Itching for a great culinary night out but want to make it more of a family affair (maybe a Mother’s Day adventure? You’re in luck. There are tons of great restaurants around the DMV that offer kid-friendly accommodations. Click through to discover some of our favorites.
—Ayren Jackson-Cannady and Kristina Messner
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photo: Tyra Banks via Instagram
After 17 months of keeping his face away from the cameras, America’s Got Talent and America’s Next Top Model host Tyra Banks has finally shown us pictures of her baby boy, York (who was born in January 2016 via a surrogate). Banks shared the photo last month on Instagram in honor of Father’s Day, and by the looks of little York’s “Blue Steel” gaze, those supermodel genes are still going strong.
This is the first full-face photo of York since he’s been born. Banks released this photo in February of 2016, but the tiny York’s face was hidden, snuggled cozily into Bank’s body.
According to a recent Life & Style article, Banks, 43, and photographer boyfriend Erik Asla are planning a second child, again via surrogate. Banks reportedly suffered from infertility issues for years before turning to surrogacy.
“Tyra’s always wanted two kids. [She’s] itching for a daughter this time. She’d love a mini version of herself to dress up,” the source told Life & Style. “Tyra loves the idea because growing up, she had an older brother.”
Are you a Tyra Banks fan? Tell us why or why not in the comments below.
Maybe the clock’s ticking on the home office you need to transform into a nursery, or you’re struggling to get the balance between family life and grown-up space in the living room. Interior design conundrums are the price we New Yorkers pay for small-space city living — but getting help doesn’t have to break the bank. Click through to explore some of the most affordable options from designers who understand the challenges of raising a family in New York.
Do you have a favorite interiors tip or a designer you love? Let us know in the comments below!
—Emily Myers
Oh Mama, you are glowing! Pregnancy brings along with it plenty of unexpected perks and annoyances based on your fluctuating hormones. Your skin and complexion are not safe from side effects from your growing belly. Settle in and join us for Pregnancy Skin 101. By the end of our time together, you will have a better handle on what exactly is going on with your skin lately.
Photo: Phallin Ooi via Flickr
You Really Are Glowing
Your blood vessels are working overtime during your entire pregnancy, sending blood and nutrients to keep your baby growing and to keep you safe. The best part of all this extra blood production? Your glowing complexion. Chances are, you need a bit less blush these days and you get compliments on your radiant skin, but this perk doesn’t happen to everyone. Don’t hate us if you’re not so lucky.
Your Chronic Skin Conditions Get Better – Or Not
With all of your fluctuating hormones, you might find that some of your chronic skin conditions go into remission, or at least get a bit better, when you’re expecting. Don’t be surprised if your psoriasis goes MIA during your pregnancy, for example. On the other hand, chronic skin conditions can get worse. Acne typically shows up in full force during pregnancy, as does eczema. Talk with your doctor if you are uncomfortable or noticing major changes.
An Itch You Can’t Scratch Enough
Many pregnant women complain of itchy skin. If your skin is itching more than usual, there are a few culprits that could be the cause of your discomfort. Stretching skin over your belly and other growing body areas can cause itching, as can dry skin caused by hormonal changes. Don’t leave home without your favorite lotion. You’ll be more comfortable the more moisturized you are. Don’t have a favorite cream? Check out the line of body butters from 100% Pure. Our fave is the coconut lime – it’s smells like vacation!
Image from Eugene Luchinin via Flickr
Stretch It Out
Listen, the stretch mark struggle is real. Some moms-to-be get minimal to no stretch marks, while others get many more. Stressed out about your stretch marks? Don’t be. Your body is making a baby, and skin is stretching a bit quicker than it is used to. While it can be a bit of a shot to our egos, stretch marks are just par for the course many times. If you would like to get into a daily routine of stretch mark prevention, consider a cream that can help improve your skin’s elasticity. We love Honest Co.’s Organic Belly Balm.
Color Changes
Women often find that their skin tones actually change during, and sometimes after, pregnancy. If you find that you have brown patches on your face, or even red spider veins on your cheeks, go ahead and chat with your doctor to see if there’s a treatment that will work with you and make you feel more confident.
Photo: Thomas Pompernigg via Flickr
Burn, Baby, Burn
Summer pregnancies require extra precautions to keep your skin safe from the sun. Mamas-to-be can burn much easier than normally due to extra sensitive skin. Lather up with your favorite sunscreen, and don’t forget your face and lips. You might also notice that you are burning from other skin irritants during these nine months. Common troublemakers for your newly sensitive skin are usually soap or detergent based; start using gentle versions of your favorites to see if that helps your reactions and discomfort. Unfortunately, your evening bubble bath might be doing more harm than good.
Random Bumps
Noticing extra skin under your armpits or neck? You are likely the happy new owner of hormone induced skin tags. While there’s nothing that you can do to prevent them or treat them, keep your doctor informed. Skin tags typically go away on their own after your baby arrives and hormones go back to normal. However, if you still have some tags after the fact, you can have them removed by a dermatologist quickly and painlessly.
If you haven’t realized it by now, no body part or function is safe from pregnancy bizarreness. When it comes to your skin, it’s a toss up – you might end up with that blissful glow, or you might end up with itchy stretch marks. Either way, you get a baby at the end of this journey. Stay strong and invest in some good lotion.
What surprised you about your pregnancy skin? Tell us in a Comment.
–Haley Burress
What’s a family to do on a wide-open, weekend afternoon with no set plans? If you’re itching to give your brood a history lesson mixed with a good dash of the great outdoors and plenty of wildlife-viewing, drive 20 miles north of Portland to the Cathlapotle Plankhouse in the tranquil Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Read on to learn about this hidden gem and why you need to grab your binoculars, put on your most comfortable walking shoes and pack a picnic lunch for this memorable trip back in time.
Photo credit: Maura O’Brien
The Plankhouse
As Lewis & Clark made their way to the Pacific Ocean in 1805, they observed the Chinook village of Cathlapotle in the floodplain of the Columbia River. The explorers stopped to trade in the village, which was then home to 900 people and 14 large plankhouses, and even returned one year later on their journey eastward. Although the Chinook people eventually left the village, the Chinook Indian Nation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge partnered in 2005 to construct a modern plankhouse to help visitors understand the lifestyle, culture, and history of the people who once lived in Cathlapotle.
Today, the plankhouse is open to the public on weekend afternoons, when friendly and knowledgeable volunteers help bring this historic community to life. Kids of all ages will learn how the people of Cathlapotle hunted, how they collected food, and how they used the land in each season. And they will see first-hand the ingenious methods the Chinook used to cook their salmon, to heat their water and to build their homes.
Photo credit: Maura O’Brien
The Refuge
Once you’ve toured the plankhouse, step outside to experience the beauty of the surrounding Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1965 as a winter habitat for dusky Canada geese, this 5,128-acre expanse is now a haven for great blue herons, sandhill cranes, bald eagles, painted turtles, river otters, black-tailed deer, and dozens of other species of waterfowl, shorebirds, and mammals. Got your walking shoes on? Grab a map and a wildlife checklist from the day use permit station and hit the Oaks to Wetlands Trail, a flat 2-mile loop that’s an easy walk for little feet that doubles as a bird-watching adventure. Prefer to take in the scenery from the car? Drive a short distance to the River “S” section of the refuge on S. 9th Ave., where you’ll find a 4.2-mile auto loop that is ideal for viewing wildlife while everyone’s still strapped into their car seats.
Special Events
As the plankhouse celebrates its 10th year and the refuge marks its 50th, 2015 will be full of special events and celebrations. On Mother’s Day, stop by the plankhouse for children’s activities from noon-4 p.m., as well as a presentation by Pat Courtney Gold, a weaver, artist, and member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, who will discuss the native woman’s perspective of the Lewis & Clark expedition (2 p.m.). Otherwise, keep a eye open for Second Sunday activities—free with the price of refuge admission—on the plankhouse event calendar.
Getting There
With no reservations needed, a visit to the Cathlapotle Plankhouse and Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is perfect for a wide open, plan-free afternoon. Follow I-5 north from Portland to Exit 14; turn left on Pioneer St. and follow the road into Ridgefield until it dead ends at N. Main Ave. Turn right, and drive until you reach the refuge headquarters. The plankhouse is an easy 500-yard walk from the parking lot, just over the train bridge.
Cathlapotle Plankhouse at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Open Apr.-Oct.
Sat. & Sun., noon-4 p.m.
Day use fee: $3/car
28908 NW Main Ave.
Ridgefield, Wa
360-887-4106
Online: ridgefieldfriends.org/plankhouse
Have you been to the Cathlapotle Plankhouse? Let us know in the comments below!
— Maura O’Brien
Food photos have never been so cute until this Instagramming dad came along. Mike Chau‘s lil’ epicure (and full time son) steals the spotlight from mouth-watering meals with his expressive faces and unsuspecting times as a photo prop (we’ll take one donut hat, thank you). Wondering how to get that creamy ice cream on your hands? Luckily Chau tags all the shops so you don’t have to guess! Follow @foodbabyny for more scrumptious photos.
Itching to have some fun with food? Check out these cool ideas and treats that’ll make snacking time a blast!
— Christal Yuen
Have you ever imagined that camping could mean sleeping in the trees with your kids or never having to pitch a tent? You’ll believe it after you check out these wild takes on the traditional tent. Some of these portable shelters are so innovative that they set themselves up! Click through our photo album and get inspired by real tents that put a thrill back in family camping.
Are your kids itching to set up camp right now? Check out how to make the best indoor forts here!
— Christal Yuen
Could your mantle use a new family photo? Are you itching to send out pictures of the kids to faraway family? Maybe you just want to capture the kiddos before the next growth spurt? Never fear–the answer is simple, and just a shutter-click away. One lucky winner will get the pro-treatment when it comes to family portraits. Niall David Photography is offering a $240 gift voucher, redeemable for a family photo session ($190 value), plus a $50 credit to use towards purchasing prints, artwork and digital images from the session.
What’s the scoop on Niall David Photography?
Niall David is a family, children, portrait, music and business marketing photographer based in San Francisco, whose artistic style captures creative images of everyday people, families, exciting individuals and their places of business in beautiful natural moments while creating timeless memories and photographs of heirloom proportion. Known for his artistic lifestyle family photography and compelling portraits created through an organic & candid creative-editorial vision, Niall David’s talents genuinely help individuals, families and business owners celebrate their lives through showing the world their own unique authentic beauty. He’s warm, upbeat and caring to the core; his clients praise and rave that they adore their photos and can’t wait for the opportunity to work with him again. At home in San Francisco, around the SF Bay Area, and around the globe, he’s an avid traveler and adventurer who would love to capture the moments that mean the most to you; wherever your vision and goals take you.
How to enter:
1. Head over to the Giveaway Entry page and choose “One Family Photo Session with Niall David Photography + $50 Credit ” in the dropdown menu.
2. Fill out rest of the form, click on the “enter” button and you are all set!
Want to double, triple, and even quadruple your chances to win?
We’re back with more of our favorite Seattle-area blogs, written by local moms (did you catch our creative mom bloggers edition?) but this time, we’ve got our carry-ons packed, we’ve put an entire paycheck worth of gas in our SUV, and the kids are prepped with enough goodies from the dollar bins at Target to last them at least, well, 18 minutes. It’s time to explore and these moms are leading the way! These Seattle-area bloggers are taking us around the Northwest and beyond with travel-focused content that will have you itching for a weekend adventure out of the city. Beyond all of the insider tips they have about discovering those new-to-us places, we’re hooked on watching how they travel with kiddos in tow and are inspired by their gusto to expose them to the world outside of Seattle (we hear there is one?). Now, where did we put that backpack leash that we bought as soon as we found out we were pregnant?
Which Seattle mom blogs are you stalking? Share with us in the comments below and keep your eye out for more mom blog features in the coming weeks!
— Katie Kavulla
fun photos via the bloggers featured
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the last few months, chances are you’ve heard, and danced, and maybe even sung to the catchy (ok, maybe slightly annoying) song “Call Me Maybe” by little known, but now famous Carly Rae Jepsen (if you haven’t click here for the full song — though we’re warning you it will likely be stuck in your head for the remainder of the day). Everyone under the sun has parodied this radio hit from the less than pitch perfect amateurs to the pros like Jimmy Fallon.
Well, those hoping to spoof this song or for those itching for their 15-minutes of YouTube fame can officially call it quits because there’s a new voice on the block: Cookie Monster. Sure, Cookie Monster isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think “Call Me Maybe” spoof, but we have to admit that this is by far the funniest and most original parody of Jepsen’s song to date.
The lyrics of the song are so creative and we challenge you to watch this video without laughing. Instead of “Call Me Maybe” Cookie Monster sings, “You’ve got cookie, so share it maybe.” The video comes complete with Cookie Monster solos, dance numbers, and of course, footage of Cookie Monsters devouring cookies.
So here’s to Cookie Monster (and the folks at Sesame Workshop) who have totally outdone themselves with this hilarious video. Take a look…
Have your kids seen this hilarious vid? Leave us a comment below!
