BINKY A lifestyle guide to The Magic Years.
Got Village?
0-6Y
Volume 01
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Marlowe sleeping sweetly at 6 days new.
Get to know Modern Baby.
www.modernbabyphoto.com
well hello. We are so glad you are here. Welcome to the inagural issue of Binky, a lifestyle roadmap for The Magic Years. This magazine was inspired by our shared experiences as mothers in Toronto, looking for advice & creativity while parenting children under the age of 6. It is a time full of magic and beauty - and we wanted to share our stories with other parents. Thank-you for stopping by.
Check out how to stay cosy cool in our fall fashion story on page 29 4
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Whimsical nordic inspiration in the home of Juli, John & Elodie on page 21
02. daycare 101
what to ask when looking for the place your child could spend many of their waking hours. page 10
03. diary of a haircut one mother’s trip through this signature stop on millestone highway page 12
04. stepping out
Jessica Cerniak on perfecting the art of getting out of the house with baby page 16
05. kapow
Carmelina Luke gets real on family fitness page 18
06. avec bébé
Juli Daoust of Mjolk combines high design with life with a little one page 21
07. double trouble
with the benefit of hindsight Lauren Fienberg offers advice for moms of twins page 28
08. come together
our fall fashion story brings all the pieces together with hits of mustard and a heavy dose of cosy page 30
09. up next
what we are working on for volume 02 page 47
10. je t’aime
sisters Daniela & Paulina of PFR Inspired Design share a little love from their lives page 49
volume 01.
01. editor’s letter
what to expect from the land of Binky page 09
juli daoust
melissa picken
carmelina luke
Juli and her husband John are the owners of MjÖlk located in Toronto’s Junction. MjÖlk is both a gallery and lifestyle store featuring artists and artisans from Scandanavia and Japan. www.mjolk.ca www.kitka.ca Fav place to eat with kids? Santouka - Elodie gets her own tray and cup and they are so nice to her. Plus she eats salmon there, only there. What piece of clothing are you most looking forward to wearing this Fall? Maternity jeans, ha ha. {Editors’ Note: Congratulations Juli, John & Elodie!} Three words that mean “community” to you: Together - Community - Inclusive
Originally from Montreal, Melissa, graduated from The National Ballet School. After a career as a ballet dancer, Melissa went back to school and worked in the health care industry. She has spent the last 5 years raising her two wonderful kids-Myla 5 and Max 3. In addition to acting as a stylist for Binky, Melissa is a portrait specialist with Modern Baby. Fav place to eat with kids? Terronis roof top patio! What piece of clothing are you most looking forward to wearing this Fall? Loving my new leather jacket by June which I bought this Fall at TNT. Three words that mean “community” to you: Safe - Loving - Supportive
Carmelina holds a 4th degree black belt in taekwondo, is a mother of three children, Victoria age 6, Chiara age 3 and Alexander age 1, and is an entrepreneur. She and her husband Victor own Champion TaeKwonDo in Rosedale, Forest Hill and Markham. www. championstaekwondo.ca Fav place to eat with kids? Cooking table at Yamato in Yorkville. We can walk there - which is a must! It is entertaining & a meal I certainly cannot make at home! What piece of clothing are you most looking forward to wearing this Fall? Boots!! I just love to wear, great accessory! Three words that mean “community” to you: Trust - Family - Friendships
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lauren feinberg
colleen mcgoey
jessica cherniak
With degrees from McGill in Montreal and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Lauren was a jet setting public relations coordinator for Estée Lauder in the Specialty Brands division before twins Brooklyn & Jack arrived on the scene last year. Fav place to eat with kids? Flo’s diner in yorkville. They are very accommodating with a variety of high chairs and booster seats while the kids love the menu. What piece of clothing are you most looking forward to wearing this Fall? I love accessorizing with colourful scarves with lots of fun patterns. Three words that mean “community” to you: Belonging - Support Relationships
Colleen owns Trust Child Care Centre in Summerhill along with her husband Jordan. Colleen has a 2 year old daughter Adele who comes to work with mommy every day! www.trustkids.net Fav place to eat with kids? The back patio at Allen’s … lots of space for Adele to run around! What piece of clothing are you most looking forward to wearing this Fall? One of my many jackets, I am a bit of a coat collector! Three words that mean “community” to you: Collaboration - Validation Support.
Jessica is the founder of Fourth Trimester. She is an experienced birth & postpartum doula and a mother of four. For over 10 years she has been providing calm and empowering support to expecting and new Toronto families. www.4thtrimester.ca Fav place to eat with kids? “Live” on Dupont. What piece of clothing are you most looking forward to wearing this Fall? My wool pashminas from India. They keep me warm and remind me of my visits to my daughter who volunteers at an orphanange in India. Three words that mean “community” to you: Connecting -Sharing- Helping
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Editor’s Letter Welcome to the inaugural issue of Binky Magazine... We are business partners and friends, who met having babies within 5 months of each other. The singular bonding event between us was the common story of struggling for 6 weeks before our tiny babies would latch. Our shared stubborn streak caused both of us to hang on until our daughters learned to nurse - and the rest was history. Three years later, we own Modern Baby photography studio together and are now launching this magazine. Our bond of struggling with nursing taught us both that when having a new baby, and now growing children, it is absolutely crucial that we know we are not alone. And when we
really truly realize that it does take a village, things start to get easier. In this edition of Binky, Juli shares her story of parenting Elodie while running possibly the coolest store in Toronto with her husband. In the whirlwind of being an entrepreneur and a mother to a toddler, Juli has managed to keep the creative juices flowing, and demonstrates that it is absolutely possible to preserve the spark in your life that made you who you were before baby arrived. If that feels daunting, Jessica helps us with some practical baby steps for getting out of the house during the sometimes raw first few months after our little ones arrive. Lauren similarly helps with the nitty gritty of getting through year one with twins. Finally, Carmelina and Colleen help us with the choices we have to make in childcare and extra curricular activities which ultimately allow our babies to grow and extend our village, and enrich not only your children’s lives, but your own experience as a mother. We also had so much fun with our first editorial shoot featuring some beautiful kid fashion in which our favorite little girls put away the princess outfits in favor tomboy chic. We hope you enjoy this journey with us through the magic years - we thank you for letting us in to share the moment.
Like it ? Love it ? Disagree ? We would love to hear your opinions
hello@binkymagazine.com COVER: Juli’s dress is the Ewanika Grace Dress, shoes n.d.c. available at Ewanika Elodie rocks a Stella McCartney Kids romper.
Lara & Leigh
Colleen McGoey coaches parents on what to look for & what to ask in
DAYCARE
ONE-O-ONE I
t starts with the “concept-ion” of a child and the prospect of said child entering your life. It’s a topic wrought with the aggressive opinions of others and once you have a child, the pressure to choose is on. It’s out there, it’s looming because you or your partner is returning to work and everyone wants to know:
What are you going to do with your child?
daycare. I love my job. I am surrounded by kids all day long and I work closely with our teachers. I meet new families every day. Some of of these families join our centre and become a very important part of our little childcare community. Daycare is your child’s first introduction to being part of a community. Daycare is a microcosm of “it takes a village to raise a child.” You will be co-parenting with your daycare and I suggest you keep this at the front of your mind when touring prospective centres.
You will discuss the options with friends, random parents at the park, and be sure that your own Treat a daycare tour like an interview; take a look parents will have a few words to add to the debate. and ASK QUESTIONS! I am continually amazed at how few parents do. This is what I would ask: There are many different permutations to consider but when it comes down to it you ~Who is here during the day and what are the are either choosing home, daycare, licensed office hours? daycare or live in/live out nanny care. ~If I have a concern, to whom, other than my I can’t tell you which one is best but on the topic child’s teacher(s), would I speak? of licensed daycare, I can provide some insight. I am a “working” Mom, a daycare parent and ~What are you currently working on to along with my husband the owner/operator of a improve within the centre? 10
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~What separates your centre from others that I will tour? ~May I speak to a current family that has been with you for at least two years, and a family that has recently started in the program that my child would be starting in? ~What would make an Early Childhood Educator chose to work here? ~Ask a teacher from the age group you intend to join: what are/were your plans for the children today?
Your child’s teachers will program and plan for their little community of learners on a weekly basis drawing on what they know to be developmentally appropriate for the age group. Your son or daughter will get dirty playing in green goop, walking barefoot through paint on paper taped to the floor, running their hands through a tub filled with cornstarch or oatmeal, or exploring the amazing stickiness of glue. They will come home signing songs you didn’t teach them and talking about their little friends and teachers.
At the end of the day, no one knows your child like you do, no one knows the needs of your ~Finally, I know that this is a challenging family better than you. Be honest with yourself, field to work in, what do you do to support do your research and whatever you decide, coland retain your teachers? laborate with the childcare option you have choYour child will spend more time at daycare during sen. You have done a pretty amazing job thus the week than they will with you. Don’t see this far, why not draw on the resources you selected as negative! His/her day will be filled with love, to support and help your family through this good food, and learning through structured play. next stage! www.trustkids.net
s n i p, s n i p {Diary of a first haircut.} by Leigh Tynan
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and in the days leading up we talked about Brionie and the haircut quite a bit. It became a topic of conversation and even something Stella shared with her friends & teachers at school.
I had butterflies in my stomach. Years of visualizing my race-day as a triathalete came flooding back. The event this time should have been far less dramatic - I was taking my daughter for her first haircut. I still don’t know why I was so worked up. Perhaps it was because my husband was opposed to ever cutting her flaxen hair, perhaps it was because in waiting so long (she is 2 3/4) I had built it up too much - this milestone moment of childhood. I reacted by becoming supercalafragalistically prepared. Three weeks before the big day, I had called to book Stella’s appointment at my hair salon with my stylist of eight years, Brionie. The gal on the other end of the line was less than interested to know the minutae of what was to happen but I couldn’t help myself from giving a lengthy explanation. With date and time set, I went about processing every possible situation and preparing trouble shooting options, Plan Bs and contingency plans if Plan B failed. Did I mention that I am a woman who did not even have a birth plan? That’s right - no detailed list of wishes for the hospital staff on the day of Stella’s arrival into this world. In fact, my husband and I opted to attend a “crash” birthing course which laid the foundation for most of our parenting experience thus far, which has been of the shoot from the hip variety. So why was this such a big deal? As the Big Day approached I made certain to hide my excitement and nerves from Stella. I explained that we were going to visit Brionie,
The night before, I packed for the adventure. Every possible tool of distraction to keep a toddler in place for thirty minutes went into the bag. Baby, check. Granola bar with chocolate chips (which take longer to pick off and eat), check. Chipmunk soft toy with tuft of hair for a demo snip to show it doesn’t hurt, check. Iphone with clips from her favourite movie, Cars, check. A full pack of, don’t cringe, chewing gum with each piece in its little foil home (all the more time to get each one out!), check. And let’s not forget the crucial tool - a strap in booster seat to start the show. Finally, if all else failed, I had The Rainbow Song from the Cat And the Hat loaded to buy us that crucial 5 min and 13 seconds at the end for the bangs. Maybe because I had obsessed over the process so much, or perhaps I was rewarded for being prepared, the actual event turned out to be something of a ‘non-event’. We arrived at the salon in plenty of time, Stella was amused to meet Brionie, put a face to the name, (other than a minor snag with getting the robe...Stella was having none of that), and before I knew it the snips of baby hair started falling to the floor in little batches. As Stella worked through the chocolate chips on her granola bar, Brionie worked through the back part of her head evening out the wisps of differing lengths into the sweetest little bob. Next it was time for the pack of gum, and with it, the sides rounded out. With each stroke of the scissors, my little baby was truly becoming a Big Girl. Through the entire affair, Stella clung tightly to her Baby, but as she relaxed a little she started to make small talk with Brionie. Before I knew it, I was watching them engage in true banter over the different sounds farm animals make. When Brionie laughed, Stella laughed back, delighted to be a co-conspirator in this moment of Girl Talk. It’s something I have sat in that exact same chair and done with Brionie for years.
Next up was the finale - bangs. I had saved the Rainbow Song for this (a Cat In the Hat classic) and it took us across the line. Stella sitting intently watching The Cat sing his heart out about indigo and violet, Brionie focused on trimming Stella’s bangs in a straight line with the challenge of Stella’s head perched sideways on the arm rest, and me sitting back and soaking it all in. Suddenly it hit me that my disproportionate reaction to this whole first haircut, was not about the event itself, but rather the moment in time when I acknowledge that our baby is now our child. As Brionie finished up, Stella caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A huge smile burst across her face. Gleaming she looked at me and said
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“Mummy look, I’m stylish.”
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The
A R T
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Of Stepping Out Five important tips to improve your outings: 1.Dress in layers starting with a t-shirt. Even in the dead of winter carrying babe through a shopping mall can feel like Jamaica.
by Jessica Cherniak PCD (DONA) www.4thtrimester.ca
It doesn’t seem to matter what time of day or what time of year it is, “stepping out” with baby and your sanity intact is a challenge we all face. (I still don’t know what is worse, applying sunscreen or doing the snowsuit shuffle.) Babe in tow takes advance planning, time management, patience, and, of course, luck! Isn’t it always the way that just as you are about to walk out the door to a pressing engagement, babe has one of those backsplash poops deep beneath the snowsuit?! My mother always said “Pack for yourself first.” You should too. Don’t wait until your diaper bag is full of baby gear before thinking of your own needs. Your energy drives this expedition. Would you ever leave on a road trip without filling up the tank with gas?
2.Pack water and a healthy snack to give you energy. Shopping is a workout…fuel yourself before the grumpy factor sets in. 3.Bring a pouch with your favourite lip balm, hairbrush and make-up. We are always so worried about baby’s dirty face and bum that we often neglect ourselves. Make a habit of refreshing yourself when you stop to change babe’s diaper. 4. Keep an open mind. If you set off with your plans etched in stone you are certain to be disappointed. Going with the flow will help you master the art of stepping out. 5. Enjoy watching your babe experience new things. When you feel tension setting in, take a deep breath and try to gain some perspective on the situation. How will you look back on this time? Getting out of the house on a regular basis is important for your wellbeing. The bonus is the more you do it the better you get at it!
KAPOW by Carmelina Luke of Champion Taekwondo www.championstaekwondo.ca As a mother of thee children ages 1 to 6, and the owner of a successful business, I understand the challenges of making it all work. It can sometimes mean knowing when to just let things slide, and when to prioritize. One thing that we have found to be well worth the effort, is to focus on our family’s health and fitness. By following these simple tips, I have found that my and my children’s energy is more balanced and happy, which has resulted in a happier home. Well worth the effort... For some children today, the idea of a “game” of baseball, basketball or tennis can mean turning on a video player for a virtual game with virtual friends. The computer has become a force for parents to deal with when it comes to your children’s fitness. Everywhere we turn we hear about the increase 18
of child obesity…really, there is no secret to how this has happened... too many “treats” and not enough exercise. Simple! The answer is also simple: more balanced and nutritious meals and snacks, and daily exercise.
The biggest gift we can give our children is making exercise and healthy eating a habit that will stay with them for their entire lives, forming the fabric of who they are. And most importantly, teaching them that being healthy can be fun. How is it possible to exercise five times per week and prepare healthy meals with most families having such a busy lifestlyle? In our family, we try to engage in regular fun, unstructured play which usually ends up getting everyone active. Incorporate a combination of family activities like walking, ball playing, biking, skiing or whatever you can all enjoy and do together. Weekends are a perfect times for families to exercise together…the bonus is parents get a little much needed exercise and
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OW!
become role models for their kids! Consistency is key...the more you do it , the more you want to do it!
When organizing your child’s schedule, it is very important to recognize that the location and timing has to work. Ensure that you or a caregiver can get your child to their activity In addition to unstructured play, children clear- easily…make your activity choices convenient ly require and thrive in “group peer fitness” or to get to which will help to keep you committed sports. With the endless options today there is to going regularly! certainly a program “fit” for your kid. Assess and match your children’s needs to a program Finally, and just as important, your kids need that will build on their strengths while also a hearty, healthy snack to provide the energy working on building any attributes that need after school to enjoy and get through their activsupport. While it is perfectly acceptable to al- ity. The foods children eat affect their moods low children to choose their activity, parents and energy more that in adults. While it may should use caution to ensure the facility and seem like “more” work rather than less, having instructors are professional and safe. The pro- a weekly meal plan for your children’s lunches gram should be taught in a controlled, age ap- and dinners will save time and money in the propriate manner that allows children to learn long run, and ensure that your kids are eating a new skill while having fun. Take the time healthy meals. We take the time to prepare a before giving your child an option, to investi- list of meals for the week, shop accordingly, and gate the program and if possible get a referral. have healthy snacks prepared in advance. This Choosing a program that not only focuses on avoids the urge to grab meals on the run which the physical element, but develops self-control, inevitably leads to pre-prepared foods which cultivates courage and instils discipline is mak- are never as nutritious as whole food options. ing productive use of this precious time.
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AV E C BÉBÉ The home of Juli and John of MjÖlk, finds high design living with the trappings of a little person.
Sheep is by Povl Kjer, available at MjÖlk, blue vintage Moroccon rug was found on etsy.
“I think as with everything kid related, you have to have conviction.”
Copper mobile in Elodie’s room is from JF Jones on Etsy. 22
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Juli Daoust is one half of Toronto’s superhip design duo MjÖlk. Started in 2009 with her husband John Baker, MjÖlk (which means “milk”) is both a gallery and a stunning lifestyle store in Toronto’s eclectic Junction neighbourhood. It features the work of artisans from Japan and Scandanavia. In addition, Juli and John’s travel and design interests can be followed on their blog www.kitka.ca. 1.Being one half of MjÖlk - you & John have been featured on Remodelista, HGTV, House & Home, and too many blogs to count. What is it like to share your life and your business with your partner? When John and I met we were on different paths. I was going to OCAD for art curation and photography while he was toying with the idea of opening a furniture store. When we created our blog Kitka, we had the opportunity to work together, which was so much fun, I dropped out of school (I already had a degree anyway)! When we opened the shop, that was when we really discovered that when we come together, we create a lot of synergy. We basically hit the ground running and haven’t stopped since. In this process I have seen John evolve and I am so impressed by him. He’s innovative, creative and genuine, and the business wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for his energy. Of course, he jokes that maybe we’d be making more money, but all the
special projects we do propel us forward and keep things interesting for us. It’s not about having a retail shop, we’re creative people and have to nurture that energy constantly. 2.Can you tell me a bit about MjÖlk and Motherhood? I’m interested to know about the balancing act of being one half of MjÖlk, and taking care of Elodie. Did you take some time off after she was born? What does your work day/week look like? I was definitely naïve before Elodie was born. I thought that I would still be able to contribute to the business. Having a baby is life altering in a way that you can never imagine. It’s not about not being able to go out for dinner or sleep in (or sleep in general), it’s giving yourself over completely to another person for a considerable amount of time. You can never be prepared for it! Changing gears in such an abrupt way makes for a very turbulent period, emotionally and physically. So the first year was very challenging for me. Elodie was a great baby, ate and slept well. My issue was that I had to contribute to the business but I wasn’t able to. I couldn’t switch from mom to work in an instant, so I just focused on mom. John had to carry the whole business, which must have been stressful for him. We finally got some help around 7 months from my friend who would watch her a day or two a week
and I would do bookkeeping (yikes!). Then we got up to 3 days and I hired a bookkeeper (yet again). Now I am excited to send her to daycare two days a week, because she will really thrive being around other kids all day, and I will have plenty of time to work on the social media aspects of our business, emails and paperwork. 3. Much of what I envision when I think of MjÖlk is spare, beautiful and delicate. How does living with high design mesh with living with a toddler? 24
I think as with everything kid related, you have to have conviction. Kids are going to do what they want and it’s up to us to teach them what’s proper within the household. Every kid is different and there are some that are simply going to need more attention or kid proofing than others. Elodie is pretty good with that respect. We can leave nice objects out on a low surface and she barely notices them. They are a part of her landscape. I noticed that she gets into trouble only when she is bored or is in need of some active attention.
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Elodie’s crib is Leander from Advice from a Caterpillar, her rocker is Hans Wegner J16 available from Mjolk
4. How did the arrival of Elodie on the scene affect MjÖlk? Did it inspire you to bring in more child focused pieces? When we first opened we had a huge kids section. We opened as a typical Scandinavian store. But over the years we have evolved into a more mature aesthetic. We got rid of the kids stuff because it wasn’t making sense with our concept anymore. For a time we carried baby items and they slowly phased out. Now we are
reconsidering again with a small collection of very nice but useful objects like the Pia Wallen Cross blanket (baby size), a modern mobile equally nice for adults, and a wooden cutlery set. 5. In your travels you encounter objects of beauty constantly. If you really love something, would it be safe to assume it could end up in your store? Are there things you love that folks would be surprised by? Generally most things end up in the shop
eventually, which is challenging because ultimately it’s nice to have some special items to ourselves. But we can’t seem to help it. I am not sure there is much that would surprise anyone—I think we’re pretty predictable with our interests. Actually having a shop (and being a mom) means I don’t really shop anymore.
Gosh, this is a tricky question. For some reason it feels like it needs to be a grand gesture! I guess that’s the mom predicament, we see time and money in a different way than we did before kids. Honestly, I’d love to just go for brunch with a friend, wander a neighbourhood and do a little shopping for myself and meet John for coffee.
6. Hypothetical Question #1: As moth- 7. Hypothetical Question #2 : What advice ers, we tend to be time starved. If you would you give the Juli of 3 years ago if you had the luxury of 3 hours of completely meet her on the street (i.e. before Elodie!). free time and $300, what would you do? Well, the Juli of 3 years ago was in a pretty 26
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Elodie’s little chair was a gift from Japanese wood artisan Tomii Takashi and her wooden alphabet is from Bookhou.
good place but I guess I would say to travel in the afternoon. John’s parents take Elodie for more now. We regret not visiting more places short or long spans of time so that we can go on on our must see list before business and baby. business trips—it’s hard getting her back after a visit at the Bakers! My friend Hollie used to 8. The saying goes “It takes a village to raise a nanny three days a week, which allowed me to child” - the theme of our first issue is “it takes contribute to our business. Now that Hollie has a villag- can you talk a little about who is in moved away, my friend Jennifer is stepping in your ‘village’ when it comes to raising Elodie? to help out once in awhile by taking her to the park or putting her to bed. We are so fortunate Besides John, our village consists of grandpar- to have such a wonderful support network. ents and friends. My mother lives close by and is perfect for when we need to attend a nighttime www.mjolk.ca event, or if I have to run off and do some errands
With the benefit of hindsight, Lauren Feinberg offers advice to women facing
DOUBLE TIME As our twins turn one this week, my husband and I are amazed by how fast the year went. The first three months are a complete blur. The balance is still a bit fuzzy. It took time to adjust to our new taskmasters but after learning their ways, we can now happily say that they do not yell at us nearly as often. One year in, we now have the benefit of hindsight. Would we have preferred to have had these babies one at a time? Not a chance! Would we have done things differently during this first year? Absolutely! For anyone expecting multiples, I offer the following advice: 28
Take time to prepare for the babies but don’t overdo it. Get all the “stuff ” you need for twins and once that is done, relax and enjoy your time. While things will get crazy once the babies arrive, no amount of preparation will make the first little while less of a whirlwind, so focus on crossing things off your prebaby bucket list so that when the babies are born, you can focus on your new priorities. Do not stress yourself out about breastfeeding. The milk may come. The milk may not (it is not uncommon for a mother of premature babies to have difficulty with milk production). Getting stressed will only make nursing your babies even more challenging. One thing is
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for sure - your babies will grow and flourish on breast milk or formula so just try to relax. Try to establish and follow a routine but do not drive yourself (or everyone around you) crazy.
when you have twins. Enlist a family member or a professional photographer to capture the babies while they are tiny. You don’t want to forget what they were like when they were so little and connected to each other.
Photo by: Modern Baby
Remember that your babies are unique and that they do not have to hit each developmen- Get as much sleep as you can now because tal milestone at the same time. once these twins come it may be a very long time until you get 8 hours of uninterrupted Work smarter not harder - with two babies, sleep again - good luck having both babies it is especially important to accept all the free fall asleep at the same time and sleep for the
help that friends and family want to provide. Buy everything in bulk! Resist the urge to buy expensive baby clothing - if your babies don’t stain the clothes on the first day they wear them, they will out grow them on the 5th day! Sometimes free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it – you know your babies better than anyone else. Line up someone to document the first few weeks. Because there is so much going on, it is hard to find time to pick up the camera
same length of time! But that is OK - this is precisely why babies are made so cute... Life will never be the same in the best possible way and it is hard to picture going 8 hours in a row without giving one of them a kiss or cuddle. Happy birthday Brooklyn & Jack ! Three hundred and sixty-five days down down, only about twenty thousand and seventy-five days to go!
Come Together Our fall fashion story takes traditional pieces and adds a twist of tomboy.
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RIGHT NOW WRAPPED Chloe is in a Zara mustard chunky scarf and a Zara moss stitch taupe scarf
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SHE’S GOT THE WORLD BY THE TAIL And legions of adoring fans. Chloe is in a Jacadi elbow patch crewneck sweater, regular fit jeans with patches by Zara, ballet flats by Jacadi, Sam (opposite) is in a Jacadi contrast trim knit jumpsuit, booties from Anne Claire Petite available at PFR Design Inspired Living, surrounded by hand crocheted globe rattles by Tane Organics available at PFR Design Inspired Living.
BOWS & BAUBLES Rylie is the life of the party in an Anna Emilia bird sweater by Jacadi back to front, bowtrimmed wool shorts by Jacadi, mustard tights by Zara, Converse kicks and a party hat available at Enchanted Party
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SASSY LASSY Tate rocks a feather headband by Tutu Du Monde in apricot and gold available at Enchanted Party, a wool skirt by Jacadi, contrast sweater by Zara, mustard tights by Zara, and Converse kicks.
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SUMMER SLIDES INTO FALL Chloe’s summer dress by PFR Design Inspired Living carries into Fall as she gets comfy in a knitted sweater & tights by Zara, Tri-tone ankle boots from Jacadi.
GLOBAL APPEAL Tate stretches out in a wool hat with mustard bow from Jacadi, knitted sweater & low rise jeans with braces by Zara, socks by H&M, and combined high top sneaker from Zara, Kayapo bracelets from Advice from a Caterpillar. She is surrounded by hand crocheted globe rattles by Tane Organics available at PFR Design Inspired Living
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LEAN INTO THE LAYERS Baby Brooklyn sports a moss stitch scarf from Zara, a fur vest from Zara, animal print basketball boot from Zara, Boho Choses baby tracksuit stripes from Advice from a Caterpillar
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PARTY GIRL Chloe lounges in a jacket with patches by Zara, a dress and multiple tutus by Tutu Du Monde available at Enchanted Party, Converse kicks with mushroom pouffe by Anne Claire Petite available at PFR Design Inspired Living
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MUSTARD PUNCH Tate spins a cape by Belle and Boo available at Enchanted party, Knitted scarf by Zara, leggings by H&M, and combined high top sneaker from Zara. Rylie (opposite) chills in a patched cardigan by Jacadi, knitted hat by Zara, twill chino trousers by Boho Choses available at Advice from a Caterpillar, and studded basketball boot by Zara
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See you next time. Here’s what we are working on for Volume 02. of Binky
Winter Wonderland skating at Toronto’s Evergreen Brickworks. How to throw the ultimate baby shower and keep all your guests happy. Airline Travel with your babe in tow & sanity intact. Bump fashion with toddlers in the house - how to make your pregnancy sartorial for Baby Two and Three.
Binky is a sister company of
This inaugural issue of Binky was brought to you by: Modern Baby Jacadi Enchanted Party PFR Design Inspired Living MjÖlk Darling & Ninth Belly Maternity Advice From A Caterpillar
Trust Childcare Centres Fourth Trimester Doulas Champion Taekwondo Orange Dot Harmony School of Dance Baby Robin’s Nest St. Joseph’s Hospital Ewanika
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The sisters behind PFR Design Inspired Living, Daniela Flores-McIntyre & Paulina Flores-Rutenberg share their top ten loves for an inspired life. 1. The delight of a well set table, creating a pre-party playlist and the anticipation of an intimate dinner party with good food & wine and great company (serving platters and tablewares from PFR Inspired Design) 2. The feeling of being wrapped in cashmere on a cool fall day. 3. Finding inspiration in the local craftsmen and women we meet on our travels in markets around the world - we especially love the Mercado de La Merced in Mexico City. 4. The sound of waves crashing, ocean breezes, aquamarine waters and SPF sun-kissed skin. 5. Well tailored clothing in the craft of Coco and the iconic style of Audrey. 6. The simple pleasures in life - a great cappucino with time to drink it while still hot, the fragrance and beauty of fresh cut flowers. 7. The and colour & texture of a great chunky necklace that adds personality and punch to classic jeans and a white tee (4 Strand Canary Necklace available from PFR Inspired Design) 8. A family escape - we spent August with all the cousins in Nayarit Punta De Mita, Mexico for a magical get away. Seeing all the kids play together was pure joy. 9. The velvety touch of a baby’s skin. Between us we have seven kids which means our lives have blessed with many baby moments. 10. We saved our best for last - the moral compass, generosity and integrity of our father who’s way of being has inspired our own relationships with our spouses, children and extended family.
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