An Edmonton womans's Skin Cancer Story

Guest blog post from a 27 year old local Edmonton woman. Please heed her warnings and protect yourself and your children from the sun.

Hi, my name is Erin and I have a story to tell you. I am a fair skinned person with lots of moles. When I was 18 I thought my pale skin was unattractive and that I needed a tan. People would say I was pasty and needed a “healthy” glow. I believed these stupid people. So I started tanning in tanning beds, and lying out in the sun without protection trying to get some color, which I could never get much… but I kept trying. I thought if I went more and used tanning accelerators that maybe I’d get darker. I felt myself becoming addicted to the good feeling you get after using a tanning bed. I would crave the warmth and light. So, for three years, I would go in spurts, try for months to tan, then stop, then months later start again… until I finally stopped because I thought it was a waste of money, and in the back of my mind I wondered if I had done enough damage to my skin that I would pay for it later…. Little did I know what was in store for me.

I had a mole on my leg that was large, and people like my mom and boyfriend all said it looked weird; I thought so too but didn’t think it was a big deal. They urged me to get it taken off. So I did. Eventually.

DECEMBER 15TH, 2010
The dermatologist who took off my mole said they’d call if there were any problems with the mole. First thing I heard that morning ten days before Christmas was my phone ringing. I answer in a haze. It’s the dermatologist. The conversation went like this: Hi Erin, can you come to my office today? No, I can’t, I have to go to work… Ok well grab a pen then.

You have Melanoma. I just wrote it down and kept writing everything he said.

 I was so shocked I didn’t really hear him, just wrote down what he said. I had to go the next day to get a chest x-ray and two ultrasounds to make sure that the melanoma hadn’t spread to my organs. I found out later that day that it hadn’t, and we all breathed a sigh of relief. But my cancer journey wasn’t over yet, in fact, it was just beginning. I was then referred to a melanoma doctor at the U of A. He told me I had a stage one melanoma and that they would remove flesh around where the mole was and then biopsy a lymph node in my upper leg to be sure the cancer hadn’t spread to my lymph nodes.

February 4th I had my surgery. Ten days later I go in to my surgeons. They found cancer in the lymph node they removed. They said I now have stage 3 Cancer. My chances just went down to about 65%. I crumbled and cried for the first time in fear of my disease. I wondered if I was going to make it to my 28th birthday. I wondered if I’d survive long enough to have a family one day. I cried, I was scared, I sat on regrets. I was then told that I would have to have all the lymph nodes around the one that was malignant removed. I was told it would be a big undertaking.

Two weeks later I had the surgery, what they call “Radical groin lymph node dissection.” Sounds scary and it is. I had two tubes coming out of me when I woke up, one on my hip and one in my lower abdomen, and a serious amount of pain in my hip and upper leg. I lay in a hospital bed for four days, unable to go to the bathroom without the help of a nurse and high on morphine to relieve the pain, I cried at night about my uncertain future.

After my recovery from my surgery, I was then referred to an oncologist, a cancer doctor at the Cross Cancer institute. I grew up in the neighborhood where this scary place is and I always thought that other people go there, not me or my family. No, I wouldn’t know anyone who’d have to go there for treatment, not me. He said I should do a year of Interferon, a drug that “interferes” with cancer cells to slow down or kill them. I was told I’d have to go in five days a week for four weeks for IV Treatments and then I would go on to the “maintenance” part of my treatment, 3 shots a week from home with a “pen” for 48 weeks.

The first week of interferon I walk into the cross and I am told to go to the main Chemo room. It wasn’t until then that I realized I was a Cancer patient. I was here to have Chemotherapy. What everyone fears. I was nervous but dove head first into my treatments. I wrote a little calendar to mark off the days and called it “Chemo countdown.” I lost 15 pounds in two weeks. I couldn’t eat. I had a horrible taste in my mouth for the whole four weeks. I had to give up drinking, and caffeine, and I fought the urge to puke 24 hours a day. I felt weak all over. In my whole body, from head to toe I was exhausted. I slept everyday after my treatments, and couldn’t keep my eyes open after 9:00 pm, and would do it all the next day, endless day in day out of the same, feeling sick physically, mentally, and emotionally. Waking up and crying. Just crying.

But then deciding to soldier on and get this sh*t over with. Once I thought I wanted to just quit. I thought I couldn’t do it. Then after thinking about it all weekend I thought, no, I will finish this off. And I did. I am now in month 3 of my at home treatments. I feel a bit better but some days are still hard, I have mornings where I have no appetite and days, sometimes weeks where I am completely exhausted, where I can hardly stand up I am so weak and tired, and it is a far cry from the girl I used to be. I went back to work part time, and even that is too much sometimes.

I used to have a busy life and at the age of 27 I’ve had to slow down more than I’d think I’d have to till my 70’s. I never imagined I’d spend a year in my 20’s fighting a disease like melanoma, and now looking back there was a lot I could have done to prevent it. Melanoma is a disease you can see on your skin. Most cancer quietly grows inside of you and doesn’t give you any warning signs until it is too late. Melanoma can be caught early, but if it isn’t caught until it spreads to your organs your chances are less than 10% that you’ll survive 5 years.

Please think about me next time you hop in a tanning bed. I was just like you.

Letter from my daughter..

Reading this blog post on the The Leaky Boob inspired me to think about my own struggle with breastfeeding through my daughters eyes.

Dear mommy,

I remember just after I was born, you were so excited to feed, hold and kiss me. I  heard you tell my auntie how this time things would be different.  I didn't know what happened 'last time' but I could tell you loved me so much, I trusted you to take care of me.  You let me nurse for hours and hours, usually straight through the night.  That sweet gentle lady came over and hung me in that blanket and you started to cry.  She told you it was okay, I hadn't lost too much weight yet; we'd see how I was doing in the next few days. I would nurse and nurse, I just loved being so close to you all the time.  I wish you wouldn't cry so much mommy.  I really liked visiting the nurses in the office with the brights lights, but you were always so sad when we left, it made me sad too.  I felt you not wanting to hold me unless I was eating. I saw you not being able to look at my legs and arms, getting so skinny.  Did you know that I was so hungry mommy?  That new milk tasted funny and the bottle was cold to suck on, but it filled my tummy.  Everyone told you that I was getting so big, I liked to see you smile.  I don't know why you called my bottles baby poison, but auntie didn't think it was funny.  I hear you telling my friends mommies that you didn't make enough milk.  I hear that you're still sad that you couldn't feed me yourself.  I hope you know that I'm okay, I know you tried. I forgive you mommy.

Can you forgive yourself?

Love,

Madilyn

A Whole Lot of Fun with the Fisher Price Stride-to-Ride Dino!

I was lucky enough to be selected to test and review the Fisher Price Stride-to-Ride Dino! As soon as this awesome toy graced our doorstep my children fell in love! I saw the small box and thought there's got to be 1000 tiny peices in there, we're waiting for daddy to get home to put it together!  But after much begging from my 4 year old I finally opened it and to my surpise it was the easiest toy I've ever assembled! In literally minutes and both my kids (1 and 4 year old) we're cruising around the kitchen on this adorable little Dino!

 It's bright, colourful and the sound effects are cute too! Not overly loud like some toys on the market.  What I LOVED about the Stride-to-Ride Dino was how easily it adapted from ride on to push toy for smaller babies!  My adorable neice who's not walking yet loved pushing this toy from one end of my house to the other.  My daughter had a truck type of ride on toy when she was 1 and this is so much better, I love the design of the dinosaur and both my kids can't get enough of it.  My 1 year old, who's a bit of daredevil has had so much fun playing with this.  It is a great toy to give as a gift or for your own kids, we'll be using it for years to come!

Enter to WIN your very own Fisher Price Ride-to-Stride Dino from www.momstown.ca

momstown.ca celebrates 4 incredible years of building community!

When I joined momstown I thought it would just give me something to do.  I liked the idea of a message board with local moms and having a calendar of events catered specifically to my neighbourhood.  I found so much more than I expected with momstown and for the whole month of August we're celebrating momstown.ca's 4th year of building community among moms all across Canada!!

Be sure to join in on the momstown.ca facebook fan party on August 18th! So much fun and of course amazing prizes!

Join us on August 21st at Jackie Parker Recreation Area from 10am-2pm for tons of fun for the kids and as always local moms looking to connect with each other!

• Snow Pea Portraits will be doing FREE family photo sessions all day!
• Par-T-Perfect will have a face painter on hand as well as a Bouncy Castle to get some energy out!
• Tiny Labs is providing some scientific fun for all ages!
• Marr Mac Dance and Theatre Arts will be doing providing entertainment as well as fun activities with the kids!
• Cupcakes for all provided by Whimsical Cake Studio!

You'll also have a chance to win some great prizes!!

• Presidents Choice Gift Card
• Smashbox Cosmetics
• Littlest Pet Shop
• Little Tykes Sports Coupe
• Greenworks Gift Pack
• Gift Basket from Stella & Dot Stylist - Sabrina Komarniski
• Scrapbook from Linda's Stampin' up!
• Clorox Gift Pack
• Life Choices Food Prize Pack
• CBC Kids - Super Why Prize!
• Maple Leaf Foods
• Epicure Selections Gift Basket!
• Gift Basket from Cafe O' Play

Thank you to our fabulous sponsors!

Don't live in Edmonton? There are Birthday Parties just like ours happening all over Canada for the whole month of August!

Ontario

• momstown Barrie - Aug 20
• momstown Burlington - Aug 14
• momstown Georgina - Aug 27
• momstown Guelph: August 16
• momstown Hamilton: August 13
• momstown Kitchener-Waterloo: August 21
• momstown Markham: August 31
• momstown Milton:  August 5
• momstown Newmarket-Aurora: August 13
• momstown Oakville:  August 10
• momstown Toronto:  August 27
• momstown Whitby: August 27

Manitoba

• momstown Winnipeg: August 14

Alberta

• momstown Central Alberta: August 29

Maya's Stillbirth Story: A baby is a baby, no matter how small.

I have four children, you’ll only see me with three of them at playdates or shopping at Wal-Mart.  But I have four.  When I explain that I have an angel baby I see people get a little uncomfortable.  I see the sadness in their faces.  I hear their justifications for why it happened. Most of the time they try to change the subject.  I’ve heard so many times that it would have been easier if she had passed away earlier.  That it must have been so much harder carrying her for that long and then losing her.  There is nothing that could make losing a baby easier.  She would have been my baby if I had carried her for 6 days, 6 weeks or 6 months.  As soon as you see those two pink lines you have plans, dreams and a love for that baby that consumes you so completely.  You can imagine their tiny hands wrapping around your finger, you can picture them learning to walk and saying their very first words. 

We found out we were pregnant just a week after returning from our wedding in Jamaica. Excitement, joy, and a whole lot of worry set in. In no time at all, we were 12 weeks along (that magic number) and started spreading our news to family, work, and every social media outlet that would listen.  Then I saw red. You know that feeling your whole pregnancy. You don't want to look down just in case you see that awful colour you’re dreading.  There it was. I thought, well maybe it's implantation bleeding, doing the math it I knew it wasn't, but I just wanted it to be anything other than the only thing my mind could think of - miscarriage.  After describing the symptoms to the triage nurse, she loudly stated  "Oh that doesn't sound good, you're probably having a spontaneous abortion." Nice.  Like my body had some sort of disdain for this baby and called off the whole thing.  Finally they came in with the doppler and there it was! I hear that familiar and incredible sound of tiny horses galloping in my belly!! It's  funny how such a small sound can change your world so much.

They sent me for an ultrasound and found out it's a subchorionic bleed, which is basically an accumulation of blood between layers of the placenta, 20% of women have them but most aren't even detected.  Mine unfortunately was larger than most and required bedrest.  From then on, I was waited on hand and foot.  Sounds like fun right?? Not when you have a 18 month old that so desperately wants you to continue on with your daily activities, but you aren't even able to lift her into her carseat or pick her up for a cuddle.  Without the help of some amazing mamas, those three months would have been unbearable.  They babysat, cooked meals, arranged playdates and always remained positive.  We joked that this little Jamaican baby was trying to teach his mama to relax a little!

After two more months, she was still strong and everything seemed to be improving, I felt all the bed rest and ultrasounds were worth it, I was really going to be able to meet my baby.  24 weeks, I kept repeating to myself.  Babies are viable outside the womb at 24 weeks.  I was almost there. 

Then it happened.  I will never forget the day we found out we had lost her.   All the kicks and movement had tapered off and I had this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I tried to pretend she was alright and that I was just being paranoid.  We watched the ultrasound monitor, she was so still.  I cried all night wondering what I had done, what I hadn’t done.  I dreaded waking up in the morning knowing I had to deliver a baby that I couldn’t take home. 

When they induced me they thought it might take days to start the labour, I secretly hoped it just wouldn’t start at all.  But the labour began quickly and before I knew it I was having strong contractions.  I wept and prayed for God to give me the strength to do this; my body was doing the opposite of what I really wanted.  I wanted to just keep her in my belly, safe and warm; I wanted to pretend she would come out alive and well.  After only 4 short hours we were holding our sweet baby girl, Maya Grace.

We were surrounded with so much love that words can’t even describe. That tiny hospital room became a place of peace and calm.  We didn't even cry holding her, how could we cry holding someone so beautiful? 

Days turned into months and everyday a little bit of strength returned.  I grew with this experience more than words can ever explain.  I've become more loving, more caring and I cherish every second I have with my kids.  I revel in the small things; like the look on my daughters face when she's done something wrong, or that tiny trickle of drool my son leaves on my arm when he's sleeping.  I tell them I love them more than they probably need to hear. I hug them (a lot). Every chance I get to be their mommy - I take it.

I feel lucky. I feel blessed to have had the chance to hold my sweet angel.  To see her hands, toes, and kiss her lips. I know most people think it would be harder to have a stillbirth and harder still to have a baby who passed away after birth. But I would give anything for even an hour of my baby's life, to see her sweet smile or open her eyes.

I want my experience to shed some light on stillbirth, miscarriage and early infant death.  We've all been touched by at least one of these, but most likely all three.  You’ve probably had a friend of a friend deliver a stillborn, or your aunt had a baby pass away from SIDS.  I'm sure you know at least a handful of women that have had miscarriages, if you haven't had one yourself.

These babies though small, some just a few weeks along, are our children.  They stay with us forever whether you have subsequent children or not. I think of my daughter and this experience often.  I’ve learned that most people have no idea what to say or what not to say to a woman who’s just lost a baby.  I have some advice for helping someone heal from such an incredible loss.

Don't expect her to be "normal".  She will never be the same. Forget who she was and just follow her as she becomes the mother of an angel baby.

Don't avoid talking about her loss.  She is always thinking about her baby so don't be afraid you'll upset her.  

Let her cry. She needs to cry.

Don't tell her she can have more.  Compare it to if someone lost their sister, would you say "Well at least you have another sibling?"

Say her baby's name.  She needs other people to acknowledge her child and hear her  baby's name from someone else's lips

She doesn’t need to hear “It was for the best”.  It just doesn’t matter to her. She wants to be holding a baby, not a box of tissues.

What I did need was support.  I needed someone to listen to me if I needed to talk.  I needed people to just be there. I needed hugs.  I needed to cry and I needed to laugh. 

I know Maya will always be with me.  I feel her presence as my children giggle with joy blowing bubbles that float gingerly in the air.  As I continue to heal I keep her in my heart even if I can’t hold her in my arms.

                              

For more stories about miscarriage, stillbirth, or early infant death
 or to share your own please visit:

Sanity Saving Meals and Delicious Wine!

momstown Edmonton South got together for another Big Cook!  We are so grateful to Chateau des Charmes for providing us with delicious Generation Seven wine.  We spent hours talking, eating and of course building meals that will make our lives so much easier!  I couldn't think of a better way to spend a friday night than sipping amazing wine and chatting with some fantastic momstown mamas!

One lucky mama went home with a bottle of yummy Generation Seven Wine courtesy of Chateau des Charmes and we all got to enjoy a glass (or two) before and after the food prep!

Although buying 60 chicken breasts and chopping 10 cups of onion can be overwhelming, it's worth every second, there's nothing like opening my freezer to 8 prep free meals that are easy and delicious!

Thank you to everyone who participated and for Kim G. for hosting, a great time was had by all!

Photo Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Amanda Van Wieringen who
submitted the photo below for our Father's Day Contest sponsored by Patient Man Productions! Amanda won a family photo session valued at $300! Thank you to everyone who entered, the pictures were beautiful!

Diapers to Diamonds, diplomas and destinations. Patient Man Productions, based in Edmonton - but available worldwide, will capture the memories that are important to you and your loved ones.

The Beauty of Birth

Recently someone asked me how I could possibly want to attend births.  Why would I want to stand by and watch a woman writhe in pain for hours on end? What could possibly be gained from putting my personal life on hold for weeks at a time waiting for a woman to spontaneously go into labour? The financial gains could not account for the many sleepless nights awaiting the call.  Or night after night talking to an anxious mom wondering if these contractions were actually the real thing, only to fall back asleep (iphone in hand) just before my kids come bounding into the room saying "Good Morning Mommy!"  Sometimes I wonder myself what I signed up for.  I've been squirted with amniotic fluid, been awake for 36 hours straight, walked empty cold hallways at 4am and will gladly do it again.

Birth is messy, exhausting, unpredictable and intense.  Birth is beautiful.

I fall in love with birth again and again.  I'm not a doula who is concerned with what choices a mom makes.  A birth could never be measured in epidurals, episiotomies or emergency c-sections.  The mother herself is the only one who knows what is right for her body and her baby in that moment. There is no good, there is no bad. Birth just is. There is no room for ego or pretending to be anything other than what you are - a beautiful, strong and powerful woman.  Helping women find the strength to birth their baby, to look into their eyes when they weep "I can't do this anymore" and tell them "Yes, you can" and believe it with every fiber of my being means more to me than I could ever explain.  I don't attend births for the money, most doula's would attest that the sacrifices far outweigh the financial gains.  I attend births because women need someone to believe in them. During labour if she loses faith in herself, even for a moment, and looks outward for help - that is where I'll be.

Spring Planters!!

Alberta had a late start to spring so this month we kicked off summer making some gorgeous planters! We were lucky to have a beautiful day, fantastic company and delicious snacks!  We are some multi-tasking mama's, having 8 babies in tow and coming out with beautiful planters to decorate our front yards and decks!



A Big Thank You to Shanna, our resident planting expert, for hosting and providing supplies!

Sarah, Joanne, Chani and Debbie get their gloves dirty!



Isla gets to dig in the dirt!

The babies have fun in the sun too!

All ready to take home!

 



Summer reading - join the club!

All across momstown communities, kids can join summer reading clubs at their local libraries! You don't need to be a reader to participate - my youngest son was 2 yrs old the first summer he joined, and the books we read to him counted towards his participation!

　
Sponsored by TD Bank, the reading program is launched Canada-wide at the end of June/early July in many communities*. The goal is to encourage children to engage with books throughout the summer.

　
Upon signing up, children usually receive a poster, stickers, colouring book, and a way to track their summer reading. When milestones are hit (say, 10 books read) kids receive a reward - such as a free ice cream from a local restaurant, or a pass to a local entertainment complex. Each year my kids look forward to the library reading program, and it's a great way to start off the summer!

The theme this year is Splash! Celebrate Summer and the website has lots of links to recommended book lists (ranging from pictures books up to teenage years).
An interactive kids website has been designed to engage kids in reading with online games and activities. Whatever momstown community you're part of, there should be a local library ready to engage your kids in reading this summer!
momstown has a strong literacy program as part of its educational curriculum for children aged 0-5. Our momstown book clubs, book reviews, and parent resources help families make reading a part of their every day.

　
Even the youngest child can engage with letters - momstown has a full range of alphabet crafts to get kids interested!
Click on your community for your local library information on the TD Summer Reading Club.

Click here for the link to our Edmonton Public Library Summer reading program!

By: Guest Blogger Ally Cooper

Positive Parenting Solutions Webinar!

momstown.ca is excited to partner with Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, to offer a FREE live training webinar: Get Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling!

We have 2 options for you to attend -

Tuesday June 21st from 9-10pm EST

 or Thursday June 23rd 2-3pm EST

Amy promises that we'll walk away with concrete tools we can use the next day and see results.  I know you'll be especially interested in learning the 5 R's of Fair and Effective Consequences. You can watch, listen and even interact with Amy.  Participants are not required to have a webcam, only a computer with speakers.

Webinar seating will be limited so learn more and RSVP now!

Please share this on your FACEBOOK page (friends of friends welcome!) by clicking here!

momstown is now offering even more events, discounts, and interactive features than ever!

Monthly Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Jennifer Delisle who won a 6 month membership to momstown Edmonton South!

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Check out this months contest here!

momstown Weightloss Mission!

We are starting fresh for spring with a new Weight Loss Challenge beginning on June 1st. Many of us have settled in to some unhealthy habits over the winter (drive thru anyone?) and it's time to shape up and get healthy!

Our biggest goal this time around is to provide support for each other so that we don't fall off the wagon a few weeks in! We have three groups set up based on location and we are ready to motivate and support each other to reach our goals! Participants received a pocket calorie counter, food log and journal to keep track of the lifestyle

changes we are making!

We have a total goal of 465lbs to lose in six months!

Can't wait to see what we can accomplish together!

Congratulations to momstown member Cheryl who lost 20lbs and won $360.00 in our last challenge! Great Job!

Need some extra motivation? Check out how momstown Barrie did in their weight loss challenge earlier this year!!

Mother's Day Surprise!

On Mother's Day momstown wanted to show our deserving mama's how much we appreciate them.  We lined up some amazing local businesses to come and pamper them and even better, entertain their kids at the same time! We had a fantastic time and thank our members for sharing their special day with us!

Here are some glimpses into our Mother's Day Surprise!

Mariya receives a relaxing massage from Cheryl-Lynn McKinnon RMT, this chair was never empty!

Cheryl gets a great 'do by Christina Mawhinney

 from Pretty Mama Travelling Salon!

Zoo 2 U brought some friendly animals and The Twisted Pirate made amazing balloon art for the kids! Bounceroo provided a great bouncy castle for the kids to get their energy out! We hope there were some long naps in the afternoon!

Make up by mG Artistry had our makeup looking camera ready!

Delicious gourmet cupcakes enjoyed by all

 were provided by Toot Sweet Cupcakes!

Thank you again to Snow Pea Portraits for taking beautiful family photos with our mama's looking especially gorgeous after a relaxing day of pampering. 

What I love about momstown!

Everyone is familiar with the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" and as mothers, I'm pretty sure each and everyone one of us has, at one time or another, wondered where the rest of the village was hiding, shirking their duties to a crying newborn or fit-throwing toddler.

I talk about momstown A LOT, and people often ask me two main questions: where I found momstown, and what it is exactly that a moms' group does. So, I'll answer those questions here for everyone today, because I believe the answers bear repeating, and the benefits of a moms' group, specifically this moms' group, are innumerable and should be had by all.

I was already a new mom when I found momstown, although I wish I'd found it much, much sooner. My daughter was just over six months old, and I'd been cloth diapering her (and I was the only person I knew who used cloth diapers). I thought I'd look for some one-size AIOs, and dashed to the internet. I had a brand in mind,  so I went on a search to see if they had what I was looking for. I was pleasantly surprised - they did! But the wholesaler wouldn't sell me small quantities, obviously, and I'd never seen these before at any baby specialty store, so I sent an email inquiring as to where I could find these diapers in my area. The only place, they told me, I could find them was at The Baby Market Place, an online store that, as it turned out, is based here in Sherwood Park. Even pleasanter a surprise was that my mom offered to buy the diapers for me. At that time I was lonely and overwhelmed and never got a thing done - so she looked into it for me, and discovered that you could get free shipping to my house with a momstown membership. Even better, a trial of the membership was free! And better yet - there was a promotion going on that gave you a free 6 week trial, instead of the usual 2-week trial! It all made sense.

Those six weeks opened my eyes - there was a whole world of moms out there who also used cloth diapers, and also struggled with breastfeeding and also had babies who wouldn't sleep more than three hours at a stretch.

This leads me into question number two. What does a moms' group do? Well, a lot of things, actually. momstown has events every day of the week - you can always find something to do with other moms in your area, even during the day when your old friends are at work, and bringing the kidlet along is no problem, and there are big holiday-based events where the whole family can come and enjoy. Better yet, there are Mom's Nights Out, where you can go out and talk at lengths about your child without boring the pants off of anyone. Those are amazing benefits, and they've kept me coming back again and again, but they're not really the main draw for me.

The main draw of momstown is this (I'm actually tearing up a bit as I type this - bear with me); momstown is a community. It's a support system for every mom out there who's ever been frustrated or fed up or felt helpless or didn't know what to do. It's advice, experience, and help. I've found lifelong friends at momstown (and since the cost of membership is nearly nothing, I don't have to worry about losing this group) and have found a whole world outside of my life that I didn't know existed and couldn't otherwise have tapped into. It's not just a playgroup - it's a group of friends, and a safe place for us moms to be who we are, do what we do, and help one another.

By: Jen Schimanke Snow Pea Portraits

Congratulations to Chani Palindat who has won Design Services from Urban Chickadee! Be sure to post some pictures when the room is done!

From Yoga Pants to the Workforce...

Tomorrow is the day I've been dreading since my son was born, it's time to go back to work.  I've dreamed up every possible way to stay home and for us unfortunately it's just not an option.  Although I am going to miss my kids and my "old life" I’m desperately trying to stay positive about my “new life”, so here are a few things I’m actually looking forward to!


1) Taking care of myself- I can no longer leave my eyebrows untamed or my hair in the standard ponytail, I must look presentable to the general public this means I will need take more than glance at myself in the mirror.   I’m actually looking forward to showers being necessity rather than an optional luxury.  Now if this post pregnancy weight didn't make these damn pants so tight I might actually like getting dressed up!
2) Adult conversation – I love talking to my kids and other moms but it's nice to have a conversation that doesn't include breastfeeding, dirty diapers and sleep schedules.  This means when someone asks "how are you?" they don't mean "How many hours of sleep did you get between feedings??".  I’m not sure if I know how to have these real conversations anymore but I’m sure I’ll learn.
3) Problem Solving- I am absolutely not an expert on parenting, I’m just flying by the seat of my pants, like the rest of you.  Parenting is about trial and error and I find that as soon as I think I know something about my child she changes making me more confused than ever.  I can’t wait to live in a world where there’s just one solution to a single problem, rather than having 100 possibilities why my child isn’t sleeping, eating, walking, pooping...the list goes on and on.

Although I know returning to work will benefit my family, but I have to remember it may be good for me too.  I’m going to try to remember these things this week, while I hold back my tears, do my hair and put on those pants with a button.

Teddy Bear Picnic with momstown!

On April 1st we pretended it was summer here at momstown Edmonton South! Of course it was too cold to enjoy a real picnic so we laid out our blankets inside! The kids brought their favorite teddy bears to share their lunch with.  There were lots of laughs over our April Fool's joke earlier that day and a ton of food enjoyed by all!

Top 3 tips for Parents Taking Pictures!!

Parenthood, especially early parenthood, is a chaotic, whirlwind time in a person's life, and if you're anything at all like me, you're completely blown away by the speed with which your little one is changing before your very eyes. I find myself moved, daily, by my daughter, who is 21 months...oh my goodness, 22 months old. This morning, she was sitting in her high chair, blond locks all disheveled and big, round hazel-green eyes looking tiredly at me and a little pout on her pillowy little lips. Looking back now, five hours later, I cannot believe I did not snap a photo. Every moment in time is so precious and irreplaceable. So, it makes sense that we want to take photos of our children every single day. We're lucky to live in the digital age, where that's very possible and I encourage everyone to carry a camera everywhere you go! But there are good photos, and there are bad photos, and what good are a million photos if you didn't manage to get any good ones? So, here are some simple tips you can follow to take good and even great photos of your kids! 1. Make sure you camera settings are appropriate to the situation. While just about every camera has an "AUTO" setting, you won't get the best results in every situation. Kids move QUICK. So take a look at your camera - does it have a "Kids" setting? This setting is designed specifically to reduce blur in your subject, by using the fastest possible shutter speed for your lighting situation, and by using it, you'll have far fewer photos of adorable little blurs. 2. Lighting is key in photography, so be mindful of your light. The more light the better, and natural light is always best. I know, we can't take every photo outdoors, but we can still be smart about our lighting. So, to avoid disappointment, DO NOT shoot a photo of your child in front of a window! At best, you'll end up with a silhouette, and at worst, your kidlet will disappear completely. Light shining on the face is ideal! 3. Get up close! When it comes down to it, the situation and the place don't matter - it's those wonderful little expressions that you're going to be treasuring forever. When getting up close, it's better to ACTUALLY get up close, unless you're outside in daylight. Using the zoom on your camera will change the amount of light that can get through the lens, and will increase the length of exposure, which may result in blurry or grainy photos. It's much better to just get closer to your kid - and if you start early, they won't mind so much when you have a camera in their face all the time. Time is precious, especially with little ones, so don't let it get away from you! Take photos often - you'll never regret taking too many, and you will thank yourself later! By Jen Schimanke - Snow Pea Portraits

Message to the mama's - Take the help!

I admit that I am not the first person to ask for help. I've been guilty of saying "No. I'm fine." when I really, really wasn't. When Madilyn was born I was deadset on breastfeeding. I was committed, then my baby starting shrinking. My midwife and I tried everything to try to get my supply up. This meant that Maddi was attached to me constantly and if she wasn't, a pump was. My older daughter was getting extremely frustrated with the whole situation and was acting out constantly. Of course I didn't ask for help. What's worse? I didn't accept the help that was offered. My mom offered to take my 3 year old to Fort McMuray for a week to give me a break. I said no, over and over again. My sister finally convinced me to let her go so that I could focus on getting my sweet baby healthy again. I felt so relieved and wondered why I had put up such a fight to allow someone to help me. I think we all need to remember that "Can I help you?" does not mean "You can't do it" it doesn't mean "You're failing" and it most of all does not mean "You're not a good mother". However, it does mean that I have someone in my life willing to go out of their way to help me. Lucky me. :)

Rules & Filming Dates

APRIL FOOL'S!!

Come on mama's! You know we at momstown love messy children, not to mention yoga pants!! Not even Oprah could take those away from us!

We hope you all have a fantastic day!

Janine & Kristin

Your momstown mama's

March Contest Winner!!

Congratulations to Joanne Mekdara!

She won an adorable personalized dish set from CHILDish!

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Check out this month's contest here!

Stronger than you think - Moms Supporting Moms

Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. -Christopher Robin to Pooh

Our vision for momstown is not only playgroups and a helpful message board; but a real community. We know that moms need to feel that they are supported and cared for. In the past few months we've seen moms who are stressed, alone, or affected by postpartum depression. We've had moms who've lost babies, been admitted to hospital or had sick children.

We feel it is our duty as a community to have a support system for situations like these. We've been amazed to see so many of you reach out and support moms who need help. Whether it was a kind word, offer for childcare or help around the house.

We believe this group is full of compassionate, kind and downright incredible women! We know how hard it can be to ask for help, or to talk about difficult situations. We'd like to make sure that if one of our own is struggling they know they have somewhere to turn. We've created a committee of moms who have volunteered to help us with this. The response to our request for volunteers was incredible, it was extremely hard to choose only a few of these amazing & caring women. It was so nice see so many of our moms truly care for eachother and were willing to help.

Janine & Kristin Your momstown mama's

Our Love-ly Breakfast with momstown!

On valentine's day we hosted our Love-ly breakfast with momstown sponsored by Kelloggs!!

My daughter and I spent the afternoon before filling all the gift bags, she was excited to hand them out to all her friends!

Our momstown mama's were so looking foward to this event, they'd been hearing the buzz through twitter and facebook and the day was finally here!We had a selection of cereals for everyone - moms and kids alike enjoyed trying out some cereals that were new to them as well as the old favourites! We also enjoyed fresh fruit, coffee, tea and juice all provided by Kelloggs!

Many of our moms were surprised to hear that some of the cereals they'd been avoiding giving their children were actually very nutritious!

We wrapped up the the day with a valentines day craft and handing out the incredible gift bags! We had more than one mom say, "Is this really ALL for me!?"

What a great way to spend Valentine's Day with our momstown mama's! Thanks Kelloggs!

February Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Stephanie Kanee who won the O'Play card courtesy of Cafe O' Play!

Check out this months contest here!