Another Baby Is Left to Die in an Oven

Do you ever go out in the car with your baby or young child with the intention of getting all your errands done only to see the little munchkin sound asleep in the back before you are halfway through your chores? It’s frustrating to say the least. But, it’s not a reason to leave your child alone in the locked car while you go in and buy your groceries or even just to purchase that jug of milk. I’ve heard and read a lot of stories this summer of children dying in hot cars because their parents thought that it would be OK to run into the store for a few things – or worse, the child was FORGOTTEN in the hot car! How do you forget that you have a child locked in your car?

This has been the topic of some talk radio programming and I was astounded to hear the announcer say that the results of their unscientific poll indicated that the majority of respondents felt that it was an acceptable practice, as long as the window was cracked a bit! This is horrifying. With temperatures soaring well over 100 degrees on a daily basis this summer how could you do this to another being, let alone your own child!

This morning there was a story of a Toronto family visiting Texas whose toddler died in a sweltering car when the family forgot the child for two hours locked in a minivan in the parking lot of a mall. Does this mean that no one passing the vehicle saw or heard a child in distress in the car for the entire two hour timeline? Let’s all make a pact as citizens of the world. If you see a child has been left unattended in a vehicle – no matter what the weather – call 911. Obviously you will look around to see if the parent is nearby, but if not the please call the authorities for help. We need to stop worrying that we will be seen as busybodies who should mind our own business – this is someone’s life we are talking about. These children are strapped into their seats and cannot free themselves. These parents may as well be sticking their children into an oven. Enough is enough. Let’s take our iPods out of our ears and pay attention to the world around us. Let’s not let another child die from this torturous situation. Thank you for reading this and being a conscientious person.

Weaning Time?

As the first year of my boy’s life comes to a close I look back and wonder where the last 12 months have gone. What happened to my 8 lb baby boy with all this gangly arms and legs flailing? Instead he has been replaced by this big, beautiful and active toddler who is days from walking completely unaided and perhaps weeks from speaking his first real words. A year ago I could not imagine breastfeeding for more than a few days – weeks tops; and now, a year later, I have to begin to think about weaning my child.

I don’t HAVE to wean him now, as there many “experts” who say breastfeeding for two years is optimal, but the way we live in North America makes it a challenge to continue nursing much past the first year. Would I want to continue even if I could? Hmm, I just don’t know. How do you know when the time is right to stop breastfeeding? There are so many factors at play. Most importantly, how do you wean when you are not sure if your baby is ready for it?

It is going to be difficult weaning Harrison, as nursing is probably his most favourite thing in the world. How will I manage to deal with the guilt knowing that I am depriving my little love of the experience that he most cherishes and feels comforted by? While I am 70% ready to begin weaning, as there are things in my life that demand it sooner than later, there is still a part of me that loves those quiet moments with my boy and it tears at my heart to know that they will soon come to an end. I hear of moms who could not wait to stop breastfeeding and I think that made it a little easier – why can’t/don’t I feel like that? How do I know when the time is right and how do I do this? It seems like the hardest thing I have ever been faced with.

If you are a mom who breastfed I’d love to get your comments/suggestions on weaning and how to make it an easier transition time for baby and mom.

Pre-Made Food That I Actually Recommend

I usually avoid pre-made foods at all costs. Typically prepared foods are high in calories, fat and salt and end up costing the consumer much more than if they were to make it themselves, but there is one prepared food that is my go-to on a regular basis…Supermarket Rotisserie Chicken! This baby has saved my precious time, budget and waistline for the past 5 years and if you’re not familiar with its greatness and adaptability then here’s what you’ve been missing.

Most supermarkets offer a rotisserie chicken in the hot food section and nowadays you can get all kinds from traditional BBQ flavour to jerk seasoning to skinless herb marinated. The latter is my favourite – it’s actually delicious – but if you get the ones with the skin on just beware that the skin is the only downfall to the meal; you can easily overcome that by immediately removing and discarding the skin before serving. Pick up one of these birds and you can feed a family of four for one meal or you can take my tips below and really stretch your meals and budget.

The price varies from store to store, but you will spend approx $7.00/bird. I normally buy the “mammoth” size chicken, which is slightly bigger than the regular and if I am in a hurry for a meal I will serve it with a Greek salad (chunks of cucumber, tomato, feta and seasoned with oregano, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice – garnish with olives), some whole wheat pita and hummus (you can make it if you have time, but a decent prepared choice is Sabra brand, which is low in fat, sodium and “lowish” on calories, but tastes great). This meal gets you the 4 food groups, lots of veggies and protein and keeps you feeling full for a couple of hours. Because there are only 2 ½ of us eating the chicken, I still have ½ a chicken left over and I use this remaining meat in a pasta dish that stretches our meal plan for at least 4 more portions. Here’s my favourite quick rotisserie chicken and pasta dinner:

Cynthia’s Kitchen Sink Chicken and Pasta

What you need:

2 tsps olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes to taste – optional
3 cloves garlic minced
½ large onion sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 med sized zucchini cut into half-moon slices
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped asparagus
Rotisserie Chicken – ½ the chicken is best, but use whatever you’ve got left over and just bulk up the dish with more veggies if you are low on chicken.
1 28 oz can of pureed tomatoes
3 cups of short pasta (I like penne rigate, but use whatever floats your family’s boat)

What to do:

Bring 6 litres of water to a boil in a large pot (for pasta) while that’s happening, go to the next step.
In a large skillet, add olive oil, onions, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cook on medium heat until onions are slightly softened.
Add carrots and zucchini to the skillet, cook until slightly softened
Add broccoli and garlic to the skillet, cook until broccoli softened and bright green in colour
Add asparagus and chicken to the skillet, cook for 2 minutes
Add crushed tomatoes to the skillet, cook until hot and bubbling – taste the sauce to see if it needs any seasoning adjustments
Once boiling, add pasta to the water – don’t forget to season the water with a generous handful of coarse salt before you add the pasta
Once pasta is cooked – to taste, or as per package instructions – drain the pasta and add it to the skillet
Mix pasta to incorporate into the sauce

Tasty Tips:

Top with freshly grated cheddar or parmesan cheese.
Throw in whatever veggies you like, especially if you have some leftover in the fridge from another meal.
I sometimes buy radicchio (that red lettuce that looks like a baby cabbage) and I can never use the whole head of it in salads, so I chop it and throw it into the sauce toward the end of the cooking time, just before I add the pasta.
If you don’t need to use the sauce for the current week, then just freeze all or some of it before you add the pasta and use it at a later date when you need a quick and healthy meal.
Substitute the tomato sauce with homemade pesto (I’ll post this recipe for you – so easy and low calorie, you’ll never want to eat the stuff from a jar, or restaurant, again!).

Why Run Toronto?

Running in Toronto is amazing. Looping through the shady trees in Mount Pleasant cemetery transports a runner to another world. One could get lost among the headstones and winding paved pathways that provide a surprisingly good workout as they incline steeply enough to get a decent hill run, or at least allow for some fair hill repeats. If you’ve had enough of the headstones you can always head north to exit onto the Kay Gardiner Beltline for over 9kms (out and back) of a fantastically scenic and forgiving trail run that takes you well into the west end of uptown Toronto. There is no shortage of great running routes for even the most avid and adventurous of runners in the city.

If lake views are more your thing then head south to the waterfront where runners can enjoy a beautiful running path that will take them from the beaches in the east to neighboring cities to the west of Toronto. Be sure to wear your sunglasses if it’s a sunny day, as Lake Ontario will blindingly sparkle as you meander along the shore. Runners are friendly in the city, so nod, smile or wave as you pass your fellow sportsmen and women and they are plentiful; you’ll never feel lonely on your run. If you are looking for a world class running city that has many options for all skill levels, Toronto is the place to go.