After attending a lovely, powerful woman giving birth yesterday as a Birth Doula (I’m also a Registered Nurse & Lactation Consultant) and therefore missing the first day of summer break with my kids, I thought I could come up with something fun to do to for Canada’s 150 celebration.

The basic plan was to go to see some amazing fireworks tonight. We’re not huge fans of crowds, and I strongly believe that letting a 3 year old stay up to 11 pm is almost never a good idea, so we were going to enjoy them from the comfy top floor balcony of my in-laws home.

With an entire day in front of us, we decided to think small, and go to the Port Credit Canada Day parade….. We drove 10 minutes to the Mimico train station and took the GO train just 2 stops “because trains are fun” (so at least one of our kids would like the ride) and we could skip the crammed parking lots near the parade.

[/cs_text][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ accent=”false” style=”color: hsl(177, 46%, 53%);”] After making it 90% of the way to our station, our train suddenly stopped. Within minutes we were told that we had made an emergency stop, and that they were trying to gather details.

Quite quickly we were told that that there was an “incident” involving a trespasser and that wouldn’t be moving any time soon. We settled in and checked the stash of snacks, but nobody panicked. Unfortunately, we soon found out that the incident was serious enough that the train had technically become a crime scene involving a train and the ‘trespasser’ and therefore were unable to leave and we would probably be there for about 3 hours.

Ugh. Right away we told our older 2 kids (aged 12 & 9) that there had been a serious accident and that we weren’t going to complain because no matter what, someone else was having the worst day of their lives (I kept thinking that everyone has a mother and I’m so sorry for them)…and that this was just an inconvenience to us.

We happened to be on the busiest car of the train so there had been chatter and joking about how we could make a human chain to escape into a nearby backyard, or how we could have Pizza delivered if it came to that, but we were patient…we just waited.

After a while of sitting, talking and an exhaustive iSpy game (there’s only so much for a 3 year old to spy from an unmoving train) I whispered to my 9 year old that I had an idea for a Canada day project. I suggested that we should take this opportunity to meet some new people because that’s what Canada is all about, and she quickly jumped on the idea. Within minutes she had started her first ‘interview’ and was meeting people on our train car and asking what their plans had been (before being stuck here for the day), where they were born, and what they loved most about Canada.

The response was awesome.

We met a new friend who had also been on his way to the parade, and although he was born in Canada he actually grew up in Ethiopia and had lots of stories to tell. My daughter talked his ear off and he graciously told her all about their New Year celebrations (in September!) and why he decided to move back to Canada 1 year ago. He told us he was supposed to meet up with his Robotics team, so they talked about building stuff, and also how the drivers are apparently better in Canada, and that people are just so nice here.

Next was Wendy, who was born in China and moved here when she was just 22 (only a few years ago). Her favourite thing back home was spring festival because her favourite memory of home was all the amazing food, and that was the best part of the festival. School in China was VERY different than what she hears about school here, and she said that everyone is so nice in Canada… she even said that “talking to a stranger on a train would never happen in China, that would be weird”… I explained that it is still a bit odd here to be honest, but we all joked that we were here anyway and she kept chatting along…

We met a family with kids, and the mother and I shared an interest in helping new mothers and that she runs a mom’s group in the area… we even shared contact info! We also met a young couple heading to Niagara Falls for the day. The mom in me quickly found out that they hadn’t eaten breakfast, and we gave them apples, while the next family over gave them granola bars…

By the time we were cleared by police and the train was able to move, we had been on the train for three and a half hours…

There had been a show or two watched on the cell phone with the most battery, a mile or more had been walked up and down the train cars (they have cool new automatic doors now), and we had met a train car worth of other Canadians who were friendly, open, and just trying to make the best of a bad situation.

As the train finally pulled into the station (we all had to get off) we all clapped and said goodbye, wished each other good luck and Happy Canada Day. … and you know, it really was. I know that Canada isn’t perfect. I also know that there’s no where else I’d rather live. I like what we’re trying to become, and I like what we stand for.

We finished the day with “daytime Sparklers” and the girls still went with Dad to watch the fireworks. The youngest was tucked into bed by 7pm (phew!) and I got caught up with work, organizing with new moms all around the city who were having visits from our Postpartum Doulas tonight!

I really do love Canada.
Happy Canada Day!

The post I was stuck on a stopped train for over 3 hours on Canada Day, and it made me love Canada even more. appeared first on Nutmeg Consulting.

A staple in many homes during the winter months, mistletoe for centuries has been considered a beautiful plant with mystical powers capable of absorbing bad spirits in its surroundings and transforming them into joy and luck. As you plan for the arrival of your new baby or settle into life as a new parent, let me tell you this – the power of the mistletoe is in your hands. Just like the mistletoe does at this time of year, you can also sense what is not serving you and transform that into good energy for you, your family, and the world your children will grow up in.

So what is it that is coming to you this holiday season? What energy are you absorbing and sending out, what are you noticing around you, and how would you like to transform that? Be honest with yourself. The magic of the mistletoe lies in its power to transform the bad into good, but for us to do that, we must first open our hearts up to how we are truly feeling, even if it’s painful. After all, nothing can be transformed if we don’t know where we are starting from. If that means that you suddenly break down crying at 1pm in a shawarma restaurant, so be it (although as I write this I realize that this may be more common than not for our pregnant readers!)! Your heart and your soul will thank you for that release.

Slowly you will be able to find the sweet spot between pain and hope and the tipping point between hopelessness and power, fear and love, suffering and peace, depression and meaning. That is where your true power lies, the power of the mistletoe. In here, in that pain, lies your ability to transform. Not only that, but your power to truly live with purpose and to be a source of light, of inspiration and of joy to your family and your community is found there. It is within the pain that you can find the love that is so desperately needed.

From there, I challenge you to take a leap. Small or big, it doesn’t matter. Just do something that is line with your heart, with the love you want to spread and the world you want to create for your kids. Take them on an adventure, volunteer with them, start a group or a movement, take up a hobby, be honest about feelings you’ve been withholding from others, or just anything that makes you come alive. In this holiday season, I will be taking this leap myself. I invite you to join me in this journey, and to give yourself and your family the gift of YOU. Oh, and of course, remember to hang up that mistletoe!

Warmest wishes this holiday season,
Emma

The post A Dash of Mistletoe Can Make the Holiday Season Brighter For the Whole Family! appeared first on Nutmeg Consulting.

1. Tie a string, ribbon or fishing line to the trunk of your tree. About one third from the top, and then tie it to a screw or nail attached to a door frame, window frame or plate rail. This will keep baby from pulling the tree over, or at least give you a chance to stop them before they pull it down! We have a plate rail in the corner where our tree usually sits, so we keep the screw in and its unnoticeable! One year, I even used the white string that was tied around the tree when we bought it! Recycling and laziness at it’s finest… (Look really closely in this pic and you can see the wire!)

2. Decorate the lower half of the tree with unbreakable, or soft decorations. Depending on the age of your baby. Avoid decorations with small bells, or googly eyes or small beads that can pose a choking hazard if pulled off. We have a bunch of different felt decorations from over the years (from Ikea!) that are cute for babies to look at but don’t pose a threat to them or risk being broken if dropped!

3. Cover electrical cords with duct tape or electrical tape. To keep little fingers safe. Taping together any junctions (where one cord plugs into another) can prevent little ones from pulling plug or wires out of extension cords. Also, tape loose wires along the baseboard to limit the chance that they will be pulled on or played with. We use white duct tape to match our baseboards (do it slowly and smoothly) so it is barely noticeable! Make sure any extension cords or wires are not worn or damaged.

4. Make sure any lights you have on the tree don’t heat up! Some older strings of holiday lights may heat up and can burn little hands, so make sure your lights are cool to the touch even when they are on for a while!

5. Help your curious baby or toddler to explore and look at the tree. Staying within arms reach as they look at the tree during the first few days may be necessary. Asking older kids to help decorate with non-breakable decorations, and teaching them to gently touch with ‘just touch with one finger’ will let them satisfy their curiousity without smashing things! Babies will often crawl up and try to grab at branches, so barriers of heavy boxes (wrapped to look like presents) can be a great idea if they just won’t stay away. If your baby doesn’t lose interest after a few days and just won’t keep away from pulling on the tree, then a baby gate system might be helpful too.

Try to remember the excitement and wonder your little ones must be feeling when they see such new and beautiful things in their home. They are curious and want to explore. Making things safe as possible will prevent accidents, and keep the holidays fun and enjoyable for everyone!

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