Mommies Groups

Today's post is about Mommies' Groups. I am personally a member of three different ones. The first one is a local group for Mommies of Little Ones. The second is a local baby wearing group. The third is a group of women from all over the world who were due in the same month as me, and we have stayed in contact. I wanted to talk a little about the different types of groups out there and how to find them.

The Age-Based Local Mommies' Group:

I love my local mommies' group and I think they are a great idea for new mommies as well as mommies with many kids. Local groups let you meet other moms in the area while getting out of the house and socializing both yourself and your kids. What I like about this group in particular is that we are moms with various backgrounds and interests, both working and stay at home, who are bound together through having kids. It gives you lots of various opinions and insights into different parenting styles and personalities. It's also a great way to find other kids around the same age as your children before they are in school. We do playdates, potlucks, moms nights out and other various activities together.  I found a few local mommies groups by using Meetup. After attending a meetup (an event held by the group), I decided which one was the best fit for me and my family. You can do a local search for yourself using yahoo meetup or even facebook. You can check out my mommies group at http://www.meetup.com/Mommies-of-Infants-Toddlers/ or https://www.facebook.com/groups/louisvillemommies/ They are closed groups so you won't see that much info unless you join, but you can at least see what I am talking about.

The Parenting Theory-Based Mommies Group:

The second group is a local baby-wearing group. This group is not really so much about playdates and other get-togethers, but more based on the interest of baby-wearing. This group hosts monthly meetings to talk about the different ways you can "wear" or carry your baby (or toddler). Most people have heard of the Moby Wrap or the Ergo Baby as popular baby carriers but there are other options out there too. Mommies or daddies interested in baby-wearing use a carrier of some form to wear their baby more often than not. It is a way to bond with your child. I found this local group by various means. the first was through another mommy's reference. She told me about the group and I checked it out. I also heard about this group through one of the local natural parenting stores, Mama's Hip. Last, I made contact with them through the facebook page they have. So if you are looking for a group of mommies that share a particular parenting philosophy or theme I suggest using your local resources like the local baby boutiques or other local mommies first. Second, do a Facebook or Meetup search and see what you find. Here is the link to the group. It is also closed so you would have to join to see more info. https://www.facebook.com/groups/KBWers/ You can also go here to see the local store I was talking about http://mamas-hip.com/

The Pregnancy Due Date Mommies' Group:

While I was pregnant with my second, I found Mothering.com. It is a website for parents who tend to lean towards natural parenting. I joined a due date club based on my due date month and talked to women around the world who were as pregnant as I was. We shared our grumpiness and happiness, our fears and hopes, our aches and pains, and our beautiful babies as they were born. Now that the babies are here, some have left the group, but quite a few of us remain in touch. We come from all over so there are many different cultures and beliefs but we remain connected through our babies. It's a great way to talk to other moms about any issues you are having from diapering to feeding to sleeping. It's also a great group to talk about what your little one has achieved so far and see cute baby photos! I found this group by searching for natural parenting sites because that was what was important to me. However, you can find a due date group on most pregnancy and baby sites like thebump.com or babycenter.com.


No matter what type of mommies' group you are looking for, you can probably find one that suits your needs and lifestyle. The best way is to do a search on networking sites like www.facebook.com or www.meetup.com However, don't underestimate the recommendations of local business owners and other mommies in the area!     

Day ?

So it's been a few days since I posted. Long story short, the kids haven't been sleeping so I haven't been sleeping. This means we haven't really been able to do much during the day with 2 cranky kids and one sleep deprived mama. I do have some new things to share though!

1. Cayleigh has her 2 bottom teeth in and is loving Baby Led Weaning lately! (I will share more on Baby Led Weaning in a bit once we have a bit more experience with it)
2. Connor knows most of his letters! (He shouts them out or points to the letter while watching Super Why)
3. I turned 28 on Friday! (After all the events that happened this past year there were moments that it was questionable if I would make it to another birthday)

And for a new experience: We played out in the yard today since it was so nice out. It's Cayleigh's first fall and Connor doesn't remember last year's so it was a new experience for them. They loved playing with the leaves (Cayleigh tried to eat a couple) and we had fun raking them up while they played. Go out and enjoy the fall before it disappears! It's the best time of year, well at least until snow comes along. 

Day 37 - Kidfest Louisville

This past weekend we attended a local event called Kidfest Louisville. It was the first time it was held and, all in all, it was a pretty good time.

What it was:

Kidfest Louisville was an event organized by local businesses and hosted Lil Cheezers and The Mommy's Nest for families and children. There was food, music and booths with a range of family friendly things. It was a nonprofit event, so any money they got after expenses were paid went to The Mommy's Nest. For those of you who don't know, The Mommy's Nest is a local nonprofit that helps mommies in the community.

What we thought:

We went to this not expecting too much since it was the first time Kidfest Louisville was held. It was set up a bit awkwardly but other than that it was a nice turn out. Unfortunately, it was really geared for kids ages 4 to 10. My toddler had a blast at the booth for Heartland Music Together but everything else was not really age appropriate for him. They had 4 bouncy houses that were a hit with the kids and there was also face painting and live kids music. The best thing about the event though was the food. This was the first time I had heard of Lil Cheezers and Grind Gourmet Burgers but they did not disappoint. Everyone ate the food and loved it. I can't wait to try Lil Cheezers' other grilled cheese sandwiches.

I know there are a lot of little festivals and family events in our area, especially in the fall. They are a great way to get out of the house and have some fun family time. It's also a great way to support your community and learn about local businesses.    

Day 28 - Trick or Treating at the Zoo

As Connor and Cayleigh are still too little to actually go trick or treating, we decided to take them to the zoo instead. Our local zoo hosts "The World's Largest Halloween Party" every weekend in October and today we finally got the chance to go.

What it is:

"The World's Largest Halloween Party" is a partial walk through the zoo with various themes throughout. Their slogan is "be seen, not scared," so it is especially great for the littles in your family. Some of the themes include Disney characters, dinosaurs, video games, animals, etc. For each theme, there's also a booth or two giving out treats which can include candy, activity sheets, and little trinkets. It is very well attended and a local favorite for many families during the Halloween season.

What we thought:

Last year, we got the chance to take Connor, but he was still too young to really care what was going on. In fact, he fell asleep halfway through. This year, not only did he stay awake, he managed to walk more than half of it. Cayleigh was awake the whole time too, but was not in the mood to participate. (I think it had something to do with Geof stuffing her in her costume.) Overall, it was a fun family activity that is quickly becoming a family tradition. With more and more places limiting or frowning upon trick or treating and the safety aspect involved, it's nice to have somewhere safe and fun to take the kids.

Day 27 - Family Photographs

Today we had our first ever family photographs taken. Thanks to Randi, of Randi Underwood Photography, I would call the day a success!

What we did:
I decided to go with purple, green and grey colors for us to wear. I think it is a very flattering combo and I love bold colors. Randi came up with the location, Papa John's Business Park. She had taken photos there before and thought the location would be perfect with the colors I chose. Having never been there, I was unsure what to expect but it was perfect. There was water, trees and lots of different spots to take great pictures. We did family pictures and some of just the kids. Even with two young kids in tow, pictures took only 40 minutes.

What I thought:
Randi did an amazing job working with us and with the kids in particular. She never lost patience, even when we were almost 15 minutes late. Of course, Connor chose this day to be a handful and not smile for most of the pictures. If you know Connor than you would know that he loves pictures and acts like a ham to have his picture taken. I was amazed at his behavior. Randi, however, was very skilled at telling us what to do to get him to smile and make great pictures when he wasn't. I would have been completely lost and would have given up 10 minutes in if not for her. So, thanks to Randi of Randi Underwood Photography we will have amazing family pictures! I can't wait to see all of them!

Randi photographing Connor

If you are interested in having Randi take photos for you, here are her websites: http://www.underwoodphotostudio.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RandiUnderwoodPhotography 

Day 25 - Story Time

Today I took the kids to story time at the local library. I used to love taking Connor to story time when he was a baby but haven't been able to take Cayleigh until today. I also got to take Connor to the toddler story time for the first time today too. I've really been missing out!

What it is:

Our local public library system has story times at least once a week for various age groups. The one closest to us, St. Matthews, does baby and toddler story time on Thursdays at 10:15 and 11:15 respectively. Baby story time is for ages 0 to 2 and mainly consists of songs. We sing songs like Twinkle, Twinkle and Row, Row, Row Your Boat and The Itsy, Bitsy Spider and do actions along with them to engage the little ones. After about 20 minutes of songs we get to play time. Today, we did bubbles. The reading lady blew bubbles for all the babies and the mommies got a chance to talk some. The toddler story time is a bit more structured. It is for ages 2 to 4 mainly so the kids can pay attention longer. We open with a couple songs and then we read a book. After a couple more songs, we read another book and then closed with a song. After all that, there was a craft to do. Today, we colored an activity page.

Why I like it:

I love that it gets us out of the house and doing something different. I also really like the socialization aspect of it. My kids got to see, talk and play with other littles and I got to talk to other mommies. The songs are usually ones everyone knows so it is easy to join in. If it is a new song or one that is not so popular the reading lady teaches it first and all songs are sung twice. The books are age appropriate and the songs and rhymes go along with the book theme.

What I dislike:

I, like a lot of other mommies out there, had to take my kids to both story times. The mixing of the older and younger kids leads to some general confusion but it is not a deal breaker since everyone still has fun. The other thing I dislike is that some of the moms talk through story time. It makes everything louder and more confusing.


All in all, story time is a must have in your weekly schedule. So, look up your local library and see what they have. I know that Pottery Barn Kids also does a weekly story time if you have one of them near you.      

Day 20 - Pumpkin Patch Visit

Today we did something old and new. We visited a local pumpkin patch and got our pumpkins for Halloween. It's something we have done in the past true, but we went to a new place this time.

What it is:

On Saturday, we went to Sunny Acres Farm for their Pumpkin Festival. It is a little farm on the outskirts of the city that we had never heard of before. For the festival, they had a petting zoo, some bouncy castles, food and hayrides. They also had their corn maze and pumpkins in the pumpkin patch or at their store. For the older kids there was face painting and a scavenger hunt too.

What we did:

We went around the barn area and saw all the animals. It wasn't really a petting zoo since most of the animals were in cages but they did have a pony, a horse, a rabbit and a little pig you could get close to. After our toddler got bored looking at the animals (it took awhile), we went and played in the bouncy castles for a bit and then had a hayride. Connor had tons of fun doing both of these things and it was great to see him so happy and experiencing new things. After that, we went up to the store area and took some pictures of Connor in the pumpkin area and on the little toy tracker they had. It was super cute! We wrapped up the visit by picking out our pumpkins.

What we thought:

We had a great time but it was small and not set up great. It would have been nice if the petting zoo was more localized and more of a petting zoo than farm animals in cages. Altogether it was a fun day but we will probably go some place else next year.     

Day 15 - Fun at the Science Museum

So, I know I promised more details on the ABC Kids Expo going on right now but I caught a cold and am not up for long posts today. Therefore, I am having my first guest poster so that you all can have something to read and try out for yourselves.

To introduce this person, I've decided to keep it short and simple. The guest poster is my wonderful husband, Geof, and he is going to tell you about his big day out with Connor at the Louisville Science Center.

Connor & The Louisville Science Center, or how to make a toddler miss naptime

While Bela & Cayleigh were busy at the ABC Kids Expo, I finally managed to take Connor to see his Uncle Jared at the science center downtown. I had tried to visit him before (without Connor), but it just didn't work out. Anyway, they have an exhibit of science-teaching activities going on in the main gallery. It is designed for ages 3-7, but as it turns out, a precocious 2 year old does just dandy.

What they had:

A magnetic board that let you put various metallic objects up to it and watch them stick. This was Connor's least favorite thing, partly because it was a little tall for him. His verdict: I will stick this metallic potato masher in my mouth and try to run instead. Luckily, this exhibit has specially marked slobber buckets for easy clean up.

A build-your-own ball roller coaster. You drop balls down guided ramps, where you can put loop-the-loops, curves, hills, and a launch at the end, and see what happens. Connor loved this, and got to the point where he was climbing up the little step to drop balls from the top of the top ramp (around four or five feet!). However, we were both disappointed to learn that dropping a ball from the top ramp didn't have enough velocity to get around five loop-the-loops. His verdict: Apply WD-40 and let me play with it more.

Two block tables. Blocks of different shapes and sizes and colors, all wooden. He quite enjoyed separating them out by color and shape. In fact, he got very irate when there was a whole bunch of green triangles, a whole bunch of blue squares, and one solitary green square. He kept moving it from pile to pile and yelling at it. Jared was there to witness. His verdict: Please paint the green square blue or better yet, cut in half for two green triangles.

A pile of *giant* blue building blocks, of various shapes and sizes. These were much too large for Connor. His verdict: why did Daddy build the monolith scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey with them?

A series of tubes that shot compressed air through it, with diverters and guides. This was super fun. You put a scarf in the opening (or a fuzzy koosh thing), and watched it shoot through the tubes, and out one of the exits. By adjusting the diverters, you could change which hole it shot from. By the time Connor got to this display, he was no longer the only tiny one running around the exhibit, and a couple of the slightly older kids weren't letting him play. He waited his turn very patiently until they ran off, and their dad gave them a little lecture about sharing with little kids. His verdict: I wish I were taller so Daddy didn't have to help me put the scarf in.

The part you've all been waiting for: The Second Part!

That was about an hour and a half of what we did there, but there was a second section of this area that Jared took him to while I ran and got my wallet from the car.

In here, there were tons, and tons, and tons of shapes. There were cubes, squares, eggs, butterflies, flowers, almost anything you could think of. Connor also got a topography lesson when I explained that all shapes in the world are deformations of either a sphere (no hole) or a torus (like a donut). He spent a good forty five minutes pulling shapes from different bins and putting them back into bins. The staff there chatted with Connor a bit. I think everyone but Jared who works there is a 20 year old girl. Anyway, Connor started to throw the ball pit style balls (but only the dark green ones), so I took him to the KidZone, which is also coincidentally their permanent exhibit designed for up to 7's. His verdict on the shapes thing: please provide more green ball pit balls. Seven is an insufficient number for fun.

Slightly further adventures

The KidZone was pretty awesome, but I don't actually remember most of what was in there. I remember a rocket ship play zone, and a airplane play zone, and a ambulance play zone, and a construction play zone, and there was some more stuff. Also a lesson on poison control and a reminder that pills and candy are not the same thing. That part was a little weird. What I do remember is that when they had the old, somewhat smaller KidZone, when Jared and I were little, he was always under seven when we went, but I never got to go. Not even when he was under seven and went and I was under seven and didn't go. So, my excitement on going to the KidZone may have outweighed Connor's at some points. Anyway, he had fun climbing stairs, and making the rocket do its little countdown by pressing a button. He also liked moving all of the little wooden play cars around the airplane zone, and laughed when I started stacking the little wooden buildings. His verdict: Please make rocket actually blast off. Would be extra extra fun. Also, ramps too steep for 10th percentile toddlers. Please correct.

At that point, we were already 40 minutes past nap time, so we waited for Jared to have his lunch break at 1, then ran to Subway for food. Jared is apparently a regular at Subway (as there is an entrance directly from the science center into it, and the science center leases the premises. Connor barely ate, and didn't touch his olives, not even when I let him dip them in the hot sauce. I could tell how tired he was, so at that point, it was time to go home and finally catch up on his nap. Verdict: Subway should provide a sandwich that is just bread and olives. Would buy.

Day 13 - Oldham County kidstuff Sale

Today my family went to the Oldham County Kidstuff Consignment Sale. It is the first time we ever went to this one.

What we did:

Kidstuff is one of the local businesses that hosts a consignment (secondhand) sale twice yearly in a couple locations around Louisville. The sale is open to the public for about 3 days and most items are half price on the last day. We went in search of some clothes and toys for the kids and got some great deals there. Between this one and our usual Louisville Kidstuff sale we managed to get the kids' fall and winter wardrobes as well as any toy they could possibly need or want for the next year. So, if you are looking for some great deals, search for a consignment sale near you!