OUR FIRST TIME OUT ON THE TOWN (NYC MOMS BLOG)

As a new mama, there are many things I underestimated about going out on the town: 

* the size and weight of the necessary diaper bag (how do a few disposables weigh so much?)  * the complicated workings of the Snugli (we had to look up a video tutorial of how to wear it!)  * the difficulty of deciding how to dress our baby for the winter weather (layers, layers, layers)  * the challenge of what to do when you need to change a diaper and there's seemingly no where to do it  * the first real crying when she got hungry and mom didn't feel comfortable breastfeeding on the subway

And the most pressing thought of this new mother... "When it's cold outside and the Barnes & Noble isn't open yet and there are no seats in the Starbucks, what do we do for an hour on a Sunday morning in Greenwich Village while waiting for church to start?"

CLICK HERE to read my full post at NYC Moms Blog

A RARE "POST"

They're few and far between... the posts where I will recommend and actually quote something from The Post:  the New York Post, that is.  Normally it's a paper that turns my stomach - and the only time you'll catch me looking at it is if someone happened to leave their copy on the subway and the crossword puzzle page is still available for my handy pen. 

HOWEVER!  I find myself quite pleased by the recent positive buzz given to a new musical at one of my favorite off-Broadway theatres.  CLICK HERE to read the blurb.  Smile with me over the words, "Whatever its fate, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS is Kander, Ebb and Stroman at their best. Which is to say, it's a major American musical."  And then try to remember, like I am trying to do, that this infamous columnist isn't always that bad.

"ON THE MAP"

It's a rare moment when you can actually watch someone slowly turning into a star.   From the first time I saw this amazing actor's portrayal of Haywood Patterson, during a staged reading of Kander and Ebb's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, it was like a 3-D visual of the phrase "that's the show that put him on the map". 

Get a glimpse of Brandon Victor Dixon's performance in this video on my good friend's blog.  And then run like the wind to Vineyard Theatre and buy a ticket... if there are any left!

LADIES NIGHT

While my beau stayed late at work one night this week, a good friend came over to hang out with us & we had a delightful ladies night.  She took these sweet pictures.  And - aside from the many hours of baby talk - we chatted about vegetarianism, veganism, theatre, work, family, relationships... 

After a few days of being alone at home all day with my baby girl, it was SO nice to have some grown-up girl conversations, too.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

LENT

Last year for Lent, I gave up alcohol.   Those 40 days morphed into 10 more months as I prepared for the coming of our baby girl... and as I'm the sole provider of our daughter's nutrition, it's still a rare occasion that I enjoy a full bodied shiraz.  (And I do enjoy it!)

As I wrote a year ago, I choose to give up something for Lent not because of the religious dogma but because I love the idea of setting aside something special during this time before Easter - giving something up, or doing more of something, or simply creating a daily act that allows me to remember that I'm part of something bigger.

But with all the new-ness in my life right now, and especially the new responsibilities revolving around my child, I can't seem to think of anything significant to do for Lent.  I guess what I mean is that I feel like I've already done something so significant (and I marvel at it every time I look at that baby girl) that deciding to "give up chocolate" or the like seems mundane in comparison.

And there are some things I'm giving up by having her.  And I am definitely doing more of something.  And every day she reminds me that I'm part of something bigger.   Perhaps my daughter is my Lent.

NEWBORN AGE OF TECHNOLOGY (NYC MOMS BLOG)

"My newborn daughter is growing up in an age of technology that is almost beyond my comprehension:  in the first seven days of her young life, we already acquired over 300 digital photos of her (and those are the good ones we didn’t automatically delete!) and around 50 short videos to capture her first “coos”.  She has her own website (created on the iMac by her gadget-loving father) and it boasts four mini-documentaries, like “My First Superbowl” (complete with NFL theme music and cool graphics), and the two short clips “My First Hiccups” and “Daddy’s First Poopie Diaper”.  All in just the first seven days... and there's surely more to come.  As new parents, it’s as if we’ve created the ultimate overindulgent wallet portfolio – so instead of going back to work and letting the multi-fold plastic photo album waterfall out of our pocket books, we can direct curious colleagues to her fully functional website so they can experience our daughter almost as intimately as if she were right in the same room."

CLICK HERE to read my full post at NYC Moms Blog

NYC MOMS BLOG

It's official.  I'm part of the NYC Moms Blog.  New York mamas writing about what seems to be a most challenging thing:  parenting in the Big Apple.  (Well, let's be honest now - parenting anywhere is a challenging thing, right?)  I'll be posting here at least twice a month... and I'll be sure to link the posts to this blog so you can share in the fun. 

CLICK HERE to see the About Us page, where all the bios are.  You'll have to scroll down to the bottom to get to mine, as we lovely ladies are listed alphabetically by first name.  I'm excited to be part of this group of NYC moms :)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

1st POSTNATAL DATE

While my parents are here for the next few days, joining us for the joys of newborn-baby-hood, my partner and I are indulging in their extra help and taking tonight to have our first "date night" in a few weeks... 

I want to hold his hand.  And kiss his face at the table over dessert.  And talk about things that just have to do with the two of us.  And take at least the few hours we have alone together (before the feeding schedule mandates our return to the apartment) and live in the deep pools of his eyes - where I fell in love.  

Although it already feels like a forbidden stolen moment away from our two-week-old baby girl, I can't wait to focus all my attention on her amazing daddy.

THE GIVING TREE

I loved this book as a kid.  It's somehow so sad and so happy at the same time. And right now, I'm enjoying the soft sounds of my partner's voice as he reads this book to our 2-week-old daughter.  He's so gentle with her, so tender.  He swells with a love that is both protective and vulnerable every time he holds her.  Spying on that - listening in from the next room - is one of my new favorite things to do.  Witnessing their precious relationship deepens my love for them both.

VALENTINE'S DAY

My partner and I decided not to do Valentine's Day gifts... even though it was our first V-Day together.  We already gave each other a beautiful baby - what more could flowers or a box of chocolates add to that amazing present?  He did "break the rules" by getting me a card, but since it was filled with sweet writings of our cherished love, I'll let that one slide :) 

Since the day a middle school "boyfriend" showed up on my porch bearing a heart-shaped box of chocolate covered cherries (which I thought were gross - I mean, why ruin a good piece of chocolate by putting fruit in it?), I've never been too big on Valentine's Day.   I find it interesting that no one seems sure of how the holiday began... and the "Saint Valentine" whose feast day is on February 14th is so unknown that the only real facts about him are that he was a martyr who was buried just north of Rome on that particular day.  But I do like that the day gives people a chance to show their love to one another - even if it is just a "Hallmark Holiday".  And I also enjoy other people's thoughts on the day - especially this post from a good friend.

GRANDMA & GRANDPA

Our baby girl gets to meet her Grandma & Grandpa Ayers for the first time today!  She has no idea what she's been missing, having not been hugged and snuggled and cared for by them yet.  But I do.  

And frankly, it's been quite difficult for me to wait this long for my parents to finally meet my daughter.  I know it's been hard for them, too.  But one of the things I seem to have inherited from my parents is a great deal of patience - and that, coupled with the old adage that "good things come to those who..." has kept me level-headed for these past two weeks; knowing that when granddaughter and grandparents finally lay eyes on each other, it will be well worth the wait.

BIG DAY OUT

We took our first family trip outdoors with the 10-day-old babe.  We looked up a video to show us how to wear the Snugli.  We dressed in layers.  We buttoned our coats over the little one to keep her warm from the wintry winds.  We went to the pediatrician and learned that we're incredibly healthy.  We went to Walgreens and bought lots of little travel bottles of Purell.  We had lunch at Europa Cafe and ate delicious crepes.  We got fussy & hungry on the subway down to Union Square - but Dad distracted us with a bouncing rhythm, much to the pleasure of several older women on the train who cooed at us.  We spent a few life-saving minutes in the Mother's Room at Babies R Us (good to know about that breastfeeding/changing table hideaway!).  And we visited our friends at Vineyard Theatre. 

Whew!  A big day out for all of us - but I think this Mama was the most exhausted of everyone.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Hoping on the "Wordless Wednesday" train.  

"On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title. The idea is that the photo itself says so much that it doesn’t need any description."

FACEBOOK LOVIN'

99 new comments... and counting.

Thanks to everyone for the facebook lovin'.

HOME

We brought our daughter home today.

So many amazing things are held within those 6 words.  It could easily be one of my "6 word stories".  

We're a WE.

We have a child.

Not only a child - a daughter.

We brought her home.

We have a home together with her.

Our family's home.

What she will always know as her first home.

Her first day in our home.

She seems perfect here.

As if she were always meant to live here.

With us.

And we with her.

We brought our daughter home today.

Amazing.

PRIVILEGE

It's an awesome feeling to be inspired by the one you love. 

And now, an even greater awe-filled feeling to be inspired by TWO. 

GRACE

“There’s only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.”

- J.C. Bridge

Welcome to our family, Grace.

We love you so much and it's only been one day!