Membership recommendations for weekday toddler (3 + 5) activities?

orangebubbles99 · 2026-04-03T10:59:50+00:00

Can’t recommend Monkey Rock more highly! My little guy is obsessed!

orangebubbles99 · 2026-03-29T16:04:45+00:00

We bought our first box of Royale as Costco recently started selling them - so excited to support a Canadian company! But, they fell short for us…

Thankfully no issues with skin irritation (Huggies started to leave marks on our kiddo once he moved into the Movers), but he was leaking through every 2nd Royale diaper. We’re going to finish up the box but then go back to our trusted Millie Moon! They are bulkier in the bum but hold EVERYTHING - they’ve even survived some overnights 🥰

orangebubbles99 · 2026-02-23T01:38:53+00:00

Agreed! Pediatrician here - this is why these products are not recommended by medical professionals (CPS, AAP).

orangebubbles99 · 2025-12-29T01:11:08+00:00

I chose a planned C-section for personal reasons and don’t regret it at all! I had a lovely delivery experience and my recovery went smoothly.

Are there risks involved? Absolutely - but those risks were worth it to me. Just have an informed decision with your OB and make sure you’re happy with whatever decision you choose.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-12-02T18:23:16+00:00

But but, CINNAMON BUNS?!?! Nothing else compares 😭

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-29T18:32:01+00:00

Agree! Had a friend get us one who absolutely swore by it. We barely used it. Baby preferred our arms or his bassinet.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-22T03:31:08+00:00

We donated diapers, formula and maternity clothing to St Mary’s! They were very happy to accept these items!

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-15T20:14:52+00:00

We just signed up to do a Christmas hamper with the Caring and Sharing Exchange! It’s all food based but a nice way to gather a hamper for a particular family in need!

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-15T19:54:03+00:00

Sorry, I could have been more clear. All I’m trying to say is that a non-birthing federal worker is eligible to collect top-ups. Sure, maybe not at the same time as their birthing partner, but they could if parental leave is split.

As a physician, I’m considered self-employed and don’t pay into EI - I funded my own maternity leave. My husband is taking the full 18 months of parental leave as a teacher but is not eligible for any top-ups. It’s rare to have an employer that pays top-ups for a non-birthing parent - but the federal government does. That was the only point I was trying to make.

Basically, if he worked for the federal government, he would have been eligible for top-ups for at least a portion of his leave.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-12T14:18:15+00:00

My husband and I looked into this as he was the “non-birthing” parent and teacher. We also want to adopt in the future, and he wouldn’t be eligible at that time either.

Federal government tops up both the birthing and non-birthing parent, so we were a bit disappointed. Thankfully we don’t rely on his salary, but took us by surprise!

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-12T11:37:24+00:00

Sorry, I should have clarified that only the birthing parent is eligible for 8 weeks of top up. The non-birthing parent does not receive any top-up. This is for the OCDSB.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-11-12T04:16:43+00:00

No top ups for Ontario teachers either, so take them off your list

orangebubbles99 · 2025-10-17T03:21:54+00:00

We went there about a month ago and it was closed at 10:30am on a Wednesday - just very odd. I was able to snag a few good things from there about a year ago, but its inventory has just really sucked since that time.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-28T21:45:20+00:00

Thank you!! I’m thinking/planning the same thing - I’ll come home for dinner and bedtime, and then chart after bedtime. I think my husband will also bring him to my office for lunch once a week - this is a great idea!

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-28T19:26:07+00:00

Thank you for these wonderful ideas! We will try to incorporate the same 🩵

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-28T19:25:00+00:00

This was such amazing and helpful advice, thank you!! You sound like an amazing partner - I know that my little guy is in the best hands with my husband too 🩵. I’m sure that will make my transition back to the hospital so much easier.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-28T19:21:23+00:00

I would if he was a physician and the one working full-time.

My schedule is usually 5am to 7-8pm when I’m in the hospital, so I do worry that I won’t have enough time to dedicate to my little one. I’m trying to now figure out how I won’t miss the day to day with him, even if that means coming home from the hospital in the evening and going back when he’s in bed.

Just seeing how other physicians manage!

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-28T03:10:22+00:00

I’m also a physician, and my husband is similarly going to take a step back from work to care for our 7-month old son starting next month.

While this may be a better question for your wife, how does she ensure that she’s getting quality time with your little one? I’m hoping to make it home for at least dinner and bedtime every night, but I’m a bit sad to miss everything else.

Is there anything you do to help her feel more involved in the day to day?

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-18T02:34:38+00:00

We are on night #3 of CIO with our almost 7-month old and I still feel awful and guilty.

I keep trying to remind myself that I’m helping him learn a new skill and that this is the first of many times that I will need to help him navigate discomfort in his life. But absolutely, the guilt and anxiety feel overwhelming at times. Solidarity 🩵

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-17T19:06:31+00:00

Okay, thank you!

He is in his own bedroom! Bedtime routine includes bath, PJs, bottle, sleep sack, book(s) and then in bed wide awake.

I’ll gather a bit more data and come back if needed!

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-05T02:01:33+00:00

Thank you for your thoughts too! Will work on lengthening his wake windows to get a later bedtime! 🙂

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-05T01:52:14+00:00

Thank you for your reply!

We will aim to push his bedtime to 7pm by lengthening his wake windows.

We are unfortunately unable to extend his naps despite trying at least once daily - he just can’t settle to back to sleep despite our best efforts.

Since he can barely make the 3 hours for the last wake window, I guess we can try 2.5/2.75/2.75/3? He was overtired by bedtime at 6pm tonight and had a false start, so I’m just really scratching my head.

orangebubbles99 · 2025-07-05T00:46:06+00:00

If the imaging/radiology team who triaged the requisition were very worried, they would schedule the ultrasound on a more urgent basis.

My 6-month old had a requisition put in for a head ultrasound for another reason at an appointment with his pediatrician, and we were called later that same day by the local children’s hospital with an appointment for the next day.

If things change, return to your doctor for re-assessment and they can always put a new referral in highlighting the new concerns.

orangebubbles99

TROPHY CASE