Beware: Mont Royal not such a safe place for families

If you haven't seen it yet this video has been getting a lot of local buzz on YouTube. An eagle literally snatches a baby up in the air at Mont Royal park.

Not sure when this was shot but after this week's events in Newton, CT makes you wonder where exactly our kids are safe.

Public vs. Private, Sleep is Precious

Life has shifted in the past month. With both kids now in daycare and a full time (yet flexible) writing gig at the Kid Scoop, more freelance writing, marketing projects and a soon-to-be launched marketing communications agency, October and November were a bit of a blur.

The hours between 9am and 3pm seem to vanish within moments and post bedtime, the evenings are spent behind the laptop, but I am trying to get back on the blogging track.

So aside from working away and spending precious moments with my clan, what's been taking up a ton of time are elementary school open houses.

This seems to be the topic of conversation these days among the nursery set. While kindergarden is still a year and a half away, we have already visited four open houses and had numerous discussions (some arguments) about where to send Hannah in 2014. The issue isn't so much public vs. private but rather secular vs. Jewish. Our most recent open house was today and we just may be one step closer to making a decision. But chances are the discussion will continue for weeks to come.

On another note, night time work hasn't been starting till post 9pm. The reason? Late in the summer months Hannah started having sleep issues and ended up in our bed every night. We were able to quell the co-sleeping by the start of the new school year but in its place needed to stay by her side until she fell asleep. Not fun when the process takes over an hour.

So last night we began the process of sleep training our 3.5 year old. Crazy, right? The past two nights she has fallen asleep (one and one and a half hours respectively after we began) with my husband standing outside her door. Progress, but here's to hoping that night 3 is the magic number.

That's an update of where I've been. What's new with you?

I promise there will be more to come, more frequently.

Stay tuned.

Big Scoop: I'm at The Kid Scoop

I am so happy to announce that as of just a few weeks ago I am the new assistant editor at The Kid Scoop. As some of you may now, this is the go-to resource for Montreal parents to find out what activities are happening all week long for children of all ages.

The Kid Scoop may be best known as a directory of events but things they are a changing. While my Sweetmama days ended abruptly in May, I still know that so many of you moms out there are looking for the latest, greatest and coolest gear and hotspots for yourselves and your kids. So I'm happy to announce that you'll now be getting a weekly dose of cool thanks to The Kid Scoop. So, if you haven't already signed up for their newsletter and website now is the time to do it!

And don't fret if you don't live in the 514. The Kid Scoop has recently launched editions in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver so Canadians from East Coast to West Coast came pick up the scoop!

I'd love to hear your comments about what you love or think needs improvement at The Kid Scoop. Always feel free to drop me a line at lauren@thekidscoop.com

Looking forward to sharing the scoop!

Music for All

There are often days when my kids have been at daycare for a few good hours and I realize that I am still listening to their music in the car. I know all of the songs by heart by now but still find many of them quite annoying. Nursery rhymes, classic kids' artists and Jewish favourites can only go round and round so many times before I need some grown up inspiration.

But there is one exception to the rule. The songs of Jennifer Gasoi.

This homegrown artist is one part children's entertainer, one part jazz singer. We've been following her for two years now, through various special events and Mummies List Music in the Park summer afternoons. We love music from her Songs for You album including Monsieur Glouton, L-l-lemons and Butterfly. And we are so so happy to have just received an advance copy of her newest CD Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well. Filled with more fun songs for the whole family, new hits like I'm a Bubble and Little Blue Car are already filling our car daily.

This weekend Jennifer is hosting a huge launch party for the new CD that we will be attending. And you can too! Here are all of the details. Hope to see you there!

Sunny Days at Sesame Place

Fall may be in full swing but at our house we're still re-living the memories from our recent summer holiday. We packed up our bags along with two other families and headed south to Lake George.

What was intended as a pitstop on a longer drive (with just one of the families) to Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA turned out to be too long of a stop. Call me a bit of a snob but I'm one for ocean beaches and non-chain restaurants so the small lake beach and less-than-healthy food options will likely keep us from returning to this Adirondack town.

So after three days in Lake George, we re-packed the car and made the long drive to Sesame Place. We arrived at the Sheraton Bucks County, a lovely hotel just across the street from the park. As it turns out Langhorne does not have any sidewalks so while we were in close walking distance to Sesame Place we had to rely on the hotel's shuttle to get us to and from the park. Considering that the shuttle made trips every half hour this was actually quite convenient.

So, what is Sesame Place all about? It's a theme park for the younger set, essentially. Rides that smaller kids can go on, a huge water park, a variety of shows performed throughout the day and parades twice daily. Best of all, it is entirely walkable in one day. Unlike other Florida theme parks that completely exhaust you with the walking alone, Sesame Place is manageable. And with restrooms, restaurants (with themed free tableware) and snack shops everywhere you don't have to walk too far to get anywhere.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of photos we snapped during our two days at Sesame Place. They speak for themselves about how much fun a family can have at one of the friendliest neighborhoods around.

Entering the gates at Sesame Place 

 A photo opp with Elmo during our Breakfast with Elmo & Friends

 Hannah going for a spin on the Sunny Day Carousel

Alex playing around in the soft pit, perfect for the younger set 

Our favourite characters on stage for the Elmo Rocks! show 

 Trash talk with Oscar the Grouch in Sesame Neighborhood

The iconic street 

 Big bird walking in the Neighborhood Street Party Parade

I Can Hear a Pin Drop

I haven't blogged in over a month. But I'm not going to apologize. I'm not going to feel guilty. Because when I look back at the month of August 2012 I'll remember enjoying every moment of Alex's last month at home with me, without too many distractions.

I'll remember a month filled with a hectic but extremely fun vacation with my kids and family friends to Lake George and Sesame Place (more on that to come soon). I'll remember weekends in the country, time in the pool and watching my little man's hair turn blonder by the minute.

I sit at home today, alone. I can literally hear a pin drop. I'm trying to figure out why it is so quiet seeing as I usually sit down to the computer in the morning when Alex is taking his nap. But then I realize that his monitor is off so I don't have the sweet tunes of his baby mix playing in the background.

Yes, it is perfectly silent.

And I like it.

Finally, a chance to get my career back on track. Finally time to put myself first. But also finally time to miss him.

Yesterday was a big day meeting Hannah and Alex's teachers and they both did amazingly well. Today, they go in for half a day (the clock is ticking) and drop off went so much better than expected. Yes, I keep looking at my phone expecting the daycare director to call but I have a feeling everyone will be good. Fingers crossed.

So while I enjoy the peace and quiet I can't help but smile (and have a tiny tear in my eye) when I think about these guys and their first day of school.

 First day hugs

My big girl, backpack and all

This Little Peanut is Going to Daycare?

August may not yet be upon us but back to school is already lurking wherever you turn. Mat leave ended one month ago and the start of daycare is now one month away.

Today is Alex's ten month birthday. The little peanut is everywhere - crawling using his patented 3 leg technique, standing up on anything that is the right height and eating every morsel of food that is placed in front of him.

He can't walk. He can't use a spoon. He doesn't drink cow's milk. He can't eat anything hard due to his lack of teeth. He can't make it past 9:30am without a morning nap.

All perfectly normal for a ten month old. But unfortunately, not so perfectly normal when compared to the 18 month olds with who he will soon be sharing a class.

You see, this little peanut or bunny as we like to call him (for his amazing crawling/hopping skills) came out earlier than expected, making him just shy of the September 30th school cut off date. While I had been rooting for an early delivery so I wouldn't have to wait an extra year to get him into Hannah's daycare, my enthusiasm has now been quelled by fear.

We have been stopping by his future class everyday on the way to dropping his sister off. The first week I attempted to leave him for five minutes while I brought her upstairs. Tears, tears and more tears. So now I sit with him and let him play for a good ten minutes so he gets used to the room and the teachers.

But today I saw the sleeping room with ten pristine cribs lined up in a row and wondered how he is ever going to fall asleep with nine other noisy kids. It happens, eventually, but all seems like such a big adjustment for such a little guy.

How old were your kids when you started sending them to daycare?

Hannah was 18 months old so this is all new to me. Making me want to enjoy this last month we have together all the more. I want to keep this little peanut safe in his shell, for now.