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