smoke detectors, toddlers and sleep

I was jolted (literally) from bed last night as seven firetrucks went screaming by my house sometime past midnight last night. Lights lit up the street like it was morning.

When I peeked out the window, all I could see was billows of white smoke clouding the sky less than a block away, and fireman scaling the roof of an old warehouse less than a football field away.

I can't find any record of the blaze in any news this morning, so I'm assuming everyone involved in the fire is ok. While the idea of someone losing their home and possessions is devastating, something alarms me more:

Pat and the Bug slept through it. The whole ordeal. The screaming ambulances... the lights...

5 things to know about the new ShopRite in Timonium

Angela Mirra is stopping by (cool) progeny today to share her experience touring the new ShopRite Grocery Store in Lutherville-Timonium. It's now a must-check-out on my list - especially with Thanksgiving food shopping just around the corner. How about you?

I can be a very inefficient shopper. I know it doesn't make sense for my schedule or for my veteran cart riding toddler either, but I have to admit that in my line of work I am always looking for certain ingredients or for a new favorite product.

I have the grocery store pyramid addiction. Hit one, hit the other, wait a day, and then hit the next. I guess I spend a lot of time around food and my son spends a lot of time singing, counting, whining, and eating while on wheels.

My first impression of ShopRite in Timonium was the usual: large aisles, big store, a bunch of standard ingredients... Until I took a tour with some of the staff members and then I was really able to see that they offered  much more than just standard. There are a ton of different ingredients and options here! Veggies are fresh, and often local. The bread is warm. The salad bar is crisp, and people seem genuinely happy with their job.

Not so "standard" after all.

pro advice for moms-to-be

Whether you're a veteran mom or still have your training wheels on, every gal can benefit from a little pro advice when she is expecting.

I know, I know -- NOT MORE ADVICE! Advice seems to be like conversational currency when you're sporting a baby bump. Everyone from your great aunt Martha's bff with 12 kids, to the lady standing behind you at Target, to the co-worker who wants to chat about 'how his wife dealt with sciatica' wants to weigh in.

Today's pro advice comes from, well, professionals. Who just happen to be moms as well. Like your margarita mocktail (and all advice for that matter), this mom advises you to take it with a grain of salt.

healthiest cities for families? baltimore ranks 85th according to parents.com

Parents.com recently evaluated 150 different cities in the United States to determine which cities were healthiest for families. Examining 40 criteria to see which ones are making family well-being a top priority (i.e. schools that have frequent gym classes, kid doctors and specialists galore, businesses that don’t pollute, parks in every neighborhood, etc.).

Topping the list were: San Francisco for its gutsy moves to bring healthier foods to schools; Boston due to its more than 400 kids’ docs, a state-of-the-art children’s hospital, and one of the largest pediatric research facilities in the U.S; and Honolulu because it has the least ozone pollution of any U.S. city.

Where did Baltimore rank? 85th. Sandwiched between Wichita and Little Rock. New York and Philadelphia scored in the top 20. Washington, DC ranked 112th.

this week's plum deals from plum district

Just had to share. Plum District has a great little black bag on sale today.

For $10, you can score this tres chic travel bag designed to hold every emergency medicine item you or your tot could ever need. It's your medicine cabinet on-the-go, brought to you by Mommy's Medicine Cabinet. Note that supplies are sold separately. So buy your necessities from Mommy's Medicine Cabinet or stock the bag with your own supply. It'll look great at soccer practice or your fall hike excursion and picnic.

Plus, Plum District wants to buy you lunch. Seriously. Spend $20 or more on their site right now and you can get a $5 Subway Gift Card if you enter the PLUMGIFT code at check out. {{Is the $5 Foot Long song swimming through your head now, too?}}. That covers a six inch sub and a drink. Score.

Want the deal? And a free lunch? Head over to Plum District Baltimore.

zoo zoom coming back this november

Ever wanted to run with the animals? Here's your chance. {{Sort of}}. After a several year hiatus, The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore announced the return of Zoo Zoom, an 8K race that winds its way through Druid Hill Park and the Zoo. Although animals aren't running in the pack per se, some will be visiting with runners post-race. Zoo Zoom takes place on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 8:30 am.

Not ready for couch to 8K? There's a Family Fun Run at 9:30 a.m. It's just a mile and great for kids!

“We are thrilled to work with Mission Media and Falls Road Running Store on reviving this unique race,” said Nancy Hinds, executive vice president of Institutional Advancement at the Zoo. “We think we have an intriguing course which will bring people through the Zoo in close proximity to some of our wonderful animals.”

Mommy and Me Gets a Heart Rate Boost: New Charm City Area Fitness Classes to Try with Your Toddler

A recent post on the Plum District blog was all about turning no time into go time; in essence, finding ways to to fit in calorie burning into an already crazy schedule. One suggestion? Run after your kids on the playground.

It seemed to me that it was easier to find opportunities for exercise when the Bug wasn't mobile. A long walk in the stroller? No problem. Now that she can't sit still for more than 30 seconds, that's pretty much out of the question.

If you're feeling the pressure of fitting in your daily 30 minutes of exercise {{let's get real here - what mom-on-the-go isn't?}}, you may be in luck. Several new "mommy-and-me" (or parent-and-me) fitness classes are cropping up in the area which make it easier to get your heart rate up while bonding with your pint sizer. Here are a few you might want to try out:

Fit to Be You and Me: The new Fivex3 Fells Point area fitness studio has a fun new all-about-fitness class for your preschooler AND you! Owner and instructor Emily Socolinsk writes that this is "A parent and child fitness/movement class for 2-3 year olds will get child and mom, dad or grandma on the fast track to fitness! This 45 minute class incorporates lots of fun, child friendly fitness/movement activities that will help develop your child’s body awareness, spatial awareness, coordination, self esteem and self expression in a caring and supportive atmosphere." Classes meet once a week and are being offered on Monday and Saturday mornings this fall.

Together with Toddler Yoga: Yoga on York offers a great opportunity to expose your child to yoga at a young age. Geared towards children ages 2-4, this class focuses on making yoga fun for your child while providing you with a bit of a workout. Check the website for fall class times and The Forge Flyer for an uber positive class review!

Dance Me a Story: Dance Elan at St. Paul's School for Girls is offering their Dance Me a Storytime program this fall -- an interactive story time for parents and children! It's described as a program for the youngest movers, designed to inspire appreciation for the dance. Join them each class as we dance in and out of classical listening skills, gross motor skills, and imagery. The 30 minute class is being offered on Saturday and Monday morning this fall.

Parent-Child ABCs of Dance: This evening program is being offered by The Baltimore School of Dance in Hampden. Parent participation is definitely required in this fun 45-minute class that incorporates age-appropriate movement, music, costumes and dance. (Do they mean age appropriate for us or the kids?)

What other classes are out there? Would love to have you share!

image credit