Some promises made to my baby girl, Noa …

Guys, I am so excited to announce that I have partnered with @BabiesRUs_Canada this year and agreed to a role that I couldn’t turn down. They’ve asked me to review some key products and I’ve made a commitment to provide my honest opinion on each. I know as a mother it can be so confusing when shopping for various items that it helps to read reviews to get the real deal beforehand. With that said, I’m kicking off this partnership with reviewing The Graco TurboBooster TakeAlong. Keep on reading for the full review … spoiler alert: it’s a good one!

It’s all too easy to beat yourself up to lose that “baby weight”, so today I took the time to sit down and really think about ten things that I believe are so important to remember when it comes to postpartum fitness (that go beyond fitting into your pre-baby wardrobe).

Motherhood looks different on everybody and what a beautiful thing that is! I have to say it is such an honour and privilege to raise two daughters. I feel so grateful to have this role as a mother and want to do the best I can to raise healthy, confident and strong little women. When I think about how I can do this, I started writing down a list of things I felt would support this nurturing. 

I was motivated by a mommy friend, Ronit from @leagueofmoms, to write this post after she spoke at the MOMSTO Wine Festival last month. And since I’ve been on maternity leave now for seven months it feels like the right time to share my story and how I’ve been living my best and healthiest mat-leave life too. Plus, as cliché as it sounds, time if flying by all too fast! I’ve tried my hardest to make the most of each day, but #MomLife often gets the best of me. With that said, here are my tips to making the most of my mat leave, as well as the real deal when it comes to doing so!

t has been hard keeping this project on the DL, but I couldn't wait any longer. The So Yummy Mommy series is officially here!! I've partnered with my good friend, Sabrina, who is Registered Holistic Nutritionist and also a mama of two! Throughout my pregnancy with Noa, she was my go-to for all things nutrition and so what better person to team up with to bring you The So Yummy Mommy Series! 

With only a couple of days in one of our favourite places to visit, we made the most of every minute. We made sure to stay at the best hotel, Loews Miami, and hit up all the must-sees in less than 48 hours. Read on to see why I believe Miami is super kid-friendly and why we decided to stay at Loews!

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!