Doing Something Different

When thinking about new years resolutions and things I want to be part of  2013 I noticed that I kept coming back to the theme of simply getting out, doing something different.  I believe that while routines are good, I kind of got too comfortable when we were in Chicago.  We went to the same type of activities, hung out at the same type of haunts.  Not that there is anything wrong with having a favorite neighborhood bar and grill or brunch spot... but I want to make sure that we take advantage of being in a totally new city and get out there, try new things, do things I would normally overlook.

The recent Ann Hamilton installation at the Armory was perfect for a family afternoon outing.  And an interactive art exhibit definitely falls into the category of something I normally wouldn't put on the calendar. 

We had fun.  And of course going on a Saturday made for crowds.  There was no way I was waiting for a spot to open under the big white curtain-thing...  So we enjoyed taking it in while on a swing and then let the next person in line enjoy their moment. 

I am sure we are going to have our favorites figured out pretty quickly but I hope that we find something different to sprinkle in every once in a while for family outings.

Well Hello

Wow, guess I went on a blogging vacation!  Every time I think I am going to swing blogging back into my life, something else changes.  To be honest, relocating, reestabilishing myself, and transitioning to being a working mom has been more overwhelming than I could have imagined.

I am working on trying to figure out how to juggle everything and where to fit in the extras, like blogging.  Obviously, like everyone, I am trying to make sure that my actions are reflective of my priorities and values which are my family first.  But I really miss the blogging community. 

So back to it!  I am going to try to start blogging more often (probably not a regular schedule, but more often).  Rather than starting with today, here is a quick snippet of what I was up to the last quarter of 2012...

My maternity leave was extended when I resigned from my job due to relocating... but I was balancing (temporary) stay home mom with a job search. 

Jaime and I took a quick trip back to Iowa to visit family.  I flew with Jaime by myself twice before he was four months- it was actually pretty smooth. 

(he liked his grandpa - and nomming on his shoulder)

We holed up during Sandy and lived without power for a while.  We moved to Manhattan shortly thereafter.

(unpacking is tough.  unpacking with an infant into an apartment for which you have too much stuff... quite the challenge on patience.)

We started exploring Manhattan. 

We stayed local for the holidays. We didn't catch everything on my list of things to see but did manage to get to a few.  I am learning to slow the pace and expectation of what can be planned for a day with an infant.

And of course, simply hanging out with my favorites.

Also, I had a crash course in trying to balance being corporate girl on a mission to be a CMO (ha!) with being the best mom that I can be.  And have come up empty handed on finding ways to connect with other working moms in a new city (apparently stay at home moms are the only ones in mom groups in NYC?). **edit! realized I should clarify - I am trying to find mom groups that meet on the weekends as that is the only time I can meet, all I have found are ones meeting on say Tuesday at 10am which doesn't work for a mom going to the office during business hours. Do not mean that I wouldn't want to meet stay at home moms. :)**

So that wraps up 2012!  I am constantly thinking of things I want to post, so hopefully that balance thing gets figured out so I can find a little time to blog.

merry merry!

Wishing you a merry and bright holiday filled with lots of time with those you love!

An Awesome First Christmas

                  

Even though Jaime clearly won't remember this Christmas, I want it to be special.  I want to be able to tell him stories about the magical moments from his first Christmas. 

Of course stuff doesn't make the Christmas magic.  And my little bug is not old enough for the magic of santa.  So we shall be seeking Christmas magic in little outtings in our new city, some are sure to become new traditions (I can't wait to go to the caroling at Washington Square Park).  But a few cute holiday onesies, pajamas and a beautiful baby's first Christmas ornament are certainly nice bits of stuff to add in with those magic moments.

Baby Gear Add-ons ~ First Months

While a baby really only needs love, there are a few add ons that can be pretty helpful.  As Jaime develops and is trying to master new tricks I add new toys and gear to our collection.  And then there are the items that you realize might just be nice to have or are a necessity at a certain point such as bottles.  Here are a few favorites that we have discovered and added to our growing collection of baby gear.

Add-ons During the First Months

• Somewhere to sit - we love this infant to toddler rocker and really like that he will be able to use it longer than most bouncy seats.
• A Gym - Jaime loves his play mat gym.  Before he was born I was eyeing the versions with softer colors but it is the bright and primary colored objects that catch his eye.  We swap out the toys so that there is variety.  This has been great for independent play - he gets laser focused on swatting, grabbing, kicking and talking to the toys.
• Baby Mirror - The sassy crib and floor mirror has been well received.  When we use it at tummy time Jaime giggles and smiles and keeps his head up for a very long stretch.  It is nice to have add some variety for tummy time so this has been a nice addition to rotate in every so often.  It can also buy you some time if a nap is cut short and you need just a couple more minutes to finish your lunch by attaching to the crib, mama's gotta eat too!
• Bottles - The Dr Brown glass bottles have worked for us.  It seems every baby has their preference for bottles so I am glad that I didn't stock up on any one kind before we knew which he would take to. 
• Wipe warmer - I thought these were kind of a waste pre-baby.  But when he was needing a lot of late night diaper changes the squawking basically stopped when I got one.  Definitely a nice to have but was a baby appreciated addition.  I use this one with flannel wipes but you can get ones for disposable wipes too.
• Stroller - I was planning on waiting until he was ready for riding along on runs before getting a stroller but this summer was so unbelievably hot that using the babycarrier wasn't always practical.  Our infant carseat doesn't have a stroller component but the jeep universal cruiser carseat stroller has worked out great as an alternative to babywearing on hot days.
• Resources - Wonder Weeks and Kelly Mom have both been great resources.  The first weeks I found myself on Kelly Mom a lot!  And Wonder Weeks has been helpful to read as he approaches various stages- having it on the kindle made it easy to read during a sudden needy phase.

Diapers.com is awesome for add ons as they have free shipping for orders of $50 and have a nice variety.  Sure, sometimes getting out is nice but sometimes just clicking around and selecting a few new toys along with basic necessities (such as baby soap, nursing pads, etc) and having arrive a day or two later is pretty great so you can do something fun for your getting-out-of-the-house time.