Will You Vote for Me?

By Monica Cravotta  |  Published: Friday, July 9, 2010

Dear Friends,

I would so appreciate your support! Every year the Austin Chronicle newspaper and web site publishes a “Best of Austin” poll in which people  can submit names for “Best of” in multiple categories including author, photographer, artist, actress, stylist, and much more.

Within the MEDIA category, you can nominate your favorite “Local Blogger” and favorite “Local Blog”.  It would be so cool to see my name and Attachment Mama included in the 2010 Best of Austin list. Fellow Austin Blogging Mamas, of course I understand that you will want to nominate yourself and not me!

You can place your vote here: Austin Chronicle Best Of 2010 and you must do so by Monday, July 19.  And remember you can only submit your ballot once!

The recession has hurt so many businesses across every industry — anything we can do to support one another and help people that we know do great work, let’s do it!

Speaking of — my nomination for best Pedicure/Manicure and best kept secret in Austin:

Lee

Great Nails & Spa

2911B South First (just south of Torchy’s Taco’s).

512-804-5228

Hours:  Mon-Sat, 9:00 am – 7:30 pm and Sunday 12 pm – 5:00 pm

Hands down the best pedicure in Austin if you appreciate an incredible, long (30 minutes) massage as part of the package. 

And only $25 Mamas!!!

Ask for Matt or Lee (pictured here with my feet) — they both rock.

Posted in AP & Self Care, Austin, Best Nail Salon | 2 Comments

Bloggin’ Mama Social

By Monica Cravotta  |  Published: Thursday, July 1, 2010

Posted in Austin, Bloggin' Mama Social | 1 Comment

Ramonster Cowpoke Swankwear

By Monica Cravotta  |  Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sadie Added some Fancy to her Ramonsterwear

I felt pretty ridiculous when I said this, but I actually meant it when I told someone recently that Austin is a place where people come to make their dreams come true. Something about this town and its entrepreneurial arty-ness is all about supporting people in going for it — whatever it is.

Start a company. Build a School. Get a PhD. Be an Artist. Or an Athlete. Or a Writer. Or a Chef. Or a Clothing Designer……..you dream it up — you’ll likely find a large network to support you in making it happen.

In other towns, you might dare risk to say out loud that you’d really like to pursue something and find a host of people ready and willing to feed your fear and suggest you play it safe.

Not Austin.

The Baby of the Family - Izaroo

People here support each other in doing, expressing, creating, risking, building….in good times and in bad.

I’d like to do my part in supporting some of the crazy talented people that have crossed my path since I moved here seven years ago by showcasing their work on Attachment Mama — especially those making or doing cool things for families!

Today’s post is for Kathie Sever.  Sewing Artist Extraordinaire. Hilarious writer. Crafty Mama about to write a book about it. KICK ass cowpoke clothes for kids — and parents too.

Kathie made matching cowgirl dresses for my girls’ birthdays this Fall.  She makes adorable shirts for boys too.  The name of her clothing design business is Ramonster after her daughter, Ramona.  Love it. And Love her work.

Thanks for being you Kathie!

Kathie’s husband Matt will be the one male voice on our Sweet Songs album — singing back-up on one of Libby’s songs.  I cried when I heard it in the studio last month.  So looking forward to sharing this — and the rest of the album with the world when we release it on Mother’s Day.

Posted in Austin, Cool Handmade Clothes | No Comments

Indoor Fun for Toddlers in Austin — Great Ideas for All Towns

By Monica Cravotta  |  Published: Friday, January 8, 2010

Anyone else preferring to stay at home but suffering a bit from cabin fever crazies at home?   Here’s some ideas for getting out of your house and right back inside the warmth of someplace else fun:

Photo by Emily Starbuck Gerson

1. AUSTIN CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

$5.50—Kids and adults, $3.50—Toddlers 12-23 mo.

Free—Under cialis reviews 12 months

Monday Mornings 9am-noon: “Baby Bloomers” for ages 3 and under

Toddler Storytime, rotunda – 9:30am
Sing-a-long, rotunda – 10:30am

Location: 201 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701

2. BOOK PEOPLE Story Time

FREE, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 10:30 AM

Location: 603 N. Lamar, Austin, TX 78703

3. CAFE MONET Pottery Painting

The cost depends on which piece of pottery you choose. On Wednesdays, all children’s pottery is $3 off. A fun, paint-it-yourself pottery studio, all supplies are provided; instructions on how to paint provided as well.

Location: 4477 S Lamar Blvd # 560, Austin, TX

4. PUBLIC LIBRARIES

FREE, Story times, activities, and books, order medicine online books, books.

Complete listing of locations with maps on web site.   I personally can’t wait for the W. Mary/S. 1st library to open!

5. TEXAS MEMORIAL MUSEUM

FREE/donation, Parking $3/hr

Dinosaur footprints/skeletons, Texas animals, fossils, insects, spiders, snakes, kids love it!!

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm; Saturday, 10 am–5 pm; Sunday, 1–5 pm.

Location: 2400 Trinity Street (UT-Austin campus) Austin, TX

6. SCOTTISH RITE Children’s Theatre

Pricing for Regular Productions: $3—Infants under 1 year, $7—Children 1-12, $10—Adults

Pricing for Supper and Show Tickets (Special performances that include a catered meal at 5 pm): $3—Infants under 1 year, $15—Children ages 1-12, $20—Adults

Location: 207 West 18th Street, Austin, Texas 78701

7. FLIPNOTICS coffee house on Saturday Mornings

It’s the Hey Lollies show every Saturday morning at 10 am.  Cute, super-fun music – kids love it!

Location: 1601 Barton Springs Rd. Austin, TX 78704.

8.  RUTA MAYA coffee house Kids Shows on Sunday Mornings

Every Sunday at 10:30, check the web site calendar to see what the show is as it changes every week.  This Sunday (January 10), it’s a free Music Together sampler of with Michael Shay of Music Forever, Music Together.

9. AUSTIN MUSEUM of ART

Learned about the new Family Saturdays program from a fellow Austin AP Mama. Sounds super cool!  Every second Saturday, the first one is tomorrow, January 9 and will repeat Repeat on the second Saturday of the month until 12/01/2010
Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Family Yoga (1 pm)

$7 for the whole family; $5 member families.

Location: 823 Congress Avenue at 9th Street, Austin, TX

10. KULA YOGA

Located in Tarrytown, Kula Yoga is great.  Classes for every member of the family — from prenatal and postnatal mom/baby, to toddler, children’s, teen, and more.

Mom & Baby: Wednesdays, 10:15 – 11:15

Parent & Tot:  Wednesdays, 10:15 – 11:15

Toddler:   Mondays, 11:30 – 12:30; Wednesdays, 11:30 – 12:30; Fridays, 10:00 – 11:15; Saturdays, 9:00 – 10:00.

For each of the these classes that are just for toddlers, there is another class at the same time that Moms or Dads can take.  And check this out, on Saturdays, the 9:00 – 10:00 class for adults is Hip Hop Yoga.  Rock!

Drop In – $15
5 Class Pass – $65 (Good for 2 months)
10 Class Pass – $120 (Good for 3 months)
20 Class Pass – $200 (Good for 5 months)

First class is free when you purchase a pass on your first visit. Monthly Unlimited – $115 per month with a 3 month commitment

Location: 2415 Exposition Blvd., Suites A & B, Austin, TX 78703, (512) 542-3334

Have a suggestion to add to this list?  Please drop me a line or comment here.

Posted in Austin, Best Indoor Outings for Toddlers, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Choosing a Pediatrician + AP-Friendly Doctor Recs for Austin

By Monica Cravotta  |  Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Finding the right pediatrician or family doctor can feel like an overwhelming task. I had no clue what to look for in a doctor after the birth of my first baby. I was lucky in discovering our family doctor through a recommendation I received prior to getting pregnant. Recommendations from trusted friends are certainly a great way to go if their preferences match yours. If you are embarking on calling on a few doctors that you’ve heard good things about to interview the office and determine if the doctor/practice is AP-friendly and a good match for your family, here’s a list of recommended questions to consider:

• Does the doctor like to give parenting advice on sleeping, letting a baby cry at night, etc?
• Does he or she support breast-feeding?
• Does office have a lactation consultant?
• How hard is it to get same day sick appointment?
• How far out do they schedule well exams?
• Does the waiting room have lots of toys?  Germ magnets!

Additional recommended interview questions courtesy of Ashli Pate, Group Leader of the Austin Attachment Parenting Big Tent group:

• Location?
• Hours, including after hours availability?
• Accepting new patients?
• Charge for private consult?
• Separate sick/well areas?
• Accept our insurance?
• Practice philosophy?
• Opinion about vaccinations (not doing at all, delaying, giving one at a time)? Use of antibiotics?
• Comfort level, feelings about, recommendations for the use of integrative therapies (herbal, diet, lifestyle, acupuncture, etc.)?
• Policy about talking to patients on the phone?
• How long it takes to get in when sick and when well?
• Do you (the patient’s parent) like the other physicians in the practice and do they share a similar practice philosophy?

LIST of RECOMMENDED AP-FRIENDLY AUSTIN DOCTORS (This list includes pediatricians and family medicine doctors. Local AP-ers, if you have a name to add to this list, please add a comment or send me an email – thank you!):

• Elliot Trester, M.D., Central Family Practice 801 W. 34th Street, Suite 102, Austin, Texas 78705.  512.371.9260.  Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:30 to 5:00.  Trester gets a lot of recommendations from Austin AP families: Integrated traditional Western medicine and alternative therapies available; Specializes in women’s health; Online Herb Store great resource; Note: Central Family Practice does not file insurance. You must pay cash and file it yourself for reimbursement.

• Valerie Wheelock, M.D., Barton Creek Pediatrics. 7004 Bee Caves Road, Building 1 Suite 210 Austin, TX 78746.  512.327.0562.  After hours: 512.323.5465.  By Appointment Only: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 8:30 – 5:00; Wed 8:30 – 12:00. On-call doctor 24/7.  Multiple recommendations from AP families in Austin. Though she gives a pitch for vaccines, she supports non, or delayed. Very holistic.  Also, though I’ve never heard of Dr. Wheelock pro-actively making sleep-training recommendations to parents — she has a copy of Ferber’s “How to Solve your Child’s Sleep Problems” in every exam room. So if you ask her advice on this subject, I would expect her to suggest cry-it-out training.

• Geoffrey Cox, M.D., Seton Health Partners.  7900 Fm 1826 Ste 240, Austin, TX 78737.  512.416.0044. Supports home birth (one of his was born at home); doesn’t push anti-biotics, accepting of non-vax patients and very supportive of breastfeeding; on board of directors for Milk Bank. A few Austin AP Mamas have said they don’t like him/nurses b/c of vaccine pressure and insensitivity to children’s fears.

• Theresa Pugh, M.D. and Ajay Gupta, M.D., Jefferson Street Family Practice 1101 W. 40th St., Austin, TX 78756.  512.459.4147.  Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00-12:00, 12:30-6:00; Saturday, 8:00 AM (by appointment).  Telephone hours: 8:30-12:00, 12:30-4:30.

(more…)

Posted in AP Friendly Doctors, Austin | 15 Comments

Follow Me

 

• Blogs I Like...

  • Breastfeeding Moms Unite
  • Motherwear's Breastfeeding Blog
  • PhD in Parenting
  • Slow Family Living

Places to go


 

Add us to your site!