WHAT PREGNANT???

Sorry I have been MIA, but it has been a crazy few weeks after finding out that I am in deed pregnant with baby #2. As of today I am 16 weeks pregnant, and it is just starting to sink in. It was a total surprise and a happy one at that.

Given that my first pregnancy with Livie took 2 years in the making which included: a MC, an Ectopic pregnancy, months and months of negative pregnancy tests, followed by 3 failed IUI, lots of stress and finally IVF which worked and gave us a beautiful girl. So you can imagine that I wasn't exactly thinking that getting pregnant was going to be this easy for me. You read it in the books, and hear it from friends, but how does one go from being an infertility headcase, to a one-time-bamm-thank-you-mamm pregnant girl? And if you ask me I think it has a lot to do with pure luck and less stress.

As many of us learn the hard way, there are certain things in life that are out of our control (as much as we hate to admit). Pregnancy is one of them. I think that is one of the biggest lessons I have learned through my whole pregnancy trials and tribulations -- we have to learn to let go and let mother nature take charge, but I know that is easier said than done. But if we have to control something, let is be our level of stress.

Lots of stress led me to IVF, and no stress got me pregnant.

Week 16 and counting!

Baby Butts in Skinny Jeans

Today's Wall Street Journal featured a fun read, "Do These Jeans Make My Diaper Look Big?, about the trend of skinny jeans for babies. Everyone from the Gap, Old Navy and American Eagle Outfitters Inc's 77Kids and Little77 are selling them and they are flying off the shelves. While I totally agree that they are so cute for kids, the Gap has them for babies in sizes 0-3 months and 3-6 months, which is just silly.

While I love the style of skinny jeans for kids, I think it is more important that kids can move around easily and feel comfortable. Livie is crawling, creeping and starting to walk and I want her to be able to move freely, so I opted for these denim leggings. They are stylish, trendy and comfortable. Now I just need to find them in my size too.

Am I a bad Wednesday Mom?

Yesterday was Wednesday, my day home with Livie, and the day that Livie falls not just once, but TWICE. Yes, on my watch!

Fall #1 -- A bang and a scream. Livie is flat on her face after falling over her toy. YIKES. Some ice cubes and a few distractions later, she seems fine. Wednesday mom lesson of the day: Stay out of the kitchen.

Fall #2 -- Wet and slippery out of the bathtub and Livie decides this is a great time to poop. While grabbing a towel to catch whatever next was going to happen, Livie slips out of my arms (Don't panic, I was sitting on the floor) and falls and hits her head. YIKES. more screams, more ice and a huge welt on her head. Double YIKES. Wednesday mom lesson #2 of the day: baby first, poop second.

After feeling so guilty for being a bad mom today, I decided that lesson #3 of the day is: thank goodness today is Thursday and mom needs to go back to work.

The word of the day is....

Nothing is more exciting than watching our little ones hit their milestones and Livie, now 13 months, is starting to use her words to communicate. But like any baby girl her age, her vocabulary is building exactly in the right order. Her first words were "mama" and "dada,"followed by "hi," "bye,"... and of course her fifth word is "SHOES." A girl after her mom's heart. OK so it comes out sounding more like "SHHHHH," but her obsession with shoes is undeniable. She points at everyone's shoes. When I come home from work, the first thing she does is point at my shoes waiting for me to take them off and she then picks them up and gives them back to me to put on. Now you tell me, does this girl have her priorities right or what?

On our agenda for next Wednesday? shoe shopping for Livie!

We are Family

Every summer beckons a family beach vacation...and a time to unplug! This week we went to The Bungalow Hotel in Long Branch, NJ (as seen on "9 By Design for all your Bravo addicts).


The weather was hot and it was perfect week for beach and pool time. And our rule for the week -- no blackberries or cell phones during the day! How liberating. It was nice to be playing with Olivia and not have my mind elsewhere, or have one hand reading emails while pretending to be playing with her. It was 100 percent family time, guilt free and FUN. It made me realize now important it is to unplug and focus on our family. You never get those moments back, so when you can, unplug and enjoy them.

The New Ice Breaker...KIDS!

We drove down to Haddonfield, New Jersey yesterday for my friend Melanie's engagement party. Congrats to Mel and Chris! Of course we didn't know anyone there except for the couple and Melanie's parents. But one thing I have learned about being a mom, is kids are the best ice breakers at a party! Let's be honest, without kids, you show up at the party and you don't know a soul and it is always a little awkward to start conversations. It would usually sound something like, "so how do you know Melanie and Chris?" and you get the facts out of the way and decide if this person is worth talking to or not. I feel awkward and dorky just writing it!

But I highly recommend bringing a child with you to your next shindig. I promise they are the best ice-breakers. Even when people don't have kids, they want to come and talk to the child, play with the child and naturally you end up engaging with them in conversation. It is just so more natural and less forced! Then there are other moms with kids at parties. A magnet for conversation. Usually the kids find one another and then the parents connect. Yesterday there happened to be a few kids there, so us moms hit it off and before we knew it, we were sharing pregnancy stories (because everyone has one), discussing kid allergies and work/life balance. It turned out to be a fun party. Olivia had fun playing with the kids, eating guacamole and pasta, and I enjoyed talking to other moms and learning from them. As we all know, every mom has good tips to share!

So the moral of the blog is, when in doubt bring your child or someone else's child to the next party. I promise they wont disappoint.

To Cling, or Not to Cling?

Who stole my child and turned her into a monkey? The day Olivia turned one (literally) she went from being the easiest, go-to-anyone child, to a fussy little monkey who ONLY wants to cling onto mom, as if she is hanging on for dear life. Don't get me wrong, there is part of me that loves feeling so needed, but on the flip-side it would also be nice to go to the bathroom without having to stick my head out the door to reassure her that I am coming right back, as she screams hysterically while crawling over to me. As working moms don't we put enough guilt on ourselves? Extra guilt, bring it on!

But things got progressively worse. I started noticing that my left arm was getting more defined than my right, and I was standing with a slight tilt to the right at all times. I realized it was time to reach out for some help! I needed to get my little monkey out of my arms, but how? and who do you call? Well, who other than the Super Nanny. Luckily for me, my brother is friendly with Jo Frost so she was more than obliging to talk to me and share some of her expert advice, of which I was SO appreciative.

- First of all she reassured me that this is normal for this age. Probably the biggest and most important tip for any mom!
- Second she said it is a phase and it won't last forever. Yes the second most important tip, or maybe even the first!
- Third, she explained that this phase is a big achievement for infants as they are learning "Object Permanence," the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched.

So how to overcome this phase:

- Be a confident parent and speak in a firm confident tone and reassure your child that it is fine for them to be with dad (or whomever).
- Talk to your child, explain what you are doing and reassure them it is fine and you will be right back (ex. Olivia I am going to the kitchen to get a glass of water and I will be right back)
- Play peek-a-boo games that will make her laugh while learning object permanence
- Don't give in. Our instinct as a parent is to pick them up when they cry, but this is counter-productive. Let others hold her and reassure them that they are fine and let them know you are near by, or coming back soon.

My brother was over yesterday and we put it to the test. Simon picked up Olivia and of course she cried for me to take her. I resisted and spoke with confidence and reassured Olivia that she was fine with Simon uncle (his nickname) and after a few minutes she calmed down in his arms.

Thanks Super Nanny!

Our Wednesday Ritual

One of the biggest regrets I had as a full time working mom was not experiencing a music class with Olivia. I know it sounds silly, but as a New York City mom, it is all about the classes, and boy are there classes! From Music Together, Songs for Seeds, Music for Aardvarks, Baby Yoga, Mommy & Me, and MANY, MANY more. Honestly, I was jealous when my nanny would tell me how much Olivia loves her classes. I was missing out. Once I decided to take off Wednesdays as my "mom day," I looked into classes in the Chelsea area that were held on Wednesdays and found Songs for Seeds at Appleseeds. It was named "Best Music Class for Kids 2010" by New York Magazine, so I figured it had to be good!

And as we all know "good" doesn't come cheap in New York. For a whopping $660, you too can go to Song for Seeds. It is crazy, but I have to say, totally worth it! (plus if you sign up early you can get $50 off, which I did) Go Me!

I love Songs for Seeds. It is our Wednesday ritual. The class is upbeat with a live 3-piece band, and fun, interactive activities which make the 45 min class fly by. It is like being in a live television program. Dan runs the class, and he sings and plays the guitar, makes magnet pictures on the wall, spins the animal wheel and hosts magic show. The class moves around the room, the kids get to enjoy instruments, scarves, bubbles, songs, clapping, while moms and nannies sing along to the Songs for Seeds songs as well as modern music that they play each week. Today they played a little Greatful Dead, Oasis and Men at Work (it was Australia Day)!

I just signed up for the fall session (got my $50 off) for another Wednesday class with Livie. I can't wait.

Those Shoes Were Made For Walking...

Olivia is standing really well, which means only one thing is going to happen soon -- walking. Which also means good-bye to couch time for mom and dad, and more importantly time to buy new shoes! As a shoe lover myself, it is only fair that I get my daughter started young. So I went on an online hunt for some great first walking shoes.

My first (and last) stop Zappos. I figured they would have a wide selection, and I was right. I first wanted a good solid shoe and liked a pair from Pediped that are cork design -- oh so fashionable and adorable. I also choose these adorable sandals from Primigi which are silver, need a say more! Then lastly I decided Olivia needed a pair of water shoes to wear to the beach, when we go on our week vacation to the Jersey Shore later this summer. So I bought these fun shoes from Nike that will be perfect to protect her feet from the hot sand.

A Busy Summer Wednesday

It is amazing to look back at your day and see how many things moms do in ONE day. Here is what Olivia and I did today on our Wednesday together:

Breakfast
Nap
Post Office
Music Class
Lunch with friends
Central Park
Home for a snack
Skype with Grandma and Papa
Fresh Direct arrived (unpacked groceries)
Walk and Frozen Yogurt stop (for mom)
Return things at Baby Gap
Quick play date with Natalia
Dinner
Bath
Play with dad
BED!

I think Olivia was asleep before her head hit the mattress -- and I am on my way. It was another wonderful WEDNESDAY MOM and Livie day. What will we do next week? stay tuned!

Great First Birthday Presents

Olivia was beyond spoiled on her first birthday! I know myself, I am always on the search for great gift ideas, so I thought I would share a few of the stand-out gifts she received:


Monogrammed Tote Bag from Ballard Design -- Olivia has the large pink tote with green monogramming and it is adorable, fun for summer and great to use for day or weekend trips.

Egg Baby outfit -- adorable top with matching bloomers. The top has little pockets -- can you get any cuter! Love the design, and soft cotton which is lite and perfect for summer. Both top and bottom run small, so buy a size up.


Bee Bop Band by Battat -- Noisy yes, but fun -- double yes! Olivia loves her band in a box, which comes with lots of fun shakers and things to bang, bang, bang.

Children's Diorama's by Christine Originals -- Olivia received one featuring a Wizard of Oz scene and I absolutely love it. This is a true keep-sake gift and is something a child will have hanging in their room forever.

Baby Walker by PlanToys -- Perfect to give to any pre-walker as it gives them the confidence to take first steps. I love that you can control the speed so it can grow with your child as they gain more control and better balance.

The trip to the doctor or torture chamber?

Today I found a new respect for parents who take their kids to the doctor! It is up there with my feelings toward parents with screaming kids on a plane. My heart goes out to you ALL. I was that mom today -- in the doctor's office with a screaming... and I mean SCREAMING child. This was clearly the moment when a child comes to realize that that man, who lives at this place with a funny looking bed, always hurts me with a needle and I DON'T LIKE HIM. And this happens when they turn ONE! Here I am feeling helpless with a naked screaming child with the doctor trying to tell me what kind of sun protection I should use. I was trying hard to look calm and like I knew this would happen (not!), yet all I could think about was what I had in the diaper bag that would help to calm my child. But at the end of the appointment, my doctor delivered the best line that I not only heard, but it calmed my anxiety and made me laugh out loud. He said "another satisfied customer." well said Dr. Bourne, and I promise once she is old enough for lollipops she will be your best friend again.

For the Mini-Fashionista

We know shopping for our little kids is way more fun than shopping for ourselves, and when I came across the site Pink Chicken. I wanted to buy everything! Just check out the adorable dresses. I wish they had them in my size too! I just LOVE the tunic style which is so light and easy to wear in the summer, and the colors are just gorgeous. The prices are high, but they seem to always have some on sale. So keep it bookmarked.

Happy Summer!

Olivia's First Birthday

Lucky for me, Olivia's (aka Livie's) first birthday fell on a WEDNESDAY -- June 16th, my day off! I can't believe she is ONE. I know every mom says that, but it is true. The year flew by so fast. And when you put it into perspective that you had an alien in your stomach one minute, a new born baby sucking at your boob the next, and all of a sudden you have a little person in your life who moves, reacts, laughs...and it all happens in 365 days. My hat goes off to mother nature!



For Livie's birthday we decided to keep it low-key, after all she is only ONE. So I planned 2 parties -- one for the kids and one for the adults. But trust me, they were still low-key by New York standards. The first was a picnic in the sky (I know so NY) with views of the Empire State Building. It sounds a lot fancier than it really was. It was on the roof-top of our apartment building with picnic blankets on a patch of grass. Yes we have grass on the roof of our building (I know so NY). With eight of Livie's little friends, and their nannies of course, we enjoyed a picnic of mini banana and cream cheese sandwiches, followed by homemade cupcakes which Olivie wore more than ate. The photo opp we were expecting!

The second was this weekend at my parents' house in New Jersey. A family party with a few friends. It was a beautiful summer's day and the pool was warm and we all sat outside enjoying a delicious BBQ. The only downer was the birthday girl. She is going through her teething/clingy or both stage and only wanted to be held my me (have to admit it felt really nice to be so wanted). This is not the usual girl we know who goes to anyone, is always smiling and laughing, but she (and I) made it through the day on my hip and we had fun!

Happy 1st Birthday to my favorite, most delicious daughter Livie!