Friday, May 29, 2009
Local Meetup Group for new Moms
I rarely get to go somewhere far since I still don't have my car insured. I borrowed my husbands car just for this event, while he took the bus to work. Anyway, a few of us (moms and their babies) met up at Victoria Park early in the morning where there were playgrounds and swings for the kids. It was nice meeting other moms with babies around the same age as baby Brandon. I'm looking forward to future PlayDates so Brandon can meet friends and become less shy with unknown people. When I'm bored at home, I just wanted to go do some activities with my little one.
These are the groups I am part of:
East Vancouver New Moms Group
Richmond Mommies
I have also participated in a few nearby communities for the Family Drop-In programs such as Frog Hollow Neighborhood House (which is just a couple blocks away), Collingwood Neighborhood House, and Thunderbird Community Centre.
Later in the evening after dinner, I went out for a nice evening walk to the Sunrise Park with Brandon. It was great weather. Here's a short clip of baby Brandon enjoying the swings and relaxing.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
First Reaction to Strained (Puréed) Meats
Brandon just turned 8-months old and he was old enough to try meats and strained foods. I bought 2 jars of the Heinz Strained Chicken with Broth. We offered to him during dinner and the first reaction was that he dislikes it. He frowned and hurled. Oh, poor baby! We switched the other dish of rice cereal and he was ok with it. Then we mixed the strained chicken with a bit of rice cereal. Again, he made a face. We didn't want to force him and had to throw out the leftovers since it can only be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. We'll try mixing with fruits another time and see how he takes it.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Baby's Got the Cheek Rash Again
What do you other moms think? I'll lay off on the spicy foods for now and see what happens.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Graco Pack 'n Play Playpen
Last night we finally set up the playpen for our little baby Brandon. He sat in there for the first time and he was happily playing with his toys. My reviews: I find that the bassinet that hangs over is a little lumpy, but I don't use it and he's over the limit weight anyways. It's quite portable for traveling.
I recommend this product for your child to sit and play in if you need to step away for a bit. I let my baby sit in it while I do my work, fold my laundry, or cook dinner. I am able to see him and make sure he is safe.
My cat Momo gave a reaction to the new playpen thing. He stared cautiously through the mesh watching little Brandon. Momo was being nosey and looked like he was ready to run away as if it was going to chase him. It was so funny!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
First Time Eating Baby Mum-Mums
Photos of Brandon enjoying the Baby Mum-Mum while on his Jumperoo:
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Weaning Baby from Night Feedings
Guide to good sleep habits:
Babies between 6 and 12 months will need about 14-15 hours of sleep each day.
1) Continue on with bedtime routing: wash/bathe and/or reading a bedtime story
2) Continue to breastfeed/bottlefeed. Put baby in crib drowsy, but slightly awake. This will also teach your baby to fall asleep on their own. Don't try to feed baby at each arousal. Let your baby self-soothe to sleep. Pick him up and comfort him if he wont' stop crying (I don't recommend the cry-it-out method).
3) Decrease feeding times gradually. You may experience more wakings during the weaning process, but continue to decrease feedings each time. It is okay to nurse as much as he wants during the day.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Brandon's New Toy: Gleams Ball
Because there were small holes in various shapes on the surface, Brandon's little fingers could easily get stuck and get hurt from the spinning motor inside. So what I did was stuck some clear tape over the holes. Another downside is that it sucks up batteries like crazy.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Day Care
I have started looking around for information on daycare/childcare. My maternity leave ends in August 2009 and it may be a bit late for me because there’s a long wait list for most group daycares. Time is passing by very quickly.
The only choice I have is either be a stay-at-home mom or go to work if I get a childcare spot for little
I’ve recently contacted to just a few licensed group childcare and registered my name to be on the wait list. Expected fees I am looking at is between $900 and $1200 per month. Yikes! Also, I was told that license childcare is income tax deductible under “childcare expenses”, so hope this will help me and my family a bit.
For more information on choosing child care, visit the website at http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/parents.htm to obtain a copy of The Parent’s Guide to Selecting Child Care.
Here’s a list of useful links with resources for those in
http://www.childcareresource.ca
http://www.childcarechoices.ca
http://www.vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/initiatives/childcare/cccentres.htm
http://www.canadachildcaredirectory.com