Upper East Side Moms

Go Car and Splash Art

2011-06-30T22:38:00.007-04:00

Another birthday. Seems like when you have a family the size of mine, there will be a birthday pretty often. This week, my littlest little man turned 1 year old.

What to get a 1 year old? Should be easy enough, right?

I had these ideas of what he liked and was sure I knew just what would hold his attention for a generous amount of time. I searched a HUGE toy store and a few department stores, but nothing was QUITE right. I had him with me for those trips and nothing really caught his eye either. I love all those musical, learning, loud toys as does he. Turns out, none of them held his attention for more than a few minutes. I guess for a guy who just learned to use his legs to their full potential, not just any old sit-down toy will do. I was beginning to give up, then I turned to my trusted 3 block radius and found just the things he wanted.

First stop was The Craft Studio....again.(Truth is we went in to say hello to old friends and catch a minute or 5 of air conditioning.) While we visited and shopped, I found what seemed to be perfect for my man. It was a Kid O Go Car. This company Kid O is the same one that put out those Bilibo "seats" that many families love. I couldn't see the car with my own eyes, unfortunately. The packaging is this perfect, neutral colored box that is perfect for gift-giving. I figured I would take a chance on the 11 dollar vehicle. It was a chance well worth taking.

The car itself is very light and made of a so-far-durable-plastic that my son loves. The roof is actually a handle that fits perfectly in his chubby little paws. The wheels have a rubber coating that makes it "work" on any floor.....or ground. We should know.....he brings it everywhere he goes. On the front are these 2 little reflectors that replicate headlights. It is too cute. Truly.

Our next find was just a couple of blocks away at The Children's General Store. I frequently window shop in this store only because I am a Craft Studio faithful and I was never too sure about their pricing, but I am glad I visited this day. While I gazed around, I overheard a UES mom asking the store clerk about what activity her 16 month old daughter could do. He suggested Splash Art by Reeve and Jones.

I was sold when he explained it to her. I then Googled average pricing of the toy on my Droid and found this store's price was just right! Such an easy toy. You simply fill this little pen with water and let the kids color on one of the sides of the board and rainbow colors appear where they have written. The board dries and they can start again. It is very similar to a Zen board, which I LOVE. My older children had to constantly be reminded to give it back to the baby. Will be amazing when we travel. The birthday boy LOVED it too. Plus whenever he got thirsty, he sucked the water out of the pen. I bet the little capsule isn't BPA free! I also bet it won't kill him. That's the country in me talking!

I opened my mind this week and found some gems. My little man turned one. He got some cute new little toys and we all celebrated with him for days. Too bad he won't remember a thing of it!

Parental Comic Relief

2011-06-16T23:20:00.005-04:00

These past couple of weeks have been very irritating for my family. One would think that the end of the school year would be less stressful and demanding than the beginning, but that was not the case for us this year. One would also think that a break into the warm weather and some vitamin D absorption would lighten the mood. No such luck. I just feel sometimes like I am provoked from every aspect of my life.

I was almost to my breaking point one evening until I read/listened to a post on Facebook from a childhood friend of mine. It just so happened this post has been the most impactful post I had ever bothered to click on. It was the new sensational book, "GO the F**k To Sleep", read by Samuel L. Jackson.

If you are a parent and have not listened to this yet, you must. If you are not a parent and have not heard it, you must. Some may call it crude. I call it genius!

I have never met Adam Mansbach(author),but one read has me thinking he is one of the most honest parents alive! The book makes fun of and mocks many of our bedtime routines with our children and expresses what most of us are truly thinking during those moments!

The illustrations mimic that of a "typical" bedtime picture book. There are cutie-pie babies, sleeping animals, and distraught parents. The words? The words could not be more true! Each page starts with a calm, lulled description and then ends with at least one F-BOMB! Sounds a little bit familiar.

I couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't stop telling people about it either. Turns out, I was not the first person to hear about it. I also had the pleasure of listening to it the first time read by Mr. Jackson, who did it certain justice! I can still imagine him reciting it.

Now I realize that enjoying this to the extent that I did makes me seem somewhat crude and unrefined, but the simple THOUGHT of it made me smile. It makes me smile that there are real parents out there who at least THINK the same thing I have on more than one occasion. It makes me smile that celebrities can appreciate it too. It makes them seem more real and connected....not so untouchable. It makes me smile that even moms on the prestigious Upper East Side are talking about and appreciating its humor.....and not just me.

The though of this book was my sanity this week. When my son dressed up like a clown for a school play and a parent commented TO MY FACE that it was "finally fitting to his character", I thought of it. When my 4 year old threw a whopper of a temper tantrum in public, I thought of it. When I was late to lunch with a friend because I was cleaning up from an explosive diaper, I thought of it.

This book is exactly what some of us need to get us through a day. Once in a while, we need that peace of mind that we get from adult comic relief. This honest genius of an author gave us the laughs and F-Bombs we need to think of when we can't(or shouldn't) use them ourselves. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Now I need to go the f*@k to sleep!

Best Gift EVER

2011-05-31T20:00:00.005-04:00

My husband and I were shocked when our son came to us and informed us that he didn't want a birthday party. He continued saying he didn't want a party, a cake, or anything......except for a motorized "drifter". Lucky us.

Upon further investigation, and speaking to some friends who own the drifter, we decided that the motorized buggy was NOT for our son. We searched more and more every day, and spent a lot of time on www.razor.com. From the first time I went to the site, I wished he wanted this tricycle with die-cast wheels on the back. He didn't. He changed his mind from the drifter to the motor scooter. I guess it was ok. It still didn't sit quite right though.

Finally, 1 day before his birthday, he took another look at the tricycle and figured he'd go for it. Seeing it a million times, and hearing the disappointment in my voice over the other choices, swayed him. He went to school thinking that when he got off the bus we'd be heading to Toys R Us to pick it up. I had the hubby pick it up during the day.

When my big man got off the bus, we brought him back to our plaza where it all awaited him.....a cake, some snacks and juice, good friends, balloons, and his Razor RipRider 360! He was thrilled! His brothers and sister also got him the matching Razor helmet.

Let me tell you....this is the BEST GIFT EVER! After a short wait for the assembly of the bike(which a friend and I took care of while the guys watched)he was ready to go. It was a HUGE hit!

The birthday boy took the first spin. He took off peddling then took a sharp turn and spun out! Even us adults were impressed! It was so cute to see. Each kid in the park took turns taking a spin while the others followed close behind. Of course, the older, more daring monkeys got into some pretty good spins, while the smaller or more timid ones just got a little air. Either way, it was fun for all.

After each child had their fair share of turns, I searched for the weight limit of the bike(which, thankfully I am within)and I took my turn. Exhilerating! And a bit dangerous. You just feel weightless when it spins out! I loved it! And it continued to spin , unlike our Big Wheels with the side brake when we were kids. Remember?

We now ride on a regular basis when the weather is nice. Each time, we get looks from children and adults alike, and many people ask where we got it. Like I said before, we got it from Toys R Us but being an Upper East Side Mom had me searching for it on the UES. Results? State News. I hit it on the target first try! And if you act fast, you will be in luck because it seems they are having a sale and are selling it for much less than what I paid.

It is the perfect gift for a little guy. Shoot, it is the perfect gift for a not-so-little-gal like myself. The recommended age is 5 and up, which I can agree with after my feather weight 4 year old flew off and got scraped up pretty good. It seems to amuse kids of almost any age! Only wish I had the time to search my own neighborhood before I assumed it was something only big-time stores would carry. Oh well. It was worth it.

The smile on his face said so.

Befriending the Enemy at Bagels & Co.

2011-05-16T21:34:00.006-04:00

My daughter has earned the privilege of leaving the school premises for lunch. I guess that is what happens when your kids grow up. For the first few weeks of this new privilege, I was dispensing lunch money like there was no tomorrow. The next few weeks after that, she stayed in more and more. This was not by a choice of her own. I demanded that she earn this extra expense. Then she went a few weeks without going out at all. At a point, I guess she decided it wasn't worth earning.

Now that the weather is warming up and more and more kids are leaving to have lunch out, the requests for lunch money have resurfaced. She has been pretty good, with the exception of a few foul-mouth responses. Yes, I know. She shouldn't get anything for that sort of back-talk, but I tend to be a bit soft once in a while. My lack of back bone benefited me and my ego last week when my 11 year old daughter called me on her way to school and invited me to meet her for lunch.

I was over the moon, especially since we argued right before school over her lack respect and consideration. I had to remind her that she would never have the NERVE to speak to her teachers the way she can sometimes speak to me. The argument sure was a doozy. She didn't even kiss me good-bye which she still usually does. One the bus headed to school, she must have had a change of heart(or lapse of judgment)and thought of me.

I met her at one of her favorite lunchtime spots, one block away from school. Bagels & Company on York Avenue, between 75th and 76th street, is a restaurant I have heard about one million times from her and all of her schoolmates who happen to live right around it. I had never been to try it since there are 3 or 4 spots nearer to our home that I am pretty faithful to. Here I was, on my way to another bagel place for lunch.

I vaguely remember my girl telling me about all the lunch specials at a handful of places near the school. Bagel & Co. seemed to have one of the best. They have a special where you get 2 slices of pizza and a can of soda for 4 dollars! That is almost unheard of, unless it is yucky pizza. It was anything BUT yucky! It was pretty darn good, and it was also Kosher. Bonus for any of my fellow Upper East Siders who follow Kosher. Not a bad deal at all. I think I was the last to learn this though, because the place stayed with a continuous line out the door for the entire hour we were there!

Apparently a few of the schools in the neighborhood let the kids leave to eat, and the "Company" is a crowd favorite. They always say a place is great if the line is out the door, and this line wasn't even just school kids looking for a few slices and a soda. There were more moms and nannies there with their charges than you would believe. The only downfall is the place doesn't have parking for all the Bugaboos and Maclarens.

Seems they have a wide array of things to choose from too. Looks like they have a bunch of salads and wraps and sandwiches, etc. The options looked endless. Too bad I couldn't try one of everything. I have to get back there again.

I am not sure what it means that a mom and her daughter sometimes need a few slices and a can of soda to come closer together, but those calories were sure worth it. Just the fact that she was thinking positively about me after such an atrocious argument shows me how much she is maturing. Or maybe she is becoming more deceitful and she was just trying to befriend the enemy! Either way, I'll take all the time I can.....especially when it is requested. Perhaps I can earn myself a walk TO school one of these mornings so I can sneak a taste of the bagels!

German Ruby

2011-04-30T18:10:00.005-04:00

This week, I was unfaithful. My loyalties to a long term relationship were tested and (in the blink of an eye)were extinguished. All it took was one demonstration to break a bond of over 10 years. Move over Maclaren. Cybex just swooped in and stole my heart.

Being an active mom on the Upper East Side has gradually made me a bit of an expert on many things "baby". Strollers are no exception. In fact, at some points in my parenting, strollers have been a bit of an obsession. I have done my research. I have done my field studies. I have bought and sold and returned and donated more than a handful of strollers. Up until this morning, I was a Maclaren advocate. I have owned more than a couple and would have sworn by them, and only them. My love of strollers was changed today, or at the very least, it was broadened.

The only unfortunate part of this new experience is that my purchase was not made on the Upper East Side. I ventured out of the neighborhood and found this gem in the "hood" across the park. The gem I am referring to is a lightweight, aluminum umbrella stroller designed by a German company called Cybex. The style is one of their very latest called the Ruby.

My mission was to go in and buy a Maclaren Volo that I had seen online. My friend and I were floored and taken in by this oceany-green/blue stroller that was placed in our path to the Volo. We checked it out and gave it a little spin in the aisle. When the man came over and asked what we were looking for, we could not help but ask about the Spring colored "ride". He went on to tell us that they were in the process of urging people to take this stroller instead of the ever-popular Maclaren version. He pointed out all features then added that Cybex also gave a lifetime warranty on their wheels! That was music to my ears since I pound the pavement a LOT and tend to be a bit rough on my wheels. I was almost sold. Almost.

I was really looking for the under 9 pound weight of the Volo. This Ruby is 12 pounds. 3 pounds is a big difference when you have a 24 pound baby inside! The gentleman went on to show us why EXACTLY the Ruby wins. The 2011 Ruby comes with a "Super Canopy". This feature means that the hood(which is also made from SPF 50 material)can be pulled forward for extreme sun coverage and can be pulled up and down to accomodate a wide height range of children. To me, this means the stroller would be a good fit for my child for much longer. Volo hoods are short in comparison to this one.

Another advantage over the Volo? Ruby lays down! Only one position, but one position is enough. It is just enough that if my child falls asleep, I won't get the dirty looks from people in the street. You know, when they fall asleep in an umbrella stroller that does not lay down, they tend to just bend their neck and lay on their own shoulders. Not comfy at all. Being able to lay him back is great.

Another plus? Everything is machine washable. I can take the seat off and throw it in the wash. All the Cheerios, and ice cream, and other food that gets mashed in can be easily washed off. And the hood? Also machine washable. My hoods always end up getting coffee stains eventually. At least I can fend the nasty stains off very easily!

There are a few tiny disadvantages, although none are too tremendous they kept me from buying. A rain cover needs to be purchased separately. I worried about that for only a second when I realized that the hood nearly completely covers the passenger anyway. Only other issue is the poundage. 3 pounds heavier than the stroller I went in to buy.

What more could I ask for in a stroller at only 20 dollars more than my planned purchase? That 20 dollars pays for the reclining feature and the Super Canopy. I now have a nice, summery, washable stroller. The baby looks comfortable and I have no trouble carrying it up the subway stairs. And although my eyes were drawn to the cool and bright color of the demo, I opted for black. It has silver/grey accents and matches much more. Besides that, I know my husband would have had issues pushing that bright color down the street!

Sharing is NOT Always Caring

2011-04-16T18:48:00.005-04:00

This weather simply can not make up its mind. We have had temperatures nearly in the 80's and are now suffering through high 40's and low 50's the past few days. This is the kind of weather that no matter how you dress or layer, it just doesn't seem right. I have been guilty of under-dressing my kids on some days and over-dressing them on others. Throw in some seasonal allergies and you have a recipe for disaster.

It is inevitable that a number of kids and adults alike will come down with colds and flus and all sorts of other illnesses when the seasons change. We can give our children all the vitamins and orange juice in the world but if all of us are not practicing the same sorts of preventative measures, we are almost asking for these little bugs to spread like wildfire!

It is hard to keep after 4 kids to wash hands every time they sneeze, use the restroom, throw out garbage, etc. It is hard to get them NOT to share items when you have spent years teaching them that "sharing is caring". It is nearly impossible to keep my affectionate children from loving all their school germs onto my little guy. It is a full-time job in itself just to harp on such issues! The one thing that we have to all learn and pass on to our children is that some things are just better off being kept to themselves.

I won't even get into the whole bed bug issue again and all of the things that our children should learn to prevent the spread. Lice.....the schools make that one an easy one. As soon as they know about a case, the child is not allowed back into the classroom until the school nurse checks and clears them. We simply have to explain to our kids the importance of not sharing things that could spread the little bugger. It is such a common childhood thing.(Yes, it happens on the Upper East Side too!)Illnesses....not such a black and white issue.

I can recall just a short month ago when my 8 year old came home from school with a violent looking eye. I immediately took him into the doctor who prescribed an antibiotic for the bacterial pink eye that he had contracted. Rule is that until he was taking the meds for 24 hours, he should not be in school. Simple enough. He was capable of BEING at school, but it just wouldn't be fair to the other families for me to send him.(Luckily, I had been laid off from work last month, so it wasn't a huge inconvenience for him to stay home). I wondered about the child that my child caught it from. Did his/her parents think the same way? Did they know it was contagious? Did they even care? Or could they not afford the day off from work?

I have certainly been there. I have struggled with sending them or not a million times. I can even remember another mother's advice of drugging them before school so it would seem they suddenly got sick in the middle of the day. Seems like that may work if I needed it to and had no other choice. It also seemed that these are the types of parents that don't really consider how serious the implications could potentially be for performing such an act. I know all too well. The very next week, my infant son had a yucky eye.

When my daughter's belly was turning and rumbling and her head hurt, I was tempted to make her go in to school anyway. I contemplated it only briefly before I imagined her best friend's little sister with the same symptoms. Not cool. Even though we realize our school-aged kids are somewhat resilient and can handle these illnesses, some people don't think about the infants and elderly family members that these germs could be brought home to.

I am grateful each time I get a Yahoo Groups email from a mom in my child's class reporting that their child came down with "X" and had "Z" symptoms. It keeps us on the lookout and reminds us to remind our kids of their hand-washing and germ-sharing habits. It also shows the amount of consideration these people have for other human beings and their respective situations. While I can't say I am sad to have these allergy-ridden germ machines home for this LONG Spring break, I am thrilled at the chance for us all to heal. This vacation will be all about sharing. Sharing the tissue box, the childrens Zyrtec, and many many revitalizing naps!

Tar and Heels

2011-03-31T20:51:00.004-04:00

Last week, my birthday found me and some friends(who also happen to be Upper East Side moms)eager to have a "girl's night out". It takes a lot for me to find the stamina and the inspiration to actually put on make-up, dress in more than jeans and a cotton top, and venture out after 9pm. I find myself sometimes feeling like an old lady when it comes to planning an evening out. So I left it to a friend of mine.

One of my BFFs is Lebanese and has always frequented an Egyptian restaurant/cafe WAY downtown. I went with her once, and truly enjoyed the experience, but despised the ride home. Riding trains alone that late are not a good idea. Same goes for a cab ride for a car-sick-prone mom. I remember the food being delicious, and authentic(according to the dishes my friend cooks and I have had the pleasure of sampling). The atmosphere was cool too. Very comfortable and warm. The hookah? Ah, the hookah. I enjoyed it. Boy, did I enjoy it.

This time around, she decided to keep it local. Turns out, the owner of the successful restaurant downtown had opened one up in our neck of the woods! We only had to take a short little ride to 62nd st between 1st and 2nd Avenues. That is my kind of travel. This spin-off is called Horus East. It was a bit hard to see the place until I saw a slight change of color glowing behind an Eye of Horus symbol. Very fitting. Deeper investigation taught me that the symbol stands for all kinds of good things like protection and good health. The subtlity of the signage made finding the place a little challenging, but was such a compliment to the atmosphere once I experienced it as a whole. Very classy place. Very Upper East Side.

We decided to stay upstairs. Yes, there are two floors. We didn't learn until later in the evening that the downstairs was a bit more "clubby" than the upstairs. Upstairs is where you eat a meal and listen to authentic music. Downstairs is where you "drop it low" and "put a ring on it". Next time we will have to make some time to venture downstairs.

We left the ordering to the experts. That was a smart move, because not one thing remained on our plates. Each item was delicious.....right down to the rice! We also had some mint tea in tiny little cups that seemed to make it more authentic tasting. I feel like we continued to just pick at everything until there was nothing left to pick at!

The hookah was incredible. Now I am not a smoking advocate AT ALL. In fact, I was thrilled when all the laws were being made to keep it out of public places. It even makes me sick! For some reason, the light taste and smell of the hookah is enjoyable to me. It could have something to do with the fact that we happen to get a "premium" nicotine-free set-up that is smoked right out of a pineapple. Who can resist the taste and smell of smoke pineapple? Not this hookah novice 2 times over. Or maybe it is the mentality of doing something where no one under the age of 18 is allowed to enter! Probably a little of both.

Somewhere in the middle of all the eating and drinking and fruit-smoking, the music got louder and enriched with a little more bass. Then out came a belly dancer! She was beautiful and talented. I was impressed and amazed and a little bit envious. I soon found myself sucking in my baby gut just a little bit more than I was before!

Before we left, the music got loud once again and my friends had the waitress bring out a little chocolate souffle surrounded by strawberries. It had a candle on top and a unrecognizable birthday song played while everyone clapped. I was completely embarrassed and pleased all at the same time. The song goes back and forth between English and what I assumed was Arabic. All I know is the English part wished me a happy birthday and I felt like a million bucks.....for an awkwardly long time.

Overall, it was a fantastic night. Before we went out, I was thankful for friends who wanted to take me out. I was also thankful for a reason to put some tar on my lashes and heels on my feet. I was thankful to my husband for being a babysitter. After the night was over, I was thankful for the door-to-door ride home. I was thankful for being able to still stand in those heels, and I was surprisingly thankful for that skinny, talented lady who inspired me to get my slightly squishy self back into gear. I always seem to be thankful. But when you have the opportunity to be an Upper East Side mom with 4 reasons to still get up at the crack of dawn after a long night....why not?

Making the Grade

2011-03-16T19:47:00.004-04:00

I have to give a pat on the back to the New York City Department of Health for their new initiative and regulations regarding a grading system for our restaurants.

I am sure everyone has heard and seen that most of our local restaurants are now donning a legal-letter-sized "report card" in their windows. I had no idea what the whole thing was about until a few weeks after I started seeing them more frequently. I was compelled to post about it when I was trying to figure out lunch and one of my kids said, "we can't go there....they got a C".

I was noticing that most places had A's. I have only ever seen one C, in fact.....and 2 B's. To tell the truth, I was pretty surprised about a few of the A grades. I have been to more than one of these "honor roll" places and have experienced some things that would not deem them worthy of such high regard! At that point, I decided to do a little research about the standards set to grade our establishments against.

My short research led me to the Department of Health's website in a section all its own. The page explained that ALL of NYC's restaurants will eventually be graded in such a manner. The facility is inspected and points for violations are added up. 0-13 points is an A. 14-27 is a B, and more than 28 is a C. It is not clear as to how many points a place can accumulate before being cited or closed. I suppose the 13 points gives each restaurant a cushion to fall on for small violations.....but small ones could potentially add up fast! The seriousness of the violations is what could give more points too. A public health hazard is worth 7 points, so a restaurant with 2 counts of a public health hazard(like food at bad temps)could be eliminated very quickly from getting an A. Any restaurant that gets a C will continue to be assessed monthly until the grade gets better or the facility is closed for unimproved violations. Sounds fair to me. If I were a business owner, I would appreciate the chance for improvement and the potential bragging rights of an A.

What do I mean by bragging rights? The DOH website also offers a Search for Restaurant Inspection. On this page, a person could search for a particular restaurant's grade....down to the points! You can even put a borough, a zip code, and/or a particular cuisine in to search. And why not select only the ones with an A or B grade? You can do that from this page too. Definitely a good idea if you are trying a place out for the first time, or venturing to a new neighborhood.

I think I might try a few new places now that I can search for them so easily. The "by cuisine" option will be a good one for my family. As a matter of fact, I had no idea we even HAD Australian cuisine anywhere on the Upper East Side. We learn something new every day, I suppose. I think we have an advantage now that we never had before. Although the inspection reports of restaurants could be found, it was never this easy. Never. Now, since it is easier than ever, our restaurants will be held to higher standards. If they can not meet those standards set by the departments that are in place to protect and help us, then at the very least, we will see it very clearly if the have a C.

To Glee or Not To Glee

2011-02-28T19:28:00.009-05:00

The children in NYC public schools just returned to school today after having 9 days off. Many families go out of town for this vacation. In fact, I believe it is one of the school breaks when the most New Yorkers travel. I, on the other hand, had nowhere to go. I still had to work, which somewhat sticks my children to just hanging around town. The yucky weather in the beginning of the week didn't help us any. It kept us inside for a couple of snowy, blustery days.

What is a mother of 4 to do on such nasty days with a baby in tow? We have played most games in our house and if we haven't, there is a reason. It's hard to find a game that both satisfies and challenges EVERY age in my household. Plus, chaos generally ensues. I admit to turning to something that most moms would cringe at. At the very least, most would deny using such an inferior tactic. I turned to the television!

I'm not talking about our normal, daily routine of Nick Jr. and Disney and Nick. I had secretly wanted to catch up on Glee since I had never taken much interest in it and apparently "all the kids in school are talkin' about it". So, I got the first season. Just 2 episodes in, I began to wonder about the appropriateness of the content for my kids.

I am a pretty liberal mom, as far as moms go. I am very open with my children and I give them a lot of credit for being more mature than what they should be at their prospective ages. My uncertainty with the Glee show quickly went away when I continued to watch and realized that for every potentially provocative scene, there was an equal or greater number of scenes with both a lesson and a good example. There have been lessons about drugs, sex, acceptance, prejudice, teen pregnancy, and much more.

One scene in particular that sends parents over the edge is the "hot tub" scene. My husband happened to walk into the living room at that exact moment and was appalled by what he saw. The truth of the matter is that although we, as adults, knew exactly what the scene implied, our kids did not. It passed completely over their heads. As well, it should have. While we watch the show, they catch everything they should and everything else kind of sails right by. Then the GleeKs sing a relevant song and not much else is remembered.

Another thing that many parents have a hard time dealing with is that one of the characters is openly gay. This particular character went through a phase of insecurity and then self acceptance. It was touching. As a matter of fact, most of the characters went through the same phase. The jock, the "cripple"(as they call it in the show), the head cheerleader, the bully, the minority, etc. The writers have put a strong emphasis on the camaraderie the glee club has built and maintained. The kids in the club have learned to accept each other and their differences. Kids nowadays should see those kinds of things more often.

Beyond the lessons and inspiration the show instills, the cast is superbly talented! They do all of their own singing and dancing, and are all great actors. That in itself inspires and impresses my kids.

We watched about 2 shows a day, on most of these vacation days. We all sat together and enjoyed and laughed and got excited and celebrated the groups victories......together. I have become teary-eyed more than once and have begun open conversations with my children about the subject matter in almost every episode. We even talked about it when we weren't watching. I think we spent much of our time trying to talk others into watching it too!

I am excited to check out the next season. I am fighting off the urge to simply pick it up in the middle of the season, but will try my best to hold out for a few more months. I have to admit that watching a show with no commercials really makes the experience much more enjoyable. Perhaps we can start the second season on our next vacation? Seems to make a good bit of sense!

I am glad that I got over questioning myself as a mother for letting my children get into the show. I love it. They love it. The questionable topics/scenes have either sparked an inevitable conversation or have gone completely over their heads. They could be watching many worse shows and movies. I remember a time when my daughter would offer to clean the house so she could stay up and watch Jersey Shore because her friends were watching it! She was nuts! And my son begs to watch Spongebob. Now THOSE are two shows that are equally lacking in substance! I think Glee will just be a thing that we will enjoy together for as long as it lasts. I could use a Tuesday evening where we all want to be in the same place at one time for an entire hour. That is no small feat in my neck of the woods, so I will be forever indebted to the creators of GLEE!

Just Some Tape

2011-02-16T19:58:00.008-05:00

My daughter's birthday is coming up this weekend and I was shocked when I asked her what she wanted and she simply replied, "tape".

She always has been pleased by the simple things in life, but I thought this was extreme. She got really excited and started to explain that this special tape can be turned into bags and bracelets. I was still baffled until she told me, "it's the kind of tape that is usually grey".

So, apparently, the new "thing" is colored and printed duct tape. Children in school are having their parents buy special colors of the tape, folding it in half, adding a piece of sticky-backed velcro, and calling it a bracelet. They are making pouches and wallets and all sorts of things from the vibrantly colored materials. All she wants is tape. Now I get it.

When I went out of town last weekend, I was lucky enough to find spools of the Duck brand of tape. We collected a few different colors, a few prints, and some velcro. Every day since, I can not keep her away from it for too long! Just a few weeks prior, I was pulling her away from texting on her phone! Each day she comes home with a list of friends who want a bracelet or a bag. In fact, she has mastered the art of covering a fold-top sandwich bag and turning it into a fancy little pouch/case. It is incredible!

Upon returning to the city, I went on my search to find a few places to pick up more colors or varieties. Some of the kids at school have bought theirs from Duane Reade. Some from Staples. None were nearly as inexpensive as the craft store in Connecticut, but still fairly reasonable. I did just find out today that The Craft Studio is carrying a wide variety of colors and prints too(at a reasonable price). I am sure that many of the toy stores in the area are(or soon will be) carrying it also.

I remember being a kid and feeling the same way about embroidery floss as these kids are beginning to feel about this tape! I remember spending every quarter I had on a new color and making too many bracelets to wear, but wearing them anyway. It was a much cheaper obsession, but I have to admit that these bags and bracelets are very funky and chunky and cool! I have even been drawn to making a few things myself! Fifth graders are simply folding the tape in half and all the bracelets are almost the same size. I taught my daughter how easy the tape tears and showed her that she can make the strands as thin as she'd like. It makes for a huge variety of designs.

I am sure that this fad will come and go and come back again. Not too long ago, our kids were crying and begging for Silly Bands. They were trading and wearing them for quite a while. What can you DO with them though? Not a whole lot. The thing I hated about that little trend was that all my kids seemed to do was count them over and over and wear their favorites each day. They were comparing how many they had. They competed to see who had more. There are now thousands of the things sitting all over my house. At least with this more recent obsession, they can be creative and make useful and cute things.

Since our purchase I have not had to tell my daughter to get off the phone. I have not had to tell her to stop watching TV and get her homework done. She does her best to stay on top of things so she has more time to "create". It is almost magical! My advice? If you have a creative kid who doesn't have some colored duct tape, go out and get some! Better yet, buy some plain old duct tape and see what they can do. We all fall victim to trends and our kids are no exception. This is one trend that I will fully support.....until she has made everything she can and the duct tape bracelets are no longer "cool".

Please feel free to post some pics of your child's creations. I am also looking for good websites with project ideas and local stores that sell the supplies. Keep ME posted. I would LOVE the feedback!

A New Brunch Favorite

2011-01-31T20:59:00.006-05:00

Another Saturday morning, and a visitor from out-of-town, found me roaming the streets in search of a comfy, yummy place to spend a couple of hours. Just a few Saturdays before, I attempted to get take out from one of the most locally famous places on the Upper East Side. I quickly learned then that the place did not offer take-out during weekend brunch times. It smelled so wonderful inside. The ambiance looked to be exactly what I crave on the weekends for those 2 hours while I am almost child-free. I decided to go back this weekend and experience it to the fullest. The place? Yorkville Creperie.

In all the years I have lived on the UES, I have never been to this local treasure and I was beginning to feel like I was missing a lot. A friend of my daughter's mentioned that it was her favorite place a few years back and I vowed to give it a try. I don't know why I didn't do it sooner!

My cousin came in from Virginia and I began to think of something close and delicious for her to try since it was so cold out and we were not looking forward to much sight-seeing. I had even held on to the menu from my attempt at ordering take out weeks prior.

We ended up getting there a bit too early. FYI....most normal New Yorkers don't head out to brunch until late morning. I was forced out before most normal New Yorkers.(I dread Saturday morning test prep). The Creperie opens at 10am. We soon found out that it was well worth the wait. We went in and within minutes knew what we wanted. We both had something fruity/chocolaty/sweet in mind, but had no idea about all the savory offerings on the menu.

After some brief deliberation, we settled on splitting a savory crepe and ordering our own sweet crepe that we could also split. I think we just assumed the savory crepe would hold no weight to the sweet ones we know and love. Boy, were we wrong. In fact, I could go to brunch and forget about my regular Nutella smothered special! I think.

We settled on the Spartan crepe to share. A savory choice with spinach, garlic, roasted tomato and ricotta, all topped with an extra virgin olive oil drizzle. It was heavenly. The spinach was cooked to perfection. When we cut into the crepe, the bright and bold greens came pouring out. Among all the greens were perfectly roasted tomatoes and garlic minced so tiny that if it weren't for the contrast you would not be able to see it. There also must have been some salt inside. They must have put the crepe together at just the right temperature because you could taste and feel the crunch of the salt with every few bites. It was perfectly balanced in every way. I almost wish I decided to get my own savory dish.

I was definitely ready for more. When our sweet(classic, to us) crepes came out, we were just as excited. Mine was a traditional crepe with strawberries, bananas, and Nutella. Hers was a strawberry, blueberry, whipped cream crepe with a raspberry puree drizzle over the top. Both were exceptional. Although I think that when I go the sweet route I will almost always opt for Nutella on mine! The raspberry puree made the other one a little more fancy that any old crepe. It separated this restaurant's crepes from ones we have had while cruising through NYC street fairs.

Everything was really reasonably priced too. I don't remember how much those street fair crepes are, but I would imagine that the prices we paid could not possibly be much more than that. It was truly reasonable. The fanciest crepe they have is 12 dollars.

Beyond the food being insanely delicious, the coffee was amazing too. The atmosphere was more charming than many of our UES restaurants. It was naturally well-lit, which is important to a mom who wants to fall asleep every time she stops moving or doing for more than 5 minutes. It felt like the home of a family member. It was bright, inviting and quiet, although not too quiet. After about an hour of us nursing our crepes and coffee, the once empty space became almost filled wall to wall. That would explain their reluctance to do take out. They don't need to. Their brunch is personal. As it should be.

These early-to-rise Saturday mornings are really beginning to do a number on me. A working mom needs to sleep in once in a while to stay sane, but if I began to frequent a place like this, I would be one happy Upper East Side Mom.

A Good Old Cup of Joe

2011-01-17T21:53:00.008-05:00

There is no denying that it has been cold outside. It seems like our street crossings in the city are going to be covered with either slush or ice for a while to come. This is the point in the winter time that people start to look forward to a warm-up. The novelty of wearing coats and sweaters and boots that have been packed away for the warm months has worn off. So has the excitement of playing in the snow. The thought of bundling up a handful of us to go out into the elements is discouraging when you add up the number of layers it takes for a family of this size to get out!

When Saturday test prep for my daughter forced me out, I figured I would make the most of it. 2 hours is just enough time to make it not worth heading home. I hung out in a Starbucks for that time and enjoyed an average blend of a coffee and a less than average red velvet cupcake. While I sat, I thought about how comfortable and warm and chill it was to hang out there, but something in the back of my head never lets me forget just how commercial the mega-chain is!

On the walk home, I remembered a place that my daughter and I used to go to once or twice a week. I hadn't had to be in this direction for a while, but I decided to surprise her and bring her to one of her favorite places, M.Rohr's on 86th street. It was this very cool, inviting cafe/coffeehouse where I would serve my own cup of coffee from one of a number of self-serve airpots. She would always get a fresh baked biscotti as a snack, or a breakfast sandwich if we were on our way to school in the mornings. I remember when she turned 8 years old, my little hippie even asked for a gift card to this shop for her birthday! She was hooked. We even used to go in while the babies took a nap and we would sit for a while and enjoy our treats on one of the couches. It would make for a nice Saturday afternoon.

Much to our surprise and dismay, the "cafe" was no more. The entire back room of seating was gone. The couches and cafe tables in the front were gone. The storefront gave no indication of a change so we never would have thought any differently. All along the walls, still hangs the bins in which all the flavored beans are stored for sale, but there were no more pots of self-serve. There were no more fresh-baked goods and no more sandwiches. We were stunned. After a brief discussion with the man behind the counter, we learned that the owner decided to take the cafe section away because business was no longer financially supporting that portion of the concept. It was somewhat disheartening. I then asked for a cup of coffee to go, which they also no longer do. We were at a loss. I was really craving my favorite flavor from over the years of visiting. Coconut. Yum.

My daughter searched around with a frown and found some pre-wrapped biscotti, but it wasn't the same. Much of what the store now has to offer is beyond the realm of thought that a 10 year old is capable of! I could appreciate it as an adult, but it was still a bit nostalgic and sad for even me!

I decided to make the best of it and buy SOMETHING. After all, the business is struggling enough. I am typically not a coffee pot user(since I am the only coffee addict in the house), so I normally never buy coffee by the pound. I wondered then if I would enjoy brewing a special pot on the weekend or when I have company over. I went for it and bought a half a pound of my coconut coffee. The gentleman ground it up for me and put it in this simple, classy looking brown bag and sealed it up tight. It seemed pretty official. Certainly not the half pound you'd buy in the grocery store! Then we were on our way.

That Sunday, I brewed up a pot of my "special coffee" in my new coffee pot from Christmas. I have to say that it was delicious. It was flavorful and robust. It was perfect for me and the hubby on our weekend mornings. My house smelled incredible too! I am usually a cheapo when it comes to coffee, and buying like this made me a bit nervous. I took it all back once I tasted it. It was worth every penny and once I broke it down, it was really not that bad at all. My half pound seems like it'll go a long way! The next morning, I was the only one home for a cup so I brought out my trusty old manual coffee drip cone. It worked like a charm. One perfectly brewed cup of my special "Joe".

Upon complaining to my friend about the place, she informed me that Rohr's used to only serve the coffee beans and loose teas. They weren't ever a cafe until more recently. I never knew that. She remembered going by there as a kid. Back then they didn't have any of the food or treats like they did a few months back. I guess they just went back to their roots. They went back to what worked and what has kept them alive in Yorkville for over 100 years.I would imagine that to be a steady business for that long, it must have always been good. All I know is that it is good now. I couldn't ask for better coffee.

On the walk home that day, my daughter and I went over all the reasons why the shop would have changed. We realized that although we loved to sit in the cafe, part of why we loved it was because it never seemed packed. Pair that up with the subway construction mere feet away and you have a recipe for disaster. This is not the first business we have encountered that fell victim to the MTA's "improvements and advancements". It is quite sad. She suggested that we still go in there once in a while and buy a little coffee. She listed off a dozen or so people in our lives that would appreciate a certain blend or flavor. We vowed to make it a habit. Not a frequent one...but a habit, nonetheless.

I am already plotting my next flavor. I may even have to get 2. I have to have the coconut, but wonder what others I may be missing. I guess I will have to see, but I can assure you I won't be waiting too long. I can already smell it!

My Way

2010-12-31T23:31:00.003-05:00

I obviously did not go out on the town to celebrate this New Year....again. I am always pegged as a home-body, in general, but this night epitomized and embodied everything that I love about my life.

After a week of travel, and Christmas, and drugging through the slushy sidewalks while trying to pretend that my Maclaren has 4-wheel-drive, I was THRILLED to spend the holiday at home with my family. My husband has to work the majority of New Year's Eves. I typically hang with the kids or briefly have a toast with him before he has to rush off to start his shift. This year was a nice change of pace.

We took a friend up on their last minute offer to visit and eat some food. This friend happens to live right around the block, so I had no opposition to this. I made a few pans of stuffed shells(you have to make a few.....who makes only one pan? They are too much trouble to make just one!) We went to our friends house and enjoyed the company of some pretty cool, and friendly people. These same people also happen to be AMAZING cooks! We feasted on everything from friend chicken legs, to coconut shrimp, to my stuffed and cheesy shells. Not a bad last meal of the year. We are lucky to have friends like this. Not to mention that we had numerous invitations of this sort....it just so happens that the commute to this friend's house was a deal-breaker. I couldn't ask for a better group of friends.

Now, as I sit and wait for the ball to drop and the new year to begin, I am of course reflecting on this past year. A new baby, a new apartment, a new problem everyday, with a near-following new solution. We conquered this year, as a family. I was able to conquer it with the support of my family and good friends. Looking back on this trying year makes me appreciate every aspect of my life....even the troublesome and challenging parts. Funny thought....I have 5 "challenging parts" sitting beside me waiting for the ball drop! They are asking all about Reba! Not much of a country music influence here on the Upper East Side, I guess.

Upon asking the fam what their favorite parts of this year were, these are the answers I received:
"Moving" (times 2)
"When the baby was born" (times 2)
"The Justin Bieber Concert"
"Getting Pepper" (the cat)
I also got a burp.

Always amusing. Always a challenge. And always mine. In just 4 minutes, we will toast with our "Kid Sangria" which consists of grape juice, 7UP, and frozen apples. I will kiss my hubby and all of my little ducks in a row. I will tuck some tired and happy and full little monkeys into their beds. I will have a grown-up drink(or 2) and then I will sleep like a baby. That is my kind of night. That is my kind of New Year's Eve.

Here's to 2011. May it be as wonderfully chaotic, and beautifully aggravating as 2010. I wouldn't have it any other way.

The Search Is Over.....Again

2010-12-16T19:23:00.004-05:00

My daughter is halfway through her last year of elementary school. And what does that mean for an Upper East Side mom? It means that we are now on a search for a middle school....or should I say, we have until tomorrow to decide which ones she chooses to go to.

The board of education gives you this application to fill out(which, by the way, my daughter didn't give me until today). You have to rate these schools in the order of which you would prefer to attend. Now, I am sure that most of us have been through this once or twice already, but I am here to tell you that you'd be far better off to be prepared.

Since the beginning of the school year my daughter has been reminding me, relentlessly, that we should be going on tours and such to decide where she should go. I completely neglected to attend any tours. Completely. I got consumed by work, and the baby, and keeping my house and family of 6 running somewhat smoothly. My research included speaking to other parents of middle schoolers and hearing what they had to say about the schools that are available to us. Now it's crunch time. The paper is due tomorrow.

We have had the middle school brochure book for our district and have looked through it from time to time and had a vague idea of which schools we liked. My little lady picked one school solely on the fact that they offered football to girls as a sport! I asked her if she actually wanted to play football and she said, "not necessarily. I just like the idea of a school that says it is ok for girls to play it." Fair point. I like that too.

We also had a few schools that made the cut based on the fact that a cute boy was making that his number one choice, or that her BFF that week had made it a first choice. I quickly had to dispel the idea that those people will definitely get it their desired school or that she would either. I explained there were no guarantees. I also explained that small fallings out at this age could mean the ends of friendships and thousands of new people in a new environment could mean new friends too. We finally came to the agreement that we would pick schools based on what was important to her, and to us as a family.

I certainly would love for her to attend the school within our 2 block radius, but would love a school that caters to her specific talents or interests. I am concerned about getting her to a school that is much further downtown, but I wonder if a change of atmosphere will do her good. I wonder if it would be advantageous to pick a school that lets 6th graders go out to lunch or one that shelters them and requires they stay inside. I wonder if she would be too shy to shine on any interviews that some schools require. So much to consider.

In the end, most children will adapt to whatever environment they are in. Not all, but most. Not everyone makes the 100 percent right choice. Hope fully, we do. We set our sights on 3 or 4 that we would be happy with, knowing that you don't always get your first choice. We have set ourselves up for whatever may come.

We have been through this all before with preschools and elementary schools for 2 of our kids. This is the first time for us with middle schools. I don't even want to THINK of the process and the stress when it comes to high schools. All I know is that I am glad this round is over. I realize that I am known for procrastinating but, next time, I will promise to be more prepared earlier on! No matter where she goes, I am sure she will learn and thrive and grow. She will only get out of it what we make it. Now we wait and see what our future holds. Let's just cross our fingers and hope!

What Would The Duggars Do?

2010-11-30T21:44:00.005-05:00

As I sat and tried to peacefully enjoy my dinner one night last week, I came to a realization. I was tired. I was mentally and physically exhausted from working and getting up at the crack of dawn to get children off to school. Oh, the woes of being an Upper East Side mom.

My poor husband had cooked dinner by the time I got home and was eating his pasta with heavy eyelids. Remember....he keeps my two youngest while I am at work a few days a week and he does this after working night-shift at his job. It was a beautiful dinner.....until all hell broke loose!

The baby started crying, so I ate the last 3 quarters of my meal with one hand while the other arm rocked the fussy infant. Then the 3-year-old started sniveling about how he didn't like something that just the night before he LOVED. Then the oldest 2 children started speaking and shouting at each other in a way that disgusted me. I started to question what kind of parent I was that my kids spoke to each other worse than they would their most hated enemy. I had to get drastic.

For anyone that knows me, or has even read my posts a few times, you would know that I am no stranger to reality TV, and the Duggars are one of my top picks. I think I began watching their shows on TLC before they had 15 kids! While my spawn were shouting nasty names to each other and rolling eyes and making faces across the table, I sat back quietly(for once)and thought to myself, "What would the Duggars do?".

Episodes were running through my mind and I couldn't think of one where they had to discipline any of their children. I couldn't think of one when the kids were even fighting, like in the show mine were putting on. Then I thought about reasons why they don't fight as much or need as much discipline or correction. Couldn't figure it out. I did, however, notice differences between what they took as acceptable and what I do. HUGE differences.

Most of our children these days watch a fair amount of TV and/or spend time on the internet. Most of them have hand-held game systems and a WII. While many of our families are staying "connected", theirs is staying connected to each other. They play with toys that we had when we were younger. They use their imaginations, and they entertain each other. They don't seem to aggravated or lose their patience with each other. Shoot, I lose my patience hourly. Maybe I need a coffee date with Michelle. Maybe my husband and I should go on a double date with her and Jim Bob. Rumor has it that with all those kids and a house that size, they are also debt-free!

I decided in that moment that I would make my children appreciate what they have. I immediately confiscated all electronics. They were grounded from them for a few days. I knew it was the right choice when my son cried and sobbed and tried to explain how "important" his PSP was to him. It was pretty humorous, but sad at the same time.

I remembered another episode and thing the Duggars did, and I put that into action too. I called my mom in CT(where we would be spending the holiday) and asked her to find a place for my children to volunteer for the holidays. On Thanksgiving morning, they woke up and headed to the church/shelter in the area and spent a few hours. While they were there, they folded clothes to put together for families in need and packed up little goody bags for them. They separated socks into bags for girls, boys, men, and women. Even the 3-year-old squeezed the air out of Ziplocs and sealed them up. They learned where all of these things were going to and why. They came home with their name-tags and were proud of the experience.

They still fought all weekend. I can't say that the little things I did worked, but the simple idea of it all is what I hope they begin to get. I explained that in the Duggar family there are so many people in it but you never see them frustrated so easily, or hateful, or selfish, or greedy, or disrespectful. It made them look at themselves a little differently. It made me look at myself differently! Maybe it'll sink in to them sometime soon. Hopefully.

I read somewhere that when asked how they discipline their children, the Duggars answered with something like "speak softly" and only positive reinforcement. That takes a ton of patience I don't have! I envy those two.

Now this all does not mean that I want to go out and have 20 kids. It doesn't mean that I want to name my children with names that start with the same letter. It doesn't mean that my daughter and I will only wear skirts here on out. And it doesn't mean that I think anyone else should follow in the Duggar's footsteps. This just means that I think you should take a look at how a family of THAT size and proportion gets along so well. We may learn something. Sometimes as parents, especially in New York City, we tend to be so defensive and proud when it comes to raising children. We always think we know what's right and wrong, and we tend to always have an opinion of what someone else should be doing. We should all be a little more open to learning from each other. What a difference it would make.

Now, as for the "speak softly" part....how the hell will they ever hear me if I did THAT????

Right On Track

2010-11-16T21:46:00.008-05:00

My youngest little one just turned 4 months old and, as any mother knows, that is a milestone when it comes to wellness visits and immunizations. Looming in my near future was the dreaded thought of having to get the baby into the doctor for that visit.....and the other 3 children!

It turns out that my other 3 children were due for their check-ups the same month! After some careful and strategic planning, I made their appointments. As luck would have it, the doctor was willing to fit them in....all of them on the same day! A few of my friends thought I was crazy, but it made total sense to me get it over with. I was right.

Our doctor's office is Pediatrics of New York, located at 11 East 86Th street. The kids have been going to this office since before then can even remember! I actually remember switching to that doctor when my second child was a baby. I was so upset that the insurance had required me to change doctors, but can also remember how happy and relieved I was once I had visited for the first time. We have seen many of the doctors there and are quite fond of most of them. Of course we have our favorites, but it is nice to know that we can feel comfortable with all of them.

The last year or so had been a little bit tough for us when it came to the peds office. The office had been making so many changes in staff, and reception, and doing some remodeling, that it threw us for a loop. For a while, there were some inconsistencies that worried me, but I am so glad that we toughed it out and didn't change doctors. Once the dust settled, all went back to normal....and maybe it is a little better. Although we were quite sad to see our favorite doctor leave last December, we have been more than happy with who we have seen in more recent months. I suppose we just had to be a little patient while they updated for the good of their workplace and for the care of their patients!

So, on that Monday morning, I packed up the troop and headed to the doctor's office. It was a beautiful day for the older 2 children to take off of school. It happened to be one of those unseasonably warm days where we even ended up taking of our light sweatshirts. I couldn't have asked for better luck. We piled into the reception area, where we didn't have to wait too long before they put us into the biggest room in the place. We all went in at once.

They began with 2 medical assistants taking heights and weights and giving eye tests to all 4 of them while the baby hung out in his diaper and the rest of them were in blue exam gowns. It was quite a sight! In fact, I took a few pictures that I would have posted if not for embarrassing my 10 year old daughter! It was pretty funny to see them all struggling to get undressed and covering one eye to do the eye test and guessing their stats. Like a circus. The baby was entertained the entire time.

Then the doctor came in. Dr. Duszka. She happens to be our current favorite. My children have grown to love her, and so have I. She took her time with each one.....plenty of time. She spoke to them and asked them questions and smiled and played and examined them, all the while speaking to me and answering any questions I had. She is always very thorough and patient. I think that with a mom like me, patient is the best thing to be! I always feel like I am bothering them. She never lets me feel like that.

After examining them all, and getting a few prescriptions for dry skin and eye drops and such, came the announcement.....shots! At least 2 each! Just the whisper of the word made a few of them cringe. Lucky for me, some are too young to catch on too quickly. Dr. Duszka made that as pleasant as possible too. She was so quick and comforting that it really wasn't that bad. 10 total shots didn't seem that bad at all with her doing them! I guess that was the true test.

After we stocked up on stickers and Dum Dum lollipops, we left the office and headed to the dentist. Yep. You heard right. The dentist. Why waste a day off from school and work? On the way to the dentist I thought about how integral a part your child's pediatrician has in your life. Besides the obvious job of taking care and prevention for your child's health, a pediatrician takes a large role in the parenting aspect of things. I can remember, a while back, wanting to lie to the doctor about things that I had done or thought regarding my childrens' health but thinking that I better tell the truth so I can get a straight answer. I am now the kind of mother that doesn't get embarrassed anymore. After a ton of visits where the doctor says "keep up the good work, Mom", I start to believe I am doing good work!

It feels good to hear the doctor tell you that they are right on track for growth, or to keep doing what you are doing. It feels good even when they aren't quite on track, because you have someone helping or guiding or teaching you with advice and kindness. It feels good to check off all the little developments and advancements your infants make. It feels good to be able to ask questions that may even be a little silly and not be laughed at. Most of all, it feels good to be reassured over and over and over again, that what you are doing is "right".......if there really is such a thing.

Walking To the Beat of Our Own Drum

2010-10-31T22:18:00.004-04:00

Along with the change of seasons comes news beginnings and the vicious holiday cycle starts its go-around once more. We just plopped down our rather LARGE bags of candy from trick-or-treating and already I am thinking of the next holiday. This Halloween season, I brought it upon myself to make a cake in the shape, color, and size of an actual pumpkin. It was a recommendation from one of my favorite ladies in my life. My Aunt Rose told me that she had been making this for years and that it is always a big hit. While I was mixing and frosting and trying to phase out the fussy baby that I left to my husband to tend to, I wondered about MY traditions with my family.....or the lack thereof.

I usually take pride in the fact that I am a pretty liberal, laid-back kind of parent. I have my definite O.C.D. moments and issues, but possess an understanding that perfection is a lot to live up to. I am much more creative than domesticated, but aspire to be more well-rounded every day. One day, I want my children to remember things that we did or enjoyed together around the holidays. I want them to be able to call me when they are all grown up and tell me that they did this or that with their own children because we did it when THEY were little.

We definitely have some things that are important to us, as a family. All the typical stuff, really. Every Easter we have baskets. Every Christmas we have a tree and presents. Every Thanksgiving we have a lot of food. But I still continued to wonder what makes us unique or special? My husband and I are both from large families where tradition always played a huge role. We shared some things in common in regards to holidays and traditions, but differed in a few areas too. Accepting another persons traditions and compromising your own is not small thing to learn. It almost feels sometimes as if you are compromising yourself! We learned, over the years, to adapt to each others ways and have turned it into our own.

Our Thanksgiving table these days has such a wide variety of food that it is almost ridiculous! We both have ideas in our heads about what is SUPPOSED to be there, so we just have it all. Who is to say what's wrong or right? And if any of the kids have a suggestion that is reasonable, we simply add it on. It is all of our day, isn't it? Then we should ALL have a say. I think one year we even ate out and caught a movie!

There are years at Christmas time that were very "un-traditional" in our house. One year "Santa" didn't wrap the presents. Another year "Santa" couldn't find the stockings that she so strategically packed away into Spacebags, that she filled up the kids' rainboots instead.

As I posted about before, I have bought my children books on Valentine's day, instead of chocolate.

I can think of one million things that we do differently than most, or from the way my husband or I grew up. It is different, but it seems so fitting for us.

Most of the time, people are so wrapped up in their traditions or habits or rituals, they forget what is important. They tend to get caught up in the "we always" aspect or everything. Upper East Siders are certainly no exception. More often than not, our rituals, habits and traditions control our everyday life. Perhaps we would all be a little bit happier if we could get to the "we like to" approach of things. It is much less stressful and MUCH easier to live up to!

I can't wait for the holidays to roll around this year. I am a mother of 4 beautiful children who are still learning and growing and forming ideas about what all these holidays mean to them personally, and as part of a family. I can't wait to see and form ideas with them about what is important to us all. I can't say what will be this year, or next, or the year after that. The one thing I do know is that togetherness is one "tradition" that we hold near and dear to our hearts. That is one thing that I will take while I can. One day they will be all grown up and I want them to WANT to be together whenever we can. And perhaps next year for Halloween, I will bang out another few more pumpkin cakes. Next year I may even omit the many choice words that came flying out of my mouth when I dropped the first one out of the oven! Well, at least they can't say I didn't make some memories!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Select Bus

2010-10-18T22:17:00.003-04:00

I was pretty humbled this week when I started to have to depend solely on public transportation. Let's just say that if you get a parking ticket in New York you would be better off just paying it immediately....towing fees and the inconvenience of having to retrieve your vehicle add up to much more than a ticket could ever be!

When I came to the realization that I would have to get through without my car, I was not very optimistic. Surprisingly enough, we made it through. We struggled a few days with the rain, but were grateful for the moderately warm weather considering the season. The one interesting part of our week with no car was our first ride on NYC's new Select Bus.

It turns out that New York City has recently implemented their Bus Rapid Transit service on First and Second Avenues! We got ready to hop on a train headed downtown and were directed by an MTA authority that we had to dip our Metrocards into a machine! We were a little bit stunned, but then came along this beautiful new bus with bright blue flashing lights.

When we dipped our cards into the machine, a ticket receipt printed out and we were told to hold onto it for the bus. Apparently, this is how these buses work. I had no idea! We then got onto the bus. It was a brand-spanking-new bus. The seats were nice, the steps weren't steep, and there were seats that faced each other, which my kids loved! There were so many things different about this bus. It was pretty slow going, but with the buses being in their first days running people are still getting used to the fact that you have to buy your ticket before boarding. That was the only problem. We took what we thought was a limited bus and it took a painfully long time to get anywhere.

My daughter felt like she heard something about this a couple of years ago in school. She was somewhat excited that she knew and I didn't. I, on the other hand, came home and had to Google what this was all about.

Apparently, the whole concept is that we do need more subways but that since they take a long time to build, improving bus efficiency would better the transit speed. Eventually, it should be faster and more convenient for us to take these limited "Select" buses. The point of paper tickets is supposed to shorten the stop time. If everyone at a stop already has their tickets, then no one would have to be dipping Metrocards or counting out change and asking for transfers. There are also 3 doors in which people can enter. I think that once EVERYONE learns how to get their receipt tickets, we will be in business as far as speeding up the process.

Another way the buses are supposed to help is by giving the buses priority at stoplights and in bus lanes....that is what the blue lights are for. It gives the bus an extended green light, whatever that means.

The stops are pretty fancy too. They all have lights and really nice sheltered seating. That will make it a bit more bearable come the Winter months.

It was a nice ride....and a nice surprise. I guess it was a little bonus for the kids while we were out of commission with the car. Everyone should take a ride on one while it is still new. The M15 Select Service runs all up and down First and Second Avenues from 125Th street to South Ferry. Maybe it would be a nice day out to simply ride the bus to check it out and also stop in to one of the many businesses on Second Ave that could use the traffic during this disruptive construction. I am almost thankful for the break from my car.....almost.

A Craft For All Seasons

2010-09-30T21:17:00.005-04:00

I started back to work last week and got right back into the swing of being a working UES mom again. It went very smoothly, but was quite an adjustment after having a long hot summer off with a newborn. Needless to say, I didn't leave myself or my family much time to venture the "hood". This week, I will play it safe and familiarize readers with a place that I hold near and dear to my heart.....The Craft Studio.

My relationship with "The Studio" started a number of years ago. After numerous visits with my children, and many gifts purchased, a friend said that I was great with kids and I should take a shot at working in this child wonderland. It was the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship.....in more ways than I can count. While working there I met people who, until this day, are an integral part of my life!

Owner, Lindsey Johnson, and I started our journey with The Craft Studio on the same day(way back when!). I have since moved on with my next career and my children while she continues to cultivate and create a magical, comfortable, inviting experience for our Upper East Side inhabitants and beyond!

The Craft Studio is well into its second decade of business and with each year its fan-base extends considerably. You only have to visit once to know that the entire experience is one to appreciate. From birthday parties, to gift buying, to workshops and more, this place has something for everyone.

Birthday parties at The Craft Studio are unmatched. I have been to many parties on the UES and throughout New York City, and not one has beaten the ones thrown here! I know it seems I am partial, but take my word for it. When you have kids in different schools throughout the city, you can safely say you have been to a party place or two! I can't say enough about their parties. The energy of the staff alone is enough to keep you coming back year after year. There are now nearly 20 different themes of parties to choose from! That's actually part of the fun....choosing a theme with your little(or big) one! There's everything from painting a piece of plaster to building and decorating a chocolate house. Yes, that's right. A chocolate house. You have to take a look at their website to see it. Don't just take my word for it! In fact, they have a Halloween workshop coming up where you can do that exact craft. It always sells out, so call and make reservations soon!

Speaking of workshops, you must always be on the lookout for one whenever the seasons change or holidays are around the corner. They are all reasonably priced and a bunch of fun for the kids. And since the place has been so beautifully decorated, it makes for some fantastic pictures! P.S. The window decor also changes with the seasons and holidays. One window always outdoes the next and each time the decorations come down, passers-by await the new view!

Walk-in crafts are another thing they are famous for. Unless there is a private party in which someone has rented out the entire store, you can walk in and choose a project to paint. The selection of plasters seems endless, and there are also flower pots, boxes, and little odds-n-ends. One challenge we face when we come to paint is choosing WHAT to do! I suppose that is part of the whole experience. Another advantage of the walk-in crafts are that they do NOT charge for the time you spend on your project, as other places do. You can feel free to take your time! That alone, makes it worth the money!

I have found that The Craft Studio has saved my hide more than once or twice over the years. Not only do they do walk-in art, parties, and workshops. They are also a full-fledged toy shop! They carry a huge selection of educational toys and toys that inspire imaginative and creative play. More recently, I noticed they even carry a brand of "green" toys and organic baby toys. It is ALWAYS a good call to come here when I have to head off to a birthday party. I don't even have to know the child! I just need to know the gender and age, and any specific interests they may have. I can come in and tell the staff that info(and what I want to spend), and I have the gift! Not to mention they wrap....for FREE! Some items they carry may be a buck or two more than a chain toy store, but would Toys R Us wrap your gift in a beautiful copper wrapping paper with bountiful ribbons? I think not. I would take that beautiful wrapping and Craft Studio gift bag any day, over the alternative.

I could go on and on about all the great things The Craft Studio has to offer, but it would not do it justice. You have to take the trip in for yourself. Word of mouth, good business, beautiful decor, good vibes, and a concentration of some of the most pleasant, kind, funny, helpful, and energetic workers makes it worth the visit. I am not sure how she does it, but if you or your children are lucky enough to meet the owner, have no doubt that she will probably remember you when you come back. It's those little things that keep a big place in my heart, and in the hearts of my children, for "The Craft".

Paranoia

2010-09-15T20:37:00.003-04:00

There are a million and one things I could lose sleep over these days. I can worry about returning to work and leaving my new infant home for the first time. I can worry about the other children's adjustment to the new school year. I can worry about the economy or my own personal finances. The worries and fears that come along with being an Upper East Side mother are insurmountable. Same goes for mothers everywhere. But what is keeping moms in our neck of the woods up until those ungodly hours of the night? No. Not reality T.V. as in weeks and months and years past. These days, it's the NYC bed bug epidemic that occupies our minds and keeps our skin crawling!

I can't really remember the first I had heard about the impending threat. The one part I do remember is that when you went anywhere that required staying in a hotel that you would be wise to check everything while you are there and before you left so as not to bring the little blood-suckers home. I also remember thinking that the bugs would be something that ANYONE would be able to notice and that if you brought them home that you were crazy and neglectful and perhaps a bit dirty. It wasn't until a few months ago that those assumptions changed in my head.

There have been a ton of news segments warning of the danger of them spreading like wildfire. People posting items on Craigslist, or even giving them away, are attaching the note, "from a bed-bug free home". It is much more than normal that you see seemingly pristine mattresses bagged and left on the sidewalk for disposal. This is not something that people have had to worry about for a long time. I am pretty sure that when I was a kid I thought they were a myth. Well, they are REAL and they are making it known on the UES.

With all the commotion and paranoia and preventative measures that people are taking in more recent times, I myself have to admit that I have fallen victim to the anxiety and insomnia that the simple THREAT of bedbugs creates! I saw neighbors of mine throw a TON of things away from their house. Immediately I thought BED BUGS! I searched my entire house but not before I googled for hours about what to look for, where to find them, and how to prevent them. No luck. Or should I say, lucky me. No bed bugs....yet. None of my family had bites. There was no other evidence.

I sprayed anyway. What if I missed them?

The next night....a bite. A mosquito bite, that is. I know this since I actually SAW the vampire on my son's face when I went to check on him before heading to bed myself. Now I saw the bite. I killed the mosquito. Someone please tell me why I googled images of bed bug bites the next day to be sure that it was not bed bugs. It still wasn't a bed bug bite. Rumor and history have it that bed bugs tend to bite in clusters or a linear pattern.

The next night I woke up to 3 bites in a row on the back of my ankle! I jumped out of the bed, peeled the sheets from my bed and again inspected the mattress, underneath it, and then the entire room. Nothing. I was terrified. More hours spent googling to find that you usually don't even feel bed bugs biting since they use a numbing secretion before they actually suck your blood.

I kept finding bites on my family for days. I didn't sleep. I only thought about bed bugs. I became an expert on them, their habits, what their bites look like, and how to get rid of them....and I still didn't have them!!!!!

A few nights later, my husband realized that one of our windows was slightly sliding down and closed it up tight. That was the end of the bites. Not once since then had anyone been bitten in the same manor until we went to a barbecue in the country where mosquitoes were abundant. I knew all along that the bites could not have been blamed on the non-existent infestation in my home, but I just could not help trying to prove that it was not. Some of us....in fact many of us on the UES have not been so lucky.

I have learned that the bed bug epidemic in our area has reached an all-time high since the discontinued use of DDT after World War 2. I believe that I have learned all there is to learn about the nasty little creatures. Most importantly, I have learned why the Upper East Side in under such scrutiny when it comes to the rapid spread of the problem.

It seems that Upper East Siders have a large amount of pride. It also seems that those people who probably thought they would and could never acquire such a problem are keeping that problem a secret! There are articles and stories floating around about elite UES residents who have neglected to inform neighbors and buildings that they have an infestation. Undercover exterminators make their rounds as if they are a part of the secret service. Numerous buildings have been known to have an infestation resurface due to lack of complete extermination. The only way to completely eradicate the problem in by exterminating all connecting apartments until no more are found anywhere. Why would anyone want to spend that kind of money to simply have to live in fear that they will have to begin the whole process again?

Some people, like myself, are living in fear and disgust while others are living in secret and denial. We could all just live bed bug free if everyone would be honest and open and we all worked together to eradicate the problem or control it, at worst.

I suppose I should sleep well knowing(or should I say believing) that I do not have to suffer through the tedious extermination of beg bugs. I should take solace in the fact that my family was getting bitten by possibly disease-carrying mosquitoes, and not the blood-sucking creatures that the majority of New Yorkers dread at this point. They say bed bugs carry no diseases, but a citronella candle to repel mosquitoes cowers in comparison to the price of extermination and having to launder everything in the home of 6 people!

I just need to relax and realize that all I can do is be careful and preventative. We all need to keep this in mind and realize that no one is immune to the threat...even here on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

My New Year Resolutions

2010-08-31T22:24:00.004-04:00

New SCHOOL year, that is.

Next week the majority of my children start school. The beginning of the new school year is both a relieving and exciting time for Upper East Side Moms. Most importantly, it represents and means that some sort of order will fall into place. The school year is a foundation for all families in NYC, but is especially important for a working UES mother. Working moms(and Dads)count on school for part or all of their childcare expenses. School beginning is almost like a holiday to some families!

With our new family dynamic comes a new anticipation for this school year. This year we are adding an infant to the craziness of the year. Drop-off, pick-up, homework, dinner, etc. We used to make it all look so easy. I can't say this year will be the same, but I have tried to promise or resolve myself to keeping to a few things that may make all of our lives a lot easier and much more productive.

I promise to be more organized over all. This will be a necessity with having to oversee all of our lives. In doing this, I promise to better keep track of when homework assignments are due and when they need to have packed lunches for field trips! There was nothing worse last year than having to make a lunch 10 minutes before the bus picked the kids up! As you can probably imagine, the less time you have to prepare, the less healthy our choices became! I will also keep a folder on my PC with all the class contacts...another thing I was pretty bad at last year. I looked less capable of being organized than my 8 year old! I will prepare to be organized in all aspects of the children's lives. This year will be different.

I resolve to spend more time encouraging the kids to read and not procrastinate with their schoolwork. Procrastination is something that I have taught them very well, unfortunately. I am not proud. I find that a lot of the time, they are saving things until the very last minute they possibly can. My daughter even made a comment the other day about how good it felt to rush to get something done just in the nick of time! One day that rush will turn to anxiety, so I suppose this is something I should probably attempt to fix while they are young enough to learn it. Wasn't it this time last year that I was blogging about my daughter cramming in her reading the very last days before school started? This year we have already been off to a good start. We have just a bit more to go with a week left before the first day. Hey. Rome wasn't built in a day.

I commit to prioritizing my time with my children. Being a working mom was a bit harder last year than in year's past. My children were so independent that I always took it for granted that they had enough time and attention from me. It wasn't until this maternity leave that I realize how crucial this kind of time is. I was guilty of answering my phone and spending way too much "home time" on work related calls and issues. It wasn't fair to me or to my children. It wasn't completely damaging, but I could see a long run of such behavior not benefiting any of us in the future. This year I will need to delegate such time accordingly.

I swear also to start making better use of my UES resources. One good example....NYC Public Libraries. I started to realize how much money I was spending on books that were filling up my house and I would eventually donate. I went to the library a couple of times last year, but need to start making a regular habit of it. The libraries even have story times and activities for the little ones. All for free! I have been missing out! I also need to make a better habit of returning the books on time. These libraries could run another year on the late fees I earn. Again, I will be more organized this year. I hope.

Last but not least, I vow to get more sleep. Seems silly, but I have also learned in the past couple of months that without a good night's sleep I am not of much worth to anyone, including myself! My days of reality T.V. all hours of the night are just not going to cut it. I will have to get up much earlier in order to get us all ready, and with no sleep I don't stand a chance of making it through the day. I also want to set a good example for the kids. Even the best of us turn into lazy, angry monsters without sufficient rest!

I am ready for the school year. The kids are too. They've all got new shoes, a Silly Band on each wrist, and bookbags are filled to the brim with the "list" items. Every mom knows about Silly Bands and every mom on the UES knows the "list" I am referring to. Having that list complete is an accomplishment in itself! What more could an UES mom or her kids ask for?

Feeling Like a Million Bucks

2010-08-15T20:24:00.007-04:00

A good majority of us Upper East Side moms consider a good manicure and/or pedicure a necessity. Many of us wouldn't be caught dead with rough heels or hangnails. We get ourselves into the habit of going to get them regularly....some of us as regularly as a cup of coffee.

Being an out of work UES mom had taught me, or should I say, reminded me that it is not always about GOING out to be pampered. Sometimes it feels just as good to do it all at home. As I have mentioned in the past couple of posts, having 4 children has not left me with much time for myself. I have found myself waking up in the morning hoping that maybe THAT day I would be able to get around to doing my nails or anything else that I used to do for myself to feel good! I have always been known to do my mani/pedis myself in between the visits to the salon, and I have been known to do them pretty well! I wanted to share a couple of my tips for those of you who may not be able to afford trips as frequently as you would like, or for those of you who just can't squeeze it in!

1. Buy a quality top coat. This is the most important thing. You will need a quick-dry topcoat with a high gloss. Seche Vite is the best one I have ever used. Most pharmacies carry it. It runs about 9 or 10 dollars(the price of 1 manicure in the cheaper places on the UES), but is worth every penny! At that point it doesn't matter what brand of polish you use. This topcoat makes a 99 cent polish look like a fortune! And it lasts through tons of paintings! Basecoat is a bit less important. I use Orly Bonder, but have had a ton of luck with a few others. Bonder is a bit gluey, so I wouldn't recommend it for a slow painter...it tends to dry up fast. HINT: A good bottle of topcoat and basecoat is a really nice gift for a friend that doesn't go to the salon very often.

2. When you get polish onto your skin, DO NOT TRY TO GET IT OFF. How many times have you painted your nails and got a bit on the skin, and when you go to get it off with a Q-Tip dipped in remover, you end up ruining more nails? Simply let everything dry completely. Later in the day you can just wash it off. Better yet, leave it over night. In the morning use a bit of lotion and rub it in. The extras will come right off and look like a pro painted them!

3. Go with seasonal, trendy colors. Brights and lights should be used for the Spring and Summer months. Neutrals and darks for Fall and Winter. A few colors are pretty year-round.....see what works for your skin tone. And ultimately, wear what makes you feel good! That's the point, right? Right now, believe it or not, purples and greens are H.O.T.! This is evident in OPI's new Shrek line, inspired by the movie. They really are beautiful colors but, as I mentioned, you can use the 99 cent version of the colors with the fancy topcoat and get the look for less. P.S....Right now I have this salmon/orange color on that has received MANY compliments!

4. Don't cut your cuticles. You can buy a cuticle remover, but you are better off just using some cream and pushing them back. When they start getting cut, they grow back with a vengeance! I know for sure that I don't have the time to be dealing with that kind of stuff. While I watch TV or wait in lines or read, I always push them back a little.....I have become really good at multitasking and I hate those little pieces of torn skin near my nails. Mommies don't have time for little boo-boos!

5. Don't attempt to squeeze in a mani/pedi during the day when everything else needs to be done or when sleepy. I learned this the other evening when I gave the baby to my husband because I was so desperate to get it done, that I was rushing. I dropped the bottle of color all over my legs and hardwood floor! Then after finally cleaning it up and finishing my nails, I had a baby to feed! I would have been better of waiting till he went to sleep!

6. Wear socks in the house! I got so used to bare feet that I toss my shoes as soon as I walk in the door, but according to the lady in the nail salon, this is why my feet get dry and rough. (That and the fact that they scrub them and scrape them during a pedicure!) Same as the cuticles. Don't scrape or buff heels unless they truly need it. Just moisturize. Buffing is another habit I don't have the time to keep up with!

I guess that's it. My secret to happiness. Just give me a half hour alone and a few bottles of nail polish. And perhaps a cocktail, or a cup of coffee. I don't ask for much. Just don't forget my Seche Vite topcoat and all will be well with the world!

Build-a-Gift

2010-07-31T22:59:00.003-04:00

It took me a while to think about this week's post. Sometimes I have just waaaay too much to talk about and too many recommendations to make. Makes it a little harder to focus. I came across this idea when I was trying to plan out my next couple of weekends and I realized that I had passed this opportunity up a couple of times since the weather has been nice. Add this to the fact that the idea is FREE and we have this week's post!

I am referring to the Kids Workshops offered at Home Depot on 59th and 3rd. Yes, this location is so borderline that many don't consider it "Upper" East Side, but this mommy will consider it my neighborhood as long as they continue to offer this favorite activity of ours! 59th street is our Southern border, right?

Last year, we attended almost every class offered and we made some pretty incredible things, including a firehouse bank, mini wagons, and the ever-popular trivets. Each project comes out really cute, even if your little ones aren't 100 percent capable. The recommendation is for children ages 5-12, but I have brought the 3 year old and he LOVES it! The staff put on to help the kids follow the step-by-step instructions is really attentive and helpful. My children even remember the names of their favorites. The instructions are very easy to follow, and each project includes a little bit if this and a little bit if that. Every session that we have attended included a hammer and nails, which is really exciting for all! A few times, they were able to paint, and other times there were sticker decals to apply, or choosing tiles to glue into place.

The workshops run from 9 to 12am on the first Saturday of every month. I recommend getting there on the earlier side. The projects never seem to take all 3 hours, and you can get in and out before a large crowd comes in. Plus, if there is paint or glue involved, there is a bit of time to let the project dry while you cruise around the store for anything you may need to pick up. I find it a good idea to get cleaning supplies since they tend to have good deals and a WIDE variety. You can always find which project they will be doing on their workshop website too. Go every month or just choose the ones that really intrigue them!

Each child receives a pin of every project they complete that they can put on their kid-sized orange apron that they also receive at the first workshop they attend. That itself is pretty cool. The kids are all wearing aprons that look like they work at The Home Depot!

I find that my own children look forward to this every first Saturday. Being that 3 of them go whenever we attend, we have 3 of every project to bring home. It is a great idea for gifts. I definitely do NOT need more of these projects floating around my place, however I find it really cute to wrap them up come time for the holidays! Aunts, uncles, and grandparents all love their handmade gifts!

Next Saturday, we will be ready. This month's activity is a school bus pencil organizer and the kids are anxious for that! What a cool idea to get them excited to go back to school! Who would have thought that getting up early on a Saturday could be so much (FREE) fun????? We save a few bucks and have a ball. It is such a waste to miss these! Perhaps we will meet many of you there this month?

Crying Over Spilled Milk

2010-07-16T21:14:00.004-04:00

Today marks 3 weeks since my youngest was born. Three weeks ago today, I was in the hospital resting peacefully with only my newborn and myself. Someone brought me a pitcher of water when I was thirsty. Nurses from the nursery would double check if the baby needed a diaper change. A tray of food was brought to me 3 times a day. If I needed to take a shower, I could drop the baby off to a room full of more-than-capable people to care for him while I refreshed myself. I knew going home would not be as smooth and easy as these few days, but I had no idea how hard or trying or beautifully exhausting it would really be.

Number 4 is an easy baby. He is very calm and content and easy going. He started out only crying when he was hungry. He began to sleep in longer spurts throughout the night. I was in heaven! Sleeping large chunks through the night gave me the energy and endurance I needed to not take naps during the day. That meant I was able to still spend time with the older 3 throughout the day. I was able to get their meals together, take them out to play, and keep my house in some kind of order. That was all short-lived!

At home, I haven't gotten to take showers or naps or eat meals or drink water when I need to. I do all of that when I can. I recruit my poor husband who works all night to simply burp the little man so I can have a break! My daughter seems to be always on an errand of some sorts for me and the baby. The other two boys are my water boys and diaper boys. (NOTE: Breastfeeding makes you more thirsty than running 10 miles through this heatwave!) They get me glasses of water whenever I want and take diapers to the garbage. Everyone helps, since it is hard to keep up! Too bad none of them can sleep or use the restroom or shower FOR me. THAT would be ideal!

They say around 3 weeks, infants have a growth spurt and tend to eat a bit more during that time. Well, guess what? Feeding seems to be my life right now! That, and all the other normal things that arise with having 4 children, and I am at my wit's end a couple of times throughout the day!

Let's take today, for example. I woke up to an 8 year old with a productive cough that seemed to come out of nowhere. (Keep in mind there was no 5 and a half hour chunk of sleep last night). Upon investigating his throat, I panicked when it was swollen and he then complained of a sore throat. Just what I need....a sick child home with a newborn! I immediately called the doctor who fit us in for a strep test. As luck would have it, I had an hour to get 5 of us ready and get to the doctor. I did it, but it wasn't easy.

Turns out, it wasn't strep throat. Just a virus. Viral bronchitis. Doc said rest and fluids and he should get better. Wonderful! No strep! Just a virus that any of us could catch...even the baby! On the way out of the doctor's office in the 95 degree heat, we rushed towards the car only to find that a traffic cop had waited out my meter and given us a ticket! The minute my meter was run out was the same minute I was walking up the block towards the car with 3 kids and a baby in a baby carrier! What luck! And that was just today!

Every day since the day I left the hospital, I have had both a woman tell me how great I look and a child inquire as to why my belly is still big! Most days and times I know better, but once in a while I actually hold onto that child comment and worry about it. I even found myself sideways in a mirror disappointed that I didn't have a flat belly after only 3 weeks. I suppose it is safe to blame it on the hormones! Why not? My husband does! But he also blames it on hormones when I complain that he forgot to take out a bag of garbage. Apparently it wasn't the stench of baby diapers, but the hormones I was really angry about! (Wink)

Since this new period of rapid feeding, I just can't seem to catch up. My house will forgive me. My family will forgive me. My friends will forgive me. Eventually. I know a time of calm will come....many many years from now. For now I will have to forgive MYSELF for the tears that rolled down my cheek when, after a sleepless night, my boys manage to "drop" a bowl of cereal all over the floor and wall. Yes. I cried over spilled milk. I cry now over pretty much everything, but only for a moment. And then, at night when everyone is asleep and my world is temporarily calm, I cry tears of joy and thankfulness that I am blessed enough to be living this wonderfully crazy life.

Ah....the joys of being an Upper East Side mother of FOUR.

Barking Dog

2010-06-30T18:40:00.008-04:00

For weeks and months now I heard, and gladly accepted, numerous comments about how well I "carry". People kept me feeling good about myself, even when my ankles alone made my own stomach turn. I relished in the ideal that although I didn't have the energy to spend on primping myself, that somehow I pulled pregnancy off pretty well. I can proudly say now that I no longer have the "belly" to hide behind. Well, technically there is still a belly, just no bun in it anymore! Just 5 short days ago, my family welcomed our fourth child into the world!

On Sunday, we brought all 7 pounds, 8 ounces of him home. The kids are in love. We are in love. I am in love and in need of some good sleep! Everything had been considerably smooth. The kids were well aware that the first few weeks would be pretty hectic with the baby and a little slower paced for them. They have adjusted well so far, and have plans to spend an exciting weekend with my mom in the country this weekend. In the meantime, there is no lack of adventure or chaos in my household!

Plans for new furniture on Friday were foiled by my delivery. Monday we found ourselves having everything finally delivered and my husband assembling till all hours of the night...the very HOT night. Poor guy.

Tuesday we found ourselves bringing our tiny new addition to the doctor for a blood test since he seems to be a little bit jaundiced. Completely normal for a guy of his age. In fact, all of my children had a touch of it. Not the easiest thing to adjust to getting all of the kids ready, or even half of them, for such a trip. Doctor is on the UES, but the shear effort of getting just myself and the baby ready is tiring! Add the 91 degree weather in and you have a recipe for disaster. We made out ok though. Turns out we have to go back again Thursday for a retest and follow-up. I should be a pro by then. Remember, we still do not have a nanny!

Having to go back out Thursday gives me a reason to HAVE to get up and ready much earlier than I have been in the past few days. I also will take advantage of being out! My plans will include a breakfast at one of my favorite spots....Barking Dog Luncheonette. The doctor and I agree that the baby is too young to be in a closed space with too many people and germs, but I intend to eat out on their deck which wraps around the restaurant.

They recently redid the outer portion of the place and spared no expense with the deck. It is beautifully redone and they have a ton of seating outside. The inside is nice too, but I love being out in the air and enjoying a nice day and a nice meal at the same time. The breakfasts are really reasonably priced too. They have a country breakfast special for 6 bucks! Comes with eggs your way, a meat, a side of hash browns and this really delicious rosemary biscuit that they make. Can't beat the price or the portions! They run this special on weekdays which I love because on the weekends, you have a bit of trouble finding a seat anyway. Weekday mornings there are the way to go.

Even if you aren't in the mood for the country breakfast, they have a handful of other options. I really enjoy their pancakes too. They also have some much healthier options which honestly I have not tried yet since I love the country breakfast so much! NOTE: I usually get the sausage with my meal and it is pretty exceptional as far as sausage links go.

Another thing this place has going for it is that they are dog friendly. They have a doggy water bin out front that, if empty, you can fill again for your pup. On any given day you will see a 4 legged friend and their owners enjoying a meal out on the deck. Nice place when you have animal loving kids!

So I am looking forward to my morning. Looking forward to getting medical clearance for my tiny, temporarily yellow, little man. Then I will look forward to our beautiful breakfast on a beautiful day at a beautiful price!

Comfort and Style

2010-06-15T23:48:00.006-04:00

As my due date gets nearer, so does the range that I am willing to travel. When days are hot, I prefer the comfort of my own home. With my new-found laziness, comes a lack of desire for heading out for no apparent reason, as I would do regularly.....under normal circumstances. I try to venture only when I have a SERIOUS craving or the NEED to go out.

One of my trips out this week led me to this week's post. It was time to get water shoes or sandals or something of the sort for my little guy. The whole flip flop thing is something he is not so much into. Neither am I when my little speed demon turns into a stumbling, slow mess when he wears them! I have always had to keep these things in mind for all of my children. For whatever reason, their feet have always been particular about shoes. They need to be light, well fit, must have an arch, and above all.....they must LOOK cool.

I found all of these things in the sandals I ended up buying for my youngest both last year and this week. We have truly fallen in love with the Keen sandals. They act as a sneaker, a sandal, and a water shoe all in one! Last year, he was able to wear them all summer and a bit into the fall. The bottoms are perfect for the city side walks. They dry really fast when worn through the water, and we couldn't ask for a better fit! They are very easily adjustable, which I think makes a world of difference in buying a size they can grow in to. Best part of all is when I got home with them, my 8 year old wanted the same ones! That speaks worlds for how cool they look. And hey, for 50 bucks, I won't have to buy any other shoe for them the entire summer!

In our hood, we purchased these kicks at Orva. Orva remains a staple in our lives since they are so close and have pretty much everything! They carry everything from men's shoes, to Fit Flops, to kids dress shoes. I won't even tell you how many pairs of shoes I own from there!

I will however tell you that my most recent pair from that store has been nothing but a treasure for someone who is 30 pounds heavier, has swollen everything and was commuting to and from work. A friend of mine bought me a pair of the Minnetonka moccasins from there and they are amazing! 'Nough said. Trust me. Most of them run about 45 bucks and are worth every single penny. I can't even explain how comfortable they are! At this point, I own 2 pair and will probably invest in a few more styles and colors. One hint. Buy a size under what you normally wear. These will stretch to fit your foot like a glove. They also stretch painlessly and don't give you a blister the first time you wear them.

Service at Orva is usually pretty good too. Some of the salespeople remember us when we come in and that is welcoming end exciting. They really know their stuff too. I have never been talked into something more unreasonable and I feel comfortable telling them no.

I will be back again soon. Soon it will be school shopping time, going back to work time, and baby's first shoes time. There always is a need for shoes! And even where there isn't the need, doesn't it feel good to be a woman on the Upper East Side buying a pair of shoes just because? It sure feels good to me.....and my feet!

Keeping Cool In UES Parks

2010-05-31T20:00:00.007-04:00

Ah. Memorial Day. This is such an in between time of year for many of us. Just the other week we were grabbing hoodies as we walked out of the house. Today we were thinking of ways to keep cool as we make plans to put the air conditioner back into place. An almost-full-term-pregnant-woman can only take so many cool showers when she has other children to take into consideration. So how does one(or a family of almost 6) keep cool on the Upper East Side without being locked inside with the AC? My family turns to the city parks with sprinklers.

When the weather gets to be hot, you won't usually find us inside. It has taken us years to perfect, but we have the whole day outside thing down pat. We have figured out the best places to go within reasonable travel distance, and have learned how to do it without spending a fortune.

First off, we start out by having enough to eat and drink. Best way to accomplish this is by having an insulated lunch/picnic tote. Mine just happens to be this really nice one from Laytner's . I bought it for 20 bucks and am still getting my money's worth! I freeze bottles of water that eventually melt into drinkable water later on. While they are still frozen, they keep my food cool inside. Whether it is fruit or sandwiches, or snacks to munch on, those little "ice packs" work, and turn out to be doubly useful. Plus, when we finish drinking the water, we have less to carry home.

Always bring towels. It seems easier to leave the extra bulk at home, but believe me, when the little ones get tired of the water they just want to be warmed and dried up. Also do not forget the sunscreen. Even in the less boiling hot days, we can all still get pretty charred. HINT: Bring the stroller! Sun+water=sleepy toddlers! Isn't it wonderful when they fall asleep for their nap and you can sit and read a magazine?!?! That is my favorite part!

Now for the most important part.....where to go? Lately, I have opted for a 10 block radius. That number decreases with every pound I gain and with every degree hotter that it gets. Some of our favorite places on the Upper East Side make it very easy to stay away from home ALL day.

One of the newer places you an find us is in the playground near Asphalt Green. It was just completed last year, and it one of my very favorite places to be. The sprinklers are very age appropriate for all of my kids. There are tiny little leaks for the little guy and bigger bursts for the big ones. They have a sandbox, 2 separate playscapes for 2 different age groups, and most importantly.....they have swings! I never knew my kids were such swing lovers until we started to venture outside of our 2 or 3 blocks. The fact that it is new and beautiful helps too! My other favorite thing about it is that it is not too big and never seems to be TOO packed.....knock on wood. It is just the right size to feel comfortable with my guys running around in all different directions.

Our next favorite place to go is probably Carl Schurz Park. They too have the swings and sandbox and playscapes and sprinklers. In fact, they have MANY playscapes. So many, that it is a bit nerve wracking when the little ones want to follow the big ones. I don't get one minute of sitting down in that park! I tend to get a little more rest when they all decide to play in the sprinklers at once. Those are at least semi-closed-in so it is easy to keep an eye out. The downfall to that is that the shady trees are more on the outskirts of the park and not so much near the sprinklers. Perfect for the mom who wants to soak up some sun. Another advantage....this park has a restroom!

I could name probably 10 more UES parks with sprinklers and playscapes and such, but there are just way too many. Last, but not least, I would have to say that another one of our favorite sprinkler parks to go to is the one right next to us; Ruppert Playground on 2ND Avenue between 90Th and 91st. First of all, it is close. The sprinklers are a bit separated by the pillars that are actually spitting out the water towards the middle of the circle. The playscapes are on the young side, but I compensate for the older children by getting them water balloons to fill and play with. They fill them in the water fountain and have a ball with them. The one thing I am very psychotic about is that they pick up all the pieces they make from broken balloons. I am petrified of little ones getting to them and choking. The best part of this park for me is the shade! There are trees and bushes all around. It is a small park, but it is ours, you could say. Good thing it is close to our home. Bad thing? No restroom. Not a good thought with only weeks left of pregnancy.

Summer is barely here and we are gearing up for the heat. Air conditioners being put in, pulling out the shorts and sandals, and stocking up on sunscreen. One change of season that I could potentially see doing without! Maybe it is just me. Or maybe the nesting instinct just isn't as pleasurable in 90 degree weather as it is in the winter time.

A Life Lesson Through "Limpy"

2010-05-16T21:57:00.005-04:00

Each and every day, as parents, we look at our children and both wonder and hope that we are guiding, and teaching, and influencing our children in all the best possible ways that we have to offer. Some days I even question myself as a mother! All of us have at one point or another. Then I sit back and realize that some aspects of their personalities I will never be able to control 100%. I can only hope that whatever it is I have to offer them is exactly what they need to grow as individuals, and as sensitive, capable human beings. One spring day last week I was reminded that, so far, I am giving them EXACTLY what they need.

We made it early to the fist bus stop that day so we took our time, picked up coffee and a corn muffin from the street vendor guy, and waited around, enjoying the weather. I am not quite sure how it all started, but I turned from chatting with a friend to find that all 3 of my children were surrounded by pigeons. All of a sudden, my little one points out that there was a pigeon with a hurt leg. It is still to be determined if the leg was "hurt" or if that bird was born that way. Either way, the kids were concerned. The bird continued to limp around with the others trying to get a nibble of the last piece of bread someone had thrown for them. He was having no luck. Each time, the others would race to it, take it from him, and he had no choice but to fall back. This was no good for my crew.

They proceed to throw pieces of their corn muffin to the birds, and again watch as the gimp bird kept being pushed around. (P.S....The muffin tasted horrible. Good enough for birds, I guess!) The next time I checked back, I was shocked by what I saw. My eight year old had this bird eating literally inches away from him while my other 2 scared away the other scavengers! They were such a good team! I wish they showed this much cooperation and patience with each other when I ask them to help do chores!

As you can probably imagine this was no small job when you are holding a corn muffin in your hand, but they pulled it off! They kept shouting and whistling for "Limpy" to come near while they were also shouting and stomping so the others would give him a chance to make HIS belly full. It was the cutest display I had seen in a while. My son seemed to have made a friend. I think Limpy even learned what his shoes looked like. He stayed pretty close to him.

One bus came and my daughter went to school worried about the little pigeon. We then proceeded to the next bus stop as the boys walked down the block with their heads turned almost completely around to get one last glance at their new friend. When Limpy was no longer in sight, my son was pretty quiet. He must have been deep in thought, for with in 1 minute he said, "Mama, I am glad we helped Limpy to eat. If we didn't help him, who else would?"

My heart felt light for a moment. That was pretty deep coming from an 8-year-old who never seems to hear a thing I have to say. This is from the same kid who gets letters home from school about his lack of focus and his horseplay. My boy has a huge heart, and he was right! What if we looked at things the same way my kids did about that bird? If we thought about everything in that context, we would probably be a much more sensitive and uplifting society. We should all think like kids I suppose!

Ever since that day, I never have had to wonder about if I am getting through to them. It was just a bird. A limp-footed, skinny bird. But to me, and my children, it was much more. It was evidence that I have done at least one thing right and that they have learned at least one lesson about helping others(even birds)less fortunate. Each and every time I walk by someone asking for change, I think twice. I hear my son's voice in my head. It has made me a little bit more of a conscious human being, which I thought I always was. We can all be a little more conscious.

Every day now, my kids look for Limpy. He is there many days, and they worry when they don't see him. Whenever they call out for him, I am reminded of that lesson. When he is around, he seems to remember my son. Maybe it was his voice, or perhaps his shoes, but that bird remembers. I am sure of it. If we all took a little more responsibility to help others....just a little....maybe we would ALL have someone who will never forget us.

Yorkville Youth

2010-04-30T22:41:00.007-04:00

Spring is my favorite time of year! I can't seem to be satisfied when it comes to the weather being too hot or too cold or too wet or too dry. I am like Goldilocks....everything has to be just right. Spring feels like that to me. I am thrilled about the weather clearing up and being able to get my children outside more often. They play so hard some days they barely make it to bed!

Spring also brings in some new options for children when it comes to sports on the Upper East Side. I realize this more this year as I sit and fumble through my mailed information packet that I received a few weeks ago from Yorkville Youth Athletic Association. It is an exciting time of year for my children. The association has always been known for sports in the area, but the list grows every year with their offerings and I can not wait to get my children in on the action!

My family's relationship with YYAA started quite a few years back when my older two were still little enough that T-Ball was almost painful to watch! Some kids were pretty good. My two just happened to not be one of those kids! My son was on the smaller side so he obviously had the less demanding positions on the field. He got no play and was completely content with digging up some grass in the outfield or seeing how many times he could spin without falling. My daughter was such a princess that balls would more often than not breeze right by her while she was fixing her hair under her cap and pulling her shirt down so it laid just right.

Basketball was tough for a while too. My son was too young to know the rules and my daughter was too shy to run! It was humorous, at best. But in both sports there were coaches and organizers and parent volunteers to help each other get through it and to encourage and teach each and every child. Eventually, in the last game or two of each sport and for each child, they learned.

Their schedules were consistent. Every Saturday for the whole season, they each had a game. We did have to do some juggling but that is because we had 2 kids in 2 age groups and 2 different genders. It worked out though, and was worth it in the end when they got their trophies! By the way, each season they acquired a trophy in each sport. Needless to say, trophies are piling up in our place!

We took one year off from the sports since we seemed to be traveling many weekends to family's houses in CT or PA. We found it tough to commit to a team when we were skipping town so often. Now, they are ready to commit again! My daughter is even trying to get us to let her join tackle football! I think she will just stick to tennis. Then again, looking through this packet of programs being offered in the fall, we may have trouble choosing just one! More recently, the association has been offering actor's workshops and music bands. Being from a small town in the country, I can appreciate all of that! We always had band and music offered. And what football or basketball game would be complete without the band?

We are also quite excited about the prospect of maybe choosing dodgeball! I have a feeling this is what my son will be going for. I wish they offered that one as a sport when I was a kid....although I don't know how good I'd be!

I don't think I ever really gave it much thought as to how much YYAA has to offer. I guess the kids were younger and didn't take things as seriously. I am glad I took the time to look a little closer. I learned only now that they even offer after school programs, travel teams, and summer camps. I think I may have to look into the after school. That program incorporates many sports, serves a healthy snack, and offers homework help. I am thinking that once number 4 makes his debut, I will really need an afternoon of a little help.....or perhaps quite a few afternoons like that!

Bieber Fever?

2010-04-16T23:29:00.003-04:00

Each week I battle to not write on this topic, but found myself purchasing a People magazine, with Justin Bieber plastered on the cover, and realized that I can not avoid the young man's influence on the world immediately surrounding me.

In February, my daughter turned 10. Big year for us, and in turn, for her. Turning 10, a new baby brother, etc. I decided that I would take her to see a concert with me. Number one choice; Taylor Swift. When looking for the tickets I realized that 200 bucks a pop was way outside of my budget for a birthday. So I searched further. I finally came upon the idea of Justin Bieber. (Victoria had been calling him her "husband" for months). Turns out, he would be on the East Coast, at Nassau Coliseum, the day after her birthday.....and with none other than Selena Gomez! I got a great deal on the tickets and took my girl.

The scene was impressive and disturbing all at once. We sat in the very last row possible. No exaggeration. It was actually a music festival with a bunch of tween soon-to-be-stars, Selena Gomez, and Justin himself! Of course Justin was at the VERY end. Each time a new act came out, they asked if we were ready to see Justin. The place shook with the magnitude of the screaming response! These girls screamed with all the energy, longing, and estrogen they had! Young girls had signs, and t-shirts painted with his name and hearts. My daughter's sign read "we want to be your one less lonely girls!". For those of you moms that know anything at all, you would know that it comes from the title of one of his first singles. It was really cute, to say the least.

The show was surprisingly amazing. That kid is so well-rounded and multi-talented that any mother would be proud! He spent this one part of the show going from instrument to instrument, to singing, to dancing, and even I thought it was cool! My daughter sat in awe. She got teary-eyed when he sang a slow song. Then she turned to me, gave me a hug and said "thank you, mommy". Well worth every penny.

Bieber fever is real. It is in full force! His following is beginning to be compared to "Beatlemania" by many. He spans the ages too! Teens and tweens love him. Mom's even love him! How could you not? A young, adorably talented boy, raised by a young mom in Canada. He got his start on YouTube, and wasn't even aiming to become famous! His mom was posting videos for family far away to see some of the competitions and such that he was in. I think moms also like that fact that he apparently still gets grounded and has curfews. Is it a sick obsession? Or a healthy interest? I guess it depends on the way you handle it on your own household.

In my own tiny little world, I want my daughter to feel beautiful, inside and out. I want her to feel as though even a celebrity, given the chance, could fall in love with someone like her. I want her to be excited and have an interest in anything she feels comfortable with. I also want her to know and understand that not being "Justin's Girl" doesn't make her any less of a wonderful person. It seems like I have done just that.

For days, we listened to the girls talking about when they meet, or better yet, marry Justin. Then I heard my friend tell them that they will never meet him and about how they will never be his girlfriend. I am not sure why I even gave this a second thought, but I did. When we got home, I explained to my daughter that with the amount of people Justin encounters on a daily basis, that the odds are against her and him ever being "together". I explained that if they ever were to meet that he could definitely fall for someone like her and that anything could be possible, just not very likely....at all. She shrugged and said that she already knows that, and to this day, still jokingly calls him her "husband".

A Drawer Full of Soy Sauce Packets

2010-03-31T21:37:00.007-04:00

This has been one heck of a month for me and the fam. I am nearing the end of my second trimester. You know, the middle part of pregnancy, when all the experts say you have this burst of energy and over-all feeling of wellness. I experienced neither. Where was that energy? Where was that period of not feeling overly tired and sick and fat? I went right from nausea and light-headedness to feeling like a whale and getting exerted by a short walk. Some days I imagine those 2nd Avenue cranes outside my window lifting me up out of bed or the bathtub. I suppose that energy was spread out among a new apartment, my kids, and my new position at work. Which leads me to the topic of this post. What's for dinner when you have no time or energy to even THINK about it?

Beginning with my first days in the city, I was instructed specifically as to where and where NOT to eat on the Upper East Side. Being that he grew up here, my husband had a favorite spot for every type of food imaginable. I will forever remember his words when it came to ordering Chinese food....."You only eat First Wok". Now, being I am a rebel without a clue, I strayed once or twice thinking I would possibly find a better, hidden secret. Boy was I wrong! No place on the Upper East Side could top this place. Delivery was fast. The food was amazing. And eating at the actual restaurant was a pleasure if you happened to be out and about. You can imagine our disbelief when they were closed for a short while a few months back! We don't know why,(and are pretty sure that we do not want to know)but are thrilled to see that Wok 88 has opened in its place, and with the same quality we had grown to know and love!

It seems to me that there was just a name change and perhaps a little bit of renovation. The food, the delivery guys, and the service are still exactly as we remembered! We were so relieved. Chinese food is our first quick remedy when we get home late in the evenings and my husband and I start to argue about what is for dinner and why the other didn't think of what to have. Isn't that true of any New York family? Pizza or Chinese food is always the answer!

Now, there comes a day when the thought of Chinese food turns your stomach from having it too often, but I love having my spot to turn to when we need it. You guarantee the kids get enough to eat, that they are getting some veggies(since who DOESN'T like broccoli drowned in brown sauce?),and you are guaranteed to NOT spend a fortune. If you are really smart, you order their lunch specials by 4pm and heat everything up for an early dinner. Sounds fail proof to me.

When we have some time to spend, we also enjoy eating in the restaurant itself. Nothing beats eating Chinese food before it gets put into boxes and containers! I think one of our favorite parts of eating there though is the sliced oranges they give with the fortune cookies and check at the end. Their oranges always seem so fresh....no matter what time of year.

Thank goodness for Wok 88. It has saved us from nights of near-starvation from indecision. It has gotten veggies and wholesome brown rice into bellies that would otherwise have chosen french fries. It has given us more time for laundry, homework, and evening baths. On some nights it has given us more time to play outside and enjoy the weather. It has also given us a few extra bucks leftover in our pockets. Last, but not least, it has given us a drawer full of soy sauce packets and fortune cookies. What's not to love?

Diggers

2010-03-14T22:46:00.008-04:00

This week it was hard to settle on just one thing to write about. So much is happening right now for the family and myself. I could have written about the ups and downs of moving. I could have written about the absurd amount of birthday parties my kids attend and that we have to buy gifts for(which I am sure will come up again sometime in the future). I could have written about the days upon days of rain and wind that keep us cooped up inside and make us all stir crazy. I could have even written about the toy helicopter that was tangled into my hair for a while the other day.(Don't ask....still not sure how my little one managed that!) Then, as I sat and looked out the window of the nail salon while I got my spa pedicure, I thought of something I was extremely compelled to talk about. The Second Avenue Subway construction project.

Let me start by saying that while spa pedicures are one of the most amazing things you could ever experience, I am no regular to them. It was a gift for my birthday next week from one of my dearest BFFs in the world. It just so happens that one of my preferred salons is Eve's Nail and Spa on 2ND Avenue and 93rd st. While sitting with my feet in the borderline-painfully-hot water, our view was that of humongous cranes and "diggers" of all sorts. It just got me to thinking that it didn't even affect me one little bit. We have been dealing with this and looking at this for years now, and sadly enough, we are getting used to it!

A good majority of us on the UES have been feeling the same way. Many of us deal with the chaos on a daily basis. I happen to live and work only steps away from where all the digging and blasting happens. I can remember a time when my son was amazed by looking at bulldozers, cranes, and dump trucks. Nowadays, they are old hat to him. He is more excited these days by the "sweeper guy". Now that is something we don't get to see every day!

The one thing that I can't seem to get over is the number of businesses that are closed or closing due to this chaos. I live it everyday. I work at a place that struggles, and has been struggling, to keep people coming back. It is a scary thought that one day the "for sale" or "everything must go" sign could be up on our door. I feel for those businesses. I also feel for the people who have had to relocate due to the integrity of their buildings being compromised by all of the tunneling. And let's not forget the people whose homes have lost their value since the construction had begun. Sad.

In more recent days, I have been more concerned for the parents who have to calm scared children when the blasts go off! This came to a head when, the other evening, I was at work and I heard the horn warning that a blast was imminent. We then heard the double horn warning that it was about to go off. Then we heard and felt a blast that both shook the ground and our nerves, and gave many people the feeling that there was a mistake with the dynamite....or a place crash.

People were making calls all over the place and people on the streets came inside. I ventured a short distance to the site of the blast and watched as orange vests gave each other high-fives and hand-shakes to a job well done. Didn't seem like an accident to me.

I spoke to my husband at home who informed me that my little guy came running out of his bed into our bed, scared out of his mind! My older two were very nervous and uneasy. After-all, we had begun to get used to the blasting and now this extraordinary boom?!?! My poor little ones. I am almost 31 years old, and I was scared out of my noodle! Imagine what they felt like!

Within minutes of the blast, an orange vest walked in. I immediately helped him, then dove right in and asked about the ground-shaking activity. Boy, was I one of the lucky people that evening. This wonderful gentleman spoke to me for 5 to 10 minutes and explained why the boom was so stretched out and loud. Apparently, the blasting that we had all grown to know and love was vertical blasting. These baby blasts were the ones that made holes from the surface going down. That explains why they were short, loud, and sometimes seemingly weak. This new, horrifying blast was what is known as horizontal blasting. This kind of blasting makes the holes underground, going for a short distance, to clear out tunnels going lengthwise. Makes sense, I guess. He also reassured me that this kind of blasting is scary sounding but that once that area is cleared, they move on. Of course my next question was about how the buildings don't fall. I can be obsessive and tend to carry anxiety! He immediately jumped in to how the buildings are reinforced so that they stay strong. Wow. It was just what I needed. I went home and explained to my little ones.

The next time the horn went off, 3 children and I waited patiently for the booms and somewhat cheered at how cool it was. All they needed was a little explanation. Fear of the unknown can be a devastating fear. Mommy needed the explanation too! One day, we will all take rides on that new subway line and the memories of blasting, and machines, and orange vests will be distant. One day. For now, we have lost sight of how impressive our building processes and machinery can truly be. Perhaps one day "diggers" will be exciting to watch again too. Perhaps not.

For those of us mommies who have little ones who are into watching construction vehicles and have the pleasure of living AWAY from it all, 2ND Avenue is a free and interesting walk when the weather gets nice again. You could even stop in to one of the struggling restaurants along the way to have lunch, and feel good about supporting a business that desperately needs all the support it can get. Although it gets to be tiring to see, I feel good crossing the avenue once in a while to do my part to keep some of those businesses alive....especially when there is a spa pedicure waiting for me on the other side!

Mommy Needed a Snow Day

2010-02-28T22:11:00.004-05:00

After weeks of mentally JUST making it, the skies parted and dumped a think blanket of powder(and, let's not forget the slush) to come to my rescue. Waking up on Friday morning was a treat!

The ground was covered, the streets were covered. It looked like a snow globe from my window. I knew I still had to work, but work would be nothing compared to racing two kids to two different bus stops through the cold and slush while snow was still pouring from the sky! Anticipation must have gotten the best of all of us. We were up before 6am, waiting to hear word. 311 confirmed that the day was ours! The entire early part of our morning was spent cuddling in my bed, watching news reports of all the snow and crazy conditions around our area, while we waited for Daddy to get home from work. It's amazing how much room my little monkeys can find in my bed when they don't want to be kicked out of it! It was such a nice, semi-unexpected morning.

Work was a breeze. We spent much of the day watching people try to get in and out of parking spaces and struggle to get up our block. Many got stuck! An amazing friend weathered the storm and brought me a warm pasta lunch. I tackled a few lingering tasks, and then we closed for business when the storm intensified and the plows seemed to be defeated when it came to our block! I couldn't wait to get back to that warm bed.

My babies were thrilled to see me so many hours earlier than they thought they would. I wanted to take them out to play in the winter wonderland, but refused to do so while it seemed that more was coming from the sky than was already on the ground. That really is how it felt! The older two took a short trip their friends house next door while the rest of us took a short trip to dreamland. Why does it seem like such a better nap when there is a snow storm outside? I eventually even had to wake the little guy. That was the only bad part about the nap.....no one wanted to get up! Shortly after the sun went down and the snow slowed a bit, I finally mustered the energy to take them out sledding.

We brought a couple of friends along and headed a few blocks away to our "play street". It's a blocked off street that is perfect for sledding, especially after it has been packed down all day by prior sledders! The big kids sledded and chucked snowballs while the little one built a snowman with Daddy. It was a pathetic looking snowman but good enough for an almost-3-year-old, I suppose. I simply watched and spread my time between the two. It didn't last very long(since it gets so cold when you are touching snow) but we had a ball.

The next day, as the city began to recover from the whole ordeal, we went out again. I have never really been one for the snow, but realizing this MIGHT be the last time to play in it this season gave me the motivation to make the best out of it. My crew had fun again, of course. They came across an unoccupied ice/snow fort, made some additions and repairs, and made the most out of what was left, although it was already beginning to melt! It was a nice storm. Honestly, it was the only one this season that I took full advantage of and truly appreciated.

We need "snow days" more often. Days where rules don't necessarily apply. The kind of day that is a little bit out of our control, yet offers a different outlook on what could be accomplished. I needed that break. They did too. We could all use some more days in bed cuddling.

My Valentines

2010-02-14T18:27:00.011-05:00

I made it a point when I was young to not have such high expectations when it came to Valentine's Day. I figured that I would be less likely to get hurt that way. Ever since I met my hubby, I have never been "neglected". He always makes it a point to do something....even something little. This 14th ended up being no exception!

Knowing I had to work at 9:30 in the morning put somewhat of a damper on waking up and doing something. Being that it fell on a Sunday this year, it was also a little less convenient to make evening plans. I was thinking(yes, a little selfishly)that we could get up super early and all go to breakfast to celebrate and enjoy the day. I figured it would be a good idea since I tend to wake up ravenous lately....and always. I was sure he'd never go for it. When I finally got to bed last night, I dozed off KNOWING that getting up would be a challenge for all since we ALL went to bed later than normal. Much to my surprise, this morning could not have gone any smoother. It couldn't have been more enjoyable, either!

When we got up, I gave the kids their Valentine gifts. I got them each a book they have been wanting. Yah, seems kind of lame but they loved it.....and we all demolished a gift basket yesterday that an amazing client/friend brought to me. I could not have seen giving them any more candy after that delicious basket. They enjoyed their books for a few minutes before we left, then we all headed to one of our favorite spots for an extremely early Sunday breakfast. We headed a bit South to 83rd st and 2ND Avenue to Big Daddy's Diner.

We were the first people there! That was pretty cool in itself. We usually go when the place is hopping.....which it always seems to be. I found out just yesterday that they are open 24 hours on the weekend days! Very cool for a mom who has to fit in family time and then a day at work. This is, and always has been one of our favorite spots. They are brightly lit, fabulously decorated in a retro-flashback kind of way, and they have very cool and attentive service. We know a few waiters by name. They also have tater-tots. That was always the draw for me! I guess you could say I'm easy.

While Daddy and I ordered the much needed cups of coffee, the kids ordered their monstrous mugs of hot cocoa. As if you couldn't tell from prior posts, we are big fans of hot chocolate! The hot cocoa served at Big Daddy's could potentially serve as a meal when it comes to the shear size and satisfaction! I don't know how they make it or what the secret is, but it's good. All I know is that it's delicious, and it is covered with a mound of marshmallows and whipped cream. The spoon they give the kids to use is also just a bit too big for their mouths, which is a riot to watch! They don't seem to mind the struggle though. Must be worth it!

We got our money's worth with this meal! We all had traditional kinds of plates this time, although the menu is extensive. They have everything from the outrageously sweet, treat-like griddle items all the way down to the health-conscience, fat-lacking choices. We ate till our bellies were full and were all in need of a good nap! Then we headed back home, but not before inquiring about their trivia night coming up on February 22ND. They start with kid trivia then follow with the adult trivia which happens to be about the FRIENDS television series this time around! Yey! P.S.....I am looking for team-members with a fine knowledge of that series to back up my own! Bring on the FRIENDS trivia!!!!

What a day. Big, bright, fulfilling breakfast. 3 happy kids. A happy(yet very sleepy)other half. And a short day of work. Top it all off with a very pretty and thoughtful new "outfit" from the hubby that doesn't make me look like a heffer, and I'd say that was one successful V day! Hugs and Kisses!

My Favorite Meal of the Day

2010-01-30T20:30:00.006-05:00

For anyone who knows me, or has ever met me, it is easy to see that I love breakfast. In all honesty, I love ALL food. It's just that I tend to think long ahead about, and sometimes eat double of, breakfast!

I had quite a month. The way this week went simply added to the chaos. When I got a call from one of my favorite cousins saying that he wanted to stop by and do breakfast I was thrilled! Tim said he'd be in town by 10am. Perfect. That is usually around the time of breakfast #2 anyway.(I typically have a little something very soon after waking). When he came in I asked what he felt like having and he said "real breakfast". That's easy enough. "Real" breakfast where we come from is considered to include eggs, meat, toast and juice. Definitely not a coffee and muffin type meal. There are a few places that I absolutely LOVE when it comes to "real" breakfast. Immediately, I asked if he would mind a short walk in the bitter cold and after about 30 seconds we were off, heading up the avenues.

I figured that since Tim was from out of town, I would take him to the most "New York" place for "real" breakfast that I could think of....and would also not break the bank. Jackson Hole. Can't really get more New York than that. Before I ever even became a New Yorker, I had eaten....well, attempted to eat....one of their massive burgers. The Hole tends to be one of my family's favorite places too, since they have something for everyone and they also have a ton of specials. I like specials, especially with a growing family! I also like specials because I love getting the most out of my money. Who doesn't? Jackson Hole also doesn't frown on the volume factor my family can introduce into any environment!

We went. We ate. He had an omelet and I had the 2 egg special. Everything was delicious, right down to the coffee and O.J. The walk to Madison was worth it. I explained to him that he'd have to come back and have a burger though because that is what they are especially known for. Don't think that will take too much persuading!

On the way back to my job, I made him stop into Crumbs on Lexington. This is a more-than-welcome recent addition to our neighborhood. I used to have to travel a bit more if I wanted to indulge! Now I have one right up my block! I told Tim he'd have to bring a treat to his brother. He was somewhat overwhelmed with the selection, so I had to give him a little of my expert advice. He ended up with the Devil's food, the raspberry swirl, and the Reese's cup cupcakes. Not a bad variety if I do say so myself.

While he was choosing, I was a little disappointed in myself for drinking coffee at breakfast. Crumbs has one of my top 3 favorite coffees! They carry Kobrick's coffee, which happens to be amazing! Oh well.....hopefully the kids are very well behaved and they earn a cupcake over the weekend. I will need a little bit of motivation to make the walk in the cold again!

Not a bad ending to a rough week. It was a good balance. Bacon cooked to perfection is a good balance to the stress at my job all week. A sick hubby is no match for the Hole's fresh squeezed orange juice. The one thing I had trouble finding balance to was the week suspension from the bus that my son earned. The thought of trekking to the Upper West Side and back twice a day sounds torturous. That balance may be impossible to find but, I'll tell you, the thought of a crumbs cupcake and coffee after a Jackson Hole breakfast is as close as it comes to balance of that stature!

When the Need Arises

2010-01-14T21:46:00.007-05:00

I knew this pregnancy would be tough. I didn't expect for it to be a walk in the park. I also didn't expect that at the age of only 31 that I would feel like I was walking and standing using 90-year-old legs!

I have to give a great-big thank you to my father's side of the family. I come from a long line of sufferers of varicose veins. Tie that in with the fact that I had a major heart surgery at the age of 17 and there you have it. A pre-disposition to the varicosities. For those of you who do not know exactly what they are, I will explain simply and bluntly. There are painful, swollen veins in your legs that can go all the way up to your lower abdomen. They are severely aggravated by he weight of a baby sitting on the valves in your belly. More simply and more bluntly? Pain, throbbing, and more pain.

The sad part is that there is not a thing you can do about these ugly, painful things until after the baby is born, and they tend to get worse with each pregnancy. Never have I had to deal with them being so severe this early! What makes it worse is standing at work. Moving around is no biggie, but stand still for a few minutes, and you would wish your leg would just fall off instead! Now, even though you can not repair them until baby is out, there is something you can do to control them and lessen SOME of the pain. You have to wear compression tights.

Compression tights are tights that gradually compress the veins in your leg so that they do not have as much room to spread and swell. They are very expensive if you have to wear stronger ones and some must be prescribed. Most people think the tights are for the elderly, but until you have a problem like this, you will never appreciate their usefulness and their ability to relieve tired, achy legs!

All that being said, where in the world do you even find them? Well, you could go online and guess at your size and pay a fortune. You could even get weak ones at a drugstore. Or, you could do what I did. I went to a medical supply store with the script from my doctor. I hadn't even the foggiest idea of where to find one until my doctor way downtown told me about this amazing store on the UES. Right in my own neighborhood was this gem of a place that I am so happy I was sent to. I was actually recommended this place with my last child. I went once, but hadn't had to go back in 3 years, so forgot that it was the place I went. Must be good if 2 different doctors that I had both think so highly of the same place! Well, there are a few good reasons.

The medical supply store I am speaking of is Falk Surgical Supplies on 72ND and 2ND avenue. I was pretty nervous when I went for the first time this pregnancy since I knew the salespeople had to measure my inseam and all. They were very professional. They took a few measurements and voila! They gave me the tights and explained for about 5 minutes about how to take care of them. I must have been in a rush last time I was there because I had never heard any of this before. I appreciated the honesty and the explanation since the ones I need are about 100 bucks a pop! I want these to last another few months at least!

When I had to go back today I was not surprised to find even better service than I had the last time.(This time I needed a support belt to lift the weight of the baby off my veins). I didn't expect to have to be measured for this, so I was wearing my not-quite-so-medical-supply-store-panties! I told them I was embarrassed and the women shrugged and grinned and reassured me that it was no big deal. They walked me to the register with my purchase and asked if I had any questions. All I wanted to know was their names. I couldn't believe that I had such a pleasurable experience in a medical supply store full of commodes and walkers! I even found out that they carry breast pumps and other pregnancy related things too! Who would have thought?

I was shy about talking about my ugly pregnancy legs. I was disappointed about having to invest so much money into leg wear. I was also extremely embarrassed to have to be measured and fitted in my "sassiest" of undies, but the truth of the matter is that I needed this place. The need arose and they were there to give me exactly what I needed and then some. A great big shout out and thank you to Mindy and Jeanette at Falk Surgical Supplies!

Partying like Rockstars for 2010

2009-12-31T19:38:00.005-05:00

I would love to say that I am sad that my husband has to work this New Year's Eve. I will be sad to not share the "first kiss" of the year with him, but am beyond relieved that I am not primping and pampering myself for a long night of "celebrating"!

We don't ever really go all out on New Year's, but of course we love to celebrate like and with adults. You know, champagne, black and silver shiny clothes, and all that other good stuff. Well, this year will be different and it will be wonderful!

This year, we are celebrating in style. And by "we" I mean myself and my 3 children. We have it all planned out. We are watching The Disney Channel's countdown until Dick Clark comes on at 10pm. He is doing a prime time special with The Black Eyed Peas. Then we will watch the ball drop with his "Rockin' Eve". Ah....the good-ol' stuff! They are really excited! We are calling it a party although it is the smallest party they can imagine!

We have everything. We are going to play games, talk about resolutions, and wrap up a wonderful year. I printed out some New Year pictures for them to color, have some pots and spoons out for noise, and bought some...well alot...of goodies. I won't say that this evening's activities have nothing to do with the fact that I am craving some junk and want a reason for it to be ok to eat outrageous amounts of it! The plan for the evening overall is to celebrate, indulge, and get so sleepy that we don't wake up before 10 in the morning! They keep asking when the party starts!

Some of our goodies include some everyday things like chips and dip and ice cream sandwiches. Then to top it off, we got some sparkling cider to toast with and a very special treat......a dozen choux! These are a HUGE hit in my family. Pronounced just like those things you wear on your feet, these tasty little pastry puffs are quite a dessert! I came across this place a few years ago, by accident, and very quickly became a regular. (They also serve Kona coffee, which is the first thing that drew me in.) There was actually a short time where I had to talk myself out of going there for fear that a sweet pastry-a-day may not compliment my waistline!

The place is called The Choux Factory. It is kid-friendly if you want to sit there with the kids. They even keep a few children's books with the magazines in the back. They have free-WIFI and a bright atmosphere with super-friendly counter people. All that, and the choux are incredible! I have been there once or twice in the evening and have seen couples there who were seemingly on a first date. It was really a cute idea!

So.....that being said, I am ready to bring in 2010. I have a big year ahead of me. A move, a new baby, and whatever else life has to hand to me. I will take it all in stride. With all that I could complain about in my life, I have almost 4 healthy children, a job, and my health. I have more than many people can say and I am thankful for that. When bringing in this new year, let's all be thankful to have what we have and the people and situations we all have that make us who we are. I am an UES mom who is ready to party like a rockstar! Health and happiness to all in the coming year!

Weekend Away From UES

2009-12-25T07:44:00.003-05:00

When I realized that Christmas was landing on a Friday this year, I was so eager to make plans to get away from the city for just a couple of days! Christmas Eve would be celebrated at my mother's house in Connecticut and on Christmas day, we would go to my grandmother's house. What are the odds that the day we left on Metro-North that I would come down with the worst cold I have had for as long as I can remember? I suppose in my world those chances were pretty good. Forget that it's even the holidays....a mini-vaca from work and I am suffering my way through it? Good thing I am at my mommy's...otherwise, who would take care of me? The hubby and kids?

I continue to wonder how/when I got sick. It could have been the day I had to go to an office meeting in New Rochelle and there was a slight explosion underneath my train that crippled travel any further North. The little "pop" turned out to be a motor that blew and took the 3rd rail energy with it. I was a bit nervous at first, but then too cold to care really. After almost 3 hours of waiting ond transfering and waiting in the cold some more, I finally got to the meeting.

It could have been the day I had to make it to my son's school for a holiday party/publishing party with the 20lb fruit platter that I made. What was I thinking? To be honest, I was thinking I could make a nice morning tray and take a cab from right outside my door and get there in no time. WRONG. I stayed outside for 35 minutes in 20degree weather with one arm holding the fruit, one hand holding on to my 2-year-old, and another hand trying to hail a taxi that for some reason seemed to be anywhere BUT on the Upper East Side. How is that even possible? On that day, I struggled to find reasons to like the UES, or the city for that matter. I truly had to dig deep.

Why am I sick? Maybe it was the lack of sleep I got this week? I went to a wonderful family Christmas party, finished my shopping, made fruit platters, went to holiday parties, cleaned, wrapped gifts, and worked each and every day. The two things I neglected to do was eat well and sleep-at all. I knew better all the while, but besides a 2 hour party what, of all that stuff, could I have said no to? Nothing. This is the life of a mom. An UES mom. And now, this is the life of a sick-on-Christmas-mom.

I did eventually find a million reasons to love the city....especially the UES. It just took a little getaway to remember them all. The stillness and serenity of the city on the holidays can't be beat. Holidays are like a Sunday morning in the city, but all day. Fewer cars, slower hustle, and kinder hearts. Even the cabbies(when they were to be found) were nicer and more attentive.

Now I am away and sick, yet still enjoying every minute of being with my family completely. No calls from work. No emails. I don't even know right now where my Blackberry is and I don't care! That says a whole lot for those of us who have become dependent on that little contraption! You know who you are! The number one reason I miss the city right now? I can't find 1 store open out here in the sticks to get some stuff to make me feel better.(Keep in mind that I am knocked up, so the majority of things in my family's medicine cabinet are not safe during pregnancy) Even Walmart is closed! In the city, we would be bound to find something open. Even if the 24 hour pharmacies closed for a few hours, another is bound to be open. You could even get a last-minute or forgotten gift at the pharmacy! Instead I am lying here sick, watching my kids play Wii with more energy than I have had in months, surrounded by more loved-ones than I can count. Hey. It doesn't happen every day. I'll take it. I hope everyone enjoys their holidays as much as I have so far......and even more!

Yes, Victoria

2009-12-15T22:29:00.013-05:00

I guess you could say that I am a sucker for any shows/movies/activities that could get a person into the spirit of the holidays. That is why I was shocked to learn only this year about one of the most touching and meaningful stories I have ever heard. This story melted my heart and the heart of my 9-year-old, Victoria, who tends to have ALOT of questions when it comes to how people celebrate the holidays.

We celebrate Christmas in our family, and this of course raises alot of questions for a young child who is learning more about their world and the people that fill it. After all, we are raising our children in one of the most racially and religiously diverse places in the world! I am never really sure how to answer some of her questions when it comes to Santa. I have always just told her that she can believe in whatever she'd like to, but that whatever she chooses, she can feel comfortable knowing that the belief is hers, even if it is only hers alone. The one thing that I always insisted though, is that what she is choosing to believe in is more like an idea than anything else. I wasn't too far off.

When Macy's presented their animated short movie "Yes, Virginia" all of MY questions were answered. I still can't believe I never heard this story! Every New Yorker should appreciate the story's sentiment, no matter what neighborhood you live in. It was sweet and simple enough for my daughter to appreciate and enjoy it. It was deep and meaningful enough to also mean something to me, as an adult.

Virginia was an 8-year old Manhattanite who questioned the truth about the whole Santa belief. She wrote to the editor of the New York Sun after hearing from her father, "if you see it in THE SUN, it is so". The editor answered her question in the deepest yet simplest way imaginable. He mentions that even if you never saw him come down a chimney that it wouldn't prove a thing and that all of the things that make our lives the fullest are things that can not be seen or proven. Love, devotion, and generosity.(Some of the words in the editorial are a little grown-up and old-fashioned, but after breaking it down with my daughter we were both extremely touched).

No matter what religious beliefs you have, you should take a glance at this piece of literature with your children. Things look a whole lot better (especially during rough times) and a little less complicated and serious when you read words like these!

Yes, Victoria. There is a Santa Claus.

Gift Ideas for all Ages

2009-12-08T22:10:00.007-05:00

It's already the 8Th of December? Where did the time go? Between work, and kids, and everything else that demands our time, many of us have probably neglected to do our shopping early on, as we probably promise ourselves every year. I know that I can only fairly say I am half done. Not good enough. I have a million ideas spinning in my head, but am still waiting to put some things into play!

Over the past couple of weeks, I have found some good deals and good ideas and am so excited to share a few that I might actually use! Let's start with the little ones. The first thing I want to mention are the deals at The Children's Place. This is fresh in my mind since I get emails from them frequently. They have Rugby sweaters for 5 bucks! They are cute, colorful, and look like they are of good quality. They have everything from baby to big-kid sizes. You can't go wrong for that price. I even picked up some cotton PJ sets for my two boys at 10 dollars a piece. Not bad at all!

I am very excited too about this next idea. This one is for any girls you may have on your list. At an event that I had the pleasure of attending last week, I met Daisy Cook, the owner of Rebelle Friendship Bags. These bags are too adorable for words. At first glance, they look like these cute, trendy, original handbags for young girls. Give them a closer look and you will see that the one amazing bag separates into 2 and you can give one to a friend! I can't describe how beautiful and cool these bags are. Each bag even comes with a little code that you can use on the website(a very cute site, by the way). My princess will certainly be getting one of these this year.....and my nieces. Too bad I can't think of any other little girls I have to buy for!

My last idea is always my fallback plan. I always fall back to this idea because this is one of the gifts that my kids and myself love the most......books. You can almost never go wrong, and if you do, your recipient can exchange for something more their taste. There are so many hot new and classic series out there right now that it makes it very easy. This even works for the "big people" on your list. Everyone likes books but many people won't spend the money on them for themselves.

Now, on to the big ones. The difficult ones. Everyone has that person who is impossible to buy for. Why not try a gift card? A little more impersonal, but definitely still appreciated. I love them myself! How often do you want to get a Starbucks but talk yourself into the cheaper alternative? Starbucks girt-cards are easy and simple and certainly don't go to waste. Gift-cards are also really cool when they are for music or movies. It saves people a few bucks after the holidays. Shoot, if you want to really save someone some money, buy a monthly Metro Card for them!

Another idea? Everyone loves and needs pajamas and appreciates not having to buy them themselves. You could pick up some at a good price just about anywhere, depending on the person's likes and dislikes.

Another fail-proof gift is photos and albums. I personally, have never bought a photo album. I always need one and have a million pictures to organize, but never buy them for myself. One year I got this beautiful set from my sister-in-law and fell in love with the idea. You can even print out nice, candid pics of the kids and put them into fancy frames for loved-ones. Better yet, print them out and let the kids decorate an album or frame for those loved-ones. It keeps them busy for a while and guarantees that there will not be another one alike!

I can't wait to get to this idea. It's a homemade gift. And yes, EVERYONE should like this one. Well, all grown-ups will. I don't quite remember how I came across this idea, but when I did, I Googled more info and found a ton! Here it goes: flavor-infused vodka. Yup. Alcohol. The main idea is that you soak a few different things in the vodka, put them into pretty bottles with pretty tags, and there you have it! The ideas and options are endless, and it is so simple and inexpensive that it could be perfect for everyone. If I were to guess, I'd say that the vanilla bean one is going to be my favorite....or perhaps the blood orange one. Either way, please remember this idea for me for next year since I won't be able to sample this year!

So there you have it. A few ideas that were probably right in front of you anyway, but when we start to stress about prices and limits and budgets, we lose sight. This season should never be this stressful. It always is, but we should try to put it all into perspective when we have little ones watching our every move. I know it would be completely unnatural to not be stressed around the holidays, but perhaps we can instill something new in our kids. Actually, we wouldn't be instilling something new. We would be bringing back and reinforcing what is really important around these times: family, giving, celebration, and togetherness.

A Sucker for Punishment?

2009-11-30T21:43:00.004-05:00

I have to say I have a good amount of pride when people ask where I live or what I do, or how I do it. I relish in the fact that I can call myself an "Upper East Side Mom". Scratch that. I relish in the idea of just being called "Mom" at all.

I suppose that is why I didn't panic when I found out that I will no longer be an UES mother of 3. I will soon and forever more be known as an Upper East Side mother of 4. Yep. That's right. "Number 4" is on it's way. ETA: 7.1.10. It was too easy to raise 3 kids in this bustling city. It was too easy to take 3 children out to restaurants and parks. It was way too easy to try to squeeze in a couple parent teacher conferences in one day. It was way to easy to bring 3 at once to the doctor or dentist. What's one more? Well, in my tiny apartment, one more is beginning to sound like a lot more than I originally thought!

The kids are excited.....now. The initial reactions were not as warm and inviting as I thought they would be but, after a day or two to stew on it, the kids are now very excited! In their minds, the only thought they repeatedly have is that this is the reason I won't let them get a puppy! Well, this is one of MANY reasons! Their hermit crabs will have to do for now.

The husband is a little more grounded than myself. I tend to get nervous and stressed and anxious all at once and early on. He tends to let everything roll off his back and takes it all in stride. I wish he could share some of that energy with me! I need some of that!

Me? I am a hot mess. I am of course tired, anxious, ecstatic, emotional and nauseated all day long. I want everything to be ready for the baby and my family right now. I want to know what the future holds and I want to be able to insure that all will be perfect and organized and easy. I do know better than this. I know better than to think perfect exists. I know that things will eventually fall into place, and I know that stressing right now will not solve any of that. I can't wait to shop with the kids for baby things. I will be spending a lot of time the next few months in Planet Kids on 86Th St. I never get tired of looking at Maclaren strollers and baby items in general....ask anyone who knows me!

So, needless to say, these are going to be a long few months to come. My plan is to be as prepared as possible. I plan on involving my children in anyway I can. I plan on eating a lot and trying out many more restaurants that my neighborhood has to offer! I plan on working up until I can't physically do it anymore. Finally, I plan on visiting out-of-town family so I can fully take advantage of the fact these will be the last times that we will be able to rent 5-seater cars!

Am I a sucker for punishment? Nah. Just a mom. A mom who loves the UES and thrives on being a mom here. Who wouldn't? I suppose anyone can adjust. I'm just not sure too many people would be as daring as myself!

Visions of Muffins

2009-11-22T22:12:00.006-05:00

I am sitting here on a Sunday night, catching up on my two favorite shows, dreaming of breakfast in the morning. I found myself sitting here wondering how, in the short time that I have been blogging, did I not mention one of my favorite places of all time. This place has been a staple in my family's life since the day I arrived in this city. I am talking about The Corner Bakery, on 3rd Avenue and 93rd st.

My thoughts right now are leaning heavily towards a zucchini muffin in the morning, but who knows by the time I get there! I have yet to try something that I did not like from there. Some of my favorites are the zucchini muffins, the cinnamon babkas, the ginger snaps, and the blueberry scones. The "bakery" also has pretty good coffee, and AMAZING cappuccinos. You can see the distinct layers if you happen to be in the mood for an iced one!

My children have some favorites of their own. They love the whoopee pies, the chocolate croissants, the cinnamon puffs, and the mini-muffins....just to name a few. I can even go in on any given day and get the sugarless scone....yes, the sugarless one....and they like that too! Who would have thought? The hubby likes the lemon tea cake the best. That tiny cake is actually a pretty universal "like" in our family unit. I can remember a time when we were in there EVERY day. Now, we aren't proud to say that we took our kids for baked goods every day, but I guess you have to pick and choose your battles.....processed snacks from a box? Or a fresh-baked treat shared with a friend?

Besides the food, it is a lovely place to kind of sit and chat or warm up from the cold. Half of the shop is windows that reach almost from ceiling to floor, which makes for a bright and cozy place to sit and enjoy a treat. I remember days when we would pick up the kids from school in the winter and dread going home. We would always make a stop to kill some time before we trekked home to do homework and dinner and all that other fun stuff!

The other pretty phenomenal thing they make is their birthday cakes. They are quite a sight...decorated with real butter cream frosting and vibrantly colored stars. They also taste incredible. The other plus is that they always have them made, so it makes it really easy to just pick one up if the need arises and there is no time to order one. I am pretty particular to the tiny cakes. They look so pretty and perfect and, believe it or not, they still fit writing on the tiny top!

Now although I usually frequent the bakery, there is also The Corner Cafe on the other corner(92nd and third ave). They have all the same baked goods as the bakery, but also have an entire restaurant and food-bar. My family and I are huge fans of the turkey pinwheels, the chicken fingers, and the tuna salad. These tend to be the favorites among all neighborhood children too. Take it from the experts if you don't believe me! You can ask any tot leaving the Craft Studio or Ballet Academy when they stop in for their munches.

I can't sing enough praise for this place, honestly. Whether it is for breakfast, a snack, or a coffee break, it never disappoints. The ambiance, the food, the coffee, and the seasonal decorations are enough to keep us coming back....year after year. Finally, two minutes before I go to bed, I realize what I REALLY want to get tomorrow. Full of berries and optional brown sugar and cream, I think I will take the oatmeal. YUM.....I can't wait.

Trial by Teacher

2009-11-11T22:51:00.005-05:00

Autumn brings about one of the other inevitable fates of the season.....the first parent-teacher conference of the year. I am not sure why I always feel like it is a huge deal, but I get so excited to see some of the kids work and hear what the teachers have to say about them. As we all know, our children are usually a reflection of ourselves and our parenting, so it is only natural to be eager to see and hear results of our efforts outside of our own homes.

Times these meetings by two(or three for some people) and you have one pretty jam-packed afternoon or evening! I usually opt to have one of the kids' meeting in the afternoon shift and one on the evening shift.....this is the only way humanly possible to get to the two different schools. The hard part is to get one of the first appointments of either session. If you don't, you tend to be S.O.L. when it comes to the appointment running on time! Most teachers put a note on their door about knocking when ten minutes is up so they stay on time, but who wants to be the parent who knocked when it was someone else's turn? I am that parent, unfortunately. I just don't have an extra half hour in my day to spend on a ten minute meeting.

I learned the hard way, this time, to never ever again take the last appointment. I thought this would be so strategic for the family dynamic, but boy was I wrong! I came a few minutes early to my meeting and found that the teacher was 5 meetings behind! 5 ten-minute meetings behind is a long time in my world! I was furious and aggravated, but I didn't dare be the parent who left! Plus I was desperately excited to hear what she had to say, so I waited.

Was it worth the effort? Was it worth all the juggling? Was it worth having pizza again because it was the only thing that seemed to fit in? Yes. Yes. And yes. I learned some very important , and somewhat encouraging things about my children's behavior and progress. I also learned a couple of things to help them along in each of their areas of weakness. Yes, all of our children have things they need to work on, although we would never like to admit it!

It was a very enlightening week. I learned that my daughter is coming out of her shell, academically and socially. Yey! (This may explain the extra care in the morning to make sure her hair is just right....seems she has taken on a bit of a leadership role in the classroom!) My little princess who held my ankles while I walked out the doors of her preschool is now stepping up. *tear* Makes me proud, yet I do worry about the bossy side of her taking over like an angry beast!

I learned too, that my son is no different at school then he is at home. This was a bit of a cause for concern to Dad and I since his name is the one we have to repeat most at home! Not the two-year-old's name, but the 7-year-old who attends a gifted and talented school! Go figure. That poor teacher. I can't imagine having to deal with my son and 20-something other kids in a class! I get annoyed with him and just 2 others! Although we were a little concerned, a part of me was pretty relieved that he feels confident enough to be himself in the classroom. He doesn't change for anyone. We will, and have, reminded him however that there is a time a place for everything and that we know he is capable of much much more. My boy is ALL boy. Again, poor teacher.

I am thankful that it is over though. It's hard to be judged. It's hard to come to terms with things that you can improve on. We all believe in our heart-of-hearts that we are the perfect parents. Aren't we all perfect on the UES? Not me, for sure. We just have to realize that there are points and times in our childrens' lives when there is someone else around them more often than we are ourselves. We have to learn to accept and value these people's opinions and observations, and use them to better the lives of our kids. It also doesn't hurt to get a little ten-minute pat on the back for a job well done. I'll take it.

Treats and Meals for All Seasons

2009-11-03T20:53:00.002-05:00

After a long time watching my monkeys climb in and out of a pile of leaves, I could think of nothing more this evening than a piping hot cup of chocolate with a mound of whipped cream. Destination.....Maui Wowi.

Sounds a little too tropical for this kind of weather, huh? Well, guess again. I saw some of the place's advertisements for their new hot chocolate and thought I better give it a try since everything else I ever had from there was delicious. They have the BEST hot chocolate I have had in the longest time! I thought their smoothies were incredible, but this cocoa was a force to be reckoned with! Now this is the first time I ever attempted hot cocoa from a place like here and I was not disappointed. The kids were even able to get their "white" hot chocolate, which I will never understand since all it seems to be is milk and vanilla, but hey....they love it, and it was pretty exceptional from here! Sometimes it is tough to get through an entire cup of regular cocoa. It tends to get cool, or thick, or too rich by the end. This one did not. I enjoyed it to the very end.....well, what I could enjoy of it....I got to share with my little guy. I am sure that I will be visiting this place as much as I did in the summer for the fruit smoothies....2 or 3 times a week(at least).

My husband is the true smoothie-junkie though. The place has this special cup to refill when you buy the large smoothie and each time you get a refill you also get a dollar off the price. We have 4 of these "Tiki Cups" in our home. He even keeps one in the baby's stroller "just in case". I don't mind.....especially since they only use all natural fruit purees, non-fat yogurt, and bananas. The flavors and options are endless, and I have tried quite a few. I still have yet to meet one that I did not like!

Guess what else this tropical oasis has? KONA COFFEE. If you are a coffee-lover, like myself, this is a blend you HAVE to try! I have always loved it, but nowhere in my neighborhood actually sold it for quite sometime. Then my dream-place opened and came to my rescue. I can't even describe the flavor....you just have to try it yourself.

The one thing I did learn more recently about the place is that they have a FULL menu of items...everything from bagels, to wraps and paninis, to burgers and soups. Everything seems to be fresh and made-to-order, and somewhat "healthy" looking. They offer a good range of specials too. There is a combo to suit whatever your heart desires. Smoothie/sandwich, bagel/coffee, wraps/soup, or just about anything!

My children love the place. One thing I will say is that it is very small, so our family seems to take it over whenever we go! We love to sit in there and enjoy the decoration, the good company from both the owners and their staff, and all they have to offer. You just get a good vibe when ever you walk in and the counter person says "Aloha" with a smile. That is welcoming to everyone....especially the kids!

It's a rather new place, so here is the address in case you have a little trouble trying to find it:

1598 Third ave
(btwn 89Th and 90Th)
#212.289.1975

Give it a try with the kids after school or on the weekend for a treat.....you will not be disappointed(I have 3 kids and a hubby who will gladly support this recommendation)!

Autumn Woes

2009-10-25T21:24:00.005-04:00

'Tis the season, I guess. Although the season has so much to offer, it seems that it comes at no small price for us Upper East Side moms!

Let's just take, for instance, the price of Halloween costumes. Now, I am not sure about most of you, but by my being a working mother warrants no time to be creative and actually MAKE their costumes. The easy thing is to let them pick something out of a magazine, store, or catalog, but this method can really add up! Just take a walk around a Ricky's and you'll see. You may already have seen. I think when you have one, maybe two children, this approach is feasible, but not in my world anymore! I could spend a fortune if I get the kids costumes from a costume place! My recommendation? Take a stroll through a few of the pharmacies and see what you can put together with the kids. Pharmacies have a ton of options, and many are now offering half-off! Hit up a Duane Reade or CVS and you are bound to find something, (especially for the tinier guys who are easily talked into being something you have found). Keep in mind, you are buying something that will, in most cases, definitely not fit a growing child for a second year.

Another seasonal "situation" that us moms are bound to face any day now, if we haven't already, is the sick kids. Again, the odds are against me. I often feel like our pediatrician gets sick of seeing or hearing from us. She never does, of course, but being there so frequently makes me feel terrible! Now, the entire city is on edge with the Swine Flu threat/epidemic. I thought these next two seasons would be tough enough without another sickness looming! To top it off, ever since they have begun school, my children seem to be strep magnets. That is always a ton of fun! We go in for a test that shows negative and the doctor calls a few days later to inform us that the culture grew in the lab, meaning it is actually positive! And what are the odds that only one out of three gets it? In my house, not very good. That's one downfall to our children getting along so well......they share EVERYTHING. Seems like there is not enough hand-washing or Purell in the world for any of us to avoid some kind of something during these months!

Then, here comes the cold weather! What does that mean for an UES mom? Cold weather means that we will soon be schlepping the kids to and from school in the cold and slush and bitterly dry air(since most of us don't hop in and out of cars for just a few blocks). It means that we now have to get out all the cold weather clothes that have been packed away for the warm months. It also means that I have to put away 5 people's worth of warm weather clothes to make room for coats, sweaters, boots(which will have to be re-bought due to my children growing like weeds), and thermals. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but if you are a mom living in the city, I would say we have a different BFF......SpaceBags.

Many of us say that we wouldn't change being an Upper East Side mom for the world. In fact, I have said it myself. I will say that in the near(very cold)future, when we have to walk through melting snow to schools and doctors, that it is the ONE time(that I can immediately think of)where my UES-mom-faith is tried and tested. Stay warm and optimistic......soon enough, there will be a spring bug tearing through the kids schools and we will be switching the clothes back again.

Pride of New York

2009-10-17T17:10:00.010-04:00

I could not resist writing this post after my experience last night. I was given the opportunity to attend Game 1 of the ALCS played in Yankee Stadium! What an experience. I have to mention first that I acquired the tickets(amazing seats, by the way)from my boss who I am sure has no idea how much the gesture meant to me. Second, I would not have been able to go on such short notice if it had not been for one of my newest and dearest friends babysitting my little devils!

I grew up being a Yankee fan. I lived in Connecticut and if you wanted to support a "home team" you basically had a choice between the Red Sox and the Yankees . The majority of my family opted for the Yankees, therefor, so did I. Shamefully, up until last night, I hadn't FULLY appreciated my family's love or devotion for the team(although I have lived here going on ten years).

We were close to the field......very close, and that didn't matter one bit. The thing about the new stadium, and I am sure in the old too, is that the game is so interactive and exciting and stimulating that you could be sitting in the farthest, cheapest seat and still enjoy your time and appreciate the presence of just BEING there! You don't even have to watch the players. Just watching the huge screens and watching the fans is enough entertainment and action itself....although being able to say I watched the Yanks win Game 1, in person, is pretty exciting!

The game was filled with cheers and chants and oohs and aahs. Music accompanied every Yank that stepped up to bat. I found myself extremely emotional. When a woman led us in signing "God Bless America" there were tears in my eyes! Then, when the crowd started a friendly banter with a man who bravely wore a Boston hat, I was hysterically laughing. I almost cried again when Johnny Damon caught a ball for the last out of an inning and the rest of the team was running back towards the dugout. He took the time right after that catch to walk the ball over to the wall in front of me and personally hand it to a young boy who was cheering him on. Very touching.

The Fan Cam displayed an array of people. In one stadium, each and every age, race, size, and shape possible was represented. There were people there from every walk of life and every tax bracket. It's incredible to see that, and is very representative of living in the city. This alone made me proud to live here and proud to be there at that moment. I was even more impressed when, after the game was won, people started walking out of the stadium, singing "New York, New York" in unison. Horribly off pitch, and way out of tune, but in heartfelt unison.

We took the train home, and that was an experience too. We were packed like sardines and, on this stuffed train, not one person complained. After all, we just won the game! We all might as well have been family. I overheard one couple speaking to an out-of-town couple about what they went through on September 11Th. At a few of the stops, people were asking us if "we" won, and the cheers and excitement on the train almost matched that of the stadium. They were still chanting for C.C.!!!!

What a night. I was so proud that entire evening. Before writing this post, I asked my kids what made them proud to be from New York. The 9-year-old spoke of all the places and things to do. Then she went on to talk about the over-all notoriety, the potential to meet a celebrity, and the restaurants. When I asked the 7-year-old about what made him proud to be a New Yorker he answered, "the mayor". It was a quick response that I didn't quite understand(coming from him). Confused, I asked, "the mayor?". Simply and matter-of-factly, he replied, "yah, Mr. Bloomberg", then walked away. I am always amazed at what comes out of his mouth!

New York kids study the city every year in school. They learn about how it came to be, and how neighborhoods were formed and established. They learn about all the famous places, and the history behind them. One thing I can say for sure is that next season I will be bringing them to their first game. They beg me all the time to go, but I always figured they wouldn't hold out. Now I know they will. At the game, and on the short train ride home to the Upper East Side, they will see and feel a sense of pride that no school will ever be able to teach them.

The "Prince" Denies His Throne

2009-10-08T21:32:00.009-04:00

Some things are for sure when you are a mother, no matter where you are raising your children. They must be fed. They must be clothed. They must be educated. They must also be potty-trained. This is my more current challenge.

My "baby" is ready to start using the toilet, or so I thought. He showed all the signs. He had a genuine excitement when he HAS actually made it. He stays dry throughout the night most nights, and he lets us know when he is going in his diaper. Don't most of the books say these are the signs? For which kid? One would think that after 3 kids I would learn by now that all children are different. This one is certainly no exception.

Someone please tell me why my two-and-a-half-year-old son is bright enough to add numbers together but not run to the toilet when he needs to go. Tell me why he knows all his shapes and most of his colors but says, "I can't do it", when I tell him it's time to try. Tell me how some kids, like him, hate the smell of some vegetables but don't mind themselves smelling so undesirable when they do have accidents. Finally, tell me how he can't go to the toilet when he feels it coming, but as soon as it is over he clearly asks, "Mommy, can you change me please?".

The answers became much clearer to me today when we walked from the bus stops for the older 2 children. He informed me that he did not want to go home. His Royal Highness wanted to take a walk. I gave in. Then, as we passed the local Starbucks, he asked if he could get chocolate milk from "stawbucks". Smart kid. Or maybe he's just a creature of habit. Our habits. It sealed the deal when my husband asked him later what he wanted for dinner and he said, "shineez".

Seems like our habits and routines(or, as in the potty-training case, LACK of routines and habits)are to blame. Routine is sometimes tough with 3 children and 2 full-time jobs between a family of five. It is actually ironic. Routine is something that is almost seemingly impossible at times, yet it is the only thing that will ever aid in keeping all the plates spinning. Surprisingly, all of our plates are still spinning. Must be dumb luck, because I have no idea how we aren't slicing our feet on broken plate glass!

I suppose this will be a rough week if I want my little man to go to school anytime before he is old enough for junior high. I guess the new habits we have to enforce are the ones that encourage good, clean, positive, "potty" behavior. As my prior examples simply prove, the boy CAN be taught! I am ready to bring out the big guns in full force. I have already invested in numerous small treats and toys that I thought would intrigue or basically bribe him into being a regular potty user. They haven't worked yet. Neither did the Elmo underwear or the candy. Hopefully some good old-fashioned consistency will be our saving grace. If not, I am sure I can interest the "King" in a smoothie or a black-and-white cookie for a job well done.

Mini-indulgence for Mom

2009-10-02T10:49:00.007-04:00

Last week, I had to purchase a gift for a friend so I went to a jewelry store that I frequent, knowing they would have just the thing. I went in, as I always do, and told the woman what the recipient's personality and "look" were like and how much I wanted to spend. The person working the shop happened to be the owner, Lisa(lucky me because she is so helpful and fun to talk to!). She then pointed out 5 or 6 things fitting my description and a couple more that were a few bucks more than what I wanted to spend. We also sidetracked a little and pointed out and tried on 5 or 6 things that she will have to recommend to my hubby when he comes in for the holidays! By the time my visit was over, I had purchased a pair of very fitting R.J. Graziano earrings for my friend, made a new friend with the owner, and was marking down a "trunk show" in my calendar. Me? At a trunk show?

First of all, I actually had to google what that was. I wasn't sure if you were supposed to just come and look at the stuff or buy the stuff, or if you get samples, or what?! Upon some very in-depth(not really) research, I found that a trunk show is just what is sounds like. A designer brings in a bunch of their stuff(back in the day, they would actually bring a trunk), and they are usually there to represent their newer items, and sometimes sell them at a discount to select customers. Wow! Was I a select customer? If I wasn't before, I definitely am now. All I really needed to know was that there would be wine and cheese served at the event. What a coincidence.....one of my favorite combinations in life. Lisa also informed me that the designer doing the show was Claudine Drescher, of Cousin Claudine Jewelry. I wondered why there wasn't too much of her merchandise in the store, but apparently Lisa sells out very quickly whenever she orders!

Needless to say, I went to the show. It was held at JLR Jewelers,(formerly Gold N' Gifts), located at 1601 Third Ave, at 90th street. It's location is nothing but a few short blocks for me, but I would imagine well worth a little travel if I didn't live in the neighborhood! The prices are always right and the honesty in recommendations is exactly what an indecisive shopper like me needs. The event itself was better than I could have imagined! So many women were there(and a couple of men too), all in excitement and anticipation of what Claudine had to offer! Claudine herself was a pleasure! She was pleasant to talk to, and very appreciative of all the compliments and feedback. There were women there who were wearing her styles from a couple of years back. I found myself being a bit jealous! These women knew about this stuff long before I had! She had something for everyone. I don't know if she would consider them her specialty or just what people are into these days, but her bracelet bundles were HOT! There were ones in every style, shape, color, tone, weight, and so-on, and each and every one was tied with a beautiful color-coordinated "Cousin Claudine" ribbon.

I tried on about 16 different ones(some two or three times), and finally decided on one that I kept going back to. It was tied with a light grey ribbon, had a substantial weight to it, and seemed to match my daily wardrobe and personality perfectly. It was called the "Angelina",(all the sets have names rather than numbers, as to make it easy for both designer and customer). I already have two other sets that I have in mind for myself, and a couple for friends and family! Who knew jewelry could be so much fun? I spent time with a great designer, a savvy store-owner, and some very cool UES women. I am pretty sure that every woman left with something. I knew when I left the store, I had made the right choice by leaving the Daddy home with the kids for some wine, cheese, and jewelry. With all the money moms spend on their children's activities, toys, and play-dates, we shouldn't feel guilty when we take the time or money to spend on ourselves(although we all feel that guilt at one point or another!). It's a good lesson to show them too....that mommy is worth all that fancy stuff and more! It was a good night. Indulgence feels good.

I should mention that my bracelets even match my pajamas perfectly. Yes, I am wearing the set with my scrubby pajamas and I feel like a million bucks!

To Bring, or NOT to Bring?

2009-09-23T20:39:00.006-04:00

Now that the school year is almost in full swing, a battle of wills is also lurking and rearing it's ugly head. Do we send our children to school with a packed lunch from home or do we let them have the so-called "hot" lunch that the schools provide for them? What do we do in my household? We choose option 3...the it-depends-on-the-day option. I used to argue everyday with my children about what will be appropriate or more healthy. Not so sure I am even 100 percent positive of that answer myself!

Now, keep in mind that I am very lucky and I have the kind of children that will pretty much eat anything. At the very least they will try it. I imagine that the school lunch can not be TOO bad.....or is it? My daughter never used to complain about the lunch given at school until last year. She would tell me how good many of the options were, and that if there was not a good choice that she would at least drink the milk and eat the fruit. Not so bad, I thought.

My son, who is the pickier of the two, never complained once about his lunch. They both go to different schools, but are both under the same lunch program, and he never complained. He was, however, hungry for a "snack" when he came home from school. Again, not TOO bad.

It was not until the end of the school year last year that I learned about what TRULY made the difference for my own kids, and probably many others. It was a social issue. My daughter kept talking about the LUNCH BUNCH. They are apparently a bunch of kids who got to sit down and pick a lunch table before all the other kids who had to get hot lunch. Well, by the time she was able to sit down, that particular table was filled up. This was apparently a problem for her because some of her friends packed lunch....in fact, most of them did. My son was simply and admittedly in a hurry to get finished faster and be able to go to recess faster. That's a hard thing to do if you have to wait in the lunch line, so he made up for lost time by eating only a little bit of what was there.

I also realized that many of these kids brought 2 or 3 "cool" snacks in their bags, which is something that the hot lunch does not offer. I suppose I can understand their feelings. I remember wanting to trade school lunch stuff for chewy things and cookies and such. I am willing to bet this all stems from the fact that I do not keep as much "junk" in the house as the 2 elementary school kids think I should! I guess there is a point when fruit leathers and granola bars just don't cut it in their world! I guess those type of snacks don't have much "cafeteria value".

So at the end of last year, I gave in. I told my daughter that I would let her pack her own lunch, but that she would be responsible for making sure that it was a somewhat healthy one. At first, I was confiscating 2 snacks too many per day and adding some carrot sticks. She also got tired of sandwiches, so I bought her this little insulated thermos. Each day she brought a different hot lunch! She would bring soup, pasta, or leftovers from the prior night. It actually ended up costing me very little for her to bring a healthier lunch than she was opting for in school! Throw in a quick visit to the fruit man in the am and we were in business! Once in a while, if I was in a bind and needed to get to the supermarket, I would order this great sandwich from my favorite bagel place, Bagel Express. Their sandwiches tend to be enormous, and are enough for two kid lunches!

I guess I can't say I blame the kids. We, as adults, indulge and choose meals dependent upon the company we are keeping. How many times did we eat the less healthy choice for lunch when someone on the job was ordering and it was just easier to throw your order in? I know I am guilty! How many times do we go to Starbucks for the 3rd Pumpkin spice latte of the day because someone says, "wanna grab some coffee?" How can we expect our children to follow our lead, when we are doing exactly what we are hoping for them NOT to do? I can remember only 2 times in the last month that I have brought my own lunch/dinner to work. Seems crazy when you add up all the 5 or 10 dollars we spend on each meal! I should be taking a lesson from my kids. The problem is that for adults, the more social and convenient choice is the less healthy one, and sometimes the more expensive one too.

We are at the point this school year where we are all in agreement that school lunch is not exactly what they want ALL the time. We are also in agreement that if/when time does not permit the luxury of packing, that it will not be the end of the world to take the extra few minutes to get on the lunch line. I think they are more willing to work at this than I am. They know that it is hard for me to find the time to physically pack the lunch every day. Most mornings, I find the "team" awake, long before myself, spreading peanut butter and jelly on bread and negotiating the snacks. It is funny to hear them rustling around that early in the morning! I should put in my order the prior night so that my lunch is made too.

Then there are the mornings when we have about 20 minutes dedicated to getting ready for school and work(it has still been dark when we get up, which makes it very hard to actually get OUT of the beds!). These days, the kids know what lies ahead at lunchtime and they are ok with it. I guess the thing I am most pleased about is how flexible they are.....or for that matter, how flexible I have encouraged them to be. All-in-all, the healthier lunch choice for you and your brood should be the one that offers the healthiest option for your bodies, your minds, your finances, and your social lives! Trust me.

Finding my peace

2009-09-16T22:57:00.009-04:00

A full-time job. A husband. Three darling little children(another full-time job). When and where do moms like me find any time or peace for themselves? Nap time? Perhaps if there is not one other thing to do in the house. After the kids go to bed? Maybe-if you can keep your eyes open long enough. We all know what happens when you sit down and take your shoes off at the end of the day and try to catch up on news, or reading, or that guilty-pleasure-reality show that you would hardly admit to being slightly interested in. Rest usually equals sleep when you are a mom.

Truth be told, many mothers just don't demand the time, energy, or sometimes money that it takes to steal their peace. Many settle for what they are accustomed to. Or maybe they just need less than others. I never realized how much mental peace I was lacking until a friend asked me to go along with her to a class. A Bikram Yoga class.

For those of you who don't know what Bikram yoga is, it is a form of yoga performed in a heated, humid room....a VERY heated, humid room. The whole purpose of the 90 minute workout is to improve strength, flexibility, and balance. Throughout the the entire class, you are reminded to focus and center and breathe while doing these postures. This, in turn, is supposed to build on your mental clarity and focus. Most people's original reaction is that of fear, and I was no exception! When my friend told me all about the practice, she warned me not to eat for hours before the class(which is a huge problem for me), and to hydrate WELL. She also told me that we won't be able to talk or catch up during the class because it is intense and I wouldn't be able to focus or worry about anything else. Wait. No Blackberry? Not worry about work or my kids? Boy, if I wasn't already excited, those words were like music to my ears!

I was scared, but I was ready. First class was a failed attempt. I got too hot and kept trying to push my limit. I didn't listen to my body when it said, "breathe". I did, however, listen to my panicking mind when it said, "you can't handle this. Leave". Only after I left, and was watching the rest of the class sail through the postures with ease and appreciation, did I learn that the whole idea is to try and stay IN the room, even laying down. I felt completely defeated. I went home feeling disgusted with myself and as though I had failed. I really wanted to get through it. When I arrived home and was telling my husband how it went, my 7-year old piped in, "next time, Mama". Wow! How's that for encouragement? My kids think more about my determination than I do! Would there be a next time? Apparently so.....2 days later.

The next class, I went myself. I prepared all day. I told myself that I would do what I could, and only that. I stopped putting expectations on myself and what I have to offer. (I learned this from speaking to the woman working the desk in the cool lobby only 2 days prior.) Class was amazing! I got through it, and in the end, when the teacher was speaking to us as we rested, I cried. She was telling us about how not everyone had the will or determination, or financial ability to do classes like these and that we should all hold onto our peace and thank our bodies for giving it to us. I will never forget it. Nor, will I forget to breathe.

I will also never forget all the people whom I have met since going to the studio. I attend one of Bikram Yoga NYC's four studios in the city, which is located on 83rd and third. Every teacher I have had has been friendly, encouraging, and uplifting. What mom doesn't need a little bit more of that? It keeps me coming back! The office staff at this location is especially amazing and helpful too. The manager, Stephanie, unnecessarily and unexpectedly, went above and beyond for me without hesitation when a medical issue chipped away at my introductory days. I was astonished and so appreciative. "Yogis" are pretty cool people if you ask me. They could teach the world a lot!

Now, I go regularly. Every few days or so, time and work and children and husbands permitting! I find myself always trying to squeeze in a class. It is not always easy, but I do it. I find my time. I make it. We all should make the time for whatever brings us our peace.

I wonder about all these other people in class and how they fit it in. I wonder how many moms are there, or if not enough of us know about what benefits you could gain from practicing Bikram. I also wonder how everyone affords it. In my case, I get way fewer mani-pedis and a couple less Starbucks a week! I don't need the occasional hour in the nail salon for my alone-time. A poor DIY paint job is a small price to pay for the serenity and sense of accomplishment I get from going to class every time, (whether I sit through a couple postures or not). It is such a reasonably priced activity for all it has to offer.

When I was heading out the door to my 10Th class, the 7-year old asks, "do you still faint almost in class?" This kid is wiser than I think. The answer is no. Not usually. And when I do get nervous or anxious or disappointed or panicky, I remind myself to breathe. I find myself spreading what I learn in every class to everyone I know. Even my kids....and they get it!!! I also find that when I start to lose patience, be it with my kids, my husband, my job, etc., that I say to myself, "no one can take my peace", and it works. For the most part.

Cramming for the 4th grade

2009-09-07T22:50:00.007-04:00

Unbelievable! I have done it again. I promised myself, and my children, that they would read every day of summer, even if it were just a few minutes. I explained to them how much easier the first day, and the days leading up, would be if they only heeded my advice. Would you believe me if I told you that we BEGAN reading only a few days ago? Well, we did. It's shameful, I agree. I know better than this. They don't.

Then I remember the summers when I was a kid. I read ALL summer long, but only by choice. Our teachers never gave us assignments for over the long vacation. Never. Fridays and summers were for no homework. It was a given. My kids get a list of books they should read and an assignment before they even leave that grade! It shouldn't have been this torturous! Don't get we wrong, I like it. I believe in it. I THOUGHT i fully supported it. I love the fact that they don't temporarily lose their good reading habits over the summer...except in the case of my children...this summer, and every summer since they have been in school.

I think it is safe to say they have a ton of things to write about when they get to class and their first assignment is the "My Summer Vacation" one. They didn't spend one day inside our apartment. They visited more than 2 water parks, attended a few family reunions, and pigged out at a couple of barbeques and birthday parties all up and down the East Coast. They just didn't read. They were not lacking a bit on the exercise end of things either. Let's not forget that I work full-time, and so does my husband....the overnight shift! He was more than happy to open and close any park in the neighborhood as long as he didn't have to "suffer" at home with 3 kids and a basket-full of clean laundry to fold! Daddy took every opportunity to take the kids out to "enjoy the weather". Too bad he didn't force them to sometimes enjoy it with their books! Nor did I each time I let them go to a sleepover or to Coney Island with friends. Next summer I will be more firm, for sure. Maybe.

Now, it is the first day of school. Everyone has their new kicks on and their backpacks full to the brim with the goods from the page-long list of "suggested items" to bring to class. I eagerly await MY stack of first-day-of-school homework/paperwork. The cramming is over. 3 days of nothing but reading and writing....and a few play-dates, of course. (I obviously have no backbone). I am not sure if they have learned a lesson about procrastination, or if they now think that cramming is a definite possibility with little consequence. The books were read....mostly. The assignments were completed.....barely, and Mom kept her cool the whole time....hardly. The venn diagram is done. The "small moment" assignment was written. The letter to the teacher assignment, where the kids were supposed to write about their expectations and wishes for this school year, is also done. I suppose I shouldn't find it TOO funny that one of the stronger sentences in my daughter's letter reads, "one thing that I want to do is learn to read faster".

Upper East Side Mom

2009-09-03T10:19:00.004-04:00

Ok, so here goes. Apparently, every great first blog post starts and finishes by answering 4 main questions. I intend for this to be the start of a wonderful relationship, so I guess this post should answer all 4 of them!

1. Who am I?
2. Why am I blogging?
3. What will I blog about?
4. How can you leave feedback?

My name is Lisa Lawrence and I am a mother of three who happens to live, work, eat, sleep, play, shop, and breathe on the Upper East Side of Manhattan! I am happily (most of the time) married and I work full time. My husband also works full time, and we do not have a nanny or babysitter. We do, however, have the occasional family help.....thank goodness! My children are amazing...not like I am impartial or anything! I have a girl and two boys: 9, 7, and 2 years old. Needless to say, with children spanning 9 years, I experience a lot of my neighborhood and what it had to offer.

I decided to start blogging because I saw this amazing website, by accident, and thought to myself that I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to be able to offer up some good advice, humor, and perhaps a little bit of a forum for people, especially moms like me, to share. I did not grow up here in the city. I only moved here when my first-born was 3 months old. I only know about being a mom on the Upper East Side.....and I wouldn't change it for the world!

I want to blog about everything. The real Stuff. The people, places, events, and happenings that make this neighborhood what it is known for-from afar and from an insider's point of view. I want to talk about how being an Upper East Side mom is more than living here and having children. I want to write about how it is a culture all it's own. A way of life. I want for all moms on the UES to see that our "hood" has so much to offer, yet we will all appreciate and utilize it in different ways that benefit us and our families the most. I want to share everything that I experience, try, eat, see, and learn so that moms can potentially relate and know they are not alone. I want new UES moms to know WHY that Maclaren is well worth the investment and which places are TRULY kid-friendly. Little things like that. I want for every mom, Upper East or not, to carry a funny little anecdote with them throughout the week and have a little suggestion in the back of their minds of what to do or where to go next time the ever-popular question arises. It is all here, in our neighborhood!

I would love for everyone to question, comment, or share. People thrive on sharing and relating. I am sure that I will have plenty of topics....with 3 little "angels" I am sure to never run out, but would love to have an idea or situation or place that I myself can relate to! Let this be the start of a truly beautiful, yet sometimes very candid relationship!

Mom and Expectant Mom Sample Sales

2009-03-29T22:09:00.000-04:00

Elie Tahari Spring Sample Sale 3/31 - 4/4

Elie Tahari is pleased to invite you to their spring sample and stock sale where you will find up to 85% off.

Examples of what will be available:

Handbags now $79-$249, orig. $498-$995
Shoes now $69-$79, orig. $228-$525
Women's coats now $159, orig. $698
Women's dresses now $79-$129, orig. $398-$898
Women's and men's shearling outerwear now $199-$499, orig. $1,998-$2,498

When: 3/31 - 4/4
Times: Tue-Fri 8:30am-7:30pm
Sat 10am-5pm
Where: 510 5th Ave.
(at 43rd St .)

Payment Type: Cash//MC/VISA/AMEX - No Checks

4/3 - Rosie Pope Maternity SALE Friday, 4/3

Rosie Pope is coming uptown for 1 day only

Head on over to The REGENCY
HOTEL for a private sale...Great way to stock up on all the "Must Haves" for maternity fashion.
Also, Design your own dress - for a very reasonable price!

Spend $200+ and get a FREE diaper bag

Mocktails and Hors d'oeuvres will be served

Where:Regency Hotel- 540 Park Ave
Cost: FREE

Biggest Baby Shower Ever

2009-03-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday, March 24th, Big City Moms is hosting the Biggest Baby Shower at American Girl Place in NYC. If you are pregnant or a new mom you will not want to miss this event.

There will be over 30 vendors selling and displaying products, educational seminars on everything from sleep to breastfeeding to setting up your nursery, plenty of food and drinks, baby shower games, a spa, and much more.

Some of the companies that will be at the event include Born Free, Avent Phillips, Quinny, Maxi Cosi, Safety First, Skip*Hop, CBR, Bugaboo, Giggle, Destination Maternity, Albee Baby, Planet Kids, Uppa Baby, Orbit, Bloom, Boon, Inglesina, and more

Key Speakers:

Dr. Alan Greene

Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg

Mary Ann Zoellner & Alicia Ybarbo
Today Show Producers and Authors of the upcoming book Today's Moms: essentials for surviving babies first year.

Click here for more details.

Nursery School Admissions....

2009-03-14T09:00:00.004-04:00

Do you have a child who will be entering Nursery School in September 2010? Do you want to learn the process? Confused??

Come hear leading experts discuss everything you need to know about the process. If you are planning to send your children to Nursery School in NYC you will not want to miss this incredible seminar.

THE PANEL INCLUDES:

Wendy Levey, Director, The Epiphany Community Nursery School
Stephanie Katzman, Director, The Rhinelander School
Gabriella Rowe - The Mandell School

Roxana Reid - Smart City Kids

Date: Thursday, April 23rd
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Kidville - 163 East 84th Street

Cost:$40 per person
(Door Price: $50)

REGISTER HERE

Boogie Wipes

2009-03-14T08:50:00.002-04:00

Boogie Wipes are the latest innovation in a moist wipe product for busy moms, dads & kids. With added saline, they offer quick, gentle, effective relief of stuck on Boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold & allergies.

As a mom of 3 my kids always seem to have a cold and they hate blowing their nose... Boogie Wipes makes it easier because my kids love the smell of them, especially the grape scent.

Boogie Wipes can be purchased at most Kids stores and on Amazon.com

Holiday Events

2008-12-01T19:50:00.005-05:00

There are so many fun holiday events for families this month.. A listing of several events on the Upper East Side are below:

12/4- Holiday Celebration at Brooks Brothers
5-7pm at 346 Madison Avenue
Enjoy Cocktails, Hors D'oeuvres, Holiday Photos, Shopping, and more

12/7 - Holiday Spectacular at Broadway Babies
2-4PM at 184 East 76th Street
Enjoy a holiday concert with Broadway Babies, Photos with Santa, Plenty of Food, Cookie Decorating, Raffle Prizes, and Gift Bags

12/9 and 12/10 - Holiday Lunches with Little Maestros
11:15-1:15 - Kidville East and Kidville West
Enjoy a yummy lunch while enjoying a concert with Little Maestros. Games and Gift Bags for all

12/28 - New Years Eve Celebration with The Big Apple Circus at Dylan's Candy Bar

2-4pm at 1011 Third Avenue

Tricks and Activities with the Big Apple Circus, Circus to Go! Clown, A performance by Rockin with Andy,Candy Craft Activities,Yummy food, and more..

Halloween Happenings

2008-10-23T09:34:00.006-04:00

There are so many great events next week for Halloween. Here is a list of some of the events.

Saturday, October 25th
Octoberfest at PS 158 - 1-6pm 1458 York Ave

Sunday, October 26th
Gymtime Halloween Show and Festival - 11:30 - 3pm - call 212-861-7732 for details
1520 York Ave

Big City Moms Party at Sports Club LA - 3-5pm reserve tickets here
330 East 61st Street

Tuesday, October 28th
Halloween Concert w/ Laughing Pizza at New York Kids Club - 6:15 - reserve tickets here
169 Amsterdam Ave

Wednesday, October 29th
Halloween Concert w/ Laughing Pizza at New York Kids Club - 6:15 - reserve tickets here
219 East 67th Street

Thursday, October 30th
Halloween Concert w/ Laughing Pizza at New York Kids Club - 6:15 - reserve tickets here
38 East 22nd Street

Friday, October 31st
Big City Moms Parties at Dylan's Candy Bar - 10am and 1pm - reserve tickets here
1011 Third Ave

Halloween at Kidville with Little Maestros 4:30 - 6:30 reserve tickets - 212-772-8435
163 East 84th Street

Bryant Park Halloween party 4-6pm

Roosevelt Island Kidsfest

2008-10-02T23:45:00.002-04:00

If you needed an excuse to ride the 59th Street tram (and not look like a total tourist), now you've got one: Roosevelt Island Kidsfest entertains tots each Saturday through October, where families can hang together and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather. The events feature a star-studded lineup of musicians: On the 4th your babes can rock out to the Deedle Deedle Dees; on the 11th, the Broadway Babies offer some theatrical entertainment; Uncle Rock plays on the 18th; and on the 25th AudraRox serves up some of her energized hits. After your tots are spent from dancing up a storm (not literally, we hope), they can nosh on pizza from Nonno's Foccaceria, hot dogs, pasta and other goodies for sale. Sounds like you've just booked up your October, no? All ages.

When:Sat 2pm–4pm , Oct 11 2pm–4pm , Oct 18 2pm–4pm , Oct 25 2pm–4pm .

The Happiest Baby/Toddler on The Block

2008-08-24T07:46:00.000-04:00

Do you have a baby that cries all the time or a toddler that always has a tantrum? If you have been looking for answers look no further. The answer is Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on The Block.

Over the past 20 years, he has taught thousands of parents, from working moms to superstars like Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer and Pierce Brosnan his secrets for making children happy.

Happiest Baby on the Block discusses:

The Missing "4th Trimester"
The "Calming" Reflex
The 5 "S's"
The Cuddle Cure

The Happiest Toddler on The Block discusses:

The fascinating links between modern toddlers and prehistoric man.
The language of Toddlers and how to speak to them
Tricks of successful praise, limit setting, and discipline.
Sleep issues, toilet training, separation worries and biting.

Dr. Karp will be in NYC on Thursday, September 4th for a special seminar. If you are interested in the seminar please go to www.bigcitymoms.com

Portamee????

2008-08-11T23:38:00.005-04:00

If you are looking for a great baby carrier that is perfect for newborns through the toddler stage stop looking... The best carrier is the PortaMEe™

As a co-founder of Big City Moms I meet new and expectant moms everyday - The moms are constantly telling me why they love the PortaMEe™. They tell me it is easy to use, comfortable, and unlike other carriers, they can see their babies at all times. I am personally not a "carrier" person, but I agree with the other moms - this is the best.

PortaMEe™ is the exclusive baby carrier with ergonomic lumbar support to reduce back fatigue, as well as the ability to maintain eye contact with your child. Eye contact is fundamental in bonding between a caregiver and child. The baby carrier by PortaMEe™ is hands-free, stylish and constructed with fine fabrics with pockets for your mobile phone, Blackberry, wallet, diapers and insulated bottle holder. PortaMEe™ is style meets function in baby carriers. This chic and easy to use ergonomic baby carrier is essential to active parents and busy caregivers.

Mention 10BCM for 10% off purchase of a PortaMEe™ carrier

Is KiwiFruit the next apple?

2008-07-03T12:10:00.003-04:00

Is KiwiFruit the next apple? Did you know that a two-piece serving of kiwi has:

Twice the vitamin C of an orange
As much potassium as a banana
As much fiber as many whole grain cereals (4 grams of fiber per serving for GREEN and 2 grams of fiber per serving for GOLD)
Only 100 calories

On Thursday, July 24th The folks from Zespri Kiwi will be sponsoring a party with Big City Moms at Kidville for the whole family. There will be plenty of food, gym activities, music, crafts, and more for everyone. There will also be plenty of KIWIS.

See you there!!!

Mother's Day with Jo Frost

2008-05-15T00:50:00.005-04:00

Last week I had the opportunity to celebrate Mothers Day with 200 NYC Moms, Grandmas, and Babies at the Big City Moms Mothers Day event at Tavern on the Green. There were a variety of vendors at the luncheon including Parents Magazine, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt, Zespri Kiw i, Skip Hop, Quinny, Bloom Baby, and Baby Safe.
The highlight of the event was the keynote speaker - Jo Frost, otherwise known as The Supernanny. Jo Frost came to the lunch straight from The View to talk about her latest book Confident Baby Care. The advice that she gave to the moms was priceless.

For more information on Jo Frost's book you may click here.

Mother Nurture

2008-04-28T11:16:00.003-04:00

As a working mom of 3 kids I rarely have an opportunity to read any books, however I was lucky enough to find time to read Mother Nurture. Stephanie Hirsch, the author interviewed 52 moms of successful people to find out how they raised their kids. She interviewed everyone from Beyonce's mom to Matt Lauer's mom to Justin Timberlake's mom and more. This book makes a great gift for Mother's Day!

When Stephanie Hirsch gave birth to her son, she began to think about the kind of person she'd like him to be: generous, family oriented, loving, courageous, and professionally accomplished—maybe he'd turn out like Steven Spielberg! But what, she wondered, had Spielberg's mother done so well?

What started out as one conversation with Steven Spielberg's mom became a quest to interview the mothers of some of the most talented artists, brilliant journalists, and dedicated athletes of our time.

Mother Nurture is an inspiring collection of fifty-two stories filled with commonsense advice and memorable personal tales from caring mothers whose children have reached the apex of their fields, from sports, politics, and music to literature, entertainment, and business.

If you're expecting, or a parent, or you just want to thank the woman who raised you, Mother Nurture is both the perfect antidote to piles of contradictory parenting advice and a celebration of the gift of motherhood.

Summer Planning Expo for New Moms

2008-02-28T23:20:00.004-05:00

Next Wednesday, March 5th, Big City Moms is teaming up with Executive Moms for a special summer planning luncheon at the Harmonie Club.

It’s the perfect event for Moms of Tots, to Moms of Tweens

Whether you have this summer all worked out or are just getting resources, come to enjoy a buffet luncheon, mix with other moms, hear from nationally-known experts and explore our specially chosen companies for all you need this coming summer and summers to come: childcare services, kids activities, camps, medspa services, vacation and travel, real estate, babyproofers, great gear, and more.

With major prizes and giftbags ever capping the experience, every guest will come away feeling both rewarded and accomplished.

The Busy Mom’s One-Stop Summer Planning Luncheon and Expo
Wednesday, March 5th 2008
The Harmonie Club
4 East 60th Street
12:00 to 2:00

Hannah Montana

2008-02-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday my daughter had a playdate with 2 of her friends, however this playdate was not the typical playdate. This playdate was planned 3 weeks in advance in order to get tickets to the Hannah Montana 3D movie. Since the movie was supposed to be a "limited showing"and was sold out (We went to the 10:30am movie) we had to be organized and get there early.

By 9:30 the line was already starting to wrap around the theatre, luckily we were in the front and managed to get great seats and boosters for the kids. Half the fun was the anticipation for the movie to start. My daughters friend came prepared with her Hannah Montana dolls and her Miley dolls. Others showed up in wigs, costumes, etc.

I hate to admit it - the movie was quite good and the kids were very entertained. They sat in their seats or danced the entire time (Well, sometimes they sat on our laps). The 3D effects were pretty cool as well.

Now that a few days have passed I still find myself singing these Hannah Montana songs and my daughter is asking me when we will see it again. I guess my husband will have to take her the next time. Now that the movie is no longer a "limited release" we can go again and again and again..

Booster Seat?

2008-01-11T22:49:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for a seat for your toddler that will keep them happy while sitting at the table look no further. The answer is Kaboost.

Instead of a standard booster seat, Kaboost is a chair booster that actually raises the height of the chair. It also makes the chair more sturdy.

The best part of the Kaboost is it is light and easy to install.

Great Baby Stores

2007-12-11T23:20:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for the perfect gift for a baby check out Threads located on 1451 Second Avenue (76-77). You can find everything from onesies to shoes to coats, to sweaters, etc. The best part is everything can be monogrammed. They even have a special section of the store just for organic clothing.

Threads is also located 7 blocks away from Pottery Barn Kids

Another great store is Giggle located on 120 Wooster Street and 1033 Lexington Avenue (at 74th Street). They have a variety of toys, accesories, nursery items, clothing, and more. They also carry the best products by companies like Stokke, Bugaboo, Skip*Hop, Mustela, and more.

As an added bonus the downtown store also offers classes and parenting seminars.

I like both stores because they are clean and have great customer service

Holiday Photos

2007-11-12T20:24:00.000-05:00

It is that time of the year when you start thinking about your holiday cards and which photograph you will use of your family. I spend way too much time debating over which photo to use - I always have too many to choose from.

There are many wonderful photographers in NYC that specialize in children and holiday photos - Here are some of our favorites:

Jennifer Lee Photography - Jordan Elyse Photography -
Julie Brimberg - Heidi Green -Paloma Sendrey -Timothi Jane Graham Photography -Mary Jane Photography -Michael Jurick - Nicole Braun - Bentley Waters

Some of my favorite site for creating cards are Shutterfly, Snapfish, and Kodak.

Have fun making your holiday cards!!

Halloween

2007-10-31T08:14:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for a fun activity to do on Halloween with your little ones? My old favorite pastime is still a good one. Trick or Treating in your neighborhood after school to see how much candy you can get. In the city you can go trick or treating up and down the city streets as many stores participate in the fun. You can also head into a big residential apartment building and go from apartment to apartment. My plan is to stay within my building and go to some parties with my kids.

There are also several parties around town including parties at Kidville, AHA, and Session 73 for the Big City Moms bash. The Big City Moms party has concerts by Rockin with Andy and Little Maestros.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Big Apple Circus

2007-10-21T22:38:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for a fun activity to do with your kids check out the Big Apple Circus. The show runs through mid January and is located in Lincoln Center. I was lucky enough to get tickets to attend the show today with my family and we had a really good time. My daughter loved all the acts and Grandma the clown.

We had great seats - but then again every seat is a great seat. The theater is small enough that everyone can see everything, especially the little kids.

Check it out at bigapplecircus.org

Birthday Parties

2007-10-08T00:47:00.000-04:00

Now that The summer is over Birthday Party season has begun, or at least it has in my household. Our weekend plans revolve around birthday parties. This weekend we went to 2 great parties on the Upper East Side.

On Saturday we had a 1 yr old party at The Havana Room with Rockin with Andy. The Havana Room is a great venue and they had really good food for the kids and the adults. The kids and the adults sang along with Andy.

Today we had a 4 yr old party at GymTime . I love GymTime because it is very convenient to my apartment and my daughter Hallie loves the Gym. She can hang on the bars and jump on the trampoline all day long. The staff at GymTime really knows how to keep the kids busy and happy.

Over the next few weeks we have parties at Kidville, Moonsoup, Broadway Babies, Kids in Sports, and more. More updates will be posted next week...

High School Musical

2007-10-02T08:55:00.000-04:00

Sunday night I took my daughter to see High School Musical on Ice - Yes - my daughter is almost 4 yrs old and she was the youngest little girl there, but she LOVED it. It was an amazing experience to watch her watch the show. She had popcorn from a box that was almost bigger than her and sang through a HSM microphone. She was on her seat dancing and singing the whole time.

Aside from Hallie - The show was really wonderful. It was a combination of both High School Musical 1 and High School Musical 2 on Ice. The singing, skating, dancing, etc were all great.

High School Musical 3 here we come...

Elephant Playground Fall Fair

2007-09-23T20:03:00.000-04:00

Today my daughter and I spent the afternoon at The Elephant Playground Fair on the UWS. The weather was perfect, there were plenty of fun activities for the little ones and a very entertaining concert from Little Maestros.

The Elephant Playground Renovation Project in conjunction with NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and Riverside Park Fund will be hosting its first annual Fall Fair, a kid friendly fundraiser to help create awareness and raise money to help renovate the Elephant Playground (76th and Riverside Drive). Activities for children will include a concert by Little Maestros, arts & crafts by Kidville, jumping castles and moonbounces, face painting, an actual police car and fire truck for kids to explore, clowns, rides, games, great food and much more!

Fast, Easy, Grocery Delivery

2007-09-18T22:56:00.000-04:00

There is a new grocery delivery service in town that is worth checking out - Bread-n-Brie
Bread-n-Brie wants to change the way you shop for food. Bread-n-Brie offers thousands of items, ranging from basic staples and household products to gourmet and exotic, hard to find
foods. New customers even benefit from a 20% discount on their first order.

If you are looking for something new for fast, easy grocery delivery check out Bread-n-Brie

Tripp Trapp

2007-08-28T01:19:00.000-04:00

When it comes to high chairs you have plenty of options these days. You can get a standard high chair with a tray or you can get a high chair that slides right next to the dining room table.

This time around I opted for the Tripp Trapp by Stokke. I like this chair for many reasons - First of all it looks nice, they come in a variety of colors and they look like a chair that you may buy for yourself. The chair also adjusts so as the child grows you can adjust the chair to fit him/her. You can also slide the chair up to the table. Lastly - It does not look like another baby accessory.
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Tripp Trapp^® - The Chair that grows with the child™

Tripp Trapp^® is a sturdy children’s chair that grows with your child. It lifts them up so they can be included in activities around the table.

Children love interacting with the family. In today’s hectic lifestyle, it is more important than ever to encourage these special moments of togetherness. The dining table is more than a place for mealtimes. It’s for playing, homework or simply just talking, enjoying quality time together. A child sitting at the same height as an adult at a table stimulates the development of confidence. We believe that life around the table is incredibly important.

As an adult, we have the luxury of being able to rest our feet on the floor, allowing us to move freely to get comfortable. For your child, there is no such luxury. Tripp Trapp^® therefore features a unique, adjustable footrest that brings the floor up to your child. This creates better balance and comfort, as your child can easily shift their weight.

By sitting with the feet supported and elbows at table height, your child can move easier and naturally, and use their body without strain.

It’s all about support, balance and movement.

Birth a Bag

2007-08-15T21:19:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered a great new product for moms to be - Birth'a Bag.

I wish I had this bag when I went to the hospital to deliver my children.  Now
this is my go-to gift for baby showers or any of my friends who are about
to give birth.

Birth'a Bag is an Already-Packed Maternity Bag filled with wonderful
natural and organic products, for the greatest of all moments, the
birth of your baby.  There are many items an expectant mother should
bring to the hospital or birthing center.  Stay calm, focused, don't
forget to breathe and leave the packing to Birth'a Bag!  Birth'a Bag
will help ensure that you have everything at your side to get you
through the journey of labor.  Birth'a Bag conveniently doubles as a Diaper Bag.

Diapers.com

2007-08-04T06:41:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a one stop shop for everything baby? Look no further - One of the greatest baby shopping sites is Diapers.com and they sell more than just diapers.

Diapers.com carries diapers, formula, bottles, soap, lotions, wipes, detergent, feeding accessories, medicine, and more. They also carry all the major brands from Pampers to Avent to Enfamil to Mustela.

The best part about Diapers.com is the delivery. Every order I have placed with Diapers.com has come in 2 days. They also have free delivery on any order $50 or more.

I have had mostly positive experiences with Diapers.com , however I have had issues with the way they pack the boxes. On more than one occasion the shampoo leaked or the formula opened up.

Regardless - You can't beat the convenience of this great service!

Now, when are they going to start selling baby food?

Mention discount code BIGCITYMOM for $5 off your first order

The Greatest Playmat

2007-07-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Once your baby starts to move around it seems like every Manhattan mom goes out an buys the "letter mat" so the baby has a soft cushiony place to play. It is a great mat, however it does not always look so attractive in your house. I am actually quite surprised it has taken this long for a company to develop a more attractive version of the "letter mat."

Well the time has come and Skip*Hop - best known for the diaper bags and modern baby accessories has finally developed a new, cool, attractive playmat that will look good in any room of your home - PLAYSPOT

PLAYSPOT is a beautiful and innovative soft floor surface that keeps your child comfortable and happy, while complementing your home’s decor. With its variety of neutral and designer tile colors, it’s the perfect addition to the contemporary home or nursery. Large in size and large in style, it makes a great cushiony area for playing. Unlike other foam tiles that are only safety-rated for children 3 and up, Skip Hop’s Playspot is designed, tested and manufactured for children of all ages. It’s easy to put together with our unique connector system, and you can configure it in endless ways to fit your style.

You can purchase the PLAYSPOT at Kidville, NY

Digital Camera meets Baby Book

2007-07-18T09:12:00.000-04:00

As an avid photographer and scrapbooker I was happy to see the launch of a new website How Fast They Grow™. This makes it easy to put your baby books together and it looks good too. You do not need to be a professional to do this. In addition to the typical baby templates they have hundreds of other templates with a variety of themes. This makes a great gift too!! Use the following coupon code to get 20% off - chartermom

How Fast They Grow™, a new company founded by a mother of two young children, announces the launch of its all-digital baby book website, www.howfasttheygrow.com. Aimed at parents who now exclusively use digital cameras, the website allows quick creation of 12 by 12 inch pages which can be inserted in to standard scrapbooks. Unlike commercial photo websites, the pages are ordered individually, not as bound books. To display and protect customers' printed cardstock pages, the website offers post-bound scrapbook-style albums by high-end photo book designer, Celine Countryman, of St. Paul, MN, with standard custom embossing.

How It Works: Patent-pending Digi-scrapbook™ Tool
How Fast They Grow’s™ unique rich-internet application, "digi-scrapbook™," was developed with Ecom Enterprises of Sunnyvale, CA. A patent-pending web tool, digi-scrapbook™ allows for real-time editing of unique pages, photos and text. Other features include:

No software to download or purchase
109 page designs
Titles, fonts, quotes and journaling customized by the user
Photo editing tools
Online sharing system
"Full-bleed" blank templates for users with their own digital designs

Mothers and Menus

2007-07-06T21:19:00.000-04:00

I have known Karen Gurwitz, the founder of Mothers and Menus for over 2 years. During that time I have learned a lot about nutrition and what new moms should eat and shouldn't eat. I know several people that had food delivered from Mothers and Menus and they were extremely happy with the food. After my twin boys were born I decided to try it out for myself.

After the boys were born I had very little time to eat or to think about what I wanted to eat. Mothers and Menus was really easy. The food was delivered to my door every day and the food was really good - so good that I could not believe that it was healthy too. Mothers and Menus is a great alternative to some of the other food delivery services and they know about moms too.

Mothers and Menus Inc. was created to support new mothers and their families during the exhilarating but hectic few weeks after the birth of their child by providing them with the foods they need and want. Founded by a mother, our company is committed to providing you with the special care you require during this incredible period of your life, with a unique insight and understanding.

Great Kids Performers

2007-06-22T09:48:00.000-04:00

As a mom of a 3 1/2 year old daughter and 6 month twin boys I have seen plenty of kid performers. One of the greatest benefits of living in NYC is that you get to be exposed to many great talents. Some of our favorites are Rockin with Andy, Little Maestros, Broadway Babies, Audrarox, and Moey's Music Party.

Over the summer several of these groups are putting on concerts and special events. I highly recommend checking some of them out of you can.

Rockin with Andy - Every Friday at 11:15 at KidFresh on the UES
Little Maestros - Special Concert at Sesame Place - Sept 1 and 2
Broadway Babies - Special Concert with Big City Moms in late July
Moey's Music Party - Contact Gymtime for details
Audrarox - July 17th - Union Square Park

There are also some great free concerts in Central Park and Madison Square Park

Baby Food

2007-06-12T22:21:00.000-04:00

Who knew there were so many different options for baby food.. Now that my boys are 6 months old they are eating baby food and they are enjoying it!! When my daughter was a baby (just 3 years ago) there were not as many options as there are today. It seems like the only options were Home made baby food, Gerber, Beech Nut, and Earth's Best.

I went to the grocery store on Sunday and not only was I amazed at the different companies that make baby food, but I was also pleasantly surprised to see all the organic baby food, and the variety of food combinations. Even Gerber has an organic baby food line now along with Purées with DHA.. Other new companies are Happy Baby, Homemade Baby, Plum Organics, Bohemian Baby, and more..

The baby/kid food industry has become so popular that even a store opened up in NYC that is solely devoted to kids food and baby foods. Kidfresh opened in late 2006 and has a variety of fun foods for kids of all ages.

Now that we have all these options what will I make the boys for dinner tomorrow night???

Dressy Dribbles

2007-05-29T22:51:00.000-04:00

My new favorite find which is flying out of my stores is from Dressy Dribbles.

Dressy Dribbles makes car seat covers with matching blankets and are very affordable! My customers are always wanting to be different – they like to have items for themselves and for their children that you don’t see everywhere – obviously – otherwise they would shop at the GAP instead of Kidville (I love the gap too – so don’t take that the wrong way!)

So – here is the deal with Dressy Dribbles:

You know how annoying it is when your child has an “accident” in their car seat and you have to disassemble the cloth from the base? Now you wont have to – Dressy Dribbles car seat covers snap on right over the original fabric – easy on – easy off..AND they are reversible as well as fashionable! If the cover gets dirty – snap it off and stick it in the wash – they are machine washable.

Oh – and they make perfect gifts as they come in infant and toddler sizes and all have matching yummy blankets.

Dressy Dribbles can be purchased online at www.dressydribbles.com and at all Kidville locations.

Product Reviews - Kipiis

2007-05-20T23:31:00.000-04:00

As a Director of Retail at a local children’s store – I come across some great products that I feel every parent should know. Every week I will be sharing some of these products with you. I will try my best to give a link to an online store or an address to a local upper eastside store where you can purchase these items.

My first favorite find is called Kipiis

Kipiis (“Kip-eez”) Bib Clips let you make anything a bib— napkin, cloth diaper, kitchen towel. Just clip the two rounded fasteners onto whatever’s handy, adjust the back—and voilà! Your child is covered.
Our Bib Clips are designed with your flexible lifestyle in mind. They make a smart addition to your diaper bag, glove box, kitchen drawer, or pocket.

Kipiis come in a variety of fun bright colors – so pick a color that matches your child's mood.

Kipiis are available at all Kidville locations and can be purchased online at www.babystyle.com

Identical Twins

2007-05-16T10:28:00.000-04:00

My whole life I always wanted 2 kids. I really did not care what the sex of the babies would be as long as they were happy and healthy. I also thought it would be cool to have twins the first time so I would not have to be pregnant twice. Since the odds of having twins is so low and we do not have any twins in our family I never imagined that I would have them.

3 years ago my daughter Hallie was born and when I found out I was pregnant with twins last May I was in complete shock. I could not believe it... I never imagined I would be a mom of 3. It became reality in December 2006 when my boys were born - Cooper and Harrison. Now we have 3 kids and I could not be any happier. I am extremely lucky to have 3 happy, healthy kids.

I had no idea how much attention they would get and how many questions people would ask me. The #1 question people ask is "Are they identical or fraternal?" Since the boys were in 2 separate sacs and did not share a placenta the doctors could not answer that question for us. Surprisingly there aren't any real medical tests that can answer that question. After doing some research I discovered a DNA company that specializes in twin testing - Proactive Genetics. The test is a simple swab of the cheek with a q-tip and the results com back within 10 days.

The results came back and the boys are identical. Again - what are the odds??? I do think it is cool that they are identical, however they have unique personalities. They are both lucky because they have a very special bond and they have an instant best friend in each other.

I will still get the stares on the street and people will continue to ask a million questions, but I guess that is what makes twins so special.

Nice Weather and Parks

2007-04-24T07:46:00.000-04:00

Now that spring has sprung there are so many fun things to do with your kids outside in NYC. Some of my favorite activities with my kids are going to the local playgrounds and parks. My all time favorite is Central Park. On any given day there are craft fairs, exhibitions, concerts, and plenty of other activities for kids. This past Sunday there was even a free Lauri Berkner concert - there were thousands of families in attendance. My daughter is a big fan of the playground at the 72nd and 5th ave. She loves to climb, swing, run, etc. She could spend the whole day there.

Another park that we love is John Jay park on 77th street. There are separate playgrounds for infants/toddlers and older kids. They also have a pool. The only downside to this park is there are not many infant swings to go around so most people have to wait a few minutes for a turn.

Carl Shurz park is also great because they have plenty of fun activities for the children in addition to the playground. They have a concert series for kids and much more. The summer kick off party takes place at the end of June.

I am looking forward to spending plenty of time outside with my kids this summer!!

Secrets of Succesful Stay at Work Moms

2007-04-16T01:05:00.000-04:00

Many working moms always wonder "How can I do everything?" How can I be a successful wife, mother, and work at the same time. Well Wendy Sachs may not have the answer, however she wrote an incredible book that has some ideas and suggestions.

Her book titled - How She Really Does It: Secrets of Successful Stay-At-Work Moms shares her favorite working mom secrets and ideas about work-life balance. She has interviewed celebrity moms like Bobbi Brown, Vera Wang, Soledad O'Brien, Ann Curry, Liz Lange and more. All the moms have a unique way of finding the right balance for them.

If you would like to meet Wendy she will be at a working moms dinner on Tuesday, April 17th at Kidville, NY. The details are here.

About The Book

The kids are sick but the boss needs the presentation on her desk by ten. The parent-child kindergarten brunch can’t be missed, yet the business meeting beckons. When the only thing she knows for sure is that her day will bring a new set of challenges and priorities to be juggled, how does a stay-at-work mom do it all? Wendy Sachs, stay-at-work mother of two, has interviewed women from every walk of life— from celebrities like makeup maven Bobbi Brown, designer Vera Wang, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, the Today Show’s Ann Curry to everyday moms from all over the country—and has uncovered some inspiring answers. For starters, some stay-at-work moms have given up striving for balance; for true happiness and sanity, integration is the real key. Others have discovered that compartmentalization—wearing different hats at different times of day—is the only way to thrive. For all, the psychological, emotional, and financial payback of work is what keeps them feeling alive; even if they could afford not to work (and many can afford the choice), they wouldn’t have it any other way. Demonstrating that a byproduct of having career ambition is a happier marriage and family, How She Really Does It will validate the millions of women now attempting to “have it all,” or at least some of it all the time. Revealing the keys to staying-at-work, staying sane, staying satisfied, and staying at the heart of her family as well, How She Really Does It is a modern working woman’s handbook.

Photo Sharing

2007-04-15T10:09:00.000-04:00

For those of you who take lots of pictures and are sending out albums weekly through sites such as Shutterfly and Snapfish I have a better solution for you.

Check out Phanfare

This tool allows you to back up all of your original pictures, form your own website, keep your photos organized and your friends and family can use any service they want to buy the pictures. It supports video too!

You can see a sample album here

If you are interested you can subscribe for $6.95/month or $54.95/year

The Experts Guide to the Baby Years

2007-04-05T08:25:00.000-04:00

If you have not found the best baby book - look no further. The best book around is The Experts Guide to the Baby Years by Samantha Ettus. If you would like to meet her she will be at the next Big City Moms expectant moms dinner on April 10th.

Oh baby! In one book, 100 leading parenting experts author their own chapters filled with must-have advice for expecting and new parents. The Experts Guide to the Baby Years is the all in one companion to raising your baby with confidence, knowledge, and style, while maintaining your own sanity. As a brand new parent, Samantha Ettus, creator of The Experts' Guide series of books, went on a search to collect sound advice, invaluable insights, and practical know-how from the world's best. The result is this wonderfully informative and entertaining guide to preparing for, welcoming, and caring for your new baby like an expert.

From choosing a name and preparing for your baby's arrival home to making the transition back to work, The Experts Guide to the Baby Years brings an unparalleled breadth of practical and authoritative information to the alternately joyous and exhausting journey through the baby years. In this Cliffs Notes format you'll find advice on the top 100 parental concerns, from budgeting for the baby to bathing, breastfeeding, and beyond. And it doesn't stop at Baby. The Experts' Guide includes plenty of chapters devoted to you, too - getting in shape after childbirth, maintaining a happy marriage, setting up a play date - there is an expert on hand to suit your every need. Bestselling author and pediatrician Harvey Karp offers secrets to calming a crying baby; Travel guru Pauline Frommer reveals her best tips on planning a vacation with your baby; and Iron Chef Cat Cora offers her techniques to making baby food. Each of the contributors brings a matchless blend of knowledge, passion, and experience to ensure that you make the most of your child's first years.

The Experts Guide to the Baby Years gathers 100 of the world's most trusted parenting experts to provide practical advice on every aspect of the baby years, including:

Dr. Bill Sears on Managing Teething

Wendy Bellissimo on Designing a Nursery

Dr. Howard Murad on Reducing and Eliminating Stretch Marks

Kate Spade on Packing a Diaper Bag

Dr. Harvey Karp on calming a crying baby

Liz Lange on Being a Stylish New Mom

Dr. Marc Weissbluth on Helping Your Baby Sleep through the Night

And 93 more…

Double Strollers

2007-03-28T18:03:00.000-04:00

Now that I have twins I have spent a significant amount of time doing research on double strollers. There are so many great strollers out there, but it was tough to pick the ideal one. Fortunately, I think I got lucky. I chose the Baby Jogger. The Baby Jogger comes in a variety of colors, it reclines back for infants, the wheels swivel, and it is very easy to push around. There are also individual canopies for both boys. Surprisingly, it was also less expensive than some of the others. The only downside to the stroller is there are not a lot of accessories available including bassinets and car seat attachments.

Some of the other great double strollers are Mountain Buggy, Phil and Teds, Valco, Maclaren, Jane, and others.

Baby Gifts - Trumpette Socks

2007-03-20T23:09:00.000-04:00

Since my boys have been born the most popular gift that I have received is Trumpette socks. I have received 8 boxes so far. They are a great gift and the socks look very cute on my boys, but I do not need 8 boxes of them.

The reason why they are the perfect gift is each box comes with 6 pairs of socks in a variety of colors. There are also a variety of styles and patterns. My favorite is the sneaker pattern with laces. You can buy them here

Protect-a-Bub

2007-03-13T08:45:00.001-04:00

When Rachel Blakeman's older daughter Sydney was 3-months old, she spent hours searching for adequate sun protection products to bring with her on a Florida vacation. Unable to locate anything more than sunscreen in the United States, Rachel searched overseas and discovered the Protect-a-Bub Sunshade. As a result of Rachel’s dependence on the sunshade and desire to protect other children, Rachel joined forces with Australian founder Karen Clark-Dickson to make the shades available worldwide.

Protect-a-Bub expanded along with Rachel's family. Rachel, like many of us, imagines solutions to make the life of a working New York City mom just a little easier. However, she takes those ideas and turns them into products to help other moms. The newest product addition, "The Sweet Adeline" was named after her now 17 month old daughter. It is a carrier cover that not only keeps the baby warm, but attaches with one velcro tab and often eliminates the need to struggle with putting on a jacket. Many of Protect-a-Bub's products developed in a similar way. From a sunshade company, Protect-a-Bub has expanded its line to include rain covers, lambswool buntings, UPF 50+ hats, capes and swimsuits, paint your own hat kits and many more useful products to make parents' lives just a little easier.

Rachel’s desire to help people drives her personal and professional pursuits. In addition to her roles as mother and President/CEO of Protect-a-Bub USA, she is also a psychotherapist with a private practice in New York City and a fourth year candidate in psychoanalytic training. Prior to becoming a mother, Rachel taught continuing legal education courses to attorneys. As a former corporate attorney at a large New York City law firm, Rachel knew the challenges facing attorneys and designed courses to improve attorney quality of life.

Protect-a-Bub provides Rachel with the opportunity to address another extremely important issue – sun safety. Rachel educates parents about the hazards of sun exposure so they too can protect their children, ensuring future generations of healthy bubs!

Bumbo Seats

2007-03-13T06:02:00.000-04:00

One New product that I use with the boys are bumbo seats. Babies can sit upright in a Bumbo Seat as soon as they have head control. More importantly, it helps them develop the trunk control they need to sit up on their own.

The chair is so simple and it works so well. My boys love them.

Disney World

2007-03-12T04:57:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we took our 3 year old daughter to Disney World for the first time. Times have changed since I went as a child over 20 years ago. Here are some of the highlights:

- Seeing Disney World through my daughter's eyes.
My daughter loved meeting the princesses and the characters. She looked forward to the character breakfasts and lunches each day. She also loved coming back to the pool at the hotel at the end of each day - that was a highlight for her...

- Waiting in Lines
I remember spending the whole day waiting in line for a 2 minute ride or attraction. Now they have something called fast pass for all of the popular rides and attractions. Fast pass allows you to get a ticket for a ride and come back an hour later without waiting.

- Service
Disney prides themselves on being extremely customer friendly and it showed. The Disney employees took care of everything to make our trip extremely enjoyable.

-Planning
Since there is so much to see in all of the parks you really need to plan your day to make sure you see all the attractions.

-Vacation
This was definitely not a relaxing vacation. We spent 5 days walking around the parks... We need another vacation from the Disney vacation

Valentine's Day Celebrations

2007-02-12T23:36:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to celebrate Valentine's Day with 100 families at a Big City Moms party at Session 73. The kids danced and sang with Rockin with Andy and Moey's Music Party while munching on pizza, bagels, and candy. There was also a raffle with all of the proceeds going to Children of Bellevue. Big City Moms raised close to $1000 that will help underprivileged children. A fun time was had by all.

Breastfeeding 101

2007-02-08T22:21:00.000-05:00

Last night we hosted an expectant moms dinner with Heather Kelly, a leading lactation consultant in Manhattan. It was a sold out event as so many "moms to be" want to know the ins and outs on breastfeeding. Heather spent an hour sharing stories on everything from the myths on breastfeeding to the benefits to "how to actually do it."

The best time to learn the basics of breastfeeding is while you are pregnant and have the time to do some research. Unfortunately many new moms do not learn anything about breastfeeding until after the baby is born and have a difficult time establishing the proper milk supply. New mothers expect the nurses in the hospital to teach them how to do it and that does not happen all the time.

If you are planning to breastfeed, I highly recommend meeting with a lactation consultant before the baby arrives or immediately after.

For more information on Heather Kelly go to The Manhattan Lactation Group

Great New Gift for toddlers

2007-01-29T23:38:00.000-05:00

My new favorite birthday gift is a personalized Sesame Street Book from Shutterfly. You simply provide Shutterfly with a picture of the child along with the name, bday, and city and they create the book for you. The story is about the child's adventure to Seame Street and the child's picture is on every page. Not only is it cool to see the picture on every page, but it is entertaining and educational as well.

Your child will love reading a book where he or she stars alongside Sesame Street characters. A great gift for children, especially ages 1 through 6. The cost for this product is $39.99.

Babyproofing Your Marriage

2007-01-29T00:31:00.000-05:00

Last Tuesday we hosted a book party for over 250 NYC moms for the new book - Babyproofing Your Marriage. All the moms were anxious to hear about how they can "babyproof their marriage."

3 Friends - Stacue Cockrell, Cathy O'neil, and Julia Stone wrote the book based on issues that all couples face after having children. Surprisingly enough , no one ever wrote this book before. This is a must read for any new parent.

Here is a synopsis of the book:

From ongoing arguments over the division of labor (scorekeeping), to managing the demands of extended family, to making the transition from one kid to two (or three), to the oxymoron of the family vacation, to perhaps that most combustible of all post-baby squabbles – the dwindling sex life (otherwise known as the Hound Dog/Ice Queen Vortex), BABYPROOFING YOUR MARRIAGE tackles these contentious issues head-on. It gets to the heart of why men and women see things so differently (He thinks, “Hey, look at me -- I’m doing a great job, taking care of the baby on a Sunday morning and letting my wife sleep in!” She thinks, “God, he does such a half-ass job – sipping his coffee and reading the paper while our son is sitting in a water-balloon diaper watching Baby Einstein on repeat play!” ) -- all in the name of building mutual understanding and finding that elusive path to compromise (and trying to maintain a sense of humor on four hours sleep a night).

BABYPROOFING YOUR MARRIAGE is for every father who has wondered whether his sex life is officially over, and for every mother who has secretly wished it was. It’s for every man who has wanted to shout from the rooftops, “I’m working so hard, but no matter what I do, it is never enough for my wife!” It’s for every working mother who has ever said to herself, “I expected to have it all, but I damn sure didn’t expect to be doing it all,” and for every stay-at-home mother who now feels like the lesser partner in a former marriage of equals. It’s for anyone who has thought, “If I have to spend one more weekend with my in-laws, I’m seriously going to hurt somebody,” because their spouse doesn’t know how (or doesn’t want) to set appropriate boundaries with a grandparent who has stepped too far over the line.
Most importantly, Cockrell, O’Neill, and Stone offer hundreds of specific – and personally tested – methods couples can use to reignite a marriage on post-baby Auto-Pilot. From a Training Weekend for the husband who “just doesn’t get it” or views doing his fair share of the work as a favor to his wife; to a Five Minute Fix that quickly recalibrates any sexual disequilibrium; to using Get out of Jail Free Cards to allow each other some essential off-leash time (because, really, you both don’t need to share in the joys of cooking chicken nuggets every night), BABYPROOFING YOUR MARRIAGE is brimming with common sense and easy-to-implement advice that the authors (and their husbands) learned the hard way.

Potty Training

2007-01-04T07:29:00.000-05:00

Ok so potty training is really tough. My 2 year old wants to hang out on the toilet, but how do I get her to pee. We bought a doll that drinks water and then she pee pees on the potty. We let her play with my make-up on the potty, which is her favorite thing to do. Mind you when she comes off the potty she looks like Jo Jo the clown. She is also showing all of the signs of being potty trained. So if you have any ideas of what else I can do and also how long this is supposed to take please let me know. :)