The next big investment

When your baby was born you probably made some big investments, like a crib, a new car, or even a new house. As baby turned into toddler, perhaps your next greatest investment was a state-of-the-art all-terrain stroller.

Well, let me give you a heads-up on your next greatest investment as your child starts attending classes -- whether at a community centre art class, preschool or elementary school.

The permanent marker.

It will keep your child's clothes, Tupperware, toys, backpack, from going missing by identifying your child's items with his/her name. So stock up!

Bitten

The other week, I was surrounded by babies between seven weeks old to 10 months old at a photo shoot that I was styling. And I have to admit, I was bitten by the baby bug. BIG TIME.

As many of you know, I already have two kids: a four-year-old boy and a 26-month-old girl. I have always said that two is enough. And I mean it. And everything in my life confirms my decision. Within the last few months, my son has just emerged from the 'terrible twos' and mostly put a cork on his whining. In the past two weeks, my daughter started sleeping past 4:30 am after more than two years of waking us at eye-popping hours. And my husband got the PROCEDURE done to ensure no accidents happen. My body is even starting to bounce back and I'm getting back into exercising again. What could be better than all of this?

A sweet-smelling baby, who gurgles and coos. A baby whose cries can only be quelled by your embrace. A baby whose smile makes your heart skip a beat. A baby who burrows into your shoulder in contented slumber.

Sigh.

Bye-bye, birdie

Last night, as we were eating dinner, I heard a loud "THUD" against our livingroom window. When I looked up, all I saw was a smudge mark on the glass, and three or four brown feathers floating around. I ran to the window, with kids following closely behind, and saw a motionless bird lying on the ground below. Yikes. If you read my blog post entitled "Where does meat come from?", I'm sure you can feel my apprehension.

A friend of ours (who is also an animal trainer and volunteer at wildlife rescue centres) ran out to see if the bird was okay. Inside, I was saying, "Shake it off, little buddy! Shake it off!" I was hoping not to reopen discussions about death or dying animals with my son. It's not so much him who's not ready for the conversation, it's me.

When our friend came back in, she confirmed with a shake of her head that the bird had died.

"Mommy, Mommy, is the bird still alive?" my four-year-old son Benjamin asked urgently.

"Uh, well...," I said, turning to my mother-in-law (who was also at our house that night) and whispered, "Should I L-I-E?" I was kind of hoping she'd give me an excuse to lie or at least give me permission. That way I could blame it on her. But she didn't. She just gave me the pros and cons to lying or to telling the truth. (Darn her for not letting me make her responsible for the situation!)

So, I told the TRUTH. "Benjamin, the bird died."

"Oh," Benjamin said. "Mommy, can we watch Scooby Doo after dinner?"

And that was that.

Inspired

When I received my copy of The End of East, my sister's newly published novel, I showed my son Benjamin this book that Yee-Yee (that's what he calls his aunt) wrote. I told him that she wrote it and that its being published was a very important and exciting thing. Over the next several days, her book was placed on my bedside table where I put all the books I read before going to sleep.

Yesterday, Benjamin presented me with a book that he said he wrote for me to read. The book is pictured here. It's about whales and dolphins. He said it is a very important book and placed it carefully beside Yee-Yee's book on my bedside table.

I think it's safe to say my son has been inspired.

Short and sweet

My husabnd took the kids over to Vancouver Island to visit Grandma this weekend. My four-year-old son Benjamin sent me (probably dictated this to Daddy as he can't write sentences and doesn't know how to type) this succinct email:

Dear Mommy,
I love you. I went to the park. I like you. That's all I want to say.
XOXOXO
LOVE,
Benjamin

It's short, but it is oh so sweet.

Teacher rules

Today, my son asked me and my husband if reptiles have cold or warm blood. We both said cold blood. Benjamin didn't think this was the right answer, so he suggested we ask Eve, a family friend and an animal trainer. Her answer was cold blood. But Benjamin insisted his teacher told him it was warm. He said, "All you adults are wrong. My teacher said it's warm!" So when we took him to preschool, we asked him to ask his teacher. Her answer, "Cold blood."

Well, now that his TEACHER said reptiles have cold blood, Benjamin is now certain it's true.

Someone warned me that at some point soon, parents would take the back seat as an authority in my son's life while the teacher would overrule all. I think this is that point!

Soccer sponge

My son's soccer classes have ended. And on the last day of class, despite having shown more interest in his fingernails than learning how to play soccer throughout the eight-week program, he cried. "Mommy," he said, "I don't want soccer to end! I love it!"

Then a few nights later, when he and I were playing soccer at home, he started throwing the ball in the air, bouncing it off his knee over and over again. Then he corrected the way I was dribbling the ball, saying that I had to keep the ball close to me rather than kick it away. Then he chastised me for picking up the ball with my hands because "Coach says you never pick up the ball with your hands in soccer!" He had suddenly turned into a little Pele.

So, even though he appeared not to be listening during his soccer class and even though he did not do any of the exercises the coach asked him to do, he picked up a lot. I was floored.

But that makes me worry about what else he's passively 'absorbing' from me! Yikes. A little sponge, he is.

Great new book!

I don't normally do this, but I have to just this one time. My sister has written a novel and it is going to be released tomorrow, March 13, for sale. I am so excited for her that I have to digress from writing on things "baby" and "toddler" to give her a little plug.

Her book is called The End of East (published by Random House/Knopf Canada) and my sister's name is Jen Sookfong Lee.

Here is a taste of what her novel is all about:

The End of East (Knopf Canada, New Face of Fiction, 2007), explores themes of isolation, immigration, romance and sanity through the eyes of its narrator, Sammy Chan, a Chinese-Canadian woman in her early 20s, and through the experiences of her parents and grandparents, which she creates through memory and fantasy. The End of East is a novel with poetry at its heart, mixing character study, history, place and sexuality for a story that is both edgy and evocative.

The End of East, which spans almost the entire 20th century, delves into the underside of Chinese Canadian history, exploring the repercussions of the infamous Head Tax, the Chinatown bachelor society and the years of separation between men and their wives and children.

The End of East is available online (www.chapters.indigo.ca or www.amazon.ca) or at your local bookstore.

Parade pet peeve

I was at the Chinese New Year parade in Vancouver's Chinatown with my kids this year, and was appalled at the lack of parade etiquette knowledge in the crowd. Sure, there probably isn't anything offical that's entitled "Parade Etiquette" but come on...people must know that you follow certain unspoken rules, right? Like:

1. Don't stand in front of children.
2. Stay off the street so you don't block the view of the people who staked out their spot on the curb for an hour before you obliviously sauntered by, seconds before the parade start, only to stop in front -- STANDING NO LESS -- of them.
3. Don't eat while you're standing over the people sitting below in if you're going to drop crumbs, drips of ketchup and whatever the heck else on the people below you.
4. Don't use your children to gain a spot for yourself up front. Children are always welcome up front, and most parade goers are happy to let kids in the front. But don't push your kids forward and elbow your way to the front.
5. Yes, freebies at the parade are great. But don't push or shove just to get another tacky fake tattoo or stale candy cane from parade volunteers. (Maybe it is true that people will take whatever as long as it's free!) If the volunteer is close by and you can get to them, by all means, get your freebie. But if it means you have to step on feet and knock kids out of the way to get it, for heaven's sake, people, let it go!

Okay, that's it, that's all. I'm done venting. Thinking "calm blue ocean"...

Calling all babies and toddlers for Urbanbaby & Toddler's 3rd Annual Cover Contest!

Seriously, you have no idea how many calls I get from parents asking me how they can get their kids on Urbanbaby & Toddler's cover. One enthusiastic grandparent was willing to pay. Another tried to get me to put her eight-YEAR-old on the cover. And every parent who has called always says this (or something really close to this), "I know you see lots of cute kids, but my [insert name] is the cutest."

So, to all you proud parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles out there, here's your chance to get your child on our cover:

Urbanbaby & Toddler magazine is looking for your cute kid (between 0 and 36 months as of August 2007) to grace the cover of its Fall 2007 issue. On top of getting bragging rights for being on the cover, your child will also get a free photo shoot at Bopomo Studios, as well as a Bopomo membership (valued at $195).

For details on how to enter, visit Urbanbaby & Toddler magazine's website.

Deadline to enter: May 17, 2007.

Cutest Baby Faces wanted

Green Baby is looking for nearly 80 babies to star in its new educational DVD Cutest Baby Faces.

"Cutest Baby Faces will be an educational DVD to help bring awareness to heal Mother Earth from global warming while teaching organic and health life values," states a recent press release.

Want to audition your baby? Bring him/her down to the Parkgate Community Centre, 3625 Banff Court, North Vancouver between 11 am and 6 pm on March 3 and 4 and March 10 and 11. Call (604-988-7678, Kelly or Jeff) or email (info@cutestbabyfaces.com) to reserve a 15-minute slot.

Minimalist kids' toys

Are you a parent who loves modern, minimalist design? Do you hate the primary colour schemes so prevalent in kids' toys these days? Do you refuse to buy the licensed toys crowding toystore shelves? Then you'll love what I found – check out these new cool toys that will blend in with your modern decor.














This toy, designed by Ulf Hanses and made in Sweden, was selected by Swedish National Museum as a Swedish Design Classic. It's called Streamliner, and I really, really love this. It comes in white (as shown) as well as a modern palette of colours including silver, pea-green, black, red, and brown. It's 5.3" long. Retails for $39 US each. At www.sparkability.net.


















The modern version of building blocks with a fresh colour palette. These Dado Cubes are interlocking, three-dimensional structures that can be built horizontally and vertically or nested into each other. Each set has 10 cubes, scaled from 1 to 5 inches. For ages 3+. Retails for $24.95 US. Available from www.sparkability.net.














Seriously, a Bauhaus dollhouse? Yes! The Villa Sibi Doll House is the ultimate modern doll house for the minimalist in your child. Villa sibi includes birch doll house, garden, pool and poolhouse and beech furniture. Retails for $690 US. Available at www.sparkability.net.