Time to touch a truck!

by Krista If you anyone in your family is nuts about big trucks and machines, your should mark May 29th on your calendars as that is the date for Touch a Truck this year! Touch a truck is an outdoor event that lets kids (big and little) get up close and personal with trucks of all shapes and sizes. The added bonus is that it is a fundraiser for Mothercraft, a local non-profit that supports families! When we heard about it last year, it sounded right up our alley, given that both our lils are completely in love with all things truck, and have been for years. They regularly asks us to drive around searching for trucks, just so that we can catch a glimpse!

Last year, we heard about this event only days before it happened. Luckily, we were free that day, and planned to go. We had not told the monkeys our plans, but spent the morning of teasing them with a few details. By the time that we were heading out, they had a pretty good idea that there would be trucks where we were going, so they were keen to get out the door. None of us were disappointed. We had to drive by the truck set up (on the Carling Ave side of the mall) to find parking and it was impressive! You could hear all the horns honking before you could see the trucks, and then you were on top of them - a massive display of trucks and machines! There were fire trucks, loaders, street sweepers, police vehicles, the bookmobile, buses, street sweepers, army trucks, race cars, tractors and a crane!

We spent the better part of two hours moving from vehicle to vehicle to vehicle, climbing in some, and just checking out others. There were a good number of people there, but most of the lines were not too long, and most of the parents were really good about keeping things moving. I was sad that the kids didn't get to fully explore every vehicle until they were tired of them, but think that the balance of seeing so many outweighs that. In the end, the only desired one that we missed getting in was the crane. The line for it was far too long, we would not have made it through. I think that Woo's favourite parts were the horns, he's a honker!

If you are going to head down, the event runs from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on Sunday May 29th. Admission is $5.00 per person, to a maximum of $20.00 per family. Keep in mind that this is an outdoor event, so dress accordingly, and remember the sunscreen - there is no shade in the lot! If you have younger children, strollers are appropriate, but it does get crowded, which may make maneuvering difficult. I recommend heading down early if you can, beat the rush. For anyone that is sensitive to noise, note that it is LOUD. The children are allowed encouraged to honk the horns on all the vehicles, and they honk like mad, loving every minute.

Krista is married to Willy and mom to a 4 year old son, Woo, and 2.5 year old daughter, Goose. You can find her at Life in the Hutch or on Twitter @kgraydonald

Baby H and The Children's Museum

by Natasha

My husband and I recently took Baby H to The Children’s Museum for the first time.  It was quite a colourful affair.  There was many different exhibits and activities for the children to learn from and explore. Baby H is too young to grasp everything, he’s also not walking yet so the experience is a little different to him than it would be to a more mobile toddler.

There are approximately thirty exhibits showcasing different countries and bits of their cultural representations. Upon entering the Children’s Museum, we were given a passport that gets stamped once we enter each country on site.

We started our journey in India, where Baby H and his dad boarded a bus and pretended to drive off into the sunset.  Baby H was fascinated by all of the flashing lights and colors.

After India we proceeded to the marketplace housing vendors from different countries.  Baby H played with Swiss cheese, then moved onto Dutch clogs and Chinese fruit and veggies. We even made it to Egypt for a camel ride and a short stop at the pyramids.

Each country’s exhibit was set up to better display the cultural and traditional elements, with a small area for children to participate in local arts and crafts. Once again, our little boy was too young to participate - but the children that were in the area seemed to really enjoy themselves.

With the great number of activities and spots to visit in the museum, I would suggest that trips be planned for no less than a whole afternoon just so you can get the most out of your outing.

If you go for a full day, there is a cafeteria in the basement of the museum where you can purchase snacks and sandwiches. They also have a patio with beautiful view of Parliament Buildings and the Ottawa River.

We will definitely be back to the museum.

Natasha is a new mommy to her first born, Baby H. She runs ShopHaven, a blog that reviews products and profiles local businesses and individuals from the Ottawa area. Natasha is also the creative force behind ShopHaven Baskets; a highly customized gift baskets service.

Parents in the Capital: Meet Sasha

Ottawa has some wonderful bloggers and we are lucky that many of them are Kids in the Capital contributors and readers! We want to share some of our favorite Ottawa parent bloggers on a more regular basis so we have introduced a series of posts called Parents in the Capital. Say hello to Sasha!

Tell us about yourself and your family. I'm mom to 2 marvelous little girls, wife to DH, and a little cog in a great big telecommunications company. Baby Em is 10 months old, and I'll be home with her until the end of the summer. Miss Bea is 2 and a half, walking and talking and being incredibly cute when she's not being incredibly stubborn.

What is your favourite activity to do with your kid(s) in Ottawa? We are total museum junkies, and don't go nearly often enough. We also love walking the NCC trails - the ones I loved cycling so much as a care-free single - and have recently taken up geocaching.

What is your favourite at home activity to do with your kid(s)? Hands down favourite is jamming on the piano in the evenings. Sometimes DH plays and Miss Bea dances, other times they bang out delightfully cacophonous duets.

What was the biggest surprise that parenthood has brought into your life? The biggest surprise has definitely been how much joy can come from something so challenging. Who knew that learning the real meaning of the word "sleep deprivation" could be this much fun? It's incredibly rewarding to discover what you are actually capable of.

What parenting tips/advice do you wish you'd known when you first became a parent? Get Out. Go for walks, go to the mall, go to a museum: just get yourself out of the house. And Get Help. When someone offers help, accept it. And when they don't, ask for it.

Tell us about your blog and how you discovered blogging. In the last months of my second pregnancy, I spent a lot of time researching things to do with an infant in Ottawa. By the time I was done I had amassed far more ideas than I knew what to do with, and decided to share them online. Then I discovered that Kids In The Capital was already doing that! So I took some great advice, and decided to just let my blog ramble around until it found which direction it wanted to go. It's rambling still...

What do you love best about being a parent in Ottawa? I love Ottawa. It's just big enough to have everything we need, and small enough not to be... big. There are so many things to do as a family, many of which are already talked about on this blog. But most of all, I love the wonderful, supportive community of Ottawa parents that I have found through social media.

Thanks Sasha!

TeleHealth Ontario

by Sasha When I showed up at the hospital at 4:30 this morning, the staff were friendly. And when someone asked the nurse how he was enjoying his first night on triage, I joked that this was not what a nervous mom wants to hear.

I do have one complaint about the exchange, though: some derogatory comments made about TeleHealth. The gist was that without TeleHealth, I would not have shown up.

I can tell you that without TeleHealth, I would have been at emergency not just tonight, but several times in the past few years.

My first call was for a miscarriage. In the middle of the night (isn't it always the middle of the night?), the pain and bleeding suddenly got much worse. The last place I wanted to be right then was a hospital waiting room. Telehealth saved both me and the system the burden of that trip.

Another call. This time, a 1 year old with high fever and vomiting. But perhaps the most disturbing was the extreme lethargy. I hardly recognized my usually vivacious daughter. Telehealth told me to administer water, a tablespoon at a time, every 5 minutes. It worked. And once again, saved everyone a visit to emerg.

These are not the only times. This is just what I can remember as I peck away on my phone in a woken-at-4-am hospital-waiting-room stupor.

I want to reiterate: the staff were kind, even if they did make me feel silly for being there. And I recognize that the job they do is tough, and that they deal with a lot of unpleasantness. But I think it is important to understand that when I call TeleHealth, it's to try and avoid a hospital trip. Without it, I would have shown up anyway.

And they don't get to - or have to - talk to me when I don't.

The number for TeleHealth Ontario is 1-866-797-0000 . You can talk to a Registered Nurse 24-7. And if there's a wait you have the choice to hold the line or get a call-back.

Sasha is an Ottawa area mom, blogger, and fan of the Oxford comma. This post first appeared on her blog as Talking TeleHealth.

Learning to love art: Art classes at 4Cats

by Brie My four and a half year daughter old started weekly art classes at 4Cats last January. She is now into her second session. She loves it. I love it. I think we even love it for the same reasons.

4Cats is an amazing blend of art history and fine art. Each session the kids learn about two artists and get the chance to create art inspired by that artist. So far my girl has studied Tamara de Lempicka, Michelangelo and Degas. Each week Emaly, the amazing 4Cats curator and owner, shares stories about the lives of the artists while the kids work on their art. I am truly in awe of what my girl has learnt. And there is nothing like being corrected on the exact pronoucation of a famous artist my a four year old to make you feel like you should take an art history book out of the library. (I did. It was a kids art history book)

4Cats actually has their own books about each of the artists that the kids study. The books present the lives of the artists in fun ways that engage the kids. They are popular reading material around our house. A favorite with my two and half year old is the Andy Warhol book. Seriously. Any referene to New York has the boy asking about Andy Warhol.

The girl has created some fabulous art at 4Cats. My favorite has to be this Tamara de Lempicka portrait she painted of her brother.

I also love the Renaissance inspired princess and cat she painted while studying Michelangelo. Right now she is studying Degas and is working on a ballerina painting and horse picture (in oil pastel). I am already trying to decide where to hang the new art.

If your kids love art I would recommend the art classes. 4Cats also offers workshops, birthday parties and summer camps. To quote the 4Cats logo "Art is good!"

Brie is the mom of a 4 year old daughter “the girl” and 2 old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.