New to TTH: Spring Edition Part II

Yesterday we posted about some new products in our shop that are perfect for the spring/summer season and promised that more was yet to come! So without making you wait any longer...

Let's see a show of hands...who is ready for picnics in the warm sunshine? Of course these next two items are also useful for everyday school/work lunches, but I can't get warm weather out of my head so that's how I'm imagining them being put to use!

There has been a lot of buzz about these SmashBox Collapsible Lunchboxes which are perfect for on-the-go outings. If you are using them for indoor uses, they can go from freezer to microwave - but how perfect are they for picnic lunches? These boxes are collapsible which is great for storage, and they even come with a reusable "spork". What more do you need?



You have all heard me rant and rave about the Snack & Sandwich bags that we carry...but did you know we now have a third size to offer you? Colibri (formerly known as The Sling Sisters) came out with the Wide Snack Bag to add to the collection. These are perfect for packing wraps, or to hold utensils for your lunch. Of course they can be used for non-food-related things as well, such as a toothbrush and toothpaste or make-up accessories.

[You can find other Litterless Lunch options here...]

And how many of you are counting down till your first beach day?? Of course you all know about both the AMP and AppleCheeks swim diapers that we stock - but we now carry a third option...you know, just to make your decision that much tougher! Introducing the Bummis Swimmi, available in 3 different sizes and 5 fun prints. Your babe is sure to be the talk of the waterfront with their stylish bottom!


Bummis didn't stop there with their swim line, though. We have carried their sun hats for awhile already, but new to their line are these co-ordinating UV tees and tankinis! With a UPF rating of 50 and specially woven fabric to offer natural protection, these are some beach attire items you can really get on board with!




So there you have it! Yet another amazing selection of BRAND NEW products that you can find at Tiny TreeHugger.

**And don't forget that not only can you order online [as always]...BUT we are now open Tuesdays 10am-6pm and Wednesdays-Saturday 10am-3pm [CLOSED Sundays & Mondays] at our new storefront in Winnipeg! Find us at 230-600 St. Anne's Road in the Seine River Professional Building on the second floor.**

New to TTH: Spring Edition Part I

I think it's safe to say that we are all waiting on the edge of our seats for spring to arrive - you know, weather-wise, not just calendar-wise. It's been a long haul this winter [at least for us Manitobans!], and we deserve a quick change of seasons to reward us for what we've had to go through the past several months.

So while we're getting ready to dust off our ballet flats, lawn chairs and BBQ's, what about adding to your spring repertoire with some of Tiny TreeHugger's newest products?

That's right...we have MORE new goodies available to you. Pam just doesn't stop with bringing in new and exciting products to meet the needs of our valuable customers. And a lot of them have come in great timing since they can be put to great use in spring and summer!

First up are two new Boba accessories that are a must-have for the in-between seasons. If you're wearing your baby/toddler on a walk to the park but just need an extra bit of cozy warmth - why not choose to snuggle in together with either the Boba Hoodie or the Boba Vest.  Complete with comfortable material, convenient pockets and other features, these are fabulous to have on hand. We have been cooped up far too much this winter - get ready to break out as soon as possible!

[And don't forget about the new Boba 4G too!]

What about when you get hungry or thirsty while out with your kiddos? We've got you covered! We now sell GORP bars in our shop - endurance bars made in Manitoba full of locally grown ingredients. Perfect for when you're on the go and need a filling yet healthy snack!

And nothing beats a cold drink of water on a hot summer's day [okay, well maybe a Pepsi slurpee...]. When you reach for that water bottle to quench your thirst, why not make it an Eco Vessel water bottle, available in two sizes and several colors. Whether you're at the gym, the park or the beach, these babies will keep your water cold for many hours. The "Boulder" Insulated Bottle is able to hold up to 750ml and will keep your water cold for 36 hours (!!!). It will also retain heat for up to 12 hours, if you want to use it for soups or hot beverages. If you like loose tea, then this is the bees knees for you - it has a remover tea strainer! Or an ice dam for those who like their drinks chilled with ice. And of course we have a smaller version, the "Frost" Insulated Kid's Bottle (400ml) for the kiddos, including an easy-sip straw.

Believe it or not - that's not all we have new in the shop! Stay tuned for Part II coming soon...!!

**And don't forget that not only can you order online [as always]...BUT we are now open Tuesday 10am-6pm and Wednesday-Saturday 10am-3pm [CLOSED Sundays & Mondays] at our new storefront in Winnipeg! Find us at 230-600 St. Anne's Road in the Seine River Professional Building on the second floor.**

Birth Roots and Tiny TreeHugger BONUS until March 25 2014

Birth Roots and Tiny TreeHugger are happy to offer a bonus between March 19 and March 25, 2014

 

If you register and pay for an Infant Massage Class series or a Baby & Me Yoga Class series you will receive a $5.00 gift code to use on anything at Tiny TreeHugger (in the retail store or online).

 

Classes are offered at both Birth Roots locations: 

83 Sherbrook and 600 St Anne's. 

Register now with Birth Roots!

Details - The $5 gift code will be emailed out to all registrations that apply to this special offer. If you have any additional questions please call or email 204-792-6769 or info@birthrootsdoulas.com

Amanda on #AMPdiapers

I love my AMP diapers.

It was not my idea to cloth diaper. My husband really wanted to cloth diaper. So, for a person who is skeptical about cloth diapering, as I was, these are the diapers for you.

There are many great qualities of AMP cloth diapers. They are soft, great colour choices, they fit well, they hold messes in amazingly well, and the quality is awesome. I had a good friend tell me some cloth diaper basics before we had our first son and we figured AMP sounded like a good option and we liked that they were (and are still) made in Winnipeg.

We primarily bought the One Size Duo™ pocket diapers, because we wanted our diapers to grow with our child and to be able to stuff them with how much fluff we needed at any given time. That being said, I was getting a little tired with always stuffing fluff inside the pocket (which you don't have to do, but we liked that the inserts didn't shift around if they were placed inside the pocket). So, we tried a couple of Hook and Loop Stay Dry All In One's (AIO) and a couple Snap Stay Dry AIO's. Love that I do not have to stuff them. My husband prefers the hook and loop and I prefer the snap.

Our second is wearing a Snap Stay Dry AIO (pictured), that our first son wore and as you can see is wearing well and let me tell you, has been put to the test. I have a great stash of cloth diapers and don't need more, but every time I see a new colour or print for AMP, I want to have it. I recommend any of the AMP diapers.

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Thanks for the write-up, Amanda! If anyone else is interested in being featured on our blog please let us know! Email Andi at andi@tinytreehuggerdiapers.com.

Teaching Responsibility

A while back one of our Facebook statuses was "What kinds of chores do you give your kids? (And what ages are they?)" The responses we got were as follows:

Jen said: "My son is 21 months, and he tidies his toys, stacks his books, and helps put his diapers in the cupboard whenever I do laundry. He loves helping!"

Jessica said: "My 5 yr old feeds and waters the dog and birds wipes down the table and helps clear the table after dinner. My 3 yr old picks up toys puts dirty clothes in the laundry cleans the lint trap etc. They are great helpers."

Deborah said: "My 2.5 year old helps set the table and clear it. She helps with her toys. She tries to help with sweeping."

And we can't forget what Krista had to say: "A's primary job is making laundry and she is on floor dirt patrol, she cleans all dirt/rocks/food/etc that she finds. We are hoping she will be as detailed orientated when she needs to use a broom or vacuum instead of her mouth. She's 10 months. : )"  


Kids as young as two (and even younger) are capable of helping out with things around the house as these few comments have shown. So what kinds of things do YOUR kids help out with?

I came across an article (yes, on Pinterest) entitled "The Key to Avoiding Entitlement." I encourage you to read it in its entirety, but the main message it was getting across was to stop doing stuff for your kids that they can do for themselves! Otherwise they are developing a sense of entitlement that won't serve them well as they get older.

What are your thoughts on this? Should kids - whatever their ages - be encouraged to do everything that they are able to do for themselves? Or is it still okay for parents to do things for our kids? It could be for a variety of reasons - maybe we just don't have time (or the patience) to let them do things themselves. Or maybe, quite simply, we WANT to do things for them.

In my personal experience with my own daughters (they are 8 and 10), they thrive on responsibility. Sure, this doesn't mean they won't complain about it from time to time - but I believe it serves a purpose to allow them to feel a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.

Two years ago - when they were in Grade 1 and Grade 3 - I stopped making their school lunches for them. I decided that this was a "chore" that they could take on themselves on a daily basis. I am happy to say that almost a year later (we started in March) this is still going strong. They do it all from start to finish - they get everything out of the fridge and cupboards, they make their sandwiches, put things in containers, and clean everything up afterwards. It took a little while for them to get into the groove but kids are quick learners and now it's like second nature for them. I have a list on the fridge that reminds them of what all needs to go in their lunch and they are good to go!

I have a ways to go yet to instill other regular chores in my kids - but I'm working on it! Dusting, vacuuming, emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry - these are all things that they are capable of doing. I don't think that kids need to run the household just because they can - afterall, kids should still have time to be kids - but instilling the value of hard work and responsibility are things they can carry with them as they grow up, leave the nest and start a home of their own.

(Our Snack & Sandwich bags are great for making lunches - and you can read my review of them here.)

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My name is Andrea (Andi) and I have the privilege of working part-time alongside Pam to help her with "a little of this and a little of that" as she strives to bring superb customer service to all of you through her Tiny TreeHugger business.

I am a 34-year-old mostly stay-at-home mother of two girls (aged 8 and 10) and have been happily married for 11 years. I am a Pepsi-loving, game-playing, guitar-learning, Nutella-craving girl [among many other things that make me ME]. I cloth-diapered my girls when they were babies and enjoyed the cost savings as well as the feeling of helping the environment - one cloth diaper at a time.

Thanks for checking in and I'll see you again both on this blog and on Facebook!

you can run...but you can't hide!!

How sweet is this ad for The Potty Pant by Bummis? Totally sweet! You know what else is sweet? We now stock these in our shop!

True story!

So how do the Bummis Potty Pants differ from cloth diapers? They're the perfect in-between 'pant' when your child no longer needs the thick absorbancy of a full diaper but where you still get the peace of mind that a mess won't be made wherever you go when you're in the first stages of potty training...because, as we all know - accidents happen!

Here are some special features of the Potty Pant:

• Very trim – can easily be worn under clothing. No fluffy bums here!
• Looks like underwear – let your little one feel like a big kid! Easy on, easy off.
• Accidents? No problem. Two hidden absorbent layers where it counts. One layer of long loop cotton terry and one layer of microfiber. Training takes practice!
• Soft lining made of natural cotton-hemp fabric for maximum comfort and to allow for that helpful sensation of wetness.
• Outer layer of waterproof fabric prevents leaks.
• Stretchy lightweight side panels make for a trimmer fit, ultimate comfort and greater adjustability. Will accommodate wee ones of all sizes – from skinny minis to chunky monkeys!
• Different sizes allow for a perfect fit. Most kids will potty train within a few months and will probably wear the same size throughout the process.

Available in Pistachio Dot, White, and Denim Dot AND they come in 4 sizes - ranging from 

Small [18-25lbs] to X-Large [35lbs and up].

Do YOU have a child nearing this daunting [yet exciting] time? You can run from it...but you can't hide - at least not forever! Why not give these bad-boys a try and just say "yes" to the process!

Good luck!!

Calling all Super Moms!

We all want to be Super Mom, don't we? You know - have other Moms look at us and think, "Wow - she has it all together. I wish I could be like her."

I'll let you in on a little secret: A lot of Moms probably think that of you already. True story! They see your posts on Facebook about the results of your baking day. Or they see pictures of your kids wearing home-made Halloween costumes. They see you at the school field trip with a perfect hair day and a great outfit to boot. They see your posts on Instagram of all of the workouts that you do.

But they don't see the baskets of unfolded laundry cluttering up your living room floor. They don't see the other many, m-a-n-y days where you aren't a domestic diva. They don't see you on a non-field-trip day in baggy sweats with baby spit-up on your shoulder. 

They only see what you portray; what you choose to highlight.

And you know those Moms that you look at and think "Wow - she has it all together. I wish I could be like her." She has the same story.

I read a quote awhile ago [I don't know who to credit it to, unfortunately] and it says this: "Never compare someone else's highlight reel with your behind-the-scenes footage."

The next time you see/read something on social media that has you feeling a bit jealous of how you don't compare to that...remind yourselves that this is their highlight reel you are seeing. Not the whole picture. You have your own highlight reel that others are comparing themselves too...and the vicious cycle continues.

We're so busy looking at other Moms and their accomplishments that we fail to look at our own. The bottom line is this: You only need to worry about being Super Mom to your kids...not to other Moms. 

So accept someone else's highlight reel as just that: highlights. Then go back to your less-than-perfect life knowing that they're doing the same thing.

And then spend some time doing what you do best - being Super Mom to your kids.

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My name is Andrea (Andi) and I have the privilege of working part-time alongside Pam to help her with "a little of this and a little of that" as she strives to bring superb customer service to all of you through her Tiny TreeHugger business.

I am a 34-year-old mostly stay-at-home mother of two girls (aged 7 and 9) and have been happily married for almost 12 years. I am a Pepsi-loving, game-playing, guitar-learning, Nutella-craving girl [among many other things that make me ME]. I cloth-diapered my girls when they were babies and enjoyed the cost savings as well as the feeling of
helping the environment - one cloth diaper at a time.

Thanks for checking in and I'll see you again both on this blog and on Facebook!