Conquering Teething Pain and Getting More Sleep with Boiron

Poppy is not what you would call a "good sleeper." That term is so inapplicable to her that I can't even type the whole sentence with a straight face. Poppy is hilarious and loving and engaging and a thousand other fabulous things, but a good sleeper she is not.

I know that babies aren't designed to sleep for long stretches of time. They have tiny tummies that need filling and emotions that need soothing. I don't expect to put Poppy down at 7pm, say "peace out!" and not see her again until 7am. I did, however, expect that by 10 months old our sleep situation wouldn't be quite so tenuous.

Last week as I ran Grady to his classroom (because we missed his teacher) (because we missed the bell), clutching a howling, pyjama-clad Poppy to my chest, sprinting up the stairs to try to make it to his classroom before the second bell so he wouldn't have to go to the office for a late slip, I passed one of the other kindergarten moms. This mom always seems so calm when I see her at pickup and drop off; I have never seen her sprint; I have never seen her pyjamas. (Three things no one at Grady's school can say about me.) She gave me a kind smile and as I ran past she called, "it gets better!"

Her kindness and her message stuck with me. Does it get better? Or can I make it better? Or, maybe more accurately when dealing with a honey badger baby, how can I try to make it better? How can we get more sleep so our days don't feel like unmanageable chaos as we run from one thing to another, always arriving late and dishevelled?

The answer for us, in our current sleep-deprived state, is Boiron. Poppy's already fragile sleep situation was becoming more and more fragmented with her teething pain. Boiron Camilia is a  homeopathic medicine that relieves the symptoms of teething.

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Developed specifically for babies and toddlers ages 1 to 30 months, Camilia is made with sterile water and contains no sugar, no colouring and no preservatives. Camilia relieves pain, restlessness, irritability and diarrhea due to teething.
— boiron.ca

Poppy's teething pain is always worse at bedtime when she doesn't have her big brother or her toys to distract her. Her peevishness and inability to settle, combined with our anxiety about how little sleep we're getting, made evenings in our house miserable. Camilia helps Poppy settle down to sleep because we're relieving her discomfort before it becomes rage-inducing pain. As soon as I see Poppy's signals (rosy cheeks, drool trail down her chin, chewing her fist) I give her a dose of Camilia and it quickly soothes her.

I trust Boiron to provide safe, homeopathic remedies for my family (we've used their Children's Coryzalia on Grady's colds for years). Boiron was founded in France in 1932 and has been established in Canada for 25 years. Their website provides a wealth of information on different homeopathic remedies and an extensive FAQ section. They also provide a transparent glimpse at their manufacturing process for curious minds. The Boiron Group is a global leader in homeopathy because of their steadfast commitment to research and development and they're a hero in our household because now we're all getting more sleep.

This post is part of the WildCreativeCo.com and Boiron Canada #BoironBaby sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.

Put Me in the Story: Personalized Books for Easter

Easter holds different meaning for different people but in our house, it's an opportunity to welcome spring, celebrate family, and enjoy some chocolate. Poor Poppy is too young to participate in the Easter egg hunt / chocolate fest that we've put on for Grady in recent years, but that doesn't mean she'll be left out.

Put Me In The Story to the rescue!

Put Me In The Story takes bestselling books and beloved characters and creates personalized books complete with the child’s name, photo, and a message from the gift giver! Reading becomes more fun and engaging for kids when the book stars them!

Put Me In The Story has lots of options to choose from, appropriate for different religious aspects of Easter (including non-religious options) and age levels. The ordering process was quick and painless. I was easily guided through entering specific information (child's name, personal message, photo, etc.) and in no time flat, I had a perfectly personalized I Love You Honey Bunny on its way to me to put in Poppy's Easter basket.

I was slightly skeptical at how the personalized content would be integrated with the rest of the story but my concerns were unfounded. It all fits together beautifully and doesn't look like someone swapped in different pages for different people; the book truly looks like it was custom-made for our honey bunny.

You can win a personalized Easter book and plush gift for your own honey bunny! Enter here:

{Disclosure: I received product in exchange for this review; all opinions stated are my own.}

Spring Cleaning with Pine-Sol Spring Blossom

It's snowing again today. We've had the snowiest winter in recent history. We are cold and we are weary. Spring feels like a foreign concept.

Pine-Sol sent me a bottle of their new Spring Blossom Multi-Surface Cleaner to try and the dreary skies and frigid temps made me reach for it this morning. Spring may be a long way off but that doesn't mean I can't start my spring cleaning.

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I'm not a big fan of strong fragrances. Really strong or complex smells give me a headache. I was worried that Pine-Sol Spring Blossom might be too much for me because it's a blend of Jasmine, Magnolia, and Orange Blossom scents but I was pleasantly surprised. The smell is fresh, light, and not overwhelmingly floral. In a perfect world I could find cleaners that are effective and fragrance-free but until that day, I'm happy to use Pine-Sol Spring Blossom. It cleans well and I like that I can use it on a variety of surfaces so I don't need to buy multiple cleaners for different rooms.

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Have you started spring cleaning? Or are you staring out the window at snowflakes, dreaming of a tropical holiday?

Learning to Embrace My Body

I saw Taryn Brumfitt speak at Leading Moms in 2014 and I've followed her online ever since. She's enthusiastic, thoughtful, and engaging, and her message is one that speaks to me both as a woman and a mother.

We’re on a quest to end the global body-hating epidemic.

The Body Image Movement (BIM) is an internationally recognised crusade that was founded on the belief that your body is not an ornament, it’s the vehicle to your dreams. BIM believes that everyone has the right to love and embrace their body, regardless of shape, size, ethnicity or ability.
— bodyimagemovement.com

Taryn is bringing Embrace to Vancouver this weekend for two screenings on February 26th (more info and tickets here). She's also hosting a question & answer reception after the second screening and I encourage you (woman, man, mother, childless) to check it out. It pains me to think of my children (any child) growing up feeling inadequate or worthless because of the shape, size, colour, ability, etc. of their body. I want to learn as much as I can about body positivity so I can help my babies, and all the babies, feel secure and confident in the body they've been given.

Partial proceeds from the Vancouver event will support G Day, a national rite of passage event series that supports positive body image, self esteem, leadership, and supportive peer and family relationships for tween girls.

Venue
Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre, Arts Club Theatre Company
162 West 1st Ave, Vancouver (Olympic Village)

Date & Time
February 26th at 12 noon (screening only) and 3:00 pm (screening & reception)

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