Young Chefs' Academy

When our son turned 7 he asked for a Ratatouille Party. I highly suspected most kids his age wouldn't want a bowl full of eggplant - I could be wrong, though! So we went with a Pizza party at Young Chefs' Academy in Sunnyvale. Chefs' Academy is a cooking school that is equipped with kid sized tables, cooking utensils/hardware, and great teachers.

When the kids came in they were given a chef hat to design. We had the soundtrack from the movie playing the background, and a Wisconsin Cheese hat as a decorative centerpiece. Then the real work began...the kids started by washing their hands (my MIL teaches nutrition - this is a very important first step!). Then they were taught how to make pizza dough. The kids were able to roll out their dough and add the toppings they liked. I was shocked how many kids tried adding things most wouldn't expect a kid to eat: olives, mushrooms, onions, etc. While the pizzas were baking the kids played some games, and the adults partook in the appetizers I brought for them. When pizzas were finished the kids got to cut up their pizzas with pizza wheels, and then ate some very yummy ice cream cake :0)

Z-Vibe

Okay, so the name just sounds dirty...like something that should be found in a sex shop. It sounds even dirtier when inquisitive people ask what it does. "It's an oral stimulator." The looks I've gotten! Anyway...

The back story: Our older son had sensory integration issues when he was younger (just another aspect of raising a special needs child), but I must say this thing really helped him a lot. He stopped chewing on his sleeves and his neckband for one. He also stopped gagging from eating certain textured foods like applesauce.

The Z-Vibe is a pen-like wand that vibrates, offering oral sensory input. It was designed by a speech pathologist, and has been used by Occupational Therapists and SLPs for a long time. It's FDA approved, made of aluminum and medical grade plastic, and latex free.

So then comes young Master Alexander. Teething was a pain in the neck....so I dug back out the Z-Vibe. He loved, loved this thing for his sore gums. It was also a great distraction at restaurants when he'd just about had it and was on the brink of a fussy fit, too :0)

Beyond Play in Berkley sells them via their on-line website.

Library Lapsit

There are lots of Library Lapsits in and around the Bay Area, and I must say I highly recommend them. First, they are FREE! Second, you meet new moms with babies around the same age as yours. And lastly, it's a half hour totally devoted to your baby with no other distractions...no phone calls, no dishes, no laundry...just you and Junior in blissful screaming, pooping company.


That being said, I must say my experience at the Santa Clara Central Park Library was far from fluffy. The librarian there meant serious business. She didn't strike any of us as the warmest of creatures, but she was very informational (Baby Einstein is the DEVIL, TV before the age of 2 will kill brain cells, and Literacy is KEY, people!...we called her the Lapsit Natzi). In any case, I took Alexander there faithfully every Thursday for 6 months. We liked it...there was something almost comforting in her passion to drive literate infants into the world, we also loved having the room after story time to chat and let the babies roll around. But, the best part to Thursday lapsit was when we'd all go out to lunch at Santana Row to commiserate about mothering and life :0)

Keepsake Companion

My book group ladies threw me a surprise baby shower for my second son, and one of the best gifts they gave me (besides the awesomeness of their friendship) was this Keepsake Companion.

A woman in our community created these, and I can't rave enough about them! Let's face it, when you're on your second (or third or fourth), most of us don't have the time or energy to meticulously craft the handmade scrapbook Junior truly deserves. This companion was exactly what I needed, and filled me with glowing pride that I was not dooming Alexander to life as "a baby-bookless malcontent." Another plus was it didn't take a million years to put together either. I really enjoyed completing it, and flipping through to recall those snuggly newborn days (I was too sleep deprived to fully appreciate them back then).


There's a nifty guide that comes ready with all kinds of quick-refrence answers and practical checklists. The calendar portion comes with every milestone you could ever imagine printed on little stickers. There are also spots to add momentos, photos, and special thoughts, too.


My only complaint is that it didn't go beyond 12 months...it was so simple I could have easily have kept this kind of crono-documenting up till college ;0)

You can purchase these on-line or at Postal Annex in Rivermark, Santa Clara.

Little Giraffe Blankets

Okay, no pun intended, I have a "soft spot" for blankets. I loved mine as a child. My older son is still attached to his, and when the second one arrived I was sure he'd love his blanket, too. Well...not so much...he's attached to a stuffed panda, go figure.


But, in a hormone induced, blanket-crazed, pregnant state I found the softest, snuggliest blanket at Nordstrom. Little Giraffe makes beautiful, warm, cloud-soft blankets, and I wholly back them. Just make sure not to put them in the dryer on high!