By Jaci Arnone

My family recently discovered one of Rhode Island’s hidden gems: the Museum of Natural History and Cormack Planetarium. Situated in Roger Williams Park, this museum is the only of its kind in Rhode Island and proved to be a fun adventure for the entire family.

The Museum features a wide range of exhibits highlighting a variety of cultures from Native Americans to the craftspeople of the South Pacific. In addition, a Victorian-styled exhibition hall features treasures from the turn of the century, when collecting natural history items became an international fascination. (The exhibit includes a working observation hive, complete with live bees!)

The highlight for my older sons was Mission Moon: past, present, future (on display through September 29, 2008), featuring 3D imagery acquired by the Apollo and Surveyor programs and a moon rock collected by the crew of Apollo 17. There are several space-related, hands-on activities for kids of all ages, with museum staff available to answer questions.

Upon arrival, I would recommend picking up a ‘Scavenger Hunt’ worksheet, which lists basic trivia questions for each exhibit. This encouraged my kids to pay attention to details, and the best part was claiming their prize for turning in a completed worksheet!

My kids were tuckered out before the start of the Planetarium show (2:00 each weekend day and during school vacations), so we passed for this visit. However, the grounds of the museum served as a perfect picnic spot to enjoy lunch before heading home. We can’t wait to visit again!

Details:
Museum of Natural History & Planetarium
Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI
401-785-9457 ext.221
Museum admission: $2 ($1 for children 2-7 years old)
Planetarium admission: $3 ($2 for children 4-7 years old). This includes entrance to the Museum and galleries. Children under 4 not permitted in the planetarium.
The first Saturday of every month is free to Providence (not East or North Providence) residents only (proof of residency required).

Photo Credit: Jaci Arnone

A sure sign of spring in our neighborhood is the Chez Pascal’s hot dog stand (called Hewtin’s Dog) back at the park and open for business. My boys and I vote these the BEST hot dogs around. Look at those happy boys! The Grote & Weigel all beef 10-inch hot dogs for $2.50 are delicious. They have drinks, chips and a few other food items—except for the chips and beverages though there are no vegetarian options.

Matt Gennuso, chef/owner of Chez Pascal (located in Providence on Hope Street at the corner of Ninth Street), sets up his stand from April/May through early fall, depending on the weather.

Details:
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 11:30 am - 4:30 pm
Located on Hope Street (East Side of Providence) at the edge of Lippitt Park and diagonally across from the Chez Pascal restaurant. There’s a great playground in the park so you can make it a complete outing with your children.

Neighborhood: Nayatt-Beach, Barrington

Kidoinfo: How long have you lived in Rhode Island?
PC: Three long, wonderful years.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
PC: Swirling (getting ready for a science fair and I’ve not done much yet..ahhhh).

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
PC: Ted — Man of Unbelievable Ethos; Slade the (currently practicing) Benevolent; Archer the Performance Artist (has indelible red scrawl on his face to show his school the look of ’surprise’); Babe the albino dog that looks like a pig, honks like a goose, and acts like a 95-year-old Irish bitty; Sketchy and Hoagie— the feral brother/sister feline duo.

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family?
PC: We love to laugh deeply and think potty humor is incredibly funny.

Kidoinfo: What is your favorite thing to do?
PC: With kids — dance like a crazy person. Without kids — surfing. Someday with kids — surf.

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I welcome new music in our house—that used to mean “alternative”, now it usually means time to find a different CD to listen to. Now that the Barenaked Ladies have grown up and become parents they decided to make some music for the whole family. If you or your kids’ music taste includes They Might Be Giants, Black Eyed Peas or the Beatles check out their first collection of original children’s songs, Snacktime.

Sample the CD and download a free mp3 of the “7 8 9″ song at bnlmusic.com.

By Maura Keating

If you’re breastfeeding, you may start to wonder why you bother to wear a shirt at all. Most of your day is spent with your shirt pulled up around your armpits. While your partner might appreciate this new fashion trend, visitors might find it awkward. As you and your Miracle venture out into a broader world of friends’ houses, malls, and parks, your decision to bare it all might give you pause. When I entered this phase, I began using scarves, blankets, and large burp cloths as a quick cover up. My son did not approve. He objected to anything touching his face. When he was younger, he wouldn’t nurse. As he got older, he would bat the cloth away—exposing us at precisely the wrong moment. I couldn’t see him to make sure that he was latched correctly and he couldn’t see me, removing some of the magic of the experience.

The Peanut Shell Nursing Cover is the perfect fix for nursing in mixed company. The Nursing Cover is a large piece of cloth, shaped perfectly to cover you from top to bottom and from side to side. The fabric is 100% cotton so it’s breathable and light. A soft jersey pocket is sewn into both sides of the Peanut Shell, perfect for storing for a gentle, quick wipe or for stashing the included matching burp cloth. The burping cloth is great for small drips but is too small to handle larger messes. The nursing cover is machine washable and still looks great after frequent use and repeated washes. In case you needed another reason to leave your scarves at home, the Peanut Shell Nursing Covers are as beautiful as they are practical and come in a wide variety of prints and patterns.

The genius of the nursing cover is a piece of flexible boning at the top. The boning creates a stiff edge at the top that sticks out just enough to create a gap that enables you to see Baby, but doesn’t allow others to see you. The boning’s flexibility allows you to adjust the gap as needed, but is sturdy enough so that it stays put. The boning also lifts the fabric of the cover away from Baby’s face so that the cloth does not cling to Baby like a blanket or other covers might. You feel covered and Baby doesn’t feel smothered—everybody’s happy.

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I spent a lovely long weekend away with my family to attend a wedding. My mind is still filled with visions of the luscious colored saris the women wore during the Hindu ceremony and the intricate henna pattern (Mehendi) on the bride’s feet and hands.

I am just now catching up with email and blog posts—I was pleasantly surprised to see that Linda from a la mode, awarded Kidoinfo one of her top five blogs. I am flattered. I will share the love and name some of my favorites:

Rag & Bone blog: A great place to feed your mind and creative soul with everything paper

IKEA Hacker: Endless creative ideas for your IKEA finds

Angry Chicken: Amy shares her creative life with kids

Scrumdilly-do: More fun things to make, read and do with our kidos

Social Media for Social Change: A VERY new site with the mission - exploring how technology can promote good in the world

It has been a happy day.

photo credit: Douglas Itkin

Diapers and adult incontinence products, like food, shelter, and health care, are a basic need. They are, however, expensive and unfortunately they cannot be purchased with food stamps or WIC assistance. There has been no steady source of free disposable diapers available to those in need in Rhode Island–leaving children from poor and low-income families at risk of spending hours in soiled diapers, which can lead to rashes and worse.

Fortunately the Rhode Island Diaper Bank (RIDB) was formed in 2006 by a group of mothers concerned about the welfare of Rhode Island’s young children and elderly. Through the partnerships they established with aid organizations such as food banks and social service agencies, the Rhode Island Diaper Bank distributes diapers and adult incontinence products to children, and disabled and elderly residents throughout the state.

The Rhode Island Diaper Bank accepts donations of money or unused packaged disposable diapers (no cloth diapers). They also purchase new diapers with donated funds and distribute the diapers to local agenices that in turn pass them on to families in need. Please contact the RIDB if you are interested in making a donation.

If you are in need of diapers, check the RIDB website for a complete list or contact one of their partner agencies directly. The following pick-up locations lists places that supply diapers (subject to change as new agencies are added):

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Many fond childhood memories I have of my mom involve time spent baking and crafting together, and her ability to know the right thing to say when I was having a bad day. Now that I am a mom, I can only imagine how busy she was back then, juggling life’s many responsibilities, and I suspect she was often hoping for a little time off.

One of my favorite gifts as a mother is the gift of time—I never seem to have enough on any given day—between the kids, school, chores, and work. So my wish list would start with a little pampering and be followed by something handmade by my kids (a tradition in our house) and then time spent with family as well as time all to myself.

My wish list:
• Sleep an hour later than usual
• Breakfast (made by someone else) on the porch (away from the kitchen and the dishes)
• The laundry washed and folded (the day before)
• A family adventure—maybe letterboxing
• Time for myself to take a walk, go for a bike ride, work in my garden, or read a book

Gift ideas…
• Something handmade by the kids such as a card, book, or photo (printed out NOT on the computer)
• Spa gift certificate for a massage, facial, or pedicure (Alayne White is devine)
• Gift certificate to The Mixing Table (great to go with a friend because you can visit and then leave with a week’s worth of prepared meals)
• Photo charm necklace from Planet Jill
• An iPhone, pre-loaded with music and all my contacts at my fingertips (I admit I am a geeky mom)

I invite all the moms to share their wish list in the comments below, and then press “email this post” to the person in charge of planning their Mother’s Day with a note attached that specifies your top picks on the list.

Moms are special (I know mine is). Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 11.

By Maura Keating

Now that you’ve found the stroller of your dreams, you’ll need someplace to stash it. If you’re like most parents, you may find that babies come with an awful lot of stuff and all that stuff needs somewhere to go. The closet is the logical place to store your stroller, but what if your closet is already full? Keeping a stroller in the basement or the garage isn’t convenient for quick jaunts around the ’hood. If you’re living in an apartment, your neighbors will complain if you leave your stroller in the hall and it’s against fire codes anyway.

The StrollAway is designed to hang over a door and keep your stroller off your floor. Even if you have room in your closet, the StrollAway will save you from digging through the closet so that you can get out the door quickly.

The StrollAway fits over most doors with its wide metal ledge. Two metal hooks are capped with white plastic to avoid scuffing your stroller (or poking anyone’s eye out). Each hook can adjust to nine different settings, offering a variety of configurations for a diversity of strollers. The hooks that hold the stroller handles can be folded to the side of the door when they’re not holding the stroller. The entire contraption is made out of heavy-duty steel that won’t let you (or your stroller) down.

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By Maura Keating

No matter what Mother Nature dishes out, you’ll be ready to stroll with the Brooks Pond Perennial Buggy Blanket. The Brooks Pond Perennial Buggy Blanket is bunting that you can use in every season. Year round, the Buggy Blanket keeps kids happy with a layer of Thinsulate that is quilted between an interior layer of suede cloth that is soft on Baby’s skin and an exterior nylon layer that is resistant to wind and water. In winter, a removable layer of insulation works just like the duvet on your bed to keep things cozy. In spring and fall, remove the insulation for a light blanket that can zip on or off as temperatures fluctuate. With the blanket gone, the Buggy Blanket operates as a soft liner for your stroller, keeping crumbs out of crevices and thwarting stains. If it turns out that the stroller of your dreams (or the stroller that you ended up with) has a fabric that isn’t machine washable or if it isn’t convenient to remove, the Buggy Blanket keeps your stroller looking great. The Buggy Blanket is easy to keep clean with a quick spot clean or throw it into the machine for a bigger mess. The blanket, once removed, is perfect to use as a play mat in the park or a change pad on the go. A two-way zipper makes the Buggy Blanket easy on and easy off. The square bottom leaves plenty of room for feet and for kicking and Velcro tabs enable you to quickly resize the blanket. An elasticized nylon boot pouch and boot guard is sewn into the bottom of the Buggy Blanket, keeping messy shoes contained.

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