Butter & Egg Days Parade

Next weekend is Petaluma's largest event,  the Butter & Egg Days Parade.  Look for the PMC's handmade float and give us a cheer when you see us in the parade! 

Music For Kids

This is a video from one of our very own PMC members. She shared it with us today on our forum.



Music is a great way to connect with your child, especially if it is something both you and the kids can enjoy. You can rock out in the car on the way to school or the store, or have a dance party in the living room. Music can signal to your child that it is time to relax and get ready for bed, or that it is time to get up and an boogie!

Here are some other albums that we are enjoying around our house lately:

What Every New Mom Needs

Reality Check:  It isn’t like the glossy magazines!  Before becoming a mother you see all those pictures of new moms holding laughing babies.  Those women have perfectly styled hair, rosy glows, and impeccably ironed white shirts.  The reality is, you will feel lucky to get a shower in those first few days of parenthood.  All those onesies you spent hours folding and stacking in the drawer will soon be scattered about as you hurried to dress a baby that just had another diaper blow out.  So try to go easy on yourself as you embrace a new reality.  It might not look like the magazines, but there is still beauty in it.

Ask for Help:  No ‘super mom’ ever did it all on her own, and you shouldn’t either.  Being good to ourselves, and our family, means asking for help when we need it.  The PMC offers a wonderful service called Meals In A Pinch, which is just perfect for new moms.  Our wonderful volunteer moms will bring your family dinner for an entire week!  You might also consider asking your extended family for a hand around the house.  They can help with sweeping, mopping, dusting and cooking.  You might also consider hiring a housekeeper, at least for that first month or two after baby arrives.    

Join A Playgroup:  Playgroups aren’t just for babies.  In fact, until your kids are toddlers, they are more for the moms.  We need support, and there is nothing like talking to other moms going through the exact same thing to make you feel good.  You become comrades very quickly, and can share everything from messy house stories to new baby food ideas.  Stories of strangely colored baby poo become something to laugh about, rather than worry about. 

The PMC always has open playgroups, but consider starting your own if a current group doesn’t fit your schedule.

Comfortable Clothes:  In those first few weeks of motherhood, your old jeans still won’t fit.  Try having a few comfy, stretchy outfits available.  You might not make it out of the house much, but you will want to look attractive and feel comfortable when running to the grocery store, or to those first doctor appointments. 

A Good Baby Carrier:  While this is a personal choice, many moms are enjoying the option of carrying their baby and having their hands free.  There are many options when choosing your baby carrier, but if you think this might be something you will enjoy, try spending the extra money for one that will last.  Look for the best back support, and one that will hold your baby’s ever increasing weight. 

Rest:  At the heart of being a patient and happy mom is getting the rest we all need.  A new baby will wake you up multiple times a night, and feeling well rested may be your biggest new mom challenge.  Do what you can, even if it means staying in bed that whole first week, to get the rest you need.

The Petaluma Mothers’ Club doesn’t endorse any single theory or "right" way to parent, but exist to create an atmosphere of support and camaraderie so that each member may find what she needs to grow as a parent. We are a network of families supporting families.  Our online forum is a great way to ask questions, even anonymously, to get support and more satisfaction from being a parent.


Please leave a comment if you have any new mom suggestions!

Petaluma Mothers' Club Annual Egg Hunt

The PMC is so excited to be announcing that our Annual Egg Hunt will be held on April 3rd from 11AM to 2PM at the always gorgeous McNear Park.  This is going to be a great event for the entire family!  Organized by our fabulous volunteer moms, we will have crafts, a bake sale, the Easter Bunny, and of course Egg Hunts for the little ones.  So put on your bunny ears and hop on over to welcome spring at the sweetest Egg Hunt of the season!  

You can download the flyer from our website at:  www.petalumamothersclub.org

Time To Garden! Part 1

Nothing says springtime like getting outside and tending a garden. Now is the perfect time to begin planning what you would like to plant this year, and where you want to grow it. Children love to garden too, so perhaps this is the year they can help out. I don't think a garden needs to be big to be rewarding. A large pot brimming with plants feels like a great accomplishment.

If you would like to start some vegetables, first think about what you and your family would enjoy eating. Do you like juicy tomatoes, colorful carrots, or flavorful herbs? Would you like some flowers to brighten up a dark corner, or bring indoors for a bouquet? Children love to pick carrots straight from the garden, or marvel at how large a sunflower can grow.

We are so lucky here in Petaluma to have such an amazing growing season. We also have some of the best gardeners around! Check out the Seed Bank for great seeds, and visit Cottage Gardens for some great plants, or advice on what to grow. If you don't have a balcony, patio, or dirt of your own, try gardening at one of our community gardens, like the one at McNear Park.

Sunset Magazine has a great online resource for starting a vegetable garden.

There really is no end to gardening advice, and it can range from the practical to the superstitious. Try not to let all the tips and tricks get in the way of getting started. The best advice will be what you learn through trial and sometimes error.  

Emergency Preparedness Kit

In the obviously devastating aftermath of Haiti’s earthquake, I questioned my family’s preparedness should a disaster occur in Petaluma.  I thought I’d give a couple links to sites which help outline what you should have in an emergency kit.  I went to Target, Trader Joes and Grocery Outlet to get almost all my supplies.  For the same price or a bit more as buying a premade kit, you can get so many more of the items you need…

I also wanted to direct you to a fantastic local disaster preparedness network- Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).  There are free trainings frequently scheduled through the local CERT and the Fire Department to train ordinary citizens in how to be of assistance in a major disaster when all typical rescue services are overwhelmed or cannot get to you.  I took this class last March and gained so much out of it in terms of how to prepare my own house and family and furthermore how to be of assistance in my community.

There is another round of classes being offered in March – for FREE – and I highly recommend attending.  The person to contact is Bill Hammerman at 762-6593, email whammer@petalumanet.org

One of the better overall preparedness manuals with checklists of what to put in your kit, how to prepare your home, creating an emergency plan, etc. is at http://www.cert-la.com/EmergPrepBooklet.pdf.

This is the one I have printed out in my kit and used to get my house organize.

How to Build Your Own Emergency Kit (not exhaustive by any means!)

SFGate checklist- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/earthquakes/archive/ready.dtl

LA CERTS- http://www.cert-la.com/EmergPrepBooklet.pdf

Pre-made emergency kits (I’ve never used any of these so if other’s have better/other suggestions, please send them)

www.Beprepared.com

www.costco.com

www.redcross.org

Happy preparing!

Guest post by Tauni Swenson.  Tauni is a board member of the Petaluma Mothers’ Club.  She is also helping to coordinate this years’ KidFest, an exhibition of local resources sponsored by the PMC and hosted by Sonoma Family Life magazine.

February President's Note

I have always wanted to volunteer in the community that I lived in.  It’s something that I feel helps keep me connected and a part of my community.  I also really enjoy helping others and giving back.

When I lived in another county and before I had kids, I volunteered to coach a girls’ soccer team.  I was coaching girls ages 6 and 61/2.  The hardest part about coaching besides trying to get little ones to play soccer instead of picking grass and doing cartwheels was dealing with the scrutiny of parents who couldn’t believe I was volunteering when I didn’t have a kid on the team.

I’ve since had many other opportunities to volunteer and I must say that volunteering for the PMC has been my favorite.  It’s nice having a common bond with other mothers as well as having made friends to help me along in my parenting journey.  I love our events, mom’s nights out, socials, and getting this wonderful newsletter.  I’ve been involved in the PMC since before my 3 year old was born.  At that time I had no clue about becoming a mother (I’m still pretty clueless).  I received so much support from other women when I had to return to work after having a baby, I joined a great playgroup, got lots of tips on baby gear, gave away and received children’s items, etc.  Later I became an Event Coordinator and had a blast coordinating events with a great team of women, last year I served as VP, and this year as President.  I’m really enjoying myself so far, and I’m learning a lot in the process.  What is amazing to me is the dedication of so many members of our organization.  There are women I’ve met who are doing so much to volunteer not just with the PMC but other local organizations as well.  How inspiring!  How do they do it?

Although we have launched into 2010 and have a few months left in this term, we are always looking for mothers (and dads) who would like to get more involved with our club.  If you feel like you can do a little more this year, whether that be make a meal for a family who has just had a baby, or come to a board meeting to show support and say “hello,” I will be the first to welcome you and invite you to do so.  If you are interested in supporting other organizations locally, there are many that can use your support this year.  If I can be of any assistance connecting you, please let me know.  If you are doing your best with all you have on your plate right now, just keep on going, you’re doing great moms (& dads).

Happy Valentine’s Day & Happy Volunteering!

Have Fun spreading the love!

Veronica Blaustein

PMC President