Whoever said that "it's never too late" clearly understands what it means to be a parent with a full-time job and blogging as a hobby. It has been a LONG hiatus from writing and I miss it! Two more kids since my first of many journeys (ups and downs) that I have yet to discuss, and lots of new friends along the way, I decided that it's now time to revive my blog.
Hip Teacher Mama is back with more products to review, topics to discuss, and lots of fun along the way. Please join me on a regular basis as we look at education and parenthood. They go hand in hand!
Please note that I will be starting fresh and fabulous and will now be hosted at:
https://hipteachermama.wordpress.com/blog
Thank you for your readership over the years! Look forward to hearing your comments.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
PERFECT SANDALS
We cancelled our Christmas cruise because of Hannah's illness, but this didn't prevent her from wearing the cutest and most comfortable sandals she has. She wears them around the house as she practices her walking and they have helped her find her balance while staying fashionista chic.
See Kai Run is a line designed by a mom who has kept quality and the cool factor in mind. With a wide range of colours and styles, the flexible rubber soled shoes are great for beginning walkers like Hannah. We had the opportunity to try on the gorgeous Cameron Sky design, but there are so many to choose from. Got so many compliments for it and we wished we could have only been on a cruise ship to show them off. We'll have to get another pair the next time we sail!
If that's not enough to convince you of the hip factor of this collection (they also have boots, Mary Janes, etc.), you're in good company when stars like Nicole Richie, Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Tobey Maguire, and Julia Roberts all slip their little ones' tooties into See Kai Run.
Check out their site and purchase some of the cutest footwear around.
See Kai Run is a line designed by a mom who has kept quality and the cool factor in mind. With a wide range of colours and styles, the flexible rubber soled shoes are great for beginning walkers like Hannah. We had the opportunity to try on the gorgeous Cameron Sky design, but there are so many to choose from. Got so many compliments for it and we wished we could have only been on a cruise ship to show them off. We'll have to get another pair the next time we sail!
If that's not enough to convince you of the hip factor of this collection (they also have boots, Mary Janes, etc.), you're in good company when stars like Nicole Richie, Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Tobey Maguire, and Julia Roberts all slip their little ones' tooties into See Kai Run.
Check out their site and purchase some of the cutest footwear around.
Monday, February 8, 2010
DINNER WOES
Now that Hannah is officially a walker, dining out is a much more challenging experience. We had dinner with my mom and grandma on Friday evening. It was at the Chinese restaurant where we held our wedding reception. Luckily it wasn't that busy (despite the Chinese New Year season) for half-way through the dinner, Hannah decided that she had enough of the highchair and it was time to do some walking. Around and around the restaurant we went. We thanked our lucky stars that this was a restaurant where we knew the staff well and the patrons were all dining along the edge of the restaurant.
We remembered the good old days where she was happy to nurse and sleep in her carseat afterwards. There were also the days where she was just learning to hold her bottle and would watch the rest of us chat and eat. Now her legs are constantly going and her desire to explore is ever-growing. I'm so happy that she's curious and she's not afraid to wander around even in the presence of strangers (in fact, she greets every wait staff with a bubbly, "Hi!"), but I wish she'd hold back...at least, until after dessert.
We remembered the good old days where she was happy to nurse and sleep in her carseat afterwards. There were also the days where she was just learning to hold her bottle and would watch the rest of us chat and eat. Now her legs are constantly going and her desire to explore is ever-growing. I'm so happy that she's curious and she's not afraid to wander around even in the presence of strangers (in fact, she greets every wait staff with a bubbly, "Hi!"), but I wish she'd hold back...at least, until after dessert.
Monday, January 4, 2010
NEW STYLE FOR 2010
Having been sick for over a month and having a sick baby has not been fun. It's made me reevaluate my life and what I can handle for 2010. So Hip Teacher Mama will still be here for product reviews, personal experiences, and educational tidbits, but not on a Monday-Friday way. Simply put? I'm exhausted. My Grade One's are a handful, Hannah is starting to become more of a handful, and there's other handfuls of stuff on my plate. So HTM will be around, but in a much more sporadic way. Hopefully those generous companies out there will be understanding and continue to support my love of reviewing their amazing products even if not on a weekly basis.
Let's go back a few weeks to Hannah's illness. It started on November 25, with her one-year shots. We expected a bit of fever, but after four days, ranging from 99C-104C, where Tempra/Motrin didn't help, we rushed her to the ER one early Sunday morning. We were told that it was "just a bad cold" and we were probably over-reacting. After my own optometrist's appointment that afternoon, we came home and found Hannah waking up from her nap. This time she was shivering and her lips turned blue. Back to the ER again, where we were told that it was just an upper respiratory infection, just a cold. There was nothing to be done and to wait it out.
The next day was more of the same, high fevers that would come and go, and none of us got any sleep. My husband and I would wake up every 1-2 hours in the night to take Hannah's temperature to make sure it wasn't going any higher. During the day, the ear thermometer was our bible and truly, we used it at least twenty times a day. I was diagnosed with bronchitis by then (I became sick a few days after Hannah did) so I wasn't feeling the most motherly, but as everyone says, motherly instincts take over and your own illness takes a backseat (maybe that's why I'm STILL fighting a bit of a cough). We went back to the ER late that afternoon and after another few hours of waiting, they said she had pneumonia. We were given some antibiotics, which she had difficulty swallowing even when we mixed it with apple juice. Long story short, we were back to the ER the next night when the temperature went past 105F.
The thing I remember most about that last visit was the really rude triage nurse named Trish at Markham-Stouffville. First she told us that we were hysterical and then she said we weren't listening to her. I was quick to point out that yes, we were listening and she was the one in fact tuning us out. I said that Hannah was having a hard time with the anti-biotics and was immediately told, "Who's the mother here?" Excuse me!?!?! We are bringing our daughter to the ER for the fourth time in 3 days and I'm being insulted. If I wasn't so weak from my illness, I swear I would've knocked her silly. Keeping my composure, I explained we did give her anti-biotics mixed with juice, but her fever has been higher than ever.
A few days later, we ended up at Sick Kids because even after the anti-biotics ran out, her fever persisted. The after-hours clinic in North York said she had a pneumonia has well. Turns out she had Kawasaki's Disease and then had IVIG for treatment. We stayed at Sick Kids for a week and Hannah came home on December 11. She has to have her upcoming shots delayed so we have to try and prevent (laugh) her from getting sick. Happy to report though, she's her chatty, happy self and this Christmas holiday has been a gift simply because she's home.
Let's go back a few weeks to Hannah's illness. It started on November 25, with her one-year shots. We expected a bit of fever, but after four days, ranging from 99C-104C, where Tempra/Motrin didn't help, we rushed her to the ER one early Sunday morning. We were told that it was "just a bad cold" and we were probably over-reacting. After my own optometrist's appointment that afternoon, we came home and found Hannah waking up from her nap. This time she was shivering and her lips turned blue. Back to the ER again, where we were told that it was just an upper respiratory infection, just a cold. There was nothing to be done and to wait it out.
The next day was more of the same, high fevers that would come and go, and none of us got any sleep. My husband and I would wake up every 1-2 hours in the night to take Hannah's temperature to make sure it wasn't going any higher. During the day, the ear thermometer was our bible and truly, we used it at least twenty times a day. I was diagnosed with bronchitis by then (I became sick a few days after Hannah did) so I wasn't feeling the most motherly, but as everyone says, motherly instincts take over and your own illness takes a backseat (maybe that's why I'm STILL fighting a bit of a cough). We went back to the ER late that afternoon and after another few hours of waiting, they said she had pneumonia. We were given some antibiotics, which she had difficulty swallowing even when we mixed it with apple juice. Long story short, we were back to the ER the next night when the temperature went past 105F.
The thing I remember most about that last visit was the really rude triage nurse named Trish at Markham-Stouffville. First she told us that we were hysterical and then she said we weren't listening to her. I was quick to point out that yes, we were listening and she was the one in fact tuning us out. I said that Hannah was having a hard time with the anti-biotics and was immediately told, "Who's the mother here?" Excuse me!?!?! We are bringing our daughter to the ER for the fourth time in 3 days and I'm being insulted. If I wasn't so weak from my illness, I swear I would've knocked her silly. Keeping my composure, I explained we did give her anti-biotics mixed with juice, but her fever has been higher than ever.
A few days later, we ended up at Sick Kids because even after the anti-biotics ran out, her fever persisted. The after-hours clinic in North York said she had a pneumonia has well. Turns out she had Kawasaki's Disease and then had IVIG for treatment. We stayed at Sick Kids for a week and Hannah came home on December 11. She has to have her upcoming shots delayed so we have to try and prevent (laugh) her from getting sick. Happy to report though, she's her chatty, happy self and this Christmas holiday has been a gift simply because she's home.
Monday, December 21, 2009
BREAKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Hip Teacher Mama's personal reflections, product reviews, educational insights, recipes, and videos will return on January 4, 2010. Happy Holidays!
Monday, December 14, 2009
HEALING HANNAH
4 Markham-Stouffville Hospital ER visits, 1 Children's After-Hours Clinic Exam, and finally 5 days at Sick Kids in Toronto...Hannah is finally home! I, however, am still dealing with my bronchitis (not surprising) so this week will be the early start to our Christmas blogcation. We shall return in 2010, happy and healthy, with more personal experiences (none this scary), great product reviews, easy recipes, and educational inside tips.
Wishing all the Hip Teacher Mamas and their babies out there a very warm and safe holiday. Sadly, we are cancelling our cruise vacation to keep Hannah close to home and immediate medical care should the need arise. We'll just have to make the most of this winter staycation. Let me know how you plan to spend the rest of 2009.
Wishing all the Hip Teacher Mamas and their babies out there a very warm and safe holiday. Sadly, we are cancelling our cruise vacation to keep Hannah close to home and immediate medical care should the need arise. We'll just have to make the most of this winter staycation. Let me know how you plan to spend the rest of 2009.
Monday, November 30, 2009
BAD WEEKEND
Two visits to the ER for Hannah and a major cold and eye infection for me. Not a great weekend. Hip Teacher Mama shall return next week...keeping fingers crossed and building my immune system back!
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