Northside Parent Friendly Cafe !

So after a week or so of "taking it easy" after having minor surgury. I finally got my butt out of the house. Thankfully my mom has been helping out with the little one while the hubbys at work. We were going to go for lunch anyway - So rather than hitting up a mall food court or your friendly neighborhood McD's - We decided to check out this sweet new cafe called "Little Beans Cafe" In St Albert.  Its about a 10 minute drive from my place ! And still relatively central meeting point for my Northside Friends !

My first impression of the place was great ! I loved that fact that it was so BRIGHT !!!
There is a play area in the middle of the 2nd room just past the boot room. There are tables on the sides near large windows surrounding the play area. I find this set up is a pretty good for Little N's age ( almost 14 months) He can still climb around and play with stuff - But there arent too many other bigger kids around right now.

The food was pretty good, nice presentation with healthy portions !! - We had a salmon sandwich and a tzatziki platter and a couple of sodas. Total cost with N's entry fee - Just under $30.
(still beats lunch @ McD's)

I had the opportunity to meet one of the owners of this fine establishment- Shelly !!
Such a happy & welcoming lady! Made us feel right at home! I also met the other owner very briefly when my son tried to sneak into the back kitchen area...thats my boy...always looking for more food.

The windows are large, the decor is crisp with a touch of bling ! its just ..... so nice !!!! Ohhh They also had this suuuuuper cool Plant holder that was nailed to the wall in the 1st room when you walk in.

There are 2 large bathrooms and a large change area with 2 changing stations and 2 sinks

I thoroghly enjoyed it here I will definatley be back for a few more play dates ( or meetings ) !!!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/littlebeans.canada

	51 Inglewood Drive, Saint Albert, AB

Mon-Fri 7:30am -6pm and 9-4pm Saturday.

Entrance is $7 for walking age to 7 years.

$3.50 after 4pm!

Supporting Local Businesses !!!

As  a consumer I've always tried to purchase things made in Canada, Or eat at a mom/pops type diner over a franchise type of restaurant.... even my music choices tended to lean towards the independent music scene.
Its not always easy to buy local -as there are big box stores EVERYwhere selling Everything so cheaply.

As a new entrepreneur the idea of shopping local hits home even more so. In the last 6 months I have met so many  Business owners and heard their stories and how they got started. Its really quite inspiring. I've read blogs and articles and watched shows about small business start -ups, and been warned about how cut throat the some people can be in business.

I am finding it to be quite the opposite - everyone I have met thus far has been so... welcoming. Supportive of each other. Maybe Its Edmonton, Maybe its my outlook, maybe I've just been fortunate enough to meet some really kick ass people - who knows.. probably all of the above.

In anycase - I wanted to Make a special mention about one my 1st Online retailers..

http://www.bumblebeebaby.ca/

They have Teamed up with

KEYLIME ATHLETIC WEAR
12-975 Broadmoor Blvd. Sherwood Park, AB

http://www.keylimecanada.com/

They are set up in the retail location and ready for you to check them out.
BumbleBee Kids thrilled to announce that this fabulous local store is carrying ALL of their product lines.

 Come by and check them BOTH out.

Oh Hey, Whats that in the Top Left Corner ?!?  Oh its a some CoverBoos !!!

Congrats to BumbleBee Kids & Keylime Athletics !!

Cheers !

First Retailer : 100 Mile Baby !

 I am So very Pleased to announce that CoverBoo Couture Nursing Scarves will soon be available at...

http://www.sweetmomma.com/

St. Albert & Edmonton

Sweet Momma is a health spa and Boutique specializing in pregnancy wellness.  They understand that conceiving is not easy, the aches and pains of pregnancy are real and that relaxing can be a challenge. 

 Specialty pregnancy services include pregnancy massage, pregnancy & preconception acupuncture, pregnancy nutrition & supplements and pregnancy specific spa treatments.

CoverBoo Couture will be the newest addition to their 100 Mile Baby line !

 100 Mile Baby was created by Sweet Momma Spa to connect local artists with consumers in our community. All products labelled with 100 Mile baby tags are locally handmade products for mom and baby.

So Now you can go get your "Spa On" in style !!!!!!

Whooo Hooooo !!!!

The Travelling CoverBoo - international tides

Ok, So this post might be me reliving my past trip to Cuba. Oooohh - One week is NOT long enough !
I miss the sun, and the sand and of course the free flowing pina coladas !!!

It was our 1st international trip with our baby. Thankfully all the advice I got from Corrine from "Have Baby Will Travel" eased all my anxieties !  http://havebabywilltravel.com/about/

We spent the week in Veraderro. It was a 5 1/2 hr flight - plus the couple few hours before & after arrvial .. So it makes for a pretty long day. But I must say - Baby N is a fantastic traveller. We always see the other passengers faces when they see that they are going to spend the next few hours on a plane seated by a baby. That dreaded look.... then he smiles at them and its all over. I swear this kid had them like putty in his hands. He had a few little cries here and there - but we were armed with toy cars, a bottle, Goldfish Crackers, Baby Gourmet ( http://babygourmet.com/ ) I LOVE LOVE LOVE that stuff.... and of course when all else fails the CoverBoo !

It definately came in handy for the flight ! They had the AC cranked in the plane so the CoverBoo doubled as blanket for both me & N ! He did manage to take a short nap during the the flight - and I could watch the movie is peace.

When We finally landed and got ourselves settled in the hotel it was sunset - but we needed rest for all the beach time and pool time and all the other adventures we had in store the whole week !

CoverBoo by the pool !!

and CoverBoo on the Beach

How do you wear your CoverBoo ? 

I was forever finding different ways to wear it. At one point I had it wrapped around my head like a bandana, of course my camera battery was dead.

Anyway -- we managed to find Al Capone's old beach house - which is now converted into a lovely restaurant.... Oh if those walls could talk.

We took a day trip on a Catamaran - went snorkling, headed out to Cayo Blanco for a Grilled lobster lunch and went swimming with the dolphins !!

 

We Brought along our Mei tei Buckle carrier as this little big boy gets pretty heavy.

http://www.cosybabyhappymommy.com/

And the Catamaran can go pretty fast and it can get pretty windy out there.

he looked pretty cozy !

It was an all day event ! Pretty tiring !

It was a long exciting day, lots to look at -

the CoverBoo provided a nice little private place for him to hide a bit and get some nap time

oh - I just wanna gobble him up !!!

I finally got my fresh coconut !!!

 

Mini CoverBoo Fashion Show for PPD Awareness @ WEM !

How many people know what PPD is ?
Well it stands for Post Partem Depression. I guess sometimes after birth, some women have some trouble with their emotions. I did.... at the time I didnt think I did.... But I did. The degree varies from person to person. I suppose lack of sleep will do that to a person.
I found myself getting into my truck and driving somewhere just to cry. ( I dont normally cry infront of people ... unless its a particularly good episode of Greys Anatomy) Anyway,  I did that more than a couple times. One day I found myself in a super zombie like state and decided to go to the family health clinic to talk to someone. We talked for a while and she managed to calm me down a bit, and she told me about a group down the street I could go and talk to.So I went - and the women there where great, supportive, non-judgemental and just really ..... open. That was almost 9 months ago ... and I still go to meet up with them, as I have made some great friends with them and my son has come to know & play with their kids too. These ladies were the first moms I showed the CoverBoo to. With their kind words of support I dove into this Project.....and Here I am today

For More information about PPD and support groups around Edmonton, Please click on the website below:

http://www.ppda.ca/

Well today, I had the opportunity to "Give Back" and help promote PPD awareness. There was an event at West Edmonton Mall to educate people of the signs & symptoms to watch for regarding PPD.
I had a booth with some new CoverBoos and a handful of some wonderful women to help model the CoverBoos ! Meet the Belles of  CoverBoo !!!



 

The Lovely Robyn, sporting not one but two ways to wear the CoverBoos

One as a light fashionable scarf and one tied to a purse strap !



The Beautiful Stefanie, mother of a gorgeous little Boy and expecting another litle bundle in a couple of months .. also a blogger for http://meant2bemama.com/

She's my most fave customer ! She already has 3 different CoverBoos !!!

I was delighted to meet Nathalie & Her new baby daughter today as she volunteered

to model her new Red CoverBoo at the show !

            

The Radiant Ms. Zita !

Sporting one of the Blue Plaid CoverBoos !

One of my most supportive cheerleaders !!

And the Stunning Ms. Corri !

No longer in the Nursing phase of motherhood -

But can still strike a pose with the CoverBoo !

Special thanks to my two Gorgeous Cousins to took the time to man my booth & entertain my little boy while my dear husband took photos of all of us at during the fashion show !

I must confess though - I really was a bit nervous as I don't do much public speaking.

I really should have wrote down some key points to talk about instead of just "wingin it "

But I think it still turned out OK.

All in all it was a fun day - I had the chance to showcase the CoverBoo Nursing Scarf in a Great venue for a good cause. I was also meet many new vendors and touch base with a couple of people who I will be collaborating with in the near future !!!

Special Shout out to Urban Chickadee Bump Camp and Sweet Momma Spa !

We'll talk again soon !

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE !!!!!

Ordering Take Out from The Breastaurant

When I first joined one of those "new mom network" mom groups - a couple of the ladies were talking about how they had to pump ALL the time because they had so much milk, Or wanted to go out for a couple of wobbly pops and needed to stock up on some boob juice for the bebe.
So.... how many of you ladies out there have to pump ?show of hands ?
I never really had to. I tried a couple times but i never really got much. Maybe it was because it was one of those manual hand pump things - not one of those super fancy electric things. But I never really had the actual "need" to pump breast milk. I know some ladies have to pump because they are engorged, or they have to go back to work, or want to go out for a couple bottles of wine. What I wonder - Is Where do they use these breast pumps ? I assume in the privacy of their own home.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine about her experience with the pumps - she had to go back to work earlier and she couldnt really express her milk in her office as anyone could walk in and find her hooked up to this contraption, so she did it in the washroom.
Huh --- this reminds me of an episode of "The Cupcake Girls" that I watched a while ago. One of the ladies was in her office on the phone while hooked up to her pumping machine, and the client on the phone was asking her what that noise was in the background. She just said it was the mixers & blenders in the assembly room.


( * please note * this is NOT one of the CupCake girls - this photo was taken off the interwebs !)

I dont imagine this is what its like "In Real Life" for most ladies...You know - Big toothy smiles, shirt wide open sitting at your office with a cappuccino on your computer tapping away and pumping.... maybe it is - maybe it isnt - who knows. ( Hey - you know what would look great with this pic, if one were to pump at the office ? A CoverBoo -- Ok. yes shameless plug..... I'm just sayin' ! )

Now This is how I would think most of the pumping moms are like In real life :
Chillin on the rocker with a coffee & magazine - wearing sweatpants.


( Again - photo taken off interwebs)

I know breastfeeding is always a hot topic - I guess by association using breast pumps are too. oh well. Wether you formula feed, bottle feed, breast feed it doesnt matter - just so long as the baby is "feeding" !!!

Feeling so Grateful ! - Top 11 of 2011

It has been a busy busy month and I have been away from blogging. As this new year approaches I look back on this past year and I am amazed at all the changes that have happend in our lives. the biggest change is obviously the birth of our first child ! OMG - He's going to be a whle year old next weekend !!!

Above left pic was probably the very 1st pic taken of him .... above right pic was taken Christmas Day with his Great Grandmother ! He makes her laugh sooo much !

2011 Has been Fabulous

Here are my Top 11 Things I am So grateful for :

1. A Healthy Happy baby boy !
2. The fact that my Husband works IN TOWN -- NOT Ft.McMurray Or Saskatchewan
3. My friends and family
4. A whole year of Maternity Leave Benefits
5. Skype ... brings me even closer to my friends who are far away !
6. Social Media. - Sometimes its the only form of Adult contact
7. CableTV and video on demand. Day time TV sucks and being up all hours of the night feedings suck too!
8. Starting CoverBooCouture - you have NO IDEA how thankful I am to all those who support me in this new journey. Which brings me to # 9


9. Social Circlet - Catherine & Kathleen.. without your invite to this wonderful group... I dont know if CoverBooCouture would have ever gotten this far is such a short time. ( I still can't believe CoverBoo Couture was only started in August 2011.... ) I have met SOOO many wonderful people in the last few months..Zita,Nicole,Erin, Stef, Natasha, Erie, Nicola, April ..... so many more ...I havent been this social and active for years !  Its like finding a whole new group of friends.... and business associates to collaborate with

10. I'm grateful that my old job has me back part time AND working remotley from home !!! Whoo Hooo

11. Lastly I'm grateful for Everyone involved in all the UpComing things happening with CoverBoo Starting January 2012 .... * January Spoiler * One of the exciting things is - CoverBoo Couture will be collaborating with the lovely Erie Melnychuk, Ibclc, Registered Lactation Consultant

http://edmontonibclc.blogspot.com/2011/08/ibclc-lc-cle-what-does-it-mean.html


 I'm So excited for the New Year ! Stay Tuned.