West Philly Spotlight: All Around This World Music

Jay Sand is well known among West Philadelphians - he's our neighbor, a fellow parent and the teacher of one of the most popular music classes in the city: All Around This World.  Anyone who has met Jay knows that he is incredibly upbeat and enthusiastic, and this certainly flows over into his instruction. My favorite part of the classes, though, is the great concept behind them.  

Each 11 week session focuses on a different part of the world and each class starts with a little overview of the country from which that lesson’s songs came.  So, in addition to new songs (often incorporating different languages), we also learned a bit about the geography, culture and traditions.  

Moving Day: 20 Chore Tuesday

We are moving!  Don't worry, we are still in West Philly - but it turns out that no matter how short a distance you are moving...it still kinda sucks.  The good news is that our new apartment is bangarang.

There are so many things I want to write about, but there are so many things that need to get done that there just isn't time.  I do have to write a to-do list, though, right?  So I may as well cross blogging off that list as I write it by joining Emily over at Joyful Abode in 20 Chore Tuesday!

West Philly Spotlight: Green Tambourine Musical Playgroup

There's a new music class in the neighborhood!  The Green Tambourine is hosting musical playgroups (from birth to 5 yrs) and group instrumental lessons (ages 6-10) at the Rotunda (at 40th and Walnut) and at Studio 34 (at 4522 Baltimore Ave).

Leo attended the last 6 week session of the 2 and 3 yr old musical playgroup (well, we missed the first class because we were a little busy having a baby) and he loved it.  I think it's been especially nice for him to have something just for him during this new time as a big brother when it seems like everything is revolving around the baby.

West Philly Review: Philadelphia Zoo

One of the gifts we received for Christmas was a membership to the Philadelphia Zoo - and what an awesome gift it has been!  I didn't think we'd get much use out of it until the Spring, but with some unseasonably warm weather we've been there several times already over the last month.  


I love that the zoo is right here in West Philly (34th and Girard Ave). Not quite close enough to walk to - but still feels like it's right in our backyard.

West Philly Review: Honest Tom's Taco Shop

 The beloved Honest Tom's Taco truck has a new(ish) storefront on 44th St. between Locust and Spruce.  Leo, Uncle Julian and I stopped by for a late lunch the other day since I'd never been able to pin down the truck and have been wanting to try their tacos since we first moved to Philly.

Honest Tom's Taco Shop can be found in an unmarked small, orange gingerbread-house looking building.  There's not a ton of seating - some counter seating and one four person table, but I imagine they do a lot of take-out business.  It was a cozy and clean space and the staff was friendly.

What I loved:

• They take credit cards!
• The sweet potato taco - DELICIOUS and a big hit with my toddler
• The fact that guacamole and pico de gallo are included.  Nothing worse that having to pay an extra $1 for a little guac.
• They carry Mexican Coke!  In addition to the superior taste - it also is (usually) sweetened with cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup.  Still not a health food, but a nice treat.

They mentioned that they were going to add fish tacos to the menu in the Spring and I've heard great things about the breakfast tacos.  All in all our experience was good and I'll definitely be back for more sweet potato tacos.

West Philly Spotlight: Walnut Street West Library Branch

I feel very lucky that we can walk to two different branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia from our West Philly home.  One of the branches is the Walnut Street West branch which is on the corner of Walnut and 40th St.   I love the location because it's within a block of a bank, grocery store and post office - so I can combine the trip with some errands.

 We focus our time at the library almost exclusively in the Children's section - so that's what I'm going to cover for the review, but I would like to mention that I browse the online card catalog at home and place holds on any books I'd like to read so I can just pick them up when I bring Leo.  It's a great tool because toddlers don't really have the patience for browsing the adult books.

West Philly Review: Mizu

 I'm always on the lookout for a great lunch spot and a great deal and when I find a place that offers both - well, it's a good day.

Mizu is a little sushi spot on 40th (near Chestnut) that has a fantastic lunch special: four half-rolls of sushi and miso soup for $8.95 (this deal is also good on the weekends).

West Philly Review: Talking Headz

Last week I took advantage of my sister being in town (free babysitting!) and got my haircut (for only the second time since Leo was born - yikes!).  I'd been hearing great things about a local salon that just opened up on Baltimore Avenue (near the corner of 47th), so I thought I'd try them out.

I called Talking Headz and they were able to fit me in that same day.  (Note: Don't use the "schedule an appointment" feature on their website because they aren't checking it yet.) It's a good thing, too - because my hair was out of control!

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

 We have had a lot of excitement around our house lately.  We had a visit from Abi, we hosted playgroup (six babies make the same amount of mess as one baby - but are six times the fun!), and now Aunt Lissa and her best friend Maddie are visiting!  They arrived yesterday and we stopped by an Indian Buffet for dinner.  Then we went home, put Leo to bed, watched bad TV and ate junk.  I heart sister time.

West Philly Review: Earth Cup

 Earth Cup is among my favorite West Philly destinations for a cup of coffee.  It's a cute little fair-trade coffee shop on 45th St. between Pine and Osage with super-friendly service and great tasting drinks.  It's not uncommon to find Leo and I there in the late mornings for a break between running errands.  In fact, there are at least three coffee shops closer to our home, but I often walk the extra blocks to visit Earth Cup.

In addition to coffee and tea they have a selection of baked goods and a couple lunch options.  They also conveniently carry some grocery staples like eggs and milk.  There is only one table in the cafe - but there are a couple tables out front and a nice sized outdoor seating area next door.  The decor is cute with teapots hanging from the ceiling and a whimsical lamp that looks like a teapot filling a cup.

Busy, Busy Bees

We've had a busy few days.  On Thursday we attended a rally in Center City - complete with drumline.  Leo loves rallies, going to center city, and drums - so this rally was a major hit with him.  I doubt he understood that we were calling out corporations that aren't paying their fair share in taxes - but he was shaking his little fist anyway.  You can read about the rally and the organization that organized it here.  Uncle Julian joined us for the rally and we all got these sharp t-shirts.  It was certainly a good way to spend a summer afternoon.

Times They Are A Changin'

 I feel like we are always in some kind of transition - so you won't be surprised to learn that there are some changes afoot in our lives again.  First of all, the boys (Uncle Daniel and Uncle Jared) moved out.  Daniel had been living with us for almost a year, now and Jared joined our household more recently.  It's been a bittersweet adjustment.  It is nice to have a bit more space and privacy - but I do miss them.  We had a good time together and they were always willing to wash a sinkful of dishes.  What takes the sting out of their departure is that they only moved three blocks away - AND Uncle Julian moved in with them, too - so Leo has three uncles within walking distance.  Also close enough to come over to wash a load of dishes (right, Jules?). 

Clark Park May Fair

 Today was one of those days that embodies what I hope I see when I look back on my life in thirty years.  The weather was amazing - sunny but not too hot.  There was a fair happening in our neighborhood park.  I walked around holding hands with my true love and laughing with my baby.  There were a ton of people out to enjoy the sunshine, music and farmers' market.  Food trucks lined the street and local organizations were engaging the community.  Leo enjoyed the live music and nursing in the sun.  We saw a few people we knew, met new people (Hi J!), and picked up some ingredients for dinner.

We went home and I cooked dinner with the back door and windows open.  We shared a family dinner, put Leo to bed and now jb and I are (barely) staying up to watch SNL and steal a little time together. 

Leo and friends enjoying Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band

I haven't been feeling well (headaches, cough and sore throat) so I wasn't expecting much out of today - and it was such a pleasant surprise. 

Peek In My Diaper Bag

I think what someone carries around with them says a lot about them.  I carry a lot around.  Sometimes I wish I could pare down to essentials - one diaper, my phone, and wallet in a cute little purse/satchel.  Other times I imagine upgrading to a huge diaper bag where I can fit even more crap to haul around.   Currently, I'm somewhere in between using this bag:

Crusty

Between teething and a cold snap we've been laying low. Well, Leo has been laying low - I went out (Ethio Cafe) to celebrate a friend's birthday last night. As I've mentioned, my outings sans baby have been few and far between, so to have two solo social outings in two months is a pretty big deal. Now we just need to work on jb and I getting out together without our little shadow.

We are happy, We are happy on this day...

Today was gorgeous. It's mid-November and the temperature was nearly 70 degrees. We took advantage by taking a long walk through the neighborhood. We stopped by Milk and Honey to join in the monthly sing-a-long. The post title is the chorus of the first and last song we sing there. (Aunt Fanny and Uncle Jared have accompanied us to these sing-a-longs in the past, and they can vouch that it's a pretty good time.) Leo like the singing, but especially loves watching the older kids. Leo also loves shopping for produce. It must be the colors and textures - but several times during the toughest parts of teething I'd throw him in the carrier and walk over to the grocery store and let him explore the fruits and veggies. Speaking of fruits and veggies - Leo is just days away from turning six months old which (in addition to be half of an entire year!) is when we plan to begin introducing solids. Yikes.


Did I mention today was gorgeous? The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, the leaves were beautiful.




Leo and Talula are bffs these days. Leo scoots right over to her bed or crate and Talula proceeds to lick him from head to toe. It's a little gross and a lot cute. I'm really glad we have such a gentle, patient and loving dog. I'm never worried she will snap at him or even growl. Of course I keep a close eye on them, but Leo could take food right out of her mouth and she wouldn't skip a beat. I am trying to set some boundaries because I don't want him to think all dogs are like this and reach into a strange dog's food bowl. Still, I'm so glad he's going to grow up with a dog, and I don't think there could be a better suit dog for him than Talula.

Big Picture, Bigger Picture

I wish I would have begun this post before the election results started rolling in - because now I'm in a funk. This election cycle I haven't been as entrenched in the fight as in past years (shout out to my HRC campaign trail peeps), but jb certainly has invested a lot of time, energy, and hard work - so we are pretty bummed by many of the results.

Anyway - Leo and I went to the Library yesterday where he had a blast pulling all the books off the shelf. We often take our afternoon walk over to the part of our neighborhood that has the post office, bank, and library. It's so nice to be able to walk, run errands and spend some time at the library.


Today we went to vote as a family (Uncle Daniel, too - he's just behind the camera). This is actually Leo's second time at the polls - his first was when he was only two days old. This time around he was much more interested in the process and I was able to snap a couple pics because we got a curtained booth.




Leo continues to be cuddly. He's definitely still working on that second tooth. I saw a bit of blood in his mouth today and he's been feeling around there with his tongue again. This tooth is coming in much slower and it hasn't been quite as traumatic as the first one - as least so far. He's a little trooper. And I'm a lucky mama.

Support

As I've mentioned I've been attending a breastfeeding support group. The truth is that Leo and I are doing great as far as nursing, I just started going to meet other moms and to get out of the house. I'm so glad I started going, I'm loving it. It takes place in a yoga studio's community space and each time there are about a dozen moms with their babies. The babies range from just a few days old to two years. The picture is purposefully blurry for privacy, but you get the gist of it - moms sitting around nursing, babies crawling and interacting and advice being shared. I think Leo and I both get a lot out of it. I do wish I'd gone to something like this in the early days when we were really struggling with nursing - but I'm glad I've found it now. I just hope that the moms I see there with that oh-so-familiar exhausted, worried,lonely expression believe me that the fog does eventually lift and even though nursing may start out feeling like a nightmare it really can go on to be amazing.

An aside to my dear mothering forum and blogging friends (aka my other support group): I'm logging most of my online time on my phone these days. It's great because I can check in while nursing or on the go, but it limits my ability to comment. I really appreciate you letting me know you are still reading along with me and I just wanted to assure you that I'm still reading along with you too!

And We're Back

I should warn you, I may go a bit picture crazy. A lot has happened since I was last able to properly check in, so I'll do my best to do a general run down.

Jb has been working very hard. Leo loves helping daddy work, and it's becoming clear where he gets his serious face.




Of course Leo's smiles are coming more easily everyday. He even flashes them at strangers these day. He's even laughing regularly, which is just the best sound ever.


We've continued to have regular visitors - which I love!



Leo has grown out of almost all of his clothes. He's huge. We had to make an emergency run to the store to buy some new larger clothes because it seemed to happen literally overnight.


We've been exploring our new city and attending lots of political rallies.





We are still going strong with the cloth diapers.

We've established a bedtime routine. Nothing too fancy, but it's nice to have bedtime cues for Leo so he winds down at the end of the day. Basically we change his diaper, maybe have a bath, put on pjs, brush his gums (maybe with teething tablets if he's having a rough day), snuggle into bed and read a book and sing a song.


We made our first trip home to Pittsburgh since the move. We also had a pediatrician's appointment for Leo (yes the office is worth driving 300 miles for!). He's healthy, got some vaccinations, and is still of average height and normal but lean weight. Leo loved spending time with grandpa, pops, abi and his aunts and uncles. Most of all, though, Leo found Abi's fish positively fascinating.



We had plans to go to DC for the One Nation rally, but due to a flat tire we didn't make it. It's really too bad, because I made Leo a shirt to wear for his first march on Washinton.


Our apartment is starting to feel like a home.





Uncle Daniel moved in. It's been great to have him around. He's been really helpful with watching Leo, preparing meals and lending a hand with the housework. He is picky about his title though. He doesn't like it when I call him our live-in Manny, and he doesn't like being called mommy's helper - so since we share the domestic and childcare during the day I thought he might like being called my sisterwife. Somehow he's not digging it. Picky picky picky.


Pops brought Leo back an entire wardrobe of Cowboys' gear from his trip to Dallas.


In other news, Leo is teething up a storm. Nothing has broken through yet, but he is clearly working on it. We've been using frozen teethers, his amber necklace, and on especially rough days, Humphrey's teething pellets. Mostly he's been a champ, but on some days it does get the best of him and he breaks down into a puddle of fussiness.

I've been out and about with Leo meeting new people in the neighborhood. We've been going to the baby and me yoga class, attending a local breastfeeding support group, taking walks, and checking out the library and sing-a-longs at Milk and Honey. I'm starting to feel like we know people, even if just by sight.

Leo is scooting around all over the place. He is also starting to get up on all fours pretty regularly, but isn't sure what to do once he's up there. He's blowing raspberries and going "ahhhhhh" when we pat his mouth so it sounds like "ah-ah-ah-ah-ah". He's giving loud, long, slobbery kisses and biting on anything he can get in his mouth. Love him.