Mountain Mom and Tots

Motherhood Moments: My baby’s not a baby anymore!

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Happy Birthday little g!!

My baby is officially two years old. I’ve found myself smiling more than ever with her conversational attempts (Happy Bir-day Mama!) and the world of her imagination. She pushes her brother’s cars and trucks around in her new baby stroller, and constantly makes me smile.

But with all her exuberance for life, there is a feeling of loss in my heart too. I know other parents know what I’m talking about. She’s a big girl now, wanting to choose her own clothes (notice the shoes she is wearing), do her own thing and not wanting mom to be in charge anymore. I know the terrible twos are about independence and growth, but I’m reluctant for this new stage of normal.

As little g’s mom I want her to explore her world, learn new skills and become independant. But I also want her to always be my sweet little girl. I guess being a mom means I’ll take what I can get, and I’ll try to just be grateful for that.

Little G Info:

Favorite Toy: Baby Doll Stroller

Favorite Activity: Anything her older brother is doing.

Least Favorite Activity: Getting her hair combed.

Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park, Ogden, Utah

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Happy Anniversary Ogden Dinosaur Park! This year marks the 20th anniversary of the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden and the tots and I went to check it out, along with their cousins.

Ogden Dinosaur Park consists of a museum surrounded by a collection of outdoor dinosaur statues and a children’s playground. Little g and Big E most enjoyed the dinosaur playground where you slide down a Pteradactyl, climb inside a dino skull and run under a Brachiosaurus.

What little g didn’t like were the dinosaur noises sounding in the bushes. She spent most of the time with hands over her ears to block out the noise.

From Triceratops to Brontosaurus we explored the gardens on a quest to find the coolest creature. The kids all decided this was it – Velocoraptor! It was fun to see the dinosaurs in their “natural habitat”.

Inside the museum were fossils, interactive displays and complete dinosaur skeletons. The best part for me was an animatronic T rex and Triceratop family that moved like real dinosaurs did (I imagine). There’s also an area to watch paleotologists brushing, catogorizing and caring for dinosaur bones in real time.

Although the museum was cool, my tots and I visited it as almost an after thought since the outdoor dinosaurs were so fun. It was also cool to see the Halloween decor set up for their Haunted Halloween Carnival. If you’re interested in that you better act fast, October 25 and 26th are the final days!

Info:

Price: $7.00 adults, $5.00 kids ages 2-12

Time: 1-3 hours

Tips: Check out their different seasonal activities at www.dinosaurpark.org.

Autumn in the Mountains

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One of the joys of living in the mountains is the force with which we experience season change. In the winter, snow doesn’t just fall, it dumps. In the spring, rivers surge with snow runoff and wildflowers blossom everywhere. In the summer, everything is green, green, green. But the most beautiful season change has to be autumn.

In addition to the pumpkin farms, hay rides and Halloween carnivals, may I suggest you take some time to view the natural beauty this world has to offer. The tots and I get to meander through colorful tree lined streets on a daily basis and it really helps my happiness level.

Being outdoors with the kids is the reason for this blog in the first place, but now is the best time of year to do it. Well, maybe once little g learns to ski, winter will be the best. Is two years old too young?

Chinatown San Francisco

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There’s a special place in San Francisco where the architecture shifts from modern business like buildings to elaborate chinese decor, with flanged roofs, paper lanterns and large blinking signs written in a foreign language. Welcome to Chinatown.

On my sister’s weekend earlier this month, Chinatown was one of the many destinations we explored in order to have a true taste of San Francisco. As the largest Chinatown outside of Asia it was easy to be caught up with the exotic feeling permeating the neighborhood. The smells and sounds of another world welcomed us into its streets.

We decided to eat at Hunan’s Home, based on the recommendation of yelp diners (thanks internet friends) and couldn’t have been more pleased. Everything from the potstickers to the spicy chicken dish was tasty, and we were more than happy to fill our plates and bellies with the tasty stuff.

Shops filled with souvenirs, t shirts and Asian inspired clothing were interspersed with Chinese restaurants and even a walk-in foot massage parlor.

In Chinatown I couldn’t help but imagine little g in the tiny outfits or Big E playing with the toys. I felt a pang of sadness that my tots were back at home. I know a sisters weekend by definition did not include kids, but I still missed them.

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