Picasso's Flowers!

Okay, okay. Those of you who are a member of momstown Oshawa - Port Perry know that we did not actually have an event named "Picasso's Flowers!", as I've titled this blog post, but we did however have two fantastic events in a matter of a couple of days and so I thought I would share the fun we had at both events all at once! :) Our "Picasso's Party" and our "Flowers" themed "Circle & Craft!"

At our Picasso's Party, we rolled out a giant piece of paper down the perfect hallway for this type of thing and got out pretty much every art material a kid could want. There were markers, crayons, glitter pens, and paint as well as glue and pom poms, feathers, pipe cleaners, sparkly beads, stickers, and sequins! The kiddies all had a blast decorating our large sheet of paper and also making some personal masterpieces to take home. Some of them made beautiful bracelets as well! A couple of the kids also tried out some really cool new crayons for the windows! It was a great time for all of the kids and the moms who got to socialize while the children were all so busy creating! I personally love this event (which we do on a monthly basis) as it gives the children an opportunity to be truly creative. There are no cut-outs or rules (other than no paint on the walls!) and the only expectation is that they have fun! The children can create like true little Picasso's!

At this month's Circle and Craft event, our theme was Flowers! We started out with a couple of stories about how flowers grow, then we sang a couple of songs and made some pretty flowers, and a vase to put them in!

The song that was the biggest hit this time was "I'm a Little Daisy", which is sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot".

I'm a little daisy

Tall and slim (stand on tiptoes)

Here are my petals (place hands on side of head & wiggle fingers)

Here is my stem (hold arms down at sides of legs)

When the sun comes up (make sun with arms)

And the rain comes down (flutter hands to floor like rain - end in crouching position)

I grow, grow, grow - up from the ground! (slowly raise up bringing hands over head)

The flower craft that was completed afterwards was a lot of fun too! First we took a piece of contruction paper and folded it in half, decorated one side, and then rolled it (and used staples to hold it) into a "vase". We then filled our vases with flowers! The flower was made with a coffee filter coloured with bingo dabbers (markers would work too) and the stem was a simple pipe cleaner pushed through the centre.

I hope everyone has fun singing and being creative at home too, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our next Picasso's and/or Circle & Craft event(s)!!! Check out our chock-full calendar and sign up! :)

Public Potty's with a 2 year old!

I have been very fortunate to have my daughter interested in potty training at quite a young age! At about 18 or 19 months she started to show great interest in the potty and the whole process of sitting, wiping, washing hands, etc. that she watched mommy and her friends at daycare go through. By 21 months, after only a couple of days of really trying to teach her how to use the potty herself, she was completely daytime trained. Now, 3 months later, we still use pull-ups at nap and bedtime but otherwise we are very lucky to not have to even worry about an accident during her waking hours (even on the recent 2 day drive to Florida!).

Unfortunately, having a 2 year old who is potty trained is not quite as easy when out in public as it is at home! I find myself always aware of where the closest washroom is and planning trips to the toilet before leaving anywhere to go in the car, no matter how short the drive is going to be. My daughter also seems to be very aware of the closest washroom as she ALWAYS wants to give each of them a try. As time consuming and unappealing as going into every public washroom in sight is, I remind myself that at least I don't have to change diapers or worry about accidents.

Then, there is the issue of cleanliness. We all know that a public washroom, even at it's cleanest, just is not the same as the washroom at home or at a friend/family members home. They can be pretty nasty sometimes. When my daughter was toilet trained I purchased a portable potty seat that folds up and fits right inside the diaper bag (inside of a ziploc baggy first). It's perfect as my daughter feels much more comfortable sitting on it than the over-sized toilet seat and I know it's clean! So after a few outings, the cleanliness worry was behind me.

Finally, and my biggest on-going concern, is that when a 2 year old has to use the potty, he or she has to use it NOW!!! There is no waiting. We have a fairly limited window of time in which we NEED to reach a potty! I'm talking less than 5 minutes at the best of times. Which normally is not a problem because, as I said, I've already scoped out where the closest washroom is. However, sometimes there is only one stall. And sometimes, there is a line-up for that stall! So far, touch wood, we have been lucky and have been able to hold it and make it to the toilet just in time. But it is still my greatest worry.

Today, while out grocery shopping this was the scenario we found ourselves in. With a shopping cart half full of groceries, my daughter suddenly announces that she has to go potty. Stupidly hopeful I ask, "Do you have to go potty right now, or can you hold it for a bit?" Of course, we all know the answer to that question, so I reluctantly headed toward the one and only (unisex) washroom in the store. When we got there it was not only occupied but 2 other people were in front of us waiting to use it as well. Okay, I think, maybe I can distract her while we wait by talking about what we are going to make with the things in our cart to take her mind off having to "go". I say, in my most animated voice, "When we get home later, would you like to help me wash the carrots? We are going to cut them up to put into a stew! Do you like stew?". Her response is, "Mommy, POTTY!!! RIGHT NOW!!!" Crap.

So this is when I explain to my 2 year old that there is a line-up for the washroom. There is someone in there right now, and we have to wait our turn. Then I suggest to her that we sing her favourite song while we wait. Nope. That doesn't fly either. The minutes that follow were filled with begging, pleading, more explaining, and even tears. Through all of it, the other people waiting for the washroom, who could clearly see and hear all that was happening, just continued to give me sympathetic looks. I guess you could say that it was nice that they were giving me their sympathy, and really I have no idea how urgent their trip to the washroom was, but I couldn't help but feel frustrated.

Prior to having a toddler of my own requiring the washroom "RIGHT NOW!" I can remember on more than one occasion letting a mom and her child go ahead of me. Sure, I had to go (why else would I be there, waiting to use the public washroom) but it was clear, at least to me, that a child in need of the toilet took precedence! Luckily, we did make it to the toilet in time today. Thankfully, I didn't have to change her clothes due to a pee accident right there in the grocery store. But sadly, my poor daughter wasn't sure she would make it. She was unbelievably upset, completely stressed out, and likely very uncomfortable as she did her very best to "hold it".

All I can think now is, why did I not ask for those people to let us go first? I was so consumed with trying to comfort and encourage my daughter, and so angry that they did not offer to let us ahead of them, that I didn't think at the time to ask. So now, I'm writing this blog to share with all of you my experience in great hope that the next time you are waiting in line for the washroom and a child comes up behind you who is clearly in desperate need of the toilet, if you can hold it, just long enough for them to go ahead of you, please, please let them go first!!

Nanny Robina is coming back to momstown Oshawa - Port Perry!!!

Back by popular demand is everyone's favourite Nanny! This time she is coming to help those of us with toddlers to conquer those "Toddler Shenanigans". Here's the flyer with all the info you need!

 

Please email info.oshawa-portperry@momstown.ca to make arrangements for submitting payment in order to secure your spot in the class!!!

Happy New Year momstown Oshawa - Port Perry!!!

This time of year is a fantastic time to reflect upon where we have been and where we are going. Many people use this time to make resolutions; changes to their lives that they feel will make them a better, happier person. It is a time of new beginnings and offers a fresh, clean, event-free calendar upon which we can happily begin jotting down all of the exciting things to come!

For me, 2010 was a very event-filled year! It started off with a countdown to the end of my maternity leave and my return to work. A very bittersweet time as I loved my workplace and was looking forward to the social aspect it provided, but was very sad to see the end my relaxing days filled with the perfect, smiling face of my daughter.

Then after a few months of working, I decided that that perfect, smiling face far outweighed my love of my job and my co-workers and I made the decision to find a way to create a better balance in my life.

I stumbled upon momstown...this fantastic community of moms that I had never even heard of. I quickly found out that the reason I hadn't heard of it was that it was not yet in my community and that by bringing it here I would also be given the opportunity to become a work at home mom! So now, I have a job that I love that I am able to do from home and I have something to keep me busy in my community with my little one (who quickly turned into a busy toddler over this past year as well).

Once momstown got started in Oshawa - Port Perry, moms from all around the region began to meet up and enjoy each others conversation on the message boards and each others company at events. We've had many events, well over 100 in just the last 4 months, and it has been amazing! The time has flown by even faster than it usually does in the last few months of the year, and here we are welcoming 2011!!!

There were many changes for me and my family over the past year, and also for this community. Surely 2011 will also bring many changes, which I'm positive will also all be very exciting. In terms of resolutions, I really can't say that I have any. The things that are going to change will do that on their own. As for me, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the wonderful ride!

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you all are as happy with the outcome of 2010 as I am and that you are all just as excited as me to be filling up those 2011 calendars (with family events and momstown events too, of course)!!!

Christmas Tree Ornament Making

Everyone loves homemade Christmas Tree Ornaments made by children! They are so sweet and give any Christmas tree a little extra love! momstown Oshawa - Port Perry children got busy at a full morning of ornament making. They made Silver Bells, Rudolph the Red Nose Candy Canes, and Glittery Snowflakes!

The Silver Bells were made by using the little cups of an egg carton, wrapping them in tin foil and then poking a hole in the top for a pipe cleaner to go through. Attach a little bell to the pipe cleaner and you've got a shiny little Christmas bell ornament for your tree that really jingles!

Next we made Rudolph Candy Canes. Start with a candy cane and wrap a brown pipe cleaner around the top and twist it so it stays put, then you can bend the pipe cleaners to make the antlers look just how you'd like them. Get a couple of googly eyes and stick them on the candy cane along with a red pom pom to make Rudolph's nose (an adult is required for this as you will need a glue gun to make the pom pom stick). Finally, tie a another pipe cleaner, or a pre-made little red bow, around the reindeer's neck and you are done!

Glittery Snowflakes were the final craft of the morning and likely the most enjoyed! We took a couple of glittery pipe cleaners and cut them in half so that they were not so long, tied three of the short pieces around each other at the middle to make a six pointed snowflake and then had the children put glittery beads onto the pipe cleaner. Children of all ages love this and it keeps them very busy as they pick out their favourite colour of beads and concentrate on their hand eye coordination getting them onto each point of the snowflake. A great craft for at home on a cold, snowed-in day!

 

For all those moms out there that were not able to join us on our Ornament Making morning, be sure to stop by the local dollar store and pick up a few supplies of your own! These ornaments will look great on your own tree and are perfect for attaching to a grandparent's gift! 

momstown Oshawa-Port Perry is always making fun crafts that are great for keeping preschoolers and toddlers busy. If you are already a member, that's perfect, sign up for the next crafting event on our calendar and you won't have to worry about thinking of a great developmentally appropriate craft or purchasing all the materials - momstown covers that for you - all you have to do is sign up and join in the fun!

'My House, Your House' Circle & Craft

November's theme 'My House, Your House' gave us an opportunity to discuss all kinds of different homes! We read some stories about types of homes and the various locations of homes! A momstown Oshawa - Port Perry favourite... The Three Little Pigs!!!

The children that came to this circle and crafting event were not so interested in talking about this topic but rather getting a little more hands on! So we skipped ahead and built some houses and apartment buildings with blocks, drew some pictures of homes, and made a house out of "straw, sticks, and bricks"!

 

 There were just 3 little "piggies" in attendance at this event, which would have been perfect for making a house built of straw, a house built of sticks, and a house built of bricks as in the famous children's story, but our little piggies used all three to make these fun (and tasty) homes!

To make these at home, all you need is a few yummy ingredients!

               waffle bowl

               icing

               shreddies (the straw)

               pretzel sticks (the sticks)

               licorice nibs (the bricks)

Just turn the waffle bowl upside down, and give the materials to your child! For younger children, spread the icing on the waffle bowl for them and let them do the decorating! Another cute alteration to this is to make igloos using mini marshmallows as the momstown Newmarket/Aurora chapter did at their playgroup!

After the kiddies finished their masterpieces (which they took home to show off to Daddy and older siblings before eating), we all enjoyed a delicious masterpiece from the kitchen of Boston Pizza! That's right contrary to our theme, we did not host this event at someone's house but at this fabulous restaurant where we are always treated like we are at home! From the chef, came this yummy cinnamon delight with caramel and ice cream that isn't even on their menu but was made special just for us momstown members and was brought out to us free of charge along with some tea/coffee for the moms and chocolate milk for the kids! Thank you Boston Pizza for hosting us again and treating us all so well!

 

I can't wait to see what the next circle time and craft will bring us! With the Christmas season upon us, the fun activities and the yummy treats are sure to continue! Make sure you get on over to our momstown Oshawa - Port Perry calendar and sign up for the next "momstown music & movement". December's theme is All That Glitters!