Recent Discoveries: Easthampton & Beyond

Ruby has been more and more active and awake during the day lately, leaving me with fewer free minutes to write. She's sleeping now, so I wanted to take this opportunity to spread the word about a few recent discoveries...

The Easthampton Family Center*  - I finally visited the EFC for a informal, parent-run play group and it was great! Very low key and relaxed.
The space is pretty cool - it's shared with Flywheel so there's a stage on one end, but otherwise it's an open space w/ toys and mats out where kids can play and have fun. Ruby and I hung out with some fellow baby folks on a baby mat, so it's definitely a place for all ages.
*Just a note - the Easthampton Family Center's new location is 43 Main St in the Old Town Hall, Easthampton, MA. Their website lists their old location - ignore that!

Mother Goose (and other activities) at the Lilly Library - This is just super cute. The Mother Goose series on Fridays has stories, movement and songs for young ages. We enjoyed it last Friday and it's made its way onto our regular calendar.

All-4-Kids Children's Consignment Sale - This is something I learned about when we were at the play group at the Easthampton Family Center. Look at that: socializing = sharing information and supporting your community!
Anyway, the sale is this weekend and I'm completely psyched about checking it out. You should, too!

Midwives & Pediatricians in the Pioneer Valley

Today was Ruby's four month appointment. She's fantastic and healthy and was a super duper all star when getting her shots. And once again, I was so pleased with the care of everyone in her pediatrician's office.

Inspired by this, I figured I'd spread the word about the great medical care we've experienced having this baby.

I am, by no means, a baby or doctor expert. But I am a regular, normal person who gave birth to a beautiful girl four months ago at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, MA.

She was delivered by two midwives from Cooley Dickinson Center for Midwifery Care. I love, love, love them, and it was an awesome birth.

We live in Easthampton, and so looked for a pediatrician in Easthampton. Not knowing anyone around here, I went onto the Masslive Parent to Parent Message Boards and asked for a recommendation. Although we liked her at first, that doctor ended up being a huge mistake (and unfortunately, we didn't realize it until after we'd had some very emotionally harrowing first few weeks of her care for our newborn), and so we looked for another pediatrician.

Northampton Pediatrics came highly recommended. But they weren't as close as we wanted.

Then I heard about Hampshire Pediatrics, in Easthampton. We switched to them when Ruby was about three weeks old, and haven't looked back. We see Dr. Jen and have seen Dr. Sue as well, and they are both just wonderful. Very thorough and supportive and low key and normal and great.

I'm sure there are plenty of other wonderful medical professionals in this area, but these are the ones we are very happy to have!

Baby Music Classes in the Pioneer Valley

Whether it's been me singing to her, her father's ipod playing Czech heavy metal (he's from Prague, so that's not as random as it sounds), or the music of her Seahorse, Ruby has always seemed to enjoy music of all kinds.

Because of this, I've had my eye out for baby music classes in Northampton, Easthampton, Amherst or anywhere in the Pioneer Valley.

After a slow summer, I'm suddenly seeing baby music classes everywhere!

The Jones Library in Amherst will offer "Sing with Your Baby" on Tuesdays at 10:30am, beginning September 14 until November 16, 2010.

Although it's not (yet) posted on their site, I *heard* the Lilly Library in Florence also offers a baby music class, also on Tuesdays (at 11am I think), starting up again in September.

Finally, I see on Cradle's calendar that they will have Kindermusik classes on Saturdays, starting September 25th and running for 6 weeks. The classes are broken down by age, and are not free. Check out their site for details.

Ruby and I will definitely be checking these classes out, and I hope you and your little one will too!

And please let me know if you find out about any others!