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Car Seat turns one year old on August 15, so to celebrate, we're re-running the premier column. Enjoy!

You're minding your own business, living life as you've always had, when nine months later you have a squirmy, wet, gorgeous bundle in your arms and you think, "Holy crap, I'm a parent!" If you're a new parent like myself, you might be wondering, "Well, now what do I do?"

Sure, you love them, feed them, change their diapers as needed but you still find yourself thinking, "Eventually, we'll have to leave the house. What can we do as a FAMILY?" This is where I come in, providing you with useful information such as which restaurants are baby friendly; which shops have cool infant or maternity clothes; reviews of kids' records and movies; places to take your babes that -- goodness gracious -- are equally entertaining for parents. All this without the usual boo-boo cutesy drivel other columns fling at you.

For those of you who are already pros at this parenthood thing, hopefully I'll shed some light on places in the city you may have missed. And for new parents, we'll find all these gems together.

We're all busy (even now, I type this with my son in my arms) and I know every precious moment with our new babies count. So don't worry, I'll point out the good stuff and weed out the duds so you don't have to.

~*~

The Garfield Park Conservatory

The Garfield Park Conservatory is a great place for even newborns. With the green house's warm and inviting temperature and the soothing water sounds throughout the conservatory, it was an ideal place for my son Vincent, his father and me to spend a couple hours.

While young babies really can't appreciate the flora per se, the complex shapes and colors of plants, trees and flowers inspire inquisitive gazes from them. And not only is there visual stimulation, there is also tactile and olfactory stimulation.

If your baby becomes hungry during your visit, there are several nooks with benches and chairs where you can feed your baby and take a little break yourself surrounded by Chihuly pieces and koi fish -- even on a Saturday, the conservatory is calm and quiet. And let's face it, as new parents we'll take calm and quiet whenever we can.

For toddlers and older children, the conservatory's interactive Children's Garden features a gargantuan vine, monster-sized pollinating bumble bee and a 7-foot-tall seed that children can explore.

The bottom line is the Garfield Park Conservatory is a pleasant, low-key way to spend an hour or two with your baby. It is large enough for adults to appreciate and tour, yet small enough to not be overwhelming for a family outing -- even for the youngest botanist.