Children's Museum: Storyland [Part II]

Wednesday I took E to his very first trip to the MN Children's Museum to check out the new Storyland exhibit. And thanks to Macy's we got in FREE for Macy's Play Date.

I'll start off by telling you that it's been a rough week for E [4 teeth just cut and we think we see 2 more starting] so he was a little cranky.



But it that didn't stop him from having fun with Spot!



And like his mama, E likes cookies too!



After the Storytime exhibit, I knew we needed to feed E if we didn't want a complete meltdown. While I don't mind breast feeding in public, it is just easier to give E a bottle when we are out. For those of you mama's that have babies that won't take a bottle, there is a small nursing room on the 4th floor in the Habitot room. To be honest, it looks more like a janitor's closet. I would use the comfy cushion stools right outside the nursing room where I fed E, but it's nice to know at least there is the option.

The Habitot Room is where I think E really had the most fun. Toddlers love to reach, touch, creep, crawl, and cruise around in Habitot®, a world sprinkled with mats and pads for sensitive knees and toes. Four tot-friendly Minnesota "habitots" including a prairie, cave, pond and forest, encourage toddlers and infants to safely investigate a creative, interactive, and experiential world created just for them.




The older your baby is, the more he or she is going to be able to get out of the Children's Museum. However, babies are constantly learning and developing and the Children's Museum is a great place for them to explore. Plus babies under one year are FREE! [$8.95 for everyone else.]

We ended our day with a trip to Candyland, a delicious old fashion candy store less than a block away. While E might not have been able to enjoy anything here, it sure made this mama happy!

Fall Has Arrived... Time to go Apple Picking!

As much as I love summer, there is something about fall that gets me excited every year. The crisp cool air, the smell of apples everywhere, pumpkin spiced lattes and of course... stocking hats!! [Baby E already has a minimum of 10 hats already and don't think I'm stopping there.] There are also lots of fun activities to do in the fall before the blustery Minnesota winter hits and everyone hibernates inside like bears.

Probably my favorite fall activity is apple picking. It is so much fun being able to go out on a nice sunny fall day with a big barrel and pick your own apples. There are so many apples to choose--apples for baking, for crunching, sweet apples and tart apples--I love them all! A lot of apple orchards also tend to have other fun activities like hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, barns full of warm apple cider, apple butter, jams and everything else you can think of apple.



Since this is Baby E's first fall, I am really excited to start him in on our little tradition. I know he will love grabbing at the trees [he is in that stage where anything is fun to grab at] and he loves eating apples, so I better stock up while they are in their prime.

Every year we normally go to a few orchards in Bayfield, WI where my parents cabin is. This year we aren't going to be able to make it up there in time for apple picking, so it looks like we will be going in the Twin Cities [day trip maybe?!]

I found this awesome website online called PickYourOwn. Where in Minnesota to find pick your own farms and orchards for fruit, vegetables, pumpkins and canning & freezing instructions! This site is great, not just for finding apple orchards, but all sorts of fun berry picking, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and even Christmas trees in the winter.

I wanted to share with you a couple other orchards that I researched:

Aamodts’ Apple Farm [Stillwater, MN]
They have a wide variety of apples [including Honeycrisp, a personal favorite]. They also have some great activities for the little ones like wagon rides, a goat farm, hay bale mazes and even a John Deere tractor farm!

Afton Apple [Hastings, MN]
Here they have apple picking, a pumpkin patch [picking starts the last week in September] hayrides and a 15 acre corn maze-wow!

Emma Krumbee's [Belle Plaine, MN]
Emma Krumbee's was named “Favorite Apple Orchard in Minnesota” by Minnesota Parent Magazine. With the variety of events, kids activities, apple & pumpkin picking, and homemade goodies [found in their restaurant & general store] it is easy to see why they are a favorite. The annual scarecrow festival also sets them apart from the other orchards.

Pine Tree Apple Orchard [White Bear Lake, MN]
You'll find weekend entertainment, pony & wagon rides, a corn maze; along with a large variety of apples and a pumpkin patch. Also Pine Tree has various homemade bakery products, caramel apples, and fresh cider- yum!

Minnetonka Orchards [Minnetrista, MN]
Another orchard with a variety of family activities including: hay rides, walking trails, a corn maze and of course pick your own apples. Also check out their unique calendar of events which includes music, family theme weekends and more!

Do you have a favorite fall tradition or favorite apple orchard that you go to every year?

Children's Museum: Storyland [Part I]

There is a new exhibit at the MN Children's Museum: Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites. It runs from September 10th [2011] through February 5 [2012].

Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites brings children and adults into the world of seven beloved picture books. From the gardens of The Tale of Peter Rabbit to the urban snowscape of The Snowy Day and the tropical island of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Storyland engages visitors in early literature adventures. In the exhibit's immersive environments designed for children from birth through eight years old, families discover that it is never too early to develop a love of reading. [mcm.org]

The seven featured books are:


The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter



The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats



Where's Spot? by Eric Hill



If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff



Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault



Abuela by Arthur Dorros



Tuesday by David Wiesner

I am really excited for Where's Spot. It focuses on babies [and young toddlers] and also teaches adults tips on pre-reading skills.

I plan on taking E in the next two weeks and will report back with [Part II] our experience!

Early Childhood Family Education [ECFE]

ECFE [Early Childhood Family Education] offers a variety of classes from birth and up. The mission of ECFE is to strengthen families through education and support for all parents; to provide the best possible environment for the healthy growth and development of their children through research-based instructional/learning strategies.

ECFE classes are affordable [prices are based on your household income] and typically meet once a week [in 8-12 week sessions]. In each class you will have educational interaction with your baby and other babies and their guardians; as well as have time to talk with other parents for support and information. Think stimulating baby class meets mommy group!

It seems like it is a little different for each school district [check here to find classes closest to your neighborhood] but typically there is a Baby & Me class [birth to 6 or 8 months]. Also one or two additional Toddler classes [6 months to 24 months]. Some districts even have Baby & Me Drop-In Play or Baby Story Time.

Some communities are having FREE Baby Showers [for parents & babies birth to 12 months] as an "open house" to learn more about their classes and resources. This is something you might also want to look into [and soon!]

Fall is approaching and registration has already begun for the next session of classes. If you are looking for something to do with your baby or are interested in meeting other parents in your neighborhood, ECFE might be the right fit for you.

Baby Shopping on a Budget.

Every time I go shopping I proudly come home and show my husband my purchases and say: "Guess how much I SAVED!?!" His response every time is: "Well how much did you SPEND?' Heartbreaker.

But who doesn't love a good sale? So when I heard about baby consignment sales I got really excited. Think of the biggest garage sale you've been to..... then times it by ten.... and imagine it is only stuff for babies and kids.

Let me introduce you to Just Between Friends and Munchkin Markets. Consignors bring new and gently-used children's [and maternity] clothing, toys and equipment to sell WAY below retailer prices [sometimes up to 80% off]. No need to drive all over town from garage sale to garage sale digging through messy piles. Shoppers can browse and purchase items in an organized environment all under one roof. These children's consignment sales happen in different locations throughout the Twin Cities [JBF is nationwide] each year.

Are you a first time mommy? I am! Which means we can sign up for the pre-sale BEFORE everyone else gets to shop. Check each website for additional details. Also, if you are looking to sell your babe's old stuff, it's a great way to make some money and clean up your house. Each company makes it easy to consign and give great tips on how to increase sales through tagging, pricing and organization.

I am going to make a list of all the things I am looking for BEFORE I head out to these upcoming sales to make it an easier shopping trip. [NOTE: some of the pre-sales are adults only for easier shopping, so make sure you have a sitter lined up.]

Happy shopping!


[UPCOMING SALES]

JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS
Blaine|Andover September 8-10
Eagan September 15-17
Woodbury September 22-24
Maple Grove October 13-15

MUNCHKIN MARKET
Anoka County Fairgrounds September 10-11
Washington County Fairgrounds September 17-18
MN State Fairgrounds September 24-25

Hot Summer Days.

Today is September 1st, but the coming fall was the last thing on my mind! 90+ degrees and hot sticky air meant at least one more day to enjoy our [always-to-short] Minnesota summer. So we did E's favorite activity of the summer: BACKYARD POOL DAY!

Whether they're in a warm winter bath or a cool summer pool, most babies love water play. It's a sensory extravaganza as children feel the wetness, hear the splashes and sprinkles, see the bubbles and waves, and maybe even taste a few droplets. It's also a sensational learning experience for your child: As your budding scientist pours, splashes, and giggles, she is observing cause and effect, experimenting with water's fascinatingly fluid properties, and being introduced to basic physics [what floats and what sinks]. -www.whattoexpect.com

If your baby is too small to sit on their own, try sitting them in a bumbo seat or hop in the pool yourself and splash along.

This is also inexpensive entertainment [bonus!]. I bought a whale baby pool from Target earlier this summer for a measly five dollars. I can fill up a bucket twice with luke-warm tub water and the pool is full. Toss in some measuring or stacking cups and hopefully you will have endless entertainment!