by Heather
Another week of fun activities for moms and babies courtesy of Kristi at Ciao Bambino. If you’re a local mum, why not be a tourist in your own town for a week?!
Just visiting? Stay at the posh Hotel Manoir Victoria, which has a special entrance for strollers and an indoor pool.
What’s not to love about a city that makes you feel like a femme français? Your bébé and you can live like Europeans (visiting Americans will enjoy that their dollar will actually have value!) in this charming little city in Eastern Canada.
Monday: Sip & Shop
Get your caffeine buzz while your petit chou (this means “little cabbage” but never mind that—it’s an adorable term of endearment nonetheless) listens to French conversation. It’s tough to choose from the city’s 100 cafés, restaurants and bistros, by my fave is L’Omelette (66 rue Saint-Louis). Not so much for the ambiance (although there’s nothing better than an open-air window seat overlooking the street) but for The. Greatest. Café au Lait. In. The. Universe. Whittle away an hour or two then pop in and out of local shops on rue St. Louis.
Bring your sturdiest stroller—these cobblestone streets can be killers. Need a bathroom break or diaper change? Every bistro and hotel along the way has clean, accessible bathrooms, with the exception of the Chateau Frontenac, where you need a room key to open up the door to its swanky washrooms.
Tuesday: Gourmet Eats & Fresh Air
Head to J.A. Moisan Epicerie Fine, North America’s oldest grocery store. Stock up on two or three varieties of cheese, strawberry jam and a loaf on fresh bread. Uneasy because your French is weak at best? Worry not. Even in local stores where English is but an afterthought, employees are friendly and gracious and will find a way to help you figure out what you’re trying to say. Stroll your spoils along the city’s fortification walls and find a lay down a blanket on the massive grassy knolls of Artillery Park.
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by Heather
Cori Howard, author of Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood wants to encourage us all to write down our “momoirs”.
To get started:
- Get a notebook and to keep it with them at all times. You never know when you might find a spare few minutes, or when and where your little angel might fall asleep. Having a notebook means you’re a mobile writer and all moms are mobile!
- Have faith in your own story. There’s a lot of writing on motherhood out there, but each of us has a unique perspective and a one-of-a-kind experience and almost all the moms I know, never tire of hearing new stories.
- If you get stuck and don’t know where to start, to just pick a topic: preschool, the dinner table, saying goodbye, faith. Those usually spark some amazing stories in my classes.
She also tells us:
In the crazy, overwhelming chaos of everyday life as a mother, there is so much to write about, and so little time. From memorializing your daughter’s sentences to your inner struggle with your post-baby identity, there are a millions stories you want to remember. The first thing I did upon becoming a mother (after the identity crisis, the ambition crisis and the marriage crisis sort of subsided) was write a book, an anthology about all this struggle (Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood).
After receiving dozens of emails from women wanting to know if there was a sequel and if I was interested in hearing their stories, I decided to start teaching “momoir” classes, helping women get their personal experience with motherhood into well-crafted words, whether it’s for themselves or to publish in a magazine or as a book.
If you want to learn more, or read some of the new stories written by Cori’s students, check out: TheMomoirProject.com. Canadians can find in-person classes in both Toronto and Vancouver too! Or grab her book, Between Interruptions: Thirty Women Tell the Truth About Motherhood.
Related activity: Track your new mama milestones
by Heather
Shana from Wee Travel tells us the best way to spend a week in Vancouver with little ones. Wee Travel (started by two moms who are sisters living on opposite sides of the country) rents baby gear and toys delivered to your door. All equipment is like-new and safety checked and sanitized prior to every rental. They also service Victoria, BC and Toronto.
Vancouver is a gorgeous city summer and winter (even when it rains!!!).
MONDAY — Granville Island
First stop is definitely Granville Island. Babies will enjoy the busy sounds and sights of the market and older kids won’t want to leave the Kids Only Market. (You do this first as it’s probably a place the kids will want to go back to so you can use it as a bribe if necessary!!!) There are a host of things to do in the market- The Adventure Zone is a great climbing activity and Camelot Kids is a wonderful toy store. They are very selective with their picks so you can select from top notch toys.
After an exhilarating couple of hours playing, walk over to the Granville Island Market for some great eats. Lots of different foods to choose from for everyone in your family. Lee’s Donuts is a great treat, as is Terra Breads. Fresh fish, meat and poultry are in abundant supply and always fresh. There are too many great spots to name them all here. Admission is free.
TUESDAY — Stanley Park and Vancouver Aquarium
Stanley Park has great walks for strollers and toddlers alike. Be sure to check out the garden paths and the lovely views.
If you have time and money, the Vancouver Aquarium is a “must see”. You can watch the beluga and dolphin shows and my son’s favorite is Tag the sea lion. He is humongous and fun to watch, especially at feeding time when he is on “best” behaviour. If you stand right up next to the glass you’re sure to get wet!
There are hands-on activities downstairs and an array of beautiful fish. Another favorite area is the tropical garden where the birds fly around freely. At certain times of the year the butterflies have hatched and there are hundreds and hundreds flying about. Sometimes they will land on your arm! Children under 3 get in free.
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by Heather
Rookie Moms is heading North to Canada. Our local correspondent, Kim-Anh, suggested a week’s worth of fun ideas for moms and babies in Ottawa.
MONDAY
Avoid the weekend crowds by going shopping with baby on a weekday! Many Ottawa shopping centers offer special facilities for changing and nursing baby. St-Laurent Shopping Centre, Rideau Centre, and Place d’Orleans are just some of the local shopping centres that offer private nursing rooms, some with stalls and rocking chairs.
Strollers (single and multi-kid) are available at most if not all shopping centres. And should you forget to bring anything - you can always buy it there! Shopping centres offer many interesting things for baby to look at, and can be an especially good escape from excessively hot or cold weather.
TUESDAY
Take baby to the movies and catch a flick you would otherwise miss! Every second Tuesday at the Barrhaven Cineplex movie theatre, recent movies are shown at 1pm in a special “Stars and Strollers” screening. Movies are shown at reduced volume, with dimmed lighting, changing stations, and a theatre full of understanding parents should baby decide provide ongoing commentary on the movie you’re watching.
Stars and Strollers is also available on Wednesdays at SilverCity Gloucester and Thursdays at the Coliseum.
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