this & that

Grandmama & Granddaddy K are in town for a visit to see me, Husband & Baby S.  Nanny A has the rest of the week off, so G&G K reported for duty at about 8:15am this morning.  After running down the list of "she likes this" & "don't let her touch that," Husband & I headed off to work.  My mom would be raring to go as soon as she had her coffee and my dad just looked slightly bewildered.  Sufficed to say, they are in for a different experience than the last time they saw Baby S, as she was not yet crawling then (or exploring every nook & cranny of our apartment on a daily basis).  Side note: sometimes living in a small space has its advantages.

Their plan for the day involves going to visit a couple of our neighborhood parks, hitting Chelsea Market for lunch and walking on the Highline.  Not a bad day at all... and if G&G K get turned around, it's a good thing they're hanging out with a local.

a mother's day rookie

I chose not to post on Mother's Day, precisely because I wanted to limit my computer time and spend it with the people who, well, made me a mother in the first place. Deserving of that praise is, of course, the one-and-only Husband and pretty darn cute Baby S. I can say that, right? My first Mother's Day was a pretty relaxing and near-perfect one, with flowers and chocolate croissants making an appearance, zero poopy diapers changed (Husband took over on that one), and the music of my choice played in the background. We talked to our own mothers and wished them a happy day, a bit more in earnest this year, now that we've joined them in the ranks of Parenthood.


We strolled over for a yummy brunch at Moran's, and, well thought out on their part, they put us in a room with all the other families with young children. Thus, we didn't bat an eye when spoons went flying off tables (new Baby S game... picking up anything within reach and flinging it as far as her little arm can swing) or with the sound of glass breaking behind us. We only cringed and felt relief that it wasn't our kid who'd just dumped over a perfectly good bloody mary.

Later in the day, there was a replaying of Baby S delivery videos (taken with our handy dandy Flip Mino camera - you're welcome for the free publicity, Flip!). Quite frankly, I don't look at them as adoringly as Husband does. I feel sort of guilty about this. Unfortunately, when I think of Baby S' appearance into the world, all that comes to mind is PAIN. PAIN. PAIN. PAIN. Intense PAIN. I would love to be one of those mothers who talks about what a beautiful experience childbirth is... but I'm just not there yet. Ask me again in a year when Childbearing Amnesia has set in and I begin to consider Baby S 2.0.

Until then, as we periodically tune in to the arrival of one pretty darn cute Baby S, I will enjoy watching Husband tear up as he sees her grab his finger for the first time. And I will know, every time I look at her, what it's like to be the mom celebrated on Mother's Day.

i'll have the pureed zucchini, please

In short, Baby S is not taking to solid food. I'll leave the less-than-thrilling details out, but sufficed to say, she's not a fan. At all. And we have the stains to prove it. The general advice, after checking the Internet and talking to family/friends and anyone who will listen seems to be "try, try again." Ugh... though nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose? We'll keep foraging on, with images of a pea-covered-Baby S dancing in our heads. We'll need those photos to embarrass her with when she's a teenager, of course.

When we DO finally convince her that the world of semi-adult food isn't all that terrible, I want to try out GustOrganics, an organic restaurant here in NYC. Not because I'm all that healthy a consumer (let's face it, after a less-than-pleasant Baby S throwing up experience on Saturday, Husband and I felt we deserved Lucky's Famous Burgers for dinner).

No, on this dining out occasion with Baby S, we'll be ordering her baby food off the menu. That's right, off the menu. And it won't be in a jar, either. There's baked squash. Tenderloin beef puree. Macaroni. Lest we forget dessert, there's Banana & Dulche de Leche. All made with 100% USDA certified organic ingredients (and they deliver, too). That last little nugget officially falls under the category: Why Didn't I Think of it First? You can find the detailed menu here.

I can't imagine this would be a weekly outing (it's rather expensive & the word 'messy' comes to mind), but I do think it would be fun to try once. After all, Baby S does get quite curious when we're in a restaurant and she sees us eating. I think this time I'll be the one curious about her food...

3 days

I've decided that having a long weekend is a blessing and a curse... I loved having the bonus time with Baby S, yet having Friday off made it that much harder to leave her today. Difficult to articulate. It was a great weekend, though, so dwelling on any existing funk will get me all of nowhere...

Just needed a moment to pout, I think.

I'll refrain from making the sad face emoticon here. You can thank me later.

On Friday, we checked out a baby exercise/music class nearby at Chelsea Studios, led by Dionne Kamara. I was a tad skeptical, but Nanny A had taken her a couple weeks ago and raved about the class, so I didn't want to miss out on the fun.

A couple quick observations:

When I entered the room and saw everyone in their bare feet, I took a moment to thank myself for that much-needed pedicure I got last weekend.

Baby S and I sat between two little cuties named Brody and Jagger. I tried not to think of The Hills and tight leather pants.

The class basically consisted of a few dances, sing-a-longs, tummy time/baby massage and a little tambourine shaking. It was hilarious watching the other babies react to each other and to the parents/caregivers dancing around with them. Honestly, if I hadn't had a baby on my hip I would have been mortified by all the parental dancing going on, including my own. Whew. Dodged a bullet there.

Dionne was really a treat... very mellow, and at the same time, a great leader. You can tell she really believes in what she does and loves every minute of it. I could have done without the floor length mirror reminding me of that extra 15 ten pounds I need to lose, but all things considered, Baby S and I had a great time.

Yesterday, Baby S got a pretty awesome Easter basket, which I enjoyed filling up the day before. Husband is a little bummed I didn't include those egg-shaped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but we're working past it. We ventured out to a community Easter egg hunt at the General Theological Seminary, which is a few blocks away from our apartment. Their grounds are absolutely lovely and truly made for an egg hunt. We went for a photo op and to give Baby S some pointers for next year. She'll be on her A game by then, I have no doubt.

review: to market, to market...

It's no secret: I could gush about Chelsea Market all day long. I get all giggly and happy when I pass through the front doors, so much so there might be blushing involved. Reminds me of the school girl crush I had on a young Kirk Cameron (and we'll just leave that one where it is).

Not only a foodie paradise for picking up on the go (there's a fabulous seafood market, meat co., fruit exchange & wholesale Thai shoppe) there's several sit-down restaurants, bakeries, chocolate shops, a gelateria, kitchen supply store, and bookstore. To name a few. I'll just say it: Chelsea Market is a mecca for all things yummy. With the addition of Anthropologie and an open space that routinely houses sample sales (Baby S scored two adorable Jacadi outfits last month), you can now add to your wardrobe as your waistband expands from eating too many brownies at the Fat Witch.

In the winter months, Chelsea Market was a great place to go on a stroll with Baby S. True, fighting the crowds is kind of a pain (others apparently share my mad love for the place), but, hitting the market at just the right time (going early is best) - minus the crowds - makes for a really enjoyable time with the Little One. Speaking of Baby S, there is storytime on Sundays (11:30am & 2:30pm) at Posman Books. We haven't been yet but look forward to taking her soon.

Side note: it's only fitting that Chelsea Market is also home to our go-to morning news channel, NY1, the highlight being the dry wit and delivery of "In the Papers," by news anchor Pat Kiernan.

This past weekend, I checked out the new Limelight Marketplace. Only in NYC could a former church become a nightclub... and from a nightclub, a place to shop. First impressions? Well, going on a Sunday afternoon was not the best idea I've ever come up with. The place was packed with people just shuffling around in a daze, looking overwhelmed at best. I didn't see a whole lot of actual shopping going on. I did, however, run smack dab into a lady who was doing the same thing as I was, staring at the stained glass windows which they managed to preserve from the original structure. There is no question: the place is beautiful. It's also tiny, and I would recommend leaving the baby at home... definitely not stroller-friendly. The stores, among them Le Sportsac, Soapology and Hunter Boots, are more like little stands, with just a few items to choose from.

I was curious to see the cupcake shops (it's always about the food, what can I say...) Cupcake Stop and The Little Candy Cake Co. did not disappoint... the presentation is just lovely. It's too bad I couldn't actually sample anything as I had to stand 5 people deep away from the counter. All in all, I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland... suddenly 10 feet tall, stepping into a miniature world full of all things pretty and out of reach.

Synopsis? Bring your entire family, stroller and kitchen sink to Chelsea Market for shopping, eating and hanging out (take a walk on the Highline afterwards). Go out with your girlfriends to the Limelight for "window" shopping and checking out the food booths (a 24 hr Grimaldi's pizza is opening soon).

Mmm... enjoy!

Baby's First Brunch at The Half King

New Yorkers and the weekend brunch are as instinctual as a moth to a flame. Or, in the case of this blog, Baby S to my boob (too much information?) Husband and I were brunch pros long before Baby S came along. We had our standard neighborhood haunts, knew when to arrive to avoid a crowd and could spot a 'prix-fixe with drink included' sign a mile away. Looking back on those erstwhile days, I'm fairly sure we took each culinary outing for granted.

photo credit: www.kellyinthecity.com

For the past few months, mimosas and eggs benedict have been on the *ahem* back burner. Between the arrival of winter and a certain bambina, we've rediscovered our oven and Menupages. The results haven't been half bad, despite a little something we're calling The Blackened Waffle Incident.

This past weekend, we decided to venture out for our first sit-down meal with Baby S in NYC. We didn't go far, and yet, for some reason, it felt like we were miles away. The Half King is a block from our apartment and on the weekends serves a hearty brunch with included alchoholic beverage (after 12 due to NY state law). Getting through the front door with a stroller is simple as there are no steps. Hurrah! The main dining room is large and the two aisles are big enough to get a stroller through without attracting a lot of attention. We arrived at 11am and there were probably less than 10 people in the restaurant at that time. While that may be a bad sign to some, it's more likely that the neighborhood hadn't woken up yet. We noticed at least two other families dining while we were there, which added to the comfort level for us. (Side note: weather-permitting, there is an adorable outdoor garden with tables, though it's considerably smaller than the main dining area).

While we chowed down, Baby S sat comfortably in her stroller. Eventually falling asleep, she awoke only when the bill arrived at our table. Too bad she's too young to pick up the check...

2 thumbs up for The Half King.