The awesome folks at the McWane Center have teamed up with us to provide our readers with a special discount on memberships! For most moms in Birmingham, McWane is a boon on a rainy day or when it’s super hot – or any day you feel like learning while you have a little fun! And now, you can get a $10 discount on your membership!
“McWane Science Center features four floors of interactive exhibits. All exhibits celebrate science and wonder – from an amazing collection of dinosaurs to innovative environmental showcases, imaginative early childhood playgrounds, and an awe-inspiring aquarium. Scroll through and learn the science behind each of the exhibits below.” In addition, the center also features an IMAX theater, Shark and Ray Exhibit, Itty Bitty City (one of our favorites for the Itty Bitties) and other special exhibits.
The Details:
Birmingham Mommy Membership Offer
Valid 2/24/10 -12/31/10)
$10 Off Any Membership Level
Must Give Code: BhamMommy (Write “BhamMommy” On Member Discount Section of Brochure at the
ticketing counter)
So, go enjoy your time at the museum and say hello for us!
1. Don’t get a Wipe Warmer– Most moms will tell you it’s not practical or useful. Seriously, we all worried about precious baby’s bottom getting a little cold. The harsh reality is that you can wipe that baby with the warmest and softest wipe in the world, but the fact of the matter is… baby’s don’t like having their butts wiped. Cold or not, soft or not, they hate it. Wouldn’t you? Why use an unnecessary gadget? The first poops are so explosive and traumatic for most first-timers, you’ll be too terrified at the atrocities that come out of your baby to worry about whether their bottom is chilly.
2. Keep tags on everything! You can always exchange things that are not needed for diapers. And you’ll be surprised to find out that for the first 2 months, it’s a miracle if the baby wears anything outside of a onesie. It’s also a miracle if you take more than one shower per week, but that’s another story for another time.
3. Choose basics and choose things in all price catergories. Make it easy for your friends. Most of them will be rushed and probably have no idea why on earth a rectal thermometer is on a list of things you want.
4. Check the store’s policy on exchanges and returns. A lot of stores, specifically Target, have tightened up their exchange policies.
5. Give an online option. So many of us shop online these days, it’s just too easy. Try myregistry.com for a way to register for items on any website. All your friends have to do is login and pick one. The upside for you is that you can choose from 10 different websites. This is especially helpful if you want some unusual items from several sites. Another upside is that you can search around for the best prices for your friends. They’ll appreciate that!
Got any tips to share? Please help those soon-to-be mommies out!
It’s 4:15 pm. There’s a certain anxious energy hanging in the air like smoke. You know at any minute all hell is going to break loose because there’s something odd about that magic hour or so between 4:30 and 5:30. I like to call it “The Witching Hour”, and it’s the time of day when my kids go from decently behaved to absolutely flipping nuts.
Those little darlings are virtually unrecognizable as they throw tantrums in the kitchen floor, they shout what they’re not going to do and then continue by shouting how they don’t care how you feel about it. They make a mess and when you politely ask them to clean it up; they look at you as if you have three heads and then take off in another direction to cause more pandemonium.
And of course, this is the time of day when you’re trying to get your house in order, the chores finished and food on the table – after all, you simply must make it appear that you do more than sit around eating Bon-Bons everyday.
If I’ve ever been desperate for help, it’s during this time of day – and it’s almost every day. I wanted answers, so I went to an “expert”. I thought of all the wonderful teachers my child has had, and how they almost effortlessly seemed to hold it all together, and then some.
One of those people was Tracy, a seasoned preschool teacher from Hoover. Every day I watched as her warm heart filled the room and was reflected with gentle excitement in all those kid’s faces. She seemed to have it all under control with her six, meanwhile my two were sometimes more than I thought I could handle. I asked for a few of her secrets and she told me – so naturally, I’m passing them on to you.
First up, I wanted to know how to calm things down in a hurry when all goes haywire. “When everyone is running around crazy, I turn the lights off for a second, that usually gets them to stop and look at me,” said Tracy. I can tell you that I’ve already added this one to my arsenal of “Mom tricks” and it works – unless it’s daytime, in a sunny room and then, well they just look at you like you’re some crazy person flicking the lights on and off.
Next, I wanted to find out a little about how to get their attention – because I can promise that at one point or another, I’ve tried almost everything. Tracy said that distracting them with something different works great. “I think my number one tip for getting and keeping their attention is talking quietly. They really listen when I’m talking softly like I have a secret to tell them. My number two tip is using an incentive such as a sticker or a stamp or even a small piece of candy such as a smarty. The fun thing about preschoolers is they don’t need much. I’m always amazed at how happy they are to receive one skittle or one sticker.”
Got any tricks you’d like to share? I know I’d love to hear them! Until then, good luck during the Witching Hour!
This week, I’ve started taking 3 minutes (by the clock) and reflecting on things I’m thankful for. I get so caught up in life that I think I take things for granted. I think expressing gratitude (even if it is in private) is a way to humble yourself and remember life’s struggles, triumphs, trials and wonder.
Trish –
My new thing this week was to plan a garden. By garden I mean 3 types of plants that I hopefully won’t kill. I’m going to try to grow a few things that we eat a lot of, for several reasons. It’s cheap of course, and I think it will be a great learning experience for the kids. I have a black thumb, so they may just have to learn how plants wither and die. I’m hoping for success but I’m being realistic. 🙂
Angie –
For me this week was a big one. I started P90X. I’ve been determined to get in shape and because the girls dislike going to the gym so much I actually cancelled my membership, leaving me gymless. I had to come up with another way to workout. I bought the DVDs and they are kicking my butt. I love it. I love being able to work out at home on my own time. I’m 5 days into the 90 day program, and can’t wait to see the results.
For more New Things or if you’d like to participate in 52 new things along with BirminghamMommy and many others – please join in by posting your new thing to your blog, facebook or on twitter (use #52newthings) – Also, you can head over to www.willblogforshoes.com to link up every Thursday!
When You Give a Kid A Set of Blocks…You see just how creative they can be. I love simple toys. Scratch that, I believe in simple toys. I see my daughter’s imagination fly when she sits down to a set of blocks, a blank page and crayon, a croquet set or a puzzle. I think that she learns to utilize her senses of touch, sight, coordination and imagination at an incredible speed when she’s not distracted by flashing lights or loud noises. Furthermore, I think that challenging her allows her to learn in ways that she can’t with other “animated” toys (not that we don’t have any animated toys, I just prefer simple). I love to watch her explore, create and defy reality as she draws a penguin with an umbrella or as she builds a bridge to Never Never Land.
We’ve hooked up with a wonderful toy company that seems to specialize in toys that let kids imaginations fly – Gifted Imaginations. They have an incredible selection of toys from many well-known brands such as Haba, Melissa & Doug, Plan, Beleduc (one of my favorites ever!), Manhattan Toys…
They recently sent over a set of some of the coolest blocks I’ve ever seen and they were a huge hit. My daughter and husband sat with them for over an hour – Citiblocs. My husband loves to build things and my daughter loves to do anything her father does, so they were an instant hit! Their simple design allowed the creative juices to flow. Her dad loved them so much, I really think these would make a great gift for adults as well!
“Citiblocs are high quality wooden construction blocks which inspire both traditional building and modern design. The secret behind Citblocs is that every piece is exactly the same shape and size – measuring in inches approximately 1/4 inches thick x 1 inch wide x 4 1/2 inches long. Each block is precisely cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. Citiblocs Building requires no glue, no snaps, no connectors and no magnets: just gravity, balance and imagination.” Citiblocs are also winners of 14 Industry Awards!
So, now that they’ve become a late-night staple for daddy/daughter time, we’re giving you a shot to win a set of your very own! In fact, Gifted Imaginations has been so generous – they’re now giving away 2 sets! Here’s what you can do to enter:
Follow Gifted Imaginations on twitter (@GiftedImagStore) and then tweet “@Birminghammommy is giving away a set of Citiblocs from @GiftedImagStore!) After that, come back here and comment letting us know you followed and tweeted. – That’s it! You’re entered! You’ll love all the sweet specials they post to their twitter fans – you’ll never miss another 30% off sale again (yeah – 30%!)
For an extra entry you can do the following:
Subscribe to the Gifted Imaginations newsletter – found here (lower left) – and don’t forget to come back here and tell us you subscribed so you’re entered again!
The giveaway runs until Sunday, March 7th at 11:59 pm. Good luck to everyone, and in the meantime, visit the store – you won’t be disappointed in the selection! Winners will be chosen using random.org. First two numbers drawn will determine winning entries.
About Gifted Imaginations
The Gifted Imaginations team is dedicated and passionate about finding high quality, unique, educational toys, books and children’s clothing for the best prices. At Gifted Imaginations you’ll find cool, fun, imaginative, exciting educational toys from some of the best selections of manufacturers such as HABA, Plan Toys, Kaloo, Kathe Kruse, Melissa and Doug, Crocodile Creek and Alex just to name a few. From wooden blocks to puzzles to backpacks, dolls, cars, and games – these are not the kinds of toys you’ll find in your local department store. In addition to these unique finds, Gifted Imaginations also carries eco friendly and fun children’s clothing such as Life is Good, Green Label and BioMe5. Please also visit our companion store which hosts the full line of wonderful Usborne Books (www.ubah.com/D3861). You can also find them on Facebook!
*the item reviewed was provided entirely by the above company. The winner will also be provided with a set of blocks from the above company*
Happy Birthday Dr Seuss! You could not, would not want to miss out on the celebrations around town, we thought this was special enough to have it’s own post, mark your calendars now for these great events!
Read Across America is teaming up with Target for a special storytime
Join them for Story Time fun in honor of Dr. Seuss — free at all Target stores. The event will feature a reading of the Dr. Seuss classic, Oh, The Places You’ll Go! and other family-friendly activities. Saturday February 27th, 9am – 11am.
McWane Science Center is hosting their first ever Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast. Meet the Cat in the Hat!
We are celebrating the Science of Seuss in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday! Enjoy a hot breakfast, meet the Cat In The Hat, get early admission to the museum and participate in storybook science programs.
TICKETS:
Members: $10 Adults, $5 Kids
Non-Members: $15 Adults, $10 Kids Reservations are required. Click here to buy tickets of call (205) 714-8414
GREEN EGGS & HAM BREAKFAST MENU: Breakfast will include scrambled eggs (green and regular), Breakfast ham, Bacon, Breakfast potatoes and Biscuits. We will also have Orange juice, Apple juice, Milk and Coffee.
Walter J. Hanna Public Library (Fairfield) will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with a movie and cupcakes.
Tuesday, March 2nd – 3:30 – 4:30
Barnes and Noble – Patton Creek celebrates Dr. Suess Day!
Come celebrate Read Across America with classic tales and a fun craft!
Wednesday – March 3, 10:30am
Cost:
Full Day (Morning & Afternoon Sessions): Members $50, Non-Members $60
Half Day (Morning OR Afternoon Sessions): Members $25, Non-Members $30
Before Care: Members FREE, Non-Members $5
After Care: Members FREE, Non-Members $5
Shelby County YMCA is offering a Summer Camp Registration incentive that ends on Sunday, February 28. Anyone who registers for camp by Sunday, will be entered into a drawing for a free week of camp. To learn more about our camps, you can visit www.ymcabham.org. Click on branches,… then shelby county, then Youth Day Camps.
For more information contact the YMCA at 685-6510 – ask for Rhonda
My name is Angie, I’m unorganized, disheveled, exhausted, late to everywhere, and completely fulfilled. I am a Mom of Multiples.
My twins were born 2 years ago this March. We went to the Dr. at 5 months to find out if we were having a boy or a girl and SURPRISE! We were having not just one girl, but two! Our girls had a rough start like many multiples do, they were mono-amniotic, meaning they were in the same sac. It’s a pretty rare type of pregnancy and can be pretty dangerous for the babies. After countless appointments with specialists, constant monitoring of their heart rates, and bed rest, both at home and in the hospital, our sweet, sweet girls were born healthy at 33 weeks. 10 days in the NICU and they were released into the this big world, to terrified parents, and a very excited big sister that couldn’t wait to get her grubby little hands on them.
Raising twins is obviously different than raising a singleton. There are so many things to think about, there is a type of dual dynamic that has to be considered. Do you raise them to be so individual that they lose their “twin-ness” or do you raise them so much like the twins that they are, that you risk them never thriving as individuals. Where is the line? How do you find the balance? Who has these answers and why aren’t they returning my calls?
I realize my situation may be different than some Moms of Multiples because I also have a singleton to think about. How do we raise a single in the house with twins, will she feel jipped because she doesn’t have a another “her” running around the house? Again, if someone could give me the number to the “how to hotline,” that would be great.
Join me here each month as I awkwardly navigate this world of seeing double. Feel free to share your stories and experiences as we go along. There is strength (and safety) in numbers.
We have a wonderful giveaway and review coming soon from Gifted Imaginations. They have generously provided us with a set of Citiblocs to try out and a set to giveaway!
So, stay tuned to hear what we have to say about this brilliantly simple toy!
Tips from a mediocre Mom, neatly packaged in list form…
~Kristine Gresh
This month:
Let your kids get away with these things!
Don’t force them into the “clean plate club.”
Food can be a major source of battle between kids and parents – we want them to be healthy and that means eating vegetables and getting enough protein. However, we have to avoid food becoming a source of stress for them; and we really don’t want to foster a “punishment/reward” way of thinking about food. It’s no secret we definitely have a childhood obesity issue in this country…and forcing kids to eat everything on their plate doesn’t help. It teaches them that the goal of eating is to finish everything, instead of what it should be – to become satiated and decide to stop eating. So, from the beginning, tell your children about good nutrition and about needing certain foods for energy, etc. (Get age appropriate books on this topic if it helps, they are plentiful right now.) Then dish out small portions, let them eat what they want (reminding them what foods are good for what…) and allow them to ask for more if they are still hungry. Don’t push them to finish or threaten to take away a “reward” (especially dessert) if they don’t. It will take some adjustment (as the parent) if your current way is the “clean plate” method, but try it. It will instill healthier food mindsets in a generation that could really use them.
It’s ok if they don’t want to share EVERY toy.
You know you have certain possessions you would never lend out, or at least to people who might not treat them like you do. It’s not being rude, it’s making wise decisions in an effort to better take care of things that might mean a lot to you. Well, give your child the ability to make similar choices. Obviously, kids should learn to share. And they should share most things. However, if they have a special train or doll that they always seem a bit apprehensive about handing over to a pal, respect that. Perhaps even put it away during playdates – you’ll not only show your child that you respect his or her judgment, you’re probably saving yourself from the spat that will ensue when the issue comes up. Easier all around.
Their clothes don’t have to match every day…or even be clean.
When the time comes to start letting your young children pick out their own clothes once in a while… you have to start letting them well, pick out their own clothes once in a while! This can be especially tricky here in the South, where there tends to be a higher population of what I have technically termed “matchy matchy” outfits and parents who adore them. And that’s ok. But it’s also ok to leave those outfits in the dresser sometimes. Parents and children benefit from kids making their own decisions (see “Gimme 5” Installment 1). And come on, as adults we can admit that deciding to wear those favorite jeans (yes…even if they’re in the laundry pile…) or that baseball cap isn’t always about how great you’re going to look, but how you’re going to feel. Sometimes it’s just a baseball cap kind of day. With kids, sometimes it’s just an “old purple dress” or “bright orange socks” kind of day. They have been given the opportunity to choose something that’s normally chosen for them. It’s a big step, let them shine – even if it’s in that old purple dress with the bright orange socks.
Don’t correct grammar, simply use correct grammar.
This is a tough one for me. As a writer and lover of our quirky English language, I have been known to visibly cringe at blatantly incorrect grammar. But it’s important to refrain from verbally correcting it in young children. If you jump in and immediately reprimand a child when he says, “I taked a picture” or maybe, “Can I have the more faster racecar?” you are actually doing more harm than good. Imagine if every time you spoke, you knew you were being judged and your words were probably going to be followed by how it should have been said. You would be less apt to speak freely, right? It would make you feel tense and “on the spot” if you didn’t know exactly how to express something…and that’s the opposite of how we should make our kids feel. The thought process is similar to “phonetic spelling” in elementary school – if you correct every little error, the student will stick to words he knows, not experiment with new ones. Well, same with speaking. Let children speak freely, without fear of being judged. And when you speak, do it properly. They will eventually pick up on it (I promise!) without feeling like they’re being personally attacked.
Allow for slip-ups with everything else.
Ok, maybe not everything else – don’t let them stick things in an outlet or play with light bulbs. Safety issues aside though… the things that are “just-because” rules? Let your kids slide with these sometimes. Let them see (via actual circumstances) that they can “mess up” from time to time and life goes on. If your son forgets to thank the nice baker for that sugar cookie (and it was just that one time…I swear he does it most other times), just politely do it yourself and remind him later about the importance of manners. Or if your daughter asks to stay up a few minutes past her bedtime one night to finish a drawing, give in. When a child senses a bit of flexibility, it can remove the extreme rigidness from a household and replace it with a more relaxed, acceptance-of-mistakes atmosphere. Plus – all rules are just begging to be broken once in a while!
Kristine Gresh is a freelance writer who thinks it’s okay to choose to have just one child, or to enjoy an afternoon cocktail with a friend instead of cleaning…and that it’s definitely okay to jump on hotel beds. krisgresh@yahoo.com
“McWane Science Center features four floors of interactive exhibits. All exhibits celebrate science and wonder – from an amazing collection of dinosaurs to innovative environmental showcases, imaginative early childhood playgrounds, and an awe-inspiring aquarium. Scroll through and learn the science behind each of the exhibits below.” In addition, the center also features an IMAX theater, Shark and Ray Exhibit, Itty Bitty City (one of our favorites for the Itty Bitties) and other special exhibits.
