Mommy FTW

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

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.

I went out for a walk this morning through Fort Greene Park and saw everyone enjoying the snow – building snowmen, playing on the playground, and of course, sledding.  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.  I am always impressed by mom genius!  So, you might not have a sled, but I know for sure you have a laundry basket!  Get out there and enjoy it!

So Smart!

Never to snowy to play!

Yesterday the family hit the slopes in Fort Greene Park for a little sledding.  Lucky for us there was an abandoned baby sled in the basement of our building!  Cameron totally loved it.  I got asked by a lot of parents where I got the sled, so I did a little research on Amazon to find a baby sled that looked similar:

Cameron's sled

Found on Amazon....

Click here to check it out so next time you’ll be ready! I think since we already have access to the baby sled, I will get these sleds so that the whole family can sled together on the next snow storm.