.  For now, this is a big hit in our home.

Enjoy!

Making The Most Out Of Consignment

A few weeks ago, I cleaned out my closet and decided to bring some of my designer items to a consignment shop. 

I was a little weary of the process.  I had read some horror stories about shops where people felt they had been cheated.  Since I really couldn't wear my items any longer, I still wanted to give it a shot.  So after reading all the reviews, I decided to give two shops a try:

Common Sort (Parkdale Location)

This very trendy shop doesn't follow the traditional consignment model.  A buyer looks through your pieces and will select and price them for the store.  You can choose to receive half that price in store credit that is good for one year or you can take 25% in cash, on the spot.  No appointment necessary during store hours.

The buyers were super friendly.  They asked me to browse while they went through my items.  The store was chock full of very fashionable, trendy pieces.  As I looked at their merchandise, I realized that it was unlikely they would select any of the more classic designer items I had brought in and I was right.  They politely declined and thanked me for stopping by.  If you are looking for an interesting piece to spice up your wardrobe, they are worth checking out.

Flair Trade (Yonge & Lawrence)

Flair Trade and its predecessor, PLAYNWEAR kids consignment, have been serving the Yonge & Lawrence area for 30 years.  It was clear from the moment I walked into the shop that this high-end resale consignment shop was built on developing long lasting relationships with both customers and consignors.  The buyers took the time to go through my items, explained why some pieces weren't being accepted and also suggested that I bring a few items back in for a different season.  

If you consign your items with Flair Trade, they will be placed on the floor for a 60-day period.  If you want your items returned to you if they don't sell, you have the option to call the shop about a week before the expiry.  If you don't, the items will belong to Flair Trade and will be donated to a local charity.  As with other consignment shops, Flair Trade offers commissions on the sale of items which can be taken in cash or store credit (which is slightly higher than the cash rate).

Although the shop is small, it has great turnover. Within a week of dropping off my castaways, my black satin trench from Bebe was sold.  If all goes well, I can expect upwards of $200 for items that normally would have gone straight into the donation bin.  That's a whole lot of diapers. 

How To Make The Most Out of Consignment

If you think consignment is for you, here are a few things I learned that can help you get the most value for your items:

1. Check out the consignment shop.  Read the reviews and pay them a visit.  If the shop carries things you would wear, then odds are they will accept your in season items as long as they meet the shop criteria.  If lugging your stuff around is an ordeal, email pictures to the buyers to gauge interest or see if they offer a closet cleaning service where they come to you!
2. Keep original receipts, boxes and garment bags.  If you can show what an item originally retailed for, it's easier for the store to price them right.  Also, having the original boxes and garment bags can help with merchandising.
3. Show off your items in the best condition possible.  Simply put - clean, on a hanger and free of stains, tears and obvious wear.  Look at the item in good lighting and ask yourself if you would buy it in its current condition.  If you wouldn't, odds are the shop won't take it either.  If you're not sure, have a buyer check it out for you.
4. Keep the season in mind.  Consignment shops post the season they are currently accepting items for so clean your closets early.  For example, if you have spring/summer items to consign, you'll want to bring them to a consignment shop around mid-March.  The earlier they hit the floor, the better your chances of the item selling for the agreed upon retail price. Items will get mark-downed based on inventory as the season progresses.

Have you ever bought or sold items at a consignment shop?  Any tips to share?  I'd love to hear about it.