The beginning of school for families can be FULL of expectations. I know this from experience and I admit, I'm still guilty of it ... especially when it comes to school lunches. I had the chance to sit with my friend, Nishta, who is a Registered Dietitian, childhood and family nutrition expert and most importantly, she is a mom of two! She gave me a reality check when it came to some of the expectations I had when Harper was going into SK. I thought this was such an important topic that it had to be shared. Here are some of the most common expectations written by Nishta ... hope this helps!

Nom nom nom ... bring on all the yummy @Gerber_ca Organic Purées! I'm starting to love this stage and apparently so is Noa! We're so happy about the new smart flow spout that helps to make meal time less messy. I know a lot of moms have tons of questions around introducing solids - I know I did! On the blog I dig a little deeper into this topic, so click the link for all the details. Plus, read about why I love GERBER Organic Purées for my baby and how they give me the assurance I need that Noa is getting the necessary nutrients to grow while absolutely loving all the different flavours!

Read some of my favourite mother-daughter date ideas that you can do in my city! Plus, many of the ideas you’re about to read can be used for Mother/Son outings too! 

Various hormones can impact our body and it’s ability to lose weight or build muscle. I can tell you that hormonal imbalances, especially postpartum, can simply get the best of us … and our waistlines! I will keep it light and touch on few of the hormonal culprits to be weary of. I’ll also try and give you some tips to help you manage through this hormonal roller coaster and get you well on your way to achieving your postpartum fitness goals.

As mothers we’re always putting ourselves on the back burner and we’ve been told time and time again to practice self-love, but just how do we do it? Here are 6 easy steps that can help you start today!

As many of you have read in my posts, my journey to baby #2 was not an easy one. WhenFirst Response asked to interview me to dig deeper into my story, as part of the “This is My Journey” campaign with Today’s Parent, I knew it would bring out a lot of emotions. This campaign is intended to share women’s unique pregnancy journeys to help provide support to other women and families to know they’re not alone. My first pregnancy was so much different than my second, which I could never have been prepared for, so wanted to share my story to help others.

When I had my second baby, this passion to bond through music continued. This time I was introduced to an amazing new musical app called Smart Start. It combines The Royal Conservatory’s internationally acclaimed early childhood music programs with the latest findings in neuroscience research. My kind of combination! What’s more, I didn’t have to leave my home to experience its benefits. It’s literally like having a music class in my pocket!

80% of the time I have breakfast on the go and it is usually a smoothie of some sort! We all know mornings can be pretty chaotic, so having simple smoothie recipes on hand makes life so much easier. You can blend, pour and take it out the door with you! I'll get right to the point and share my favourite (SUPER EASY) breakfast smoothies; hopefully they make your mornings less crazy too.

Here are 10 easy ideas that will keep your kiddies active, busy and most importantly, having fun this summer here in Toronto! It’s all about keeping them moving, their brain working … and doing activities that won’t break the bank! 

I’m slowly getting back to more regular activity since having my second baby and I have to admit, finding workout clothing for the nursing mother was not an easy task. As you might already know, it takes major skills to try and breastfeed in a regular sports bra after a Mommy & Baby fitness class. I was not up for that challenge. But I think the universe must’ve been listening because that’s when I was introduced to @Cadenshae. It’s the first active wear line made specifically for moms (by a mom) that’s not only functional, but fashionable too. I’ve shared the full low-down on the blog! If you’re a nursing active mama, you HAVE to check out this line. I’m officially obsessed! 

Confession: I was an avid sun worshipper in my younger years and I was guilty of the occasional tanning bed session. Yikes! I also never wore sunscreen unless I was on vacation. Today, it’s a whole different story. Read on as I share how things have changed and how @Olay Total Effects SPF 15 is now a staple in my journey to healthier skin.

I always thought I would have boys and now that I have two girls I couldn’t see it any other way. In my opinion, daughters are just the best! In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share why I love having daughters!

Did your baby have challenges taking a bottle? You always hear so many different stories on this topic. Some babies just outright refuse it! I partnered with #MAM to test out their MAM Anti-Colic Bottle and guess what? It was a success! On the blog, I share some advice on giving a bottle and what we loved about MAM. Plus, now that Noa is willing to take a bottle of breast milk, my hubby feels much more involved and they can have their own bonding time too!

For the second year in a row, I’ve partnered with Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) on their “Excuses Campaign”. Like most women, I have a soft spot for shoes and it is just hard to say no to a good pair! Truth: I can always find an excuse to get shoes. But this time around, Harper and I set aside the running shoes and trainers and we’re focusing on rain boots instead!

This is me 6 weeks postpartum. My body is softer and my skin is looser; sure, I'm excited to get back to my fitness routine, but I just made a beautiful little human which took 39 weeks to bake, so I'm in no rush whatsoever. Although this week my OB told me my "recovery was quick" and that I was allowed to get back to the gym, I am still following my own advice about taking it slow. Here are some tips to help you ease back into it too. 

Strollers are an important part of your motherhood journey. Read more about why we chose the UPPAbaby VISTA once again with baby #2. 

Mamas, it’s official - we’ve just partnered with Pampers! There are so many reasons why I would consider us a ‘Pampers family’ from the get-go and it goes beyond just the diapers and wipes themselves. Read on to learn more about why we are so loyal to this brand!

I wasn’t going to write about this, but if you know me then you know that I’m a pretty sensitive person. So after getting hit from a bunch of trolls online recently I thought I should write a little something … 

It's true when they say parents have amnesia and forget the early stages of when they had a baby. I thought it would be a good idea to write this post and share a glimpse into our day so that I never forget it again. For you expecting mamas, this might help jog your memory too!

We opted to bank baby #2’s cord blood and cord tissue and to be honest, I really didn’t know much about the benefits of banking 5 years ago, which is why we hadn’t gone this route with Harper. However, this time around, Americord had recently launched here in Canada and I was given the opportunity to have a more thorough discussion with experts at Americord about the benefits. As a result, there was no doubt in my mind than to say YES to cord blood and tissue banking. Read on to learn more about why we made this choice.