Our July Nurture playdate will be onMonday, July 23 at 10:00 am.
We will be meeting at Imagination Station park in Oconomowoc. Imagination Station is a universally accessible playground.
You can find Imagination Station in Roosevelt Park,101 E. Forest Street, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066. Roosevelt Park is located along the Lake Country Bike Trail.
" ... a universally accessible playground means that children of all abilities can play at their appropriate developmental level. It is a playground where every child is challenged. Therefore, it is not a playground only for children in wheelchairs, where ramps rule the playground, it is a playground where children with autism have opportunities for sensory experiences, typically developing children can use their imagination to create play scenarios, and where children with developmental delays can learn in incremental steps how to climb.
Imagination Station does this:
*There are double wide ramps that lead you up to the very top of the playground. There are activities to do along the way so it isn’t a “ramp to no where”. *The surfacing is pour-in-place rubber surfacing that makes it easier for a wheelchair to move around on, but also provides safety for children who are not steady on their feet. *There is a fence around the playground with only one entrance/exit, so that “runners” cannot get past mom.
*There is band shell reminiscent of the band shell in town, where children can create play or sing a song. There are percussion instruments to accompany the players. *There are adapted swings, typical swings and toddler swings. *The monkey bar area has multiple height bars as well as a variety of challenges. A child in a wheelchair can lift up their arms and pull themselves across, while other children are doing flips on the bars. *In addition to the swings, there are plenty of other areas for children to experience vestibular motion (e.g. going around in circles, going up and down, or going back & forth.)
*In addition the monkey bars there are plenty of opportunities for children to use their proprioceptive sensory system. There is a huge rope climber that is fun for the little ones as well as for teenagers. There is also a small climbing wall. *There are two different types of slides.
*many areas for imaginary play with trains, boats, the clock tower, and beautiful streetscapes.
*There are places to climb underneath the playground for children who need a little time to themselves
Snacks will be provided.
If you would like to help by bringing a package of snacks (goldfish, animal crackers, graham crackers, etc), please leave a comment on this post or email me at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com.
Please feel free to invite friends, neighbors, and relatives who may be interested in joining in the fun.
We hope you can join us for a fun time of play with our kids!
*For your added safety, please park in the spaces on the left closest to the playground. :)
**Our next Nurture playdate is Friday, August 17. The playdate calendar dates will always be on the left sidebar of the Nurture blog so you can plan ahead.
Today our guest blogger is Brooke. She is a very busy mom of twins with another sweet baby arriving soon. She is so sweet and patient and handles motherhood so well. I am pleased to share her story with you.
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My Life As a Mom of Twins
by Brooke
Hi! My name is Brooke and I have been married to Jeff, a wonderfully kind and patient man, for almost 7 years. Together we have twins, Lucy and Dexter, who will be 3 at the end of this month.
I would have to say that a typical day in our house is not “typical”. I never know what the twins mood will be, what they will choose to wear and what (or if) they will eat. Jeff likes to joke that they take turns “going off the deep end”. I'm not positive but I think that when he says that he's including me too. Oh, did I mention that we're expecting our 3rd baby in 6 weeks? At this moment, we are doing our best to make chaos work for us.
If I had the “perfect” planned life as I envisioned when I was younger, we would have had 1 boy, then a couple of years later had another. Assuming all was going well, we would have considered a third. Surprise! God didn't much agree with my plan. So, in December 2008, Jeff and I found out that we were going to be first-time parents to fraternal twins.
I dealt with the news pretty well, I think. I was excited and a little bit nervous but I figured we could handle it. People have twins all the time, right? I had a really uneventful pregnancy for carrying multiples. Of course, I was considered “high risk” and had many, many ultrasounds but, other than that, there were no out-of-the-ordinary issues. In July 2009 I gave birth to two full-term (37 ½ weeks) healthy babies via c-section. Lucy weighed in at 5lbs. 11oz. Dexter was 6lbs. 5oz. Neither needed to spend any time in the NICU and we were all able to go home 3 days later. PTL!
And then reality... The first week at home we had lots of visitors. Jeff was off of work and that meant lots of helping hands. The second week, my mom took vacation from work so that she could help me during the day while Jeff went back to work. The third week, I was all on my own during the day. That was when I started doubting that I actually could do this. I was recovering from surgery, still getting the hang of tandem breastfeeding and adjusting to being a new mom with two teeny babies and no one to help out except the dogs and cats. In case you're wondering, they weren't so helpful either. I was outnumbered. There would always be more of them than me!
I would say that the first 9 months were the toughest. I had quit my job to stay home with the kids full-time and I didn't know many other stay-at-home moms to have playdates with. So we didn't leave the house much. Just keeping sane through the winter was a challenge. Did you know that it's almost impossible to go anywhere by yourself with 2 infants? Oh, it can be done. Usually it's neither pleasant nor worth all of the effort in the end. I can think of a couple of times though when I had a successful outing to Target or the grocery store. Those times I felt like SuperMom with my double stroller, two car seats and ridiculously full diaper bag. In reality I probably looked more like a bag lady who hadn't slept in weeks and needed a good shower.
Time actually did start to go faster with Lucy and Dexter hitting all of the big milestones. It got a bit easier to go out once they started walking and interacting. At around 18 months we started to venture out more during the week. It was so fun to watch them learn to play with other kids and to see the differences (and also the similarities) develop in each of their personalities. I was making new friends and learning new things too!
Now, at almost 3, the twins are sometimes like little adults. They have opinions. They argue their point. They pout or throw a tantrum if they don't get their way. They test my boundaries, push my buttons and act like little mirrors when I mess up. They help me to practice patience and self-control on a daily basis. They also remind me that I need God's help because they still outnumber me.
People always tell me that God will only give you what you can handle. I don't believe that He gave me the twins because He knew I could handle it, though I found I could. I believe He gave them to me because He knew that I needed them to grow, personally and in my faith. People also like to tell me that twins are a blessing. Yes, as a mom of twins, I believe that is true. But what I've noticed is that those people don't have twins. :)
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Thank you, Brooke! Your kiddos are adorable and YOU are a blessing! I can't wait to meet your newest addition when she arrives. :)
The America the Beautiful parade begins at 11 a.m. leaving from Cutler Park. The parade will begin at the corner of Maple and Wisconsin Ave., travel west on Wisconsin Ave., turn right at West Ave., follow Main St. east, turn left on Buckley, then right on Baxter, finishing at the Schuetze Recreation Center, 1120 Baxter St. in Frame Park.
**A group from WFA is meeting in front of Allo Chocolate to watch the parade together.
Bring your blankets and chairs and celebrate with the City of Waukesha’s 4th of July activities with the annual Fireworks Show at the Waukesha County Expo.
The grounds will open at 7:15 p.m. with the show beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m.
The show promises to be unique and of exceptional quality. It will consist of some high aerials along with low level effects.The show will be best viewed from the Waukesha County Fairgrounds.
Carry-in of alcoholic beverages or fireworks will not be allowed.
**Come celebrate Independence Day with WFA. The fairgrounds open at 7:15 p.m., and we would love to play games, hang out, and watch the fireworks together. Please bring lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks to share.
Other area celebrations:
Bayside: Bayside's parade begins at Bayside Midde School at 9 a.m., ending at Ellsworth Park with an ice cream social and Bayside's Best Dog Competition.More on the Bayside celebration. There will be no fireworks display in Bayside.
Brookfield (city): The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on Gebhardt Road near Brookfield Central High School, turns north on Calhoun Road, west on North Avenue, south on Norhardt Drive, ending at Civic Drive. From 6 to 9 p.m. Family Fest will be held at Mitchell Park, with the band Our House, Heads Up Juggling and magician Glen Gerard. Also on tap: games, food and fireworks at about 9:15 p.m. More details
Brookfield (town): The parade starts at 9 a.m. at Elmbrook Church and runs east along Davidson Road and then south on Linden Lane, ending at Marx Park, 700 S. Barker Road. The parade is followed by activities for children.
Cudahy: Cudahy's fireworks will be at 4800 S. Lake Drive. The parade will start at noon on Lake Drive, and it will run from Grange to Armour Avenue. More on Cudahy's celebrations.
Fox Point: Fox Point festivities include the annual parade, which starts at the Fox Point Police Station. The annual softball game will also take place, featuring village residents against the Fox Point Police. Kids will have an opportunity to jump around in a bounce house, play with clowns, and get their faces painted. More on the Fox Point celebration. There will be no fireworks in Fox Point.
Greenfield: Greenfield will celebrate the holiday with daylong event at Konkel Park from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. That event will include live music, activities for all ages, plenty of food vendors and fireworks at dusk. The parade will begin at 12:15 p.m. and will feature former Green Bay Packers lineman Mark Tauscher as the honorary grand marshal and appearances by the UW Marching Band and Bucky Badger.
Greendale: Greendale's daylong celebration will kick off at 9 a.m. with Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence at Village Hall. The reading will be followed by the parade, including a separate children's parade. The fireworks display will start at 9:15 p.m. The American Legion and Greendale Lions Club will be selling a number of food items July 2 through July 4. Click here for the complete schedule of Greendale's celebrations.
Muskego (JULY 3): The July 3 Muskego celebration will begin at 1 p.m. at Idle Isle Park, W182S6666 Hardtke Drive, opening with activities like a bungee run and rock climbing. A ski show will be held at 7:30 p.m., and fireworks (with a musical background) will begin around 9:15 p.m. More on the Muskego celebration.
Oak Creek: A parade starts at 9 a.m. at the corner of Groveland Drive and Shepard Avenue, and ends at the American Legion Post. The Legion Post will be the site of a daylong celebration featuring live music, food and more. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m. at East Middle School. More on Oak Creek's celebrations.
Hales Corners: A "Community Bash" includes a children's parade, classic and antique car show, a pie contest and open houses throughout the village. Events are held at different locations, and fireworks will begin at dusk at Hales Corners Park, 5765 New Berlin Road. More on the Hales Corners celebration.
Menomonee Falls (JULY 3): The parade begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Appleton and Elm streets, ending at Menomonee Falls High School. Fireworks shot form the MFHS football field begin at dusk.More on the Menomonee Falls celebration.
Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant (JULY 3): Sturtevant's Fireworks Festival begins at 4 p.m. July 3 at Firemen's Park, off of Charles Street between 90th and Wisconsin streets. Admission is free, parking on the grounds is $5 and carry-ins are discouraged. The day is filled with family-friendly activities, culminating in fireworks at dusk. More on the Sturtevant celebration.
Pewaukee: The 4 p.m. parade starts at Pewaukee High School and proceeds to Village Park along West Wisconsin Avenue along the beach. Enjoy food on the lakefront starting at 1 p.m. at 213 W. Wisconsin Ave., with a 6:45 p.m. ski show and fireworks at dusk. More on the Pewaukee celebration.
Port Washington: A downtown parade begins at 11 a.m., followed by a picnic in Veteran's Memorial Park Park. At the park, after the parade, there will be a ceremony to recognize the armed forces, a bike decorating contest, a watermelon seed spitting contest and a children's play area with a bounce house and live music. The lakefront fireworks display will be shot at dusk near Grand Avenue and Franklin Street. More on the Port Washington celebration.
Racine: The 8:30 a.m. pre-parade starts at the intersections of Goold and Main Streets and runs south down Main Street through Downtown then turns west on 14th Street. The parade starts at 9 a.m. and travels the same route. This is an extremely popular parade, leave early to get a good seat. Fireworks can be viewed anywhere along the shores of Lake Michigan starting at dusk. More on Racine Fourth Fest celebration.
Saukville: The Saukville parade starts at 1 p.m. starts at Rebel Road and South Main Street. After the parade, there will be activities at Grady Park, and food and beverages as well as music will be available in the park until 5 p.m. Everything moves to Peninsula Park at 6 p.m. with more food and beverages as well as live music until fireworks at dusk. More on the Saukville celebration.
Shorewood: The 3:30 p.m. Shorewood parade kicks off at Oakland Avenue and Kensington Boulevard, ending at River Park, followed by free ice cream from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the park. Live entertainment in Atwater Park leading up to the fireworks at dusk will be provided by the Shorewood Concert Band and the Tweed Funk Band. More on the Shorewood celebration.
South Milwaukee: Fourth of July celebrations at Grant Park, 100 E. Hawthorne Ave., include a decorated bike parade, races and games for kids and free ice cream and caramel corn for children. Their fireworks display is set to begin around 9:30 p.m. More on the South Milwaukee celebration.
Sussex: The Fourth of July celebration in Sussex begins at 6 p.m. at Sussex Village Park with live entertainment from Rabid Aardvarks, a top 40s cover band. Fireworks will begin at dusk. More on the Sussex celebration.
Whitefish Bay: The 11:30 a.m. parade will step off at Silver Spirng Drive and Kent Avenue, finishing at Klode Park. Activities at the park include kids games, live entertainment and plenty of food vendors. Fireworks are at dusk. More on the Whitefish Bay celebration.
On Friday, July 13 we will be having our swimming playdate party at my parents' house at 11:00 am.
The pool is above ground and has a slight dip in the center. They have a few life jackets but please feel free to bring your own if you have them. We will also be setting up a small wading pool for the little ones who would be more comfortable in less water.
Bring a lunch along and we can picnic in the backyard!
Please let me know if you are coming or if you have any questions by leaving a comment to this post or emailing me. I will email my parents' address and directions to their house when I find out who is all coming.
This should be a lot of fun as long as the weather cooperates!!
I am a mom to 5 wonderful(ly trying) kids. I have 2 girls and 3 boys (who keep me on my toes). I am learning to navigate the ups and downs of being a mommy and loving (almost) every minute of it!!
