Little Miss Party Planner

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Spiderman climbs out of his crib...

My husband and I went away for a few days a couple of weeks ago.  We left the LM with my in-laws as we always do when we travel and he has the best time with them.  When he was back at home we tried to go on with our normal routine but the LM wasn't acting like himself.  He was crankier then usual and he was not sleeping his regular 12-13 hours.  He was waking up during the night screaming his face off and was not going back to sleep without someone coming in to console him.  This is not our normal routine.  We never go into his room during the night.  If he wakes up we give him a few minutes to cry it out and then he always falls back asleep.  Well this madness went on for two weeks before I emailed my pediatrician and asked what was going on?!  He told me that the LM must be having separation anxiety and I should not have gone in to his room during the night.  I "broke my contract" with the LM.  I was pretty distraught to hear this as I worked very hard to get LM sleeping through the night when he was a baby and have not had any issues to date.  So I followed the doc's orders and let him cry the next night when he woke up.  Then the following night he didn't make a peep…followed by an evening of him waking up 5 times in one night but again, I did not go in.  

Then the inevitable happened…two nights ago he awoke at about 1am.  I still have a baby monitor so I turned it on to see what was happening because he had been crying for 45 minutes straight.  After a lot of screaming and a face full of tears he threw his foo foo onto the floor.  I thought this is it.  He's not going back to sleep for the night.  Well boy was I in for it…as I watched him on the monitor he held onto the rail of the crib, climbed up with his little Spiderman legs and did a summersault OUT of the crib onto the hard wood floor.  I made a mad dash into his room to make sure he was ok and then had my husband put him back to bed as I was too shaken up.  I called good ol' Doc G the next day and he told me since I'd gone a few nights without going into his room LM figured he better go and find me.  He then told me, its time for a big boy bed.  Um, my child is not even two yet!  Is this normal?  From what I read online…totally.  I had asked Doc G if I should use the net that they sell to put onto of the crib so that children can't get out and he said "if you want to put your child in prison".  I said, no.  No I do not want my child to be in prison.  I'd like him to live a normal life!  Then I said we have a room with twin beds but it's on the main floor of the house.  Is that OK?  And should I baby proof the door handle so he can't get out?  Yes that's absolutely ok and why don't you just hand cuff your child to the bed? He said.  Oh Doc G.  His point:  train your child to understand the bedtime routine as a normal person would go about it.  If he gets up and walks around and doesn't sleep, so be it.  Eventually he's going to be so tired he's going to go back to bed but you need to let him figure it out.  He also explained we need to make it a fun and exciting experience for the LM by using sheets with a favorite character, stuffed animals that he's attached to, reading stories and creating a fun room for his "big boy bed".  

To start we put the LM down in the twin bed on the main floor for a nap.  We brought in his stuffed frog animal and tucked them in together.  We read a few books and had a chat about sleeping in a special big boy bed.  He slept for two hours and did not get up or out once.  At night we put a mattress on the floor in LM's room and cozied it up with his frog, sleep sheep pillow and a very yummy blanket.  It took LM about 20 minutes to fall asleep while I waited by his side and then we didn't hear from again until 5am….at which point he screamed so loud I thought he would be without a voice in the morning.  We stuck to our guns and did not enter his room once.  We believe he fell asleep on the floor around 5:45am and later woke up for good at 6:30.  Not too shabby for his first night where there was such a major change to his routine. 

I'll tell you this…it's going to take a little while to make this adjustment along with a boat load of patience…feels like he's a baby all over again, but he's not…he's growing up and becoming a big boy.  Oy!

Code red: Foo Foo

If you're not a family member or close friend of mine…you're probably wondering, what the heck is a "foo foo"?  It's a made up name for a baby's blanket (aka a security blankie).
When my sister was a baby she had a foo foo a term my mom made up and it's stuck around ever since.  So when LM was born we had a close friend give us a gift which was a little blue blanket.  It was a felty material on one side and a silky material on the other.  She told me that I should sleep with the blanket for a few weeks before giving it to the LM so it would smell like me.  I did just that and gave it to him around 4 months old.  Well it was like a little piece of miracle fabric…every time he had it in hand he would instantly put his thumb in his mouth and calm.  From that point on he was hooked…and so was I.  We never left the house without the foo foo and I actually ordered a few extra to keep on hand…
As LM grew and got older and wiser he started playing a game where he'd throw the foo foo and cry till you picked it up.  I quickly learned of these snap strings that they sell at buy buy baby which I attached to his car seat and stroller to avoid this sticky situation.  Well guess what?  He has now learned how to unsnap the foo foo from this gimicky string…
So yesterday we were having a fabulous day.  We went to the park and had a lovely lunch at Shake Shack while enjoying the absolutely gorgeous weather.  On the walk home the LM got a bit antsy to my surprise since he was well fed and it was nap time…and wanted out of the stroller.  I went to pick him up and noticed - the foo foo was GONE.  I frantically turned around to try and find it and I could not see it on the dirty streets of NYC anywhere.  Normally this wouldn't be a huge issue because I would go home and pull out one of my extras…but over the past few months we had lost two and the one extra…was at the house, in the laundry.  Oh My Lord I thought.  I'm dead.  DEAD!
We get home and I immediately call the company who makes this foo foo - comfort silkie.  I ask if they can be found anywhere in NY.  They say NO.  I ask can they ship over night?  They say YES. Thank you lord.  So I ordered 4 to ship overnight and called back after placing the order online to ensure the package would ship…and got a tracking number.
As nervous as I was…we made it through the night without the foo foo but I'll tell you this…it was touch and go and god bless the comfort silkie package that arrived today because boy LM was happy to be reunited with his little friend…and so was I.

That's right…he wears it on his head as well as uses it to comfort his soul…hey, what can I tell ya?

Gardening with the LM

My new favorite mommy and me activity is gardening.  What great fun for the LM!  He really gets involved by shoveling the dirt, helping me plant and watering the flowers.  Today we planted hydrangeas.  Super easy and they look absolutely stunning!

LM took great care of each plant that we put in the ground by going around giving all the flowers a really good drink of water...

He then took a sip of the water for himself…just to make sure it was OK for the flowers.

And voila!  End results…though we'll be planting one more to even the garden out on the right.

For the kids - this turtle tote set is fantastic from Melissa and Doug.  

A father's day surprise from Photo Op

So back in May when it was Mother's day…I received an email from one of the mom sites that I subscribe to regarding a promotion for a free session at this new place up town called Photo Op.  I immediately called and was one of the first.  So I got a free sitting and 2 prints.  Not too shabby!

I strapped on LM and went up to this little store front which was easy to get to on the subway.  One of the perks that they advertise is the clothing that they offer to dress your children in, mostly being from Crewcuts which I love!  They had tons of great options for little girls, but not a whole lot for boys.  And they weren't overly encouraging with the dressing up so I just went with the outfit I brought.  I didn't plan that great and brought an outfit that was somewhat boring…though I did bring a tie to throw on just for fun. They snapped a few shots on site and then we walked across the street to the park to take some more.  It was really nice and the two girls shooting were sweet.  I had to do a lot of the work in getting the LM to laugh and pose and it wasn't easy, more work then I thought would be involved.  But the shots turned out pretty nice.  It only took a couple of days to receive my photos online.  I went through all of them and then got in touch to order my free prints.  I ordered a couple extras but not many as they are quite pricey…$40 a pop for 5x7.  It was well worth the look on my husband and father in law's faces when I gave them their framed prints for father's day yesterday…they were excited to have updated, professional and adorable looking shots of the LM to put on their desks at work.

Check em out…

Photo Op

442 Columbus Avenue

New York, NY 10024

(212) 362-1911

To the most incredible father…and father-in-law...

To my husband…you make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me happy, you are my life.  I love you.  LM and I could not be luckier.
To my hubby's dad…thank you for treating me like your daughter.  LM makes me so proud every time I see him with you.  No amount of warmth, respect and love could be too much between you both.
We love you.

Project Veggie Garden

I've always wanted my own vegetable garden and this weekend I completed this goal of mine.  I planted, for the first time!  I was super nervous since I had no idea what I was doing…but it was pretty easy and I think I did OK.
First things first, I went to my local nursery and spoke to someone about he right gear to buy.  Very important…a rake and a shovel.  My starter package also included 2 bags of compost and a box of fertilizer.  My Uncle Steve gave me a few tips to get me going and advised me to start with tomato plants and some herbs.  He told me to get a few pre-grown plants:  beefsteak tomatoes for slicing and cooking, cherry tomatoes for LM to pick off and eat as they grow and I chose an orange heirloom tomato just for fun.  I also picked up pre-grown dill, cilantro, basil and chives.

So here's what I did…I don't know if I did it 100% right so check back with me in a few months…haha.

Step 1:  
Choose a bed for planting.  You will need an area that gets sunlight for almost the entire day (till 4pm at least).

*Note this picture was taken at 5pm.  Sun covered the bed of soil at 4pm.

Step 2:
Prime the soil (don't know if this is the right term - I just made it up, right now).  I did this by raking aside all of the mulch until I got to the rich brown soil underneath.

Step 3:
Till the soil with the compost and fertilizer by simply mixing it all together with the soil in the ground.

Step 4:  
Dig your holes and drop your plants…
I literally just dug up holes and made sure each was nicely lined with the natural soil, compost and fertilizer that I mixed together.  For each hole I dropped in my plant, filled accordingly and made sure to spread each by at least 2 feet to avoid over crowding.

Step 5:  
I put cages around each of the tomato plants so they would grow straight and tall and not fall over.

Step 6:
Took my son's little tike's watering can and gave each of the newly planted pants a good drink of water…I would have let the LM do it himself but he was napping.  Think I could have done all of this with a toddler hanging off my leg?  I think NOT!  This watering can is FABULOUS for kids!

Step 7:  TBC
I need to get chicken wire put up around this bed of plants to keep the animals away…I'm back in the city right now and have not yet done this…will be back out at the house on Tuesday…hope my little babies are OK!  We'll have to see…will keep you posted!

LMM's sunblock pick

I'm a bit nuts when it comes to the sun.  When I was a teen I used to love baking out in the rays just so I could wear a white tee shirt to school and get tons of compliments on my gorgeous tan.  That was before I really had an understanding of just how fierce UV rays can be.  Well my LM's skin is like a clean slate for me to work with and I have no intentions of messing it up.  So we glob on the sunblock.
When LM was 5 months old I took him to Arizona and had asked my pediatrician which sunblock to use.  He suggested Blue Lizard.  I've been using it ever since.  I've tried a few other brands such as Neutrogena and Aveeno baby but they both went on very white and crusty making the LM look like a Casper the ghost.  Not acceptable.  Hands down my top pick is Blue Lizard.
Found at some CVS locations and on Diapers.com.
And don't forget:  sunblock for YOURSELF, a hat for your lil one and lots of water for the both of you, of course.

A special kind of love

So my dear friends got married a couple of weekends ago...and it's hard for me to explain what their love is like.  It is beautiful, blind and perfectly perfection.  I just couldn't be happier for these two guys.
Love is precious and never to be taken for granted.  I love my friends.  They are beautiful, inside + out.  I love my family and most importantly, my husband and my baby.  I love life and just want to always be happy.  This couple, always remind me of that.  They treat my family, like their family.  They treat me, like royalty.  I couldn't be luckier to have friends like these in my life.
Check out these beautiful pictures from my friend's wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
*Photographs taken by Carlos Melnick 
Read more about their event at the gay wedding experience.

Reach and pull: Swim class

LM started swim classes a few weeks ago at Imagine Swimming in Tribeca - their flagship location.  Talk about a great class…might be my favorite to date.
The facility is super clean and the pool is really warm which makes it really easy for me and the LM to get in.  LM has taken a great liking to the water.  Well he's always really liked the water but in this class he LOVES it.  Our teacher's name is Jane.  She is amazing with the kids.  Extremely encouraging, strict with the kids so they understand they are in the water and cannot mess around and pushes the lil ones to their limits.  Today she put the LM under the water twice.  He loved it so much he was asking (in his own language) for more!  I highly reccomend this class…and starting your babes as early as possible.  It was incredible watching the older kids swimming around like fishies in the water today.  I predict LM could be swimming on his own by 2 like the little girl who joined our class today.  Pretty cool!

Imagine Swimming
(212) 253-9650

Beautiful kids

You know the song Beautiful girls by Bruno Mars?  Well, it inspired me to write this posting…look at these kids.  Are they beautiful or what?  They are all friends of friend's kids who we hung out with at a brunch this Sunday.  And of course my LM who is looking like a musical genius there on the piano if I do say so myself…tee hee.  Great shots thanks to my friend Scott Clark.

Toddler Fashion

Over the past week of traveling I got asked several different times where I buy clothes for LM.  I mean listen, the kid always looks sharp…it's just how he rolls!
My hit list of stores for the LM are as follows:
* Baby Gap - simply the best for babes, toddlers and kids.  The fits are great, true to size and everything washes really well.  So far I've purchased all of LM's jeans from the Gap - they have been the best style and fit.
* Old Navy - cheap and cheerful.  Great for summer gear such as swim suits, flip flops and hats.  I also love their jammies.  Sizes run small.
* The Children's Place -  I always shop their outlets on Long Island in Riverhead where the clothes are dirt cheap and the styles are absolutely adorable.  Great for cargo pants, shorts, button down shirts and polos.
* Crewcuts - one of my faves but only recently since they do not do baby clothes only sizes 2-14.  Since LM is starting to fit into the size 2 I've been stocking up since they have the most fantastic styles.  The printed tees, hoodies and accessories (bow ties, hats and shoes) are the best.
Happy shopping!

Kids fly safe

LM, the hubby and I whisked away to Mexico for a few days.  We had a wedding and the LM was the ring boy.  I agonized over this trip since the day I booked it because there were no direct flights to Puerto Vallarta which is where we were going...
My biggest concern was the car seat.  Have you ever traveled with a Britax toddler car seat?  It's a beast.  And when going to Mexico for 5 days it's kinda hard to pack light.  So the thought of traveling with 2 heavy suitcases, 2 carry on's a diaper bag AND a car seat was making me break into sweats...
So I paid Buy Buy Baby a visit to see what my options were.  My goal - was to leave the car seat in the car at home...where it belongs!
I came across a little chachka called Kids Fly Safe.  It's a special contraption made to strap kids to the seat on an airplane which is FAA approved and got rave reviews.  I thought...bingo.  Or was it?  Is LM going to sit down and let us strap him into this?  Is he going to think he's in a big kid seat so he can just squirm out and run off?  Is the car seat more comfortable?  I couldn't sleep a wink the night before the trip because I was so nervous about leaving the car seat and traveling with this tiny strap...
Well you'd never believe it...but this belt was the most brilliant item I've bought for LM to date.  I think he LOVED being in a big boy seat and didn't try to get out of it once!  He slept on 2 legs of the trip for 3 hours straight (to and from!!) and for the rest of the time when he was up ate Cheerios, watched Sesame Street on the Ipad (a godsend) and was a perfect angel.

I can honestly tell you - this was our best travel experience to date, and it was no easy feet.
I highly suggest this special belt if you're buying your child a seat on an airplane and don't want to travel with your beast of a car seat.

Kids Fly Safe - sold at Buy Buy Baby