Saying Goodbye

Well this has been a long time coming [as you may have been able to tell by my lack of posting over the past year] but I am officially saying goodbye to BusyLittleBaby. I fell in the trap that so many bloggers do... I stopped blogging.  I give major props to all the people that can keep up with a blog!

BusyLittleBaby was such a fun way for me to research all the great activities to do with E when he was little in the Twin Cities.  I made a lot of great online friends and found so many places around town that E & I still love going to today.   Thank you to everyone who followed BusyLittleBaby and I hope it helped you get out of the house with your little guy or gal a few times too!

Last December I took a part time position with Minnesota Parent [part of the reason I started slacking on my blog!] and still continue to work there.  Minnesota Parent is a fabulous local parenting magazine that is also a GREAT resource for what is going on in the Twin Cities to do with your babies and kids. Hopefully you will find this to be just as great of a resource as I do.

I'm not  going to delete my blog, so you will still be able to see and use the resource pages. Also, I am still going to keep my twitter account @BusyLittleBaby, so please feel free to stay connected and see what E & I are up to. Or you can always email me at busylittlebaby@gmail.com. Big things coming in 2013.... E is going to be a big brother!  Baby #2 is expected in early June and we couldn't be more excited or feel more blessed.

Thanks again for all of your support and I hope you are enjoying those adorable babies! Xo

Family Photos + Holiday Cards

We just got our family photos back and I couldn't be more excited. Let me tell you... a family photo shoot with a toddler is just a little different than having someone take pictures of your giggly smiley baby.  E didn't really want to warm up to the photographer and we only did a quick 30 minute session. Luckily we still ended up with some great shots which means I'm a happy mama! 

So of course now after posting them all over my social media profiles, I need to get creative with my prints.  And it couldn't be more perfect timing that Shutterfly emailed me about their 2012 Holiday Cards. If you read my post last Christmas, you know I love nothing more than snail mail holiday cards! I love seeing wedding pictures, puppies, beautiful scenery from trips taken, adorable new babies and the growing families of my friends.  Shutterfly always has special offers throughout the holiday season and I haven't been disappointed yet.  Shutterfly has your traditional styles as well as the bright and modern themes which I tend to prefer.  Now the hard part.... deciding which pictures to use!  Bring on the holidays, I'm ready. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Shutterfly Holiday Cards, however all opinions are my own.

FREE Smash Cake

Are you planning on having a smash cake for your little one's first birthday? You know... a cake... JUST for your baby, to smash, play with and make a complete mess? 

I ended up making E's birthday cake [with the help of my mom] out of cupcakes--a bright orange dinosaur! So, naturally, we did a smash CUPcake.  It was a lot of work, that's for sure.  But worth it seeing my orange-faced baby boy in a sugar-coma afterwards. :) 

Then AFTER E's first birthday I found out about this and had to share: 

Lunds & Byerly's offers a FREE 7-inch, single layer smash cake when you purchase a 7-inch, double layer cake or larger!  How awesome is that? So if you are planning baby's first birthday, make sure to check it out.  They are a ton of super cute cakes for any theme you are having.  

[disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post in anyway. I just wanted to share the information.] 

St. Francis Baby Fair

Parents and parents-to-be there is an awesome event going on this weekend that you can't miss! St. Francis Regional Medical Center is hosting a baby fair tomorrow Saturday, June 16 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.  

Get the latest information on pregnancy, birth and parenting from doctors, midwives and experts 
• Over 100 tables of product and service vendors 
• Free lunch, live music and a chance to win door prizes 
• Bring the kids for free face painting, portraits, fire truck & ambulance exploration 
• See the animals from the Minnesota Zoomobile 
• Free massage or healing touch 
• Reserve a spot for free car seat installation, 952-428-3115 
• Picture taken with Viktor the Vikings mascot and Viking cheerleaders 
• Sell your gently used maternity clothes to Bellies to Babies.

Here is a sneak peak of the schedule:

9:30 – 10:15: Dr. Tim Johanson, Metropolitan Pediatrics: Parenting Pearls; Unpacking the Most Common Questions in a Pediatrician’s Office
10:30 – 11:15: Kelli Schulte, Kingdom Kids Nutrition: Healthy Beginnings with Homemade Baby Food
11:30 – 12:15: Teresa Jarvis, Park Nicollet Certified Nurse Midwife: The Art of Efficient Labor and Birth
12:30 – 1:00: Katie Hewitt, Usborne Books: Encouraging Literacy in Your Infant
___________________________________

9:30 – 9:50: Kate Anders, Pretty Good Dog: Preparing Pets for Baby; Tips Beyond Bringing Home a Blanket
10:05 – 10:25: Megan Taylor, St Francis Capable Kids: Feeding Baby; Transitioning to Solids
10:40 – 11:00: Melissa Rezny, St Francis Family Birth Place: Attachment Parenting & Baby Wearing
11:15- 11:35: Dr. Ann O’Donnell: Allina Medical Clinic OBGYN: Surviving the “Joys” of Pregnancy; Solutions for Common Complaints
11:50 – 12:10: Stacey Lustila-Siats, St Francis Capable Kids: Tummy Time & Infant Development
12:25 - 12:45: Kris Beuch, St Francis Lactation Consultant: Supporting Your Choice to Breastfeed
___________________________________

Blooma Yoga:
9:30 – 10:00 Infant Massage
10:15 – 10:45 Bring Your Own Baby (BYOB) Yoga
11:00 – 12:00 noon (outside, weather permitting): BELLYRAMA Yoga with Blooma Founder and CEO Sarah Longacre
12:15 – 12:45 Bring Your Own Baby (BYOB) Yoga
___________________________________

10:00 – 11:00 Minnesota Zoomobile Presentation 

For more information check out the St. Francis website or "like" them on facebook.  

2012 Baby Fair Schedule

Flint Hills 2012 International Children's Festival

The Flint Hills 2012 International Children's Festival is this Saturday, June 2nd 10AM-5PM and Sunday, June 3rd from 11AM-5PM.

The parks around the Ordway in downtown St. Paul come alive this weekend with free arts activities, art exhibitions and music & dance performances [inside and outside].  The best part, all outdoor activities are FREE.  

Click here for a schedule and description of all indoor and outdoor performances happening this weekend.   Performances are in all forms: music, dance, and even puppetry. 

There are more than two dozen art making activities within the tents sponsored by different Education Partners. These different activities are educational, interactive and will encourage creativity for your older babies.  

Other outdoor events include: ARTmoves parade [1:00 on Saturday], butterfly garden, the ARTgarden [which includes different story times throughout each day] , food trucks and tents, balloon artist, magicians, henna and face painters.

Even if your baby is too little to participate in any of the activities, they should love the sounds, vibrant colors and activity downtown.  It is great to expose babies to all types of cultures and music! 

Baby Shopping on a Budget {Spring Edition}

{photo credit}

Did you read my post last fall about baby shopping on a budget? Well, it's that time of year again {YEAH!!}

Minnesota Valley Mothers of Multiples is having their spring sale this Saturday, March 31 at the Eagan Community Center.  Public shopping is from 11:00 - 2:00 and if you bring a new {still in the package} baby or child item to donate {i.e. baby food, formula, toy, etc} you can get in FREE! Check out {and LIKE} their facebook page for a preview of some of the items and a chance to win prizes like free entrance or the first spot in line!

Northside Mothers of Multiples is also having their semi annual sale this Saturday, March 31 at the Presbyterian Church of the Master in Coon Rapids from 9:00 - 2:00.

Just Between Friends started their Twin Cities spring sales last weekend.  There are still 9 different sales between now and June, so be sure to check out the dates below for a sale in your area!

{Eagan} March 15-17
{Coon Rapids} March 28-31
{St. Cloud} March 29-April 1
{Blaine/Andover} April 19-21
{Maple Grove} April 25-28
{Woodbury} May 10-12
{Elk River} May 10-12
{Eden Prairie} May 3-6
{White Bear Lake} May 17-19
{Edina} May 31-June 2

Want to know my secret for knowing about all these great consignment sales? Check out twincitieskidsales.com, a website that lists all the kid consignment sales in the Twin Cities {and Greater MN and WI}.  Or you can check out their facebook page here.

Happy Shopping!!

Is Your Home Safe for Baby?

Every milestone is such an exciting moment in your baby's first year. From smiling to cooing and sitting on their own.  Then the next thing you know they're on the move--crawling and walking! Your baby is no longer a newborn, but a curious baby that wants to get into everything. 

E was an early crawler, and while I was so excited for this milestone, I also realized my days of reading a book while he cooed in his bouncer were over. This little curious baby needs constant watching because he loves to find trouble.  It was time to baby proof the house.  

I felt that we did a pretty good job of baby proofing our house {what works best for our family} but where we struggled was with the gates.  I live in an older home built in the 40s that has a unique staircase and entryway.  I love my husband, but he is no handy man. After a few attempts with standard gates, we gave up and two heavy totes became our temporary baby gate.  

After months of our temporary solution someone recommended me to Foresight Childproofing Inc., a local childproofing company in the Twin Cities.  I cannot say enough good things about the company and owner, Peter.  Through his years as a stay-at-home dad, Peter truly understands the importance of having a safe home and is passionate about what he does--it shows.  

Talking to Peter over the phone and sending him pictures of our staircase, he was able to figure out exactly what type of gate was needed without even coming out to my home.  When he came out to my house he was quick to install the gates and even got E to un-glue himself from my leg enough to curiously wander over, say hello and attempt to help put up the gate {of course!} And let me tell you... I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.  Why did we not do this sooner??? It is so nice to not have to worry about E climbing the stairs without someone behind him.

Foresight Childproofing does much more than install gates.  They will come out and do an entire evaluation of your home and recommend how to create a more child-safe environment; letting you customize a plan that works best for your family. The great thing is that you are able to do as much {or as little} as you want {or can afford}. You can purchase the products from Foresight Childproofing and install them yourself; or do what we did, and have them installed for you. 

To contact Foresight Childproofing or find out more information about the company check out their website here.  

{note: these are my own opinions and I was not paid to write this, just hoping to help other families out that may be in similar situations!}