The result of a random visit to Once Upon a Child ...

I've been borrowing clothes for my daughter since was a newborn. But now that she's past two years old, I'm slowly running low on my "borrowed supply."

I was in the Oakville area and randomly stopped by Once Upon a Child. See to the right what I bought for ... $5.25.

That's right, you saw the total bill correctly! There was a $1 clearance sale.

Now here's the big question: Did I really save money? Mom-to-Mom and garage sales are just around the corner. I guess I'll see when the bargain-shopping season begins!

Family restaurant review: Rainforest Cafe, Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto

If you've been following my blog, you know that I've written about family-friendly restaurants. Well, my husband, two-year-old daughter and I ventured to Yorkdale Shopping Centre to dine at the Rainforest Cafe. So what's my rating as a new mom? Thumbs down. Here's why:

• Pricing: Two tiny hot dogs and fries from the kids' menu is $7.99 - what does that tell you? The only reason we went to the Rainforest Cafe was because we had a $5-off coupon when you spend over $20. 
• Thunderstorms: Every 15 minutes, a rainforest "thunderstorm" takes place. This either makes or breaks your kid, thereby affecting the whole dinner experience. Initially, my daughter got scared but she calmed down when the other storms happened. That's how she reacted though; you may have a different experience.
• The gorillas: There's a display of gorillas that's supposed to move every 15 minutes. First off, they look kinda creepy. My husband was with my daughter when they moved and he said they banged their chests. This creeped out my daughter more and she refused to go near those damn gorillas again. 
• The staff: Very, very, very disorganized staff. I only saw my server a few times; thank goodness we brought some extra food for my daughter. We had to wait over 20 minutes to order, then we waited about another 30 minutes for the food to arrive. Not great for antsy tots.
• Safety: Because it's a very interactive restaurant, there are kids running around everywhere. Playing tag. Trying to touch stuff. Wrestling. Pair that with staff holding trays of food and it's frustrating just trying to get to the bathroom.

Have you been to this restaurant? What did you think? How did your little ones react?

Get away from craziness with free coffee

If you need to get away for your "alone" time, here's a cheap way to do so:

Between Feb. 25th to March 3, McDonald's is giving away free small hot brewed coffee all day long. Pair this with your tablet, a magazine or newspaper and you can briefly escape the sounds of Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street. I don't know about you, but that sounds like temporary heaven to me!

No. 1 thing to put on your baby registry

Whether you're trying to find stuff to put on your baby registry or you need to find a baby gift for a friend, this is my no. 1 choice.

I received this at my baby shower over two years ago and I still use this today - I love this kit.

Safety 1st's Deluxe Healthcare & Grooming Kit (Amazon.ca, CDN $29.99) comes with nail files and a clipper (great for newborns); a nose aspirator; toddler toothbrush; thermometer; and loads of other baby essentials that you will use down the road. Everything is in a convenient case, so it's great to bring when you're travelling.

Now if you're looking for this kit, just note that I've seen it available in different packaging and tote bags. Remember to pay attention to the contents in the kit.

Can you recommend any other items to put on a baby registry? Or what are the most useful baby gifts you've ever given or received?

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse book set on sale

Another deal I've noticed here, but this time it's between Chapters and ... Chapters. The location by Square One has this for $5; the one in Oakville is selling it for $12.99. Not sure if either one is a pricing mistake BUT it's an interesting deal to note!

Master Moves Mickey Mouse: Who's selling it cheaper?

So I haven't done much toy shopping lately because my daughter has been interested in crafty stuff and Little People toys she already owns. However, I happened to see this Fisher-Price Master Moves Mickey Mouse toy at Walmart and Toys R Us. Wanna know who's cheaper? You be the judge:

Walmart: $20
Toys R Us: $89.99

A good reason why shopping around makes a huge difference. (And no, Walmart did not pay me to write this post!)

A diaper tip that will save you time

Here's a tip I learned from a mommy friend: in each room of your home, keep a little bin/basket/container of diaper necessities (wipes, diapers, baggies, petroleum jelly, etc.). That way, you can change your baby or tot's diaper right there – no need to lug the kid to another room.

I live in a tiny condo apartment, but I still do this tip all the time. Hey, if you think I'm lazy, let me tell you this: my kid still doesn't sleep through the night. So I think I (and all new moms!) deserve to practice this shortcut!

Do you take any "shortcuts" to make life easier as a mom or dad?

Learn from my mistake!

So, shame on me! I broke my number 1 baby shopping rule: Don't stock up!

Last year, I blogged about how you shouldn't buy something just because it's on sale. Stocking up, especially if there's an expiry date on the product, just wastes room in your home. And when the baby grows out of the product and you have leftovers ... oh, oh, right? This is why I don't stock up on diapers.

However, as I was cleaning out my cabinets today, I found something that expired last month, January 2013: An unopened box of Life Brand Polyvitamin Drops.

Oh, Life Brand Polyvitamin Drops, I knew you were trouble when I saw you on sale at Shopper's Drug Mart. (Ok, that was sort of supposed to be my rendition of Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" - sorry, that didn't work out!)

A year and a half ago, Shopper's Drug Mart was selling this for $7.99 each. At the time, I thought, "OK, my daughter needs it anyway, I'll just buy three packages!" Well, sure enough, she slowly realized that the taste and smell was icky and that she could fight, fight, fight her way out of taking vitamins.

So I ended up only using two out of the three packages. What a waste! But it was a good lesson learned, right?