It’s time again for our Modern-twist baby of the month! Last month we featured a pair of adorable twins, and this time around we couldn’t resist going for doubles again with a brother-sister duo.
Little Emma is 3-years-old and her brother, Kai, is a healthy 10-month-old. Their mom, Holly, is a learning services coach and writer. They all live in San Francisco with daddy, Alan. We touched base with Holly about managing the needs of little ones as an eco-chic mama.
Emma and Kai with the M-t "Fun on the Golden Gate" Kidz Placemat.
What are your kids’ favorite foods?
Watermelon, Banana, Avocado, Yogurt, Pesto pasta, Salmon, Broccoli, (and chocolate, cherry, oatmeal cookies my daughter and I make).
How do you keep a baby and a preschooler eating healthy while managing a career and the demands of family life?
I have learned to love my hand-blender. I make soups (barley, lentil, tomato-rice), chicken and vegetables, and blend part of it up for the baby so I can serve it to both kids. I try to cook a big batch of something once or twice a week so I can freeze some. I cook up fruit (pear, apple, banana, mango) that’s going soft to make tasty blends for the baby (haven’t convinced the preschooler that she’d like it on yogurt – she would!). I’m a big convert to grocery delivery services these days. Instacart delivers Trader Joe’s!
How do you incorporate green living into your family choices?
My daughter loves to run the tap water and play. I recently explained that we can’t waste water because we need to leave some for the trees and plants – she now repeats that when she’s washing her hands and she even turns the tap on to a slow trickle rather than a gushing torrent. We recycle, and compost. We try to borrow baby gear from friends and pass on gear to others. For a while we did compostable diapers. My husband is also a fan of biking to work a few days a week so we’re not driving two cars around town. And I recently read that using a grocery delivery service is very ‘green’. Although writing this is making me think we can do more…
What is your favorite eco-living tip for other moms or dads?
Reach out to friends and family to share/borrow baby gear, clothes, furniture, strollers. There’s so much that you only need for a short time. And make trips to the library a regular thing. Both my kids love to go – we make a trip every Tuesday. It keeps our reading fresh without us having to buy a lot of new books. Also a hand blender is a great tool for making baby food. You’ll use less packaging and fuel (trips to the grocery or delivery) if you just blend up your own batch of pear, broccoli.
Your weekend favorite family fun activity?
We love the California Academy of Sciences. We have a membership and we go at least once a month – sometimes more. It’s great for both kids and I think little ones really like to get to know a space – and gain a sense of mastery over it. So we let the preschooler set the agenda. Some days we spend 15 minutes with the penguins and some days we skip it and spend 30 minutes in the playroom – it’s up to her. And thank you SF foodie-culture for the amazing cafe. That’s my favorite part – spring rolls for lunch. Then home for loooong afternoon naps.
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