Curse the Rain!

Today is a Teacher Planning Day here in Miami, and we had grand plans to go to the zoo and play in the Splash Zones, but it is raining. I'm sure all the parents out there with plans for the beach/water park/playground are also cursing the weather, and since we've only been back to school for a couple of months, the kids might grumble at heading back to the usual indoor haunts. Here's a list with links of some local museums that you might not have visited:

Miami Art Museum

Historical Museum of Southern Florida

Museum of Contemporary Art

Jewish Museum of Florida

Miami Museum of Science

Bass Museum of Art

The Zoo, Part Two

(Don't go searching for The Zoo, Part One, because it's nonexistent. I just liked that "zoo" and "two" rhymed, and made a catchy header.)

I went to the Miami MetroZoo yesterday kind of on a whim...it was an overcast afternoon, leading me to believe that I might not be completely drenched in sweat as I walked the paths, and Elle and I had already fingerpainted, napped, and I had mopped the entire house (boy, that was fun...) so we were on the hunt for afternoon fun.

Also, I had been toting around a coupon from The Clipper for $20 off a family membership, so off we went. And here are my words of wisdom:

Get an annual membership--with the coupon our family membership cost $79--it totally takes the pressure off. Not in the mood to detour towards the giraffes? No problem! There's always next time. Want to arrive at 4, when the zoo closes at 5:30? No problem--it's not like you're paying admission for that hour and a half! No otters in their otter-pool, and that's your absolute favorite animal at the zoo? What-ever. You'll see them frolicking next time.

That's how it feels, my friends. I've never felt so empowered yet relaxed at the zoo in my life.

I also noticed a sign announcing that MetroZoo is one of the Top Ten Zoos in the nation, which I didn't know. So there's another reason to go often right there.

One other thing. As you may know, my blanket policy for Doing Things in Miami is to be there as early as you can be. I don't care if it's a doctor's appointment, or pictures with Elmo--be there first and you'll come out on top, especially if we're talking a kid's event on the weekend. This is not a city of early risers, so if you can get there first, you'll escape a lot of the frustrations (long lines, noon heat, parking issues, etc.) I noticed yesterday that hitting the zoo relatively late on a weekend day (they close the entry gates at 4; the zoo stays open until 5:30) is pretty pleasant too.

Moms in Miami Read Too, Ya Know

Do you miss those pre-kid days of curling up on the couch and losing yourself in a book for hours? Sure you do, and make no mistake--those days are gone, sister! Let's chant the mantra of successful motherhood: Adapt, Adapt, Adapt. I found this website, DailyLit, that emails a portion of a book of your choice to you, as frequently as you choose. They offer almost 1000 books to choose from, in categories including Parenting, Travel, Cooking, Entertainment, Fiction, etc. Some are free, some have a small fee.
Brilliant!
I've been reading How She Really Does It by Wendy Sachs in 87 installments every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I can even open the email on my Palm, and sneak it in while I'm pushing Elle on the swing, or while she's otherwise safely occupied.
Better living through technology!

I'm In Love With a Table...Table...Table

For those of you who get the T Pain reference in the title--thank you. For all: I'm actually in love with this table AND CHAIRS for my toddler. More info here. It's another IKEA masterpiece, which I love because:

* it costs next to nothing: $25 for a little table AND the two chairs. I'm sure you could get something similiar made of brightly colored plastic, from Wal-Mart or something, but...(this leads right into my next point)...

* it isn't made of brightly colored, obnoxious plastic, and it isn't covered with pictures of some kiddie character. Go ahead, call me a snob, but I'm actively rebelling against filling my home and my child's room with Barbie, Dora, Cinderella, etc. This table and chairs is white, and wood. Nice.

* it was very easy to assemble--everything together in under 30 minutes, with only my 2-year-old assisting me.

Full disclosure: the table surface is laminated particle board, and so is the sitting surface of the chairs, so I can't say that this little setup is going to be around for my kids to pass on to their kids, but you know what? I don't care! I want something that the two-year-olds can trash, color on, paint on, and spill food on, all without me freaking out about it getting "ruined."

Long live IKEA!