Friday, June 29, 2012

Baby's First Island Trip

This week Hannah had her first bus, subway and boat rides. Our destination was Centre Island. We wanted to squeeze in a trip before school let out.

As Hannah is five months old, the only rides she could go on were the carousel and the train. Since she was napping the time we walked through Centreville with the intention to go on rides, we ended up not going on any. (Although we did see a lot of babies on the train who seemed to be having fun!)

That's not to say Hannah didn't have a great time without rides - she did. She loves people watching, being outside and of course, visiting the animals at Far Enough Farm.

It's weird, but going on this trip officially made me feel like a Mom. The last time I had been to Centre Island was to drink beer and catch a music festival. I didn't even bother with Centreville or Far Enough Farm. This time the only drinks I had included Pepsi and water (and OK, I got a slushie too). This trip was meant for Hannah to have fun. It wasn't for me or for Chris, it was for her.

Now I get why my Mom was so happy to stand with all of our stuff while my younger brother and I went on rides. They made us happy, which in turn made HER happy. I thought she must have been bored out of her mind while we were having fun, but her fun was watching us have a good time. When I came to this conclusion, I felt pretty silly for not realizing it before, but I think it's one of those things you don't bother thinking about until you become a parent yourself.

We spent a good five minutes at the Far Enough Farm checking out the baby chickens. She was enjoying watching them, and I was enjoying watching her, watching them. It's been said before, and I'll say it again - witnessing a child's first is like witnessing the same experience you've had a million times but with fresh eyes. I hope it never stops!

I can't wait for our next visit to Centre Island, and all the visits to Centreville in the years to come.

Far Enough Farm is in danger of closing at the end of 2012. I hope this won't be Hannah's only visit. To learn how you can help save Far Enough Farm, please visit this blog where you can sign the petition and donate online.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Hannah's Pick of the Month - Jolly Jumper

Every month around Hannah's "month birthday" I write a post about her favourite toy/gadget/item. This month it's the Jolly Jumper - and again, it fits with the Canadian theme. Did you know a Canadian invented the Jolly Jumper?

Yes, Olivia Poole,  mother (and eventual grandmother), made the Jolly Jumper for her first son in 1910 in Ontario.

Hannah recently had her first experience with the Jolly Jumper. We posted some photos on Facebook and MANY (OK, more than 2) people said she looks "deliriously happy". Because she is. She loves to bounce around and be upright without being held.

It's too bad simple things like this won't always make her happy. But for now, I will give her 15 minutes of Jolly Jumper joy every day I can.

We have the Jolly Jumper with the portable stand. It retails at Babies R Us for $69.99.


© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Book Review - Jonathan Cleaned Up - Then He Heard a Sound

With the whole theme of The Great Canadian Blog Bash this week (giveaways end on Canada Day - Sunday, July 1st), I thought I'd review a book by my favourite Canadian children's book author - Robert Munsch. 

Back in my school days, the Munsch books always seemed to sell out quickly at book sales. Over the years I've enjoyed Mortimer, Something Good, and Moira's Birthday. All written by Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko.

But my favourite has always been Jonathan Cleaned Up - Then He Heard A Sound (or Blackberry Subway Jam).

The story follows a poor fellow named Jonathan who is told to not make a mess of the apartment while his mother goes to purchase noodles. Somehow, Jonathan's living room becomes a subway station and plenty of people get off and make a mess - leaving him to scramble to clean it before his mother gets home. Eventually he gets sick of having his apartment be the last stop on the subway and complains to a conductor who tells him to go to City Hall.  Everyone is on lunch, but somehow he finds a City worker who reroutes the system to not stop at his apartment (with humorous results, of course).

I grew up in Toronto with a Mom who didn't drive, so we took the TTC and the subway. A LOT. So a part of me almost wanted my house to be right on the subway line. Maybe not having an exit to my living room, but it would be really convenient to have next door. And ever since I've moved out of my Mom's house, I've always made sure to live walking distance from the subway (even though I drive). Even now, I can hear the trains if I'm close enough to our windows.

Jonathan Cleaned Up - Then He Heard A Sound retails for $5.95 at Chapters Indigo.

© 2012 YYZ Bambina. All Rights Reserved.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Baby's First Canada Day - #TGCBB

Canada Day is one of my favourite days of the year. Anything that includes summer, fireworks and celebrating (in my opinion) the greatest country in the world must equal a pretty fantastic day. And after the age of 19, it's pretty much illegal to NOT enjoy a homegrown Canadian beer on July 1st. (Although, I did pass last year, seeing as I was pregnant and all). And for those under the age of 19, it usually marks freedom from school and the beginning of summer holidays.

This year Chris will be taking shots of the Blue Jays at the SkyDome (I will never call it the Rogers Centre, even though, by stating I will not, I have...). Depending on the weather, Hannah and I may spend Canada Day up at my Grandpa's cottage.

Regardless of where she is, Hannah will be wearing the cute Joe Fresh Canadian onesie her Nonna bought her and her Elmo "Happy Canada Day!" bib her Grandma bought her. Even though she has no idea what Canada is and won't understand how lucky she is to be Canadian until many years from now, it's very important to me to raise her in such a way that she values her citizenship.

I think I was around 9 years old when I finally realized how great our country truly is. Having only then traveled to places in the United States and Canada, I had no idea how people in other countries lived. Not that I wasn't exposed to other cultures - I grew up in Scarborough and a lot of my fellow students were born in other countries, with parents who chose to come to Canada for a better life.

It doesn't matter how many generations ago one of our family members came to Canada, it's easy to forget how awesome we have it. Clean water? We just go to the tap. Sick? We see a doctor and don't have to worry about a bill. And can I mention BeaverTails? I would eat them every day for the rest of my life if I could.

Not to mention getting to experience four weather seasons, our coloured money, Loonies and Toonies,  hockey, la cross, the zipper, our Olympians, basketball, bowling (five-pin), Terry Fox, Banting and Best, Barenaked Ladies, Anne of Green Gables, Smarties, Kraft Dinner, Ketchup chips, the Jolly Jumper (a new favourite of Hannah's)...the random list of reasons why we should be proud, happy and thankful to call Canada home goes on and on and on.

And I don't think I even need to mention how gorgeous our provinces and territories are from coast-to-coast. From the mountains to the Maritimes,  our landmass is beautiful.

So on Canada Day, I will proudly dress Hannah in red. (And in the years to come every July 1st I will teach and remind her what it means to be Canadian.) After she's gone to sleep, I will crack open a Molson Canadian, light my sparkler and celebrate my country.

Happy 145th Birthday Canada!


This post is a part of The Great Canadian Blog Bash, hash tag #TCGBB on Twitter. To win some fabulous prizes, please visit the blogs below.


Thank you to the TGCBB hosts Kat from Kat's Confessions, Nancy from Whispered Inspirations, Patty from Positively Pampered Patty, Jen from Mom vs. the Boys and Stephanie from Good Girl Gone Green in addition to all of the generous sponsors!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Confessions of A Cartoon Hater

I think I may have become too invested in children's television shows.

A couple of days ago Hannah was really into an episode of "Sid the Science Kid!" I'd like to think it's because Sid wears a red shirt and her favourite colour (and one she can see most clearly) is red. Or that day she was just really, really excited that Mommy decided to Swiffer the floors.

For those of you who are not familiar, Sid is a preschooler who asks a lot of scientific questions.  Sid lives with his baby brother and his parents, and often his grandma picks him up from preschool and is also featured on the show (she's great for "scientific flashbacks" which allow for showcasing the evolution of science and technology if needed). At preschool, teacher Susie has four students - Sid, Gabriela, May and Gerald. (If there seriously was a preschool like this, the waiting list would be so long you would have to put your children on it when you yourself were a child).


The show produced by the good folks at the Jim Henson Company and is computer generated.

An episode always begins with Sid wondering something (Where does garbage go? Why can I see the moon during the day?, etc.), and then figuring out the answer at school with the help of his friends.

Overall, I really like this show and am happy Hannah is a fan. I just hope she's not a fan of Sid's friend Gerald.

I really, REALLY dislike Gerald. I didn't realize my level of hatred until one day I was watching (yes, Hannah was taking a morning nap and I still tuned in), and the episode began with Sid's Dad telling him that Gerald was coming over for a camp out in their backyard. I could not handle a whole episode of Gerald. So yes, hate is a strong word folks, but if it makes you change the channel or turn off the TV I think it's warranted.

So why do I hate Gerald, someone who is part of a show that teaches toddlers the fun of science?

He's certainly not creepy like Mr. Noodle on Elmo's World. (I shudder whenever that mustache makes Hannah giggle...)

Gerald is attention seeking, lame and fails to realize none of his classmates enjoy his sense of humour. You just know he's one of those kids who is going to grow up to be a jerk. I can see him, 20 years from now, in a club with a popped collar, too much hair gel, grinding on the ladies from behind. While Sid, our knight in red armour, will introduce himself, politely ask for a dance and beg forgiveness for his acquaintance with Gerald.

When you type "Gerald Sid the Science Kid" into Google, the second thing that automatically pops up to help you search is "Gerald Sid the Science Kid Retarded". I'm not condoning the use of this word (towards Gerald and otherwise) but it seems to me like others question his behaviour too.

Wikipedia describes him as "Sid's airhead, vivacious good friend." Airhead? Definitely, yes.

Overall, even though Gerald is a main character, this Mom will continue to watch. The catchy dance moves and earworm songs are too good to pass up. And yes, of course, the science lessons too.

Sid the Science Kid! is an awesome show and deserves more viewers. Therefore my rant has good intentions and hopefully will be of some use to you, dear reader.

You can watch Sid the Science Kid on PBS and TVO.

And then, after you become as invested as me, you can join my "We hate Gerald!" Club. (No pressure.)

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Sleep Paranoia

Hannah has been sleeping in her crib since before she turned three months old. While she liked her bassinet, she just grew too tall and moves too much in her sleep to slumber in there for long.

For the first few nights, Chris and I slept in our room and we had the monitor on. But it didn't work. I either couldn't hear the monitor, or when noise did come through, I didn't trust it.

I would get up every couple of hours to investigate, making sure she was OK. She didn't wake up, but it was almost like regressing from those first few weeks home from the hospital for me. Every few hours my body would wake up, get up and then not be able to fall asleep - even though now my baby slept peacefully the entire time.

I couldn't sleep peacefully. So Chris began to sleep in the single bed we have in her room, Hannah was in her crib, and I was in our queen bed all alone. A couple of weeks ago, we switched and now I sleep in her room in the single bed and Chris has the queen bed to himself.

I am 100 per cent convinced that Hannah doesn't care if someone sleeps in her room with her. As long as someone comes to her in the morning to change her diaper, get her breakfast and allow her to start her day that's all she really needs.

It's all me. I sleep better at night knowing if she moves the slightest I am near by. And being near by, in a bed, I can determine whether or not I need to physically get out of bed. And if I don't, it makes it a lot easier to just roll over and catch some more zzz's.

I know I'm not alone. A lot of my friends were smart enough to just set-up cribs in their rooms so everyone would be together as long as they wanted. Our bedroom is more than ample to put her crib in there, but we'd have to do a lot of re-organizing. And the whole reason we have a single bed in her bedroom (save for the one person who visited us before she was born) was so that one of us could sleep in there if necessary.

And right now, for me, it still seems necessary.

Oddly enough, here it is, a weekday morning and Hannah is napping in her crib. Am I in her room with her listening to her every breath? No. Do I go into her room every 10 minutes to check on her to make sure she's OK? You bet I do.

I'm sure eventually I will grow out of this stage as she becomes older and more self-sufficient. After all, if we ever have another baby, and I still feel the need to be right beside Hannah, the only room that could fit all our beds would be the living room...

Do you sleep in the same room as your baby? If so, are you sleeping with your partner too?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Book Review - Room on the Broom

I know what you're thinking. A book about a witch should only be read in October leading up to Halloween.

Not so with Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, gorgeous illustrations by Axel Scheffler.

This rhyming tale follows a kind, klutzy witch who, along with her cat, picks up a dog, frog and a bird after they help her find items that have fallen off her broom.

When the broom reaches maximum capacity and snaps, a mean dragon finds the witch. Her new friends save her, and with the help of magic, together they create an even better broom that benefits them all.

Friday, June 15, 2012

A New Best Friend

My new best friend can be kind of a jerk.

She is constantly the centre of attention, to the point where sometimes I feel I cease to exist.  

She likes to stare at people and eavesdrop on their conversations when we are out in public.

She's a backseat driver who complains when I have to stop at a red light.

She has constant mood swings and takes only milliseconds to go from happy to mad.

She thinks grunting is an acceptable form of communication.

She interrupts conversations. She interrupts movies. She interrupts TV. She even interrupts reading.

She likes to listen to the same song. Over, and over, and over again. And then one more time after that. Sometimes she demands I sing the song. Over, and over, and over again. And yes, even with my singing voice, one more time after that.

She kicks me. She bites my fingers. She pulls out my hair. She scratches my face.

She wakes me up at 5:30 in the morning because she's hungry. 

She has food fights with herself that sometimes ricochets on to me.

She loves to stick out her tongue and blow her spit on me.

She gets irritable when she's tired but refuses to sleep.

She pees in the midst of my changing her diaper. Frequently in public.


She smiles.

And that's when I remember why she's my new best friend. And that I will always do any and everything I can for her.

I love my daughter so much. I can't believe I once knew life without her.




Tommee Tippee tops for bottles

I LOVE Tommee Tippee. Their bottles really do look like a mother's nipple, and while Hannah was breastfeed and formula feed she didn't have any confusion. My Mom bought the Tommee Tippee Sensitive Tummy bottles and when Hannah drinks from those, she truly burps right away. However, because those bottles have anti-colic valve they can be quite difficult to clean.

The only downside to all the bottles can be the nipples - if your baby sucks too hard to increase the flow the nipple collapses. It doesn't make a mess, but it makes for an unhappy baby. We've had this occur with all speeds of flow.

We also have the Tommee Tippee sterilizer (used in the microwave) which is easy and quick to sterilize her bottles. It says other bottles can fit, but we have a few that do not.

Hannah wasn't a fan of the Tommee Tippee pacifier, and as you may recall, I was not a fan of the Tommee Tippee hand pump. Their Breast Pads worked well, but err on the more expensive side.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Dadpost: Baby Fingernails

I'm starting to think that Hannah might be Wolverine.

Now before you get all Comic Book Guy on me, hear me out: they're both Canadian, they both don't do what you tell them to do, and they both possess incredible sharp claws.

And after Hannah sunk her fingers into my hand for the eleventy billionth time this morning, I think I might call Marvel to get a distribution deal done.

Oh sure, she might look all sweet and innocent, but just like our X-Man friend, those claws could cut through a man like a hot knife through butter.

I clip them every time we give her a bath, but that only serves to make them even more razor sharp. Even filing seems to sharpen them further.

Mohs Scale of Hardness might list fingernails as a 2.5, but that's clearly just a human average, because baby fingernails are somewhere around an 11.

I'm confident that Hannah's nails could scratch diamond, and would scratch adamantium if that actually existed.

If she ever learns to do the Berserker Barrage, we're all doomed.


To check out more posts from my boyfriend Chris, please visit his blog Below the Mendoza Line.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Book Review - The Very Cranky Bear

In the Jingle Jangle Jungle author/illustrator Nick Bland sets up an entertaining story about four friends who'd like to play in Bear's cave on a rainy day.

The rhyming story follows Moose, Lion and Zebra attempting to make the bear happier so they can play cards inside his cave. Poor Sheep is left out because she is "plain", but she's actually the smartest of the bunch and is able to find a way to help Bear, and in the end, help her friends get out of the rain.

The illustrations are almost as great as the rhyming story. There is just enough text to keep Hannah entertained while she looks at the colourful images.

Friday, June 08, 2012

Music Review - Snacktime! (Album by Barenaked Ladies)

When I was 10 years old, the first "cool" tape I bought was Gordon by the Barenaked Ladies. Their "If I Had $1,000,000" song was too catchy to pass up. Plus my family owned a K-Car (a nice, reliant automobile). And my favourite food was (and still remains to be to the chagrin of Chris) Kraft Dinner (even if I do enjoy it sans Ketchup).

So when I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I did was to ensure I owned Snacktime!, the Barenaked Ladies children's CD.

I didn't listen to it until Hannah was a few weeks old and we discovered listening to the Beatles and Bob Marley soothed her. So why not my other B band, the Barenaked Ladies?

She was soothed by them too. Even if I shook with laughter as I held her while listening to some of the songs.

Some tracks have slower tempos, some are faster. All have the quirky BNL feel. Of all the amazing songs, I like two best. "7 8 9":

Once upon a time in our solar system
We couldn't make do without 9
But Pluto's not a planet now
So 8 will do fine






My other favourite is "Pollywog In A Bog" ("Out come the legs for the jump, jump..."). 


I find myself singing these two the most. To Hannah. And, uh, to myself.

The title track "Snacktime" includes famous people telling us what their favourite snacks are. They even have their own version of the Alphabet song, albeit with much more unique and interesting words. The disc includes 24 tracks in all and is approximately 54 minutes in length.

According to Wikipedia, this is the last album to feature Steven Page before he left the band. I really hope the remaining members will consider making another.

You can download Snacktime! from iTunes for $9.99.

Baby's First Solids

At our four month appointment, we got the go ahead from our pediatrician to start serving Hannah solid foods.

So we went out and bought Nestle Gerber Rice Cereal, the kind that mixes with breast milk or infant formula. We mix Hannah's with Enfamil A+. I purchased it at Walmart for under $4.

Chris freshly washed one of her Playtex spoons and a Muchkin bowl we were given at one of her three baby showers (yes, Hannah had three showers - one before she was born, and two afterwards).  He mixed one tablespoon of rice cereal with two ounces of room temperature formula. I found the biggest bib we own, put it on her and placed her in her high chair and sat down to watch the show.

We have video of the whole first feeding. It lasted less than 5 minutes. She didn't mind the taste, but was somewhat confused with using a spoon versus a bottle. Can't say I blame her. Eventually she started to cry because she was still so hungry and the rice cereal wasn't getting to her stomach fast enough. We stopped and switched to a bottle of formula to finish the feeding - we don't want her to have negative feelings towards pablum and we're hoping by introducing it slowly, she won't howl when her pink spoon and orange bowl make an appearance.

We will continue to offer her rice cereal more frequently as she (and her digestive system) allow.

I can't believe she's reached another milestone. And I can't wait until we can begin to puree things for her with our Baby Bullet.


Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Book Review - Ten Tiny Tickles

Ten Tiny Tickles by Karen Katz was first introduced to me at Baby Time at the Toronto Public Library.

The book follows the morning routine of a baby (from waking up, feeding, bath, getting dressed and getting into a stroller) and the tickles start at her head and end at her toes, which teaches body parts.

There are nice big pictures for Hannah to look at while I tickle her and read to her. It's a great interactive book which also helps children learn their numbers and how to count from one to ten.


Monday, June 04, 2012

The Pregnancy Test

This post is not about the over-the-counter pregnancy test. I believe I used the Rexall brand because it was on sale. To be honest I don't really know which brand I used. To be even more honest I still have the stick I peed on so I could go and check. For the longest time I kept it to remind myself there was a baby growing inside of me. After I had the first ultrasound photo I thought I could throw it out, but by then I had grown somewhat attached. That little stick was my very first link to Hannah, proving she was there growing in my belly, no matter how small she was at the time.

But enough about me and keeping things (I promise I am not a pack rat and you will not see me on an episode of Hoarders).

This post is about the relationship tests I went through after finding out I was pregnant.

One of my best friends lives in Ottawa where she works as a paramedic. After I had peed on aforementioned stick she got an urgent text from me. Even though she has one of those plans where it costs nothing to call me, we normally text. That's just how we are. But obviously that night warranted a phone call. After a visit to the doctors confirmed I was pregnant, and she texted me to ask how I was, I didn't respond, or if I did I think I said something like "False alarm." Not being in the medical field, I didn't realize it's a well known fact that there are no false positives, only false negatives. She knew I was pregnant but gave me the space I needed as I came to terms with it myself. And afterwards, when I told her on my own time, she was beyond supportive. She even went out and bought me "What to Expect When You're Expecting" which became my bible for the next 35 weeks.

Next up is my gay best friend. At first I told him I was pregnant. And then remembering he tells everything to everyone, I too told him the test was faulty. I didn't tell him the truth until I was officially three months and there was less chance of me losing the baby. Thankfully, he proved how much he cares about me by forgiving me for lying to him. And at that point, if he wanted to scream it from the rooftops that was OK by me.

I told my straight guy best friend in the most simplest of fashions. Once a month we meet up to drink beer, eat wings, watch hockey and just talk. He has been a sounding board for many a "Why the heck do guys do that?" When I explained to him why I wasn't ordering a beer and that I wouldn't be able to be his drinking buddy for pretty much the next year, he was really excited and happy for me. He even let me monopolize the conversation with baby talk. And I'm pretty sure he even picked up the cheque.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the reaction of a close mutual friend Chris and I share from university. Chris and I even fought over who got to tell her about the pregnancy (he beat me to telling her when had started to date, and therefore I lawyered him with that point, and hence won the chance to tell her). She squealed so loudly the whole restaurant turned to look and she just kept hugging me. To this day, she is the only person I got somewhat teary with when I introduced her to Hannah.

The best thing about all of these people (and many of my other friends) is that after I gave birth to Hannah the way they treat me remains unchanged. For now, Hannah just tags along when I hang out with them. They are still honest with me, still gossip with me and still talk to me about what's going on in their lives. They accommodate my new status as a Mom, but not at the sake of our friendship.

I can't finish a post about sharing pregnancy news without mentioning my brother's reaction. Even without all the extra hormones flowing through my body, a text he sent me the day after I told him would have brought me to tears. He wrote, simply, "So this is what winning the lottery feels like." I can honestly say that is probably the mushiest thing my brother has ever said to me in his 27 years on this planet. And it's probably the truest too.




Sunday, June 03, 2012

Baby On Board

I am a big fan of quickmeme. One of my favourites is Condescending Wonka.

The other day, I saw this one:



Now, before I got pregnant I may have found this one as humorous as the rest. However, I now have a baby. And my car has a little yellow diamond in the back that proudly announces BABY ON BOARD!

I don't expect people to NOT hit my car. In fact, some lady decided to hit my car pulling out of a parking spot. And she was facing FORWARDS.  But let's not get on that topic, thankfully my family was OK and the car was fixed...and this topic is clearly still a sore spot for me.

Anyhow, I do expect people to respect I have precious cargo on board. It would be nice for people not to tailgate me when I go the speed limit, especially when I am properly in the furthest right lane (AKA the slow lane) on the highway. If you want to go 40 km an hour faster than the speed limit, the right lane is not for you. The right lane is meant for trucks, older cars and people like me who want to drive as safely as possible since they have little ones in the car. I stay out of your fast lane, so don't tailgate me in my slow one. And remember what we learned in driving school folks, you pass in the left lane, not the right.

Additionally, other than making for a really cool Be Sharps song, Baby On Board signs also signal to other shoppers who have children that you deserve to park in the Customer with Child(ren) parking spot at the mall or big box stores. More than once I have done a mental shaking fist at a single person (definitely not pregnant and often male) who has used one of these spots to park when they clearly have no child, and do not even have a car seat or car seat base in their car. I do realize these spots are not like Handicap spots. I don't need a spot close to the doors, but the less time spent in a parking lot with a stroller or young child the better. And a shopper with a child (or with child) obviously deserves a spot designated to them versus someone who just can't, or decides not to, read the sign. I mean you, dude who is 20. Just because you live at home still doesn't mean you are a child...


I purchased my Baby On Board sign for under $5 at Sears.


Friday, June 01, 2012

Baby's Footprints

For Mother's Day, I wanted somesort of keepsake from Hannah. So she bought me Little Impression Tin - Hand and Foot Casting from Chapters Indigo.

The kit comes with "impression material", the tin to display and instructions (thankfully!).

You begin by kneading the impression material (which is sticky to get out of it's packet, but once it hits air is a lot easier to use), and then you lay it out on aluminum foil. Then you roll the impression material with an aerosol can (I used my hairspray). Then comes the hard part, actually GETTING your baby's hand or foot print. 

At first I wanted to do her hand print, so that when she's a little older she could put her hands beside it and see how much she's grown. However, with a four month old baby that proved very difficult to do, even with Chris' help.

So we decided on foot prints - we could fit both her feet into the area. So Chris held her up and I applied pressure to her left foot, and then we did the same with the right. The impression material is really great in that if you make a mistake you can go back to the kneading stage and start over, brand new. And thankfully, none of the impression material stuck to Hannah's hand or feet.

After the imprints have been made, you need to wait 2-3 days for the impression material to harden. Then you can put it in the tin and on display, which, proud Mom that I am, I have done. As long as you don't attempt to get the prints yourself, I would recommend this product to other parents who are looking for a creative way to keep their baby's prints.

The  Little Impression Tin - Hand and Foot Casting retails for $19.99 at Chapters Indigo.
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