Meet Ups

Sooo overdue for a blog post! My excuse is that my new venture, Peek-a-Belly, is just about to launch and I've been working every minute that I can. I've still been making sure to get out and about with Mia, but lately we've been hitting our favorite local spots and not venturing too far.

There's a resource that I've been using for the past year that I feel most moms must know about - but I'm realizing that this isn't the case. It's Meetup.com - a web site where you can find thousands of groups with common interests that schedule meet-ups.

There are many of these groups for moms, themed by geographical location, interests and even by religion. Some groups are more active than others, but the gist of it is that there's a main organizer that heads up the group, and that organizer and other members offer to host meet-ups.

A few of the first groups I joined were the "New Mom Network Chicago Meetup Group", the "Chicago Stay at Home Moms Meetup Group," and most recently, "Bucktown Babies Playgroup." Events have included meetups in the park with dozens of moms and babes, small playdates hosted in private homes, field trips to the Nature Museum or other family locations, strolls in the park, storytimes, and even moms-night-outs with game nights, potlucks and dinners out.

One of the most active groups that has a really great calendar is the Stay at Home Moms group - I'm embarrassed to say that I check the calendar all the time, but haven't been taking full advantage because so many of the wonderful events occur during Mia's naptime or on my work days. I'm hoping to do more of these events in the summer, as Mia is 1 now and needs some play buddies besides our cat Chloe!

And aside from mom groups, you can find other groups for whatever your special interests may be. Check it out and if you ever see that I'm attended an event you're at, be sure to say Hello!

Got Baby? Be By Baby!

I have been meaning to visit Be By Baby for MONTHS, and I'm so glad that we finally stopped in! I've been getting their emails for months, which are always full of great information on the various classes and mommy groups that take place in their store. I felt like I was part of a special mommy club, even though I'd never stepped foot in the door.

This is a great store if you're a new or expecting mom. They've got a great section of items for moms-to-be, including nursing supplies, slings, cloth diapers, organic baby products and nursing bras and tops. If you're interested in learning about cloth diapering or babywearing, they offer classes that teach you about these subjects. While I was there, I saw a pregnant woman getting a quick lesson on slings with a very lifelike baby doll.

Their class offerings are great too - they offer instruction on natural childbirth, breastfeeding, infant CPR, baby sign language and much more. I might sign my mom up for an upcoming infant safety class.

The product selection overall is really wonderful - adorable baby clothes, toys, and gift items, and they've got a huge selection of wooden Melissa and Doug puzzles - our favorites - and other natural wood toys. I managed to escape with only one item, although it would have been easy to fill entire trunk. I found a great wide-brim sunhat for Mia, which for the life of me I couldn't seem to find last year.

So if you're an expectant or new mom, or looking for a great gift, be sure to stop in some time! Located at 1654 W. Roscoe. http://www.bebybaby.com/

Getting out and getting nowhere

I'm embarrassed that I haven't blogged in over a week, but it's kind of hard to write about getting out of the house with kids when your kid REFUSES to go anywhere without being held. I'm hoping it's a phase - a short phase. My arms really hurt.

This started on Friday and continued every day through the weekend. She refuses to ride in her stroller or sit in a shopping cart. She has a raging fit, which she's never done before (well, not until last weekend's 5-day "i refuse to go in my crib" phase) Nothing seems to work except picking her up and holding her. I tried letting her ride it out in the stroller one day, but that did not end well (it ended with Mia throwing up and me having to clean it up with my mittens and a diaper) Three days of outings were cut short or cancelled. I'm concerned that I'm never going to be able to leave the house with her again.

I'm going to keep on trying this week. We've got lunch plans and Gymboree today, and Thursday we're going to check out a class at Bubbles Academy. Hopefully there will also be some stroller walks this week, but that's up in the air for now!

Lazar's Juvenile Furniture... I still have mine.

I can't possibly blog about great places for parents in Chicago without mentioning Lazar's Furniture in Lincolnwood. They've got a great selection of baby and kids' furniture, bedding, strollers, car seats, apparel, high chairs, gear and more. And if you're an eco-friendly mom, you'll love the great selection of green items, including organic mattresses, linens and clothing, FSC certified solid wood cribs, and PVC, phthalates and BPA-free baby bottles.

We shopped here before Mia was born, at which point I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. The salespeople who helped us on our various trips to the store were incredibly knowledgeable, and were clearly experts on the products. We ended up getting our car seat, stroller, convertible stroller, glider chair and lots of accessories here.

The thing that I still personally love the most about Lazar's is actually MY baby furniture. I'm talking about the furniture that I've had since I was a child in the very early 70s! My furniture set followed me from my parent's house to the various apartments I've had in Chicago, and it now occupies what I consider to be our very cozy guest room. I will say though, it doesn't seem like anyone really makes furniture quite like this set anymore, but it certainly did endear Lazar's to me in additional ways. Here it is, after all this time!

Giggle - uber cool and eco friendly kid store

Next Saturday, March 28, is the official grand opening celebration of the already-open "giggle," a baby store in Lincoln Park at 2116 North Halsted Street. Again, here's a place I hadn't heard about and was extremely happy to stumble upon this past weekend.

From the moment I walked in, I knew that the items in this store were special. They've got everything, from baby clothes to nursery furniture to toys, books, gear, baby care and lots of great accessorites. giggle takes pride in the fact that they have done all the hard work for moms out there, weeding through the overwhelming amount of products out there to bring you only the best of the best.

You'll find lots of organic, natural, earth-friendly products here. It's probably not the best bet if you're on a budget, but if you're looking for the most innovative and stylish baby products, this store's for you.

And if you're looking for a great baby registry, you should definitely check this place out.