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!} 

Free Admission to the Minnesota Zoo!

Babies love the zoo. Wait, let's admit it, so do parents! So what's better than going to the zoo? Going to the zoo for FREE!  

Right now the Minnesota Zoo is running a program called Recycle for Rainforests.  Recycle your old cell phone at the Minnesota Zoo March 1 - March 16 and receive free admission.  One admission per cell phone donation.  Valid for either child, senior or adult admission.  Free admission applies only on the day of your cell phone donation. Not valid with other promotions. For details about how the program works, click here.

Don't miss out on your opportunity to help African rainforests and the animals that live there. And an opportunity to bring your baby to the zoo at no cost! It's a win-win!

Making your own baby food CAN be easy!

Making your own baby food isn't as scary as you think.  I want to share with you something that is going to make it even easier... a website: Wholesomebabyfood.com.  One of my "go-to" mommy friends told me about this website when I started feeding E solids and I've been hooked ever since. Not only will Wholesome Baby help you learn how to cook food for your baby, but it's also a great resource of what to cook for your baby and when.  

I tried to make a lot E's food, especially when it was single purees.  It is so simple. Do not let baby marketers fool you; while the Baby Bullet and Baby Breeza are great, all you really need to make baby food are some pots, pans, an oven, blender of some sort and ice cube trays.  I actually used our knockoff bullet blender that we got as a wedding gift and it worked perfect!  

Is your baby a beginner to solids? Start here for stage 1 foods and some basic pureeing.  Now that E is onto mostly finger foods, I want to find recipes I can still make in bulk and store in the freezer. This weekend I baked E some broccoli & cheddar cheese nuggets and wanted to share the recipe!

Broccoli & Cheedar Cheese Nuggets

1 16 oz package frozen broccoli, cooked, drained and chopped

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3 large eggs [or 5 egg yolks]

{directions}

preheat oven to 375

[1] lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside

[2] combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. {* add seasonings if you like: garlic powder, pepper, extra basil or oregano; also can add fruit or veggie puree to substitute for eggs} 

[3] shape mixture into nuggets and place on baking tray. bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning nuggets over after 15 minutes. serve warm, crumble if baby needs.

I also found out that author of Wholesomebaby.com, Maggie Meade, is coming out with a book tomorrow called The Wholesome Baby Food Guide.  

Baby food doesn't need to be tasetless, processed and in a jar. It can be fresh, vibrant and delicious. In THE WHOLESOME BABY FOOD GUIDE, Maggie Meade will show you how easy it is to feed your baby homemade goodness. 

Based on the top-rated baby food website, THE WHOLESOME BABY FOOD GUIDE is filled with carefully researched information on nutrition, allergies, myths, and the best practices for introducing foods to your little ones. With more than 150 recipes, as well as storage tips, and allergy alerts, Meade reviews the three major stages of a baby's learning to eat: 4-6 months, 6-8 months, and 8 months and up.

Do you make your own baby food? Where do you find some of your favorite recipes? 

Happy FIRST Birthday to E!!!!!

You changed our lives in the best way possible. Happy Birthday my little man.  

Beat the Winter Blues!

February: the time in Minnesota where everyone starts going a little crazy from being inside all winter. We have been lucky enough to have a pretty mild winter; in fact E and I have even been able to make a few trips to the park in January and that is UNHEARD of! But going outside is still a challenge and being stuck inside with a baby or young toddler can drive a parent crazy.

I've been working on compiling a list of indoor playgrounds to take your baby to and saw this GREAT list that MinnMoms.com put together. [By the way, if you haven't checked out MinnMoms.com and you live in the Twin Cities you need to add it to your bookmarks!] I've taken some of their list, plus added a few of my own and made sure they are baby friendly. E has been walking for about a month now and he is at that stage where all he wants to do is climb, crawl and walk all over. An indoor playground is PERFECT and I can't wait to take him to one of these!


[photo credit]

Adventure Peak [Edina]
Adventure Peak features great areas for toddlers to explore. The Tot Area includes climbing, crawling, sliding and even bouncing in an inflatable air bounce geared just for them!

Eagles Nest [New Brighton]
Part of Eagles Nest, The Eaglets Aerie, is for kids 3 and under. It has its own colorful ball pit, challenging climbing structure, reading corner and more! $5.50/baby 12 months & up.

The Blast [Eagan]

Babies 17 months and younger are FREE [they do not have a specific toddler area] But at the Eagan Community [where The Blast is] they do have open gym Monday-Friday for $3 which is for ages 1 and & up, see more details here.  

Maple Maze [Maple Grove]
Babies under 12 months are FREE and over 12 months are only $5 [$4 for residents] There is a specific toddler area for ages 3 and under where they can crawl into the lions mouth and back down a slide to venture on to the molded alligator, hippo and more.

Lookout Ridge [Woodbury]
They do have a toddler area here [$4.50 for 1 & older].  The "inside tip" is that mornings are usually busy, so if you are looking for a quieter time to take your baby, head on over after lunch.

Tropical Adventure [Shoreview]
Babies under 12 months are free, otherwise it's $5 per child for their indoor playground.  Tropical Adventure also has an indoor water park with an area called "Ship Wreck Beach" with a zero depth pool just for little tots to splash & play in!

Sky Zone [Oakdale, Plymouth]
Sky Zone is a indoor trampoline park. Check each website for toddler time [ages 5 & under].

The Little Gym [Edina, Burnsville & {coming soon} Eagan & Eden Prairie]
The only downfall to The Little Gym is that they don't have any type of open gym and you have to sign up for weekly classes. Although your first class is FREE so you can always try it out first!

My Gym [Eden Prairie]
Same thing with My Gym, they have ongoing classes that you can register for unless you are a member then they have "free play".

I have yet to speak from experience about any of these places so I would love to hear if you have been to any and how they were. Or did I miss any places you like to bring your older baby to? Please share!

Documenting Baby's FIrst Year

I can't believe my little baby boy is almost ONE YEAR OLD!!!! I won't get sappy [just yet] but I thought I would share a few posts leading up to the big day. One of my friends gave me these adorable monthly stickers when E was born to document his growth. It's been fun taking his picture each month from just a little peanut, to sitting on his own, next it was crawling, then standing up and now walking.

Thanks to pinterest, I found a couple other creative ways to document your baby's first year that I wanted to share [I apologize up front for the small images].

How cute is this? I love the idea of keeping an object in the picture so you can see how big your babe is getting. They took it one step further and put the baby INSIDE of the object [laundry basket]. Genius! {photo credit}

This is such a cute idea too. Choose an outfit and take your little one's picture in it throughout the year. They start out swimming in it and by the end, they are busting out! {photo credit}

With this idea you can get creative. Use letter magnetics, blocks or I've even seen people write something out on a chalk board to document each month. All great ideas! {photo credit}

I love this idea for each year [which means I can start soon and keep going with E!] Take a picture of your baby and then using a program like Photoshop, add text with how old they are and what their favorites are currently or what milestones they are at. A fun way to document them as they grow old! {photo credit}


Have you done something unique to document your baby's growth? Please share, I'd love more ideas!!



Pin It

Spend a Week in the Twin Cities [with your baby!]

When E was an itty bitty baby and I was searching for every mommy book under the sun, I came across this gem: The Rookie Moms Handbook. Filled with wit, humor and 250 activities to do with [and without] your baby, this book is a must have for every new mama out there! I was fortunate enough to connect with Heather from Rookie Moms during a late night twitter [nursing] session and came up with this post for new moms [and dads] visiting the Twin Cities [no matter what the season or weather].



Monday

[Summer] Como Zoo is a Minnesota must for you and baby in the summer time. Donations accepted for admission, it’s the perfect smaller size zoo for your little one. Bring a picnic lunch and wander the outside gardens and conservatory afterwards for some great photo-ops!

[Winter] Visit the independently owned bookshop Wild Rumpus in Linden Hills [Minneapolis]. New mama’s, I would avoid the crowded story time at 10:30 and go a little later to cozy up in this enchanting store with your little one- just watch out for the live chickens running around! Afterwards, feel free to do a little window-shopping for baby at cute stores like Creative Kids Stuff or Oscar & Belle.

Tuesday

[Summer] Minnehaha Falls is a perfect spot in the city to go for a daytime hike with your baby. A beautiful area with various walking paths and ample parking close to the park [in case baby is fussy and you need to make a quick emergency exit.] Don’t forget to swing by the Sea Salt Eatery before you leave & order a cone of Minneapolis’s award winning Sebastian Joe’s ice cream.

[Winter] Baby story time [10:30 – 11:00] at Red Balloon Bookshop on Grand Ave. is a “can’t miss” event for you and baby. Sara Waters [Sara’s Stories] reads stories, sings silly songs and even plays the violin to keep these babies entranced. Afterwards meet up with some mommy-friends at Café Latte for a delicious lunch! The friendly staff is more than willing to lend a hand when yours are full with baby.

Wednesday

[Summer] Cool off at the Splash Pad at Wabun Park in Minneapolis [near Minnehaha Falls]. While you might not be ready to take your baby to the big pool, this splash pad & wadding pool is the perfect way to get your feet wet and let your baby enjoy splashing around.

[Winter] Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis hosts “Wee Wednesdays” every week [10:30AM] which includes anything from live animals from the zoo, to cooking for your baby and even story times and sing-a-longs. After enjoying this free event, make sure to stop by Salty Tart to satisfy your sweet tooth with a “melt-in-you-mouth” cupcake or cookie.

Thursday

[Summer] Take a day trip to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska. Meet up with a girlfriend and bring the stroller for a nice long walk to enjoy the beautiful flowers and landscapes. Don’t forget the camera, another great place for some memorable pictures!

[Winter] Need to get some exercise but not ready to leave your baby? Hit up Stroller Strides [9:15AM] at the Mall of America. This mommy boot camp is free your first time with additional classes being as low as $2.75 with certain membership packages.

Friday

[Summer] Take advantage of those small babies that will sleep anywhere and head to the Vali-Hi Drive-In. No need to even take your snoozing baby out of their car seat and you’ve got instant date-night up front!

[Winter] Every Friday from 11:00-12:00 Amma Parenting Center in Edina has drop-in baby playtime. Bring yourself and your baby and Amma will provide a nursing friendly environment with music, toys, blankets and babies! A great place for new mom’s to venture out of the house for the first time and make new mommy friends!

Saturday

[Winter] Check out the Habitot room at the MN Children’s Museum that is especially designed for little ones on the move. This is another hot spot for meeting new mommy friends while your baby is exploring the soft and sensory little world built just for them! [Bonus: children under 1 are FREE and there is also a nursing room.]

[Summer] Hit up the shops of Woodbury Lakes with your little one. This outdoor mall has the right balance of boutiques and national retailers for baby AND mama!

Sunday

[Summer] Head to the St. Paul or Minneapolis Farmers Market. Strap your baby to your chest and enrich their sensory experiences with the bright colors and smells of the fresh produce. Let older babies help pick out fruits and vegetables to encourage healthy eating.

[Winter] BOYB [bring your own BABY that is] mommy & me yoga at Blooma. A great way for new mama’s to get some exercise while stimulating baby at the same time. Running late? Fussy baby? Need to nurse in the middle of class? NO problem! Even major blowouts mid class are understood here.


What do you love doing with your little one in Minnesota?

Lil' Explorers at Como Zoo

[Note: This event is for you mama's [and papa's] with a little older babe as recommended age is 1 to 3 year olds.]

Como Zoo started a new FREE event that runs January through April called Lil' Explorers. Come explore 10:00 - 12:00 each Thursday in the Visitor's Center. Meet animals and plant visitors, see story time, play games and many other fun activities. Each week there is a different animal theme--anything from teddy bear picnic to junior gardener.

Click here for more details on Lil' Explorers.

New Year. New Fitness Plan.

I'm not really the type of person to make New Years resolutions, but it is always a good time of the year to re-evaluate your lifestyle. For me, 2012 is about finding time for myself again. My little man will be a year this February [gasp!] and over the past 11 months, I have been lost in his every want and need. We all know it's important to take care of our babies, but sometimes we forgot it's equally as important to take care of ourselves. Which is why I'm really excited to share with you a new business opening up this January in Woodbury.



Baby Boot Camp helps balance the fitness needs of new moms with their desire to spend time with their baby. This innovative stroller-fitness program helps moms regain or enhance pre-pregnancy fitness levels and meet the physical challenges of parenting by emphasizing strength training in a supportive environment.

Baby Boot Camp will be having their Grand Opening on January 25th at the Valley Creek Mall [meeting next to Keys Cafe & Bakery]. Join other mama's and enjoy light refreshments, amazing prize giveaways from local businesses and goodie bags to the first 30 participants! Also you can sign up for classes and take advantage of promotional pricing available only during the Grand Opening.

Classes will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00AM-10:00AM at the Valley Creek Mall. Package deals can be purchased for as low as $65/mo. For more information on Baby Boot Camp and owner Heather Hampton, read this article featured in Macaroni Kid [SE Metro, MN] or check them out on facebook here.

Do you make goals or resolutions every year? What is your resolution for 2012?