At each of our events, the Vancouver Island Baby Fair partners with a local charity to benefit from fundraising through donations at the stroller parking, face painting, and the photo contest. For the upcoming Victoria fair on September 25 & 26, 2010, we have chosen the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society. The following post was contributed by the GVDSS.

By Carol N.

The Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society is thrilled to be this year’s charity of choice for the Baby Fair!  We are very excited to be able to advocate for our wonderful members, raise awareness about Down syndrome, and share in the joy and excitement of the Baby Fair with all of you!

This year we will have some art cards for sale at the booth.  The purpose of the art cards is to raise awareness about the GVDSS, while at the same time raise money to help support one of our very special programs:  Music Therapy, which is run in collaboration with Dr. Johanne Brodeur at the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

On a Personal Note:  Our Story

When our son Aidan came into our lives, many people said, “God gives these kids to special families.”  I didn’t contradict them, but I did think they had it backwards.  I felt very certain that Aidan would make us live a better life.  Now, four years later, I stand by that notion.

Aidan reminds us not to take life for granted.  He reminds us to celebrate life, give thanks for all that we’ve got, and not to sweat the small stuff.   Our family and friends rally around Aidan.

We celebrate each of his accomplishments – like walking at three years of age; trying to go potty; using sign language to communicate with us; putting words together; learning to drink from a straw; doing fingerplays and action songs; kicking a soccer ball;  cheering for his preschool teacher at circle time; and blowing a kiss to the check-out lady.

Since Aidan’s birth, I’ve had an opportunity to meet a lot of people who have a person with Down syndrome in their life.  I’m reminded that our children are all unique, and all special.  They are not cookie-cut outs of each other – they are as individual as you and me.  In each of those conversations, one thing has been consistent: not one of us would trade our children for anything; we love them just the way they are.

Advance tickets to the upcoming Vancouver Island Baby Fair on Sept. 25 & 26 in Victoria are now on sale at several locations! There are a limited number of advance tickets available for just $5 for a weekend pass (at the door, it’s $7/day or $8/weekend).

Get these discounted tickets while they last at:

• Bellies In Bloom Maternity – 104-4489 Viewmont Ave., Victoria
• Cat and Fiddle Kids Store – 735 Cloverdale Ave., Victoria
• Hip Baby – 560 Johnson St., Victoria
• JamTots Baby and More Store – 748 Goldstream Ave., Langford
• Mothering Touch Centre – 975 Fort St., Victoria
• ROCKBEBE – Mayfair Shopping Centre – 3147 Douglas St., Victoria
• Tall Tales Books – 795 Fort St., Victoria

The new CIBC Westshore Banking Centre is returning as an exhibitor to the upcoming Baby Fair. They joined us last year right after they opened their doors to the public, and now they’re celebrating their first birthday.

And this branch knows how to throw a party!!

Come out and celebrate CIBC Westshore Banking Centre’s 1st year anniversary!

Bring the family down to enjoy a BBQ, bouncy castles, face painting, ice cream and cake, loot bags, massages for the parents, live music by Chikoro Marimba, and other family fun activities. The fun goes from 10am to 2pm this Saturday, July 24 at 550-2945 Jacklin Road (by Superstore).

Contact Craig for more details - craig.pratt@cibc.com

Building Toys – The Perks

Guest post written by Carmen Markowski, Discovery Toys Team Leader

If we took a poll of everyone in North American age fifty years and younger, I wonder what percentage of people have played with Lego at some point in their life? I’m going to guess it’s somewhere between 85-95%. I think it’s safe to say, most of us have had some experience with building toys. My own brothers had a huge box of it and I can remember being around nine years old when, my little brother and I would sit for hours creating fantastic structures. It’s pretty easy to see the benefits a building toy can offer a child…fine motor skills, problem solving, creativity, cooperation (especially when you have to share the building pieces!). However, what does that mean in the day-to-day life of a child?

I feel like I understand so much more about the perks of building toys now that I’ve seen my own son go through his early years.  Luke had very busy hands as a toddler, so playing with building toys was a great release for him and a good break for me. It meant he wasn’t tearing my house apart! His first building toy was simple wooden blocks. Playing with the blocks meant he had to focus his attention for several minutes in order to complete the task of creating a structure. He was only two years old, but he definitely needed practice in this area! Building blocks were just the beginning to his career as a builder. I found he enjoyed many different building sets from ages 2-5 and spend a good portion of his play time building.

I must admit, I had a concern about Luke during those early years. Although he would sit and color once in awhile, I was hard pressed to get Luke to have an interest in writing words or printing letters. The school teacher side of me imagined my children having lots of experience in writing before entering school and unfortunately this just wasn’t the case for Luke.

Luke surprised me in his kindergarten year. His printing: neat, well-formed letters. Writing did not bring any stress to him because he found it easy! He was good at it and he enjoyed it. Coloring: he pressed hard and worked within the lines. Could it be, he was a natural in these areas? That’s always a possibility. The teacher side of me says, for a child to have some skill in writing and coloring upon entering school, they would have had lots of experience at home with writing and coloring OR doing some other activities which developed the child’s fine motor skills. Well, we know which route Luke took!

So building toys…yes, they develop fine motor skills, offer problem-solving experiences, opportunities for creativity and cooperation. They’ll also help a child focus their attention on an activity for an extended period. And should your preschooler be waiving off the pencils and crayons, it could help them develop the skills they need for printing/writing. A skill they will be expected to develop quickly upon entering our school system. Thank goodness for toys!

Every person who attends this weekend’s Vancouver Island Baby Fair at Beban Park in Nanaimo will have a chance to enter for free into one of two grand prize draws, plus there are great prizes to be won for participating in the Photo Contest and Baby Races!

Grand Prize #1: Expecting Parent Package – Value $1323

• Abby Sprouts – $50 Gift Certificate
• Arbonne International- $50 Gift Certificate
• Creative Memories - $100 Gift Certificate
• Etheridge Photographic - Photo Session- includes $50 print credit (Value $200)
• Gary Anaka - Book: Your magical brain: How it learns best
• Hard Candy Baby Boutique - $100 Gift Certificate
• Huckleberry Baby Shop - $50 Gift Certificate
• Hudson & Saige - $50 Gift Certificate
• Nicole Williams Photography - “1-2-3” Photography Package: Maternity, newborn & 6-12 month portrait sitting plus 8×10 enlargement & online album (Value $199)
• Organic Family Natural Home – “I am Organic” Onezie, All Natural Baby Bliss Salve, Monster Away Spray & Sun Bliss Sunscreen  (Value $57)
• Sacred Baby - Sacred Baby Pouch Sling (Value $65)
• SeaSide Studios - Portrait session, 11×14 enlargement & 10 5×7 digital prints (Value $300)
• Tokyo Baby - Leg warmers & 2 Kids Monkey Pants (Value $58)

Grand Prize #2: New Parent Package – Value $1396

• Abby Sprouts - $50 Gift Certificate
• Apples to Oranges Consulting - Selection of gluten-free, dairy-free snacks & goodies (Value $50)
• Arbonne International - $50 Gift Certificate
• Bellies In Bloom Maternity - See Kai Run Adelaide Boots (Value $54)
• Core Essentials Personal Training & Rehabilitation – One month (8 sessions) Baby Stroller Bootcamp Classes (Value $95)
• Hard Candy Baby Boutique - $50 Gift Certificate
• Mabel’s Labels - Big Combo label package (Value $55)
• Hudson & Saige - $50 Gift Certificate
• Maman Bidule - $65 Gift Certificate
• Nicole Williams Photography - Family portrait sitting, 12×18, 2 8×10 & 4 5×7 prints (Value $395)
• Oma Gosh! Designs - $50 Gift Certificate
• SeaSide Studios - Portrait session, 11×14 enlargement & 10 5×7 digital prints (Value $300)
• U-Weight Loss Clinic - U Weight Loss protein powder: Whey Vanilla Flavour (Value $60)
• West Coast Strider Sales – 1x 750ml stainless steel water bottle, 1x 250ml stainless steel water bottle and a childs size WestCoast Strider T-shirt plus $20 gift certificate (Value $50)

Baby Races Grand Prize (Saturday, June 5) – Value $285

• Arbonne International - $50 Gift Certificate
• Bellies In Bloom Maternity - See Kai Run booties- Ainsley Sandal size- 12-18 months (Value $39)
• Gary Anaka - Book: Your magical brain: How it learns best
• Mabel’s Labels – Camp/School label package (Value $34)
• Peekinz Baby - Footed playsuit with Peekinz pocket (Value $30)
• Tupperware - Divided feeding dish, sippy cup, Ideal bowl and snack cup (Value $30)
• Water’s Edge Organics - Natural wood teether & organic cotton onesie 6-12 months (Value $50)
• West Coast Strider Sales – Gift bag with Strider t-shirt, kids water bottle, adult water bottle & frisbee (Value $30)

Baby Races Grand Prize (Sunday, June 6) – Value $344

• Arbonne International - $50 Gift Certificate
• Discovery Toys - “My blankie” book & yellow fleece blanket & $10 Gift Certificate (Value $45)
• Gary Anaka - Book: Your magical brain: How it learns best
• Kit n’ Caboodle Quality Children’s Consignment - $30 Gift Certificate
• Nicole Williams Photography - Portrait sitting & 8×10 enlargement (Value $105)
• Playpants - Playpants Original Bloomers in “Sail” & “Cocoon” (Value $32)
• Tupperware - Divided feeding dish, sippy cup, Ideal bowl and snack cup (Value $30)
• West Coast Strider Sales – Gift bag with Strider t-shirt, kids water bottle, adult water bottle & frisbee (Value $30)

Plus the winner of each Baby Race heat will get a $10 Gift Certificate to Hard Candy Baby Boutique!

Photo Contest prizes

A winner will be chosen in each of two categories: 0-24 months and 2-6 years old. Winner in each category receives a $300 Portrait Package including a portrait session, 11×14 enlargement & 10 5×7 digital negatives from SeaSide Studios – our official Photo Contest photographer!

Advance tickets are now available for the upcoming Vancouver Island Baby Fair in Nanaimo on June 5 & 6, 2010. Stop by any of the following locations to get a full weekend pass for just $5 (at the door entry is $7/day or $8/weekend).

• Bellies In Bloom Maternity (#104-4489 Viewmont Ave., Victoria)
• Dream With Me Custom Bedding (115 Chapel St., Nanaimo)
• Hard Candy Baby Boutique (#12-221 Second Ave., Qualicum Beach)
• Huckleberry Baby Shop (#12A-4376 Boban Dr., Nanaimo)
• Podlings (#104-2270 Cliffe Ave., Courtenay)

We are very excited to announce our upcoming giveaway in the next issue of our monthly e-newsletter going out May 5th!

Skip the tricycle and the training wheels!
Strider running bikes are two wheeled bikes designed to allow your child to teach themselves to balance on two wheels, without the interference of pedals or chains. Weighing only 6.9 lbs and with a seat that lowers to just 11″ from the ground, children as young as 12 months up to 5 years (50 lbs) can easily handle the Strider running bike and gain the confidence they need to balance on two wheels. Stand back and watch as they teach themselves to balance. You will be amazed!  Strider running bikes come in six vibrant colors: Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Orange and Yellow.

Your preschooler can come try out a West Coast Strider bike in the Kids Corner at the upcoming Vancouver Island Baby Fair, June 5 & 6 in Nanaimo but in the meantime, check out their website for full details on these great bikes!

Just in time for summer, we will be giving away one West Coast Strider bike in the colour of the winner’s choice in the May issue of our e-newsletter, “Inside the Pea Pod” so subscribe today (right hand side of our blog) for your chance to win!

I’d like to let small business owners know about a teleclass I am guest speaking at Tuesday April 13th at 1pm PST.
It is about exhibiting at events- How to choose the right one so that you are making the most of your time & advertising dollars and how to have success at the event.

Participating in a well run event can provide unique and extensive exposure for your business with a vast array of benefits

Here are some of the reasons businesses exhibit:

• To sell product

• Promote your business to your target demographic

• Collect contacts of qualified potential customers to follow up with after the fair

• Network with other business owners & exhibitors

• Reach your potential customers face to face, in real life.

• Survey & get feedback from those you are trying to reach

• Participate in any variety of pre or post fair opportunities

• Participate in any non-booth fair related opportunities for exposure

• Keep up with your competition

• Recruit reps for your business

• Benefit from the extensive marketing campaign of the event producer

• And the list goes on…

It can be a very cost effective way to spend your advertising dollars!

Once you have chosen a show that is right for your business, well advertised, well attended & organized- what do YOU need to do to achieve success for your business?
Join the teleclass to find out!

Sign up now with host Kim Page Gluckie of Mindset Marketing & Money!

I look forward to chatting with some of you!

Warmly,

Shirley Broback, Producer
Vancouver Island Baby Fair

So your little bundle of joy has arrived, and the weight gain you were hoping was mostly water and baby has not disappeared overnight. What’s a new mum to do? First, relax and give your body time to recover.  Your body has gone through incredible changes during the nine months of pregnancy; don’t expect to be back to your pre-baby self in a few short weeks.

Right after baby arrives, kegel, kegel, kegel! This often neglected exercise engages the pubococcygeus (or PC) muscle, helping to prevent urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse. Tighten your front and back passages, feeling a gentle squeezing and lifting in the pelvic area. Practice several times a day, varying the amount of time holding the squeeze, e.g. doing ten kegels, holding each for a count of three, then doing ten kegels in quick succession. Another important post–natal exercise is the pelvic tilt. Lying on your back with your feet on the floor, contract the PC muscle, imagining that your pelvis is a bowl filled with water that you are trying to spill onto your chest. In the starting position, you should feel a space between your lower back and the floor; as you tilt your pelvis, your lower back should be flat to the floor. Hold for a count of three, relax and repeat. Try three sets of ten repetitions to start.

When you feel up to it, short walks with baby are a great way to gradually reintroduce exercise into your daily routine. Each day, walk a little further and stimulate your body’s “feel good” chemicals, endorphins. Research has shown that exercise can reduce the risk of post-partum depression. Exercising with your baby is a great example for your little one, and the rest of the family!

The information provided in this article is of a general nature. Consult your health care provider before starting any post-natal exercise program.

Article written by Anna Wessell, instructor for Core Essentials’ Baby Stroller Boot Camp in Nanaimo, BC. She can be contacted at 250-390-3160, or email core_essentials@shawbiz.ca. Core Essentials is an exhibitor at the Vancouver Island Baby Fair in Nanaimo, June 5 & 6 at Beban Park Social Centre.

At each Vancouver Island Baby Fair, we partner with a charity who benefits from 100% of the money raised from the Photo Contest, Stroller Parking, and Face Painting, plus they get wide exposure to the thousands of visitors who attend the event. We have raised thousands of dollars and provided exposure for several charities over the past three years.

At our upcoming event in Nanaimo on June 5 & 6, 2010, we are proud to be working with the Haven Society. Haven Society’s mission is to promote the integrity and safety of women, children, youth and families and the development of a respectful and healthy community.

As a leading anti-violence organization operating from feminist principles, Haven Society achieves this mission by providing a range of programs and services, public education and advocacy. This includes:

Haven Transition House: provides shelter for women, children, and families of all ages who have been physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused.
Children and Youth Who Witness Abuse Program: Offers group and individual counselling and a place where children can talk about their experiences and learn that it is not their fault.
Haven Community Victim Services Ð Nanaimo & Parksville: Offers emotional support and justice related services for those coping with the aftermath of sexual assault, abuse and violence.
Women’s Counselling & Support Groups: Provides a safe place for women whose lives have been affected by abuse to begin reclaiming their sense of self and safety.
24 hour Crisis Line: A support worker is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.