"D" is for Duck!
This week we discovered the letter "D" at our weekly Alphabet playgroup.
momstown Newmarket-Aurora gathered together and sang Duck songs, read duck books and made a duck craft together.
Next week we will discover the letter "E"
Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
momstown's Halloween Playgroup
Lion's and tiger's and bears, oh my!
Fun Times!
Our momstown Newmarket-Aurora children dressed up in their awesome Halloween costumes for our weekly playgroup!
We had FUN enjoying chocolate treats and decorating pumpkins and spider at craft time.
Next month, in November, we start discovering the "Wild West"
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
momstown's Halloween Party 2011
This October, momstown Newmarket-Aurora celebrated Halloween together at Zooz Indoor Playground in Aurora!
It was an awesome party, Pizza dinner, loot bags for he children and PLUS we played at Zooz all night!
The children all dressed up, and some of the parents did as well.
I saw an astronaut, Cinderella, a frog and tons of other really cute costumes!
Everyone had a great time!
Thank you Zooz, for an AWESOME party!!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
momstown's Children's Book Club
This month our momstown Newmarket-Aurora chapter gathered at Diane's home for our monthly childrens book club.
This month our lucky mom Laura, won Story Country from Scholastic Canada.
We also had craft time, where we used large balls and glue to make these tiny critters, bats and owls...scary!
Thank you Diane for hosting, and congrats to Laura for winning the book!
Join the neighbourhood at momstown.ca
Friday, October 21, 2011
Have you heard???
momstown has WON Savvy Mom's
MOM Entrepreneur of the Year!!!
I wanted to give a special "Thank You" to everyone who voted and supported us. We could not have done it without you!
Together we make momstown the best place to be a part of!
momstown is saying THANKS for voting us SavvyMom MOM ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR with 1 FREE month membership!
MEMBERS win when we win! Free one month membership to NEW members and a free month extension for EXISTING or EXPIRED members. To redeem, please register on your local site and complete the form* at http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/372. Available between Oct 21- 28th. Memberships will be extended the first week of November.
PLUS, are you an ONLINE MOM ENTREPRENEUR? momstown wants to share our success by offering Online Mom Entrepreneurs exposure with a FREE national contest & member discount listing! Details, rules*, and entry at http://momstown-moments.momstown.ca/node/372. Available from Oct 21-Oct 28 for ad activity Nov – Dec 2011.
*Offers valid without purchase and expire Oct 28, 2011.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
momstown Newmarket-Aurora October Playgroup
This month momstown Newmarket-Aurora are preparing for Halloween!
Each week we made a different craft.
This week we made scarecrows from fall paper plates.
Today we made ghosts with construction and tissue paper.
Our crafts are FUN and easy for children of all ages.
Plus the moms love to help our too!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Rainee Paz Photography Contest Question #3
Question #3
Are you the photographer for your family or do you prefer to have a professional snap your precious moments?
Hey momstown Newmarket and Aurora, leave you comments below or post them on our message board for your chance to WIN a $50 mini photo session with Rainee Paz Photography!
Good Luck everyone!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Do you have what it takes to be a Field Agent???
Think you might like being paid to shop?
Then you won't want to miss the launch of Field Agent
A new program (offered free of charge via the Apple App Store) that connects companies with community "experts" like you!
Moms/Agents can make anywhere from $3 - $10 for answering some questions and snapping some photos through the Field Agent app while shopping in their local stores.
How does it work?
Once a company submits a request for information via the Field Agent website, the request is reviewed and sent to iPhone users ("Agents") who have installed the app. Agents are then able to respond to the inquiry, collect information as required and submit it directly from their iPhone. Whether it's a specific photo of a retail display or information on sale prices, you get the opportunity to make money by collecting information on the brands and stores you shop at everyday!
Think you've got what it takes to be a Field Agent? CLICK HERE to download the app (available October 17th) and let the fun begin!
For more information, visit http://www.ca.fieldagent.net, click to watch the video.
Happy Shopping!
momstown Newmarket-Aurora discover's the letter "C"
This week momstown Newmarket-Aurora took a look at the letter "C".
We gather at Chapter's in Newmarket once a week for this event.
We read The Very Hungry caterpillar and Chicka chicka boom boom, played a fun word game and made a craft.
Our momstown children made caterpillars with coloured balls, popsicle sticks, glue and googly eyes.
Sticky FUN!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Positive Parenting Solutions with Amy McCready
Title: Is Time Out a Waste of Your Time?
Location: Webinar (virtual training)
Date: Thursday, October 20th from 2PM -3PM EST
Date: Monday, October 24th from 9PM – 10PM EST
Description:
momstown is excited to partner again with Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, to offer a free live training webinar to our members!
The session is…Why Time Out is a Waste of Time! Amy promises that we’ll walk away with concrete discipline tools we can use the next day and see results. In fact, you’ll learn one of the all-time “parent favourite” tools for stopping any power struggle in its tracks. You can watch, listen and even interact with our host, Amy. Participants are not required to have a webcam, only a computer with speakers.
You'll love the way this webinar is structured. Amy is right there LIVE, a video image of her is in the upper left corner of your monitor the whole time. As she talks with you, you'll watch her PowerPoint presentation that is packed with valuable information. She'll also stop to answer our questions about difficulties and needs when it comes to getting our kids to listen.
You will also have the option to write in specific questions and she’ll address them, right there for you!
All you have to do is RSVP (sorry due to limited ‘seats’, you MUST register on positive parenting) (http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/momstown) and then kick back and learn the proven strategies to Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling!
Have a friend(s) that are not momstown members that you think could benefit from this training? Please Invite Them Too! Just share this registration link http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/momstown!!
About Amy McCready
Parenting expert Amy McCready is the founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, which has empowered thousands of parents worldwide to correct their kids’ misbehavior without nagging, reminding or yelling. Amy is a frequent guest on the TODAY show and has also appeared on Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and elsewhere. A regular contributor to the TODAY Mom’s blog, Amy lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and two sons.
Parenting expert Amy McCready is the founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, which has empowered thousands of parents worldwide to correct their kids’ misbehavior without nagging, reminding or yelling. Amy is a frequent guest on the TODAY show and has also appeared on Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and elsewhere. A regular contributor to the TODAY Mom’s blog, Amy lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and two sons.
I am still alive
May 1999
“There is no heartbeat. It looks as though IT stopped developing two weeks ago. We will give you something for the pain, induce labour and perform a D&C.”
I sat there, on my tiny emergency room bed, stone faced, one tear slowly rolling down my cheek.
“Do you have any questions?”
I shake my head no. My boyfriend returns to the room. We hug.
The pain was excruciating and the morphine did nothing.
“We are a teaching hospital.” The doctor tells me, and proceeds to check how far dilated I am before they bring me to the OR. He then turns to his 4 interns, “Your turn.” Pointing to me. Not only am I in horrible pain, and broken hearted, but now I have to let each of these interns check me internally too, how devastated I was.
One week later, I booked a flight to Vancouver, and left for 3 months.
The relationship did not last.
Dec 2002
Marty and I meet and fall in love.
Aug 2006
“I am so sorry, your HCG levels are decreasing and there is no heart beat.” You should pass it on your own, if not, come back and see me and we will book another D&C for you.
One week passes.
“We’ll have to book you a D&C.”
Marty, comes with me and stays by my side. We are both heart broken and turn to each other for comfort. The morphine is really doing nothing, so I asked the doctor for another dose. The nurse interjects “she has already had…” the doctor interrupts her, “Give her another; really, isn’t she going through enough.” I over hear her say to the nurse. A few minutes later the nurse returns with another shot…I still feel the horrible pain.
Feb 2007
“I think something is wrong!” I say to my doctor, “I am very worried!”
“Your HCG levels are so high, there is no way there is something wrong. You have an ultrasound booked for next week, take it easy and try to relax; everything is going to be fine.”
Ultrasound Visit
“I think there is something wrong with this machine. Let’s go and try another one.”
I sit up, close my gown and follow the ultrasound tech into another room.
“I think we are just having some bad luck with these machines today, let’s try one more.”
I sit up, once again, close my gown with both hands, and follow this lady into another room, only this time; I already know and start to cry.
She sits there quietly, clicking away and does not say a word. I cry.
“I am sorry Christine.” my doctor says.
“You said I had nothing to worry about this time, my HCG numbers were so high and…”
“You were carrying twins, that is why your levels were so high, but they could not find any heart beat on either one, I am so sorry. Let’s send you for some tests so we can figure this out.”
“I’m so tired, but I can’t sleep
Standing on the edge of something, much to deep
It’s funny how we feel so much, and cannot say a word
We are screaming inside but can’t be heard.”
Sarah Mclachlan
Weeks later
“We didn’t find anything wrong with either of you. Just keep trying.”
Feb 2008
“Just as we suspected, your levels are not increasing, I am sorry.” Give it a few weeks, if nothing happens we will perform another D&C.”
Two weeks pass.
“Let’s book that for you, you have not passed everything, so we will have to help you out.”
One more time, sitting alone, waiting for them to take out the only thing I have left inside of me. Yes I know it’s not a baby, yes I know keeping it inside of me will make me sick, but it was going to be my future, my life, and you’re taking it away from me again.
Each miscarriage was so painful, each one killed a part of me that I will never get back. They changed me, broke me, made me stronger.
The “support” I received from family and friends was difficult to swallow.
“Lightening doesn’t strike twice.”
“It was meant to be.”
“At least it’s fun trying again.”
The one the hurt the most…from a former friend,
“Suck it up, there are other people in the world that have it worse then you.”
Are you kidding me, that is what you freaks call “support.”
I felt so alone. I cried all the time. I did not go into work, I did not want to leave the house. I read all the books I could find about miscarriage.
The doctors called it “post pardon depression”, they really did not know what to call it.
Marty and I struggled. I asked him to move out, I could not deal with any of this anymore. He moved out that March. We both cried. I was broken hearted, but I needed to fix me in order to help us through this.
I found a psychologist, she helped me grieve and I started to feel human again.
July 2008
Sitting in the emergency room, once again, waiting to hear from the on-call doctor. He enters through the curtain. I can already tell by the look on his face.
“I am so sorry, we could not find a heartbeat.” How many losses have you had?”
“Five”, I choke out, with tears filling my eyes.
Let’s get you in to our ABC clinic here at South Lake and we will figure this out.
Aug 2008
“My name is Dr. Watt. We will figure this out Ms. Mannello. When did you have your last testing done?”
“We will have to repeat all of those and try some new ones.”
“I don’t care, I will do anything.” I say to him, holding on tightly to Marty’s hand.
“We will book you another ultrasound to make sure everything is expelled before we start the tests again.”
Sept 11, 2008
“How are you?”
“I have been better.” I respond to the ultrasound tech’s question.
I sit still waiting for her to finish. She continues with the small talk.
“I will have to do an internal ultrasound. Have you ever had one before?”
“Yes, I have had quite a few. This is my 5th miscarriage.”
“I am so sorry.” I look at her, and smile politely.
She continues to make small talk, but I am really not paying much attention, I only want to go home and curl up in my bed.
She is finished. “Go and put your clothes back on and wait for me to call you.”
I walk back to the tiny change room, put my clothes back on and wait.
It’s been almost 20 minutes now, and I am starting to think that she forgot me there.
She finally returns.
“Christine, Dr. Watt is on the phone for you.”
My heart drops. They finally figured out why I keep miscarrying, I think to myself. My head falls to my chest and begin to cry as I follow her to the phone.
“Hello.”
“Hello, is this Christine?”
“Yes.” “Christine Mannello?”
“Yes.” I repeat to Dr. Watt.
“Christine, you are pregnant.”
I burst into tears. “What?!?”
“You are five and a half weeks along and she hears a strong heart beat.”
“Really?!?” I turn to the ultrasound tech, “Really?” I ask her, while listening to the doctor on the phone. I was balling, happy tears.
“It has only been 7 weeks and it was only one time...” “Christine, it only takes one try.”
“I, I.. Know.” I reply choking on my tears.
“Pass by my office on your way home and we will get you on progesterone and blood thinners ASAP. Can you pass by the office Christine?”
Yes, of course, see you soon.” I hung up the phone, hugged the ultrasound tech and asked her again. She said “Yes, I heard and saw a heartbeat.”
“Could I have a picture?” I ask.
“Normally, we are not allowed to this early, but I will make an exception for you.”
Eyes puffy, holding this tiny paper in my hand, I walk into the waiting room, now noisy and full because I was in there for over an hour. I look straight to my mom who was waiting for me wondering while all these other ladies were going in and coming back out before me. My eyes are puffy and full of tears. My mom stands, there is a sudden quietness in the packed waiting room, and all eyes are on me.
I run to my mom, and hug her tightly as a whisper in her ear, “I’m pregnant”
She holds me tighter. “Really?” she asks. I say “Really.”
We both cry.
We speed over to see Dr. Watt and I am so nervous on the drive.
I spent the next 9 months on bed rest. Every time I went to the washroom, I looked for blood, anytime I felt uneasy, they let me go in to hear his heartbeat on the doppler. I was a paranoid freak for the entire pregnancy, but I did not care, as long I could carry him to term, I would have done anything. I went in to see my family doctor and Dr. Watt bi-weekly. The looks from the other pregnant ladies in Dr. Watt’s office were priceless. He does not see any patients until they are more then 26-28 weeks along, and here I was, 7, 9 11 weeks, along, and no tummy to by seen, sitting amongst these clearly pregnant women, but I had the biggest smile on my face.
AJ was born, 7lbs 6 oz., at 36 ½ weeks, in April 2009, the best day of my life.
I will never forget the babes I lost, the pain I endured, the hole in my heart that will never close, but I can say, I survived.
This was the hardest time in my life and I would like to thank everyone who stood by me.
If you or someone close to you is suffering from a miscarriage, loss or still birth, you may want to read this blog by another momstown mama and her miscarriage, or this story, from another member who shares her loss.
Today, October 15th, is World Pregnancy and Infant Loss Prevention Day. Please take part to support those who have had to endure such heart ache and pain.
You are not alone.
Share your story.
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