SF Parks and Recreation

Living in a world class City I sometimes forget about the small wonderful things at my disposal.  I'm great at taking the little guy for walks in the City, outings at the Cal Academy and De Young, lunches and even shopping downtown. Then there's the social stuff, mommy and me classes at Day One and play dates.  But recently walking by Moscone Park I saw a flyer for free play. After looking into it I realized that our SF Parks and Recreation department offers a wide variety of classes from pottery to kayaking for all ages; tots to seniors.  After checking out the 2011 fall activity guide , I'm impressed. Class prices range across the board and all very affordable. They even offer scholarships, how fabulous is that!

Edward enjoying his first swing.

Then I read SPUR's September issue that addresses the dramatic financial challenges our parks are facing and I quickly got depressed. The possibility of all these great programs, playgrounds and parks being neglected and even closed is so sad. The timing for me couldn't be any worse. It's so cliche but you don't miss it until it's gone and although no park is closing its doors tomorrow SPUR's report is gloomy. Even before entering mommyhood the sounds of children's laughter walking past a park is priceless. Experiencing my own moment of when Edward went on a swing the first time was exciting. I want him and all other kids to enjoy that feeling forever. I don't have a plan to save the parks but I did want to share with you SPUR's findings so that we all can appreciate what we have while it's still at our disposal. So sign up for a class or two. I think that's the best way we can all support the parks.

Love Lots,
Mommy SF

Birth and Baby Fair Roundup

I was hoping to blog live from the San Francisco Birth and Baby Fair but there were to many technical difficulties. I was however able to update via twitter.

But in case you weren't able to make it and are interested here's my brief roundup:

My first time to the fair was last year while we were expecting. I was overwhelmed by the "pop-up" type vendors who were of course friendly but trying to lear me to their booth. Of course that's the purpose of the fair, to sell you goods.  But I tend to get turned-off by that approach and usually go to booths where I'm greeted by a friendly face allowed to peer around and then the inquiring begins.

This year I didn't feel as taunted, maybe since there was no belly? Although the usuals were there; blood cord donation, life insurance and some of the local staples Giggle, Day One, there were several notables worth mentioning:

Pee Wee Patch Kids - This neat mom has 3 kids under the age of 4 and is running this successful business. The clothes are adorable and functional.  Patches are added to the knees of the pants to cushion while your little one explores.  
Senn & Sons - Looking to decorate your little one's room? Look no more, really. Kimberly has such creative pieces of art work that will grow with your child.
Eazz Baby Wraps - Finding affordable, decorative organic patterns was a challenge for me 7 months ago. And now thanks to this cute couple, you mamas don't have to do much searching. Just pick what you like.
Story Teller - The first year is tough. Finding time to put together an album isn't a top priority, so leaving it up to these folks is great. Makes life simpler.
Kerrie LaRosa - Kerrie's really friendly and knows what she's talking about. It was good chatting with her about my guy. She's a parent coach, we all need one.
Animal Instincts Apparel - It's not only for babies but us too! Jamal has these ultra hip urban SF wear that should be a must in your wardrobe!
Citrus Lane - These ladies came up with a cool idea, a gift box for every month of your child's life. They choose the goodies, which are age appropriate and you get to use them, takes the research out of the complicated world of to many options.
Onya Baby - It's another carrier with a cool twist.
SF Yoga - Mama's pre and postnatal classes in SF almost all the time.

Love Lots,
Mommy SF

Getting Away for a Few Days

When some friends suggested we tag along for a weekend in Calistoga, we no doubtingly answered "of course." We'd been several times and staying at the Indian Springs Resort is well um, nothing less than the best local vacation we've ever taken.

If you haven't been to Indian Springs let me set the tone for you, a gem hidden among the wineries of Napa. Tucked away in Calistoga, it's an updated but kitsch homage to Dirty Dancing. Think cabanas and hammocks, massages and beach cruisers, lounges and hot spring pool. The place caters to all.

Daddy and Edward in the pool.

It has always been our go to place for some r&r. Although Edward was wonderful, mommy and daddy were on duty. What we didn't realize when traveling with our guy is that nothing changes except the scenery. Eating, dirty diapers, eating, nap time, eating, bedtime, is all part of the protocol. So there wasn't much r&r but we did enjoy quality time together. Lots of laughs, pool time and lasting memories. It was perfect.

How is it travelling with your kids? Do you have any great local spots to share?

Love Lots,
Mommy SF

Sidewalk Etiquette

Walking is a great way for me to release some stress without breaking a sweat. I love walking in San Francisco and seeing something new, there's always an alley, street or even a building that I may have walked past 100 times and not noticed. I'll fess it up to the fact that I am a fast walker.  I enjoy weaving past folks in my way or trotting along getting to where I have to go; maybe it's the east coaster in me.  Nonetheless, as I progressed in my pregnancy I became a cautious walker, so as not to trip or fall, but still agressive up until my delivery day.

Now as a newbie mom, walking is more than a tension reliever, it's a change in scenery. I get to see other adults, albeit strangers, get in some good retail therapy and enjoy a San Francisco day with my little guy. But walking with Edward has turned me into a stroller, walking has turned a leaf- and it's not for the better. Things are slowing down and so is the scenery. Now more than ever I am convinced that people do not know how to walk or do they understand the rules for sharing a sidewalk.

I've always navigated the sidewalk as if driving a car- always stay to the right, particularly the slower folks. But I guess those rules just like driving, don't always apply, especially in a City full of tourists. In fact just today I was doing the dance with several strangers - you go first, no you go, no really please you must, it's comical! Do you know what I'm talking about? Has this ever happened to you and are you noticing it more now with baby? Don't get me wrong, if I wanted to weave, I can. Lots of moms do it while jogging along the Marina Green or Chrissy Field, but I don't wanna have to jog to get people out of my way, ya know what I mean? Well let me leave you with my list of Sidewalk Etiquette, would love to hear yours.

Sidewalk Etiquette: (in no particular order)

*Always stay to the right
*Never abruptly stop, I despise people that do this
*Be courteous, yield to elders and those w disabilities
*Beware of your voice level while on your cell phone
*Enjoy



Love Lots,
Mommy SF

"SHHHHH"

Picture this: A teacher standing in front of her noisy second grade class and as she raises her index finger to her mouth, she takes a deep breath and releases a loud "SHHHHHH" and suddenly the students slowly listen and quiet down. What a tool, huh? All teachers love "shh" I remember it being used through grammar school, high school, and in college while professors would shout "excuse me", fellow students would begin to "shh" everyone into silence. Think about all the times you've used it or heard some else use it to calm a crowd, almost instinctively to!

I've always thought of "shh" as a polite way of saying "be quiet", "stop talking" or "shut up", that is until I had my son. Seven months ago "shh' became a way of life for us. After reading and practicing Happiest Baby on the Block we understood that the "shh-ing" noise is mimicking the sounds while in utero, which is why the baby calms down. It's a miracle, that saved us from pulling out our hair.

The irony is that although it is used to quiet us the fact is it is mimicking the loud sounds of the womb. It doesn't really make sense to me how it works (I can go on but for times sake I'll save it for another day). But I have a new fond admiration for "shh".  I no longer think of it as a simple way of silencing but rather a method of connecting back to the utero days. What particularly fascinates me is that it still has the same effect on us young and old as it does on a newborn.  It makes me wonder what other sounds we associate with while in utero after we are born.

Love Lots,
Mommy SF

Get your tickets today! Birth and Baby Fair, October 2

OCT02

San Francisco Birth & Baby Fair Fall 2011 Sun, Oct 2 2011, 10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, San Francisco, CA, United States BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

Getting Around Town

Mass transportation has always peeked my interest.  I love everything about it; planning, building, policy and of course using it. So when we moved to SF, divorcing our car was an unspoken rule, or at least it was for me.  We've kept a car for the years we've lived here and is mainly used for my husband's job.

Up until my ninth month I was BMW-ing (BART, MUNI, walking) to get around town. I really learned to appreciate being driven around town for only $2, who wouldn't? Of course there are times when mass transit runs late and it's annoying but I've dealt with it.

Before giving birth, I was sure that I wouldn't change much about commuting, I would obviously give myself more time and be more patient. And then Edward was born. I mean of course you can bring a newborn aboard a bus or train, but the fear of tripping or falling ran through my mind, so I nixed that idea. So can you imagine how relieved I was we had a car.  Well I got very comfortable driving around town and enjoyed giving my little boy his personal tour of the City. But realizing the car was not my best friend we planned our first MUNI ride together when Edward was about 4 months.  We were heading to a play date in the Upper Haight, I was nervous for many reasons; would he start a crying-fit, would I get paranoid and want off?  Mommy and baby did great it. It was nice to slide back into a seat and gaze out the big windows at my beautiful City and stare in amazement as Edward took in his surroundings.

Edward and I are on the bus at least 2x/week. I think he likes it a lot, I know the older women love him! Now that he's getting heavier, a baby carrier isn't always the most comfortable way to travel. One afternoon, I decided to go downtown and bring along the bugaboo. Well I learned the hard way it is not, I repeat not bus-friendly (I won't get into it, but if you really want a good laugh let me know and I'll share). So I stuck to the carrier for awhile until I just caved and invested in a Maclaren Quest. It's lightweight and super easy to fold up, has a great strap to throw over one side as you maneuver your tot on your other side. It is a bit pricey and the cost of those 2 strollers makes my eyes roll. But you do what you must for comfort.  Hopefully, they'll last us through the next tot.

Both MUNI and BART have great trip planners. I use Next MUNI, which also finds your location and tells you what bus is near and time of its arrival. Have you ventured on MUNI or BART with your tot(s)? Would love to hear about your experiences.

Love Lots,
Mommy SF