A wacky and whimsical circus spectacular featuring the ultimate tug of war between Ringmaster Chuck Wagner and clown eccentric Tom Dougherty over a magical top hat that controls the circus. Watch dogs fly, Asian Elephants skip, hop, and groove and one courageous man stand eye to eye with a pack of powerful Bengal tigers. Circus celebrities help rev-up the motorcycle madness featuring one cycle on a high wire and seven speeding riders in a Globe of Steel. Extraordinary aerial acts fill the arena sky with a rare double-decker trapeze and Chinese acrobats propelling through the air. This show really goes OVER THE TOP!
Baltimore show dates: March 25 through April 5
Baltimore location: 1st Mariner Arena
Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code “MOM” at select ticketing channels**. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Gold Circle Seating, Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Â Other Restrictions May Apply.
The tickets can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.com and by entering the MOM code in the “MC promotional box†when purchasing tickets.
from The Baltimore Sun
You are invited to join families from all across Baltimore City for a
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser to benefit the Playground at Stadium
Place.
Friday, March 13th at 5:30pm at New Waverly Methodist Church.
644 East 33rd Street across from the entrance to the Giant.
$5 for Adults
$3 for children under 12
Includes children activities and entertainment.
We will rise from the ashes! As many of you know, Our Playground at
Stadium Place was destroyed by an arsonist in September.
Unfortunately, the arsonist has not been caught; police and fire
detectives are still actively investigating.
The Y of Central Maryland and Friends of Our Playground are mutually
focused on improving the lives of the children and youth by providing
safe and enriching opportunities for play and recreation. These
organizations have joined together to rebuild Our Playground at
Stadium Place after the tragic fire in September of 2008. We invite,
and thank you for, your participation and support.
www.StadiumPlayground.org
FriendsOfOurPlayground@gmail.com
443.756.6198
Special Beginnings Birth and Women’s Center will host its fall Natural Baby and Child Fair, Sunday, November 16 from 10 am to 4 pm. Local vendors will be on hand to offer their goods, just in time for the holiday season. Â It’s also a great opportunity to check out Special Beginnings and its array of services.Â
The current list of vendors includes:
- Alyhas Alternatives
- Birth Diva
- Kaylala
- Usborne Books at Home
- P&D Woodcrafts Etc.Â
- Bediboo
- Daniel Creations
- La Leche League
- Music Together Chesapeake
- Peechee Neric Â
You’ll be able to find the following products and services:
- Wooden Toys
- BabyLegs
- Great Books for Kids
- Natural, Handmade Body Care Products
- Cloth Diapers
- Baby Carriers
- Breastfeeding Supplies
- Bellycasting Kits
- Doula Services
- Bradley Childbirth Classes
- Pregnancy and Birth Photography
- Soft Organic Toys
- Music for Young Children
- Seated Massage
Don’t forget to visit the Special Beginnings Breastfeeding Boutique, which will be open during the Fair!  There will be boxes at the door for donations to Arden House, a domestic violence shelter for women and their children. Items needed include new clothes, toiletries, pantry items, new toys, gift cards, etc.
Â
Special Beginnings is located at 1454 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Arnold, MD Â 21012.
For more information, contact naturalbabyfair@yahoo.com. ]]>
Waldorf School of Baltimore Â
Fall 2008 Speakers’ SeriesÂ
Thursday, November 13, 2008:Â 7:00pm to 8:30pmÂ
Â
Play = Learning: How Play Motivates Children’s Academic and Social DevelopmentÂ
Speaker: Dr. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, author of the award-winning Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize LessÂ
Â
 The Waldorf School of Baltimore is very pleased to welcome Dr. Golinkoff to their Fall 2008 Speakers’ Series. Dr. Golinkoff, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Education at the University of Delaware and winner of the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship and the James McKeen Cattell prize for her research on language development, will join us for an informative and engaging evening.Â
Dr. Golinkoff’s talk will offer a view on how best to educate our children for the 21st century global economy. Drawing on her most recent publication, A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool: Presenting the Evidence, Dr. Golinkoff will consider the research on the importance of play and playful learning – in a playful way, of course!Â
$5.00 will be collected for this event at the door. The Waldorf School of Baltimore is located at 4801 Tamarind Road, Baltimore, MD 21209.Â
 Visit their website for details on other events.Â
www.waldorfschoolofbaltimore.org
Â
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ICAN of Baltimore has been around for awhile. They are a grassroots organization that supports women and families through all areas related to Cesarean births. They have monthly meetings and this month’s is a good one for all pregnant mamas, or those just curious about a future birth, or have had a c-section in the past. The topic this month is Meet the Doulas, Saturday, November 8th, 2008 10:30 A.M. at St. Anthony’s of Padua A repeat of last year’s popular meeting. DC and Baltimore area doulas will be invited to come and share info about what doulas do and provide ICANers with the chance to meet a whole bunch of potential doulas at one time. Last year we had several doula matches made at the meeting. I also promote this meeting as a chance for area doulas to network amongst each other since Baltimore doesn’t have a doula networking group.
The International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc. (ICAN), is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).
]]>One day, when I got home from school, what do think I found in my room, but a box with a doll and a bracelet inside! Â I grabbed the box and rushed down the stairs, loudly saying, “Mama, look what I found!” Â I plopped the box onto the kitchen table, took a seat, and started opening.
The doll
I pulled out the doll, and as soon as I looked at her, I felt like I was a rock star! Â She is sooo cool! Â Her name is Zoe ($20), and she came with a cute little bracelet. Â The bracelet ($8) has little charms to put on it however I want. There is an apple, a taxi cab, a guitar with hearts and also – the special one -a maple leaf. Â All these charms represent a story about Zoe in New York, on her way to Canada.
More than a doll
The great thing about this doll is what I learn. Â The doll and the bracelet each come with a code for logging onto the Karito Kids website. Â There I can play games and earn points towards money which I can donate to different charities! Â So I can help other children just by having this doll.
I also learn about children in other countries. Â Zoe is from the USA, but she visits Canada; other dolls in this collection are from different countries.
I can’t wait to collect the other dolls!
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When mommy is sick, well…too bad! There are no breaks with this job and it can be brutal if you are not on top of your game. But, there are few little things that can help if you come down with something. I encourage you to stock up now on these essentials so you are able to help yourself when that cold hits.
1. Rainbow Light’s Get Well Soon – where have you been all my life?! It usually best to take this one as soon as you feel any symptoms and it can stop a full on cold from forming. But, it will also help during the cold to alleviate symptoms. I am not kidding – you will notice that a lot of your symptoms just disappear – all hail Chinese medicine!
“Get Well Soon formula combines elements of two very effective, centuries-old Chinese herbal formulas-yin chiao and gan mao ling – with immune-activating nutrients. Designed for the Prevention and Treatment of Colds and Flu’s, It Delivers: Defense-Strengthening Support – from a potent blend of herbs including garlic, echinacea and coptis, plus high-potency Vitamins A, C and E and other nutrients important in supporting immune function; Symptomatic Relief – for easing sore throats (forsythia), clearing the sinuses and lungs (platycodon and licorice), cooling feverish heat (chrysanthemum), easing body aches (Chinese lovage) and expel/.//.,,ling toxins through perspiration (elder, yarrow and ginger).”
$16.95 for a 2-pack on Amazon, but, this is usually available at OK Natural and Whole Foods. (If you can’t get this brand, I also recommend the Oriental Herb Company Cold Snap.)
2. Neti Pot Flush your sinuses! It is recommended to do this through out the entire winter when your nasal passages are dry and more likely to become irritated. Try it with salt, too.
3. Kiss My Face Cold & Flu Moisture Bath & Shower Gel That nice eucalyptus scent really opens things up, plus a hot shower or bath will help stop the chills.
4. Angel Dear Robe And speaking of chills, this robe was the best investment. It is like a super blanket. I wore mine all week and it was especially useful surviving through the furnace needing to be fixed. Stay warm and cozy in this amazing robe!
5. And of course, plenty of these: Kleenex! And, just make sure you have the basics on hand: Tylenol, Orange Juice, and plenty of DVD’s for the kids, so you can get a little bit of rest for while they are being entertained.
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The Harbor Harvest: Children’s Autumn Festival takes place this Saturday, October 4th, from 10 am to 2 pm, at the Inner Harbor (between the Maryland Science Center and the Baltimore Visitors Center). The event is FREE and is hosted by the Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance and the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore.  Check out either website for more information.
Harbor Harvest features awesome kids’ activities like: face painting, bobbing for apples, a petting zoo, pie-eating contests, square dancing, pumpkin decorating, mask making, hayrides, a sing-along with Mr. Norman, and more  You can buy your Halloween pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, where there will be a photographer on hand, and shop for produce at the Farmers Market.  There will be free cider and baked goods courtesy of Wholefoods. Â
After you visit the Harbor, you can head over to Fells Point for the annual Fells Point Fun Festival. Â Now in its 42nd year, this HUGE two-day event (Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5, 11 am – 7 pm) promises lots of activities for children and grownups alike, including food, arts and crafts, live music, and the Carnival of Wonders.
So head downtown, enjoy the weather, and entertain your little ones with some free fall fun.
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Sacred Parenting Circle
A place for parents who are yearning for community in their efforts to consciously raise their children. Join a community of support, respect, and deep listening that will empower you to reconnect with your own spirituality so that you can provide a safe environment for your child’s spirit to blossom.
Circle Gatherings will be held on the first Monday of the month, October through June, at 10:30 am.
Cost: $15 per session, or $90 for the full nine-month series.
For more information, contact one of the Circle Facilitators: Betsey Gilbert at (410) 321-5906 or Gina Strauss at (410) 931-7163.  To register, contact EvolveWell at (410) 235-1120.  The studio is located at 4800 Roland Avenue (by Petit Louis), Suite 301.
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If you haven’t visited the Harford Road corridor in awhile, now is a great time to check it out.  There are so many new businesses popping up in the Lauraville/Hamilton area, including Grind On Cafe (4607 Harford Road, at the corner of Grindon Avenue). Grind On had a soft opening a few weeks ago and has been feeding the masses ever since, and they’ll celebrate with a grand opening this weekend.  The bright and spacious cafe features paintings by local artists and serves local favorite Zeke’s Coffee as well as baked goods, ice cream, bagels, and reasonably priced organic sandwiches.  The cafe is open seven days a week, 6 am – 9 pm.  And there’s free wi-fi (maybe more useful when you’re sans bebe, since we all know how easy it is to use your computer while drinking a hot beverage and holding a small child….)
Grind On Cafe has teamed up with another local business, Urban Baby Runway, to create a comfy kids’ corner at the coffeehouse, complete with a child-size couch.  Urban Baby Runway has donated a variety of toys and books to keep the little ones occupied while you get your caffeine fix.  They can entertain themselves with blocks from Maple Landmark, Lilly Bean felt play food, and tea sets from Green Toys (made from 100% recycled materials).  More studious babies can check out titles like Urban Babies Wear Black, Counting with Wayne Thiebaud, and Mrs. Mustard’s Baby Faces.  Urban Baby Runway offers toys for sale at the cafe, and you can also shop for these and other items at their online store.
