I've been through the "new baby" phase... twice... and I thought it was due time that I share some of my treasured tips that have helped me through the first year with a new baby.



Save Those Instructions!

All those wonderful toys, gadgets, and baby furniture come with instructions. Instead of shoving them in a drawer, keep them handy in plastic sleeves in a binder. You would be surprised at home many times you may reference those manuals. Plus, if you…

I've been so overwhelmed by school work lately. I have a major assignment due October 21st and despite spending most of my weekend working on it, I'm nowhere near being finished. Moreover, other than attending my mother-in-law and sister-in-law's birthday party "combo", it was a pretty dull, uneventful weekend, packed full with homework.

But then... while I was busy studying, my baby girl was busy studying too.…

As an early childhood educator, I have had the pleasure of creating and making presentations at a number of child care conferences.

One of my favourite (and most popular) sessions was "Books Alive"... bringing books to life throughout your early childhood curriculum.

I have recently started exploring books this way with my daughter, and I thought I would take some time to share a sample of "Books Alive" with you.…

100 postcards... 100 invitations to send a message. What message would you share if you had the chance to have your voice heard... anonymously?

I see her looking out the window.



The glass fogs up with every exhale.



I'm watching her... as I so often do.



She is my daughter yet she's so much more. She is my window to youth, to mystery, to seeing the world in a different light.



How could such a little person teach me so much? She has taught me how to love and to understand how God must love His children. She has taught me that everything is an adventure waiting to be embarked upon, and a mystery…

The scene is not new. I'm standing in the front entrance watching my four-year-old daughter struggle with her winter boots.



"I can't do it!"



I offer to help.



"NO!" she…

Anyone who has followed my blog for a while knows that I'm not a niche blogger. I write about everything... my latest craft project, day-to-day life with my girls, my recipes, parenting ideas, activities for kids, and the list goes on and on. Sometimes I write personal stories too.

If you're familiar with the blogging world, you are probably aware that you can run analytics on your site. I am sad to report that my most popular posting is…

Chocolates, romantic dinner, kisses, hugs, candlelight, cards, sugar cookies with pink frosting... yes, it's Valentine's Day.



What did I get for Valentine's Day you ask? Well, it's none of your business.



Do you remember being in…

"The plant is growing up to the wall!" bellowed my four year old.

I have two daughters, 4 years old and 6 months old... I can't even begin to imagine what parenting them through the teen years will be like.

Today I saw this video and after the initial shock settled, I had to respond.…

I wanted to puke.

In 2004 my husband and I embarked on a project. We gathered 100 postcards, numbered them, addressed them (with the PO Box we had rented) and delivered the postcards everywhere we went. We stamped the postcards and left them with a loonie, a pen and a note encouraging the recipient to write a positive thought, a favourite quote, or whatever they wanted. The instructions also prompted the recipient to mail back the postcard as soon as possible. We were curious as to…

As I previously shared in my posting, 12 Projects For 2012, I have been wanting to make canvas art out of my baby's hand and footprints. The inspiration came to me as I assembled a hand and footprint calendar for the grandmas in our family.…

"The brain is the only unfinished organ at birth" (Schiller, n.d.). While secure, nurturing relationships are the cornerstone of healthy brain development, there are a number of other playful activities that parents can do with their infants as…

For the past month I have made an effort to take better care of myself. This wasn't a New Year's resolution (I don't like resolutions) but rather a lifestyle change. God gave me a healthy, functioning body, and I felt it was time to start taking better care of it. Some of the changes I've made include:

Today my grandma is ninety-five years old. Ninety-five! She is fully able, active, and lives independently... no assisted living, no seniors' community.

I never tire of hearing about her miraculous birth,marvelous stories passed down from my great-grandparents....

http://thedeliberatemom.blogspot.com/2012/01/miracle-ninety-five-years-ago.html 

Inspired by SouleMama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

http://thedeliberatemom.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-moment_27.html

My oldest daughter just turned four. I was stunned when I realized she is eligible to start kindergarten in September. But my daughter won't be going to school.



We recently took her for allergy testing and discovered that her dairy allergy has gotten 30 times worse. We know she had anaphylaxis to dairy but we hoped that she would have outgrown this allergy. The headlines in early January confirmed our decision....

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