Savvy Toddler Mom

CanyonFool’s custody hearing is today… eeek.  Everyone keep your fingers crossed for my adorable brother and his wife.

It seems like things are going their way so far… CanyonFool BARELY caught a flight out of Vermont last night to come home.  In fact, the plane was already 20 minutes late leaving and the pilot actually put the walkway back so that CanyonFool could get on (his connecting flight was late).  I didn’t realize that they did that anymore.  Bless his heart!  I wish I could give that pilot a big hug.

Talk about a random act of kindness!

Speaking of acts of kindness, I want to send a public thank you to my friend Dave.  Dave is in the UC Berkeley MBA program and recently asked me to complete a survey regarding his leadership strengths and abilities.  I was very happy to help him out — hardly anything, really — but was delighted when he sent me an iTunes gift certificate in return.  Not only does that put him in the super-thoughtful/great leader realm, I have had a happy work week listening to the new music I downloaded.  Thanks again, Dave!

Parting shot: Do something nice for someone today.  We have no idea what a difference it could make.

Find out Saturday, October 13th from 9:30am-5:00pm.

The Museum has thousands of artifacts housed in its special storage in the basement. Once per year, the Museum hauls out hundreds of its rarest and hardly seen artifacts for the public to view.  They are calling it “What’s in the Basement?”

Each fall, the Museum offers a chance for the public to go behind the scenes of the Museum. Over 100 curators, researchers, education specialists and volunteers are on-hand to show the collections, give the background stories and the science that is at work.

Regular Museum admission applies.

Click here for more info.

STM Reader Sunny, thanks for sending this over!

I have a list of “to dos” for this blog.  The list is actually pretty long.  Things I want to talk about, programmatical things I want to fix (like getting rid of those bullets on the right sidebar - grrrr…), and reference materials to incorporate to help you, the reader, navigate the antics of my wandering brain and typing fingers.

So, it is with great happiness in crossing a thing off my list, that I announce the Toddler Trip Index.  Found in the previously mentioned pesky right sidebar under “Pages,” you will find a list of Toddler Trips — things to do and see along the Wasatch Front.  It’s definitely a work in progress and will hopefully grow to the point where I will need to actually have categories.

Each is linked to its appropriate web site with additional info, as well as my review (if I’ve been diligent enough to have written one already).

Suggestions and comments are welcome!  Thanks for reading.

I am SO out of it today, having started out the day with an unhealthy dose of narcotics for a fiendish migraine I woke up with (ugh).  I shouldn’t be operating heavy machinery (does a computer count?), much less be responsible for a mischievious toddler.  I’m still trying to decide if an SOS call to Grandma is in order.

In the meantime — while Little Einsteins is still on and I am “safe” for a bit — I wanted to share my very first “favorite thing” I discovered as a new parent.  The Soothie Pacifier.  Recommended by my sister-in-law nurse, my son’s pediatrician, and the hospital where I delivered (Salt Lake Regional, for you locals), the Soothie pacifier was a fixture in our family’s life while my son was a baby.

As I understand it, it is great for breastfeeding babies because it causes little nipple confusion.  Not being able to speak to that point (TMI: my breastmilk never came in… isn’t that weird?), I can only vouch that these pacifiers are very similar to Avent bottle nipples and was the ONLY binki my son would take.

We had two to start: one I had purchased and one from the hospital.  Then we had three, since we lost one, purchased another in desperation, then immediately found the other one (sigh).  When we upgraded from the newborn size to the “older” size, we started out with three.

I am laughing right now remembering how crazy I was about not losing them.  Can’t leave the house without a binki!  I usually kept a back-up in a ziploc in my purse.  You never knew when one could get lost or dirty RIGHT when you needed it the most.

Don’t get me wrong… I’m not one of those moms that gives their child a binki just because it’s there.  It was a need-only item.  Naptime, bedtime, and meltdown time.

I know they are available now in more stores than ever, but back when the toot was an infant, I was only able to find them at The Lactation Station on Highland Drive and 3200 South.  The Lactation Station is also my best recommendation for nursing bras and fitting help.

Alright, so this post is a bit late… it’s been a busy week!

The Utah State Fair didn’t disappoint this year–and SavvyDad got a third place ribbon!  Yay!

The toot had a great time… he saw/petted all the animals (sheep, cows, horses, pigs, chickens, rabbits, etc.), rode a pony ($3.50), went through the “Little Hands on the Farm” interactive exhibit, and shared a funnel cake with mom and dad (yum, but $5.50).

“Little Hands on the Farm” was really quite clever.  It takes your little farmhand through the farming process and bringing grocery items to market.  When we were there, it was pretty crowded and getting dark, so I didn’t get many good pics. 

To give you an idea, though, the kids start out with putting on an apron and picking up a basket.  They move through several stations where they perform different activities: picking an apple from a tree, getting an egg from a chicken, planting a seed and harvesting a crop, feeding corn to a cow, milking the cow, etc., etc.  There are quite a few! (All fake, of course.)

The little farmers then take their basket of goods to the market, sell their wares, and get money!  They can then use their money to buy a treat at the general store.

It is all very, very cute and the toot (at almost 3-years-old) was able to perform most of the tasks on his own.  Although he did need a little reigning-in after he got his hands on the trowel!  I think kids get a kick out of the “process” and most of the children around us were having a great time and following the program.

There was a considerable back-up where they were supposed to put a mini bale of hay on a tricycle and ride it around in a circle… we skipped that part entirely.  I think that was the hardest part and the toot (and certainly younger children) hasn’t quite mastered pedaling a bike yet.

Hats off to the fair for having a fun, interactive activity for children that is FREE, educational and doesn’t involve going round-and-round, up-and-down.  If you get a chance, take your little farmhand!  The fair runs through September 16th.  You can get $6 fair tickets (regular adult price is $8) at Smith’s.  Children 5 and under are free.

Hats off also to Questar… they subsidized the opening day entrance fee down to $2, BUT as we approached the ticket booth, Therm, the Energy Wise Guy was there to hand us some free tickets!!!  Thanks, Therm!  As a marketer, I got a real kick out of their web site and marketing campaign… www.thermwise.com.  By the way, he’s a lot taller than we thought he was.

And a final hats off to SavvyDad for another awesome year in the photo contest.  Way to go, hon!  I’m so proud of you.

Believe it or not, I am so excited to go to the Utah State Fair today.

Not only does SavvyDad have some entries in the photography contest and I can’t wait to see if he ribboned (my fingers are crossed!), but they also have a exhibit called “Little Hands on the Farm” that I want to take the toot to.  Apparently, it is an interactive experience to help kids gain a better understanding of the farm and grocery store process.  I’ll review it tomorrow.

Since today is opening day, admission to the fair is $2 for those 6 and up; 5 and under are free.

I’m also looking forward to getting my hands on a funnel cake.

Utah Woman Blogger Extraordinaire Janet Meiners, aka NewspaperGirl, asks what other Utah woman bloggers are there?

NewspaperGirl, I am one!

Due to the nature of my blog and the privacy I am trying to maintain for my family (and especially my son), I decided not to reveal my identity here.  However, I am a Utah woman blogger and proud of it.

Janet, I don’t think I can match your climb to #1 for Utah Woman Blogger in Google in an hour.  In fact, I’m sure of it.  But I’m going to try anyway.

For great online marketing info - specifically blogging and affiliate marketing - I recommend www.newspapergirl.com.  And if you are in the market for web hosting, be sure to click on her ads and send a little commission her way.  She deserves it.