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The perfect last minute holiday gifts

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

I used to be that girl that would leave her shopping to the very last minute. I would run out to the mall on December 24th racing against the clock. Things have changed now that I have become a mom. Shopping now involves more lead time and planning.

But, I have realized that even with all the preparation, my baby brain still trumps time and time again. I thought I was done all of my shopping for this year – but ugh looks like I have forgotten a couple people on my list (sorry). And I really don’t want to hit the mall at this point.

Consequently, we have put together some amazing last minute gift ideas that should satisfy everyone on your list – you don’t even have to go out to the mall for these awesome finds – here goes:

FOR KIDS

Thermos Funtainers

Absolutely love this licensed product line including branded lunch kits. Just in time for the release of the new Star Wars Movie Rogue. Send your kiddo back to school in January with some new and cool lunch gear – we love these ones!

From flowers and fire trucks to Barbie and Spiderman, Thermos stainless steel bottles, food jars and snack jars are durable and come in an assortment of amusing designs for the kids. The vacuum insulation technology assures maximum temperature retention and the extra wide mouth is easy to fill, eat from and clean.

You can buy the Thermos brand at most retailers across Canada and the US. Give Target a try – they now even ship to Canada.

SoapSox

We first discovered this fun bath product when watching an episode of Shark Tank. Then my sons tried out their own SoapSox character in the tub and had an absolute blast. They love putting soap in the stuffie’s mouth and washing themselves which is a bonus for mom!

SoapSox®, the adorable plush friends that kids can take from playtime to bath time, are now available in Walmart stores and online across Canada! Kids can snuggle, cuddle, and play with their SoapSox all day and when it’s bath time, bring them into the tub! A patented soap pocket transforms each lovable SoapSox into a sudsy wash cloth – just add soap and scrub! It’s the way kids want to wash! SoapSox is the next generation of washcloths for kids!

FOR MOMS

Hey dads – listen up…!

Ruby Ribbon

Ruby Ribbon We just recently found about this awesome shapewear company that caters to small and bigger sizes. The shapewear is super comfortable, fashionable and sexy. Ruby Ribbon encourages women to ditch their bras for their camis – I have ordered one and it is on the way so I can’t wait to see if this works for me!

I had a look through their catalogue and their products are gorgeous and functional – have a look!

FOR DADS

MPG

My husband is one of the hardest people to buy for – he loves fashion – he loves tech. When I came across MPG’s Utility Hooded Backpack I thought it was such a cool product and checked all the boxes.

This fashionable yet functional unisex backpack features a unique, stow-away hood, detailed dual entry and water resistant fabric. This versatile gift for fathers, boyfriends and brothers caters to city commuting, travel and outdoor activities alike.

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Pair of Thieves

My husband loves his socks – he could buy socks every day of the week – it’s his thing and he loves funky socks.

They offering fun, functional and matching socks for moms & kids and dads & kids. How cute are their designs!

Pair of Thieves blends bold designs with high performance elements to make socks & underpants that are Ready For Everything. Founded by 3 friends (and Dads), Cash Warren, Alan Stuart & David Ehrenberg, who decided they just couldn’t stand a mediocre product, especially socks that got “drunk” and fell down. They spent 2 years developing a better men’s sock, then a better kid’s sock, an incredible boxer brief, and now women’s. Pair of Thieves is here to make basics a lot less basic using performance fabrics, construction, and features to keep you dry, cool, comfortable, chafe-free, and happy, to further their mission to make “The Most Fitting Socks & Underpants in All the Land.”

Who’d You Rather

As a kid we used to play lots of board games together as a family including Monopoly and Balderdash. I love board games and when we learned that Who Would You Rather was invented by two Torontonians we were all ears. Ellen has played it with Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Kimmel and Kris Jenner, to name a few. Who’d You Rather is a celeb based, twisted fantasy party game. You can buy the game here.

Here are some funny ones…Who’d you rather read you a bedtime story?
A. Bruce Springsteen or B. Chris RockWho’d you rather have a food fight with?
A. Ivanka Trump or B. Tina Fey

Who’d you rather play naked Twister with?
A. Snoop Dogg or B. Dr. Phil

The Great Gilly Hopkins DVD

Featuring Hollywood’s heavy hitters such as Glenn Close, Octavia Spencer, Kathy Bates, Julia Stiles and Sophie Nelisse and based on the award-winning novel of the same name, The Great Gilly Hopkins is a must-watch for the whole family and perfect gift for the holidays. Read our review here.

Have any other last-minute gift ideas to add? Please feel free to add your comments below 🙂 Happy Shopping! xo

Thanks a lot, winter, like I needed that.

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

Know what my least favourite part of the day is? I bet it’s yours too.

Those painful minutes trying to get your kids out the front door every morning.

photo: L.C. Nøttaasen

Seriously, at the best of times it’s like a game of Simon Says being played by squirrels with nobody trying to win. Here’s what my average morning sounds like:

Put your coat on. Where’s your lunch. Give him back his shoes. No, the cat doesn’t want to go to school. Leave your stuffie at home. Leave your beyblade at home. Put your brother’s Lego guy down. I saw you sneak your beyblade into your backpack. Why is your shirt dirty? You forgot to brush your hair. Where’s your hat? Put on your shoes! Not that jacket, the other jacket. No, you don’t have to change your underpants, the orange ones are fine.

And that’s a good day.

It’s hard enough to get them out of the house on time with all of their belongings in nice weather. The winter exits are probably going to be my undoing. I feel like I’m going crazy – and I actually feel like I deserve a reward when I get them both out of the house and to school on time, with their backpacks, lunches, indoor shoes, wearing boots, snowpants, jackets, hats and gloves.

Backpacks
Lunches
Indoor shoes
Boots
Snowpants
Jackets
Hats
Gloves

It’s only an 8 point checklist – times two boys – now how could that go wrong?

Seriously, raising children in a cold-weather climate is frustrating.

I have learned three tricks. They don’t make mornings any easier, but they keep mornings from getting harder.

Trick # 1:

I don’t care how many kids you have, if they are remotely able to wear the same size hats and gloves, go out and get numerous identical sets of hats and mitts. I like the mitts to be weird colours and patterns so that they’re easy to spot in the lost and found or lying around the schoolyard. In the morning there are no fights about “I want that hat! He took my gloves!”

Because no.

And if you’ve ever experienced trying to buy gloves in February, you’ll know they’re all gone and off the shelves. Buy early, buy often. I buy 10 pairs of the same mitts. Lose one? No problem, there are still 9 more to match the survivor.

Trick # 2:

Neon. I try to find neon jackets – or at least brightly coloured jackets. This year one is orange, the other is aqua. Do you know how easy it is to find your kids in the schoolyard, on the playground or at a winter festival when they’re in technicolour? If they leave it anywhere it’s easy to spot, just like the gloves. You’ll thank me.

Trick # 3:

Wall hooks. Each child has his own set of wall hooks by the door (we have no front hall closet). There’s a hook for the snowpants, a hook for the coat, and a hook for the schoolbag. “Mitts in the hat, hat in the sleeve” is my morning mantra and evening mantra, and I drill it into them in hopes that my dozen (did I say 10? Maybe make it an even dozen. A baker’s dozen, just to be safe) sets of hats and mitts make it through the winter. There is no searching around for stuff in the morning. It is by FAR the most organized area of my life and one of the only routines that is remotely followed. Not always, sometimes I find a coat in the mudroom and a hat on the kitchen table, but when there’s a basket of 15 sets of mitts and gloves by the front door, it’s an easy remedy in the morning.

Bonus: Trick #4:

Move to Costa Rica. 36° in the shade, you’ll never have to rummage through the lost and found for another pair of snowpants ever again!

Shine on! How to style sequins

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Sara Duck Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

Tippi Sweater from J.Crew, Earrings my own – Similar found at Banana Republic, Metal Frame Snake Skin Clutch from Banana Republic, Shoes my own – Similar found at Ssense, Sequined Skirt from H&M, Faux-Fur Snood my own – Similar found at Indigo

Sequin details seem to be shining everywhere these days. Whether they are adorning a piece of clothing or embellishing a throw pillow, sequins are a fun way to incorporate a bit of sparkle into your home and wardrobe.

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind, if you plan on styling with sequins.

Avoid head to toe sequins. Hello, disco ball!
Mix your sequin item with an article of clothing that is more subtle with minimal detail. Remember, less bedazzle and more balance.
Sequins in a multitude of colours can be scary and may cause blindness (wink, wink).
If sequined clothing is just too much for you, consider accessorizing your outfit with a sequin statement piece like a bag, a pair of shoes or even a slick of nail polish.
At home, less is more when it comes to accenting your sofa with a sequined throw pillow. Choose one or two (no more!) to be the focal point.

Graelian Bag from Aldo

Blazer with Sequins from Zara

Sequined Table Runner from H&M

Long Earrings with Tassels from H&M

Sophia Pumps in Sequin from J.Crew

Mini Paint Pot Nail Polish and Effects by Ciaté London from Sephora

Mermaid 2-Tone Sequin Throw Pillow by The Watson Shop from Wayfair.ca

Sequined Sleep Mask from H&M

As seen this week on TheModernCurator.ca

The Modern Curator

Sara Duck
TheModernCurator.ca
@SaraDuck

The Modern Curator

The Modern Currator

Golden Margarita

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

I have to admit, I’m not much of a ‘fancy drink’ kind of girl. Maybe it’s the “urban” in me?

I like vodka, bourbon and scotch. You’re more likely to find me ordering a well-aged single malt than you are to find me with something that requires a garnish – unless it’s extra olives for a dirty martini.

But I recently discovered margaritas, and that all changed.

It’s something about the salt rim, the pucker of the sour lime, the sharp tequila kick. They’re refreshing on a hot day – like adult lemonade – but I don’t hate having one with dinner when we’re out, either. It’s a big change for me, the margarita is a great addition to my repertoire!

But a good margarita takes some skill.

It’s about real lime juice and not just bar lime. It’s about nice, big, chunky ice cubes that don’t melt on contact. The salt rim has to be just so – thick so it doesn’t melt down the side of the glass after the first sip. And it’s about good tequila.

Really really good tequila.

I just found this recipe and am in love with the idea of gold powder, so I’ll have to pick up a bottle Allaire Cristal Age Tequila – the former bartender in me is thrilled!

What you need:

– 2oz Allaire Cristal Age Tequila

– 2oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
– Lime circles

– Dash organic agave (the sweetener from the same plant which produces the ingredients for tequila)
– Ice
– Rim salt

– 24k edible gold powder

What you do:

Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass, and then dip it into salt, creating a thick salt rim. Fill glass with ice. Add tequila, lime juice and agave, but don’t come up close to the salt rim or it will melt. Garnish with gold powder on the surface. Coat a lime circle in gold powder and use to garnish the glass.

¡Salud!

You throw like a girl – be proud of that!

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

Throw like a girl? That’s a good thing – a great thing in fact! And we caught up with Dana Bookman, the Founder and Executive Director of Toronto Girls Baseball to find out more about getting girls in the game!

A friend told me a story the other day. His son’s hockey coach told the team they skate like girls.

Not ‘skate like girls’ because there’s actually a girl on the team and she’s really the best skater they’ve got. More like the ‘skate like girls’ in a ‘you guys suck’ kind of way. Those boys (and that one girl) have sisters and mothers. Whether that coach knows it or not, he’s teaching that team that skating like a girl, throwing like a girl, being a girl means that girls are weaker, less athletic and slower than boys.

Do you, as mothers believe that’s true of your daughters? I sure as heck don’t.

A recent study by Indiana University found that until puberty girls and boys are equally athletic. It found no difference in performance between boys and girls under 8. It also found little difference in girls and boys 11 and 12 year olds.

Last year, when my daughter was 6 years old, she wanted to play on a baseball team. She can hit the ball out of the park, but she didn’t want to play with boys. When I searched for baseball leagues for girls my daughter’s age (not softball) there were none. Not in Toronto, not in the GTA, not in Ontario. So I started one. And within weeks we had dozens of girls registered.

Within 6 months we had more than 200 girls on our roster.

And we’re still just getting started. But one program in one city is not enough. In Canada, 41% of girls ages 3-17 do not participate in sports. And young girls who are not physically active by 10 years old only have a 10% chance of being active as adults.

Two recent studies featured in the New York Times suggest that participating in physical activity, particularly sports, has benefits for girls including a reduced risk of developing cancer, better grades, and high self-esteem.

Toronto Girls Baseball shows the girls what they can aspire to be. The club has players from the Canadian National Women’s Baseball team as coaches. They bring their heavy silver medals from the PanAm Games and from the 2016 World Championships in South Korea, and players try them on and take photos. The coaches are role models, showing our girls what they can achieve if they find a sport they love.

Being part of a team is not just about being active, it’s about confidence, coordination and teamwork. And it teaches our daughters that throwing like a girl – and skating like a girl – is something to be proud of.

Dana Bookman is the Founder and Executive Director of Mighty Girls Sports and Toronto Girls Baseball.

She has two kids, ages 7 & 8 and lives in Toronto.

TorontoGirlsBaseball.com

Toronto Girls Baseball

How to Incorporate Mindfulness into your Daily Routine

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in The Best You, Urban Suburban Mommy .

Let’s face it. Being a mom is stressful. The good news is that there is something we can do to reduce the amount of stress that we experience in our lives – mindfulness and meditation.

JasonGarner.com

You’re probably thinking that you don’t have time to sit around the house and meditate, but it doesn’t have to take a huge chunk of your time. In just a few minutes a day, you can incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your routine and watch the stress melt away.

We caught up with Jamie Price, wellness expert and co-founder of the award winning Stop, Breathe & Think meditation app who has created some awesome tips to achieve calm for all your Urban Suburban Mommies out there!

How to Incorporate Mindfulness into your Daily Routine

1. Schedule it. Set the alarm on your phone for a certain time each day. Then set the timer to customize it to your individual needs. Notice your thoughts, feelings and the sensations in your body. Pay attention to your breath as you breathe in and out.

2. Enjoy! Celebrate the fact that you are giving yourself some time to just be still. You deserve it.

3. Don’t be hard on yourself. You’re not going to be an expert meditator right away. Instead of judging your experience, treat yourself with warmth and friendliness, and allow yourself to be present with whatever is happening, as imperfect as it may be.

4. Find creative ways to incorporate it into your day:

a. Stuck in traffic: Practice mindful breathing by taking a deep breath each time someone honks or the signal turns red.

b. Waiting in line at the grocery store: Notice your thoughts, feelings and the sensations in your body. Ask yourself: What am I feeling physically? What am I feeling mentally? What is the overall quality of my state of mind?

c. Take a mindful walk with your child. Pay attention to every detail. Use your five senses to bring awareness to everything around you. What do you see, hear, taste, smell and feel?

4. Download an app or tutorial to guide your through the process and to learn more mindfulness techniques.

Try to set realistic expectations, and always take a moment to appreciate whatever time you were able to spend meditating, and whatever benefits you feel, however small. With regular practice, mindfulness will have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing. Simple guided meditations can be found on the free app Stop, Breathe & Think.

About Stop, Breathe & Think

The 5 star rated Stop, Breathe & Think app is paving the way to everyday emotional wellness. The award winning meditation app customizes content based on user emotions and has become a top ranked app for emotional health. Born out of the non-profit Tools For Peace, and launched in early 2014, Stop, Breathe & Think has garnered over 2M user downloads, 5M emotional check-ins and averages 200K MAUs. The app has won the People’s Voice Webby Award for Health & Fitness in April 2015.

Jamie Price, wellness expert and co-founder of the award winning Stop, Breathe & Think

October 15 – Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

Most people are touched by loss – pregnancy and infant loss – to some degree.

It’s painful and it’s hard to just move on.

I don’t want to get into particulars, but I’ve been touched by it very profoundly through someone very close to me. It never stops hurting my heart to see the space where that very wanted child should have been when our children play.

Loss is hard. It happens. There is no way to pretend it doesn’t. October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. I guess for some it’s a day to remember, a day to celebrate that life that was cut short or to embrace the reality that, with that loss there was also the loss of a family’s hopes and dreams for the future that had grown with the expectation of the child’s arrival.

It should be a day for awareness, too.

photo: Groume

Loss shouldn’t make us look away or shy away or change the conversation abruptly. Often we don’t know what to say, how to handle it. We try to make it better with words, but that can often just make it worse.

Each of us handles grief differently, and each family that suffers a loss manages that grief their own way. And just like any other loss, it’s not for us to judge, justify, try to cheer up, compare our own losses or even create context. The best that we can do for those who have suffered a loss is to offer kindness, compassion and support.

If you’ve suffered a loss, don’t feel you should have to keep it bottled up. If you need help, make sure you ask.

Loss is never easy, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be discussed.

Saaa-wiiiing batta’ – or how I became a hockey mom

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

At the start of baseball season, my guy was afraid to swing the bat too hard. He was shy about mixing with the rest of his team. He sat in the dust instead of the bench. He looked around in the outfield, chasing daisies instead of pop flies.

I had no idea a couple of months ago how important it would be to get my kid into team sports.

“Get them into baseball,” my husband kept at me.

“But I don’t want to spend all summer running from practice to practice, game to game,” I complained. (Complained, maybe whined, it’s a bit of a blur.)

I played baseball as a kid. In fact, I played in a social league as an adult, right up until I had kids. I love playing baseball. But I didn’t see my kids loving it. (Or maybe I just didn’t feel like it.)

Let me tell you, living in Toronto, what Bautista and his bat flip did for baseball in Toronto is nothing short of heroic. All of the leagues were beyond capacity. Their waitlists were even closed – the waitlist had a waitlist. And then someone recommended a league. I got my older son into the last remaining space in the entire City of Toronto. My younger son would have to sit out this year though. There were no other leagues with any availability for his age group.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNi2wSIYLNM&w=560&h=315]

Baseball would take over our summer. Games were Monday and Wednesday evenings, practices were Saturday mornings. Between sitting in the dirt, sliding into home and falling in the outfield, his shirt and pants had to be washed after every wear. Three times a week.

This wasn’t working out for me.

I wanted to quit.

“Stick with it honey,” my husband kept saying. Easy for him to say, he had to work through the practices, the games.

And then my son got it.

One day as he tapped the plate with his bat, he swung – and he connected. He knocked that ball into the outfield.

The look on his face and the glint in his eyes – it all changed after that first hard hit.

For both of us.

It was no longer something I had to do, it was something I looked forward to doing. He stopped needing to be told what to do, he looked forward to his next game, his next turn at bat. He started figuring out which positions he enjoyed playing, how to control the ball as he threw it.

I started feeling bad that my husband would miss all of this.

It’s amazing what baseball can teach you. Apparently it’s why, now that baseball season is over, I’m about to become what I never wanted to become… A. Hockey. Mom.

Day out with Thomas – win tickets!

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

I don’t know about you, but my boys have been obsessed with trains for as long as they’ve been choo-choo-ing. The shows, the train sets, the requests to ride a real one.

Well guess what? A Day out With Thomas is about as amazing as the whole train love experience can get. All aboard, this opportunity gets you on the railways with everybody’s favourite little tank engine – and some of his friends will be there too.

Appearing at the York Durham Heritage Railway over the next few weeks, you need to book your ride now. And one lucky family can win a four pack of tickets from Urban Suburban Mommy!

Like the blog, like our Facebook page Urban Suburban Mommy and leave a comment (either on Facebook or on the Blog) and you’re entered to win.

Winners must use tickets for the Friday August 19 tour at 3:45pm. There is no cash value, no date alternative. Prize is awarded randomly. Winner will be announced on August 15 at 10 am est. There is free parking near the site but transportation to and from the event is not included.

For more details or to book your own tickets visit: A Day out With Thomas

Contest may be cancelled at the discretion of Urban Suburban Mommy. Urban Suburban Mommy will not be held responsible for any damage, loss or injury involved with participating in the contest. Ticket pick up is the responsibility of the contest winner and is only open to residents of the GTA only (Toronto area).

Mama and her two year old’s milestones

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

One month from today, I will officially be the mother of a 2 year old. WHOA! So many things come to mind, but as I have discussed, milestones are one of the main focuses. (And of course, celebrating it, which I will keep low key until 3!)

Here’s our list of “concerns/milestones/highlights”:

200 words

(I stopped counting at 170, and I deserve a medal for this). R’s and F’s continue to be a challenge. ‘Nuff said.

Resourceful

Tyson is SUPER resourceful! This was pointed out to me by one of my best friends who works in the child development field. She listens to me whine and complain about milestones (enter the 200 words) but reminds me of the many things that Tyson (Ian and I) are doing well.

Time Timer

I just learned what a time timer was a few months ago. Some would think, working in a school, that I would know what a time timer is. (Side note – it is ultimately a clock that has a countdown feature with the “hands of a clock so that kids can learn what 30 seconds,1 minute is, 20 minutes, etc).

Anyways, back to the time timer.

My friend encourages the use of a time timer at a young age, as we are always telling our kids “1 minute”, etc. I looked into the app, and chose not to purchase it as I do not need Tyson on my phone anymore than he already is! I am hoping to get a used one as I do like this idea of teaching Tyson what 1 minute is (or 20 minutes when I need to make dinner uninterrupted!).

Potty Training

YIKES! We’ve been encouraging the idea of the potty for the past few months just by having it next to our toilet. We purchased pull-ups. Close to his birthday, we are “committing” to this.

WISH. US. LUCK!

Food

It’s still a big deal – of course different than it was back at the 9-month mark of exploring all of the different meats. Now I’m trying to “let loose” and let my son eat processed meat. Or chocolate. Or ice cream. Any helpful suggestions? (I am serious).

Now, onto a 2 year old boy’s birthday plans. I could have a theme. And a special cake. And invite friends…. OR, I could just say wait until he’s 3.

Do I want to have a cake made? Sure, if it was free. This is no different than my opinion on the cake-smashing concept; it is just not for me. Tyson would likely enjoy it, but 10 years from now am I going to be happy that I spent $40 on a cake that he ate one bite of and then moved onto his new toy for the sandbox? Nope!

I am going to do a fun photoshoot with a local photographer to have an amazing set of pics to remember this time – pre birthday – which I will use the gift certificate that my good friend gave us at Tyson’s shower. The shoot will include a few fun fishing shots, and then I will host a small shin-dig at my parents’ or in-laws’ place.

I think that when he turns 3 my thoughts on his birthday, plans will become more exciting. A themed party, special invites, and likely loot bags. (side note – I have already started a board on Pinterest for potential party/theme ideas!)

But for now, give me the strength to make it through potty training!

Krista Holmes, KH Mgmt, became a mother in the summer of 2014. She works behind-the-scenes in the Canadian music industry, designs several social media campaigns and manages special events. Her love for motherhood & music can be found on her blog, mommylovesmusic.wordpress.com.

@KHmgmt

Father’s Day gifts from the kiddos’ POV

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Urban Suburban Daddy .

I remember being a kid and thinking that it was really important to go shopping for Father’s Day – a special mission. Every year we’d get my dad the exact same thing – a soap-on-a-rope and a box of turtles chocolates. It couldn’t be Father’s Day without those 2 things. (In fact, it couldn’t be his birthday without those gifts.) Every year he’d unwrap his soap and chocolates with eager excitement and anticipation – and it made us so happy to see how much he loved his gifts.

It’s funny, because looking back on the experience, if it had been any normal man I’d have said that he was just being kind to play it up to make us feel good – but my dad was not normal.

Not in any sense of the word.

He loved his soap-on-a-rope and he loved turtles. These he considered it a special treat. He could well afford to go out and buy himself anything he wanted, but he didn’t. Soap-on-a-rope and turtles were prizes, gifts, and he’d wait – for Father’s Day, his birthday, – and then revel. The turtles would last all of five minutes, but that soap – it and its rope would be savored down to the last sud.

It’s funny little rituals, odd little quirks, unique and individual personality traits that make our parents so dear to us. My dad is gone, but those memories are as vivid today as they were the day they were made.

Now that I have my own family, we have our own traditions. Over the years the boys have picked out different things for dad. He loves the things they pick out. Whether it’s something he can use or something he’ll never open, he cherishes those gifts because they come from his kids’ hearts. While I like to believe I’m a good gift giver and that I help steer the kids in the right direction, I think they could give him lumps of coal and he’d be happy, because those lumps of coal were chosen especially for him by his most favourite people in the whole world.

I guess that’s why my dad was never faking the happiness over his soap-on-a-rope and chocolate, why he actually savoured every last sud. It was never about the soap.

Insert epiphany here, lol.

We thought it would be fun to find out what some of Urban Suburban Mommy’s contributor’s children (who range in age from infants to teenagers) wanted to get dad for Father’s Day.

Lifestyle contributor Krista Holmes
Tyson, 2 year old

I asked Tyson (keeping in mind he is not yet 2 and more than 2 words is considered a win!) and he said “ish” which means FISH, and boat….these 2 things will make his Dad incredibly happy as other than hunting, fishing is his favourite past time (and he’s shopping for a new bass boat).

Parenting expert Lauren Millman
The kids

Because daddy works so hard we want to give daddy a day off and we just want him to relax and eat and sleep. And maybe play a game or two with us. And he can have all the ice-cream he wants, and Mom, you can take his phone and computer and not give it back to him until the next morning.

Lifestyle contributor Alexis Nicols

Nate (4): A giraffe.

Me: A giraffe?!? Honey, wouldn’t that be too big for the house?

Nate: (Sigh) OK fine mommy. A cat. He wants a pet cat.

(It should be mentioned that Nate wants a pet cat.)

Ben (17 months): Bah. (Translation: “After much soul searching, I’ve determined that our father would greatly appreciate a power-tool of some kind. However, I believe that the buying of “things” does not fill the existential void in one’s soul. Therefore, I would bestow upon our father the gifts of joy, love, peace and clarity. Also, I just pooped.”)

Editor Elisa Keay
The boys, 8 and 6 years old

The 8 year old wants to get his dad a car. Dad’s car is on its last legs and our Urban Daddy has dreams of a brand new… minivan. It’s not something I can get excited about, but the fam loves to pile in for drive-in movies and he really does love driving his minivan. The little guy even remembered to ask for it to have stow-and-go seats. And it has to have a drink spot beside his seat too. Kids.

Dodge Grand Caravan

The 6 year old wants to get dad Lego. Star Wars Lego. He has some Star Wars Lego and has agreed that Dad needs to put it together with him, but he has decided that he should buy his dad a really really big Star Wars Lego set so that they can do it together. And he will keep it in his room, nice and safe – for Dad.

LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon (75105)

…I may actually have to buy Star Wars Lego for Father’s Day. I’m not buying a minivan, that’s for sure.

Editor Michelle’s Daides
4 year old son

Me: What do you want to get Daddy for father’s day?

E: A plastic spider.

Me: Are you sure?

E: No wait, wait. I know he loves music. A musical CD.

Instead, we decided on a special dance for you – Daddy, you are worth it! xo

[wpvideo oS5wrWU2]

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