Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in seattle, WA

My Name Is...

by Bethany Dunn

June 10, 2009

I love talking about names. I would have more kids JUST so I could name them. I even love to talk to other people about their ideas for their kids' names!

Some people like traditional names (Michael, Sarah). Some like new, adventurous names (Mason, Shyanne). Some people like to share their chosen name THE MINUTE the ultrasound reveals the gender; some keep their picks private until after the child is born.

In 2008, the most popular names for babies (according to the Social Security Administration) were Emma and Jacob; while here in Washington we favored Olivia and Ethan.

My husband and I are somewhere in the middle. We choose relatively different (but commonly spelled!) first names, and traditional family names (of relatives) for their middle names. We also kept our names to ourselves until after our children were born. We wanted to come up with their names on our own! We also wanted to reserve the right to change the name at the last minute in case the baby came out looking like a "Peter" instead of a "David". You never know!

Our children know the general story of their names - my son loves that he is named (his middle name, anyway) after his beloved grandpa and my daughter is just now learning about the grandma that she's never met and whose middle name she shares.

With the dawn of the internet came the many, many baby name sites - no book necessary! My favorite baby name site (which, sadly, was not around for the naming our our children) is The Baby Name Wizard. It satisfies my inner statistic-geek. The graphs of name popularity since the early 1900s BLOWS MY MIND. You can even map names by state! I had no idea that my name was in the top 100 for both Montana and Wyoming!

How did you choose your children's names? Did you share your choices from the beginning? Or make changes right until coming home from the hospital?  Read more...

How can I possibly be qualified to suggest what to do with your preschooler around the Puget Sound?

by Angie McDonald

March 02, 2009

I moved to the Pacific Northwest 10 years ago from Michigan. I came because the climate, while not as ideal as California's or Arizona's, is temperate and a monstrous improvement over the midwest's extremes. I came because of the mountains and the ocean. I came because of the restaurants and theaters and live music. I came because the place just seemed more alive than the sleepy burg from which I hailed.

I came because Seattle seemed like an ideal place to raise children.

When I moved, I wasn't married. I hadn't even yet met my husband. But I knew the area had things in store for me. Good things.

And now, two kids later, I'm still thrilled to be here, to call this corner of the country home.

My son is six and is in Kindergarten (our first foray into Seattle's public school system). He has severe food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and eggs. I struggle between being an advocate to keep him safe and letting him navigate the world as it operates business as usual (or peanut butter as usual) around us. My son is also sensitive, stubborn and smart. A little boy who loves maps, treasure hunts and nature.

My daughter is four and blows me away with her unbidden girlishness and her absolute differences from her brother. Her empathy is more developed, her love of brushing hair and dressing dolls pronounced. She is social and dimply and bright-eyed.

We love to take advantage of everything this area offers us: the Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Aquarium, library story times, community center's open gyms, the playgrounds and the Children's Theatre. The Seattle Center and, of course, the tide pools with their rock crabs and small, pink anemones.

I can't, frankly, imagine living anywhere else. And I'm excited to bring you some of our favorite attractions and events, as well as venues we'll be discovering right along with you.

I hope you'll join me every week on this wild ride I like to call figuring-out-how-to-entertain-and-enrich-our-kids.

C-C-C-CHANGES!

by Bethany Dunn

February 02, 2009

Faithful readers of the Seattle Savvy Blog - I wanted you to be the first to know. With all the fantastic changes happening here at The Savvy Source, we're also having some changes here in terms of our posting schedule. There will be new posts daily on the main Savvy Blog, but our City pages will be shifting to a 3-day a week article schedule. On Mondays will be bringing you in depth local  Read more...

"The Ick" Prevention for Your Preschooler.

by Bethany Dunn

January 30, 2009

If you knew me in real life this week you would have heard me MOANING about my sore throat. Woe is me. WOE IS ME. I have been through two back surgeries, given birth to children (both ways!), and am currently the proud owner of herniated disk. But a sore throat? It's my Achilles heel. Any parent knows that kids have a way of bringing illness home with them. And  Read more...

Five things that just don't matter to preschoolers.

by Bethany Dunn

January 06, 2009

As parents of preschoolers we get the privilege and burden (er, JOY) of worrying about a multitudes of things. I am a worrier by nature, so, in some ways, parenting is a perfect fit for my personality. Though, in the past worrying may have kept me awake at night (hello, COLLEGE!), now I'm too exhausted when I collapse at night into bed to loose much sleep. There are a bunch of valid  Read more...

New year, new habits?

by Bethany Dunn

January 01, 2009

The new year always seems to inspire a little "winter cleaning" spree (is there such a thing? I think I'll start a trend) in me. Today, I cleaned out and rearranged my closet - I even organized my tops my color (not my fault - the internet told me to do it ). Next up? KID CENTRAL. It's always liberating to start off the year with a clean slate - I bet it will lift your spirits, clear you  Read more...

Last list of the year: I PROMISE.

by Bethany Dunn

December 31, 2008

At the end of 2008, I'm feeling a bit reflective. This doesn't always happen, but alot has happened in 2008. My son started kindergarten. My daughter started preschool. We bid a bond farewell to diapers. My son learned how to read. My daughter and I took a trip together. I wore my jeans tucked into boots. BIG STUFF, people. So, after much reflection, here's my list of parenting  Read more...

2008, a look back: my favorite posts.

by Bethany Dunn

December 30, 2008

The end of the year, always causes reflecting back on the year that has past. Reviewing, examining, rehashing, etc. Oh, and the LISTS. Top 5 this, Top 10 that. We're not above that here at Savvy Source Seattle! Here's my list of the Top 10 Seattle Posts (in no particular order). Any of my favorites match up with yours? 1. Layover Lifesavers: A preschooler's guide to the SeaTac Airport. Very  Read more...

What I'm thankful for.

by Bethany Dunn

November 27, 2008

Even with the hustle and bustle of the holidays Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful time to remember all the things in our lives to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the Seattle rain that nourishes our plants, rivers and lakes. I'm thankful for living in a place so accessible to both ocean and mountains. I'm thankful for beautiful northwest sunsets. I'm thankful for communities  Read more...

The social life of Seattle parents.

by Bethany Dunn

September 16, 2008

The days go by like clockwork. Breakfasts are made. Lunches are packed. Butts are wiped. Laundry. Bills. Dinner prep. Carpool. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. While we as parents give our all to our kids each and every day, there is something to be said for taking time for ourselves. Time to reconnect with ourselves AND our friends. Here's the best ways to break out of the house and enjoy some  Read more...

Ten ways to save some cash at the grocery store. Serious cash.

by Bethany Dunn

August 13, 2008

There's rumors of a recession ready to bear down on the United States. The housing market is making a " correction " and gas prices are through the roof. We all can use a little financial relief, and today I'll be sharing my tips for saving money at the grocery store. But do I even need to mention you can make a HUGE dent in the "food" column of your budget by  Read more...

Hello, Seattle!

by Bethany Dunn

May 12, 2008

My name is Bethany Dunn and I am so excited to be a part of The Savvy Source's relaunch of this amazing site for parents of preschoolers all over the country. I spent nineteen of my first twenty-two years attending Lutheran schools. As the daughter of a teacher and a school administrator and the sister of college professors, education has played a prominent role in my life and is why I  Read more...