Mommy FTW

It seems like every time we get new books from the Library Cameron learns new words and his vocabulary grows.  Pretty cool!  And now to make finding the books I want super easy I just request them online at the DC Library website and get an email when they are ready to pick up.  If I’m short on inspiration of what to look for in the online catalog I just browse Amazon and see what other books people buy when I look up Cameron’s favorites.  Anyways, these are his current favorites – soon to be returned for something new!

Alphabeep!  Cameron learned so many words from this book, which highlights a transportation related word for each letter of the alphabet.  Now everywhere we drive he points out stop signs, yield signs, red lights, firetrucks, cement mixers… the list goes on!  It’s perfect for any vehicle obsessed toddler.

Cameron has loved many Byron Barton books, and Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs is no exception.  A lot of the dinosaur names are pretty hard for him, but he did learn “T Rex” and also now seems to understand what “scary” and “scared” means.

In the book My Big Rig a young boy drives cross country in his truck via his imagination.  Since Cameron likes anything to do with trucks, this one is a no brainer!

Cameron seems to love every Spot book that we bring home.  In Spot Goes to the Park, Spot and his friends play ball and swing at the park.  These are things that Cameron and I do a lot together, so reading this book is a fun way for me to ask him questions about what we did at the park too.  Of course, this book has all the lift-the-flap fun that Spot books are known for.

Be sure to check for these books at your local Library – and DC friends, try out the online library catalog.  It’s a really convenient way to get all the books you want.  If you’re not in DC, check to see if your library system has a similar feature.  I know the one in Brooklyn did as well!

I am a big fan of the Ergo baby carrier, and using one for Violet was part of my plan for porting both kids around in the beginning instead of getting a double stroller.  Of course, little V is too little to sit in it the usual way, so I started asking around about the infant insert.  Everyone I talked to said it was a waste of money, and after some googling I found suggestions that using a sheet or towel instead with the Ergo would work just as well.  So – this is what I started doing!

Yes, there is a baby in there.

It felt a little awkward at first, but I’ve worked on the placement and with a little practice it works just fine.  I’m still looking forward to when Violet can sit in it normally, but for now this is working great.

It seems like spring is around the corner, so hopefully there won’t be too many cold days left on the horizon, but I am sure there will be plenty of “spring showers” to keep the little ones stuck indoors.  Never fear – besides Amazonia at the National Zoo, there’s also lots of fun to be had at the Bird House – which is where Cameron and I ended up earlier this week.

Besides the regular bird exhibits, the Bird House has something going on each weekday morning which the kiddos will really enjoy:

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings you can Meet a Kiwi up close and personal at 11am.

On Tuesday morning at 10:30am there is a story time in the bird resource center.

I haven’t been to these things so I can’t really speak to them.  But they sound fun!

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 11am they do a feeding.  We watched this and it was really cool!  All the birds come up close to the zoo worker and you can get a really good look at them.  Cameron thought it was totally awesome.

Also, in the Bird Resource Center (which is in the back of the Bird House) there are lots of cool feathers that the kids can touch and other things.  Cameron had a blast checking everything out.  Of course, all of this is free.  And remember, if you are a FONZ member you can park for free too.

To get to the Bird House we usually park in Lot B and then walk past the Asia Trail (Panda Area) and over the bridge (and the Elephants).  Also, if the weather is good check out all the outdoor bird exhibits.  There’s lots of cool things to see in this section of the National Zoo.

As I said in my last post, Cameron and I have been spending a lot of evenings at the Tenley Friendship Library where we wait for his Dad to come home from work.  This seems to have really sparked a new love of books in Cameron, which makes me really happy.  Below are four of the books we recently checked out that Cameron has really been enjoying.  Look for them at your library, or find them on Amazon.com (or at your local bookseller).

My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk – This book is BY FAR Cameron’s favorite of the library books.  It is very repetitive, and has lots of rhyming, which he likes.  Also, a lot of the words in the book Cameron knows.  Stuck, Truck, Beep, Help, Bus, Car, the list goes on – so it’s perfect for him.  He recites the words along with me as a I turn the pages.  (Cameron is getting put to bed now by his dad as I type this and I can hear him yelling “Truck! Stuck! Help! BEEP BEEP!”)  We might have to renew this one for extra time…..

I Love Trains by Philemon Sturges – At home Cameron has the book I Love Trucks by the same author, but recently he has really been into trains so this book is a hot item.  The illustrations in this book are particularly interesting to him – there’s lots of animals (cows, sheep, rabbits, ducks, dogs) which he likes to point out, as well as trucks, and cars on the train.  The grand finale of the book is that Dad comes home on the train, so it’s perfect for our library visits.

Spot Goes to the Farm by Eric Hill – At home Cameron has Where’s Spot (which I prefer) but Cameron really likes Spot Goes to the Farm because of all the animals in it.  Of course he also loves the lift-the-flap aspect of all the Spot books.  You can’t really go wrong with any of them!

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper – Do you remember this classic book?  I sure do.  When Cameron pulled it off the shelf (due to the train pictures, of course) I had my doubts that he would like it.  It has a lot more words than all the other books he likes, so I figured he would loose interest part way through.  This wasn’t the case – which taught me not to underestimate his attention span (especially when trains are involved!)  Sometimes the oldies are still goodies.

As we get more books out, I’ll keep posting.  A lot of local libraries have online catalogs so you can search for these books before you go if you are interested in them.  You can even place a hold on them so when they come back to the library they will keep them at the front desk for you!

The other day Cameron and I decided to give the Tenley Friendship Library another visit.  The first time we went the Library was really crowded and the layout of the Children’s section made it feel cramped and unwelcoming.  I know I wasn’t the only one who felt this way because there was a lot of talk on the local Yahoo groups about it!  Well, it seems like the Library listened to the criticism and changed the layout.  They’ve reoriented the book shelves and moved all the small tables into a cluster (see pictures – click the image to see a larger version).

The area feels more spacious now, so I think it’s an improvement.  A warning though – the chairs they have at the small tables, while really cool looking, tip over very easily.  I had to help Cameron in and out of them to prevent an accident.

So, if you were originally underwhelmed with the Children’s section at the Tenley Friendship Library, check it out again.  You might find it more welcoming this time.  We’ve been going in the evenings to wait for Cameron’s dad (he takes the metro home) and then we all go home together.  It’s not too crowded, and a good way to escape the cold in the afternoon/evening.  Plus Cameron is really getting into books lately!  This mom certainly loves that.

Tuesday Cameron and I went to the newly opened Tenley Friendship library.  I took lots of pictures, which you can see below.  We had hoped to get to story time which was advertised online at being at 10:30 – but when we got to the library we learned it is actually at 10:00 and 11:00.  Bummer!  Also… it was totally crowded.  I would say there were at least 30 kids + caretakers in the room.  So instead of fighting the mob scene we decided to take a little tour of the library, especially the kids section.  Cameron had other plans, and dropped a nice bomb in his diaper.  Off to the bathroom we went!

I had read that this library was built to be very child friendly, so I expected a changing table in the bathroom.  I didn’t find one.  There was a small area with a counter top away from the sinks that was about the right size, so I made use of that.  Perhaps that was supposed to be the changing area?  If not – oh well!  Works in a pinch.

All clean and fresh, we made our way to the children’s section which is located on the main level.  Along one wall there is a small space with some nice tables and chairs for the kids to sit and draw (they had crayons and paper out) or look at books.  Along the other wall that faces Wisconsin Ave there are some larger tables that groups can sit at. Other than that the space is entirely books and isles.  I felt like there were almost too many books and bookshelves which meant there was not a lot of room for the kids to play and hang out.  In the winter especially, half the point for us for going to the library is to spend some time out of the house, and out of the cold.  I think if there were a few kids there the space would be ok, but with the number of people there today, it felt very crowded and cramped.

As far as the media goes, a lot (all?) of the books seem new, or at least in very good condition, and there are so many great ones to choose from for all age groups.  In the board book section, Cameron found many about firetrucks, cars, and animals – his favorite subjects.  They seem very well organized – hopefully that will last!  There’s also lots of computer terminals throughout the first floor.  I didn’t let Cameron have at them, but I am guessing the two in the kid’s section have kid related programs on them.

As far as the story time program goes – we didn’t really participate.  There were so many kids and grownups in the room that Cameron and I were feeling a bit clostraphobic.  Cam did want to stick his head in every now and then to listen to the songs that were playing, but then he would run back out to the lobby area to climb the stairs or take the elevator.

Overall, Cam did seem to have fun, and he had a good nap after.  To me, that means we had a successful morning.  I hope that after the library has been around for a few months that it will be less crowded.  I think as Cameron gets older he will appreciate the amazing book collection more, and the lack of play space won’t be such an issue for us.  The space itself is beautiful – new, clean, and modern looking.  It’s certainly worth your time to check out!

The Tenley Friendship Library is located at  4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W. D.C.  You can email them at tenleylibrary@dc.gov check out the D.C Library website, or  call at 202-727-1488 to find out more about their programs and services.  For those not in the Tenleytown area, it’s really easy to get to – sitting directly above the Tenleytown metro stop on the Red line.

Washington, DC 20016

Most of you know that I moved from Brooklyn to Washington D.C. with my Husband and Cameron last fall.  Well, we finally were able to find a house to buy, and this past weekend we actually moved in.  It’s been pretty hectic, and Cameron seems to be having  a hard time adjusting when it comes to his sleep routine.  I think he thinks it’s just too exciting to nap!  So, I have to apologize for the lack of postings – things have been so busy lately.  I hope to get back on track soon.

But, while I am here…. a small bit of local news – The Tenley-Friendship Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W D.C.) just opened today after being under construction for what seemed like forever!  The first toddler story time is tomorrow, Tuesday January 25th at 10:30 am.  Cameron and I are going to check out the scene and I promise a write up with pictures. Check out this article on TBD.com for more stats about the library and some sneak peek pics.  See you there tomorrow?

Sunday morning my husband, Cameron, and I headed over to the National Zoo (part of the Smithsonian in Washington DC – and FREE) in search of something to do. Cameron and I go to the Zoo lots – and I knew there were indoor exhibits we could check out, and mostly avoid the freezing cold weather.

We parked in Parking Lot D (at the bottom of the hill,) and headed to check out Amazonia, which is about a 5 minute walk from the lot. The exhibit is made of two levels – the bottom level which you enter on has aquariums with HUGE (as big as me – no joke) fish and turtles, as well as sting rays. It’s really amazing to look at – Cameron was enthralled. By the way, at 11am they do the feedings, which are pretty fun to watch. Workers at the Zoo hang out by the aquariums to show and tell the kids examples of what the fish are eating and answer questions.

At the end of the hallway on the aquarium level is a set of stairs and elevator which take you up to the forest floor level. Here you see all the trees of the rain forest, and you can look down into the pools which make up the aquariums which you just saw below. None of the kids that were in the exhibit found this to be nearly as cool as the aquarium level, but it’s still neat to check out. Cameron loved the big trees, the flowers, and the birds that were there. You can also see monkeys if you look closely. Watch out, it occasionally rains a little!

As you exit the other side of the forest level you can take the elevator back down and there is a section that has some frogs and other creatures in aquariums. There is also a bathroom and water fountain. And then, you’ve made a loop and are back to the beginning.

Overall, it was an amazing exhibit for kids and adults alike, it kept Cameron perfectly occupied for nearly 2 hours, and it was nice and toasty warm. So, if you are looking for a FREE indoor winter activity in Washington DC, check out the Amazonia exhibit at the National Zoo!

By the way, if you live in Washington DC I highly recommend becoming a FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo) member.  Being a member has lots of benefits which you can read about on the Zoo website – but the one that was most important to me is that it allows you to park for free at the Zoo.  This means you can easily come and go and stay for as long as you want.  The FONZ membership pays for itself after just a few visits.

Christmas is over and it’s time to recycle that tree (and help your local park in the mean time)!  That’s right – it’s Mulchfest 2011!  Fort Greene and Clinton Hill residents can take their trees to Fort Greene Park (Washington Park and Willoughby Ave entrance) on January 8th and 9th from 10am – 2pm and drop off their tree for chipping.  You can even take a bag of mulch with you for your garden or tree pit if you like.

Recyle your tree and help out your local park!

There’s tons of other locations all across the city – check the NYC parks website for all the Mulchfest 2011 locations.

*Please remember to remove all lights and ornaments before bringing the tree to a MulchFest site* For more information on Mulchfest 2011, check out the New York City Parks Department website.

Whenever it snows I love to get Cameron out there to enjoy the best that winter has to offer… but sometimes I’m not always as prepared as I’d like to be. Here’s two solutions that might help you out if you happened to get buried in snow over the past day:

No sled?  No problem! One day last winter I was walking through Fort Greene Park and I came upon a mom using a laundry basket as a sled for her little one (quite successfully I might add!) The basket was gliding through the snow briskly, and she had a rope tied around her waist to move it along.  So, you might not have a sled yet for the winter, but I know you have a laundry basket!

So Smart!

And more inspiration from last winter’s snowy outings – I didn’t get Cam snow pants so I just wrapped him up in a garbage bag from the waist down.  Now the most fashionable solution – but hey – garbage bags make pretty good snow pants for a a baby!  Plus, it’s something you have on hand.

Also pictured, Cameron’s Stonz Mittz and the sled we got from Amazon.