Come Celebrate With Us!

Urbanbaby & Toddler Magazine is proud to support the Bellies to Babies Celebration on Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Come Celebrate Motherhood with us at the Bellies to Babies Celebration™, the province's educational tradeshow for new and expectant parents. Whether you're a rookie or becoming a mom for the second or third time, this day was created just for you. Attendees will see everything from stylish baby and children’s clothing; beauty advice for radiant skin; postnatal classes for mom and baby; and green baby products for the new arrival. It's all at one show - under one roof.  

Moms-to-be can participate in educational workshops. Rookie Dads can take part in our Daddy Diapering Contest! Varied support groups will also be on hand to answer questions for new and expectant parents.

Bellies to Babies Celebration™ showcases a wide variety of exhibitors and sponsors with over $2000 in door prizes. The first 100 Moms in attendance receive a complimentary diaper bag sponsored by Urbanbaby & Toddler Magazine. One lucky winner could be strolling in style! Stop the Vancouver 24Hrs Booth 47 and enter win 2012 UPPAbaby Vista Stroller valued at $749.00 sponsored by Vancouver 24Hrs and jack&lola.

Every mom attending the tradeshow on Sunday, May 6^th, 2012 will be eligible for the grand prize draw of a $1000 shopping spree from Lusso Baby.

Bellies to Babies Celebration™ takes place on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at the Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive from 11am – 4pm. Admission is by donation to Vancouver Food Bank Basics for Babies Program. Donations include baby food, formula, diapers and baby wipes. Monetary donations area also appreciated.

Bellies to Babies Celebration™ supports "Breastfeeding is Best" and provides a breastfeeding-friendly environment for all in the mommy lounge.  

Sponsored by: lussobaby, Urbanbaby & Toddler Magazine, JRFM, Virgin 95.3FM, jack&lola, Shop`n Stroll, Vancouver 24 Hrs, and Movies for Mommies.  

To Attend: Register at www.belliestobabiescelebration.com or call
604-908-8835. Sign up today for Bellies to Babies Celebration™ e-newsletter.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BelliestoBabiesCelebration to win a $100.00 gift certificate to spend at the Bellies to Babies Celebration Spring Tradeshow!

Come Support BC Children’s Hospital

Most parents mark their newborns milestones in terms of pounds and ounces, hours of sleep; celebrating first smiles and holding their heads up. We were tracking weight as well - the weight of her diapers to track consumption. We celebrated the minute increase from 2mLs - 5mLs in her feeding tube. We celebrated the first bottle feed and then the first breastfeed. We celebrated the last blood collection (which meant the last collapsed vein) and we celebrated our wireless baby - no IV's, ART lines, oxygen, blood pressure or heart monitors. We celebrated our 17 ay old living through open heart surgery. Our biggest celebration was finally ringing home our 1 month old baby.

My daughter was born, unbeknownst to us, with a Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA), a Ventrical Septal Defect (VSD) and Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and a PatentDuctus Arteriosus PDA); all types of congential heart conditions. In simpler terms, her aorta and pulmonary arteries were on backwards which, by itself, would be lethal if not immediately, then within hours after birth. With the arteries in opposite positions, her body was not receiving oxygenated blood. The additional defects she was born with meant she had several holes within her heart which allowed the oxygen to mix sufficiently enough to keep her alive until her surgery.

Thanks to the incredible staff at BC Children’s Hospital, we were able to celebrate, not only her living through surgery, but all the milestones of a typical child. We celebrated her first steps at 9 months old, and running well before her first birthday. We celebrated her first early “Mamas” and “Dadas” and her first signs at 13 months. We celebrated her first day of school at 2 ½ years and her first sleepover at 3 years. Now we want to celebrate and give back to the people who made this all possible. Through Gymboree Play & Music in North Vancouver, we are running some amazing events in support of Jeans Day and BCCHF. All throughout April we will be running Jeans Themed Open PlayGyms (click here forschedule). Our staff will be donning their denim leading all the fun activities. Each of our Open PlayGyms (scheduled Tuesday through Friday), are open to everyone by donation to BCCHF. Activities are geared towards children from birth – 5 years old with one adult in attendance, but more are welcome! It wouldn’t be Jeans Day without pins and buttons; we will be selling those all month long as well! We’ll finish it off with a big party on Jean’s Day; Thursday April 26th! RSVP is needed for this event only; contact us at 604-739-1190 or nshorebc@gymboreeclasses.com. Entry is $10 for members, $20 for new families and friends. In addition to the activities and music, we will also be raffling off various prizes, from instruments to classes to birthday packages; entries available by donation. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Jeans Day Fundraising efforts in support of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Please join the celebration and help us support such critical service, so they in turn can carry on providing the exceptional level of care needed for all the celebrations to come from families like mine.