Thanks to everyone who entered the Baby Banana Brush Combo Pack Giveaway. The winner, chosen by Random.Org is...

Colleen said... 38

I already liked you on facebook.. but I did stop by and say hi :) September 3, 2011 7:56 PM

Congrats, Colleen! I will be sending you an e-mail shortly for your shipping information.

Thank you to Baby Banana Brushes for sponsoring the giveaway and sharing the love of brushing teeth with my readers' little ones!  Not to be preachy, but a healthy mouth leads to overall good health. Plus, good oral care/healthy practices will save you lots of money down the road! :) I've been reminded! My future sister-in-law is a dental hygienist!

Interested in purchasing a Baby Banana Brush for your own little one? Please visit the company's website. Find them also on Facebook and Twitter!

In my quest for making our household as "green" as possible for my family, I have been looking for products that suit our lifestyle. I was recently introduced to Orkids.ca's Sustainable Stainless Steel Snack, Lunch, and Storage Containers. I have to say that after turning to stainless steel, I am now hooked!

The benefits of stainless steel are numerous. For one, being a mom who is concerned about making sure my family's food containers, plates, and cups are all BPA-free, I feel safe knowing that stainless steel, unlike plastic is non-leaching.

I've got a toddler. That means lots of drops, spills, and yes...breaks! I don't have to worry about broken glass or plastic when I use stainless steel! The products are durable, recyclable, shatter-proof, reusable, compact, and they keep  hot food hot and cold food cold!

Another thing I love is that the stainless steel containers help me keep our lunches "green". I am all about the "paperless" lunches and try to use as little disposable items. I feel really good knowing I'm doing even a little bit to help reduce our carbon footprint and tread a little lighter on the earth.

I got the double layer lunch tiffin and a set of six stainless steel drinking cups.

The tiffin is perfect for lunches!
You can use the two part system for lunches like pasta and fruit or chicken and rice with veggies. Whatever your heart desires, this is the perfect container for your two-part meals! It's also very compact and has a handle so you can conveniently tote your lunch around with you.

We love, love, love the drinking cups. In fact, I'm even contemplating completely switching ALL our glasses into stainless steel cups!
I am so paranoid about broken glass with a toddler in the house. This is the perfect answer to this problem.

What's even better is that Hubby and Little One both give their "Two Thumbs Up" for Orkids.ca!

Stainless steel tiffins, cups, nesting containers, as well as small, medium and large containers are available on the Orkids.ca website.

You can also find Orkids on Facebook and on Twitter!
*All images property of Orkids.ca

Whenever we are presented with major obstacles and challenges in our lives, we eventually are graced with positive experiences and situations. I know that in our case, whenever I feel things cannot possibly get any worse, something always happens that lifts us out of whatever hardships we were experiencing. My Dad always told me, "You can't appreciate the good, if you don't experience the bad". It's so true.

We've had quite a number of challenges and setbacks lately, but we've also had a lot of great news. Exciting highlights of our recent weeks have been:

I've been invited to attend the She's Connected Conference in Toronto!
I am beyond thrilled!

The She's Connected Conference is a social media event that connects brands and Top 200 Influential Digital Women. Some of the brands include: Ford, Toshiba, Nokia, Purdy's Chocolates, Molson 67, Janes, Life Choices, etc.

I get to learn from top brands and top experts, network, and best of all, meet up IRL with all my favourite Tweeps!

I received a Mom Central Canada Blog Grant!
I really was not expecting this! When I wrote my application, I realized how many hundreds and hundreds of other bloggers applied for this grant. I never win anything this, so I submitted and then forgot about it. When I got that exciting e-mail from Mom Central Canada saying that I had received a grant, I was in total disbelief. It is a great honour to receive something like this from Mom Central Canada.

Mom Central Canada has set aside $10,000 to support their blogging community. I shared an idea for a post that I thought would help other moms, and I was selected.

Thank you so much to Mom Central Canada for recognizing the compelling story ideas busy Canadian moms have on how to make our lives (and our families' lives) better.

Little One won the Cutest Baby/Kid of the Summer contest on PhotoCaptiva's blog/Facebook page!
Again, a pleasant surprise! All the children who were entered in the contest were ALL adorable! I was surprised Little One actually won! She ended up winning a full photo shoot with CD (with digital photos on the CD).

I've got some exciting giveaways and reviews coming up!
They're from companies and brands I love (and I  know many of you do as well)! I'll tell you more about that later!

Little One is now soother-less and potty training is still in the works!
I conveniently "forgot" to bring her soother on our eleven hour road trip to Montreal and she has been without her soother for seven days now!

We've had a tough go these past few weeks, but I do believe there's always a silver lining to every cloud.

When you're a newly married couple, people always ask, "When are you going to start a family?"
When you have your first child, people always seem to ask, "When are you going to have Baby #2?"
I can't help but feel a little bit of anxiety when people ask these rather innocent questions. Though I do wish for a younger sibling for Little One, I can't help but be scared.
After Little One’s dramatic entrance into the world, where she canon-balled herself into existence without the presence of a doctor in the hospital room, I have to say that the thought of having another preemie is a little bit daunting.

With her being born at 28 weeks gestation and weighing in at a whopping 980 grams (that’s just a tad over 2 lbs of butter!), life as my husband and I knew it would never be the same.  Having spent the first 70 days of her life in the NICU, we realize what a tremendous blessing and miracle she is.

Of course, our little preemie is now two years old (three years old in November) and everyone keeps asking when we’re going to have #2.

The truth is, I’m scared.

I am terrified of having to go through that again.  There’s no telling whether I will have another premature baby, but the thought of it happening again scares me to death. I have friends who have had preemies and who have gone on to deliver their other children full-term. I've also got friends who have had preemies and kept on having preemies. We are blessed to have  had a healthy, strong, feisty little girl, but what if the next time we aren't so lucky?
  We were so fortunate that despite her prematurity and low birth weight, Little One came out unscathed.  She had no serious health complications, but was using her CPAP and NG tube for longer than I expected her to.  Two lumbar punctures (spinal taps) and a few other procedures were the biggest/most serious things she had to undergo.  Otherwise, no retinopathy of prematurity, no respiratory issues, no vision or hearing impairment.

It’s still scary to think that she might have had one or all of the above. I know we would love her with all our hearts regardless of what the outcome would have been.  ALL babies are special and all babies are blessings.  I guess the part that scares me the most is the thought of my preemie not surviving and not whether my baby had any medical issues.

Every day in the NICU was like a roller coaster ride.  One fantastic day could be followed by days of set backs.  One never knew whether Baby would survive.  Being born so early means having to do all that growing outside of Mom’s womb when Baby should still be inside.

Those 70 days in the NICU were the most challenging (physically and emotionally) days in my life. Words cannot express how scary each day was with the not knowing what would happen from one day to the next. Perhaps I've put those memories behind me for the most part. Every now and then, those memories resurface. They usually return and haunt me whenever people ask about Baby #2.  I remember how tiny and frail my preemie was and it just makes me cry.

People tell me to forget about Little One being a preemie and that I should put all of that "stuff" in the past. Little One is happy, healthy, and just like any other toddler around. I should let go of "unrealistic" fears and stop being so worried.

Perhaps I should just take a leap of faith and let whatever happens happen.

 Unless you've experienced having a baby born so early, you might not understand how real these fears are.
 My husband understands these fears and is supportive. He also feels we need to just go ahead and have faith that everything will turn out okay.
The best thing one can do is to speak with one's medical team (OB-GYN, high risk pregnancy specialist, etc) and discuss what steps need to be taken to prepare for another pregnancy and possible preterm baby. In our case, we've already had a consultation with our high risk pregnancy doctor and have discussed putting in a cervical cerclage for the next pregnancy. It will help keep the cervix closed until time to deliver the baby.

At least this time, doctors are aware that Little One was born preterm due to my incompetant cervix and me dilating at 21 weeks. Preparing mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally will make things easier this time around.

Steps to prepare for next pregnancy:
* Prepare body for the next pregnancy by eating healthy, continuing to exercise regularly, taking pre-natal vitamins, and getting enough rest. If doctor's orders call for bed rest, by all means, abide by those orders! The longer the baby is in, the better!

* Prepare emotionally by knowing what the outcomes of a premature birth can be. Know that another early delivery may or may not happen. Some women have preemies, but go on to have full-term pregnancies. Some have one preemie after another. In any case, remember that there may be many days in the NICU if you have another premature delivery.

* Use all the services available to you. There is a wealth of help out there. Everything from doctors, chat groups, parents of preemies, social workers, etc. Mount Sinai has fantastic services that I found extremely helpful for me when I was there.

Later on, after you have delivered, consider contacting the Ronald McDonald House (should you require somewhere to stay after your baby is born and you live out of town and cannot commute to the hospital every day). If you require aid in any way - for example, with paperwork for time spent away from work to care for your sick baby (that isn't included in maternity leave), social workers can also provide you assistance and information on various services available in situations like these.

* The best advice family and friends have given me is to believe and have faith that all will turn out well, but prepare for the challenges should they arise.


 I know I do want to have a sibling for Little One.  I do want to have another baby.  I’m just still a little bit scared.

I have been selected as one of the Summer 2011 recipients for a $250 Mom Central Canada Blogger Grant. I have been participating in Mom Central Canada blog tours, testing opportunities, and reviews for the past few years (since I became pregnant with Little One). Mom Central Canada also has a Blogger Grant Program where they will be awarding $10,000 worth of grants over the next year for Canadian bloggers in the Mom Central Canada network who have a compelling story and who want to help make the lives of busy moms and their families better.

I never expected to be selected, and am thrilled (and still shocked) to discover that I received the grant! Thank you so much, Mom Central Canada. You do so much for moms like me. It means a lot for me to have a place to express my thoughts, fears, concerns, anxieties and for me to be able to share with other moms who may be going through the same experience. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Round 4 of the Mom Central Canada Blogger Grant Program:
• Open for submissions: September 23, 2011
• Deadline for submissions: October 28, 2011
• Winners notified: November 25, 2011


*This blog post is cross-posted over at www.lifeonmanitoulin.blogspot.com

When you're a newly married couple, people always ask, "When are you going to start a family?"
When you have your first child, people always seem to ask, "When are you going to have Baby #2?"
I can't help but feel a little bit of anxiety when people ask these rather innocent questions. Though I do wish for a younger sibling for Little One, I can't help but be scared.

It's Back-to-School time! I know! Where did the Summer go? It seems one day we're gearing up for days on the beach, and the next, the kids are back at school!

What goes hand in hand with Back-to-School prep? Pencils, paper, and...popcorn! We send our children to school with all the tools and materials they need to learn. This should include some healthy snacks! How about something full of fibre, whole grains, and flavour?!

What's even better is that you can get your children in the lunch and snack prep mode by having them help you out? Have them help make a bunch of  snacks for the school week on a Sunday evening and each morning, they can choose what they'd like to put in their lunch bags! Kids love being creating and doing things themselves helps them feel empowered. If they make it, they'll be proud of themselves and want to eat their creations!

In our house, Little One enjoys her popcorn like it's no one's business! Popcorn and family go together well. When we have some downtime, we sometimes have popcorn and watched "Tangled" or whatever other movie the toddler wants to watch with us.

Sure, she's still a bit young to be making Back-to-School snacks, but she does need snacks for play groups, on the road, at friends' houses, etc. She loves helping out in the kitchen, so Orville Redenbacher's® Smart Pop! is fabulous to have on hand at  home.

Here are a few quick Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop! recipes to get your kids through the school week.
Pop some extra popcorn the night before, and package them in individual snack bags (to retain that just-popped freshness). If you want some flavour, in a large bowl, add freshly popped popcorn, sprinkle with taco seasoning or Parmesan cheese, and shake until coated evenly. Little One LOVES cheese-flavoured popcorn!

If you and your kids have a few extra minutes, the following recipe is another great one for school snacks.




 Discolsure- The recipes posted on this blog have been developed by the Orville Redenbacher team, and are not my own. I am receiving a sample of Orville Redenbacher's® Smart Pop! to make a batch of my own.

...I could just chill out in my Snuggie all day.

We pay close attention to our little one's teeth. After all, healthy teeth and gums are paramount. Oral care is so important because teeth and gums are good indicators of one's overall health. This is why we encourage Little One to take good care of her teeth. I realize she's still little, but I figure that if we start her off young, it will just be part of her daily routine and she won't think twice about brushing her teeth.

I was so excited to discover Live-Right Solutions' Original Baby Banana® Brush. The Baby Banana Brush is specially crafted from the highest quality medical grade silicone. This ensures babies are safe as they learn to brush their teeth. The material is soft, pliable, durable, and babies won't hurt themselves if they fall while brushing. It's not made of hard plastic, so you can relax a bit when your wee one is brushing his/her teeth!
The Baby Banana Brush is also dishwasher safe. You can sanitize it in the dishwasher if you wish! It can also be frozen in the freezer for teething relief.

Our toddler loves to brush her teeth and she's a little over two years old now, so I thought I'd let my friend try the Baby Banana Brush on her baby (who is in the midst of teething). No such luck. As soon as the package arrived, Little One tore into it. She got so excited and said, "MY banana toothbrush!"
Little One has been carrying the Baby Banana Toothbrush around with her everywhere she goes! That's how much she loves it! She loves the Spry Tooth Gel too. It's a delicious strawberry-banana flavour that kids love. I tried it just to see what it tasted like. It's pretty good. I can see why kids like it. It is fluoride-free, safe to swallow, and made with Xylitol (the cavity-fighting natural sugar).
I was given the opportunity to try out the Baby Banana® Brush Combo Pack, which includes one  Baby Banana® Brush and one tube of Spry Tooth Gel. They make the perfect pair! The Baby Banana toothbrush is so much fun to hold and easy for toddlers (and babies) to use. I've never seen my child get so excited about brushing her teeth! She's been telling me when it's time to brush teeth! She just loves the tooth gel too!
It is my honest opinion that these products are must-haves for anyone who has children/babies. It's a great way to get children excited about brushing their teeth!

Baby Banana® Brush products include:
- The Original Baby Banana Brush
- Baby Banana Teething Toothbrush
- Spry Xylito Tooth Gel (Strawberry-Banana)
- Baby Banana Brush & Spry Tooth Gel Combo Pack (the one I tried for this review)
- Deluxe Infant Oral Care Kit
- Baby Sharky Brush


Great news! Live-Right would love to let you know about the Baby Banana® Brush Combo Pack
too! They hope it can get your kids excited about brushing teeth as well!

Win it!
To enter, simply tell me what you like about Baby Banana Brush and why you'd like to win one. (mandatory)


Want extra entries?
"Like" Baby Banana Brush and Random Thoughts and Musings from the Island REVIEWS on Facebook and say hello! (2 entries)

Follow @BabyBananaBrush and @chancesmommy on Twitter and say hi! (2 entries)

Tweet this: "I want to #win a @BabyBananaBrush Combo Pack from @chancesmommy's blog http://fb.me/SBvGD8CN!" (1 entry)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect. (1 entry)

Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry)

Post my blog button on your site and leave me the link where I can find it :) (1 entry)

1. Contest is open to Canadian and U.S. Residents only


2. The contest will run from Aug. 25 – Sept. 9, 2011 at 11:59 ET.


3. One winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified at the email address used upon entry.


4. The winner will have 48 hrs to respond and failure to do so will result in a new winner selection. 

Disclosure - I was given a Baby Banana® Brush Combo Pack (Baby Banana Brush and Spry Tooth Gel) to facilitate this review. All the opinions on this blog are honest and my own.

 There's nothing sweeter than bringing food from your garden to your table...

Well, perhaps maybe taking a walk through the fields can be pretty sweet.

After teaching today, I helped Hubby on the farm for a bit before heading home to prepare supper. I never realized how sweet the alfalfa smelled. Walking through the fields with the cool, gentle breeze and the warm sun made me a little wistful.

I rarely get quiet moments to myself where I can just think. I cried all the way from the alfalfa to the barley field. There was something just so moving and inspiring about being so close to the land. Smelling every scent and fragrance, feeling the tactile differences each variety of plant had...Ack! I almost felt like Anne Shirley (from Anne of Green Gables), being so dramatic and awe-inspired.

I'm not sure if it's just me being a city girl and going through my metamorphosis - being transformed into a farmer's wife and appreciating all of the amazing, miraculous, wonderful things we are blessed with just by living close to the land and close to nature. Maybe farmers' wives don't do this and it's just me being a bit overly sensitive and emotional these days. I'm probably just being melodramatic.

As a city girl, I never paid much heed to the smell of alfalfa or the texture of barley. To be honest, I wouldn't even know what either of them looked like or smelled like before!

 Don't worry. I won't make any "Children of the Corn" jokes. That movie scared the cr@p out of me when I was a kid! I still have nightmares thinking about it!
My walk through the barley and alfalfa made me think about my family. It made me wistful and teary-eyed. I love the family I have on the Island, and I miss my family in Montreal, Kingston, and Toronto. Most of all, I miss my grandmother in the Philippines and hope to see her again soon.