We hope you all had a great Easter with your family and that the Easter Bunny had a sweet treat for everyone!
momstown.ca is for neighbourhood moms in Oshawa, Port Perry, Uxbridge and all of the surrounding towns wanting to connect for support, conversation and just plain fun. We bring you an online calendar chock-full of momstown specific events, a 24-hour interactive message board, and exclusive member privileges and discounts.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Lil' Bunnies Easter Party!
On the Thursday before the long Easter weekend, momstown Oshawa - Port Perry celebrated the coming holiday with a "Lil' Bunnies Easter Party!" We got together for a fun morning with Easter crafts, an Egg hunt and some delicious Easter cupcakes made by the host of our party, Sammy!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
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 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".
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!!
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!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)