Recall Notice: B.O.B. Strollers

Health Canada has issued an important recall notice on B.O.B. strollers. Click on link to find out if you've got one of these strollers and what Health Canada is recommending you do.

http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1279

What my little girl does in the name of vanity

My daughter and I went out for an evening stroll the other day. It was a cold night, but she was thrilled to be spending time with Mommy alone. When we returned from the walk, her cheeks were very rosy. From the cold air, I told her. She loved the colour in her face, and quickly ran upstairs to "do something," I heard her mumble as she disappeared.

I took my time putting shoes and coats away and eventually made my way up the stairs. Walking into the kitchen, I found my daughter tip-toeing on a chair that she had pushed up to our refrigerator, with the freezer door wide open and her head firmly pushed right into it.

We asked what she was doing. She simply replied, "I'm making my cheeks rosy!"

Happy Happy at Collage Collage

Collage Collage -- it's so wonderful, you have to say the word twice. But really, Collage Collage (yes, the name of the business is the same word repeated) is a fabulous kids' art studio where my daughter hosted 7 of her friends for her 6th birthday party.

What I love about Collage Collage:
1. The party was very fun but it was also low-key. We've all been to those adrenaline-pumped birthday parties where sugar is the fuel of choice. Kids get overtired, grumpy and overstimulated. And adults? Well, they get overtired, grumpy and overstimulated too! At Collage Collage, the space was calm. Low-volume kid-friendly music played in the background. And the festivities started off with a lovely story reading (by shop owner Erin, herself) which became the jumping-off point for the art project to follow.

2. Erin had complete control over the party and the kids at all times. She was unflappable and enthusiastic at the same time. Plus she was even able to coax one shy party-goer (my older son, who clearly felt a little conspicuous as the only boy in a room of younger girls) to get involved and enjoy himself.

3. The studio is filled with fun stuff to check out: from art supplies to cool kids' art books, from craft projects to handmade stuffies. Great eye candy for parents and kids.

4. Each of the kids created her own work of art, based on the story that was read. In our case, they each made an artistic collage that included painting, glitter glue, yarn, tissue paper, and crayons. Erin has a way of gently guiding the kids and then encouraging them to use their own imaginations.

5. It is inexpensive. For a party of up to 8 kids, the cost of a 1-1/2 hour fete is $150 + tax. The kids get to take their art home with them too.

Thank you, Erin, for a happy happy time at Collage Collage.

We also loved the giant cupcake (like the size of an oversized muffin) and mini-cupcakes that we got from Cupcakes on West Broadway. They were delectable!

Raise money for local food banks and get great kids' photos too

urbanbaby & toddler teams up with Kids of Vancouver 2011 to help raise money for local food banks

For the very first time, urbanbaby & toddler magazine and Kids of Vancouver 2011 have teamed up to offer your child a chance to be on the parenting magazine's Winter 2011 cover. Just sign your child up to participate in the Kids of Vancouver 2011 photo project from now until February 28, 2011 and he/she will automatically become a candidate to win this coveted spot.

Tanya and Jeff Harrison of Veridamo Photography are the brainchild behind the Kids of Vancouver project, which invites parents to sign up to receive an expert photo session for their child for a $100 donation (per child; every additional child is an additional $25) to one of two food bank programs. The image of their child will appear in the hardcover, perfect-bound Kids of Vancouver 2011 coffee table book, which is available for purchase at the end of the year.

Last year, the second year for the book, the initiative raised just over $14,000 in total for two local food banks. With the Greater Vancouver Food Bank's share, the charity was able to purchase more than 1,350 Kids' Picks snack packs (provided to preschoolers between 18 months and 6 years).

"We are both very proud and happy to have helped raise such a significant amount of money for these children's food bank programs," says Jeff Harrison. "Of course, a huge thank-you to all the parents that participated last year. And with the opportunity to have a Kids of Vancouver child appear on the Winter 2011 cover of urbanbaby & toddler magazine, we're positive we'll raise even more money this year!"

"urbanbaby & toddler is proud to be partners with Veridamo Photography in this Winter 2011 cover contest," says Emma Lee, editor and owner of urbanbaby & toddler, adding that the partnership is a great way to get a high-quality winter cover and to help local charities at the same time. "I have personally participated in Kids of Vancouver 2010 and was impressed not only with the images Veridamo captured of my children but also with Jeff and Tanya's passion for helping to feed the hungry. I hope that this year's cover contest will attract more people to sign up for Kids of Vancouver, thereby helping those in need in the community."

How to Enter: To enter the urbanbaby & toddler Winter 2011 cover contest, parents must contact Veridamo Photography (through the Kids of Vancouver website, www.kidsofvancouver.com/urbanbaby) to register. To be eligible for the cover, children must photographed by Veridamo Photography and be between the ages of 6 and 36 months. The winner of the cover contest will be determined by public online voting after urbanbaby & toddler has narrowed the eligible images down to a maximum of 5 cover choices. Further details on the poll will be announced on the Kids of Vancouver website in September 2011.

For more information about the contest and to register, visit www.kidsofvancouver.com/urbanbaby.