Enjoy art projects and more at Black Creativity Family Day at the Museum of Science and Industry. Photo courtesy of the museum.
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Fat Shallot has kid-friendly food near Lincoln Park Zoo. Photo courtesy of the Fat Shallot
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Visit the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago. Photo by Maureen Wilkey
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Free activities for kids in Chicago include the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is always free. Photo courtesy of the museum via Facebook
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Tiny Picassos can enjoy different activities every day at the Art Institute’s Family Room. Photo by Maureen Wilkey, for Mommy Poppins
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Photo courtesy of Enchanted Castle.
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What to Expect (to Buy) When You're Expecting

3/11/08 - By Nina
Getting ready for a baby is overwhelming, especially these days where ingenious moms have come up with products for every possible move your baby will make. I'll never forget the day that I forced my husband to take me to Buy Buy Baby where we spent hours walking around in a daze and eventually left in tears. I couldn't figure out what we actually needed and what was some marketing ploy and I was determined not to fill up our apartment with a lot of crappy looking stuff that would never be used. After conducting extensive research (ie emailing all our friends with babies) we have come up with a list of essential things to have that first year. We've updated our store with great ideas for all your baby essentials perfect for your next shower, registry or if you just need to stock up yourself.

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Oh, and our mommy friends also wanted to share a few pleas for all shower gift givers: - please, no more baby blue or powder pink clothes - always err on the side of buying larger sized clothes - keep in mind that we often live in small apartments so avoid really large things - gift certificates and gift receipts are always appreciated For more tips and hints on what to buy and where to find it cheaply grab a copy of the highly regarded Baby Bargains book or Girlfriend's Guide to Baby Gear And if you buy your loot through our store or buy other essentials on Amazon by clicking here, you will be supporting Mommy Poppins while you get what you need hence making sure another valuable resource sticks around and stays independent!