iTunes Giveaway and Touch 'n Sing Review

Brayden and Julie are getting to the age where anything musical is just thrilling - they smile, bop their head and dance along.  When you pair this with the colorful excitement of my cell phone or tablet, it becomes a great combination that will really hold their attention!

We recently had the opportunity to check out a new app for kids from SumahoMAMA called Touch 'n Sing and it was a total hit!  The app has been out or a while on itunes and recently launched for android.  Designed for kids aged 2-7, Touch 'n Sing (short for Touch and Sing Along Picture Book) hopes to entertain and engage with bright colors, movement and music, while adding a touch of education.

The app is actually a suite of smaller games which kids can access from one place.  The app is free to download and includes two free games - The Hokey Pokey and The Alphabet Game.  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is also a special freebie until September 1st.  These three are great to get started and my kids loved the songs so much that they'd run across the room to play when I opened the app.  At only 19 months, they're a little young for some of the games, but still loved the cause and effect experience of touching the screen and activating a special little sound or motion from the cast of characters.

When your little ones have mastered the free games (or you're just hoping for a little variety), additional games are available for purchase - most of which are only $.99.  They even offer two "Super Value Packs" where you can get six games for $4.99.  
As a family who likes to have it all, we bought both Super Value Packs so we could try all of the games. Here's a few of our favorites:
- Ten Little Indians
- Old McDonald Had a Farm
- I've Been Working on the Railroad
- Parade of the Wooden Soldier

These four were ideal for us because the child didn't really need any "skill" to have fun.  Touch the screen, and it'll make a noise, label the item, do a little dance, or give some other cute little gratification.  I would definitely recommend these for the littlest players!

For older children, I loved the pattern practice offered in The Farmer in the Dell, sorting in Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree, and the interactive matching challenge in The Muffin Man.

I will give one slight caution though to some conservative parents that are easily shocked - there are a few surprises you may want to watch for for sensitive/overly curious kids.  The Itsy Bitsy Spider does have spiders that eat butterflies and ladybugs if you guess incorrectly.  Similarly, the dog in BINGO will run over the young boy if he's not the correct pet indicated.  I was just slightly disturbed by the "baby or egg" choice in Turkey in the Straw and very surprised to see the animal on my screen simulating a birth of said baby or egg.  Nothing that's a huge deal in my perspective, but just another reminder that families should always be actively involved with their children's digital entertainment experience.

Overall, Touch 'n Sing is a fabulous app that I am so excited to have in my entertainment arsenal when we're out and about with twins.  I'm thrilled that I can have it right at my finger tips, where ever we go, and that with such a range of ages, it'll grow right along with them.  It's rare that I find an app that appeals to both of my toddlers, and Touch 'n Sing review seems to offer a little something for everyone.

Touch 'n Sing is available for download on iTunes and at Google Play.  Learn more about the app and it's developers on the SumahoMAMA website, twitter and facebook page.

SumahoMama wants to help you get started in buying additional games for your favorite kid by offering a $10 iTunes Gift Card!  Enter using the Rafflecopter form below - Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest ends August 13th at Midnight and winner will be contacted by email.  Winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.


Make my day and vote for me - please and thank you! :-D

The Pout-Pout Fish: Our Favorite Tales

Some of my favorite childhood memories were cuddled up with my Dad, reading a story. This was an EVERY night occurrence and something I am so thankful for.  So it's no wonder that with my own children, I am committed to offering these same memories for my own babes - albeit a little harder with four grabby hands lunging for the book.

I've decided that I'd like to share some of my favorites with my readers in a series called "Our Favorite Tales."  Up first is Pout-Pout Fish written by Deborah Diesen and illustrated by Daniel Hannah.

I first ordered this book without much thought from the Scholastic Book Club but am so thrilled I did!  My absolute favorite thing about this story is the sing-songy rhythm created by the terminal rhyme of each verse.  Great alliteration makes it a joy to read out loud.  I have so much fun with it that I'm not sure who likes it more - my kids or me!

The plot line centers on the Pout-Pout Fish who can't seem to shake a bad case of the grumps.  He seems pretty settled in that being  "just the way I am" despite numerous interventions with friends who recommend that he "turn that frown upside down."  Mr. Fish is always polite though in his declines of advice.  His catch phrase throughout is "blub, bluub, bluuub" which is great to vocalize when reading out loud.  Another great line is "Hey Mr. Fish with your daily scaly scowl, I wish you wouldn't greet us with a grimace and a growl."

I won't spoil the surprising and unexpected ending for you as it warmed my heart in the best kind of way and I'm excited for you to experience it for yourself.  I will say though, that someone interesting comes into Mr. Fish's life that changes his whole way of thinking.  A fantastic happy ending!

I'd really recommend this book for all ages - from birth to six.  A board book edition is also available which might make a great choice for the littlest readers.  With sweet sing-songy rhyme, adorable pictures and a truly climatic plot (for a kids book) this one is a top choice!

If you want to catch a preview of all the things I love about this book, listen along to Gordon True's youtube version, set along to music.  I told you it had great rhyme and verse!

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Pittsburgh Free for Kids Link-Up

This summer has been so fantastic in finding free or inexpensive activities in Pittsburgh.  We were thrilled to have found Curious Little Kid's "20 Things to Do in Pittsburgh for under $20"  and Macaroni Kids whose resources offer great suggestions for families.

I've seen so many great Pittsburgh posts recently that I thought it would be fantastic to start a Pittsburgh Free for Kids link-up to bring many of them together!

So have you written a post lately about somewhere you've been that was free (or nearly free) that you'd like to share?  Fill out the form below and share with us!

Just a few requests to keep the party fun:

1 - Click the link below, and a new window will open for you to enter your post title and link.  Once completed, come back here to confirm that you're added to our list!

2 - All posts should be about places within a 2 hour drive of the City of Pittsburgh.  All posts should include information about free or inexpensive activities (under $20).

2 - Consider including our Link-Up button (linked below) in your post!  Copy the code under the image and put it into the HTML portion of your post.  Not required, but we'd love to be included!  We'd also love for you to pin or tweet this post to help us help you get more viewers!

3 - Click around and visit some posts to find even more fun things to do with kids in Pittsburgh!

4 - Come back and link again next time you post another great activity!  We'll keep the button in our sidebar so you can find it easily.  

Thanks for visiting, and we can't wait to see all the places you have to share!

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Western Pennsylvania Balloon Quest: Field Trip Friday

Every so often, my mind used to wander to a time when, as a child, we'd been coming back from my Dad's company picnic, and had the pleasure and surprise to see numerous beautiful hot air balloons floating through the sky above us.  We'd stopped and taken the time to enjoy them, and the memory has lingered throughout the years.

Brayden just adores looking at Balloons (especially shiny Mylar ones) and I thought he might think that seeing hot air balloons was pretty cool too. It turned out that I started googling local hot air balloon festivals at just the right time, as our local one was just the next weekend after my search!  The Western Pennsylvania Balloon Quest  is an annual event in New Castle, PA on the fourth weekend in July every year, and is done in partnership with their local fire department. It's very well established, having been operating since 1989.

We arrived right on time to see about fifteen balloons inflate, lift off, and drift over the horizon.  All in all, it was a pretty quick experience but one WELL worth the hour drive up there - we'll definitely visit again!

From our experience here's a few things I'd share:
- Get there early!  There were a billion people and they all have to park.  We were so close to missing the action that next year we'll definitely get there earlier.
- Many people bring lawn chairs and settle in.  There's tons of room to get a good view so there's plenty of room for all.
- Bring your camera!  People were all over the place with DSLRs.  So glad I had my camera with me for some beautiful shots you don't see every day!
- The event happens all weekend with a balloon glow on Thursday night, and launches Friday Night, Saturday morning and evening, and Sunday morning and evening.  Plenty of time for everyone to check it out!

website: http://wpaballoonquest.webs.com/

address
UNION TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

304 SOUTH SCOTLAND LANE

NEW CASTLE, PA 16101

After the balloons drifted out of site, we checked out the carnival happening on site.  There were numerous rides and food vendors, but nothing really "for us" with tiny kids that I am still super cautious with.  We did make our way to the fountain and duck pond right on site and had a great time checking out the ducks and munching on a snack.

We had a fabulous time and will definitely be making this a yearly tradition.  Perfect event for free family fun in the Pittsburgh area!

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Pittsburgh Public Schools announces new Afterschool Program!

This content has been compensated as part of an Early Childhood Education promotion for Pittsburgh Public Schools. However, all opinions remain my own. #ppsafterschool

Before the babies were born (and even for a few months afterwards) any time someone would bring up the topic of "preschool" I would try to change the subject.  The subject was not my favorite for a few reasons.  I hated considering the financial reality - how would we afford a quality program for twins?  I was in baby bliss - how could I give up valuable "together time" in their short childhoods? I was in denial - believing that through the magic of pinterest, I could teach them everything they'd ever learn in preschool.

Today I'm speaking as a convert.  I've seen the light!  After numerous conversations with people whose opinions I trust, and some reading on the subject, I've come to realize that all of my objections truly had feasible solutions.  As a parent who wants the absolute best for her children, how could I keep them from something that research proves to be an imperative part of early school success?

As it turns out, Pittsburgh Public Schools agrees with the all the available research that tells us that investing in our early childhood education programs will give us the best "bang for our buck" in ensuring that all students have the opportunity to achieve.  Their goal is to help all preschool aged children obtain better school readiness and social competence skills by providing an environment and experiences that cultivate these skills.

The focus on early childhood education programs comes from the very top down with President Barack Obama, in his February 2013 State of the Union address, saying  “In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children…studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, form more stable families of their own.  We know this works.  So let’s do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.”


So how does a busy family (with multiples or singletons) make it work?  With reports showing that only 7% of households have a "stay at home parent," the need for after school care has become a "deal breaker" for families who want to offer the best preschool programs to their children while juggling multiple schedules.

Luckily for Pittsburgh families, Pittsburgh Public Schools has recently announced the launch of their new Afterschool Program to make sure the students enrolled in their Early Childhood Education programs are offered a high quality learning experience, both during and after the traditional school day.  Programs will serve students throughout the city at Pittsburgh: Brookline Pre-K - 8, Colfax K-8, Crescent Early Childhood Center, Morrow Pre-K - 8, and Phillips K-5.  Children in pre-K through fifth grade we invited to participate.  And it's not only about convenience for families.  Their afterschool program offers so many benefits to participants!  Here's my top five favorite things to consider!

1 - Qualified Instructors and Research Based Curriculum: While I love my teenage babysitter as much as the next girl, she can't provide the meaningful and purposeful activities like Pittsburgh Public School's Afterschool Program will.  There's no channel on television that can provide age-appropriate activities in a safe environment either.  Appropriate child-adult ratios are maintained to ensure that each child gets the attention they need. I like high standards, and PPS agrees!

2 - FUN for Kids: Lets face it - if the kids are happy, the parents are usually pretty happy too.  This program offers amazing opportunities for kids of all ages to have a great time - whether that be little ones practicing gross motor skills through music and dance, or older children participating in enrichment programs with program partners like the Carnegie Science Center or Gateway to the Arts.  Parents can be confident that all this fun is had in a safe, reliable supervised environment.

3 - Relationship Building:  While having twins does offer my children the benefit of having a built-in playmate, our family believes it's critical that they reach out and build new relationships with their peers as well as with other adults.  It was this realization of what I was unable to offer my children in my own home that decidedly led us to the decision that preschool would be an important part of our children's experience.  Both in Pittsburgh Public School's Early Childhood day program, as well as in afterschool care, there are abundant opportunities to make new friends, learn to take turns, share, and work together as a team.  What an awesome foundation for future relationships to be built upon!

4 - Routine and Structure: Experts believe that young children do best in a predictable and well-ordered environment where they know what to expect.  The PPS Afterschool Program provides stability for children whose parents aren't able to be home at the end of the traditional school day.  Instead of juggling child care providers and work schedules, families can rest assured that their child has had their needs met with a snack, attention to homework, and plenty of time for fun.

5 - Affordability: Pittsburgh Public Schools' preschool program is offered at no cost for many families and at a reasonable cost for all families within the district.  With twins comes double the expenses - a real concern for our family when considering preschool opportunities.  For families participating in the PPS Afterschool Program, several pricing packages are available to make the program accessible to all families.

Ready to sign up?   The application deadline is August 9, 2013. Applications are available online at www.pps.k12.pa.us/earlychildhood or parents can request a hard copy by calling the Early Childhood Department at 412-325-4291.

 

Most Magical Homemade Toy for Toddlers

We took a visit to Ikea today, and it was there in the aisle that inspiration hit.

If your toddlers are like mine, they are absolutely fascinated with pulling out and putting back the straw in the top of their "take out" cups.  While this can be a bit frustrating as milk drips down your arm as you wrestle the cup from said toddler in the middle of the restaurant, properly redirected this fascination can make for an awesome fine motor practice.  And who am I kidding - something great to keep them occupied for a while.

Loosely inspired by an idea I saw at Full Hands Full Hearts, when I saw the ORDNING Kitchen Utensil Holder at Ikea I knew it would be perfect for practicing dexterity. 

We added a pair of SNÄRTIG Silk Flowers and a pack of SODA Drinking Straws  and we had something that kept their busy hands and minds occupied throughout our trip, and well into our afternoon at home.  What I really appreciated about these flowers is that while they are bendable, they have an excellent coating preventing sharp ends from becoming dangerous.  

And while it may look a little less glamorous in normal lighting, the true magic is that a few random items thrown together can occupy two toddlers for literally hours - all for around $10.  That's definitely magical in my book!

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Closet Sharing: Organizing Kids Clothing with Two!

After writing about how we handle clothes our babies have outgrown, it's time to cover how we handle how we manage the babies current wardrobe.  Here's our guide to managing a closet built for two!


1 - Before we even open the closet doors, we try to keep track of all of the clothing the babies have in current sizes and for the future using our Baby Clothes Inventory.  It's great having it all down on paper to see what is hiding in our closet!


2 - Second, we try to stay organized.  With two babies, spanning three sizes and two or more seasons at a time, we need awesome closet organizers to manage our closet chaos!  For us, it works best to separate from right (Julie) to left (Brayden) and then by size vertically on top with the smaller sizes, and then below with larger sizes.  I work from the top down, trying to put the smaller items on the babies first as we can extend their "fitting" life just a little longer.  Find a strategy and closet design that works for you!

3 - Prioritize closet space and put the rest elsewhere.  While full outfits and coordinates as well as all tops get hung and placed in the closet, onesies, socks, pajamas, and all "non-dedicated" pants and shorts go into the babies' dresser.  The top two drawers are shared for socks/onesies/swimwear but each gets a drawer for jammies and one for pants.

4 - Get Creative!  We re purposed a second bookshelf for baby linens like towels, blankets and wash cloths.  To fit as many clothes in as we need to, closet organizers and storage boxes are an absolute must.  We have a second hanging rod in our closet to expand our hanging space.  We keep accessories in baskets on the top shelf and always keep an eye out for potential storage solutions to help us manage the babies wardrobe better.

5 - Pack away anything that is not currently in use.  We already covered how I manage previous seasons clothing, but our future seasons are packed into stack-able bins with lids with clear labels.  When the time comes, we'll be ready to unpack and get dressed, but having clothes for future seasons on the racks is just too much to handle!

Our "dream" twin closet by California Closets

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Compensation was received for this post, but all words and ideas remain my own.

Clothing Organization for Two: Twin Tips

The organization challenges began even before my babes came home from the hospital.  I remember the first clothing item I bought for the babies - a Winnie the Pooh three piece outfit, neutral in color since I wasn't sure of the baby's (singular at the time) gender.  It was all downhill from there as I learned to enjoy shopping in "both sides of the store" and my Mom and Mother in Law also rekindled their passion for baby clothes shopping.

The best description I can give is that I am a "baby clothes trafficker" with new clothes coming in (fresh from the clearance racks) for future seasons, clothes too small into the keep pile, clothes heading for kids consignment sales, and of course - piles and piles of laundry.  Sometimes I feel like I can barely keep up with it all!

Despite the struggle, I've found a few solutions and strategies that have been helpful for managing their wardrobes - past, present and future.

Just as how their clothing is just too much to tackle in one day, our system is too much for even one post to handle so we're going to break it up a bit.  First, we'll cover the "retired" baby clothes.

Clothes that have been retired from our closet have three categories - each with a designated place in the babies' bedroom.

"Clothes to Keep" go into a giant Space Bag  which holds an amazing amount of clothing.  While I use the smaller sizes for other things (like maternity clothes) the XL Cubes are perfect for baby clothes because when filled they are self-standing and can sit upright. In a year and a half, we've filled three, and they are happily being stored in our garage.  While we've considered pre-sorting this by size and gender for our future "hope baby," it's just too much in an already overwhelming task so we let it be.

Here is our before and after!  It's amazing how these guys shrink down after you vacuum the air out!

"Clothes to Sell" for kids consignment sales remain on the hangers (or stack folded if coming from a drawer) and are placed into a waiting laundry basket exclusively for this purpose.

When the basket is filled, the contents are moved to the basement, where our old luggage will store the garments to be sold.  They'll be tagged, sorted into sizes and repacked.  Out suitcases are perfect for hauling the clothes to our Mothers of Multiples sale where last time I made over $300 in sales!

Clothes with Stains have a box all their own, and get a few last attempts at salvation before heading to the rag bag.  I've learned quite a bit about stain removal, but absolutely hate to give up on something I want to keep or could get a few dollars for at a sale!


Keep an eye out for our next post in the baby clothes management series on how we handle current and future clothes!

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We love Early Intervention!

It was at our four month baby well-visit that our pediatrician diagnosed Brayden with torticollis.  "Torti-whaat?" I said to myself as I gave our doctor a blank stare.  The short definition is that Brayden had a head tilt, caused by the tightness of his sternocleidomastoid mucle (the muscle behind his ear that connected to his sternum).  For us, this was likely an issue that started before birth when he got stuck in a "frank breech" position with his feet on his head while still in my belly.  So the doctor prescribed Physical Therapy and sent us on our way.  While we started our journey at the Children's Institute's PT clinic (also awesome), the twice a week appointments were especially difficult with twins. Packing up an infant, and driving half an hour away, to have a half an hour session, while leaving Julie at home, dealing with his massive reflux and my pumping schedule - urgh... the hecticness of it is making my head spinning just thinking about it!

As Brayden's head shape was also an issue, we were referred to a specialist a Children's Hospital who suggested that we get in touch with Early Intervention as a source for home based PT who were awesome in helping with torticollis issues.  As an offshoot - this specialist also recommended a helmet for Brayden's plagioephaly (wonky shaped head asymmetry) which you can read about here.

So began our experience with Early Intervention in Allegheny County.  This incredible program offers physical, occupational, developmental and speech therapies to qualifying children within Allegheny County usually at no cost to the family. For us, the process included meeting with our service coordinator who met with us, explained the program, and had us complete some paperwork.  Because Brayden already had a diagnosis, he automatically qualified for treatment, but children without this would also complete an evaluation of all sorts of elements (physical, social, and cognitive development) and if their scores fall below certain levels, they are accepted for services.

Brayden was matched up with an awesome therapist who came to our home weekly, and was truly fantastic with our son.  She would stretch his neck, find his tickle spots, do massage, and play games with him.  It was so fun that he rarely complained!  Best of all, no long hauls to the outpatient PT office and expensive co-pays.

As Julie became more mobile, we realized that her crawl was a little "wonky" as well, and she wasn't rolling over normally.  Brayden's PT checked her over and concluded that her tummy muscles were not as strong as we'd hope, and so Julie too was evaluated and qualified for services.

As the babies have grown, their needs have changed.  Now VERY active toddlers, their need for physical therapy has passed and they are strong, flexible and very physically normal.  But we have had some concerns about their speech delays.  At 18 months, they each say only a small handful of words each (5-7).  Although I narrate our every move, Brayden only says Dada, Mama, Nana, uh-oh and yum and Julie's vocabulary consists of the same, plus "hi" and "no" (a recent addition).  Neither use these words to request food, nor can I get them to say "up" or "more" despite my efforts.

So yet again, we are thankful for Allegheny County's awesome Early Intervention program coming to the rescue.  Both babies are working with a developmental therapist who weekly works with them to encourage speech through engaging play and mimicking.

Unfortunately, twin families often find themselves with similar concerns as those we've had.  Smaller spaces as well as more time sitting is a frequent occurrence for twins and multiples.  Twins are also more frequently effected by speech delays although the true reasons for this aren't well established.

If you're a Pittsburgh family looking for resources, the Alliance for Infants and Toddlers is definitely the place to call for support.  Even if you do not have a doctor's recommendation, a parent's concern is enough for them to do an evaluation.  While I'd never encourage mom's to panic, and there is a huge range of "normal" my personal belief has been "if they qualify, they need the services.  If they don't qualify - even better as they'll be fine."  I personally don't feel like there's ever a down side to having a concern evaluated for the simple peace of mind.  If you're out of the Pittsburgh area, I have tried to find a directory for you but don't see one out there unfortunately.  My best advice would be to google "early intervention" and your county as these typically run through the Education Intermediate Units.

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They are who we teach them to be

Dan spent the morning outside, edging the front landscape with a shovel and wheelbarrow.  Nose to the glass of our front window, Brayden was watching his every move.  Since Brayden is typically better listener (for the moment) I asked Dan if he'd mind if Brayden came out to "help" for a bit.  For the next two hours, Brayden was right at his dad's side, quietly watching him work.  I asked Dan how things went when he brought the extra dirt around to the woods behind out house - how he carried Brayden while pushing the wheelbarrow.  He said it was not a problem because Brayden instinctively followed along, knowing right where he was supposed to be.

Later today, I had been napping and Dan and the kids came to wake me up.  Not one to waste an opportunity to connect, Dan laid next to me for moment with his head on my chest.  We're a pretty romantic pair (amazing after twins) and I gently ran my fingers through the back of his hair and ran my hand up and down his back.  Julie popped up on the ottoman next to our bed (their stepping stool) and stood there for a second staring at us.  After taking us in, she smiled and just watched us love one another.  I said to my husband "Just look at her - she's learning how you love someone!"  and that's truly what she was doing.

At 18 months old, I have been told their brains are like little sponges, absorbing every subliminal lesson, unintentional associations and bits of social programming that surround their little lives.  While we think we're teaching body part identification, colors and animals, what they're truly learning is how they will view and navigate this world in which they are a part.

That, truly scares the hell out of me.  No really - it does.  I'm terrified of having these little eyes (and mouths and hearts) watching my every move, and LEARNING FROM WHAT I DO!  Yes, in those sweet moments, Dan and I have a great connection, but what about when I undermine his authority and question his decision - am I teaching them to respect him?  When I get frustrated that I've lost the keys and the sippy cup has spilled and there's no more milk, and someone'e missing a shoe - will they sense and inherit my stresses?  When my dogs are begging for my dinner or sitting on top of my craft supplies and I yell "GIT!!!" - are they learning to be kind and loving to our pets?  While they're not yet too talkative, what about the words I say?  Are they the words I would be proud to hear come out of their little mouths?

Today has been such a deep reminder that these children, my babies, they will grow to be who we teach them be.  And these lessons are rarely intentional, but instead the classroom exists in our own subtle reactions and responses.

I consider my faith.  How are my babies seeing me share my faith with the world?  Are they seeing God's light through me in a way that will someday teach them to seek Him and have a light of their own?

While I wish the answers to all of these things were positive, that they were learning perfectly from what I do, I know that perfect parenting doesn't exist.  We all do things we're not proud to do and "do as I say, not as I do" is a phrase that many families live by.  But I want so much more than that for them.  I want them to value who they are, because I am proud of what they have learned from me.  I want them to find respect me as I have shared values that I would be proud for them to have.

And amazingly, as I am considering how I need to become better - for their sake, I realize how they intrinsically make me a better person for caring.  |

I have mentioned to my mother how someday I want to make sure I take excellent care of her as she ages, because I will hope that my children would do the same for me when it's my turn.  I can only hope that I can impart enough kindness, integrity and patience that they will walk my path behind me.


  

Round Hill Farm: Field Trip Friday

I'm excited to introduce Field Trip Friday - a time to share our experiences at all the places we've visited as a family!

My mind reminisces every so often of childhood memories at Round Hill Park.  With a bag of stale bread in hand, I'd hop out of the car and head straight for the lake where I'd lob hunks of crust at the ducks circling in the water. My grandparents took me most often, and as a former farm boy, my Pap was always glad to see my excitement at the animals there.

Now visiting with my own little ones, I was so excited to feel the familiarity of this special place and thrilled to see some of the new updates to make the park even more fun for kids!

We made our way to Roundhill park last Friday on a gorgeous day with a few moms and kids from our playdate group.  Special thanks to Sara from curouslittlekid,com and her "20 Things to do in Pittsburgh for under $20" post for the recommendation!

We started out at the duck pond where I excitedly got out my bag of semi-fresh "stale" bread thinking that my babes would do just as I had once done and feed the ducks.  This was a bit of a "fail" (as Dan would say) as I watched Brayden, then Juile, stuff their mouths full of their bread without second thought to the ducks.  They did enjoy watching me feed the ducks though and Brayden has even begun giving us an adapted duck "quack" (more of a grunt really.)

After the pond, we visited the farm portion of the park where animals of sizes could be found!  When you first pull in, this is to the right of the entry.  A nice stroll through the buildings allowed us to see chickens, turkeys, sheep and pigs the later my kids just adored.

Although I haven't written much about my passion for photography quite yet (don't worry - it's on its way), I am learning to have an eye for great locations and Round Hill Park is definitely on the top of my list for a great Pittburgh photo session location!  It has stone retaining walls, beautiful white farm fences and even great mildly sloping topography to provide some great backdrops.  Fingers crossed we can make it there this fall to get a little session in with the kids!

After visiting the animals, we got back in the car and headed towards the spray park.  This area is to the left of the main parking lot in front of the entry road.  For us, this was definitely a car ride but you could probably walk it if you were ambitious!

The spray park is provided free from Allegheny County and features numerous water features - fountains, sprays, and a barn that periodically dumps water on those standing beneath it.

The kids had an absolute blast running through the spray and trying to touch all of the streams of water.  Even though there were a few groups there when we attended, I felt like there was plenty of room for all of us.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves on the fun that Brayden and Julie had there!  

Just a few notes for anyone visiting in the future:

• There were a few park benches around the spray park area, but we took extra towels and a packed lunch which worked out well.  There is also a pavilion and some playground equipment nearby if you are looking for something more substantial.
• Unlike the city Spray Parks (I believe), Round Hill Spray Park does have chlorinated water.  I personally am thrilled about this as I feel like this could be kinda germy if the water wasn't properly cleaned.  Keep in mind I'm relying fully on my nose for this information so your mileage may vary.
• Finally, there are a few port-a-potties and at least one large portable stall designated for changing.  No indoor facilities are there, but this works pretty well. 

So our official review of Round Hill Park?  We loved it and can't wait to go back. :-)

We'd love for you to take one quick second and help us climb the Top Baby Blog ranks by clicking the link below!

Special thanks to Katie of Katie Fair Photography for sharing some of her pictures with us for this post!

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A long time ago, before we were married, Dan owned our house as a bachelor.  He chose our appliances with the help of Consumer Report guides, and picked out models that shined, blinked, and had fancy LED screens.  Shortly after I moved in, it seemed our curse began - first the washer, then the dishwasher then issues with the treadmill, the grill, the laptop and the fridge filter.  It became apparent that although Dan's choices were well researched, they did not stand the test of time, and he (unfortunately) did not have a backup plan.  He left the sales associates high and dry with their extended warranties unpurchased.

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Tell us your appliance woes!  Our personal worst was three weeks without a washer because of a breakdown.  Thank goodness we were baby free at the time because we would have been buried in the piles if something like that happened now!

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