An Afternoon with Chef Deb

One of the default outings for the Momtourage was lunch out - we didn't have to cook and got to spend a few hours together...perfect! The only downside to that as the babies got a bit older is that it gets a bit trickier. It got to the point where we needed 5 highchairs (couldn't keep them sleeping in the strollers anymore!) and after awhile they wanted to move and explore - in other words, our lunch outings became shorter unless we were at a playplace.

I started trying to think of activities we could do together, and ended up getting in touch with Chef Deb. I have known Chef Deb for a few years, and she has catered a few events for us, including our rehearsal dinner and showers. She is fantastic, and cooks so many different cuisines. My personal favourite is her Greek dinner - chicken souvlaki, homemade tzatziki, yum!!! But I digress - I called Chef Deb and asked her whether she would be willing to host an afternoon cooking class for a few moms at my place. To my delight, she agreed :) We settled on an asian theme, learning to cook a proper stir-fry, and then we could sit down and enjoy our work!

Chef Deb

Mandy working on her knife skills

We got so much more than we bargained for - to start off, Chef Deb taught us proper knife skills. Apparently none of us even knew how to use a knife properly. It takes some practice to get comfortable using knives the way chefs do, but when you get the hang of it, you can chop pretty fast...plus I kinda feel like a contestant on Masterchef...a contestant that Gordon, Joe and Elliott would promptly swear at and throw out of the kitchen.

Jen and Char taking in all the action

Sharon and Brody taking a break from the kitchen

General Tao's Chicken

First up was learning to make General Tao's chicken. I'll be honest, I'm not a very adventurous eater, so I had never actually tried it before. However, I did try it this time and it was delicious! Flavour was amazing, chicken was crispy and perfectly cooked. Hard to believe it came out of my kitchen and not a restaurant!

London taking in the sights from the floor

 Next up was tackling a proper chicken stir-fry. I know we all know how to essentially throw together a stir-fry, but let me tell you...doing it properly makes a HUGE difference. First was learning to cut up vegetables the correct way - doing matchstick veggies makes it look nice and makes it a whole lot easier to cook!

A look at our work in progress

Stir-fry in action!

Both of the recipes were deceptively simple, and I have made them numerous times on my own since then. I haven't quite mastered the General Tao chicken, I don't usually get it quite as crispy, but the stir-fry turns out perfect every time, no fail. I've done it with chicken and beef, and they are both yummy. If you like doing a stir-fry at home, check out Chef Deb's blog (details below), as she has a video on stir-frying. There are some really simple techniques and tricks that make a world of difference in stir-frying.

Cooking with Chef Deb

Chef Deb and A

As always with the Momtourage, it was a fantastic afternoon! We all learned a lot, had a great meal, and spent time with one fantastic chef! A few of us even took cookbooks by Chef Deb home!

Take a few minutes to check out everything Chef Deb has to offer - her blog is witty and entertaining, her cookbooks offer lots of weekday meal ideas, and her catering is phenomenal!

Catering site: http://www.culinarycaravan.com/
Blog: http://thefridgewhisperer.com/fridge/

5 Best Things about Babies

After my last (and very frustrated) post, I did some reflecting on what I love most about babies.

1) Eau du Baby: is there anything better than the smell of a baby? Even after having one, I still don't know where that amazing smell comes from. I could sniff babies' heads forever, it's like an intoxicating drug for me.

2) Watching them learn: One of the most incredible things to watch is when A is exploring and learning new things. You can almost see the wheels turning in his head, and you can watch the amazement in his eyes as he begins to understand new concepts. Babies are amazing little creatures.

3) Sleepy time: For me, one of the most wonderful moments with A are those few moments before bedtime when he is all sleepy and cuddly, curled up in my arms. I wish I could hold on to those moments forever. I know it doesn't make for good sleep habits to rock him to sleep, but...one very wise mommy once said to me that they are only going to want to be in your arms for so long, so to just enjoy it while I can. So, I'm enjoying it and and taking all the sleepy snuggles and cuddles that I can while he's content to be in my arms.

4) Baby Smiles & Laughs: Nothing has ever tugged at my heard quite like seeing A break out into a big grin, followed by a wide gummy smile. Nothing in the world can cheer me up like hearing his big belly laugh.

5)Hugs & Kisses: The first time little A reached up to give me a hug followed by a sloppy drool-laden kiss, my heart melted. Best. Moment. Ever. Pure bliss!

What are your favourite moments with the babies in your life?

Teething Sucks - Am I Right Mommas?

I have heard it from many moms, but today was so bad that I feel the need to reiterate....teething sucks. There is no silver lining to this cranky, screaming, fever-ridden cloud. And while we're on this topic, there are a few other things about babies that suck too. I love my son wholeheartedly, but there are some things about babies that just plain suck. Let me tell you about a few things that suck about babies that I have found thus far in my journey into mommyhood.

1) Colic: Uncontrollable screaming and crying 24/7. 'Nuff said. It sucks.

2) Sleep Training: There comes a point with your baby when you realize that they should be sleeping longer/in a different place/without feeding (choose whichever applies to your baby). So, you start sleep training. You scour the internet for advice and tips. You stalk sleep experts' blogs and Facebook pages for any ideas and tricks that you haven't found yet (because you hold out hope that you just haven't found that one thing that will work!) Phrases like 'self-soothe', 'Ferberizing', and 'CIO' float around in your dreams. And then, you start training your sweet child in their crib like you're training a puppy. You keep telling yourself that the crying and nights lying on the nursery floor will be worth it. And eventually the sleep will get better. It may not be perfect, but sleep will eventually get better, I promise. But guess what? Sleep training still sucks.

3) Standing in the crib: After months (literally, months) of sleep training, you can put your baby in the crib and they will sleep. They will wake-up but are able to self-soothe. You start to feel like super-mommy - if you can get that wild child to sleep consistently, you can do ANYTHING! But then with a huge swoop, the rug gets pulled out form under you. Your baby learns to stand up in the crib. When you put them in the crib now, they just stand up and shriek, jumping on their crib mattress. Sleep training now starts all over again. F*$&@! This shit sucks.

4) A new permanent start time to your day: You know all new moms tell themselves that they will have a few months of fatigue and minimal sleep, etc. There are those lucky moms who have babies that will sleep until 9am, and more often babies like A that are up and ready to rock by 6:30am daily. But the real kicker is that (for moms that go back to work anyway)....once they start daycare, your early morning wake-up is permanent. Apparently no one sent the baby a memo that weekends exist. Sleeping in until brunch? No longer an option mommas! Waking up to see the sunrise every day sucks.

5) Teething: I was so not prepared for this. Nothing is worse than seeing your baby in pain and not being able to do anything about it. Poor A is just cutting his first teeth (at 11 months - he's kind of a late bloomer!), and is having a rough time. An entire day of crying and fussing, barely eating and drinking, not napping. I'm dreading molars! This sucks. Help me moms and dads! What tricks worked for your teething babies? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day has always been a big day in our household, as we get to celebrate one of the most amazing women I know - my mom! I could write pages and pages about how wonderful she is, but the post would never end. Instead, I want to thank her for the most important thing she taught me - how to be a good mom. I'm nowhere near the mom she is, but she has provided me with a shining example of what I strive to be as a mommy. She has given my sister and I unconditional love, and supported me throughout my life, no matter what shenanigans I got myself into.

My sister, mom and I with the babes back in October

Before I go any further, I want to wish all my momma and momma-to-be friends a very happy Mother's Day! I hope you all got spoiled rotten, because you deserve it! Being a mommy is a wonderful job, but one of the hardest!

I took some time to reflect back on becoming a mom, and I think it was everything and nothing like I was expecting. I knew that I would love my baby with everything I had, but I was completely unprepared for this new, and completely overwhelming love I had for that teeny tiny little boy. He has changed my life in so many ways, and I can't imagine my life without him.

This Mother's Day was particularly important as it was my first! Hubby sure did spoil me. To begin the day, and most importantly, he woke up in the morning with A and let me sleep in. Ahhhh....sleep past 6:30. Heavenly. Although, I'll be honest - I was still up with him at 3:30 to feed. I love my son, but look forward to the night when I can put him down in the evening and not see him again until the morning.

True Love - my man and I in October

After I put A down for his morning nap, my main squeeze made breakfast for me, which was delicious. I'm enjoying the adult-prepared breakfast, as I've heard from some of my friends that have older children that when the kids are old enough to prepare it, breakfast usually consists of something like a yogurt, a cookie, and a half-eaten banana. Served in your bed with crumbs and juice splashed around your duvet. Maybe I'll luck out and A will turn out to be a child prodigy in the kitchen.

Hands down the best moment of the day was when I first came down in the morning - I came down the stairs and my fur-baby beagle named Sookie was waiting for me - I got kisses from her and then went over to see A who was standing at the coffee table. I bent down to see him, he reached his chubby little hands up, wrapped them around my neck and planted a big kiss on me. Best. Moment. Ever.

He spoiled me with flowers, a heartfelt card, and tickets to a Jays game - yeah, that's right, I'm a long-time Jays fan. My love for the blue and white is for baseball, not hockey! We are going to attempt to take A to a Jays game with us. When he was just a wee boy, he received a Jays hat and t-shirt as gifts, so we can't let them go to waste! Have any of you taken your babes to a sporting event? Any hints or tips?

I hope all of you out there have a wonderful Mother's Day! Tell me about it in the comments below - did you get spoiled?

I know as moms we have a tendency to blame ourselves when things don't go as expected with our kids, and we tend to put ourselves last. So moms, I challenge you - spoil yourself today. Do something just for yourself with no regret or hesitation. Because I know you deserve it. Happy Mother's Day!

Happy 1st Birthday Charlotte!

May 1st was a big day in our family - my niece turned 1!

For those of you that have met me, you already know that I absolutely adore my niece. Born only 7 weeks before Andrew, I spent the majority of her first year with her, and I am so thankful for that. Not many aunts get the chance to spend that amount of time with their niece. She is the silliest, prettiest, and most charming little princess that I know...and (unfortunately for my sister) shares my love of attention, sparkles, and anything girly. It's unfortunate for my sister because...well...she doesn't have a love for attention, sparkles, and anything girly. She also doesn't enjoy planning events like I do, which worked out well for me! I became the unofficial planner of Charlotte's first birthday.

I knew that a birthday for a darling princess like Char had to be pretty. It had to have sparkles. And it most definitely had to be pink!

So away we went...it was a busy day, but was so nice to see so many friends and family out celebrating such a special little girl.

Char's cake was made by our family friend Maria - it was gorgeous, delicious, and exactly what I had in mind. Gorgeous!

The birthday girl and I

Char with her cake fit for a princess

A getting ready to party

For favors for the kids, I decided on rock candy sticks. They were pretty and pink, and are kinda sparkly too!

Favors for the kidlets

 The birthday set-up is below. I made the backdrop originally for Jen's baby shower, but it was a perfect fit for Char's birthday. I used foam insulation board, and covered it with huge white flowers that I made out of white paper.

The Birthday Setup

Centrepieces for the tables were inspired by a Pinterest photo. I used little buckets stuffed with floral foam and paper stuffing, then made the marshmallow skewers. I made pink sugar, stuck marshmallows on bamboo skewers, then dipped them in water and then sugar. Not quite as good as my Pinterest inspiration, but not too shabby!

Centerpieces

The Birthday girl with her parents

The day went well and little Miss C got spoiled rotten! Plans are already well underway for A's big day - I can't believe how close it's getting!

Do any of you have plans for your little one's birthday? Seen any awesome and unique ideas? Have you pulled off an incredible party already? Tell me about it in the comments below!

Mommy Mondays

The second part of the Momtourage double header took us to one of my absolute favorite places. I was hesitant to share this little gem on my blog, only because I worry other mommas will love it as much as me and I won't be able to get in anymore! However, I couldn't resist, because I love giving local businesses a little love and free advertising, especially when the staff and services are as exceptional as this...so sit back, relax, and let me tell you all about Maison Blanc!

After lunch, we headed to Maison Blanc Day Spa, located in downtown Whitby, where they have Mommy Mondays at the spa. Imagine this...walking into a beautiful, elegant spa, decorated in vintage French decor. You walk in and are greeted by friendly staff. They take your coat, provide you with spa slippers, get you settled to wait in a beautiful sitting room where you are offered tea and snacks. Sounds pretty nice, huh? Now imagine that you can have that experience with your baby in tow! (And when I sit back and dream about it, my sweet angel is never crying or screaming, he's always in awe of the beauty and calm surrounding him...hey, a girl can dream, right?)

Little Char in awe of the gorgeous decor

Little A waiting to go upstairs

Maison Blanc offers a whole host of services on Mondays for mommies where their babies are welcome. I've looked at different spas in Toronto that have mommy days, and there is one huge difference. Most of the spas offer to take your baby to a playroom while you have your treatment. Now, I can't be the only crazy momma out there that is NOT comfortable sending my baby off with a stranger out of my view just so I can get nails done. At Maison Blanc, they have staff take care of the babies right in front of you. They set up a playmat with toys, and your baby is never out of your sight. Pretty awesome, huh? Check it out:

Next thing I love about Maison Blanc - the service. It is absolutely spectacular. No detail is left untouched. They are patient and understanding of the babies, taking breaks to help out when another pair of hands is needed for baby cuddles, and have no problem stopping in the middle of a service if Mom is needed for some soothing. The staff are fantastic with the babies, and for the most part, the babies loved all the attention from the staff - check out A below:

Clearly, A doesn't look too distressed being away from me

We have all had manicures and pedicures there, and they do a fantastic job. Every time I go, I feel completely de-stressed and get pampered like a princess. I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about this place! The staff all does a wonderful job, and every person I've met there is friendly and welcoming - especially the owner, Nancy. I adore this place and just can't give it enough love!

One of the highlights of a pedicure there is the seat - hands down, most luxurious pedicure chair I've been in:

Mandy & Jen

Ahhh...now this is bliss!

Mandy taking a little time to snuggle with London

Following our services, they always offer us beverages to relax afterwards. My personal fave is the Cacao tea, served with a little biscotti - delicious!

Every inch of the spa is like dessert for your eyes - everything is just so feminine and pretty!

If you check out their calendar, they have lots of fun girls nights, like Manicure & Bellini night! I haven't had a chance to take advantage of their services baby-less, but I will definitely be coming back with and without A (Hubby, are you reading this? Hint hint, nudge, nudge....my first Mother's Day is coming up ;) 

Since I never think to bring my real camera with me, all I have are photos from my phone - and my crappy iPhone photos just do not do this place justice, so check out their website and have a peek. You will not be disappointed if you treat yourself here!

Maison Blanc Day Spa - http://maisonblancdayspa.com/

159 Brock St. N. Whitby, ON  
905.430.3500