This girl named Rhonda used to babysit me growing up. She lived a few doors down. I don’t remember Rhonda too much, except she had blonde hair, and taught me how to make the best at-home caramel popcorn ever. Knowing this is the last time I’ll ever be pregnant and figuring this is the last time I can eat whatever I want, I’ve been eating this a lot. If you love sweet-salty, THIS IS FOR YOU.

First step: Assemble margarine/butter and brown sugar — the best combination of food substances EVER.

Next: dump an obscene amount of margarine in a small saucepan over low heat. I’m talking, like, a quarter or more of a cup. It’s not called obscene for nothing. After it’s melted, dump an equally obscene amount of brown sugar (a little less than margarine) into said pot, and stir-stir-stir to get it all melted and mixed. (Hopefully your kitchen is like mine, and your stove faces a wall, so your significant other can’t see how much you’re dumping in the pot.)

While that’s happening, pop your corn. Air popped is best, in my opinion, because it’s fresher. Oh, and it’s better for you. You know, ’cause you should save some calories what with all the obsceneness going on above.

If you can time it right, start drizzling the margarine/brown sugar mix over the popcorn as it comes falling out the popper. This makes for maximum stickability, and keeps everything hot and fresh. Adding it after it’s a big deal, though. You may need some practice to get it perfect. The last six weeks of gestating have made me an expert.

Finally, lean over the bowl of obscene deliciousness and inhale. Don’t let your eyes roll too far back in your head, ’cause you’ll need to see the way to the couch where you’ll stuff your face in bliss.

Enjoy!

Lucy is a pretty smart kid. She can count to 10. She knows a ton of sign language. She talks in well formed sentences. She’s learning her shapes and colours.

None of this we’ve done through any sort of structured learning. Mostly through books and puzzles and us asking, constantly, “What is that?” or “You tell me” when she asks what something is.

So when Christy of Teach My Toddler asked if she could send us the all-in-one learning system she created, I was thrilled to have some sort of packaged program to try out on Lucy.

And then we failed miserably at it. Not because it’s at ALL a bad product. We, I think, just aren’t the right family for the product.

Teach My Toddler is separated into four sections: alphabet, numbers, shapes and colours. All those fun building blocks of pre-school, and the exact things we nonchalantly work on with Lucy. Each section includes a fun and colourful poster, flash cards, puzzle and book — all of which Lucy loves playing with.  The goal is to bring a specific set out out each day for 20 minutes (or as long as any attention-deficient toddler can play before moving on to something else, in that often frustrating but completely normal way they do), during which your child will learn all these elements.

The tote everything comes in is like those accordion folders you can get to file stuff in, which is excellent on many levels: It’s mostly toddler-proof because of the snap closure at the front. It’s tidy and organized and not too big. Easy to travel with. Easy to store. No garish colours that scream I AM FOR YOUR BABY/TODDLER they way so many do. Loved all of these aspects.

What we struggled with was setting aside “structured learning time” — 20 minutes or not. Not that I didn’t want to, and not that the product was hard for Lucy or difficult to use. It just…didn’t fit with us. I quite honestly can’t figure out why, except that we’re more free-flowing, on-the-move learners, as I mentioned above. Having something so obviously structured seemed to take the fun out of it somehow.

When we DID have it out, Lucy loved the posters and puzzles especially, especially identifying the animals.

What also plays against us is time: It’s hard enough to fit in quality time, dinner, walks, bath, books etc. when Lucy gets home from daycare and on weekends. If Lucy was home with me all the time, we’d have been wildly successful with this. I think this would be an excellent product for a stay-at-home parent or any sort of daycare centre/home that needs different activities to cycle through each day, and where Teach My Toddler could easily be built into a routine. It reminds me of Debbie, Lucy’s first childcare provider, who had a theme each week, and ran circle time every single day around that theme — she would LOVE this.

All that being said, we haven’t given up yet. I’m going to spread the pieces of each section around: Put up the posters downstairs, the books on our book shelves, the cards with Lucy’s other flashcards, and the puzzles in her toy bins. We’ll definitely enjoy using them, and I’ve no doubt they are helpful unto themselves.

$39.99, available in Durham at Mastermind, Pickering Town Centre and Pipsqueak Toys in Brooklin. Click here to take a virtual look inside the tote.

…that this is a little disturbing, no? From the Toronto Star’s parentcentral.ca (thanks, Kelly):

Sex and the City put stilettos in the spotlight and now a couple of mothers have put them in the crib.

Tiny soft baby shoe with soft heels, for infants up to 6 months, are “just a fun, novelty, dress-up item,” says Britta Bacon, 30. “I’ve always been a shoe freak and I thought, `Omigawd, what if you could take a baby to a party wearing high heels? It would be hilarious!’”

Bacon and partner Hayden Porter, 31, call their Bellevue, Wash., company Heelarious.

The one-size shoes, in leopard and zebra patterns, black and hot pink patent and hot pink matte arrived this week at Acheson’s in Orangeville. They’ll be available next week in Toronto at the Doll Factory, 1122 Queen St. E.

“They’re very cool,” says Acheson’s owner Dianne Acheson, who sells them for $39.95. “The packaging is so cute, with a great big rhinestone. They’re a beautiful baby gift. The heel is soft. There’s nothing that’s going to affect the baby.”

But there’s been criticism of the product, on blogs and by some experts. “We get tagged as horrible and perverted: `Why would we put babies in heels, taking away their innocence?’” says Porter. “But a 3-month old baby has no idea she’s wearing high heels.”

This reminds me of sex-stereotyping clothing I’ve seen, from “Future Cheerleader” or “Future Prom Queen” for girls, and “Future Quarterback” or “Future Prom King” for boys. Both in pink and blue, respectively, of course. I find it so nauseating and unfair.

The stilettos? Where is the hilarity in putting an item so wrapped up in sensuality and empowerment on a baby? There’s a difference between making Baby “cute” with frilly dresses and bows, and making them “sexy” with high-heeled shoes. It doesn’t help the shoe styles have rather hooker-esque names (when attached to stilettos) such as Brooke and She’s a Little Lady.

Also: $40 for a 0-6 months soft pair of shoes? Um, no.

Check this out, new from Pampers:

Change the Wetness - Not the diaper!

When you’re out and about, it’s often hard to find a good place to change your baby’s diaper. Finally, a simple, clean way to keep your baby dry on the go. Introducing New Pampers Change ‘N Go, with the 1st ever replaceable Slip-In that pulls wetness away from baby’s skin and helps lock it away. The ultra absorbent Slip-In holds as much as a full size diaper and makes changes easier than ever. No changing table required! You only change the whole diaper for messy changes.

I’d have to see them and hold them to understand exactly how they work (you can see videos of them “in action” here). Somehow the idea of one piece of…stuff that you insert with cardboard doesn’t seem sufficient. But with the amount of research and development that goes into this sorta stuff, I can’t see them bringing them to market if they didn’t somehow work…

I’m a bit of a clean freak when it comes to diaper changes, though, and always use wipes even with a pee. Obviously these wouldn’t work for a poop either. And really, disposable diapers are so ridiculously absorbent, I dunno when this would ever be needed.

I’m not sure I’d spend the money, either: $4 for four diapers and slip-ins, or $11 for 16 — pricey!

I do, however, like the idea of not needing a change table. And we all know what happened that one time…

Thoughts?

(Thanks to reader Sarah for sending this in — especially because she uses cloth diapers…)

Did you hear or read or see the CTV/Globe and Mail tests and stories about bisephenol-A in canned goods such as apple juice, soup and baked beans?

Reaction to the story totally depends on which side you’re on.

The environmental peeps say Canadians are “marinating” in the chemical, and that “little by little, these exposures add up to a bigger hit.”

Product manufacturers say the found levels are well below safe levels from Health Canada, and question the testing methods.

More info for you to ponder. Read more info on BPA, sippy cups and bottles etc. here, here, here and here.

The Consumer Product Safety people are recalling these cute animal head blankets by Lil Snugglers because…

…are you ready for the potentially deadly risk?…

…the satin edging can come off, potentially strangling a child.

*sigh*

I think the Safety Police have inhaled too many fumes from testing flammable lingerie.

While at the Green Living Show this weekend, I picked up several cards that list cosmetic and personal care ingredients in big and little kid products to avoid. These are synthetics that are potentially harmful — especially to vulnerable, developing babies.

(For the record, I’m SO not saying these ARE harmful or cause cancer or make your arms fall off or or will kill us all tomorrow. They are thought to be harsh or not environmentally-friendly or come from nonrenewable resources. And yes, this information comes from companies that sell naturally-based products with their own agendas. Which is why I’m linking to Wikipedia or Google for definitions, where you can find all sorts of links on your own.)

While I knew of some of these (parabens and phthalates) I thought you might like to see what other things to look for on an ingredient list. As with food, if you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not good for you…

• sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate — a cleansing agent that creates foam and suds (which is why many natural products are not near as “soapy” as we’re used to)
• parabens — preservatives used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Controversial studies have linked it to cancer and increased estrogen.
• phthalates — used in plastics to make them more elastic, and found in everything from shower curtains to sex toys to nail polish and perfume and iPods. Controversial studies have linked it to hormonal imbalances (especially in fetuses) and allergies.
• petrolatum — a greasy, film-building skin protector widely used in cosmetics. Byproduct of petroleum (duh).
• phenylenediamine (PPD) — used in hair and textile dyes, printer ink and photographic products. A known allergen.
• coal-tar colours (FD&C or D&C) — synthetic food and cosmetic colour dye.
• diethanolamine (DEA) — used to create a creamy texture and foaming action. Linked to cancer, decreased brain development and miscarriages.
• dimethicone — a silicone oil used in shampoo to make hair slippery and shiny.
• formaldehyde — too. much. to. process.
• phosphate — commonly added to dishwasher detergent to help soften water and boost cleaning power. Excessive amounts in our water can create excess algae.
• oxybenzone — organic compound used in sunscreen and cosmetics as it absorbs UVA rays. A known carcinogen that penetrates the skin and creates free radicals (this one scares me, because I’ve been wearing sunscreen cream for years, and regularly slather it on Lucy. Need to look into it more and find alternatives.)

FYI, two of my favourite Durham retailers (who also happen to advertise, yes) carry wonderful natural baby bath products. Tamarra of Lollipops & Lizards (online) now carries the Little Twig line, and Shelby of Natural Earth Tones (Oshawa) has the All Things Jill line. Both are great priced (the higher cost of natural and organic products is always an impediment for people, myself included, which is why these are great).

President’s Choice had a HUGE booth at the show and was really promoting its Green products. We got a free, full-size sample of their floor cleaner and cleaning putty. Currently, we use the laundry soap, toilet paper and paper towels, and will switch to the dishwasher detergent when our stock is up. I love that these are so accessible and reasonably priced.

A company called Live Clean gave away tons of mini bottles of shampoo and conditioner to promote their eco-friendly body care line. Their stuff is 96% plant derived, and they gave out this neat bookmark that you can plant to make a wildflower garden (what clever, clever marketing).

This post is huge, so I’d better stop before your eyes roll back in your head from too much info or you click screaming away from the hippie-ness. Hope it all helps!

When I worked at the paper, there was a woman from another department who was pregnant. She was only the second knocked-up woman I’d ever seen really up close, on a daily basis, and I found it fascinating to watch her grow.

One morning I was in the cafeteria making a tea when she came in carrying an apple. She reached into her lunch bag in the fridge, and pulled out this metal wheel-thingine, much like a wagon wheel but with plastic handles on the edges. And much smaller, of course.

She placed the apple on a plate, lined up the middle of the wagon thingie, and heaved her girth straight down on the handles (she was petite, and probably seven or eight months along, but lemme tell you — that apple gave, people).

I stared, open-mouthed. Not at the small woman who’d exerted so much force, but at the apple. It was cored. And in eight, tidy little sections.

I loved it. I wanted it. I had to have it.

So Eric bought me one for Christmas in 2005, and now I use it pretty much every single day. I have sensitive teeth and weak gums, and get slaps on the wrist by my dentist if he hears I’m biting into things such as fruit with my teeth. I love that the corer does all the work for me, and makes apples and pears perfectly proportioned.

It’s also a fabulous tool for slicing up fruit for babies and toddlers. When I was making Lucy’s baby food, I cut apples and pears up this way before peeling, chopping and pureeing them. Now, it creates pieces perfect for her hands and has helped teach her how to take proper-sized bites.

I used to see them only at specialty kitchen stores, but now they are all over major department stores such as Canadian Tire and Sears.

Pregnant lady, baby, toddler and mom approved. Best wagon thingie ever.

My parents bought Lucy this neat River Run Waterpark from Step 2. This weekend was the perfect weather to get it out.

(Translation: Leave the parts lying around under Eric’s nose to force him to assemble it. If assembly requires more than two steps and a screwdriver, you do not want me near it. Flat boxes from Ikea make my heart palpitate…)

Lucy has picked up the word “awesome!” from daycare, and that’s all she could say even when the park was still in the box. We knew it was going to be a hit.

After hours and hours playing with it Saturday (with Auntie Jenni and Uncle Marky) and Sunday (and Monday and Tuesday when she was home from daycare because Julia was sick), she now wakes up asking if it’s a Waterpark Day. The boy and girl floaty things that came with it are the Mommy and Daddy, and love going down the chute in the sailboat — and promptly sink at the bottom.

It’s been a fabulous tool for us, as Lucy really enjoys playing with it on her own, which means we can do other chores (gardening, raking, cleaning out the garage) near her and she is completely satisfied. I love that about this age — 2+-age toddlers are starting to really play on their own, which I think is a very important skill. It certainly puts less pressure on us.

My only complaints about the park are that a) it did not include an umbrella as shown on the product page (we rig our patio one up leaning against the deck railing with some bricks to provide shade), b) it’s clunky battery operated with D batteries, and I have doubts how long they will last, c) it’s very heavy when filled with water, making it difficult — if not impossible — to move around once filled.

Aside from that, it’s just a great toy. We’re looking forward to a long summer enjoying it.

Is your head spinning with trying to figure out this bisephenol-A information? Wondering what bottles, sippy cups and water jugs are safe?

From what I’ve read, polycarbonate bottles are labeled with a 7 on the bottom, for other plastics. Unfortunately, some BPA-free plastics (such as single-use beverage bottles) are also labeled 7, so it can be confusing. But at least this is a guide.

Here are some excellent resources for making sense of it all:

Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA in children’s feeding products, third edition — I cannot recommend this site enough. This guy has interviewed almost every major baby product manufacturer and ranked them, creating a massive, comprehensive list of safe (and not safe) products. Truly the best resource on the Internet, which is why so many people have linked to it.

Plastic labeling — wondering what each little number on the bottom of plastic means? Here’s a fabulous list.

Rubbermaid BPA list — now here’s a wonderful thing to see. Rubbermaid has a list of ALL it’s products (with photos, for handy reference) and whether they do or do not contain BPA. If only all corporations did this.

Playtex BPA list — just got this via email from Playtex yesterday, a pdf of all their products, too. They’re also offering free samples of their BPA-free Nurser Drop-in system. Keep in mind that the bottles themselves contain BPA (although the food does not touch them, it does not help the process) and this creates a lot of garbage.

CBC News in-depth on BSA — richly detailed.

I was at Once Upon a Child in Ajax today, and they are back-ordered on all their stainless steel sippy cups until the end of May. Has anyone found them in Durham?