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April 30, 2008
May Giveaway: Bob the Builder: The Three Musketrucks
We will be giving away five copies of Bob the Builder: The Three Musketrucks.
"Bob the Builder™ and his Can-Do Crew welcome friends Meg MacDonald, a Scottish dairy farmer, her assistant Piper and their hilarious dairy truck Dodger to Sunflower Valley in five delightful new adventures in Bob the Builder: The Three Musketrucks, delivering onto DVD May 13, 2008 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and HIT Entertainment for a suggested retail price of $14.98."
If you'd like to enter to win one of the dvds, leave your name in the "Comments" section below or send an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Bob" in the Subject line by May 31st.
May Giveaway: Peeing In Peace: Tales & Tips for Type A Moms
We're giving away a copy of the funny yet insightful Peeing In Peace: Tales & Tips for Type A Moms. 
If you'd like to enter to win the book, leave your name in the "Comments" section below or send an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Peace" in the Subject line by May 31st.
If you'd like to enter to win the book, leave your name in the "Comments" section below or send an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Peace" in the Subject line by May 31st.
May Giveaway: Belli Baby Gift Set
Belli Baby is giving away one of their popular Belli Baby Gift Sets.
If you'd like to enter to win the gift set, leave your name in the "Comments" section below or send an email to contests@mominthecity.com with "Gift Set" in the Subject line by May 31st.
Green As I Want to Be (for now anyway)
As you have all experienced by now, there is a huge push to "go green" during the month of April with Earth Day and the heightened awareness regarding the 3 Rs (reducing, recycling and reusing).
Well, I've taken it all in with a grain of salt and here's my personal list of what I WILL do and what I WON'T do for good old planet earth. Most of my decisions were based on two great books (Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home and Big Green Purse)and one great website (Carbon Footprint). (Of course as a woman and a mom, I'm free to change my mind at any time....)
WILL:
-eat less meat
-only shop for clothes, furniture and appliances as needed
-recycle
-take mass transit as much as possible
-use more earth-friendly cleaning products (like method)
-use a power strip (and remember to cut it off!) to save energy
-be more cautious of PVC in plastic toys
-take note of and support companies that are environmentally aware (i.e. Did you know that SunChips uses solar energy (70%) to help make their multigrain snacks? It doesn't hurt that my son actually likes the taste too!)
-use a reusable tote (rather than plastic or paper bags) for groceries
(This is the tote that I have. Isn't it cute?! AND it folds into its own little pocket so that I can easily take it with me.)
WON'T:
-only buy local, organic food
-buy secondhand clothes, furniture and appliances
-compost
-make people take off their shoes when entering my home
-use all natural cosmetics and personal care products (like deodorant!)
-give up disposable diapers
If you'd like to enter to win a copy of Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home and Big Green Purse, just leave one of your "wills" and "wont's" in the "Comments" section below (or email them to me at contests@mominthecity.com) by May 31st.
Special Offer: 20% off CollegeQuickJobs.com
Mom in the City readers can type "MOMCITY" at checkout for 20% off their first purchase of contact information at CollegeQuickJobs.com.
"Here's some information on how CollegeQuickJobs.com works:
You create a new account and post a job short-term job like babysitting, dog walking, tutoring, running errands, etc. for free. Students from Columbia, Barnard, NYU and other top NYC colleges will then be able to see your job in our database and apply for it if they feel they are a good fit. Once they apply, you'll be able to see their resumes and their profile picture (if available) for free. If you like what you see, you can purchase the contact information (phone number and email address) of 3 students for $12.99 (and take the 20% discount using MOMCITY). Then, you just call or email the students directly to arrange the final hiring details."
5 Favorite Things (May)
Once again, I can't think of two more things to make 7 (?!)...
1. Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara: My husband and two sons have long, beautiful lashes. I don't. Such is life. Every few months, I try a new mascara. This is my current favorite. It actually makes my lashes look full (with no yucky clumps).
2. Carnival Games by Global Star: I like this Wii game that my son received for his birthday. Of course he beats me at many of the games (he has incredible hand-eye coordination!). I don't take it personally though -- he beats most visiting adults! The only thing that I don't like about this software is that you can't choose a black or brown character to represent you like with the other Wii games. They need to change that. Other than that, it's really fun. (Be forewarned that the carnival game "hosts" talk a lot of trash when you miss/don't win at games.)
3. Bloglines.com: Now, in addition to reading parenting/family magazines and newspapers, I'm really into reading blogs. There are so many great blogs out there that I don't have the time/energy/inclination to visit each of them. This free service is great. You just put in the blogs/news sites/etc. urls that you like and they give you a brief synopsis of current posts. That way, I can skim and see what I really want to read. I love technology!
4. Tabletops Unlimited Swirl Multicolor Pattern: When we were at the Jersey Shore, the place that we stayed had this tableware. It's cute and inexpensive. I found it online at Replacement Ltd.
5. Zappos.com: My four year old son has wide feet (blame me, not his dad). So, when Stride Rite doesn't have any cute shoes for the season in his size (11W), I find myself in a bind. I wasn't having much luck online until I hit shoe pay dirt at Zappos. They had multiple pairs of cute athletic shoes in his size (he, my husband and I all had different favorites - we went with my husband's pick). Of course, after making my pick I did a google search for "zappos coupons". There are none - ever. They don't charge for shipping though, so that (somewhat) makes up for that.
Mommy Mastermind Event
Yesterday, I attended a Mommy Mastermind event entitled " 10 New Tech Things to Try Today: Become More Skilled and Efficient on the Web". While the kids played in the NY Kids Club gym, we parents listened to a presentation by speaker Sree Sreenivasan, WNBC-TV's technology reporter and Columbia Journalism School professor and dean.
It was very informative. It's amazing to see how much FREE open source resources are out there on the web. You can find the handout of the tips here. There were topics for everyone (health, money, real estate, music, blogging, etc.)
The other great thing about attending "networking" events like these are that you get to put faces to names of people that you communicate with online. For instance, I met Jessica from Tot Stops who has sponsored a past Mom in the City giveaway (thanks for the website designer referral Jessica!). I also met another blogger, Kelcey Kintner of the mamabird diaries and her two adorable kids.
(On another note, I liked the club -- so we'll probably be having an event there in the near future!)
April 29, 2008
Movie Review: "Alvin and The Chipmunks"
Alvin, Simon and Theodore are back!!! Perhaps you are like me and loved them when you were a kid. I felt like a kid all over again watching this movie. The chipmunks lose their home to loggers and end up in LA where they run into David Seville, a struggling musician/songwriter. After causing complete havoc in Dave’s home, they get booted to the street, but win him over with their lovable and catchy songs. Dave sees dollar signs all over their singing ability and brings them to his producer, Ian. After their career takes off, Dave begins to realize what is truly important: the stability of this new family and the chipmunks’ well being. You would never believe that in this hilarious ride some really amazing lessons are taught. Not only did my kids laugh the whole time, they also learned the importance of limits, of listening and of love. This is one of the few movies I love to watch over and over again with my kids. There is some mild rude humor, but over all it is a big winner in my family.
(Review by Lesley Thompson)
Lesley Thompson is originally from Houston, TX. She came to New York in 1989 to attend NYU where she received her B.A. in English. She is married to her wonderful husband Marc and is a full-time mom of two boys Joshua and David. Lesley has recently started back down the writing path and is eager to see what the future holds.
Q&As: "Mommy's Little Attachment" & "Talking to Kids About Death"
Because I am a mom and I work as a parenting writer, I get a lot of questions. I'll start answering some of them here on the blog. Following are a couple of recent questions (and answers):
Question #1: My one year old only wants me to hold her. She screams whenever I leave the room (even when someone else is there with her) except for when I leave her with the babysitter. (This is a mom who works outside of the home,)
My answer: "That's normal" (that's part of my answer for almost every question!). She's just going through her "attachment phase". When given a choice, she's going to choose you. Don't worry...she'll grow out of it in a few months.
(My answer was confirmed by a May 2008 Parenting magazine article entitled "When only one parent will do" that you can read here.)
Question #2: How do you talk to young kids about death? (This was actually a question that came up because I didn't attend a wake along with my husband, because I didn't want to have the "death" talk with my inquisitive 4 year old. A mom friend asked me to let her know what I found out about "the talk" because she also has an inquisitive 4 year old.)
Answer: I didn't have one, but the May 2008 issue of Cookie magazine had an article all about responding to five common questions that children ask about death. The article is entitled, "a loss for words". In the piece, common questions were directed towards bereavement specialists/authors Maria Trozzi and Dr. Donna Schuurman. I recommend reading the magazine article (page 90) (I couldn't find a web link.) Overall, "The younger the kid, the simpler the answer" was the prevailing wisdom.
April 28, 2008
A (Tooth) Fairy Tale
I took my four year old son to see A (Tooth) Fairy Tale. Theatre is one of my favorite perks of living in the city and this was such a great little play!
Basically, the story is about a little boy (Samuel) who does not like following rules. After setting a trap and catching The Tooth Fairy, Samuel trades places with her for a while. (The Tooth Fairy was tired of doing the same old thing and needed a vacation herself!) Of course, the role changes lead to some mishaps, but all ends well.
All of the actors and actresses did a great job, but I think that the main reason I liked the play is that the Upper West Side was one of the focal points. (The Upper West Side was the first place that I lived in Manhattan - as a student at Columbia - and it is still my absolute favorite part of Manhattan. If I ever hit the lottery (which I don't play?!) that's where I would live as long as possible!) I also liked the fact that the cast signed the kids' programs after the show.
In any event, if you get the chance, I recommend seeing a Vital Theatre Company production.
Cool Mom Picks; Work it Mom!; Savvy Source; Mommy Mastermind
Following are a few things that I have found noteworthy on the web:
-Cool Mom Picks (a cool site run be at least one cool mom -- I've only met one of them) has put out their second annual Mother's Day Gift Guide here
-Work It, Mom!, a community for working moms, turned 1 in April. Happy Birthday and congrats to Nataly (we were in a Daily News article together) and her team!
-I'm also excited to be attending an event this week being hosted by Mommy Mastermind, a new resource for at-home (and work-at-home) moms with young kids.
and lastly,
-I've been reading a lot of positive things about Savvy Source for Parents lately. It is a site that does preschool ratings and reviews. (I'm so happy that my son Michael already has his "spot" secured for September - yay! I realize that this is only a major accomplishment in NYC/other highly populated urban areas...)
Free and 31 Cent Ice Cream
If your family likes ice cream (like mines!), don't miss the two following events:
-04/29/2008: Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day - Be sure to stop by and get your free cone! (Check their site to find a participating scoop shop.)
-04/30/2008: 31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins - Participating stores will reduce prices of small ice cream scoops to 31 cents in honor America’s firefighters. (At some locations, they will be collecting donations for local fire charities.)
April 26, 2008
Mother's Day Gift Idea: Give Mom a FameSlot
I won't be doing a Mother's Day Gift Guide (there are just too many types of moms who like such a wide variety of things!) but I will highlight cute/unique/fun gift ideas as I come across them.
Here's one that I really like (especially if the mom lives in the NYC area):
FameSlot will help to make May 11th memorable for moms by allowing you to send a photo of mom along with a short message to be shown on the giant Reuters screens at Times Square. (Mom's photo and your message will appear for at least 5 seconds.)
(On a side note, if you type "fameslot discount" into Google before purchasing this gift, you will find a couple of sites offering $5 to $15 discount codes.)
What Type of Mother are You?
Reuters ran a great article entitled "If your mom's your best friend, who's your mother?".
In the article, five types of mothers are mentioned (perfectionist, unpredictable, me first, complete and best-friend). The group that clinical psychologist and author Stephan Poulter finds that is on the rise is "best-friend mothers" who are mothers who want to be best friends with their children. The article points out that these types of moms can mess up boundaries and leave their kids with a lack of guidance. (Of course, Lindsay Lohan's mom is used as an example.)
Personally, I'm not a big fan of labels. I would like to think of myself as a "complete" mom, but then I have to laugh. Complete makes me think of being finished / having arrived. I do my best (like most moms that I know) but I think that motherhood is one area of life that you never "arrive". That's what makes parenting such an adventure to me ...as soon as I have a "system" down, something changes and we're back at the drawing board!
I must agree though that I see a lot of moms who would rather be their kid's friend more than anything else. I do think that is dangerous. Kids need (and want!) boundaries, discipline and direction. I hate when I see young kids running their homes/calling the shots. I'm not trying to be judgmental, but I really do think that parents who allow their kids to do so (under the guise of "friendship") are setting themselves up for some serious head and heartaches when their kids grow up.
Ultimately, I don't think that it's an either/or (parent/friend) decision. I think that if we do our best at being a good parent, then the majority of time we will also be our child's friend (and if not, oh well! Hopefully, they'll have many other friends in life.).
Special Offer: 20% off iPhoto Books
If you could go back to being 20...
Fark.com ran in interesting survey. You can take it here.
The survey question is: "If you could go back to being 20, what characteristic or belief would you instill in yourself to make your life better?"
Wow, for me 20 was almost 15 years ago. I was a sophomore at Columbia thinking that the world was mine's.
Looking back, I wish that I could have made myself grasp the concept of "making the most of every opportunity". I look back and see so many connections/relationships that I could have built/maintained that would have helped me in a variety of ways later in life (i.e. I didn't follow up on calls from Spike Lee's production company regarding a pitch that I had sent them; I didn't follow up regarding working for Dustin Hoffman's office after being his babysitter for a short time, etc., etc. - DUH!). I also see many experiences that I chose not to participate in (primarily travel, which is much easier to do before you "settle down" and have multiple kids).
Then again, who knows? Perhaps if I had made the most of every opportunity then I would have missed out on the life I have now, which would be a tragedy. Remembering my 20 years old self, I probably wouldn't have listened to the (almost) 35 years old me anyway. (Isn't it funny how when you're 20, the 30s seem so old?!)
Baby Couture Magazine
snark·y sarcastic or disrespectful; snide.
Personally, I don't (or at least I try not to) do snarky writing. I must admit though that some writers do it so well (and for the most part good-naturedly) that it makes me howl with laughter.
For instance, Jezebel.com (one of my new favorite sites) has this article entitled Parenting Author, Childless Woman Weigh In On Baby Couture. It is about a new upscale magazine, Baby Couture, which has the slogan, "We put the 'coo' in couture." I love, love, love magazines so I was eager to read their review.
A few of the lines from the article that had me laughing:
-The Editor's letter begins, "I am what I've coined a 'serial miserablist.'" I stopped reading after that.
-Cayden, Aiden, Braydon, Jayden. Will and Jada, look what you started! Please make this whole trend go away.
-Black kid! Redhead kid! Baby Couture is officially more diverse than Vogue.
In any event, I'd still pick up the magazine. I'm sure that I'll find something helpful/useful in it.
April 24, 2008
Back from the Jersey Shore
We just got back home from going on a mini family vacation at the Jersey shore. My husband and oldest son didn't want to come back, but all good things must come to an end.
It's amazing how bonding it is to get away from everything and everyone for a few days and just focus on the family. My oldest son Michael was joined at the hip with his Dad while my baby Sean and I were able to get some one on one time for us. Michael is a (relatively) well mannered kid anyway, but while we were away, he was like "superkid" - no meltdowns, sharing with his baby brother, clearing the table for everyone, etc. (My husband and I kept asking, "Can we take this kid home with us?") It was also fun to see Sean's little personality coming through. He's a little dance machine. He kept turning the dial on the radio and every time that it actually landed on music, he just threw his hands in the air and moved his whole little body all over the place (so cute!).
Our favorite parts of the trip were:
-The Boardwalk: Michael was able to play the live versions of some of the Wii Carnival games that he loves. I was also able to introduce him to the "ancient" game of Pac-man.
- The Cape May County Park and Zoo: This place was by far my favorite family-friendly zoo. All of the animals were so near (yet safe) that the kids could see them up close. It's also easy to walk around and see everything without exhausting the kids. My husband and I were just as excited as Michael and Sean. They also had a reasonably priced cafe area to eat lunch. After, the zoo and lunch, we went to the park (which was equipped for young toddlers to older kids). This place was so great and did I mention that it was free/donations only?! My husband and I kept saying, "It would be so great to have something like this in the city". Of course we have the Central Park Zoo (much smaller), the Bronx Zoo (much bigger - impossible to see everything in a day), etc. but they don't compare.
And
-The food: It may just be that everything tastes better when I don't have to cook it. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful. It's probably good that we're back so that I can go back on my Weight Watchers plan!
In any event, a great time was had by all and it is good to be back.
April 17, 2008
Kids' Book About Plastic Surgery
I recently read a Newsweek article about an upcoming children's book on plastic surgery, My Beautiful Mommy! which was written by Michael Salzhauer, M.D. a board-certified plastic surgeon in Bal Harbour, Fla.
Basically, the pictures and text are supposed to help young kids (ages four to seven) deal with their mom's physical changes. In the book, a little girl goes with her mom to a cosmetic surgery consultation with the goal of mom becoming "prettier" by having a nose job and tummy tuck. The mom also gets a breast job which is shown in the pictures but not mentioned in the writing. (You can see images from the book and a more detailed description at Newsweek.com.)
Granted, there are many women who have these types of cosmetic surgery procedures and who have children that ask questions. However, this book's concept just seems wrong to me. Little girls already have so many negative body image issues being thrown at them from media and society already. I just don't see how mom bringing this book home helps. Am I wrong???
Anyway, this book is supposed to be released on Mother's Day. How ironic -- I guess the author thinks that a cosmetic "mommy makeover" would make the perfect gift. I think not!
April 15, 2008
One Enchanting Movie
I have wanted to see the Enchanted movie since last month, but I couldn't convince my husband or older son to watch it with me. (It's times like these that make me want a girl...or at least to borrow one!)
In any event, after hearing Judi from A Baby Boomer's Life After Fifty rave about the movie while we were on a panel together, I decided to stay up and watch it after everyone was down for the night. I'm so glad that I did. It was great!
I liked how the movie seamlessly combined animation with live action. One moment, it's a traditional Disney fairy tale. Shortly after, the soon-to-be princess (Giselle) ends up in Times Square. All of the live action actors and actresses did a great job, especially Patrick Dempsey (he's so handsome!) and Susan Sarandon (she's one of my favorite actresses anyway).
I won't give away the whole storyline, because I think that in this instance it's more fun to see it unfold without knowing what's going to happen next. I will say that the things that I liked the most were the music. I especially liked "True Love's Kiss" which reminded me of my wedding day -- the first time that I kissed my husband on the lips. I also liked "That’s How You Know" which reminded me to do those special little things to make sure that my husband knows how much I love him. I also liked the ending which was a refreshing girl-friendly alternative to the stereotypical prince saving the "damsel in distress". I highly recommend this movie (even if you have boys and husbands that don't want to see it with you - you'll enjoy it by yourself!).
April 14, 2008
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Day/ The Blur
Last Thursday, I was invited to speak on a panel about bloggers at Johnson & Johnson's Consumer Day. I was psyched because the other bloggers have blogs (A Baby Boomer's Life After Fifty, Notes from the Trenches, and City Wendy) that are much more established than mines. For me, it's always good to be able to learn from people who are farther along than I am in any area of life.
In any event, I took a car service out to Somerset, NJ and had a great lunch. We were on the panel all of a good 15 minutes (if you blinked, you would have missed us) but at least we were able to speak with some of the audience members afterwards. Normally, I would have been annoyed (the travel time ended up being longer than the actual event) but I was able to meet three great bloggers and get some helpful tips...especially from Chris of Notes from the Trenches. (I'm such a rookie - twitter; second life; widgets; bloglines.com; truncating blogs, etc., etc. - I have a lot to learn about blogging!) I was also able to get a good referral for a blog design company. So, I decided that instead of a spa day for my birthday next month, I'll get the blog redesigned (OR I'll convince my husband that this is a legitimate "business expense" and get both
).
April 11, 2008
I Must Be Living Under a Rock
After all of the partying that we've been doing lately, inevitably my kids got sick. With my younger son Sean it was a pretty mild cold (runny nose). Michael (my four year old) had a tougher time. Usually, I let the kids' colds run their course. (I'm not a big fan of medicating kids.) However, this time Michael had a stuffy nose/ sneezing/ a really bad cough/ etc., so my dear husband went to the store to get a multi-purpose cold formula for him.
To my surprise, he called me and said that besides the Vick's Children's Nyquil, the cold medicines recommended doctor approval for kids under six. Since I didn't want to either put my kid to sleep with medicine or bother my doctor, we just got the PediaCare® Children's Long-Acting Cough medicine (since the cough was the thing that was keeping him up). When my husband came home, I started doing some research about cold medicine for kids. (It's still weird to me that you can "knock your kid out" with Nyquil but should not use other cold medicines without your doctor's approval.)
It turns out that back in 2007 a panel recommended that popular over-the-counter cold and cough medicines should not be used for children who are 2 to 5 years old. (There's a great article about it here.)
It simply goes to show that information can be out there but until it applies directly to my life (i.e. kid with a cold), I don't necessarily think about it. (I vaguely remember there being a big "to do" about the panel's recommendation in the news last year.)
Playgarden Playdate
The family playdate last Saturday was fun. PLAYGARDEN really is a nice space. The kids seemed to enjoy the free play upstairs the most. It's funny -- we parents are just happy when our kids are happy. It's also fun to connect with other parents in the same stage of life.
It's always fun to do the giveaways and hand out the goodybags. Two of the little girls were saying "I'm going to win it" about the yoga pad (neither one won). My favorite giveaway was "the priti day" (massage, facial, manicure and pedicure) from priti organic spa. It was the first time that I was tempted to keep a giveaway item for myself! (Oh well, the spa was nice enough to give all of the moms free gift certificates for manicures, so I'm happy about that.) Besides the free manicures, the method all purpose cleaners were a big hit with the moms and the Cranium Bloom games were a big hit with the kids. (Cranium really is a smart company. The kids received "CRANIUM - Let's Go to the Park Seek & Find Puzzle" - my son plays his Cranium games practically every day.) I'm looking forward to our next event so that I can give out their "Lets Play Count & Cook Game".
In any event, from the feedback that I received, a good time was had by all. Below is my favorite shot from professional photographer/Mom in the City member Sissi Hopper.
April 10, 2008
Spring Recess Solutions
(In case you have school-aged kids in addition to your preschoolers, it's good to plan ahead...)
This year, NYC kids will have their spring recess from April 21st to April 25th. Although it’s great for the kids, it can pose a challenge for us parents when the kids get bored. The following resources should help to keep your young ones busy.
-Indoor Recreation Facilities: Recreation Centers (owned and operated by the Parks Department); Community Centers (owned by the Parks Department with programming by community organizations) and Field Houses (seasonal/limited programs at Parks facilities) are available in all five boroughs. They offer a variety of services including indoor pools and athletic rooms, art studios, game rooms and a variety of classes. Most of their programs are free (or a modest cost). Membership for young people (under 18) is free. Two centers with good reputations are Sunset Park (7th Avenue at 43rd Street in Brooklyn) and Tony Dapolito (3 Clarkson Street in Manhattan). You can find a comprehensive list of facilities at http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/recreation_centers/.
-YMCAs: They offer a variety of athletic and social programs for the community at reasonable costs. Located in all five boroughs, they are especially known for teaching people to swim (their aquatics program). Locations of note include the following: McBurney YMCA (125 W. 14th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves. in Manhattan); Harlem YMCA (180 W. 135th St. at Adam Clayton Powell); Prospect Park YMCA (357 Ninth St. in Brooklyn) and West Side YMCA (5 West 63rd St. off Central Park West in Manhattan). For a comprehensive list of YMCAs, visit http://www.ymcanyc.org.
-Parks: As the weather gets warmer, there are more activities (both indoor and outdoor) at parks throughout the five boroughs. Parks properties range from swimming pools to wetlands and from woodlands to skating rinks. Prospect Park (in Brooklyn) will be celebrating Earth Week from April 21 – 27. Central Park (in Manhattan) will be hosting a Spring Discoveries camp from April 21 – 25 where kids will explore the park through rock climbing, sports, nature hikes and arts and crafts. The $250 camp for kids (ages 6 to 11) will take place daily from 8:30 am - 3:00 pm. To find the park of the month, announcements, park events and more, visit the Parks website at: http://www.nycgovparks.org/index.php.
-Museums: This is a great time to take kids to experience a variety of art forms. The New York Hall of Science (47-01 111th Street in Queens) is offering an interactive traveling exhibit “Invention at Play” through May 11. The American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West at 79th Street in Manhattan) has several great offerings that will appeal to kids including Water: H2O = Life, the Butterfly Conservatory and a new space show. In addition, they offer two spring day camps (Fossils and DNA and Water Camp) for children on April 21–25. For younger kids, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (212 West 83rd Street in Manhattan) and the Children’s Museum of the Arts (182 Lafayette Street in Manhattan) offer a variety of hands-on workshops.
April 09, 2008
BlogHer Business Confererence
Last Friday, I was fortunate enough to be a part of a BlogHer Business panel, "We Don't Know What to Do with You". If this type of thing (the busines of blogging) interests you, you can read an overview here.
Overall, it was good to meet a variety of other bloggers including Stefania Pomponi Butler from CityMama and KimchiMamas; Laura Martinez a journalist, editor and AdAge blogger; Kathryn Thompson and Sarah.
April 07, 2008
Updates to "First Birthday Gift Dilemma" Post
FYI: (update of this post)
-Maclaren Volo Stroller and Universal Organizer from Albee Baby:
**4/7/08 update: The stroller did not look like this (which I expected) when I received it. It had a white cover instead. It works fine though.
From One Step Ahead:
-Frog Pod Bath Toy Holder:
**4/7/08 update: I read reviews about this product and the biggest complaint was that the suction cups didn't work/ it kept falling down. At the recommendation of a friend (a Mom in the City's husband) who has the product, I purchased two suction cups to use instead of the ones provided. I haven't had any problems with falling. The ones that I used can be found at http://www.oogalights.com/Giant-Suction-Cup-Wreath-Holder.aspx.
-Secure Transitions Baby Tub:
**4/7/08 update: I'm so disappointed with this item. We had the same (or a similar) one with our older son, but this one just won't inflate (you have to do a portion of it by mouth only and the other portion by mouth or low pressure pump)! As much "air" as we have, I can't believe that we can't inflate this tub?! Although I usually LOVE One Step Ahead's products, I don't recommend this one.
-Frog Pod Bath Toy Holder:
**4/7/08 update: I'm so disappointed with this item. We had the same (or a similar) one with our older son, but this one just won't inflate (you have to do a portion of it by mouth only and the other portion by mouth or low pressure pump)! As much "air" as we have, I can't believe that we can't inflate this tub?! Although I usually LOVE One Step Ahead's products, I don't recommend this one.
"When the Student is Ready..."
You've probably heard the saying, "When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Will Appear". Well, I guess that I'm ready to lose my last pregnancy (yeah, right...my "baby" is 13 months) pounds -- and the "teacher" has appeared in the form of Weight Watchers (?!)
I know -- I couldn't believe it either. So here's what happened. Every three months, I evaluate the last three months and make specific goals for the next three months. (Since my finance days, I've been stuck on a "quarter" system.) Anyway, as I examined the various areas of my life, I felt like (as far as the things that are within my control) things were pretty much on track/going as planned EXCEPT my goal to "be at my pre-baby "fighting weight" before I turn 35 on May 21st". Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I have no outside motivation to lose this last bit of weight. In fact, my mom and husband are like "you might lose your butt if you lose any weight". Well, I'm willing to take that risk!
So, as I was renewing my resolve to lose the weight, I received an invitation to a Weight Watchers event focusing on achieving "a healthier lifestyle that works for you". I figured it couldn't hurt to get a few tips on the food front (since I've decided to go back to what worked for me in the past exercise-wise -- Tae-bo). I'm so glad that I went. Weight Watchers is not (only) the program that I was vaguely familiar with. For one thing (and I apologize in advance to any Weight Watchers), I thought that it was primarily for extremely overweight people. It turns out that it is for them, but it's also for people trying to lose 5+ pounds (like me!). The other two things that I liked were:
1. They now have an online program in addition to the traditional weekly meetings. I am not a meeting person, so I would never commit to attending meetings. I am a computer person, so I like the online option. In my mind, with this option I'm only accountable to myself!
And
2. They now offer two different food plans - flex and core. The flex plan is what I associated with Weight Watchers (counting points). That's great for a lot of people, but I'm just not into counting calories, however it's packaged. I do like their core plan where I can eat as much as I like (within reason of course!) of low-calorie foods.
So, for the next three months, I'm going to be trying their online program. I'll let you know how it goes. Who knows? Perhaps I'll meet my birthday goal after all. (In any event, I'll be healthier based on the effort!)
April 04, 2008
Spring Cleaning
When spring arrives, one of the first things on my mind is spring cleaning. With the weather getting nicer outside, I tend to want to make (extra) sure that my home is nice and clean inside. Most of all, spring cleaning is simply a tradition that many of us have grown up with and enjoy participating in. It’s a chance to “spruce up” our homes by cleaning and organizing it from top to bottom in preparation for the warmer spring and summer seasons.
To help, I’ve included a “Spring Cleaning Checklist”. If (like myself) you get exhausted just reading the list, I’m also including the contact information for the Harlem-based cleaning service that I personally use.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Kitchen: Disinfect countertops, sinks and back splashes; sweep and mop floors; clean the microwave inside and out (including the turntable); clean and organize drawers and cupboards inside and out; clean the stove/oven inside and out (don’t forget the drip pans, burner grates, control knobs and stove vents); clean the refrigerator inside and out; clean and polish other appliances (i.e. the toaster)/ fixtures/ cabinet hardware/ etc.; dust and wipe down baseboards and clean window sills.
Bathrooms: Clean, disinfect and deodorize tile walls, sinks, tubs, showers and toilets; clean and organize the medicine cabinet and other cabinets; clean mirrors; sweep and mop floors (vacuum if carpeted); polish doors handles and other fixtures; dust and wipe down baseboards and clean window sills.
Living Room: Dust and polish wood furniture; dust and clean all electronic equipment and knick-knacks; vacuum fabric sofas and chairs; vacuum floors (sweep and mop wood floors); polish door knobs/face plates/etc; dust and wipe down baseboards and clean window sills. (Also, if you’re fortunate enough to have a fireplace, clean that and your fireplace tools.)
Bedrooms: Launder and change the linens; dust and polish (where necessary) furniture including mirrors, night tables, dressers, and lamps; polish door knobs/face plates/etc; vacuum floors including under beds (sweep and mop wood floors); dust and wipe down baseboards and clean window sills.
Dining Room: Dust and polish furniture including glass and wood tables; Vacuum carpet or area rugs (sweep and mop wood floors); Dust and wipe down baseboards and clean window sills.
Entrance and Hallways: Vacuum floors (sweep and mop wood floors); wash fingerprints from all woodwork, door frames, switch plates, etc.; dust and wipe down baseboards and clean window sills.
All Rooms: Clean the blinds/window treatments; clean the light fixtures and empty wastebaskets. (Windows should also be cleaned, but professional help might be necessary for this task depending on your living situation.) *Also, don't forget to tackle the closets and dressers (that's a whole other article!).
One last tip: “Instead of using the conventional cleaning supplies try using organic cleaning products this spring (go green). Such products are Seventh Generation, Ecover and Earth Friendly. These products do indeed cost more but have great benefits if you are the health conscious cleaner - these products are non-toxic which is good for you and your family.” - Harlem Cleaning Services (the service that my family uses): www.harlemcleaning.com / (212) 678-2348.
- May Giveaway: Barney: Hi! I’M Riff!
- May Giveaway: Bob the Builder: The Three Musketrucks
- May Giveaway: Peeing In Peace: Tales & Tips for Type A Moms
- May Giveaway: Belli Baby Gift Set
- Green As I Want to Be (for now anyway)
- Special Offer: 20% off CollegeQuickJobs.com
- 5 Favorite Things (May)
- Mommy Mastermind Event
- Movie Review: "Alvin and The Chipmunks"
- Q&As: "Mommy's Little Attachment" & "Talking to Kids About Death"
