Whether you’re a new parent or expecting your fourth child, there’s some great new baby gear available to make life with a baby a bit easier.
Things like the Cozy Bump body pillow to help pregnant women sleep safely on their stomachs, the Cheeky Chomper Neckerchew dribble bib with a teether integrated onto the bib or Wicked Sheets Little Sleepers moisture control crib sheets to keep your little one cool.
Best part? We’re giving these items away this month!
Date: Saturday | August 4, 2018
Time: 10am-4pm
Location: Franklin Mark Mall
As thousands of parents with children in pre-K through 12th grade spend Ohio’s Tax-Free Weekend (August 3-5) shopping for another school year, we’ll be offering resources to help them prepare during Toledo Area Parent’s 23rd annual Back to School Fair.
Join us at the Franklin Park Mall from 10am-4pm on Saturday, August 4, to meet representatives from local schools (preschool through high school), businesses, and more.
Are you a business owner or a school looking to showcase what you have to members of your target market? Contact our Sales Department to reserve your space today! Booths still available.
Past participating schools include: Premier Academy, Owens Community College, Toledo Preparatory & Fitness Academy, Toledo Public Schools, Cardinal Stritch High School, Nexus Academy of Toledo, Cardinal Learning, Star Academy of Toledo and many more!
Kroger has rolled in a new service to make shopping easier, and quicker at their Perrysburg location. The “Scan, Bag, Go” program allows customers to scan and bag their items as they shop, making checkout less of a hassle. Customers use a handheld scanner (a number of them are available at the entrance of the store) or the “Scan, Bag, Go” mobile app on their phone to scan the items, and the total will ring up as they shop. Once done shopping, customers finish at the self-checkout scanner, where the data will be downloaded, and pay for the groceries.
This service must be activated with a Kroger Plus Card. The service will also be offered at Kroger’s Maumee, Sylvania, Holland, and Bowling Green stores.
Last October, Balance Pan-Asian Grille announced opening a fourth restaurant, this one in downtown Toledo. Also, Balance Farms, an 8,000+ square foot urban farm is being developed adjacent to the restaurant, where produce for all Balance locations will be grown. The new location opened May 10 in the arcade area of the Tower on the Maumee parking garage at the corner of Summit and Jefferson. Balance serves healthy Asian fusion tacos, snacks, bowls (along with smaller portioned kids bowls), and seasonal items with a refreshingly changing menu.
215 N Summit St | 419-243-2222 | balancegrille.com
Hours: Everyday 11am-9pm
On May 26, Level 419, a new arcade, opened, hosting a launch party for the public. Home to a variety of old-school arcade and console games that any retro gaming fan will appreciate, some offerings include Street Smart, Vigilante, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and pinball machines.
Check out their Facebook page to see other classics. facebook.com/Level419
Inside Indoor Sand | 2538 Woodville Rd | 567-277-0537
After 36 years of business, family-owned Catholic shop Churchill’s Religious Goods and Gifts located at 2748 Tremainsville Rd. closed its doors May 12. Since opening in 1982, the store has provided religious items, books, rosaries and gifts for Catholic milestones. Owner Rose Churchill, deciding that it was time to retire, made the decision to close the store.
If you’re a first time parent or you’re expecting your fourth child, the birth of a new baby is an exciting time. Parenthood is quite the journey-it’s beautiful and messy and exhausting. If you’re worried about wading through all the parenting advice or you’re anxious about your pregnancy, we can help. Read on, and know that you’re not alone in this parenting thing.
By Erin Marsh
My first pregnancy, I worried about everything. I read all of the parent magazines, spent hours researching online, and asked every mom I knew for advice.
Despite “doing everything right,” I had a miserable pregnancy. I suffered through pubic symphysis dysfunction, despite (or because of) regular exercise, and I ended up on bedrest with preeclampsia. Since I was at a high risk for having a stroke, which could have been devastating for both me and the baby, the doctors delivered my oldest three weeks early.
During my second pregnancy, I was too busy chasing around a toddler to worry about doing it all perfectly. I did make exercise a priority, but I focused on yoga and weight training instead of cardio, and I ate what I wanted and remained mostly worry-free.
My weight gain was minimal, my blood pressure stayed in the normal range, and I carried my second baby to full-term.
Moral of the story? It’s natural to want to start off motherhood flawlessly, but between social media and the internet, sometimes the pressure to be perfect can be overwhelming. Everyone has an opinion, and for every piece of advice you’re given, you’re likely to hear the opposite belief from someone else. It’s enough to drive anyone mad, but especially a hormonal pregnant woman!
Even though I basically just suggested that you ignore the overabundance of advice, I DO have one thing to offer: trust yourself. Your body was built to carry this baby; believe in that inner voice. Your body knows what’s best for it, and that baby knows what it needs. Parenting is a series of guessing games, so you may as well start practicing how to roll with the punches from the very beginning.
Yoga Time: Yoga During, and After, PregnancyBy Erin Marsh
New moms may turn to yoga for the first time during pregnancy. Exercise is great for both mom and baby, and yoga’s documented stress relief is an added bonus. Doctors often recommend yoga, presumably because it can be a gentle, safe way to exercise during pregnancy but, as with any form of exercise, yoga can have risks if practiced incorrectly.
Prenatal classes are a safe bet, but they aren’t always offered at your local yoga studio. Many yoga classes can be adapted for pregnancy. In reality, a prenatal/postnatal yoga class looks very similar to a regular yoga class–just with more props.
If you are new to yoga, try looking for classes such as basic, beginner, gentle, restorative or yin. Those classes tend to be at a slower pace and stick to the fundamental poses. The last thing you want to do is walk into a class where you do 60 vinyasas and stand on your head! If you have been practicing yoga consistently, then you should be able to continue at the level where you feel comfortable.
Before you join a class for the first time, call to confirm that the instructor has prenatal yoga training or experience. Many instructors have taken additional prenatal training, and they can guide you as to what you should and shouldn’t do, but ultimately, it’s your body, so you have the final say. The instructor, after all, cannot feel what you’re feeling, and each body, and every pregnancy, is different.
Additionally, inform the instructor of your pregnancy. An experienced instructor will be able to provide you with modifications for poses you should avoid.
As a general rule of thumb, inversions should be avoided after the first trimester, and deep twists and lying on your back should be avoided after second trimester. During the first trimester of pregnancy, you should be able to do every pose in a typical yoga class without any adjustments.
Open Arms Wellness Center
2300 Navarre Ave, Ste 204 | openarmsmassagestudio.com
Essence Mind Body Studio
725 Ford Street, Maumee | essencembs.com
Yogaja Yoga
3145 Central Ave, Toledo | yogajayoga.com
By Kimberly Feldkamp
I remember where I was when I got the call. I was on the phone with my mom, discussing the shoe size of my kindergartner when the other line beeped.
It was 4:15 pm on Tuesday, January 2, and my doctor’s office was calling. I wasn’t expecting to hear from them. “Mom,” I said. “It’s my doctor. Let me take this and I’ll call you back.”
It was the receptionist from Maumee OB/GYN, telling me results from my bloodwork were back. I had blood drawn the week before, as a precaution, and I was told everything was normal before the New Year. “This is a different part of the blood test,” the receptionist explained. “Your bile acid levels came back incredibly high.”
My mind started racing. My heart sank. This was exactly what I didn’t want to hear. I heard my voice crack. “Can you put my doctor on?” I asked. My doctor was calm and confident as she explained what the results meant. Normal bile acids in your blood are usually 10 or below. My bile acids came back above 60. Severe. Highest numbers she’d ever seen. I did, in fact, have cholestasis of pregnancy.
What is cholestasis of pregnancy? If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. In fact, this was my fourth pregnancy and I’d never heard of it before; never had come across it in a baby book, never had a doctor explain it, never had a friend or sister-in-law or relative that had it.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy commonly known as cholestasis of pregnancy, is a liver disease that only happens in pregnancy. It’s a condition in which the normal flow of bile acid is affected by increased pregnancy hormones. Pregnancy hormones affect liver function, resulting in the slowing or stopping the flow of bile. The gallbladder holds bile that is produced in the liver, which is necessary for the breakdown of fats in digestion. When the bile flow in the liver itself is stopped or slowed down, this causes a buildup of bile acids which can spill into the bloodstream. This condition increases the risk of fetal distress, preterm birth and stillbirth.
Cholestasis of pregnancy is more common in the third trimester, when hormones are at their peak, but it usually goes away within days of delivery. It happens to about 1 in 1,000 pregnant women and is diagnosed slightly more in the winter. The most common symptom is severe itching, usually on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet.
I remember hanging up the phone, feeling like I had done something wrong. This was all my fault. I felt my body had betrayed me this time around. Here I was in my fourth and final pregnancy and now this? How lucky I had been to have three healthy previous pregnancies and babies.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to deal with the intense itching that comes along with cholestasis for too long. Because mine was caught around 31 weeks, I started on medication to help lower the bile acids levels to keep me and baby safe and my itching went away. I actually felt really good, minus the normal aches and pains of the third trimester. I would be closely monitored, with weekly nonstress tests and ultrasounds, and my doctor wanted to deliver early at 37 weeks, which is considered full term.
I allowed myself a few days of incessant researching, some of which lead me down a dangerous rabbit hole, before I realized there was nothing I could do to change this. I finally realized I didn’t do anything to cause it. I trusted my doctor and our baby looked strong and healthy on all the tests and ultrasounds.
I was induced on Monday, February 12. Our fourth child, a boy (we didn’t find out the gender), was born at 6:29 that night, after eight hours of labor and just nine minutes of pushing. He came out screaming (and he still hasn’t stopped) and was perfectly pink and healthy. We took him home on Valentine’s Day, fitting for the little man who captured our hearts.
We all know that time flies, but it seems to speed up once a child arrives. In the rush of life, you may forget to savor your growing baby or your crying newborn. That’s where a photographer can help. Whether you want to try the milkbath trend, schedule newborn photos before your new bundle arrives or get a new family portrait, you’re in luck. There are plenty of photographers in town to help.
Nicole Slovak Photography
419.214.8849 | nicoleslovak.wixsite.com/nicoleslovak
Darkwing Photography
419.260.8611 | darkwingphotography.com
Finn Photography
Jem Photography
419-356-7554 | momentsbyjem.com
By Erin Marsh
For many parents, cars are synonymous with naps. Whether we throw a colicky baby in the car to lull him to sleep or quietly curse the timing when a child accidentally conks out in the car, most parents have cruised around the city simply to enjoy the peace and quiet.
The next time you’re stuck in the car with a sleeping baby, act as a productive passenger and make sure the driver isn’t aimlessly wasting gas. We’ve compiled a list of places you can visit that either have drive-thru windows (and it’s not fast food) or you can order ahead from your phone for rapid pick-up. So grab a cup of coffee, eat your lunch, or get a couple errands done with our handy list.
Starbucks | Panera | Balance Pan Asian Grille | Tropical Smoothie | Car wash | King Road Library | Kroger Clicklist | Meijer Curbside | Walmart Grocery Pickup | Chipotle | CoreLife Eatery
5 Signs That Naptime Is OverBy Erin Marsh
Some days as a parent, it’s just about making it until nap time. Naps preserve the sanity of both child and parent, and neither is usually willing to let go of that sacred time easily. Naps are important, and children need to get the recommended amount of sleep specific to their age, but when naps begin to cause more issues than solace, it may be time to drop the practice.
While the loss of nap time often means the end of parent alone time, it also has some perks. No longer are parents tied to the tyranny of nap time; parents are free to schedule events throughout the day without interruption. If a child is ready to drop her nap, it also hopefully means she has the stamina to last through the day without resorting to overtired tantrums.
The tricky part is figuring out when your child is ready to end his nap. Here are some signs that parents have experienced.
1. Your child refuses to nap or starts skipping naps. While this may seem like the most obvious sign, sometimes it can be tricky discerning between a child simply fighting naptime and one who no longer needs the nap. If your child can skip his nap without being cranky and still goes to bed at a normal time, then she may be ready to quit. If your child is temperamental or conks out a couple hours before bedtime, then it may be a phase.
2. Your child can’t fall asleep at night. Oftentimes kids nap without a problem, but then they xcan’t fall asleep at night, and the bedtime hour gets pushed later and later. Children only need so much sleep at each age, so if they’re getting a few extra hours during nap time, then they will need less time at night. Sometimes waking your child up after an hour nap will do the trick; other times he will need to completely stop napping in order to return to a normal bedtime.
3. Your child wakes up earlier and earlier. Similar to the point above, children only need so much sleep in a day, so if they reach their quota between the nap and nighttime sleep, then they will wake up earlier than normal. If your toddler used to sleep until 8 in the morning, and then it was 6, and now it’s 5, it may be time to give up the nap. However, if your child is waking at 5 a.m., then there is no way she will make it until a normal bedtime. Try waking her up after an hour of napping to see if that pushes back her rising time. Once she wakes at a reasonable time in the morning, try skipping her nap that day to see how she does.
4. Your child’s behavior begins to change. You know your child best, and if his behavior is consistently off, then perhaps it’s due to an unneeded nap. You know how some adults wake from a nap in a worse mood than when they went to sleep? Some kids are the same way. The interruption of sleep can throw off their mood and they start acting out. It seems counterintuitive to stop a nap in this situation, but it’s worth trying to see if your child’s behavior improves. Sometimes a behavioral change also coincides with another sign, such as fighting bedtime.
5. When she doesn’t nap, she makes it to bedtime just fine. When your child skips a nap for whatever reason–maybe because of a busy day–and then is her typical, happy self and makes it to her normal bedtime, then she may be ready to skip the nap. Some kids can make it one day without a nap but not consecutive days, so you may need to play with alternating days or tuning into her general mood and energy level to determine when she needs to nap.
Did you know “Lima-style pizza” is a thing??? That was news to me. My neighbor who grew up in Lima began talking about the new Beer Barrel Pizza and Grill and said she’s never found a place in the T-town area that has pizza just like in Lima, Ohio except this place. That meant the pizza posse was on the move, and we added another family to the group.
Kid-friendly: Yes.
To avoid wait: Before 5:30p.m. Weekend waits can run over an hour during peak times.
Noise level: Very loud during peak times.
Bathroom amenities: Changing stations in both restrooms.
High chairs: Yes.
Got milk? Yes.
Kids’ menu? Yes.
Allergies? Gluten free crust and cauliflower crust available. No peanut oil used. Special procedures to mitigate any cross contamination, but understand if you have a severe gluten allergy, dough is made from scratch and there is a lot of flour flying around.
Eleven of us in the pizza posse met up on a Wednesday evening. Beer Barrel doesn’t take reservations, or call ahead seating, so we waited about a half hour to be seated. Weekends can run over an hour of wait time. Our 6:30p.m. arrival found the place packed…and LOUD. I suppose the acoustics of the open ceiling as well as the fact that every table was full made it extra noisy. We didn’t mind hanging out around the wood burning fireplace near the entrance though. I loved the aroma of the wood fire throughout dinner as well. The décor was a bit rustic while the Tiffany lights above the booths make for a quaint touch.
Seated at a long table the dining area was still so loud that you could really only talk to the person sitting right next to you, until the place started clearing out around 7:45p.m. On the flip side, if you want to bring the little ones with you there will be no worries that they might be too loud. Very family friendly, we did have a barrel of fun together there.
Beer Barrel, a local hole in the wall with great food, opened in Lima in 1965. In 2008 John Heaphy and his son Tony bought the original building, adding a second location in 2009. Jump to 2018 and they have six locations spread out between Toledo and Hilliard, outside of Columbus. According to Mr. Heaphy they opened in The Shops At Fallen Timbers in December and have been welcomed by the community.
Aside from the great pizza, General Manager Kelli Spindler also thinks it’s the atmosphere, fun and energetic staff, and diverse menu that keep people coming back. Yes, the menu offers much more than just pizza.
Let’s first discuss “Lima style pizza.” According to Heaphy, it’s square cut, with toppings under the cheese, not too thick and not too thin. “That is the original style pizza since 1965,” said Heaphy. And yes, the crust WAS different from many other pizza places.
The pizza posse devoured the thin crust and deep dish style pizzas, as well. The sweet and spicy, pulled pork pizza was a delight, topped with fresh cilantro, while the roasted eggplant vegetable pizza was unique and flavorful. We also enjoyed ol’ stand by pepperoni pizzas along with vegetarian pizzas, and even personal size pizzas, which are a great option for kids.
Though I have never met a child who didn’t like pizza, they do offer a kids’ menu for those 10 and under, with items at only $4.99. Choices included creamy mac n cheese, a chicken and noodles meal with mashed potatoes, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken tenders and grilled cheese.
Beyond the pizza menu, you will find so much more. They offer burgers, wraps, 10 varieties of subs, items from the grill, pasta dishes, and even traditional comfort food fare such as meatloaf and chicken and egg noodles with potatoes for only $8.49. I need to return.
You can actually make s’mores right at your table! They provided us with all the fixins and the kids had a blast roasting their marshmallows right there at the table and assembling their own s’mores. We all agreed it was a unique and sweet ending to a fun-filled evening with family and friends.
The “Lima style pizza” is different from other pizza around town. The family friendly atmosphere is welcoming and I guarantee a fun-filled visit for all. Know that you can be waiting a very long time during peak weekend hours and those times can be extremely loud in the restaurant. Be sure to check out the DIY s’mores. The kids will love it.
Karen Zickes is a mom of three active children and freelance writer who resides in Holland, Oh. She can be reached in
c/o [email protected].
Joy Hajjar is a bit of a modern-day Mary Poppins. Children are inexplicably drawn to her beauty, kindness, and cheery disposition. She can transform the most mundane task into a game—often with an accompanying song.
While Joy maintains her joyful exterior for her children, her oldest daughter, Rose, who is 10, was recently added to the heart transplant list after numerous heart surgeries and years of complications. She explains, “I don’t always stay joyous! I get very, very scared. But, like every mom, I can’t just completely break down; our kids are watching and taking their cues from us.”
“I also feel like life hasn’t given me any other option,” Joy continues. “We play the cards we are dealt, and every family has their own struggles…and I try my very hardest to count my blessings. That’s the real secret to joy.”
She jokingly adds, “I’ve heard that car rides without kids and Coldplay blaring is a great place to cry your heart out…but I wouldn’t know!”
Joy’s pregnancy with Rose was easy and uncomplicated. Joy only had one ultrasound, as she was young and healthy, and she vividly remembers the tech saying, “That little stinker has her hand over her heart!”
If the tech had been able to view Rose’s heart, she would have seen that only 3 of the 4 chambers had developed, a congenital heart defect known as hypoplastic right ventricle. Joy says, “I believe Rose was giving me peace in my pregnancy.”
Since the defect was a surprise with Rose’s arrival, she was immediately rushed to the PICU and then to Ann Arbor’s Mott Childrens’ Hospital for emergency heart surgery. Rose endured three open heart surgeries by the time she was two years old.
Joy summarizes, “We believed that once her heart was ‘fixed’ by these surgeries, we could put it all behind us and live a relatively normal and healthy life, which we did for a while. Our other daughters were born—Jasmine and Dahlia—Rose’s interventions were less and less, and she started catching up to the other 4 and 5 year olds and seemed to be doing okay.”
The period of respite was short-lived, unfortunately. At age 5, the results of some routine lab work revealed that Rose’s blood protein levels were very low; her diagnosis was protein-losing enteropathy (PLE).
Joy expounds, “[PLE] is basically a complication of the surgeries she had, and it means that her body doesn’t absorb protein, or many other nutrients….They said there were medications and treatments that could possibly help, but everything was just temporary. There is no cure for PLE, and the only way to possibly get rid of it would be a heart transplant.”
Almost six years later, Rose’s condition is much worse. “We’ve been through the ringer with this illness,” Joy reveals. “Rose takes 12 pills every morning, 5 every afternoon, and another 10 at bedtime. She has a continuous infusion of meds in her PICC line (a peripherally inserted central catheter in her upper arm that allows for intravenous access), she has had hundreds and hundreds of infusions at the hospital, has spent months admitted to the hospital for illness, and even had a fourth open heart surgery last August, hoping to cure the PLE, [but] that wasn’t the case.”
“The PLE has stunted her growth, has caused masses in her liver, is affecting major organs, and she lives with daily joint and muscle pain. It has taken a major toll on her body and will continue to harm her organs as time goes on. Our doctors feel we have exhausted every option possible, and that the only way of helping Rose is with a heart transplant. On February 6, Rose was listed on the National Donor list. We are still waiting.”
Despite her numerous surgeries and illnesses, Rose maintains her cheery, and humorously sassy, disposition. Joy describes Rose as “very bright—a math and puzzles girl. She loves to be around people, is great at public speaking and can be very temperamental!”
When Joy asked Rose if she could use “temperamental” to describe her, Rose responded, “Yeah, it’s okay. People can know I freak out sometimes.”
Joy and her husband, Elias Hajjar, credit their families as their largest support systems during the many tough times. Joy exclaims, “Our parents and siblings save us on a daily basis. Literally.”
She adds, “We feel lifted up in prayer, always. Sometimes I meet someone for the first time and they tell me, ‘I’ve been praying for your daughter.’ People are so good.”
Elias owns and runs Poco Piatti, recently opening a second location in Sylvania, and he works long hours. Joy says, “I don’t take for granted the luxury I have of being a full-time, stay-at-home mom…fully available to take care of our home life and [have] the flexibility I need for Rose’s care while my husband runs the restaurants.”
Joy reminisces, “When I started dating Elie, my dad said to me, ‘Joy, the restaurant business is a very different way of life.’ My response was, ‘Whatever dad.’ He was so right though! Weekends and holidays have been an adjustment, but I’ve come to learn that when you embrace it, Tuesday nights out aren’t so bad, and the small sacrifices we make are well worth the perks.”
She adds, “The girls are all really interested in the restaurants, and they got to be a big part of opening the new location on Central Avenue. Sometimes they go in on a Saturday afternoon to help bake the bread. Elie does a great job of making family time a priority and Sundays become a sacred day for spending time together.”
When life becomes overwhelming, Joy reminds herself that “our job as parents is to love our kids, not fix them. That gives me some control when I feel like I have none. If loving is the job, I can do that!”
What’s your favorite activity to do with your family?
Go out to eat! We love Domo for sushi.
Best holiday memory from when you were a kid?
Sundays at Sitto’s (my grandma).
What’s your go-to activity when you have a few minutes to yourself?
Orange Theory!
Describe your life in five words or less.
Crazy beautiful.
What is your favorite Toledo hangout?
Handel’s Ice Cream!
Describe Toledo in a sentence?
I so appreciate Toledo, even though I was born and raised
in Montreal, Canada. Toledo is such a warm, loving and
supportive community.
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