The New York Baby Show

When I found out that the New York Baby Show was going to take place on the weekend of my birthday, I decided that buying a ticket to go would be my gift to myself. I let all my friends know that they could join me at the baby show, or at brunch afterwards. Now that I've gone once, I will go every year; I had so much fun.

When going to an event like this you need a plan of attack. First you need people to go with you so you can get the most samples possible. Second it's best if those friends have no interest or need for those products. I took my mom, aunt, and 2 close friends; I was the only one with babies...ha ha ha I kept everything... Third you need to have a lot of enthusiasm. Vendors love it when your excited about their product, and most of the time they will give you more stuff if you show how excited you are. My friend Annette always seems to charm vendors, and while people walk away with one sample I've seen her get boxes of samples; she is a genius..  Finally, you need a car.  I live in NYC so I took the train, thank goodness my father came and picked up the baby with the car. Going to brunch with 10 bags would not have been fun.

Sofia testing the merchandise

In addition to samples, I got a whole bunch of coupons. I went to the store and saved $7 with every container of formula I bought. When formula is $30 a pop I'll gladly take $7; it's a small amount but in the long run it makes a difference. That is just one example of savings, I got coupons for food, toys, diapers, wipes, and so many other great products. The next time you here about a Baby Show or any product show in your city I suggest you go.

An inventory of everything I got...
14 baby mum-mums
2 Ella's kitchen food packets
4 gerber graduate food packets
5 beech nut food packets
4 packets of happy tot food packets
3 jars of beech nut peaches and pineapple baby food
8 bottles of ready to use Enfamil formula
8 enfagrow milk drinks
3 babyganics mini laundry detergent.
3 ology babyb shampoo and body wash
3 avent bottles
2 toddler t-shirts from PCVSTliving.com
2 Goya onesies
4 beech nut baby spoons
1 syringe spoon, 1 honey Chapstick & 1 cooking spatula from Honey.com

 Would you take your kid hiking with this??

3 Northeast doulas lavender pouches
2 pencils from bity bean
1 pen from ergo baby
10 reusable shopping bags
Enough coupons to save hundreds of dollars.

Its a good thing they gave us bags, I needed a shopping cart.

Crocheting a Simple Baby Hat

Ever since I had my daughter I haven't had a chance to crochet.  Last night my son went to bed unusually early and Sofia happen to be sleeping too.  I took this opportunity to make a hat that would match the outfit Sofia was going to wear the next day. 

When making a simple hat I usually don't follow a pattern. I figured out the size by comparing it to a baby hat that already fit her. She is currently 2 months, so I would say this hat would fit a baby 0-3 months. While this is a simple pattern, I have never written a patten before so I think you might need to have some basic knowledge of crocheting to follow it.

Yarn used: Lion Brand Microfiber
Weight Category: 3 - DK Weight: Light Worsted Yarn
2.50 oz./70 g (168 yd/154 m)
100% Micro-Fiber Acrylic
Hook size 5mm

A Simple Baby Hat Pattern
1st Row: Chain 4, double crochet in first chain 11 times (the 3 chains count at a double crochet through out). Connect with slip stitch.

2nd Row: chain 3, double crochet in same space as chain 3. Double crochet twice in each stitch until you get to the end and connect with slip stitch.

3rd Row: chain 3, double crochet in same space as chain 3, double crochet in the next stitch. *2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 double crochet in the next stitch. Repeat until you get to the end from *. Connect with slip stitch.

4th Row: chain 3, double crochet in same space as chain 3, 1 double crochet in the next 2 stitches. *2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 double crochet in the next 2 stitches. Repeat until you get to the end from *. Connect with slip stitch

5th Row: chain 3, double crochet in same space as chain 3, 1 double crochet in the next 5 stitches. *2 double crochet in the next stitch, 1 double crochet in the next 5 stitches. Repeat until you get to the end from *. Connect with slip stitch

Rows 6-14: chain 3, double crochet in each stitch until you reach the end. Connect with slip stitch.

OPTIONS:
-You can create a ribbed edge by alternating front and back post stitches in rows 11-14.
-You can make the edge fancy by adding a shell stitch pattern on the 14th row.
-You can make the hat a couple of rows longer and create a slouchy look or you can fold it up. 
-Add a flower.  You can use the pattern given below.


Flower Pattern

Damn It! I Have to Buy a Double Stroller...

20 months ago I had my first baby, and it was so exciting.  I did endless amounts of research on high chairs, reusable diapers, development, and of course strollers.  After living on the Upper West Side for 2 years I had seen some really nice strollers.  The Stokke, Bugaboo, Uppababy, iCandy, Snap and Go, City Mini..etc...  After much consideration I really wanted the Bugaboo. You could attach a car seat, it had a bassinet and a toddler seat that went up to 3 year.  You could face the baby towards you or outward.  The most impressive part were all the wheel settings, it had a city setting, off road setting and beach setting (I got to use the beach setting twice).  For all these fabulous features it cost only $1200, but that's because when I sent my husband to buy it he decided that the special edition denim version was sexy.  I love my Bugaboo, but it is a big ass stroller...

My big ass stroller

Over time we have accumulated 2 more strollers, a Chicco which is only 17lbs and easier to take places.  We also have a Babies r Us umbrella stroller which is about 3lbs and can be taken anywhere because it is so small, but it doesn't
recline and isn't a good stroller to be out in all day.  Now I live in NYC and while my apartment is a good size, I don't have the room for 3 strollers; so when we found out that we were going to have a 2nd baby we cringed and the thought of a double stroller.  We live on the Upper West Side which is saturated with double strollers and those things are huge.  The last thing we wanted to do is spend more money on another stroller that is twice the size of the expensive stroller we already have.

Fast Forward to the present....I have been home on maternity for 2 months and it has been very hard going out on my own.  At first it wasn't a big deal because it was still winter and I had no desire to leave the house, but now that its spring time I want to go out with my munchkins.  I was thinking that I could get the little board that attaches to the Bugaboo for Francisco to stand on, but he is still small and he gets tired.  If we go out for a long period of time we put Francisco in the Chicco and I put Sofia in the carrier.  This works out great because if Francisco needs to nap he can; the stroller is small and if we go to a restaurant he sits in a highchair and I can put Sofia down in the reclined stroller.  It sounds like I have it all figured out doesn't it??  Well I don't, this only works if I'm not alone.  I found out very quickly that I am confined to the apartment if I'm alone; unless I'm walking over to meet someone who can then help.  This REALLY SUCKS!!!

So....A couple of days ago when it was really nice out, I caught my son looking out the window.  I felt bad that I couldn't take him out.  Even if I put Sofia in the carrier and we go for a walk I don't have the ability to pick him up or run around with him.  This is when it hit me, I would have to give in and buy a double stroller....Damn it!

25 vs 35

My life has changed drastically in the last 3 years.  I got married, got pregnant with my son, and then I went and got pregnant again and had a little girl...  I've been busy..

This Sunday I will be turning 36, and I have to say, I loved being 35 and I'm looking forward to my journey to 40.  This past week I was thinking about what I was doing 10 years ago, and all I have to say is...... 25 was much different then 35, so I decided to list some of the differences, here we go...

25: Loved going clubbing with my friends.  Went out most weekends and sometimes during the week and wouldn't get home until at least 1am.

35: I went to a club a couple of weeks ago for the first time in who knows how long to celebrate a friends birthday (now I only go out for special and mostly preplanned occasions).  I only went because the club was down the block from my house.  I stayed for 2 hours had 2 watered down drinks, and it took my 2 days to recover.

25: Lived in a 1 bedroom apartment in Flushing, Queens in the same building as my parents.

35: I now live in 2 bedroom apartment in a huge Upper West Side building complex with my husband and 2 children.

25: I was a proud member of the social site Migente.com under the name Firelily where I got to keep up with my friends sexy pictures, and meet guys who were obviously interested in intelligence..

35: I am a proud member of the social sites Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Blogger, Pintrest, Etsy, & Google+ under my married name and/or my blogger name Big Apple Mami.  I keep up with family and friends from high school and college.  We basically post the latest pictures of our children, and share how tired we are.  Occasionally we get to post pics of the fabulous food we eat when we go out with our partner..but mostly we post pics of the food we make at home...

25: After running a teen program for 2 years, I had been told once again from my boss that the organization I worked for lost most of the money for the program I ran, and that I should start looking for another job.  This is when my father basically yelled at me to apply for the teaching fellows..

35: After being accepted into the Teaching Fellows program I taught 5 grade & middle school in the the Bronx and Brooklyn.  Today I am in my 8th year of teaching and after 7 years of teaching teens I am loving being a 2nd grade ICT Teacher in Brooklyn Heights.  I never thought I would love the little ones...

25: If I'm correct I was living with a guy that my friends and family all hated, but I think we broke up after my first year teaching when I was 26.  I try to forget the stupid boyfriends...

35: Married to my childhood friend and love of my life, I don't know what took me so long to admit how much I loved him.  Thank goodness he never stopped trying to get in touch with me, and I am so glad I picked up the phone 8 years ago even though I didn't recognize the number.

So there you go, some major differences in my life.  I was very happy back then and I'm even happier now....I hope to look back in another 10 years with a whole new list of happy differences... 

The "N" Word

As a 2nd grade teacher and a parent I definitely use the word "no" throughout my day.  During my first pregnancy I did a lot of reading about parenting, and I came to find out that Americans are scared to say "no" to their children.  One article said that while they understand that you might be put in a situation that requires you to say "no",  you shouldn't say it often.  While I was reading this I thought, "what the hell has happened to the parents of my generation??" My mother said "no" to me all the time and I am a very well adjusted adult that understands that sometimes there are limits.  I also read that parents don't want to say "no" to their child because they don't want to expose them to negativity, and they don't want to stunt their curiosity and creativity.  ARE THEY CRAZY!?! Even if you decided not to say "no" to your child they will know how to say "no" to you.

When I went back to work in September I didn't have a permanent position so I was placed in a school in Greenpoint,  Brooklyn.  While helping out in classes PreK-2nd grade I encountered something I have never seen before, the child of a hipster.  My 6 weeks in this school was an eye opener, and I have worked with kids for over 10 years.  The majority of my experience has been with kids ages 10-18 from low income neighborhoods.  I have dealt with my share of bad attitudes, smart ass remarks, ignorant parents, and even kids in gangs.  I'll take all of that over a child who is from a middle or upper class neighborhood, being raise by a well educated parent who doesn't believe in saying "no". 

I feel that our society, these parents, and sometimes our education system are doing an injustice to our kids.  We have started worrying so much about the mental and emotional stability of our children that we have forgotten that they are smart, resilient, able to handle everyday life frustrations, and major tragic events.  When our children go out into the real world they are going to hear the word "no" over and over again and they will not be prepared for that if they don't hear it from their parents first.  When parents send their children to school and their child has no concept of rules and limits, not only does the teacher suffer but the child and parents suffer too.  The child doesn't learn as much as they can because the teacher is too busy managing the child's inability to understand why the whole class doesn't revolve around them.  The parents suffer from embarrassment and deciding weather they are going to stick to their parenting philosophies, or if they are going to take the time to teach their child limits and how to follow rules.  Changing a child's behavior when they become school aged is not impossible, but its not a battle any parent wants to take on.

I believe that children feel safe when they have limits, guidelines, rules, consistency, and consequences.  When they know what to expect from the adults around them they relax and enjoy being a child without worrying about what will happen next.  This is another reason why sometimes children behave at school but are crazy at home.  At school their is a schedule, rules, hopefully clear consequences and many limits.  If a child understands how to function inside the box then they will be able to use all their curiosity and creativity to explore the outside of the box.

The minute my son started crawling I started saying no to him because this is when he started getting into things.  I felt that even thought I needed to make changes in my life to accommodate my child, he also needed to realize that somethings don't belong to him.  My husband and I decided that we will not allow our child to take over the apartment.  His stuff belongs in his room and he will learn that he is not allowed to touch everything in the common areas of the apartment.  Don't get me wrong, he touches stuff, but we say "no", explain to him that he is not allowed to touch, and then do it again if he touches stuff again.  Even though he is 16 months he understands what he can and cannot do, and he tests the limits but it is my job to teach him those limits.  I know if I teach my children limits now I won't have to do it later, therefore, I believe that you should say "no" as often as you need to, its one of our many rights at a parent.

I'm Back...

It has been almost a year since I've blogged, and just when I was getting good...lol  somehow I allowed life get in the way, again.

Since I've been gone, I have move way uptown to 135th, I started working again, my son is now 16 months, and I'm expecting a little girl in March.  To say the least I been a bit busy.  I was so afraid to go back to work because I was worried that I just wouldn't have the energy for my son when I got home, especially being pregnant.  Little did I know that just like everything else in my life I just seem to find the energy and go... That's not to say that I don't come home completely wiped out, but I some how do what I have to do until my munchkin goes to bed.

I am happy to be back and I plan to blog at least once a week about all the crazy stuff that goes through my never resting mind..

Are You the nanny??

When you live on the upper west side there are some things that you get use to. The women who don't wear bras in the summer with white sun dresses. The the smell of dog pee on every block because everyone has a dog, and of course the nanny's with the very expensive strollers. No matter where you go in this neighborhood you will see nanny's with anywhere between 1 and 3 children. Most of these nanny's are Latina, African America, or West Indian.

Growing up in a Puerto Rican lower middle income household the idea of a nanny did not exist. If you needed someone to take care of your kids for the night you had a family member or the neighbor who also has kids to babysit for you. Even now, I have a hard time with the idea of getting a nanny even thought I might need one in the near future.

After being home for the first three months of my sons life I decided that I wanted to take Gymboree classes. I thought it would be a good to have some place to go twice a week and I would have a chance to meet other moms who lived in the neighborhood. My mom and my sister said that I would probably meet nanny's, but I didn't think moms would want their nanny's to take their kids to Gymboree since its such a wonderful bonding experience.  I went to my first class and to my surprised, all the adults were nanny's, I was the only mom.  It's really strange to be the only parent in a room with 12 other women.  It turns out that not only do the nanny's take the babies to Gymboree, some of the moms are home and they send the nanny instead of going themselves.. Now I get the whole nanny thing if you decide to go back to work, work from home, or if you have multiple small children at home and you need the extra help. But to be a stay home mom who also has a nanny and doesn't take the opportunity to do things with your baby like Gymboree, I just don't get it.

Check out the nanny it the upper right corner

I learned real quick that I was a strange duck in this pond of nanny's. Not only did I stay home with my son and take care of him without help, I am a Latina woman who lives in this neighborhood (who also has an expensive stroller). When I looked around the Gymboree class, the street and the park, I realized that I looked like the nanny. It became normal for people to ask me if I was Francisco's mother or his nanny. I am fair skinned, and obviously Latina, my son is also fair and it is possible that he doesn't belong to me even though I think he looks like me. The sad thing is, I don't get offended. How can I?, it's the culture of this neighborhood and my situation is very rare.

After a couple of weeks in my Gymboree class I did meet some mothers who stayed home with their children without any help and we have become friends.  I've also made friends with some of the nanny's, and while nanny's tend to stick together I don't see why I can't become friends with them since there or more of them around.  Besides I'll need a nanny in the future and this gives me a chance to do some head hunting...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Addicted to Yarn..

I think it's very important for people to have a hobby.  Hobbies allow people to relax and get away in their own little world of fun and relaxation.  Some people like to rock climb, others collect things, I crochet.  I have been crocheting for almost 10 years and it has become my way to tune out and just think about one thing, my yarn.  I know this sounds crazy but I believe that all of my yarn has a destiny (I know I sound like Phoebe from friends).  You have to see it from my perspective one moment I have a basket of yarn, and in a couple of hours, days, or weeks you have something that no longer looks like a ball of yarn.  I now have have a blanket, sweater, hat or doll and my yarn has reached its destiny.

My friends have told me that I should sell what I make, but I mostly enjoy making things as gifts. I love to give baby blankets at baby showers or a hat and scarf for Christmas I feel that a gift is much more special if you make it.  These days I love to make stuff for my son. I've made him a blanket, several hats, dolls and with my new loom I've made him burping cloths.

If your not familiar with the yarn arts you might not know the difference between knitting and crocheting. Knitting requires 2 straight needles and crocheting is one needle with a hook at the end. They both produce very different results. People always ask if I'm a knitter, I wish I could knit as well as I crocheted but sadly I don't. What I have started doing is weaving. Martha Stewart hooked up (no pun intended) with Lion Brand Yarn and now has her own line of yarn. She also created and awesome loom that allows you to weave and knit. While I have not figured out how to knit yet, I have been weaving away. So far I have started a baby blanket, an apron, and I have made 4 burping cloths. Weaving has been so much fun and I plan to start making a large blanket.

When people think about a women who knit or crochet they think of the grandma who makes ugly sweaters for her grandchildren; I am not that old lady yet.  I know that crocheting will always be part of my life.  One day I will be that grandma making sweaters for my grandchildren, I'm hoping they won't be ugly...

Show Me How You Burlesque...

Throughout my life I have always been active in some way, either with dance, gymnastics, or my unsuccessful attempts to go to the gym.  When I was pregnant I did some yoga because my best friend swore by it.  For those of you who don't know me, I really hate yoga.  I signed up for a  prepaid series of classes by my house and I just took the lost and stopped going because I would become so relaxed that I would get annoyed and irritated...I did a lot of walking instead..

My main concern when I found out that I was pregnant was bouncing back after...Today you see all these celebrities who have babies and a few months later they are on the red carpet looking better then they did before their pregnancy.  I don't have the money for a private trainer, I knew that joining another gym would be a waste of money; I needed to figure out what would work for me.

I have been very lucky because it was been such a mild winter that I've been able to go on many long walks in the park.  I've also played a lot of just dance on my wii, now before you start laughing let me explain how that video game is a really good cardio workout and you really build up a sweat.  My husband told me to do push ups, and then he got me a kettle ball that came with a DVD that have three 15 minute workouts, I did that a couple of times (did I mention how much I hate to workout).

Okay....we all know that if your going to get into shape you also need to change your eating habits.  Now I was not the only one in my house that was trying to get back into shape.  My husband and I decided that we would do a detox for the month of January (after all the major eating holiday's).  This meant no alcohol, sweets, or carbs for a whole month.  Have you tried to go a whole month without eating bread?? it sucks!!  For about 2 weeks I was very grumpy, mainly because I was hungry and I've never been hungry on purpose before...I actually yelled at my husband about the amount of potatoes he was serving me...


During this crazy month of hunger and grumpiness I also became very frustrated with the fact that I was not getting out the house enough on my own; I needed me time in the worst way...So I was hungry, grumpy, and frustrated with cabin fever.  If I didn't schedule some serious me time someone would get hurt (my husband since he was withholding the potatoes).  I finally said, I need to invest some money into a couple of classes this way I a scheduled to leave the house and my husband would need to be home to take care of the baby. 

I decided to do what every woman does when she is trying to get rid of those last 5 baby pounds, I took a burlesque class...Okay, so every woman doesn't do that, but that's what I did and it has been so much fun and a great workout.  Once this class is over I plan on taking more dance classes, not just to stay in shape but to keep my sanity...I no longer feel frustrated, I'm eating bread again and now I have a sexy dance I can do for my husband...Sorry was that too much info??

If your interested in taking a burlesque class, or any class with a Broadway theme check out broadwaybodies.com . They also teach classes that focus on popular music such as Micheal Jackson, Lady Ga Ga, and Britney Spears. The teachers are awesome and the workout is great!

You Know Your a Parent When....

When my son was 2 weeks old I was talking to my sister while getting ready to go out to dinner with my family and my new baby boy.  I looked at myself in the mirror, looked at her and said, "I know I'm a mother because I'm not going to change my shirt even though I'm wrinkled and there is some pee on it."  The main reason I didn't want to change my shirt beside laziness, was the fact that you weren't able to see the fat that was still lingering after only giving birth 2 weeks earlier...

That's the shirt...

For the last 6 months I've had several unforgettable moments where I say to myself, okay I get it I'm a mother; here are a few of those moments...

• I went for my 6 week pelvic exam after having my son and nobody was available to watch him.  Waiting took longer then expected and by the time I was called in Francisco was fussy and hungry.  My doctor told me to take my time and feed him, but he wasn't having it.  I thought I was going to have to reschedule for another day, instead I ended up breast feeding him while getting my pelvic exam...fun...

• I went to TD Bank with my friend Nia, it was a nice day and I was wearing a summer dress.  Francisco was being fussy and didn't want to be in his stroller so I was holding him.  As we were waiting on line I felt something warm on my body.  I moved Francisco away from me and that is when I saw it, the big wet spot on my dress.  But wait there's more...not only did he pee on me, he continued to pee all over the floor of TD Bank... Miraculously, the pee came from the side of his diaper and when it leaked none of the pee got on his onesie just on me and the floor.

• All my life I have seen my friends go and get family portraits done (family pictures at Sears...lol) .  My family never did that so I always found it to be strange to take a staged family photograph... At my baby shower my sister & brother-in-law gave me a gift certificate to a place called Portrait Bug where I could take pictures of the baby and get a special package of 3 pictures in a frame.  When Francisco became 3 months I went and had pictures taken.  Oh My Gosh!!! I was hooked.  So far I have gone in for three sessions and not only have I bought pictures every time, I put them in frames the same day I pick them up.  So I have become one of those parents and I plan on getting many family portraits taken in the future... (I have a 4th appointment at the end of this week)

I know that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and I'm in for hundreds of special and laughable moments when I'll say to myself "this is the life of being a Mom".  I will continue to share the extra funny moments... What are some of your eye opening moments of parenthood?  I would love for you to share them in the comments box, I'm sure everyone has some great stories...

A Day in the Life of a Mother on a Rainy Day at Home...

A couple of days ago I wrote about how I literally have nothing to talk about other then my son and being a mother. It's days like today that are the cause of that problem.  Yesterday was a rainy day and I decided to just stay home and be a couch potato since I had no plans. Many people ask me what its like to stay home everyday so I thought I would share my lazy day at home...

7:00am - Woke up to feed Francisco.

8:00am - Woke up and moved Francisco to my bed because he seemed fussy and unsettled.

9:30am - My husband woke me up because the super showed up to fix the bathroom sink in the bedroom.  Since I didn't know when he would be back I got up and we moved the baby upstairs, he slept for another 30-40 minutes. When Francisco woke up, I changed his diaper and he was in the middle of peeing, so....he got pee all over my pants but didn't get any on the sofa and that's what matters.

Between 9:30 & noon I ate some cereal, watched Lost Girl, played with Francisco and worked on the burping cloth I started weaving the night before.. Now playing means making him laugh so hard that he screams.  I have come to realize that I love the sound of his laugh more then anything else...

At around 12:30 Francisco took his first nap of the day.  I took advantage of this; I worked on my blog, watched some TV and I started working on another burping cloth.  I also made myself a salad.  I wanted to make some coffee but I would have woke him up grinding the beans.  Francisco slept until around 2:30.

Finally made coffee at around 3:00..

I would also like to mention that between 7am & 3:00pm I changed his diaper around 3 times, I washed his bottles, I changed his clothes and I discovered that he now enjoys playing peek-a-boo.


(Right now as I'm writing this my lovely son is producing a fantastically dirty diaper, I hear him grunting while playing with his ball...This means I must stop writing for a moment before the mess becomes out of hand, a dirty diaper can become a wardrobe change or even a bath if its not addressed right away...My days are so exciting...)

Between 3:00 & 4:00 I attempted to feed Francisco applesauce.  He ate 2 spoons and made a mess spiting out the applesauce I attempted to give him after those 2 spoons.. After around 10 minutes of that he started to make his frustrated sounds and face and gave me the sign for milk.. I gave up on the applesauce and made him a bottle...

Notice I haven't mentioned anything about taking a shower yet...

Between 4:00 & 7:30 Francisco took another nap after playing in his walker.  I made myself some dinner, a tuna burger and salad.  I did a little social networking, posted pictures of my burping cloths, read Crystal's blog, liked Erica's new facebook page, & finished and posted my blog.  Francisco woke up, I put him back in his walker and as I was starting to wash the dishes my husband came home..

After my husband came home I washed the dishes, took a long shower, changed into another set of pj's, and continued working on this blog while he fed the baby.  So there you go, that was my day... Francisco will go to sleep at around 10:30 after drinking another bottle.  Once he is asleep and in his crib I will pour myself a glass of wine and enjoy a couple of hours to relax with my husband (if he is not asleep on the couch), and off to bed so I can do it all again tomorrow...

Learn Some Stroller Etiquette Please...

 Etiquette: manners and rules that we use in social settings basically so we don't piss people off. 

Rules of etiquette are usually unwritten so unfortunately people tend not to have much etiquette, manners or consideration for others.  I actually grew up in a home where my parents stressed good manners, and consideration for others.  Of course they taught me to say please and thank you, but the also taught me to be mind full and considerate of the people around me.

When something new enters our society, like cell phones a whole new set of unspoken rules are written (unspoken being the operative word).  What I've come to fund out is that people don't have the good sense to know or follow these rules, they don't even realize that they are being rude.  For instance (and this is my biggest pet peeve) if your listening to music and you start to talk to someone, don't just turn off your music take off your headphones.  I feel this basic phone etiquette and is especially important when you are ordering something like food or coffee; give the people who are serving you the respect of your attention.

Sorry, I went into a mini rant, I really want to talk about some of the things I have witnessed out on the streets of New York City (mostly the Upper West Side) since I've become a mother.  I feel that there needs to be some kind of basic etiquette for parents and non parents.  Some people naturally do things that are polite, but I have come to find out that most people just look out for themselves...

These days strollers are ginormous, I am also guilty of having one.  I think the difference between myself and a lot of women out there is that I am perfectly aware that my stroller takes up way too much space and I do my best to get out of peoples way. Most of the time this is what I see.


1) The stroller wall: 3-4 women lined up next to each other walking down the street blocking everyone else from being able to get by.  2 women walking together takes up space, but when you get the wall there is just no place to go.

2) Stroller Block: Women who leave their stroller somewhere in the aisle of a store blocking everything.  This is particularly fun at the 74th Street Fairway where this isn't even room the people shopping with small baskets.

3) Stroller right of way: blocking the sidewalk with your stroller and not allowing the person with the stroller in the street to get on the sidewalk first.  This has to do with safety, now that I can block the path of people with my Cadillac of strollers I make sure to give people who are in the street the right of way especially other people with strollers and children.

4) Help me face:  Women take their very large strollers to places that have stairs, like the train.  If there is no elevator I've seen women linger at the bottom of the stairs hoping a nice person will help.  I think this bothers me the most because if you know you have to deal with stairs then you should be able to handle your stroller without help.  If I know I'm going to take the train I make sure to use stations that have elevators.  I have a link to the MTA website on my phone that has a list of all the stations with elevators in the city.  I also try not to take the rain during rush hour with my crazy big stroller, or, I just take the baby in the carrier so I don't have to worry about all that.

5) Non stroller owners please be considerate too: Now that I have ranted about all the things parents don't take into consideration when they are out with their strollers, here is a little something for everyone else....It is usually easier to get around with a stroller because there is just so much stuff you need to shlep around if your going to be out for several hours.  While I try hard to be considerate about the amount of space I take up please remember that you should be considerate too.  Too many times people have just stood and watched while I struggle opening doors, or just don't move when I try to get by even though I'm being considerate and not running you over with my monster truck stroller...Please have some etiquette too..

When it comes down to it, if everyone was just a bit nicer and used some etiquette this city would be a much happier place to have a stroller...

To Relax? or Wash the Dishes? That's the Question...

Yesterday, after a very rigorous play time at Gymboree I came home with my son and he napped for 3 glorious hours.  During the first hour or so of his nap I sat and got my social network on. I checked my Facebook, liked some statuses, commented on pictures.  I updated my Google+ picture and added a video.  I checked and replied to a couple of emails.  I also logged onto my twitter account and posted a tweet.  I tweeted "my munchkin is taking a nice long nap.. it gives me time to be on the computer when I really should be doing dishes..."  I felt compelled to tweet this because as I was getting my social network on I looked up at the dishes a couple of times thinking to myself that maybe I should take advantage of this time to do the dishes.  As this thought went through my head for like the 3rd or 4th time someone responded to my tweet, someone named Amanda tweeted back "Nothing wrong with that :)"  At that moment I wanted to yell (but I didn't because I would have woke up my son) "that's right there is nothing wrong with that!!!!" 

I feel like parents who stay home full time tend to put all this pressure on themselves to be this super mom or dad.  We get up every morning and start our day with feeding the baby, getting them dressed, & playing with them.  In between all of that you have to find the time to shower, get yourself dressed, eat (this is key, we tend to forget this until we are on the floor dying of hunger), and whatever else needs to get done.  Most of the time you haven't done anything for yourself because your waiting for them to take a nap so you can get yourself ready without interruptions...  There is nothing like trying to do your hair and makeup while attempting to entertain your 6 month old son.  What normally takes 10 maybe 15 minutes tops, can take 30-45 minutes...  I have to be a master multi-tasker, and when there is a time of the day that I can relax and do one thing at time its a gift.  If I'm really in a rush I'll stream video of the cartoon Pocoyo on my iPad for my son to watch.  I have become a pro at doing things in 7 minute increments because that is how long each cartoon lasts.  Of course I feel like a horrible parent that needs to put my child in front of the TV to get things done, but if I'm going to make it to places on time and get things done I need to give in sometimes...

When it comes down to it I try to balance my time as much as possible.  Some time for me, some time for my son, and some time for the dishes... If I need more time for me or him the dishes can wait for my husband to come home...lol

Baby talk...

 

Before I had a baby, was pregnant, or got married, I had a lot of interesting things going on in my life...I had so much to talk about, and I always had some place to go or someone to meet. I was passionate about my job, my family and my friends. When I was 28 I started dating my husband. We are both social butterflies and we went out all the time and had a great time, dancing, traveling, hanging out with friends, playing football and so much more....

Then it happened....I got engaged and that is when it started, the only thing people brought up and that I seemed to talk about was wedding related topics. Did you find dress? Where is the wedding? When is the bridal shower? Is there a theme? What kind of cake? Who are your bridesmaids? For almost 2 years my life was all about my wedding and all wedding events leading up to the wedding. I annoyed myself with the inability to talk about anything else. On the up side I still had my job which I loved and I still spent a lot of time with my friends, family and my fiancé. So from time to time I did have other things to talk about..

The wedding was over everything went back to normal for about 3 months. Then I got pregnant and it happened again, the only thing on my mind and the minds of others was my growing belly...and the conversations became, it's is a girl or boy? Are you planning a natural childbirth? What does it feel like when he kicks? Will you be moving from your fabulous upper west side apartment that has a backyard for something with more space?, and of course, can I see the ultrasound pictures? Mind you I didn't care about all the questions, it was the fact that I didn't seem to having anything else to talk about either....but wait it gets worse...

Finally on August 30th 2011 at 2:31am my son was born. I was so excited that I was finally a mother and I had a whole year off from work to enjoy with him. When I was getting married and pregnant I still worked and went out regularly so I had experiences and life to laugh and talk about with friends. Now, it's all baby talk, I literally have nothing else to talk about.

Unless you want to hear about how his diaper exploded at 5 Napkin Burger and how I was tempted to bath him in the bathroom sink, or how I was so excited that he held his head up for a full 7 minutes without crying, or about the time I had to breastfeed him while getting a pelvic exam because he was crying, then come on over and bring a large bottle of your favorite wine...lol

I have become the boring stay at home mom that only talks about her kid, yes I've become that woman. Not only is it the only topic I have to talk about, but I'm so cheerful about it. I think when I get started I'm just so happy to be talking to another adult that I don't notice the glazed over expression on their face. It turns out that other stay home moms are the only other people that don't mind all this baby talk. Mainly because they are in the same boat and also have nothing else to talk about.  It's great when I find another mother who has a child around the same age to hang out with.

I have worked very hard to schedule in adult time, not just with my husband but with other people.  I think people find it so funny how excited I get when I have a couple of hours without the baby. A couple of hours without drool, or singing, or diaper changes; it's very exciting. My advice to all the men and women out there who stay home with there kids all day, take classes, read or listen to books, magazines or watch the news when you can because you need things to talk about when you're with all the adults out there who don't have kids...good luck. :-)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Starbucks

Some Advice for New Moms

For 9 months I felt my baby grow inside of me and I prepared for his arrival.  I read books, did research online, talked to my friends with children, and asked my mother many many questions.

When I came home with my son I still couldn't believe that I finally had my baby.  I tried to remember everything I read about being a new mom, and all the advice people gave me.

Of all the advice from family, friends, books & websites there where 5 things that I was told by almost everyone:

• Sleep when your baby sleeps.
• Ask for help.
• Don't freak out if he gets a fever.
• Don't forget to eat.
• Follow your instincts

All of this advice is great and should be followed, but I came to find out that when you have a baby, life is very unpredictable.  This is my experience...


Sleep When your baby sleeps:

• I was very lucky to have my husband home for the first two weeks.  This made it very easy to take naps because I knew that I could take real naps without out interruption.  Once my husband went back to work I did take a nap here and there when my son was sleeping but it became difficult because I wanted to clean up, organize baby stuff, and I just wasn't always tired when he was asleep (I'm not much of a napper).  Eventually my husband and I came up with and overnight schedule that allowed me to sleep for at least 4-5 hours straight and that gave me a good amount of energy to last most of the day.  It's important that you rest because you need to have energy for your baby, but we all know that life gets in the way so make sure you give yourself time to relax even if you don't sleep.

Ask for help:

•  This is a big one that I had no problem with.  Asking for help is so important because if you try to do everything on your own you will drive yourself crazy.  I made sure to let my husband know what I needed from him, and I was so lucky to have my parents around whenever I needed them.  My mother and my sister work close to me and came over to help whenever I asked.  My mom even came over once during her lunch break so I could take a shower (I wasn't comfortable leaving the baby alone yet)  Ask for help its so important for your own mental health.

Don't freak out if he gets a fever:

•  One of my girlfriends told me that I shouldn't freak out the first time my son gets a fever.  I was sure that I wouldn't because I knew that a baby's temperature can range anywhere between 97-100.4 degrees.  Then my son got his vaccination shots, and that night he became feverish.  With all my logic and good sense I freaked out.  The doctor told me that I shouldn't worry because it was normal for him to get a fever and if I wanted I could give him baby Tylenol.  After getting 4 shots I didn't want to give my son anymore medicine.  I stayed up all night checking his temperature every 30 min and keeping him cool.  His temperature never went above 100 and he hasn't had a temperature since.  My advice is to do what is comfortable for you, and my sister-in-law says if you give them some baby Tylenol before that vaccination appointment you can avoid the fever all together.

Don't forget to eat:

• This is easier said then done.  I never forgot to eat, I just didn't always have a chance.  Eating is important because you need to have the energy to take care of your child, and you need nourishment so you can breastfeeding.  I live near a great supermarket but it is not stroller friendly and I can't carry much if I have the baby in the carrier.  Don't feel bad about ordering food now and then, and try to prepare food when the baby is sleeping not just for that moment but for later too.  Its much easier and faster to just reheat something.  These days my husband does most of the food shopping, and on slow days at work he comes home and cooks me lunch.

Follow your instincts:

• Any mother (especially yours) will tell you to follow your instincts, when it comes down to it this is so true.  Books can only tell you so much, and in the end you need to relay of your feelings.  Every baby is different and what works for some baby's might not work for yours.  My instincts always tell me to stay calm because I am sure my son can feel how I feel.  I know that he doesn't always feel good and I don't want my feelings to make him panic.  I truly think that my son is so chill because I am so calm around him.

Every woman has a different experience when they bring their baby home, good luck and remember to take some time out for yourself..

Awesome Apps: Best Baby Monitor

When I was registering for my baby shower I wasn't sure what type of baby monitor to get because I have a small apartment and I wasn't sure if I would even need one.  Video monitors are very expensive, in the end I registered for a video monitor and a basic audio monitor that was much cheaper.  It turned out that I didn't get a monitor as a gift, so I decided I would get the inexpensive basic audio monitor.  It just seemed more practical to get an audio monitor since during the day I knew my son would always be with me in the living room.

After my son was born I realized that I would like a video monitor for the times that I do put him in his crib and I'm upstairs cleaning or showering.  Instead of running out and buying a $100 video monitor I decided to check out the apps store.

I have many apple products, a macbook, iPad, 2 iphones, & an old school iPod that still works.  I figured, there must be a video monitor app.  Of course there were several apps and I decided to try one that was free first, it didn't work very well.  So I sucked it up and spent $5.99 on the Best Baby Monitor app (I don't like paying for apps) That was the best $5.99 I have ever spent.  Once you download this app on your iPhone and iPad you are all set.  You sent up one of your devices facing your baby and you can watch your baby from your phone or ipad.

One of my favorite features is the lullaby feature.  You can choose from 3 lullaby's, Twinkle Twinkle, Brahms Lullaby, and Sweet Dreams.  You can set it to play the lullaby 1, 3 or 5 times in a row, and you can control all these settings from your side.  It even keeps a log for you of the noise made by your child and when he/she is silent.

I really love this app because I can set up my iPad turn on my phone and go take a shower while my son sleeps.  In the summer when I had BBQ's I could put him down to sleep and watch him from outside.  As a new mom I want to watch my baby's every move, and this app allows me to do that.

***As a holiday promotion this app is being sold for $1.99.

The Last 3 Months

For the last three months I have been doing the Mami thing.  It has been an amazing ride so far and everyday I still can't believe I'm a parent.  Every week I try to visit my best friend Nia and she always looks at Francisco and then looks at me and says "you have a baby" and I say "I know its crazy".  You have 9 months to get use to the idea that your going to be a parent, but once it happens it's still unbelievable. 

It has not been an easy ride, there have been ups and downs and lots of things to figure out.  During the first couple of weeks I had some major cabin fever because I was told that I shouldn't exert myself for the first 2 weeks which meant that I shouldn't take long walks or lift anything heavier then my baby (7lbs).  Well I was going crazy, but luckily many friends and family came by to visit and keep me company with the baby.  During week three I got an infection in the milk ducts of my breast and I had a fever for about three days before I new what was happening.

My wonderful and loving husband who was able to stay home and help most day for the first two weeks got wrapped up in the beginning of the football season. He spent several nights hanging out until really late with his friends watching football; I wanted to kill him.  I also felt that he needed to help me out more with keeping the house together.  Instead of killing him we sat down and had a long talk about where I needed him to help. Now things are great and he is more aware of how he can help.  Now that he is super busy at work and is unable to help as much, we have hired 2 of my former students who are college bound to come once a week to clean up and do some laundry.  Now, instead of us cleaning when he is home we are able to spend time relaxing together.

The biggest problem that I had to solve was creating a schedule and routines for me and Francisco.  Now I make sure that I'm up by 9am.  We shower, eat and get dressed.  Mondays and Wednesdays we go to Gymboree. Tuesdays I go to Central Park for the walking tours if weather permits it.  On Thursdays I meet up with my mother and sister for lunch, and Friday I just make sure that we go on a long walk.  As long as I follow this weekly schedule I'm out of the house at least once a day and that makes a big difference.  Usually I also visit Nia at work or go for long walks in Riverside or Central Park.

So now that I have figured out a few things I hope that I can slowly add more activities to my days including this blog...

Riverside Park

Websit: Riverside Park
Location:
158th street  - 58th street on the Hudson

Contact Information:
Riverside Park Fund Office
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 455
New York, NY 10115 ‎
Hours: 
24hours 7days a week

For more information about the Riverside Park & special events click on the link above.

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Riverside Park which spans from 158^th street to 58^th street is a Westsider's favorite park if they are interested in a straight run or bike ride, you can go for miles up or down the Hudson.  If you’re an avid skateboarder or roller blader, you can try out the ramps at the skate park on 108^th street.  If you’re a parent with small or older children, you can spend time at one of the many playgrounds available.  Dog lovers have their choice of dog parks (dog owners guide to Riverside park available online), and if you want to have a bit to eat and a drink you can always go to the Boat Basin on 79^th street or the Peir-i Café which is right in front of Peir-I near the 72^nd street entrance located in the part of the park which is considered Riverside Park South.  I can’t forget all of my athletes, there are also basketball courts, soccer & baseball fields located throughout the park. 

It is Riverside Park South (72^nd street – 58^th street) that I would like to focus on.  This happens to be my favorite part of the park, and what I consider the most beautiful part of the park.  The landscaping is beautifully done with wild grass, flowers and many weeping willow trees.  There are sculptures located throughout this strip and many places to sit and relax or watch the sun set.  Bikes are not allowed throughout this part of the park, which makes it an ideal walk for you and your family.  There are many spots of grass to sit and have a picnic, or if you prefer there are picnic tables and high top tables for your use.  There is even a small patch of turf if front of an old steam train, a perfect place to have a play date or birthday party with your little ones.  The only down side to this part of the park is the lack of bathrooms, the closest bathroom is around 70th street right behind the Peir-i Cafe.

You can always get online and look up all of the special Summer on the Hudson events happening all summer long at Riverside Park.  You can find information about palates, yoga, movies, bike tours, kayaking, tai chi and so much more.

If your on the westside and you looking for something to do, walk over to Riverside Park and enjoy all it has to offer.

Edamame Spa @ Destination Maternity

Website:  Edamamespa
Location:
28 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022

Contact Information:
(212) 588-1990 ‎
Hours: 
Monday - Friday 10:00-8:00
Saturday - 10:00-7:00
Sunday - 12:00-6:00

The Edamame Spa is located on the Lower Level of Destination Maternity.  They provide all types of services such as facials, massages, body treatments, and enhancements.  While they cater to pregnant women, you don't have to be pregnant to enjoy their services.

For more information about the services provided and prices click on the link above

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I am currently in the 8th month of my pregnancy and I thought I would treat myself to a full body massage since I am in the most uncomfortable part of my pregnancy.  I thought that I would share my experience with you because pregnant or not, all women should treat themselves every now and then.  The last time I was at Destination Maternity I asked for a tour of the spa and was given a coupon for $20 dollars off, so what would have been a $130 massage + tax became a $113 massage.  So I recommend going and getting a tour so you can get the coupon and make your appointment.

Before I go into describing my experience I would like to say that the women who work there are very nice, service was fantastic, and the massage was exactly what I needed; not to mention the best massage I've ever had.

My Experience:
When I walked in the ambiance was very relaxing, the lights were low, there was clamming music and the sound of a waterfall. After filling out some basic paper work I was shown the waiting room which has juices, water and yummy Luna bars. I was then directed to the dressing room where I was given a locker, a cotton robe and slippers.   I was early so I was offered a complementary foot soak. When I went into the waiting room the foot soak was set up and waiting for me. Now as a New Yorker that likes to do five things at once and is always on the go I had no problem adjusting to all this relaxation and pampering. I had no problem leaving my phone in my locker (there is no signal anyway) and just  reading a magazine while I soaked my feet.  After about 10 minutes of reading and drinking my juice one of the women came in with a lovely foot scrub and quickly scrubbed my feet, it was great.

Now let's talk massage.... They have many options and you don't have to be pregnant to come in and get a massage, so all you women out there who have pregnant friends this is  a great gift and excuse to get a massage for yourself.

I decided to get a full body 50 minute mommy to be massage, and it was heaven. There are two ways to get a massage if your pregnant. You can do it on your side with a really comfortable body pillow or they have this cushion with a space for your belly so you can lay face down. They suggest being on your side if your in your third trimester.

Before beginning my masseuse asked me where I wanted her to focus and how much pressure I preferred before getting started. All I can say is that spot on the lower left side of my back feels so good right now and I didn't realize that I had so much tension in my shoulders. She started off massaging the right side of my body, moved on the to left side and then adjusted the table like a reclining chair so I could be on my back (I need one of those tables). She then gently rubbed Mama Mio citrus belly butter all over my belly and massaged my shoulders some more.  She had an amazing touch and applied just the right amount of pressure.

After my massage I went back to the waiting room had some water, a chocolate brownie Luna bar and just relaxed some more. I've never enjoyed relaxing so much in my life and I was afraid they were going to have to throw me out.  I absolutely plan on going back after having my baby for a postnatal massage and maybe even a facial..