Fall 2009 issue featuring Tamara Taggart on stands as of Sept. 1/09

The Fall 2009 issue of urbanbaby & toddler magazine is on the streets starting Sept. 1!

Read all about CTV's Tamara Taggart, including her thoughts on balancing career and parenthood, and her personal experience as a mother of a toddler with Down syndrome. She even reveals her Mommy guilty pleasure!

Also in the Fall 2009 issue, find out how to stop butting heads with your partner when it comes to parenting, and join forces a team; get tips on how to read to your wiggly tot; and read up on how to handle newborn twins.

Available at Lower Mainland Vancouver community centres, public libraries, hospitals and Lower Mainland Safeway stores.

Would you eat your placenta after birth?

I've heard of some people doing this and am personally, repulsed by it. Eating a bloody part of your own body? Ew. Mind you, I haven't tried it, so I suppose you could say, "Don't knock it until you've tried it."

Has anyone eaten their placenta after birth? Or done something else with it? Tell me.

Enter to win vintage clothing for baby!

I am in love with these old-turned-new-again clothes for your baby or toddler. Created by Vancouver-based Starshine EcoWear, the outfits are made of vintage clothing that have been transformed into fashionable dresses and pants for little kids. Brilliant!

WIN ONE! Visit Starshine EcoWear's website at www.starshine-ecowear.com, find the one item you'd like to win (subject to stock availability) and then comment on this post and tell me which item you'd like to win AND give me your email address (don't forget your email address, otherwise I won't be able to contact you if you win!). Deadline to enter: Aug. 31, 2009, midnight. Open to Canadian residents.

We taught our kid a swear word

Before you judge me, listen to the story. We were driving home from seeing G-Force (we give that movie a C+ by the way), when we heard this from my son in the backseat:

Benjamin (talking to sister Lauren): Sh*t!

SCREECH! Both my husband and I whip around, eyes blazing.

My husband: Where did you hear that word? Never mind! I don't want to hear you using that word.

My husband, anxious to find the culprit, continued: Where did you hear that word? At school? On TV? Did a friend use that word? Why did you say it?

Benjamin: I made it up. Is it a real word? So do you spell it S-H-*-T?

Not only does he now know it's a taboo word, he also knows how to spell it and that it gets a rise out of us. Something tells me this will not be the last time we hear this word.

A miracle cleaning cloth

I hate cleaning. I didn't mind it before, when I was single or even when I was married without children and had fewer people to clean up after. Now, with two kids, and many impromptu wall murals (that "nobody" seems to have done), toilet-training accidents, peanut-butter handprints, cleaning is a chore that I always try to make easier.

I found this cloth called the Antibac Enviro Cloth by Norwex, and it actually does work. It's a microfiber cloth with silver woven into it. To use it, you only have to add water to clean surfaces. I was skeptical too, but it actually does work. And the manufacturer says the cloth destroys "99.9% of bacteria on surfaces."

I tried it on my kitchen countertops (it wiped away greasy smears of butter thoroughly and effortlessly -- only one wipe!) and appliances. But you can use it on nearly anything according to the manufacturer, like wood and linoleum floors; walls; furniture; bathroom sinks, tile and fixtures; eyeglasses.

Saves me money too -- I don't have to buy as many paper towels or household cleaners. Great idea.

For more info, check out www.norwex-pure-earth.com or call 604-468-8894.