Superhero Valentines

In October on Pinterest I saw cute little Hallowe'en packages to hand out at school that looked like Frankenstein, vampires and monsters.  I wasn't able to make them in time for Mason so I thought Valentine's Day would be a perfect time to try my own version.

Superhero Valentine

Mason is in a class full of boys so the whole Valentine's thing in the traditional spirit simply won't work, so what better than wishing them a 'Super' valentine with a superhero-inspired package!

The 1 Hour Tutu

We were invited to a Superhero & Princess party at the Boulevard club on Saturday.  Mason was VERY excited to have his Batman costume back that I made for Hallowe'en and then confiscated a couple days after (to keep it safe & in good condition!).

Avery was Robin for Hallowe'en and although I LOVE her costume, I thought it would be nice for her to be her own person this time rather than part of Mason's dynamic duo.

Princess Avery was pretty easy to put together, a pink bathing suit my mom picked up for her last year, a sweet faux fur shrug trimmed with satin that I found at Value Village, tights, her sparkly pink Tom's shoes that my sister-in-law to be got her for Christmas and a pink tutu. 

ECHOage - A great idea for making kids' birthdays more meaningful

This week I got an emailed invitation to a birthday party for one of Mason's classmates.  The email came via ECHOage, a website that was created by two moms who thought there was a better way to celebrate birthdays.

Here's what the site says about itself:

ECHOage is a online birthday party service where children learn the value of giving and receiving while celebrating. No matter what your child’s party theme or venue, you can easily ECHOage ANY party.

Step #1. Choose an invitation, select a cause and invite your guests.

Step #2. Guests RSVP and contribute [via online credit card payments] and you get to watch the giving grow on your ECHOage Tracker.

Step #3. When your party is over, you get half the funds in the mail from ECHOage to purchase any birthday gift you wish to have AND you donate the other half to a charity of your choice.

Easy on guests, meaningful for kids and fun for everyone!

There are lots of things I like about this idea.  First, it's super-environmentally friendly.  No invitations, no wrapping paper or toy packaging to throw away.  Second, as soon as I sent my RSVP and contributed to the party online I received a certificate for Mason via email thanking him for making a difference so I can explain, as well as I can to a 3 year old, that part of his present to Andreas is to help other people.  Third, a straight donation makes gift-giving easy and takes away the 'What should I get'? that I find plagues me every time I have to make the decision for a little person other than my own.  Lastly, and this is the most reason in my opinion, I throw birthdays for my kids to celebrate how special and important they are to me, not for them to get presents.  In fact, every invitation I've ever sent out requested 'Best Wishes Only' but we have unbelievably generous friends and family and they never come empty-handed.  Using ECHOage, we would be able to donate half of that generosity to a worthy cause and I love that, because I want birthdays to be about the celebration of the individual, not about what they get from people.

As for the other half of the contributions that are mailed to us, I think I would put it into a savings account either for university or to help my kids buy their first home.  But that's just me :)

Want to ECHOage your next birthday party, here's a link to their website.

Have a great weekend!

- Jacs

Conversations with a 3 Year Old: Not a Good Surprise

There are more mornings than I'd like to admit we choose sleep over getting up early and making sure Mason has breakfast before we leave for school.  On those (ahem) mornings, I stop at McD's and get a large coffee for me and an egg Mcmuffin for the little man.

One morning DH suggested that Mason try a Bacon 'n Egg McMuffin and he was SO excited.  I can't explain how 3 year olds seem to delight in anything and everything.  It's so refreshing and one of the many things I love about this age, and on this particular morning he wanted to make sure I ordered it properly. 

We pull up to the drive-through window:
Me: Hi I'd like to order a large coffee double double and a Bacon 'n Egg McMuffin please
Mason (in the background): Bacon McMuffin Mommy!
Me:  Yes, sweetie that's what I ordered

As we move forward to the 1st window to pay:
Mason:  Mommy, did you order a Bacon Mc Muffin? I want a Bacon one.... a BACON one!
Me:  Yes honey I did don't you worry

We pay and I go to the 2nd window to pick up the order:
McD lady: Be careful the muffin is hot
Me: Ok, thank you!

We pull away, I put my coffee in the cup holder and pass the bag back to Mason then turn onto the road to head to school.  He opens the bag:
Mason: Mommy, it's a muffin
Me: Yes, a Bacon 'n Egg McMuffin like you wanted
Mason: NO!  Mommy, it's blueberry!
Me:  What?  Pass me the bag.
Mason (very seriously from the back seat): This is NOT a good surprise.

Stifling my laughter, we turned around immediately and went back to make the trade.  I laughed all the way to school!  I just adore him.

Mason's class Christmas Party

We enrolled Mason in a nursery school last fall after he became best friends with a little boy who was going there.  Turns out it was the best decision because he's in a class of 8 little 3 year old boys with a wonderful teacher.  He loves going to school and seeing all his friends and it has created in him an amazing sense of independence, accomplishment and has planted the seed for the love of learning.

As the holidays were approaching we decided to host a class Christmas party at our house (what better time than when it's such a small class!) and invited his friends and their families.

Fuelled by ideas I'd come across on Pinterest, I think it may be one of the best parties to date.  I was also very lucky to find out that one of our new employees was a recent graduate from a college photography program and she came to capture the afternoon.  All the pictures that follow are the ones she took.  Many thanks to Amanda! (check out her blog Amanda Manners Photography)

Conversations with a 2 year old: Grampa

My father passed away unexpectedly last November.  My little guy was only 26 months old when it happened.  Even though they had spent a limited amount of time together, the time they did spend certainly made an impression because he definitely remembers his Grampa.

Tonight we were reading a story before bedtime and there was a Grampa in the book who looked like my dad...

2 year old: Mommy Grampa awake!
Me: Yes, honey that Grampa is awake.
2 year old: My Grampa sleeping forever.
Me: Yes he is baby.  He loved you very much.

... big sigh

Conversations with a 2 year old: Please & Thank you

Setting: in the car on the way to AM daycare.

2 year old: Mommy, turn on my DVD!
Me: Please
2 year old: Turn on my DVD!
Me: Where are my please and thank yous!!!
2 year old: In my mouth
Me: Why aren't you saying them?
2 year old: My mouth is full
Me: Your mouth is full?!  With what?
2 year old turns and looks at me, sticks his tongue out as far as it will go then turns his head away.
Me (in my head): Fantastic...already a little smart @ss!