Rainy Day on Hilton Head

This picture is an old one of Jack on a rainy day - he did not feel like taking a picture this morning. I actually LOVE rainy days in the fall. In my LBK (life before kids) it would make me want to be cozy with a warm cup of coffee or tea. Favorite rainy day activities used to include snuggling up with a good book, going to a movie or even shopping. Now that I have a 2.5 year old and 7.5 month old, none of those activities are available - except the good cup of coffee! It is always a struggle to figure out what to do with little ones in the rain, especially in the Lowcountry where so many of our favorite activities are outdoors. Here are our go-to favorites:

The Sandbox is an interactive children's museum on the south end of the island and it is a great option for little ones. I can easily spend 2 hours there. They have a baby/toddler area for the wee ones, a crafts area, cockpit of an airplane, kitchen, pirate ship, construction area, dress up area, train table, and sand area. They also have different special activities, just check their calendar. One of the bathrooms has a kiddie size potty - perfect for your potty training ones. We like to go to the sandbox, then to Fiesta Fresh for lunch after (local little family friendly quick (but not fast-food) Mexican restaurant). Anyone under 5 is usually asleep within 5 minutes on the car ride home - Success! The Sandbox is open 10-5, Tuesday - Saturday This time of year.

Island Playground is a great option for your high energy kiddos. It is an indoor center with various bounce-houses (or 'jumpies') as our family calls them. It is located just off the Island, in Bluffton. They have a younger kids area, although Jack likes to play on all of the jumpies and is quite adept and scurrying up the ladder for the big slide. No cafeteria/lunch options at the playground, but they do sell pre-packaged snacks.

When it is not too cold (today is perfect), we also like to get everyone in their rain gear and take a puddle walk! Beach, Harbortown, Coligny, or just our Neighborhood, we look for worms, puddles and stomp about.

Jack's mom says, Don't let it rain on your parade, Parade in all your glory in the rain!

Are we there yet? Running with Small Children

So, after reading my last post a friend with two little ones asked me how I get my 2.5 year old to sit in the stroller for the entire run. Magic? Freeze Ray? Bribery? I actually struggled with this for a while. We had a few runs where Jack wanted to get out and run with us, only to have his 'legs get tired' after a short but fast sprint (it was kind of like zig zag speed interval training for awhile). After a few tears (on both sides) a few botched attempts, and an epic parental fail in which I told him the area we were running through had bears and he should stay in the stroller so the bears didn't eat him, we have reached success (without terrifying him)! PS - he still asks if there are bears on the one particular path.

Our trick is to let Jack play DJ. I give him my iPhone and put it on the Jack-friendly playlist and let him pick out the songs we run to. I have a huge variety of music on there. Darius Rucker's Wagon Wheel is the current favorite. Last week it was the Peter and the Wolf by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. It keeps everyone entertained and me able to run for at least 35 minutes. It also does not occupy him so much that he is glued staring to my phone, he only looks down when the song ends and he gets to pick a new one the rest of the time he is appreciating nature (or so I hope!).

Jack's mom says, let your kids pick the soundtrack to your life!

Introducing Jack's Brother, Baby Ben!

I am so embarrassed that all of my great intentions of blogging have fallen short (translation: non-existent). I have had a very good reason and that has been the new addition to our family, Baby Ben!! It's not just Jack's Mom Says anymore - it is Jack and Ben's Mom Says! While Jack has adjusted beautifully to the addition of his little brother, my husband and I are still working out all of the kinks of our own adjustment. Going from one child to two was a significant change, especially with both of them so young. I loved 'having' most of the baby gear already available (and assembled), but still needed a few new purchases. Having friends that are currently pregnant and have asked me what they need to get for their little loves, I have sat down to go through my must haves form Baby Jack that are being  used again and my must have new purchase for Baby Ben. So for all my mama-to-be friends, these were the must haves:

The  Puj Tub is piece of foam is so simple and basic it chaps my hide that I did not think of this brilliant idea and patent it! Holds iddy bitty babies in most every sink comfortably so that you can easily wash and clean all of their many creases and folds. Jack used to fall asleep in this all the time. Ben usually stayed awake, but that is mainly because there is a 2 year old Jack helping me wash him!

The Fisher Price Cradle 'N Swing has been a lifesaver with both of my babes. Both spent the first few months of life contentedly swinging and snoozing away. LIFESAVER. Could not have done without.

Our current favorite item is the Jumperoo. Lovingly called the 'Circle of Neglect' it has kept both my babies HAPPY and OCCUPIED while I frantically squeezed in a shower, pumped breastmilk, threw together dinner, did laundry or tried to pay bills online. Even better, with Ben in the Jumperoo, Jack will jump around  him and get him to jump/mimic his movements, my boys are actively playing together and laughing - what more could a mama want??

Lastly, the last 'must have' that we have gotten our money's worth and then some has been the Pack N Play. For snoozing, for setting a baby that has just learned to roll, for minor containment while trying to do something. It is easy to travel with and set up and lived at the grandparents house for a good six months. It also was big enough for Jack to sleep in until he was almost 2. 

Now, for the family of '2 kids under 2' gear.... I tried my hardest to hold out and not purchase anything new, not only because I was not working and we were on a tight budget, but I already had SO much kiddie gear in my house, we were running out of room. Of all my purchases, this one was well worth every single penny (and it was a large amount of pennies)...  The Double Bob Revolution . I LOVE this stroller. Hands down the most expensive piece of baby gear I purchased with either child and well worth the money. For our purposes we needed a jogging stroller that would fit both kids, was compatible with our Peg Perego car seat, would work on cobble stone and sand, and that would continue to fit both kids for a couple of years (many strollers are too short for older/taller kids to keep their feet from hitting the front wheel or hanging over the sides).  It has performed up to the task and then some. It is very easy to run with, has all of the safety features we were looking for and both kids fit comfortably in it. Compared to our 2010 Single Bob, the style and design changes are all better (more user friendly peek-a-boo flaps to see kids when canopy is down, lock buckle to keep stroller folded up). The Revolution has always been our favorite of the Bobs due to front wheel being able to swivel or lock at your discretion - really important for active joggers and for those cruising on uneven turf.

Very happy to be blogging again and am making a conscious effort to do so more! Too many great adventures and discoveries have happened on this crazy road of parenthood that must be shared!! Until next time, Jack's mom says make your baby purchases thoughtful and functional, everyone else will get you the fun and frilly stuff!