Mom in the City

Since I’ll (hopefully!) be having my son this month, I won’t be hosting an event.  However, there is a reasonable event that I recommend:

There is a spa event on Feb. 22nd at Proof Bar & Lounge (http://www.proofnyc.com/).  There will be a $20 cover which will include one service from the following: manicure, massage, or blow out/style.  There will also be a complimentary makeup consultations from a top Nars makeup artist from Bloomingdales, as well as a Tarot Card reader on site.  There will be light appetizers and a special themed drink menu.  The spa will be NV (http://nvsalonandspa.com/).  They are doing two seatings: one at 6pm and the other at 8pm. Make reservations at info@proofnyc.com.

Enjoy! 

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1. One Essential Nursing Bra Tank from Bravado! Designs (http://www.bravadodesigns.com/)

2. One HAPPYBABY (http://www.happybabyfood.com/) organic t-shirt (18-24months) AND one box of HAPPYBABY fresh frozen organic baby meals.

3.. One miYim (http://www.miyim.com) organic toy.

You are entered to win the giveaways simply by being on the Mom in the City newsletter list.  (To be added, email your name, zip code and referral source to kcoleman@mominthecity.com)

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Since my son Sean is due this month, this month's "theme" is my favorite new baby essentials. 

1. Gear: - Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Active http://www.babybjorn.com/ - There are a variety of ways to wear your baby, but (for me) the Bjorn is the easiest and best.

2. Activity: - Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer Seat http://www.fisher-price.com/us/default.asp - I like the compact size and my son was fascinated the bubble action. 

3. Diapering: Every mom has their own preference.  For me, Huggies http://www.huggiesbabynetwork.com/na/index.aspx diapers works well for my son (Pampers leaked); Pampers http://us.pampers.com/en_US/home/home.jsp;jsessionid=YONP1I1YSQ1MHQFIAJ0X0MQ have my favorite wipes though (I don't like the texture of Huggies wipes); and my favorite diaper pad is patemm http://www.patemm.com/.

4. Feeding: Avent's Isis Breast Pump and Avent bottles http://www.aventamerica.com/ are my personal favorites.  Boppy http://www.shopboppy.com/ is my favorite nursing pillow.

5. Bath: The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub http://www.learningcurve.com/thefirstyears worked the best for my son.  We started off with another tub, but my son hated it.  The cradle (baby) side of this one made him (and I!) feel more secure.

6.Skincare: My son had dry skin and was allergic to anything with fragrance in it, so the products that we use the most are: California Baby http://www.californiababy.com/ and Aveeno Baby http://www.aveeno.com/ca_babies_skin.jsp body wash products, Eucerin http://www.eucerinus.com/ and Vanicream (which my doctor recommended) http://www.psico.com/ baby lotions.

and last, but not least

7.Books: My favorite mom books are: the What to Expect series http://www.whattoexpect.com/; The No-Cry Sleep Solution http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth and The Happiest Baby on the Block http://www.thehappiestbaby.com/. 

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www.Healthymomsnyc.com

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As a mom, it can be challenging for me to go to the movies with my husband...that's my excuse for taking so long to see Dreamgirls.  Anyway, we finally went yesterday and it was GREAT!

I had read several reviews beforehand.  Practically everyone raved about Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy; but the rest of the movie had received mixed reviews.  So, I went in thinking that I would like the move.  I was wrong...I loved it! 

From the opening scene to the end, I was fully engrossed in the movie.  Everyone did at least a decent job with their roles.  Eddie Murphy did a great job.  Jennifer Hudson did an amazing job...she's a natural.  I had watched her on American Idol and she was a good singer then.  However, she has definitely grown.  It wasn't just her singing though...she's a natural actress.  She took over every scene that she was in, not to mention every song.  It's very rare that audiences clap in the middle of the movie, but we were clapping two or three times after Jennifer's singing.  It wasn't just the women....the men were cheering just as loudly. 

My husband and I left the movie singing (badly) and the songs stayed in our heads all day. In any event, I'm certain that there were some flaws in the movie, but the good outweighed the bad so much that I didn't notice the flaws.  If you haven't seen this movie yet, line up your babysitter ASAP and run to the theater....highly recommended!

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This week, I went to a "Green Baby Shower" at the Prenatal Yoga Center (students raved about the center... http://www.prenatalyogacenter.com).  It was interesting to learn about "Green Gear" for moms and babies.  Some of the items that caught my interest were the following:

-The book, The Complete Organic Pregnancy. What I like about the book (besides the fact that it was written by two moms of young children) is that it allows readers to pick and choose (without feeling guilty) which areas of their life that they can go more natural.  As one of the authors said, "It's better to be 20% green, than 0%."
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060887452/The_Complete_Organic_Pregnancy/index.aspx

-Green Nest: Their goal is to create healthy homes. I especially liked their colorful organic baby accessories.  My toddler (who came with me) really liked their (beautifully illustrated) children's book My Body My House which teaches about the importance of a healthy home.  ttp://www.greennest.com/

-HappyBaby was also there with their fresh frozen organic baby foods.  They have been getting raves in the press. http://happybabyfood.com/

and

-Last, but definitely not least, you can't have a shower without food.  Catering was provided by Mothers and Menus.  Karen Gurwitz, the Founder, was in attendance and it was obvious that she has a passion (and the talent) for catering.  The food was nutritious, but also yummy.  I especially liked the sandwiches.  My son especially liked the strawberries, cookies and cake (of course!)http://www.mothersandmenus.com/

In any event, I left thinking of ways that I could incorporate "going green" into my lifestyle. 

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This week, I read the paperback version of The Joys of Much Too Much by Bonne Fuller.  I'm not quite sure if I mainly agree or mainly disagree with her points. 

In essence, Fuller advocates living as full a life as possible -- going for it all at the same time/living an unbalanced life. I think that this idea is right for some women. For example, even though I'm very careful to keep my life as simple as possible, I am by nature a "Type A" personality.  I must be juggling at least 4+ projects at any given time or I get totally bored.  At the same time, I know many women who would go crazy with my life (and I with theirs!).  So, I guess in essence this book is especially great if you want to juggle marriage, parenting, work, etc. all at the same time. 

I like that Fuller advocates following your passion.  I don't like how the book tends to look down on women who decide that they do want a simpler life or that they want to take time off from the "work world" to focus on raising their children. Rather than trying to prove that their choice (stay at home, work outside the home, work at home, etc.) is the right one, it would be refreshing for authors to share why they made their decision while at the same time acknowledging the validity of other women's choices. (I.e. Your choice doesn't necessarily have to be wrong for mines to be right.) 

Anyway, I digress.  Overall, I like this book a lot...it was a quick, lively read which I definitely recommend. 

I liked it so much that one Mom in the City member will receive a copy of the book as a January giveaway.  Good luck!

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I picked up this book at the library and I was pleasantly surprised.  (I've been doing a lot of reading lately...perhaps out of "fear" that I won't have as much/any time to read after I have Sean in February.)  Overall, this book is about women facing their fears.  By nature, I'm not a very fearful person so I didn't think that the book would be that helpful.

As I mentioned, I was pleasantly surprised.  The book tackled fear on a variety of levels: about the body; about love; about parenting; about work; about money; about aging and illness; about God and death; about leadership and speaking out; and about changing the world.  After Ms. Huffington shared her thoughts on each topic, there was an essay from another prominent woman on the topic. 

Of the fears mentioned, I realized that I still need to be conscious of my fears regarding parenting (not so much that me and my husband will "mess up" our kids, but the fear of "outside" dangers and influences) and about aging and illness (moreso illness...it's disconcerting for me to think about the necessity of relying on others to meet my needs). 

In any event, the book isn't really about becoming fearless...everyone has some sort of fear.  Moreso, it's about facing our fears and not allowing them to rule our lives....a great lesson/reminder for women (and men!).

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(I reviewed this book on 12/23/06 under "Mommy Lit".  This contest sounds fun...)  

"Are you living in the fast lane? Whether you’re married or single, express your fast lane truth and win cool prizes and e-fame in Karen Quinn’s contest - which is inspired by the complicated life of Christy Hayes, star of her new novel, Wife in the Fast Lane.

How have you struggled with life in the fast Lane? This contest is your chance to express your own Fast Lane truth – through video, essay or just a quick one-liner. Deadline for entries is February 16th."

Learn more at http://karenquinn.net/wife-in-the-fast-lane-contest/

Posted by kdc521 at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Baby Loves Disco benefit supporting Friends of the  Birth Center and the creation of the new Birth and Women's Health Center in Manhattan.

Saturday, January 20th
2-5pm at Southpaw, 125 5th Avenue_Park Slope, Brooklyn
$250 VIP Family Ticket (includes admission for four, an open bar, and a gigantic gift bag for the whole family!)
$150 Family Ticket (includes admission for four)
$50 Individual Ticket
***babies under 1 are free***

E-mail Rebecca Benghiat, Executive Director at  becca@friendsofthebirthcenter.org for ticket
reservations. 

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