It boggles my mind that www.iheartpublix.com is only 6 months old. I’ve been following her for 3 months. She has only been on Facebook 2 weeks. But we all love her. She already has 1,000 friends. lol. That must mean something!
image courtesy of www.iheartpublix.com
Michelle is now giving away a $50 Publix giftcard. I would love to win it!
I can’t tell you how many outfits I could have saved from meal-time disasters if I had a bib nearby. Here’s the scenario: my son wakes, I bring him downstairs and place him in the high chair, and he immediately demands food. Usually the last thing I can find is a bib, so I begin to feed him hoping half of his food doesn’t land on his shirt. Of course it always does. I came up with this idea so I always have a clean bib nearby. Luckily his chair has a hole that I’m able to hang his bibs. I hope this makes your life a little easier. I know it’s made mine.
image from Mahar Drygoods - Lilly Bean Play food set
I am a little obsessed with Play Food. No, not the plastic kind that comes with the ToysRUs plastic kitchen. I am really obsessed with the homemade, felted or sewn play foods. But to be honest, I am a little afraid of my obsession. I am afraid that I will spend hours (or days or weeks) in my own little fantasy world sewing away, but upon receipt, Bella will pelt them at my head. Or tear them apart with one deft move. I think the worst thing she could do would be to completely ignore them. Hmm. Of course, if she ignores them, then they could be mine, all mine. I could put them at the center of the dining room table. I could put make fancy little felt cakes and put them on a cake stand. I could fix plates of pancakes but leave them on the table – all day! I don’t know how to explain what I think of these little felt foods or why I think that Bella needs a restaurant supply of felt food. » Read more: Obsessed with Play Food
Today’s daycare has made many strides and progress not only to provide care, but also introduce learning programs to advance your child’s education. Please realize I speak in a very general tone based off of my experience. Some may not have as many policies as the center my son attends. My son’s center is an environmentally friendly center that has made great attempts to provide an allergy-free, €œgreen€ learning environment. Children are separated by age groups. Each group has their day structured around learning applications that are age appropriate. As a new parent without friends that had children in daycare, I’ve had to learn about the policies and procedures on my own. » Read more: Do You Know Your Daycare’s Policies?
Atlanta has some really great parks to explore. There is a wide range of options: some in the city and others out in the burbs, some are great with strollers and others are best with backpacks, some along the river and others up the mountain!
Photo Credit : Piedmont Park
Piedmont Park is a popular choice. In the center of the city, there are long paved trails, a large lake, a big playground, many park benches and picnic tables. On Saturdays, they host a farmer’s market. They have a track course surrounding two softball fields, two soccer fields and two volleyball courts. There are also tennis courts and a public pool. Many restaurants are on the edge of the park, including a personal favorite, The Flying Biscuit. Piedmont Park is next to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, another local treasure, so you could easily visit them at the same time. This past week, the park celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a benefit concert with Paul McCartney. Pretty cool! I wish I could have been there. Even though Piedmont Park has something for everyone, it is very large and there is enough space for everyone.
Photo Credit: http://georgiatrails.com/trails/bigcreek.html
If you are north of the city or you are looking for something off the beaten path, less manicured and more natural, an excellent option is the Big Creek Greenway in Alpharetta on North Point Parkway, next to an Ethan Allen furniture store. If you live near there, you have certainly passed by the entrance a number of times, and you might not have even known it. One of the fun things about this treasure is that it appears to be a quiet little gem that appears out of nowhere. It is really close to North Point Mall, but it has a tiny little driveway and can be rather difficult to find this small sign.
While the Greenway is left to its own devices regarding landscaping, you still have the luxury of over six miles of very wide, smooth paths for strollers. I think the paths are the widest that I have seen of any park that I have visited. This may not sound like much to many people, but when you are out walking with other Moms and can fit 3 or 4 strollers across the path at once – That makes for some great conversations and good times…
The trees are very tall and provide great shade, which is a huge advantage of this park over others, as Atlanta days can be so hot and the sun so bright for little baby skin, especially those under 6 months who aren’t supposed to wear sunscreen. Also, if you get hungry, you can bring a picnic and sit at a picnic table or leave the wilderness and be back in civilization in minutes. There are many great spots for lunch nearby.
Welcome to Next Top Moms! We are all new moms trying to figure out this maze of our new lives. Liz and Becca live in Atlanta, so we will have a lot to say 
about our hometown, but mostly we will be talking about a wide range of subjects, so moms and friends from all over are welcome! 
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