Speaking their language....

All week long we held "Fashion Camp" at our corporate offices or what we dub "the Playground". So for a week, I have been driving 3 little girls into work everyday. Each day they chit chat in the back of the car as I drive, I secretly smile at their conversations. So amusing to get a glimpse into their sweet little lives and how they think. One conversation went like this "oh yeah, we did hip hop at our school too" "oh was the teacher the guy that had the earring and looked like a gangster" "what's a gangster?" "Oh someone who tells lots of jokes" "no, thats a prankster" "oh, same thing, whatever"?..

Smile....

The next day, the conversation started something like this. "Oh I watched that on Netflix" "oh you have Netflix" "ya and Apple tv", "oh your lucky" "oh my friend has nine t.v's in their house", "oh really, so and so has 5 computers", "ya I have a DS, and my Mom has and Ipad, so does my Dad, Plus an Iphone and my brother has an IPod touch....."

You see where I am going with this...

This is the generation they live in....this is what they know. It's happening. Period.

As we were arriving at Fashion Camp their minds shifted from the conversation and they could barely contain their excitement for the events that were to take place over the next four days.

And for the next 4 days, I watch ten girls, ages ranging from 5-12, completely engaged, sharing, helping, behaving, listening....creating.

Not one of them required to be talked to, there was no negotiating, no acting out, no rambunctiousness.

Now if you have been in a room with 10 kids for hours on end you can understand that the above is typically rare. There is always some sort of "intervention" that has to happen. After all, they are kids.

What moved me is that given the opportunity to create at their own free will, to not have rules, to not have boundaries, or methods, or guidelines, given space and time, they could immerse themselves completely in their projects, and create, assemble, invent, make...

They recycled clothing into new and interesting designs, they designed, bedazzled, sketched and rejoiced in each others neat ideas and offered up other perspectives.

A typical struggle in our house is trying to get our daughter to focus and do her homework. A daily struggle. Not once in this environment was there a negotiation.

It truly felt freeing. We were now speaking a language she understood, she was in her element and she was learning without even knowing it.

Now, I understand - I just have to learn her language and continue to speak it.

Clearly just playing for four days was the local tongue, without the 9 t.v.'s....

A Pod-Cast with Vancouvermom.ca

Traci’s Tips for Balance in Life
•You can’t be everything and everywhere. It takes a village to raise a family.
•Surround yourself be people who understand you, believe in your concept and passion, and value what you do. Make sure everyone is aligned to your vision.
•Build a support network by hiring the right caregivers and relying on friends and family.

Some Advantages Moms Have in Business
•Resiliency. Moms generally have thick skins.
•Practicality of empathy and understanding. If you can negotiate with children, you can negotiate anything.
•Multi-tasking. Moms are able to manage jumping from one thing to another.

Advice For Moms Starting a Business
•Be realistic. Ask yourself: on your darkest day, will your passion get you through it? Feel the fear and do it anyway.
•Give yourself time to work on your business.
•Understand cash and cash flow. Rather than focus on business planning, it’s less daunting to just put down your thoughts.

Being 2

I recently posted this quote - "A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it. Jerry Seinfeld". It resonated with me - since that is the "stage" we are in...

I have two girls, one 7 going on 8 next month, and one - well.....TWO.

I find it so crazy to watch the littler one. She has no concept of danger, she runs across a street like a maniac as if nothing could harm her, she dances like Elaine from Seinfeld, she SCREAMS and YELLS and throws tantrums like there is no tomorrow - she will walk to the end of a cliff as if there isn't a drop as I leap through the air behind her like a rabid dog to save her.

She crys and laughs hysterically in the same minute. She doesn't share if she doesn't want to, she throws food, toys, food, well pretty much anything. She asks for pemission to do something she knows she shouldn't do, and when I tell her NO, she proceeds to do it anyway - and gives me the "look" - oh you know the look! She can turn me into a pile of mush with her glowing smile, and her precious cuddles and her angelic face - after acting like a firey devil for 18 hours of the rest of the day.

When I look at this, I am stunned and amazed at what it must be like to be in her body - the world is at her fingertips, she has no concept of rules, or boundaries - it must be like crazy bliss?

I envy this so much, but when I look at her, I am afraid of what is to come for her. We all have to conform at some point, as we can't act like two year olds the rest of our life - nor should we, as much as we may like to throw a good tantrum every now and again.

I guess what I am afraid of is, yes she might lose the "terrible twos" part (slightly happy for this to end), but will she lose that freedom of imagination too, the freedom to be?

That is why I love to Play with her - she sings while she plays, she doddles around with her tea set and states "make mamma cuppa coffee" while working away in her kitchen and feeding her imaginary friends. I love when she fake reads books, flipping pages and making the stories up on the pages, wiggling her little toes with excitement of what her little mind has thought up.

Conversely, my older daughter still loves to play, but can be more guarded in her imagination - more afraid to be free with herself in fear she might be judged by her peers.

At what point does this change and how can we help our children continue to fuel the fire of their imaginations?

I only hope you can help me find some answers and share some of your "terrible twos" too....

Fathers Day Contest!

Playing Outside with Peekaboo Beans

Peekaboo Beans was born out of necessity. Why, when all children should really be doing is PLAYING - are the clothes they wear not designed for PLAY. Bunchy, pinchy, unfunctional, uncomfortable and not durable to top it all off?

My "ahha moment" and Peekaboo Beans was born.

As a Mom, Peekaboo Beans is my dream! Everyone has moments when they don't feel like the "perfect" mom, but when my girls go to their closets and pull out their beans and are playing in perfect comfort, ease and function (and looking so lovingly put together) - I do feel like a "good" Mom....

Top it all off it's Daddy Proof too :)

It just doesn't stop giving....

In my world, I am so blessed to have Peekaboo Beans part of my family ~ I hope you share that moment of "peace of mind" too :)

Lets PLAY outside

It is Lets Play Outside week at Peekaboo Beans.

Grab your PB Duds and get some fresh air!!

Check out the fabulous promotions this week for all those fabulous Playdates!

Mommy Brain Contest - Vote for your favorite!

Last week we ran the "mommy brain contest" and asked the moms to submit their best stories. We recieved so many entries through facebook and by email! Thank you to everyone who participated.


We want to share a few of our favorites with you. Please have a laugh with us and we'll use your votes and comments to help choose a winner of the $100 spa gift certificate.


Have fun!


1. I woke up in the middle of the night to use the washroom and noticed my daughters bedroom door was open, odd, so I checked her crib and she wasn't there! After yelling "OH MY GOD" I remembered she was at grandma's!!!
~ Nicola Bradley Pridmore

2. In one week I headed home and forgot to pick up the baby from the Dayhome and the same week I went to work, got out of the van and the baby waved goodbye to me.......oops I forgot to drop him off.
~ Chantal Norris

3. Ava had just finished her swimming lesson. She was 4 years old and she was standing in front of me while I towel dried her hair. I had a newborn at home and was exhausted. I remembered having this panicked feeling come over me and while vigorously towel drying her little head, I called out "Ava, Ava where are you?" this little voice pops out from right in front of me "I'm right here mama, who do you think I am?" I was so embarrased. She still tells this story to people.
~ Amber Stankievech Hark

4. I was booked for a C sectiono at 8am. 8 hours prior to this event around midnight, nesting habits to the max takes over. Trying to prepare for the next morning, I remember that we need gas in the car. So I barrel out of the house while everyone is asleep to go get gas. I get to the station right at the stroke of midnight just as the place closed up. Nowhere else in Tsawwassen has an open gas station this late. Oh, but in my major relapse in judgement, I think...."I'll go get gas in Pt. Roberts, USA". I have my driver's license, that should be good enough, right!?!?
I drive up to the custom booth, and I do not have my passport. I don't know what I was thinking. Why wouldn't they let a hugely pregnant lady with the possibility of giving birth in the states without a passport go through? I still struggle to this day the rational of my ever so logical thinking. There I was, detained in the customs office at 1am with my huge tummy, just 7 hours before I was supposed to be on the operating table, and 4.5 hours before I was supposed to get up to go. I was just 20 blocks from home, an no one knew where I was...all this FOR GAS!
Happy to report, that my story did have a gloriously happy ending too. Baby boy, Prince William, 9lbs 1 oz @8:15am, just 6 hours after getting gas in the states.
~ Minta Sherritt

5. When I was pregnant I had some shirts to bring to work for my assistants daughter. I could not find them anywhere and went crazy looking.
One day a month later they were cleaning out the office fridge and a memo went out asking who was storing a bag of shirts in the fridge.
Somehow I brought the shirts all the way to work and put them in the fridge!
~ Christina Skolaude

6. Then, I went back to return the clicker to my neighbor and thank her for her help. Her daughter was visiting and asked me what my baby's name is. I told her Peyton. She said she loved that name and asked what her middle name is. I drew a blank. For the life of me, I could not remember my own daughter's middle name. I stumbled and stumbled...she asked if I was sure that she was my baby. How embarrassing! She asked if I could remember my other daughter's name and thankfully I could remember that - Olivia Madelyn. "At least you remember that one!" she said looking at me quizzically. I began to panic, desperately searching my mind for her name and worried that I was truly losing it. I was flushed, beet red in the face and thought that this woman must think I am out of my head! I apologized and told her that I have mommy brain and explained how overtired I was and walked away with my head down. It wasn't until I returned home, after wracking my brain for a while, that I remembered that her middle name comes from my husband's grandma - Eleanor.
~ Krista Waller