Coffee, Tea, Baby?

Sometimes in order to get out of the house, I need to offer myself a reward.  A good cup of coffee will be enough.  So I loaded the baby into the stroller for yet another adventure downtown…this time to Steel City Coffeehouse.  I’ve always loved Steel City, but I think I love it more now under new management.  They threw a new coat of fun colored paints on the walls; rearranged the tables to add more (yet it still seems like there is more room than before); and finally cooked up a new menu that includes my favorite meal: dessert.  The coolest thing about the new menu is that they have Klondike bars now.  I want a photo of my daughter in her bear suit crawling toward the Klondike bar; it would be Facebook worthy.

I digress.  Steel City Coffeehouse also offers musical shows.  I have yet to take a baby to one of these....but I’m considering it (much to the chagrin of fellow concert goers).  If you have taken a baby to one of these shows, please let me know how it went.  I remember it getting pretty packed in there during concerts, I’d like to know if it would be a total disaster to bring my little one. 

Stroller Accessibility   4  There are no stairs to navigate getting into the café; and you can get the stroller up to the counter.  However, you won’t be able to get the stroller past the main aisle, so expect your seating to be more limited.

Dirty Diaper Changing  3 There is no diaper changing station, but you do have two private unisex bathrooms to choose from.  You can throw a changing pad on the floor and get the diaper changed in private.

Family Friendliness  3  There’s a kid’s menu with healthy options, but I haven’t seen a high chair around.  The place attracts a fair amount of teenagers, that could be both good and bad.

Nursing Possibilities  3  There are some comfy seats in the place, but they aren’t really in private places to nurse.  I think I would take a bottle instead. 

Overall, I think Steel City is baby friendly during the day when it’s incredibly mellow in there.  So enjoy your cup of java, my fellow mamas! 

Say Cheese!

For Valentine’s Day this year, we had a threesome…I mean we were no longer a just a couple, we had an extra wheel, i.e. our newborn daughter.  So we decided to include her in the day by getting a professional portrait done of her in some very cute Valentine’s day themed outfits.  Those of you who are considering the 3 month old photo shoot, pay close attention. 

I chose JC Penny Portrait Studio only because I had coupons for it.  Honestly, it never occurred to me to research other photographers, and I’m sure there are some good ones out there.  I wasn’t even aware that JC Penny had a portrait studio until I received coupons for it in every baby magazine and free sample that ended up in my mailbox.  I guess the coupon assault worked, because I found myself booked for a noon sitting appointment.

First, let me say the ease of scheduling an appointment was a snap.  You can easily book your appointment online.  The website gives you helpful advice for preparing for a photo shoot with your baby, mainly how to avoid fussiness of the baby by feeding her first, bringing an extra outfit in the case of spit up, and of course, starting with a fresh diaper.  We did all the above. 

We got there early because I wanted to make sure baby was ready to shine.  Our photographer helped us pick out backgrounds that worked with our outfits, scattered the floor with rose petals, and had multiple props for our baby to pose with.  She started with tummy time pictures, which I thought was going to be a disaster, but it actually was good.  I couldn’t believe it when our baby almost rolled for the first time….apparently that happens often at the studio. 

Despite the fact that we woke the baby from a deep car induced nap and she was pretty sleepy, the photographer was a real pro and got her to smile.  That photographer even coaxed the baby into giving her “little stinker” smile which I’ve only seen on rare occasions.  I was very impressed with how well the photographer worked with us quickly (before baby got cranky), yet I didn’t feel rushed.  The photographer was also very imaginative with poses and props.  She had Callie tackling teddy bears, holding roses, and sitting in a red throne. 

The only downside was you have to choose the photos you want at the end of the session. This part does feel rushed because by this time baby is cranky and you have to make big decisions that require money.  All of the pictures we had to choose from were fantastic.  I gave all my coupons to the photographer who helped us choose the best packages available for what we wanted. To be honest, I’m not sure if I did get the best deal.  I put our trust in the photographer to give us the best deal, but that might have been naïve. Somehow I ended up spending way more than I anticipated, even with 40% off and a free 8x10.  Unbeknownst to me I also got signed up for a JC Penny Portrait Membership for $20.  I don’t remember how that happened; it was a whirlwind, baby was fussy, and I was hungry too.  So, my suggestion is to know exactly what package you want PRIOR to getting there and not deviate from the path. 

Overall, the quality of the pictures was great and the photographer was a professional and good with babies.  The only downside was having to pick my pictures immediately (although the photographer was very willing to spend as much time as needed on this part, my rumbling tummy and fussy baby did not allow the same patience).  You do get online access to the photos to order more prints, but beware that a photo sheet is anywhere between $10- $15.  That can add up!  Also, when you go to pick up your photos, they will have printed several more sheets and offer them to you for an additional $20.  It’s soooo evil, because who is going to say no? 

Where Babies Go for Fixing Up the Nursery: IKEA

I’ve always loved IKEA at any stage of my life: single, married, and now as parent.  When I was single twenty-something, I could cheaply furnish my studio apartment at Target prices, but with a touch more class.  As a married 30-something, I could furnish my slightly bigger apartment on a budget since we spent our savings on the wedding.  Now as a parent, I see that IKEA has risen to an awesomeness I had never realized before: they really cater to mommas and babies!  Here’s what I noticed with the new eyes of a parent:

Parking: family spots in the parking lot that are BIGGER (for getting car seats/strollers out) and CLOSER to the store.

Baby Nursing Station: A lockable, private room devoted to nursing your child!  Complete with a comfy chair, a changing table, and extra diapers and wipes in case you forgot!!!!  (yes, that deserves four exclamation points)

Bathrooms with changing tables: also complete with diapers and wipes.  For the smaller kids there are child seats to strap the kids into while you pee.  Note: my husband said the men’s side was fresh out of diapers though. 

Smaland: “a FREE supervised play area to leave your potty trained children between 37” – 54” tall for 1½ hours while you shop.”  Awesome!!!

Children’s Section:  Cribs, changing tables, toys, rugs, curtains…you name it, they got it!

Video games in the Living Room area:  Keeps the kids/husbands entertained while you shop.

Stroller accessible: You aren’t stuck to the aisles either. 

Cafeteria: Kid’s Menu is only a $1; and they have high chairs, bibs, and a bottle warmer.  Not to mention a complete play area for older kids. 

Shopping carts:  You don’t need to bring the stroller, they have carts (although I’ve always found IKEA shopping carts to be a bit wiley).

So, are you seeing why IKEA is like the best thing since sliced bread?  The only bad part is getting there (Rt. 476 has always stuck fear into my heart).  I ended up with a couple of finger puppets, a cute lamp for the daughter’s nursery, and a smile on my face for one of the better shopping experiences with child I’ve ever had!  

Parenting: The Musical

In the days of Glee, it doesn't surprise me that Parenting: The Musical would catch my eye.  Sure it's not exactly kid-friendly in that you can bring a child, but I get the feeling this play might provide the belly laughs a parent so rightfully deserves. For you parents who actually got a "couple's night" for Valentine's Day, you might have found that all you did was talk about the baby anyway!  My husband and I made a rule NOT to talk about the baby on our "wild" night (more like 2 hours) on the town.  Of course, we broke that rule several times.  So the next time you get a date night (hopefully this month), why not just accept the fact that you will never stop talking about the kids and go see a musical that embraces the idea?

Parenting: The Musical is playing at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia through March 6.  If you go (and I don't), please leave a comment and let me know how it was!

Restaurant Review: The Starr Diner (Formerly the Phoenix Diner)

During my pregnancy I craved a lot of things; one of those was a hamburger.  Not just any burger, but a diner burger.  There are some of you who can appreciate the subtle difference between an authentic diner burger and some fast food patty, or even how a diner burger can be way better than the gourmet flame-kissed burger with all the fixings. Yes, for a girl who grew up on diner food, it’s the only food that would satisfy me during the final trimester.

I would waddle my nine month pregnant butt up to the Starr Diner on Starr St. and feed my cravings on a regular basis.  I ate there right up to the day before my daughter was born. I swear the wait staff expected me to deliver right there in the booth with one hand dipping French fries in ketchup and the other holding my delicious burger! 

I guess you start to develop a bond with the people who saw you at your fattest, so I have continued the tradition of taking my daughter to the diner post-utero.  She’s always a big hit there with other patrons and the staff.  I can’t say enough good things about the place….wait yes I can:

Stroller accessibility: 5   Since we live close enough, we often walk to the Starr Diner (a good way to burn off this baby weight); hence we have a stroller there frequently.  Unlike other restaurants that take the stroller away, we were able to keep it with us at the table. 

Dirty Diaper Changing: 4   I was super pleased to find a nice soft padded diaper changing station in the women’s restroom.  There was not one in the men’s room, however.  But if a guy was brave enough he could easily use the women’s restroom (it’s a one toilet room, easily unisex in a pinch) to change the baby.

Family Friendliness: 5   As I said before I always feel quite welcome there.  They do have a kid’s menu and high chairs.  In fact it was a waitress here who taught us that by putting a wooden high chair upside down, we could fit the car seat carrier on top!

Nursing Possibilities:  3   I’ve never been brave enough to whip out my boob in public yet, and I may never.  There are two strategically placed booths out of public eye where I could see you getting away with it discreetly. 

Hope to see you there!

PS. Since I know at least one of my readers is pregnant, you can make your trip to the diner extra nice by treating yourself to a pedicure at Ethan’s Nails a few doors down afterwards!

The Year of the Rabbit: Come Celebrate Chinese New Year's @ the Penn Museum

What you might not know about me is that I participate in a little experiment called "Fearless Fridays," where I attempt to shed my rookie mom fears and do something bold.  This week, I'm moving "Fearless Friday" to "Scared No More Saturday" to participate in the Penn Museum's Chinese New Year's Celebration.  In order to do this I must brave Rt. 76 with baby on board.  Normally, this highway scares the crap out of me without my progeny in the backseat; so this will be quite the challenge. 

However, the events, while not necessarily infant friendly, are very kid friendly.  There will be music, dancing, calligraphy demonstrations for children, kung fu, tai chi, and even a parade!  It sounds absolutely wonderful, so I hope you might join us out there as well. Activities run from 11am-4pm.

New Event Alert!

From The Phoenix "Neighbors" section: 

Chester County Mothers of Multiples Club will be holding their bi annual outgrown children's sale on Saturday, March 19th from 9am-12pm. This event will be held at the Church Farm School at 1001 East Lincoln Highway, Exton, PA. We will be selling gently used items including children's clothing, shoes, and toys, baby accessories such as swings, highchairs and strollers as well as anything else a mother or child may need. This has become one of the largest outgrown sales in the area and our customer numbers have been rapidly growing due to the economy. We now have over 500 shoppers. For pictures and more information on this event, please go to http://ccmomc.org/public/clothing_sale.htm. For other questions, please contact Danielle Markert at themarkerts@gmail.com. The Chester County Mothers of Multiples Club (CCMOMC) is a 501(c)3 non profit and community service organization that provides support for its members in a variety of ways. We are dedicated to supporting mothers of multiples and assisting them in adjusting to their new role. Membership is available to all mothers and expectant mothers of multiples.

I will be there; will you?