Meet My New Sponsor (& Score a Discount): Cheerily!

I'm so excited to introduce my newest sponsor here on the ol' blog: Cheerily! And just like the name, this site is a happy place to be, especially if you're shopping for a mama-to-be or sweet little one. The brainchild of Lorna Diwa, a former manager at Google, Cheerily was created to make the art of gift-giving easier & the gifts themselves personal & unique. One quick view of this brand new website & I knew I wanted to help support & spread the word about this woman-owned small business.

While I love the gift selections (hello personalized hoodies & "the snuggle is real" t-shirts!), I ultimately chose to highlight Cheerily's New Mama Care Package for several reasons.

Firstly, a little treat for a mama-to-be or new mother is such a welcome gift. Typically most presents received are for the baby (as they should be, of course...), but speaking from experience, remembering mama during this wild ride of pregnancy & new motherhood will be so appreciated. With free shipping in the US (& only $10 international), the New Mama Care Package contains Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter, a lovely (100% non-GMO) lavender-scented candle & Flying Bird Botanical's Mama's Pregnancy tea. And at $35, it's an affordable price point.

Oh, I almost forgot! Included in the New Mama Care Package is a beautiful card with watercolor pictures of fruit... slowly getting bigger in size. Ha! Cheerily will even hand write your message for you on the card in case you won't be delivering it yourself. I love this feature -- just one more step towards the personal touch.

So, in case you've got a beautiful prego friend or new mama or baby in your life, I've got good news: Cheerily would like to extend an offer of 15% off purchases on their site with code BABYMEETSCITY -- until the end of the year! Happy shopping, friends, & support small, woman-owned businesses if you can!

a new day

If you notice the time period between the last post and this one, you'll realize pretty quickly that we now have a baby on our hands! How is it that one little person can change your life in an instant? Sounds rather dramatic to put it that way, but it's absolutely true.

Baby S arrived at NYU Medical Center at 2:45am on October 13th-11 days after her due date (clearly she gets her "fashionably late" side from me). I will spare those reading the labor & delivery experience... sufficed to say, it was challenging and a real test of my strength and patience. While I'm not looking to repeat it anytime soon, the end result (sweet little baby & Husband's perma-grin) made it more than worthwhile. That, and the truly amazing since of accomplishment-- bringing a child into the world has made me feel empowered; fearless. We're experiencing a different, all-encompassing kind of love that has, without a doubt, changed us for the better. Becoming a mom has made an already sentimental person a big pile of mush... and I wouldn't change a thing. Let the adventure begin!

700 square feet

To live in a Manhattan apartment, one must be creative above all else. Patience is key. For most of us who migrated to the big city, a house and a yard were the norm. Closets actually had room for all your stuff (shocking, I know) and words like "pantry" and "guest bathroom" were part of your vocabulary. Knowing this when you move, you are willing to let those things go because, quite frankly, it's worth it to be a part of this amazing city. At least I think so. I also understand that there are those who get fed up... we've all had our moments, right? Our kitchen comfortably fits all of one person, and I can't get my closet door open without banging it against our bedside table. Mmm... since my temperature is quickly rising, I'll get to the point. Where oh where will we put Baby S when he/she arrives?

Our one bedroom apartment is approximately 700 square feet, but we are fortunate to have an extra "half" bedroom of sorts. I suspect a wall was put up at one point to divide the bedroom in half. Husband's apartment at first, he lovingly referred to the space as the "den/office." Ah, word play. "Storage for our miscellanious junk" is more like it. Like any reformed pack rat will tell you, it is beyond easy to hold on to things you don't need. Of course, some of the items we do actually use, but at best just once a year (camping equipment and Christmas decorations, for example). As I've grown bigger and bigger, we've begun throwing out, selling on Craigslist and organizing the leftover junk. With a few months to spare, we've moved our remaining items to a storage space at Manhattan Mini Storage.

With the room finally empty, we've started prepping the space for baby. Since we're on a budget, I've tried to re-purpose what I can... we resurrected a bookshelf, and I moved my dresser into the room (using the top as a changing table to conserve space). With new knobs and a fresh coat of paint it's ready to go! Husband painted the walls a neutral yellow despite contesting the fact that yellow is indeed neutral. A dear friend of mine came for a visit and painted a beautiful mural on the wall. As soon as the crib was put together, the room became all too real. It's no longer just a room but a bonified nursery.

All we need now is a baby.

a few more pre-baby musings

While I still have the time to string a thought together...

Am happy to report that (on average) 7 times out of 10 I'm given a seat on the subway... I'd say the majority of the time from men, which may be suprising to some. Of course, there are the obvious examples of "New York rude," as my father-in-law would put it. On one occasion, as I make my way through a crowded bus, I am stopped only by two elderly ladies, asking if I'd like their seat. Let's also not forget the two Wall Street types on the subway, who blatently ignored my protruding stomach, in line quite perfectly with their rimmed eyeglasses. Lady standing next to me leans over and says, "Their wives would be so ashamed." Ah, well.

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Pregnancy brain is real. Ask Husband.

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Quotes from the street:

A homeless lady began to ask me for a hand out the other day, but when she noticed my stomach, only said, "Save your money for the baby." A classic NYC moment, from a pregnant woman's perspective.

The Pakistani man who operates the fruit stand by my office tells me this baby is "a gift." I agree.

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Random strangers asking if I'm carrying twins. Not happy about this. For the record, the answer is no.

a blog prologue

So... Baby S hasn't actually arrived yet. With less than a week before my due date, Husband and I are finding it pretty hard to think about anything else but Little One's impending arrival. Looking around our cozy (translation: tiny) apartment, I still find it hard to believe that there will be another person joining us soon... but the SUV stroller (on lend from a very generous friend), swing, perfectly sweet crib and old dresser converted into changing table beg to differ. Oh, and the fact that the stomach and I can't get off the couch unassisted.

We are beyond excited while nervous/anxious/overwhelmed at the same time; can you tell we're first time parents? Just referring to myself as the "M" word is a tough one to tackle. Oh, the responsibility... the decisions... the worry that will manifest once this child appears. Whew. Husband reminds me to breathe and hormones prevent me from thanking him for this sage advice.

There are plenty of people who've wondered aloud HOW ON EARTH we could possibly raise a child in the Big Apple. This does wonders for the confidence, let me tell you. I do understand, however, that unless you live here it would be difficult to imagine. I have to mention that the sheer number of strollers on the street causes me to sigh in relief... and no, I don't think I ever noticed their abundance until I became pregnant. The truth is, I do feel that despite the obvious "spacial issues" and traffic noise that may indeed keep the baby from sleeping at times, I think NYC is a very livable city for families. I look forward to taking our child to the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, to book fairs and Broadway shows. He/she will grow up with an understanding of other cultures just by virtue of living in the melting pot that is New York City. That makes me happy. Now, it's entirely possible that we'll get fed up with the lack of space and begin to actually yearn for a lawn mower, driveway and close proximity to Target. It is possible. But for now, in this time and place, we are urbanites looking for the best way to raise our baby in this great metropolis.

The adventure will begin soon... and I do believe (hope) we're up to the challenge.