Washington D.C. family trip

So we decided to do a family trip to Washington D.C. I hope this post helps you if you are thinking about this venture!

Overall...we had a wonderful time!

Where did we stay?

The Marriott Residence Inn at Rosslyn (right next to Arlington VA.) the metro was only 1 block from the hotel which was very convenient. They offered a wonderful FREE b.fast every AM which is so great when traveling with kiddos. Also , our room was a suite with a full kitchen so you can bring stuff to keep cold, etc. You could also take some fruit with you for that mid morning snack from the buffet too~! The rates where very good ...we stayed Thursday - Sunday. Always pick a weekend as weekday rates Mon-Wed are ridiculous.

So...this was the first time traveling solo without Grandma with all 3 kiddos. We did bring my new Bob revolution Stroller Strides Stroller and my Babyhawk Mei Tai and a Wrap or two!

The first 2 days I pretty much wore Sam (2yr old) on my back as we were not sure about getting on and off the metro and some museums do not allow Strollers. Needless to say...I am glad we did not bring it becuase it was easy to really get around and Sam is always happy on my back! On Day 3 we decided to take the Stroller not so much for Sam but for my 5yr old who started complaining of long walking ......yes, the 9yr old did too! So we brought the Stroller and tested it to the limit!! I had both big kids in it at one point! It really moved around the city beautifully and is so easy to collapse. Sam did get an occassional ride too!

We all packed our Sigg water bottles so we could avoid paying 4.00 a bottle for water! Glad we did that! We filled them up in the AM at the hotel and at Restaurants.

So we arrived on Thursday at about 1pm and was able to check into our room. We got settled in and let the boys stretch and Sam walk and butt scoot around the hotel room for awhile as the car ride was long...about 6.5hrs with stops.

Then we were off .........Metro to Air and Space Museum (Free to get in)......we spent about 2hrs in there. Then we walked down "the mall" area to the Washington Monument for awhile. Then we walked over to some memorials..etc...this made it a late evening....we then took the metro back to Rosslyn where there was a Ruby Tuesdays that we ate at for dinner then went back to the hotel.

Friday----took metro (by the way..kids loved to navigate the metro...what a learning experience) to Union Station where we bought tickets for the open top sightseeing bus which was a 2 day pass ( you can get on and off at all the attractions anytime). Before getting on the bus we went to the National Postal Museum. This was great! Very interactive. Highly recommend it! Also, Free. We then boarded the Open top bus..yes we rode on top...kids loved that. The day was beautiful but breezy at about 74degrees. We got off our first stop, kids had a snack at a vendor then went to the White House. We did not go in but looked from afar. There is a beautiful park right there...open grass and we sat there for awhile. We knew something was going on because security was scrambling and they gated off certain areas........all of the sudden Airforce 1 came in and we saw the motorcade as well. The kids loved that. So then we WALKED AND WALKED and ended up at the WW2 memorial then over to the Vietnam Wall then the Lincoln Memorial. We then hopped on the bus and went over to the Museum of Natural History..spent about 1.5hrs there. Then we WALKED to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner....whew...my feet were feeling it then....yes, Sam was still on my back! Took Metro to hotel from there.

Saturday------Metro to Alington National Cemetary. Very moving there I must say. We went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and watched the changing of the guards. Very awesome! WALKED all around the cementary..........JFK .......saw some funerals going on (new soldiers from over in Iraq :( ) One woman said to me " they really don't want us to focus on that." I said to her " yes, but it is reality". Ok..anyway........from there we tried to board the open top bus but it was packed ( thats another blog in itself) so off to the metro. We went to the National Zoo. We wanted to go to the Museum of American History but it was closed until late summer this year. The National Zoo was nice but alot of it was under construction. At this point when finishing up the zoo the kids were beat.....we did bring the stroller to help out a bit. We decided to go back to the room and chill out for dinner.......order in! The kids loved that!

Sunday- We took our time getting up and then packed up our stuff.......we didn't know what we were going to do and saw so much the first couple days......so drove over to the Iwo Jima memorial and then around D.C. and saw a million bikes for some event going on for the Memorial day holiday. We then decided lets head back home.......driving time home 6.5hrs with several stops!

So...there it is folks!~ We had a great time..nice little getaway! OH....I want to mention we brought our Phil and Teds Me Too chair for Sam ( hooks onto tables at restaurants). It is so compact and light to bring...we put it in our backpack very easily! Everyone commented on it and we loved it becuase Sam could be right at our level at the table! Needless to say.....it was clean! We do have them at Papoose!

I must have given away a dozen cards from me wearing Sam...lots of looks and inquiries about that and the Mee Too chair!~

Namaste'

Holly

Human Cheese

I Love this!! So great!!!!! Really if you think about it drinking COWS MILK is GROSS!!!!!! Human milk ROCKS! Although, I have never tried the human cheese thing.

I will tell you I am all for milkshare. http://www.milkshare.com/

Holly

And the 3D/4D Ultrasound Winners Are............

Dana and Liz are our moms-to-be that won the Papoose 3D/4D ultrasound with Tiny Perspective in Glastonbury. I went up to Tiny Perspective with both our winners and was honored that they let me sit in on what was an amazing experience. Where was this technology 10 years ago when I was pregnant with Willy? I literally had to cry to Dr. Kalla to get the one ultrasound I did have. Anyway.... these ladies were so excited to see their unborn babes and so was I.

For Liz, this was her second baby. She has a little boy now, almost two and she wanted to know the sex of her baby. She was going to send an outfit either girl or boy out to her husband who is in the Navy in a mail drop along with some pictures as a surprise. It's a GIRL!!!!!!!

Dana and Steve did not want to know the sex of their baby, so Gina, the fabulous ultrasound technician at Tiny Perspecitve knew just how to stay away from that area. She said Dana and Steve were her first couple that did not want to find out the sex of their baby. (Dana, Steve and me pictured above after the ultrasound)


What an awesome experience. The images are projected up on the wall for all who come along with the parents to see. The room environment is like a living room, so comfortable with couches and pillows and Gina and Joe do everything to make the mom, family and friends feel so comfortable. If baby is not cooperating or is sleeping and not moving to give good pictures, Gina has her basket of dark or milk chocolate on stand-by. It doesn't take long before you'll see some movement after a little sugar from the chocolate kicks in. The 3D/4D is so percise you can see the baby yawning, smiling, putting his/her hands on each side of their head, in their mouth. It was just amazing. I was just oooooing and awwing!!!


Each family went home with some printed out pictures, a CD of pictures that they could print at home and a DVD recording of the whole session. I think they will agree that the Tiny Perspective 3D/4D ultrasound is a great keepsake.

Dana and Steve left this on our Papoose guestbook after the ultrasound,

Just wanted to thank everyone at Papoose for the 3d/4d ultrasound. It was an experience my husband and I will cherish forever. It is definitly something we could have never done if not for you guys. Thank you all soooooooooo much again. Sincerly, Dana and Steve!!!

~Amy

New Mama Bottom Spray ROCKS!!!

Throw that peri bottle away! This is the way to go!

Best-selling New Mama Bottom Spray is a cooling, soothing perineal mist that helps ease discomfort of postpartum vaginal soreness and swelling, episiotomies and hemorrhoids. Made with all-natural ingredients, including astringent witch hazel, antibacterial lavender, and cooling peppermint pure essential oils. Relief is a spray away, mist as often as you need it, especially after bath or toilet use.Sit easier, feel better — naturally.

No parabens or artificial preservatives
No artificial dyes, colorings or fragrances
Cruelty-free
Toxin-free
Vegan

Bambu is here!

We searched for some time and finally found some incredible utensils for baby and tots by bambu!

Sized perfectly for your little ones’ mitts, Bambu's line of kid and baby sized utensils are as cute as they are eco-friendly, durable, and functional. Made from certified-organically grown bambu, Bambu’s kids line is the first-of-its-kind, providing a great alternative to the usual plastics. They’re stronger than wood, heat and stain resistant, won’t absorb flavors, and durable enough to withstand a toddler tossing them across the room.

Owner and Co-Founder of Bambu Jeff Delkin describes, “We felt that bambu KIDS gives parents a conscientious alternative; a product that was sensibly designed and priced and made from a renewable resource.”
12.99 for 2 sets

We are lovin' these!!!!!

Family Fun and Health Expo

We had a fantastic time today at the Family Fun and Health Expo in Norwich at the Comfort Inn. The Expo was sponsored by us at Papoose and Peoples bank. There was a nice mix of businesses and organizations there. From us at Papoose to The Farmers Cow (local farmer...buy local!!!). The Expo has a website http://www.familyfunandhealth.org/. We encourage you to visit to see all the events that went on and if you are a business interested in coming next year give Julie (Expo organizer) and email shout to get on the list. She had 30 calls just weeks before that she had to turn down due to space. Next year it will be in a much larger location with more fun. Oh...did I mentioned all day there was kid oriented fun as well! From face painting, music class, storytime to a puppet show! Mystic Aquarium was there with a touch tank too!

We will be at the La Leche League conference in Southbury, CT on Saturday April 5th. Hope to see you there!!

One Year and Counting...

Papoose quietly celebrated it's one year anniversary on Saturday, March 1. We could hardly believe that we have been in business a whole year already. So much has happened, we have done so much, we have met so many new people and made so many new friends. We certainly wouldn't be where we are today without you our loyal customers and friends.

Some of you know that we started Papoose out of an 800 square foot space on New London Turnpike in Norwich, some of you don't. We now call that place the dungeon, because we had the place so packed to the ceiling with product that no sunlight would ever come in. It was in a medical office building, with limited parking and we weren't even allowed to put a sign out to advertise our whereabouts. But, we had to start somewhere and that place fit the bill. Plus, our landlord was extremely flexible and wonderful to us. We outgrew that space in about six months and were on the hunt for a new location that would fit all of our needs. That location is our present location at 82 Salem Turnpike. But, how did the whole idea start you might be asking?

Holly had the name, "Papoose" in her head for a very long time as a name for a store that she watnted to open someday. She even mentioned it to Carol on their way to or from a La Leche League conference a few years ago. Carol retired from Backus Hospital after 32 years in maternal health and as a Lactation Consultant in Dec. 2006. Carol can't sit still for long, and mom's were calling her at home for breastfeeding support because her position had not been filled at Backus. She wanted to have her own lactation practice and needed a place to work out of.

Holly and I were friends and I always went to her at the salon to get my hair done. We met in 2003 when our boys, Cole and Will were in Kindergarten at Mayflower Montessori. We clicked immediatly with our same parenting philosphies. I was teaching in New London, but was getting bored and wanted a new challenge. That is something about Holly and I, we always are looking for the next challenge. She left hair, I left teaching and the rest is history. Although we carry some of the same skills from our other jobs with us at Papoose.

We are constantly learning from each other, Carol keeps Holly and I grounded when we get BIG ideas and we laugh. We are having a great time, our husbands are behind us all the way. We can't thank them enough for their support and labor in making the store look so wonderful. And, we know our kids will love Papoose someday. Right now, they just think of it as a painful, boring place to be, that keeps their mommies away from home. They don't realize that they are the inspiration for this wonderful dream come true. ~Amy