Upper Canada Mall Nursing Room

Upper Canada Mall is absolutely awesome for strolling around with a baby. The aisles are wide, the mall itself is not busy, the babies r us has HUGE selection (Better than the Richmond Hill store in my opinion) and there are three nursing rooms just on the second level! The only down side is that the mall elevator is kind of hard to locate...we walked pass it twice before actually finding it! (But you can always use the elevators in the department stores)

There is a nursing room in the food court on the second level, as well as one in the children's play area (outside babies r us) and of course Babies R Us has their own mother's room as well.

The mall's nursing rooms are both equipped with a TV...the sound is on very low so you can't really hear it..but the light itself is enough distraction for my baby... so if you have a fuzzy eater like me...it may be tough to get them to focus on feeding...other than that, the rooms are spacious and well equipped =)

Cute G-Diaper!

This diaper cover is absolutely adorable! 1000 likes!!!

Richmond Hill Babies R Us.....yikes!!!

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while already....but didn't really know where to begin...the truth is...this place is horrible!! Given that this is one of the bigger Babies R Us store in the area...you'd think that they would invest a bit more in the facilities for the moms who are spending there! But no....their nursing chair is old, dirty and falling apart, their change table is covered with dust...and stains that looks like poop...I wouldn't even dare to put my change pad on there! The worst part is that there is a toilet in the same room (with out a door for partition) and there is no air vent! I've been in this room twice and every time it smells awful! The diaper disposal bin was full and dirty diapers where literally hanging out of it...I was there in December and when I check the cleaning log behind the door...it was last cleaned in October! YIKES! Never going back there again~~ Better to stay in the car!!!

Sears Baby Room - Yorkdale

Speaking of busy nursing rooms, Yorkdale Mall has to be the busiest of them all! And since their regular nursing room is open to men and women....you really don't have much privacy there. If you don't mind a bit of a walk, head over to the second level of Sears and you'll find this private nursing room across from their regular women's washroom. 

Sears Baby Room - Markville

If you are sick and tired of how busy some nursing rooms can be, why not head over to Sear's Baby Room? Sears have put a great deal of emphasis on their baby department and every one of them has a nursing room with changing table! It's usually private and traffic is very light!  These pics are from the baby room in Markville Mall!

OXO baby food storage containers

Are you all about homemade and organic baby foods like I am? Making your own baby food may seem like a lot of work at first, but if you have the right tools, it's actually not that bad! The OXO baby food storage container is another 'tool' that has become an essential in my kitchen! I've researched on a few common baby food storage containers out there; many of them are only a fraction of the price of these OXO ones...but after reading some reviews on the cheaper containers (many have said that they are made of really REALLY thin plastics and won't last long and/or gives freezer burns), I've decided to give the OXO brand a try. After all, they have been making high quality kitchen utensils for a while~ their "baby line" should have at least the same quality guarantee as their regular product line?! 

What I like most about these containers is that the lids are very secure, there is a rubber ring around the top to keep the "freshness" in! (Kind of like the glass containers we've been using at home) It is easy to take apart for cleaning (I just throw them into the dishwasher), and comes with a tray to securely hold the containers in place! They are made of BPA free No.5 plastics (one of the safer type) and are very durable!

The only con I have for this product is the price...however, I've had them for 3 months now and after extensive use, they are still at "almost new" condition! As my baby is eating more, I'll have to go back to the store and get the 4oz set -_-'

Oh...and for labelling...I just use a piece of tape and stick it to the lid...nothing fancy =P

http://www.oxo.com/p-1096-baby-blockstrade-freezer-storage-containers-2-ounce-set.aspx

Tommee Tippee Explora Spoons

I have always been a fan of Tommee Tippee. Their wide base bottles made it possible to transition my baby between breast and bottle feeding even at a very young age. Now that my baby is ready to start solid, I have searched all over town for all the feeding utensils we'll need for this big event! The first spoons I purchased was actually not these Tommee Tippee flexible spoons, they were the Munchkin's White Hot Safety Spoons I got from a local Winners. http://www.munchkinbaby.ca/white-hot®-safety-spoons-4-pack After using them a couple of times, I gotta say I hated them! Even with the rubber tips, they were too hard on my baby's gums. The color of the spoons were suppose to turn white if the food is too hot...but you can barely notice the color change! The worst of all is that they stain after one use! My green spoon is now orange after using it once to feed sweet potatoes! Guess I'm putting them away until my baby is older...but by then I probably would hesitate to use them cause of the staining...

Babies R Us had a sale on Tommee Tippee products last week so I was there to pick up a few more sippy cups and stuff...then I noticed these Explora Flexible spoons! They really are flexible! The tips are so soft and super bendable! Needless to say both mommy and baby loved it! Gotta head back there and grab a couple more packs! http://www.tommeetippee.us/explora/530100.html

T-fal Steamer+Blender

Have been so busy with life (you know...the standard stuff...Mastitis...viral infection in baby...passing of our beloved family dog "Pipi"....)  these days that it has been hard to find time for blogging. With the beginning of a new week, hopefully things will go a lot smoother....

Our baby's paediatrician suggested us to start spoon feeding our baby at 5 months~ and so we did! Instead of starting her on the usual rice cereal, I started her on sweet potato instead! Sweet potatoes are a good source of beta carotene, fibre, potassium and vitamins C and E.  

We bought the T-fal two in one steamer + blender at the baby home show a couple weeks back. It was on sale at the Sear's counter for just over a hundred dollars. I like that it steams and blend in one machine! This way I don't have to worry about getting separate steamer/pots for cooking baby's food. The machine is very easy to use. Practically one "switch" operation! Turn left to turn on the steaming function (length of time depends on the amount of water you put in). Turn right to turn on the blender. The only tricky thing to this machine is that you have to fit everything in it's place perfectly for the lid to lock into place....but with a few practices, it really isn't a big problem. Cleaning is also really easy. Everything is dish washable! It also comes with a scraper, water measuring cup, three glass containers with lid to store extra food as well as a recipe book and a quick guide! I've used this machine a few times so far and am pleased with it. It takes only approximately 7 minutes to cook and puree fresh food for my baby which she seems to enjoy (so far!)....

http://t-falbaby.ca/products/view/1

Hurry! Black Friday Sale at gdiapers.ca

Friday and Saturday only! 25% off EVERYTHING! use grateful25 at checkout!

Shopping at the Baby Time Show!

We went to the baby time show for the first time last April - when I was still pregnant! This time around, we brought our baby along and were glad we did cause it was lots of fun! 
Different from last time, the show is being held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North Building)! Larger exhibition hall means wider floors and easier shopping experience (especially when you have a big stroller like mine!) 
We were there in the afternoon on Friday (First day of the show) and a lot of people were already leaving, so we were able to find a close parking spot (Parking was $21 ...ouch!).
What's also different from last time is that many vendors don't give out samples! Even Similac (which was very generous in giving formula samples in the last show) only give out one bottle of Similac Mom and coupons... This was a real disappointment for us as we were hoping the free samples would help "pay" for the admission and parking cost...
Nevertheless, we had fun strolling around the place with our screaming baby - in a good way..(she was so stimulated by all that was going on!) 

We ened up getting some good deals on things we wanted to buy, meet some nice people, and learning about new baby products out there! 

The best booth at the show was from well.ca! Maybe I'm biased, but the ladies at their booth was super nice! You can enter for a draw for 1 year of free diaper plus they give you a $10 coupon to spend on their website! I've ordered from them before and absolutely love their fast shipping service and hassle free return. Highly recommend them for not only baby products, but for grocery as well! They have updated their page recently to include a section for holiday gifts! The lady at the booth told me they even include gift wrapping! 

My next favourite booth was Simply green baby! http://www.simplygreenbaby.com

They carry many organic/green/eco friendly baby products! I remember seeing them at the last show and was just overwhelmed by different products they have at the booth! Show special: 20% off all items! 

                     

Large selection 

My baby had a "Mama's & Papa's Caterpillar stroller toy" which she absolutely loves! We found this small caterpillar rattle by Zubels that is like a miniature version of her stroller toy! It's made of organic yarn and baby safe! 

I recently saw a good review of the Lifefactory silicone teethers so when I see it at the simply green baby booth, I had to get it! This teether is super light weight, easy for baby to hold, boa-free (of course!), dishwasher safe, and made with medical-grade silicone. It has three different texture on it to sooth baby's sore gums~ moms can even wear it as a bracelet! (how fashionable...NOT! hahaha)

I always prefer wooden toys for my baby rather than those battery operated, plastic toys. This baby car is just so colourful! Can't wait till my baby can sit on her own and plays with this!

 My next stop was at the LIVE CLEAN booth! I absolutely love their product and when I saw them at the show, I literally ran over there and told them how wonderful their products are and gave them a few suggestions...like offering a larger size for their non-petrolium jelly... Show special: $15 for one travel size women's facial package  + one travel size baby's package.  I didn't end up buying too much as the show price for their other products were comparable to Walmart's price (after using the $1 off coupon from their website). They were nice enough to give me lots of sample + coupons! 

The Mam booth...
They were giving out free pacifiers last time so I was hoping to get some more this time around...sorry guys...they only had candies....I wonder if they were left over from halloween! Just Joking!!! Their staff was really nice to talk to and knows their products really well. We saw a few new designs on their pacifiers and found out that the teething ring we bought from our last trip to USA is actually not available in Canada yet! (launching next month) They weren't selling any of their products at the booth but we found this Oral Care Rabbit at the Snugglebugz booth! http://www.snugglebugz.ca
Our paediatrician recommended cleaning of baby's mouth even before the first tooth comes in so she can get used to the idea of mouth/teeth cleaning. This little rabbit makes it a fun and easy task (I hope!)
for more information on Mam products: www.mambaby.com 

 Another exciting booth (for me at least) was the Clek booth! I was able to see the foonf car seat in real life!! This new car seat was just launch in October and I have been researching it on-line for a while now. It has to be the prettiest car seat out there! My top choice would be the pink and white combo~ to match with my stroller of course! This car seat let your baby stay at the rear-facing position for up to 45lbs and forward facing until 65lbs. It has a recline feature so your child don't need to sit up straight all the time, making travelling more comfortable. Another small feature I like about this seat is that there is a small piece of magnet at the side of the seat that holds the seat belt to the side - making it easier to transport your baby in and out! 

Next up! MC Hammer pants! (for Baby)

Electrik Kidz is a Montreal based company specialised in making stylish baby clothes with organic materials. Their products are made with high quality fabrics and superb craftsmanship! 

I was very very very very tempted to buy another nursing cover...call the Bobby Trapper! It's an award winning design that has two hidden wires (instead of the usual one) which keeps the cover away from baby's face! It is absolutely brilliant! She sells them for $45 at the show but if you mention you already have a nursing cover, she would give you an extra $5 discount, making it $40 including tax!  For those of you who don't already have a nursing cover, consider this one! http://www.boobytrapper.ca

Other interesting things....

Baby's book club. Kind of like your potato chips club or your organic grocery club, tell them about your baby, pay a monthly fee and they will ship a box of baby books to you every month!

Cloth inserts and liners for the G-Diapers! I'll tell you all about them once I've learn how to use...and wash them! LOL