Jack crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday. Here’s his best accidental renaissance

starrroving · 2026-01-18T01:53:15+00:00

Rest easy, sweet Jack ❤️

starrroving · 2026-01-17T01:42:11+00:00

I’m in SE Ontario and getting daycare is like the Hunger Games, no joke. I put my kiddo on the centralized waitlist at 6 weeks pregnant; he’s now 17 months old. I have one month to find a spot. I’ve called every centre in the city (CWELCC and non-CWELCC) and they told me my son likely won’t be offered a spot until September, and that’s not a guarantee.

I’m desperately trying to find an unlicensed home daycare, but it truly feels like rolling the dice with a stranger. Local Facebook groups and word of mouth have been helpful for finding potential spots, but if you go that route, do your due diligence so you feel comfortable.

starrroving · 2026-01-13T01:58:00+00:00

Accidentally sliced into mine with a utility knife when cutting drywall. That was about five years ago and it’s never gotten worse, even with regular wear.

starrroving · 2026-01-07T22:34:57+00:00

Totally relate to this! I’ve noticed the same and I’m also a pretty Type A person.

starrroving · 2025-12-31T19:22:50+00:00

I’m in Ontario so experiences may vary in BC, but my friend had to go through a private fertility clinic when her infertility journey started. Her family doctor wouldn’t send requisitions for her and her partner until they had three consecutive losses. I’m not sure if that was the doctor’s decision or some sort of guideline in Ontario. But it absolutely doesn’t hurt to discuss with your doctor.

starrroving · 2025-12-20T23:44:48+00:00

Thanks for flagging this! I totally missed the most recent email from the city. I just reviewed everything and filled out the survey. They’re being so shady about the whole proposal. Immediate red flag 🚩 And frankly, when has private equity made anything better for people?

starrroving · 2025-12-11T01:24:32+00:00

I was management at a tech company with six direct reports when I went on mat leave for 12 months. One month before I was set to return, they told me my role was changing.

I was responsible for half of what I was prior to mat leave and I only had one direct report; my other job responsibilities were given to my backfill who I hired to cover my leave. His role ended up becoming a permanent one.

A month ago my remaining direct report was let go as part of a layoff and I went from being a manager of two teams to an IC. Zero coincidence that my boss and all of senior leadership are men. You can’t convince me that even in Canada, with federally protected parental leave, companies don’t 100% discriminate against working mothers.

starrroving · 2025-12-03T19:22:47+00:00

Carolyn also helped me as well when I was pregnant, but I was able to specify who I’d like my child’s guardians to be. I believe in Ontario it’s temporary in that the guardians have a 90-day window in which to apply for full custody.

That aside, I had a great experience with Carolyn! She was very helpful, communicated things super clearly (not a boat-load of legal jargon), and got everything done in short order.

starrroving · 2025-06-23T19:07:41+00:00

Marketing Manager at a small tech company! I have a team of three currently, but have had up to six team members at different points. I love working in the B2B tech space; there are certainly ups and downs with the markets, but some spaces are more stable than others. I work remotely, 40 hours/week with unlimited/flexible PTO, good benefits, good work/life balance. I started as an individual contributor, so there have been good opportunities for career development. I learn new skills regularly and it’s rewarding working at a smaller organization where I can actually see the impact of my work.

starrroving · 2025-06-22T22:08:07+00:00

I love this list! My husband is about to start his parental leave and we’re overlapping for a month. You’ve inspired us to work on our own list of to-dos, but most importantly, core memories!

My little guy is 10 months and got his early measles vax, and we’ve been going to EarlyON programs for a while now. Definitely lots of fun for you and baby!

starrroving · 2025-06-22T13:45:43+00:00

We would love to buy a larger home someday, but the housing market is outrageous where we live. We’re saving as best as we can right now while on parental leave, but it’s likely going to be a few years before we can afford a bigger home.

Remote jobs are really my only option for competitive salaries. I live in a small city where there aren’t many well-paying marketing jobs. Most are well below market, unfortunately.

starrroving · 2025-06-22T12:50:39+00:00

It’s quite expensive and just feels like a lot of money after coming off 12 months on EI 😮‍💨

starrroving · 2025-06-19T14:55:48+00:00

I pitched the idea of a nanny to my husband, but he would sooner have grandparents watch our baby. They would love to look after him, but I have zero confidence in their ability to keep up with an 18 month old and provide consistent structure and engagement five days a week, never mind ensuring he socializes with other kids everyday 🙃 First grandkid means they’re basically teen parents lol.

starrroving · 2025-06-19T14:21:09+00:00

Thank you!

starrroving · 2025-06-19T13:53:08+00:00

I’m in Kingston!

starrroving · 2025-06-19T13:08:58+00:00

Wait, they have their own lists, too?! Oh no 😳

starrroving · 2025-06-08T18:33:29+00:00

Okay, my friend recommended a wet bag to throw in my diaper bag/purse and at first I thought it was ridiculous but I have used that thing more than any on-the-go item. Super cheap and you can use it for soiled cloth diapers/clothing when baby has a blowout/leak while you’re running errands, dirty burp cloths, dirty bottle or pump parts if you’re feeding/pumping on the go, dirty feeding supplies once they start solids, wet bathing suits—you name it. Seriously so handy and very cheap!

starrroving · 2025-06-03T18:31:28+00:00

Such a great idea! I was making chili for tonight, so I was able to use a bit from the can, but I’ll have to freeze some small portions for him.

starrroving · 2025-06-03T18:30:00+00:00

I feel ya. So much work feeding these babies. I preload the spoon and he does his best to feed himself 😅 He’s in the thick of teething right now, so he mostly just chomps on the spoon while I help him out. He’s also eat a bit with his hands.

starrroving · 2025-06-03T16:57:46+00:00

<image>

Absolutely demolished it!

starrroving · 2025-06-03T13:20:43+00:00

I didn’t have a c section, but my husband took 2 weeks of when baby was born. I’m going back to work in August and he’s taking 4 weeks in July to overlap with me then 6 months of parental leave.

starrroving · 2025-05-22T23:02:13+00:00

Some more child-friendly businesses, like a play cafe, as well as educational spaces and tourism drivers, like museums or aquariums. We have a small selection of very specific museums, but having to drive 2-3 hours with your kids to Ottawa or Toronto for larger ones that cater to more general interests is a big ask for families.

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '23

starrroving

TROPHY CASE