Tag Archives: kids

Fun Apps for Pregnancy & Parenting

Posted in Thoughts on Parenting by

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I am the mother of a 5-year old and a 5-month old. I am sleep deprived; have been for the past 5 years, 6 if you count pregnancy! I am always looking for ways to make life as a parent easier. I also have a Masters in Educational Technology, so I tend to look to technology for help! Over the years, I’ve come across a number of apps that I have found useful during pregnancy and motherhood. Anything that makes things quick and simple is considered a win in my books!

Here are my favourites! I’d love to hear if you have any other apps that make motherhood easier for you. As with any app, I recommend checking out the regulations and privacy concerns before you commit. My recommendations are based solely on usefulness to a busy Mom, not on the legal/privacy aspect!

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Elfie Magoo’s 2015 Adventures: Week 2

Posted in Elf on the Shelf by

Elfie Magoo is still at it, entertaining us with her adventures each morning! Here’s what she got up to this past week:

December 14: We caught Elfie Magoo staying up late trying to finish her Christmas craft, a Popsicle stick snowflake! Baby E and I helped her finish it in the morning.

December 15th: Sneaking in a little workout before bed. Preparing for all those Christmas dinners and treats to come!

December 16th: Coloring is all the rage these days, and can be very relaxing. Even Elfie needs a little stress relief as Christmas draws near!

December 17th: The closer we get to Christmas, the busier things get for Elfie Magoo. Here we caught her sneaking a little nap with a pillow of marshmallows.

December 18th: Looks like Elfie Magoo just hopped out of the bath!

December 19th: Elfie Magoo was swinging from the doorway when we found her this morning!

December 20th: What a crafter! This morning we found Elfie Magoo cutting out paper snowflakes to decorate our house!

Baby E continues to love the search for Elfie Magoo every morning! We love finding out what Elfie has been up to!

Get your toddler to bed in these 25 simple steps

Posted in Thoughts on Parenting by

Baby E turned two a few months ago, and it seems to be true what they say about two year olds. As my husband says, she’s become a “two-nager”!!

One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is the recent battle for bedtime. We are anxious for a little bit of toddler-free time to unwind from the day, and she is anxious … well, anxious not to sleep!!

Two months into the “two-nager” years, I think I have gathered some useful tips for other parents who are in the trenches of the bedtime battle. Here are my 25 “simple” steps for getting your toddler to bed:

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Her first sentence! Oh, and I think we made her afraid of bugs…

Posted in In Baby E's Words by

Uh-oh. I think we may have contributed to our daughter’s first fear.

So, the other day my Mom and I were sitting on the floor with Baby E. I noticed a little bug making it’s way towards her. It was sort of hopping along, getting closer and closer to my little girl. So I think I may have exclaimed “ooh! Bug!” and tried to quickly move my daughter while my Mom flicked the bug away. I didn’t really think much of it until …

The next weekend our daughter spent an afternoon with her grandparents. I should say that she absolutely loves her grandparents. As soon as we pull in the driveway, she knows where we are, and starts calling out their names: Nan & Bubba. We once had to pull back out of the drive, to park on the road, and she burst into tears. She really loves them.

Anyways, last weekend, Bubba was taking Baby E for a wheelbarrow ride around the yard. They were under the apple tree, picking apples, when Baby E said her first sentence! Well, maybe sentence is a bit optimistic! But our 17-month old strung two words together for the first time! (Proud Mama? For sure!) What did she say? “Bug … Up!”, reaching her arms up to Bubba! Hmm … Did we just contribute to her first fear?!

The next time that we see a bug, I will be making a big effort to not move away or act concerned – maybe even to point out how cute it is. We need to do whatever we can to squash this fear!