September 3. 2019
Tracey is an elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home-mom and has already explored much of Rochester with her 1 year old son.
Tell us about yourself!
Hi! My name is Tracey and I have lived in Webster my entire life. I am an elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home-mom and I love my new role as "Mama"! My son, Sam, is 13 months old. He is SUCH a busy guy climbing and crawling everywhere, so we like to get out of the house as often as possible. My husband is Tony and he is a clinical pharmacist at RGH. We have a miniature poodle named Allie who loves having a baby brother! A fun fact about me: I taught myself how to crochet using YouTube when I was on bed rest for 10 weeks!
What's is your favorite local playground?
We have recently been exploring different playgrounds and Sam has loved Jack's Place at Rothfuss Park. He really enjoys the sandbox there! All those trucks are super fun to push around and he recently discovered that he can dig in the sand. He also loves to try to climb the rock wall!
What's your favorite Library?
We love the Webster Public Library. They recently remodeled and have a great room that is open for kids to play (unless there is a specific program going on). It's great because the toys there are clean, safe for my little guy to play with (they don't have small pieces) and they often have some sort of STEM or other learning component. There is plenty of open space for Sam to crawl around too! His absolute favorite part about the Webster Library is the bridge leading into the children's section. He would crawl up and down that little bridge all day if he could!
If you had $1000 and 3 days, what would be your ideal Rochester staycation?
We would definitely spend some time at the zoo, and we'd splurge to feed the giraffes! We haven't been to the Strong Museum with Sam yet, so that's definitely something we'd want to do! My husband and I have a running list of restaurants to try, so we'd definitely check a few off of our list, but we'd likely end up at Dorado, a tried and true favorite of ours. After that, maybe we'd spend a night at Woodcliff, where we have fond memories of our wedding reception.
What is your go-to family friendly activity?
Last summer, my son was so brand new that we didn't get out much. Now, since Sam is older and more mobile, we really enjoy hanging out at different playgrounds that are close to us. Webster has 7 elementary schools, so we have a lot of options! We also love going to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings, whether we venture into the crowds for breakfast at the Rochester Public Market, or stay close by at the market in Webster where my mom sells her baked goods.
What is your favorite Rochester hidden gem?
We have really enjoyed play groups at the Gates Recreation Center. Before I had kids, I didn't know that they had such a toddler-friendly space to play. Even though it is a little far for us, it is worth it because Sam has so much fun climbing on the mats and playing with the other kids. And bonus: it's free! We also just discovered Corbett's Glen. The hiking trail is totally do-able with a tiny human strapped to your front (or back) because it's pretty flat and not super long. The falls are really pretty there for pictures!
What do you do with the kiddos during those long Rochester winters?
Sam had so much fun at Climbing Vines when we took him there for his birthday, so I could see us visiting there with friends when it's too cold to play outside. I'd like to find other places like that for him as well! We'll keep going to the Gates Recreation Center for play group when the weather doesn't make the drive too treacherous. We will definitely continue to take advantage of the programs at The Webster Library and might check out some other libraries too! I have heard that some of the trampoline parks have a toddler time, so I plan on looking into that once my little guy really starts walking.
What advice to you have for fellow mamas?
It really bugs me when people tell a new parent to "enjoy every minute". This parenting thing is HARD and I think we need to own it instead of being made to feel like we're doing something wrong if we aren't 100% over-the moon-happy all the time. Just because we acknowledge that parts of this are difficult, it doesn't make us weak or mean that we love our children any less. Set boundaries when necessary, ask for a break when you need it, and do what you need to do to take care of yourself and your family!
Hi! My name is Tracey and I have lived in Webster my entire life. I am an elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home-mom and I love my new role as "Mama"! My son, Sam, is 13 months old. He is SUCH a busy guy climbing and crawling everywhere, so we like to get out of the house as often as possible. My husband is Tony and he is a clinical pharmacist at RGH. We have a miniature poodle named Allie who loves having a baby brother! A fun fact about me: I taught myself how to crochet using YouTube when I was on bed rest for 10 weeks!
What's is your favorite local playground?
We have recently been exploring different playgrounds and Sam has loved Jack's Place at Rothfuss Park. He really enjoys the sandbox there! All those trucks are super fun to push around and he recently discovered that he can dig in the sand. He also loves to try to climb the rock wall!
What's your favorite Library?
We love the Webster Public Library. They recently remodeled and have a great room that is open for kids to play (unless there is a specific program going on). It's great because the toys there are clean, safe for my little guy to play with (they don't have small pieces) and they often have some sort of STEM or other learning component. There is plenty of open space for Sam to crawl around too! His absolute favorite part about the Webster Library is the bridge leading into the children's section. He would crawl up and down that little bridge all day if he could!
If you had $1000 and 3 days, what would be your ideal Rochester staycation?
We would definitely spend some time at the zoo, and we'd splurge to feed the giraffes! We haven't been to the Strong Museum with Sam yet, so that's definitely something we'd want to do! My husband and I have a running list of restaurants to try, so we'd definitely check a few off of our list, but we'd likely end up at Dorado, a tried and true favorite of ours. After that, maybe we'd spend a night at Woodcliff, where we have fond memories of our wedding reception.
What is your go-to family friendly activity?
Last summer, my son was so brand new that we didn't get out much. Now, since Sam is older and more mobile, we really enjoy hanging out at different playgrounds that are close to us. Webster has 7 elementary schools, so we have a lot of options! We also love going to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings, whether we venture into the crowds for breakfast at the Rochester Public Market, or stay close by at the market in Webster where my mom sells her baked goods.
What is your favorite Rochester hidden gem?
We have really enjoyed play groups at the Gates Recreation Center. Before I had kids, I didn't know that they had such a toddler-friendly space to play. Even though it is a little far for us, it is worth it because Sam has so much fun climbing on the mats and playing with the other kids. And bonus: it's free! We also just discovered Corbett's Glen. The hiking trail is totally do-able with a tiny human strapped to your front (or back) because it's pretty flat and not super long. The falls are really pretty there for pictures!
What do you do with the kiddos during those long Rochester winters?
Sam had so much fun at Climbing Vines when we took him there for his birthday, so I could see us visiting there with friends when it's too cold to play outside. I'd like to find other places like that for him as well! We'll keep going to the Gates Recreation Center for play group when the weather doesn't make the drive too treacherous. We will definitely continue to take advantage of the programs at The Webster Library and might check out some other libraries too! I have heard that some of the trampoline parks have a toddler time, so I plan on looking into that once my little guy really starts walking.
What advice to you have for fellow mamas?
It really bugs me when people tell a new parent to "enjoy every minute". This parenting thing is HARD and I think we need to own it instead of being made to feel like we're doing something wrong if we aren't 100% over-the moon-happy all the time. Just because we acknowledge that parts of this are difficult, it doesn't make us weak or mean that we love our children any less. Set boundaries when necessary, ask for a break when you need it, and do what you need to do to take care of yourself and your family!