The Power of Sunshine

Sunshine just seems to be a reoccurring theme around me lately. So I'd like to talk about some of the uses for the sun.

1. Vitamin D:  Isn't it just better when you don't have to take a pill to get this?! That you can just step out your door into the light and warmth of the sun and feel refreshed? I just LOVE this feeling! Personally, I'm not a fan of winter, especially a Saskatchewan winter, but spring and summer, count me in! I can't think of a better way to brighten my mood!

2. Musical lyrics: Ever heard of You Are My Sunshine? How about Pocket Full of Sunshine?  These two songs are magic to both of my children's ears. If either of them are crying or fussy I know that I can start singing You Are My Sunshine to them and they almost instantly calm down. And on more than one occasion Dillan has been freaking out in the backseat of the car and you throw on Pocket Full of Sunshine and he stops and goes right to sleep. (Thanks to the hubby for figuring that one out!)

3. Photos: Sunshine just makes photos look great! If you're not sure what I am talking about have a look at photos by the amazing Tracey Tomtene. Now there is an artist of a photographer if I ever saw one! (And I'm not just saying that because she's family!)

4. Cloth Diapers: If you haven't cloth diapered long, or maybe never have, the sun is a cloth diaper's best friend. Wash and hang out in the sun and out come the stains. Because I had been diapering Dillan all winter I wasn't really able to do this yet and WOW am I ever impressed! I put out the yellowest of yellow diaper inserts and diapers and voila! Back to white... I mean white like I had just taken them out of the package!

5. Mother Nature: That's right if you didn't know it the big yellow thing in the sky is what keeps this whole world moving around. If you're having one of those days just stop and remind yourself that the world revolves around that and not what's bothering you and all of those little things that seem like such a big deal right now. (Not to minimize anyone's problems but sometimes the reminder is nice and humbling!)


What uses can you think of for the sun? Leave a comment and let us know!

Mother's Day with Baby Gourmet Winner...

is #18 Tirrie Dobos Mcdonal!!!! :)

Please contact Baby Gourmet  and let them know that you won the giveaway at Definition of a Wife within 48 hours or another winner will be drawn.




Happy Mother's Day everyone!! Stay tuned for future giveaways! :)

Mother's Day Moment Part II

While looking back at my previous post I'd like to share my favourite moment of Dillan's first year as well. Now his first year is not yet over, we aren't even half way through it yet.

My relationship with Dillan started out much different than my relationship with Ella. I was able to hold him and nurse him right away. That bonding moment was something that I really longed for. My and Ella's nursing relationship was very rocky which only made me more determined when it came to nursing the next baby. Thankfully that determination worked my favour and Dillan and I have had a very good nursing relationship. I have never seen a happier baby, he is always smiling and even while nursing that doesn't stop. I love when he is in my arms and smiling away up at me, its really one of the best feelings in the world!

Mother's Day with Baby Gourmet {Giveaway!}

Any time someone asks me what my greatest achievement in life is I just respond that I have two of them and that they are the most wonderful little people that I know. Don't get me wrong, they sure know how to get to me some days, and I am sure that is something that will not change as they grow but I wouldn't change my life with them for anything else in this world. Before you become a parent you know that is is a blessing to have children but you really don't grasp what that means until they are in your arms.

My first year of motherhood was sure interesting. I had this tiny little girl that needed me for absolutely everything. I would look at her and had no idea that I could love someone so much. I would protect her with my life from anyone and anything (and still would!) but ultimately I was most afraid that I would be the one to mess up and do something wrong.

Recalling her first year there are many moments that stick out in my mind, and even many that don't, (I'm so glad we have a video camera!) the years just seem to slip away from us before we know it. But if I have to pick a single moment in that first year that is my favourite I would have to say that it was not the first time that I held her but the second. This may sound strange but the second time I  got to hold her was the first time that I really got to hold her. It wasn't until she was over a day old. They took her out of the isolate in the NICU and gave her to me, and she looked at me like she had known me for years. After starting my first hours of motherhood terrified that something was wrong she made me feel like everything would be alright.

In honour of Mother's Day Baby Gourmet would like to know what your favourite moment during your first year of mother hood is. If you haven't heard of Baby Gourmet  before read my review or check out their site.

To enter the giveaway: Comment below about your favourite memory from your first year of motherhood. Please leave your email in the comment so that I can contact you!

How would you like more chances to win?

Follow Defintion of a Wife  on Facebook



Follow Baby Gourmet  on Facebook

Winner will be selected via random.org on Friday May 6th at 4pm CST. Giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the United States only.

I can't wait to read all of your favourite moments! Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Holy Facebook Giveaways!

When I first joined Facebook (later than most I might add) it was mostly to share with my friends and find old friends that I hadn't seen or heard from in a really long time. I remember being so excited to find people that I knew from grade school and see what they were up to. Most of which was really exciting, and a couple of more upsetting things (that an old friend had passed away at much too young of an age.)

Then I got married and had kids and you would think that that would be cause for less time on Facebook but I find myself sitting there nursing at the key board (nak as us online moms like to call it) engrossed in this world of Facebook pages. I am still paying attention to what friends of mine are up to and how cute their kids look in the posted photos and videos but mostly I am wrapped up in all of these online companies and blogs and all of their online giveaways!

For the longest time I would have called myself "unlucky" when it came to entering something and actually winning. And then came CPO and it seems that my luck of winning had taken a turn for the better. CPO was the first place that I really won anything. This site has won me numerous books, a kitchen scale, a Crayola prize pack, clothing, and I am sure there are even other things that I am missing right now, but it seems that that would not be where my luck would end.

Before I knew it I was entering giveaway after giveaway on Facebook. Am I winning things? I sure am! Diapers, hair clips, leggings but as in most things there is a catch. Entering most of these giveaways is really quite simple, like the person's fan page, enter a comment on the photo and check back to see if you've won.

In the last week I have entered so many giveaways and "liked" so many different fan pages that now my whole news feed is loaded up of their status updates that I can hardly see what my friends are doing! I feel like the people on <em>Extreme Couponing </em> only its extreme giveaways. I'm not the only one on my friends list to see positive results from entering giveaways either. So if you have posted something on Facebook and I don't happen to comment on it, please, do not think that I am ignoring you, its more likely that my news feed has now been over run by all of these companies with oh-so-cute baby and children's items!

Did you know you can fan this blog on Facebook?Check it out HERE to keep up with my own updates, reviews and giveaways :)




Post written April 19 2011 moved from previous blog

Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper Review

It is getting to that time of year where everyone is starting to think about warm weather activities. While it is still too cold to go and swim outside people are beginning to get prepared for their summer vacations and often that means making sure that their children have all of the appropriate swimming gear.

When Ella was small we took her swimming for the first time around 6 months. Remembering back to that time I honestly had no idea that a cloth swim diaper even existed, keeping in mind that she was completely diapered in disposables. We went out and bought her a bathing suit and some Huggies Little Swimmers, and never thought a thing of it.

This time around, wanting to remain green, I began to do some research on cloth swim diapers, and then my opportunity came around to try Monkey Doodlez. First off my favourite part about the cloth swim diapers is all of the different patterns you can get. Here we were killing two birds with one stone. I don’t have to buy swim diapers and a swim suit because the diapers are really fashionable. Monkey Doodlez has a wide variety of patterns for boys and girls and they come in a variety of sizes.

The first time we used this swim diaper was also the first time we took Dillan swimming so it was quite the memorable experience.  I got him dressed in his swim wear and then handed him to my husband so that I could get dressed. The next thing I know Matt is hollering at me that Dillan is peeing all over him. Lesson learned; keep a towel on him because cloth swim wear doesn’t keep the pee in the diaper. At first I was a bit put off by this but it seems that it’s not just Monkey Doodlez swim diapers that are like this but all cloth swim wear.  What is important is that if your baby does happen to have a bowel movement that will be staying in the diaper.
I found that the diaper fit Dillan nice and snug around the waist and legs, while remaining comfortable for him. That being said, I have a chubby baby. At only four months old he is 17lbs. This may be an issue for a slimmer baby.
Personally I wish there was a way to open the swim diaper. Because the diaper slides on and off like underpants I would think that it would be difficult to take off the baby if they did happen to have a bowel movement while wearing the diaper. If the swim diaper was made with an aplix or snap closure that would prevent this from being an issue and also help with sizing on a slimmer baby. This might not be an issue for a lot of people; my little guy is a poop machine. I think that this swim diaper is great if your little one is in the potty training stage because it is not going to seem like they are wearing a diaper but you are still going to get the benefits of using a swim diaper.

Overall I do like the swim diaper, and out of the few times we have taken him swimming it hasn’t caused us any issues.  I think Monkey Doodlez has done a great job with this product yet again!

Want to get your own Monkey Doodlez swim diaper? Check them out HERE and use the code Canadian15 for 15% off! Valid for the next 14 days :)

***I just wanted to add that Monkey Doodlez does have new snap swim diapers coming soon!!


Post written April 18 2011 moved from previous blog

Common Courtesy No Longer Common

Over the past month or so I have been faced with countless times where someone has said that they would be here at a certain time and to have them show up late or just not show up at all. This isn't just people who said that they were coming by at said time to pick up whatever item I have for sale on kijiji, its also interviews and people that I know personally. Saying "okay, I will call you back." Means just that, call back.

 I understand that people have lives and families that they are busy with, I am too. I also understand that sometimes people just plain old forget, I am guilty of that too. You just really have to wonder, are people SO busy that they can't pick up a phone and make a phone call to let you know that they will be late or wont make it?

As a friend recently put it when we were discussing this topic "Why are people so sketchy?" I really have to wonder this. In today's world where there are SO many ways to communicate with someone (Facebook, email, web chat, phone and cell phone) why is it so difficult to let someone know that you wont make it? You can't tell me that its because you weren't near a phone, not when everyone and their dog has a cell phone. ( Except for my husband and I, we actually don't have them, but that's a whole other rant.)

It doesn't just end with not calling either. How about holding the door open for someone? Letting people off the elevator before you rush into it? Letting the people who actually need to use services like an elevator use them. I am sure I could go on and on. Are people today just really that involved with how busy their own lives are that they can't stop and take the time to show someone else a nice gesture? I really hope not.



post written April 7 2011 moved from previous blog