Just about every week, Zoe heads to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a great, free, art appreciation class for kids. Start with Art is offered at the Met most days of the week, and the children are taught about a certain piece or collection of pieces, they read a related picture book, and they are given art supplies to create some related art of their own.

I borrowed this picture from our friend Graham, who usually is the one to bring Zoe along with his own daughter to the class each week. Nothing like setting a group of little kids in front of artistic masterpieces for an hour of observations, questions, storytelling, and cultivating budding creativity.

Mike- "I'm getting up early in the morning to get some work done."

Too bad some other munchkins had the same idea...

If you've been a long time reader of this blog, you know that I am a big fan of clothing swaps! Well today was another clothing swap, hosted by my friend Tracy. Soooo fun! Maya came along, while Zoe and Mike had a date. And my sister Karen made the trip up from Brooklyn to join the fun!

Granted, it was tough to get down to serious business with a baby in tow. BUT, I did leave with a pair of $200 designer jeans, NEW gym shoes, a skirt, two shirts and a sweater... Here's my take home stash:

AND, it's so much fun to see your own items go home with happy new owners. I even re- swapped some clothes that I had gotten at previous clothing swaps.

This time around I wasn't able to stay for the 'show everyone what you got' part of the party, which is always fun to see who is going home with your things, and what came from who. But a certain little one was ready for a nap... and pushing that limit was not going to end well. :)

I keep thinking of the people of Haiti- the combination of shock and horror and mourning and desperation... combined with the most basic needs of hunger, thirst, and medical attention. I nurse my baby and think of all the mommies and babies and how they are making it through another day... and what kind of fear there must be that the little ones won't make it through this next day/night/week alive. :(

Here is a round-up of a few of the relief efforts I am aware of...

Compassion International- they have about 50 child development centers in Haiti that were seriously hit. You can read about how to help here, or write a note of encouragement to the Haiti staff here.

You can donate towards urgent medical care and refugee relief efforts here- A friend of our downstairs neighbor was in Port au Prince, survived the earthquake, and works with GHESKIO, a program of Weill Cornell Medical College. They have been keeping the website up to date and it is sure a reminder of how urgent the needs continue to be.

The American Red Cross still has their program where you can text "Haiti" to 90999 and make a $10 donation which will show up on your phone bill.

Others?