[Editor’s Note] A few months ago, we launched Born &
Bred, our blog for expectant and new parents, here at www.newyorkfamily.com. The blog provides
news, tips and resources (and great weekly giveaways) on everything from bump
to baby to toddler. Below is a sampling—for more, sign up to follow Born &
Bred!
How NPR Restored My Sanity
I miss the days when my son had no interest in TVs, computers,
cell phones or any other devices that keep me connected to the outside world.
Now that he’s 10 months old, it’s almost impossible to use any of these gadgets
in front of him.
If I’m typing away on my computer, he’ll zoom over as soon
as he hears the click-clack of the keyboard and bang on it with me. If I watch
TV in his presence, it’s disturbing how a commercial for say, kitty litter,
causes him to drop all his toys and stare at the screen, zombie-like, until I
shut it off, at which point he goes back to whatever he was doing—15 seconds of
his life down the tube. When I’m talking on my cell phone, he claws at my phone
to get in on the action.
But there’s one piece of technology I’ve discovered we can
enjoy together—the good old-fashioned radio. Avi appears enchanted with the
idea that music and voices can emanate from a little box. So I’ve started
tuning in to the local NPR station. Sitting beside Avi, surrounded by books and
toys and soggy Cheerios, I get to stay semi-informed about what’s happening
beyond my living room floor while also enjoying my son’s sweet company.
— Leah Black
My Daughter’s Not-So-Unique Name
My husband and I angsted over what to name our child for the entire nine
months. It is a seriously big decision, right? You’re going to say this name
every day for the rest of your life. And more importantly, I wanted to choose a
unique name, a name that wouldn’t be shared with half the girls in her first
grade class.
And so when she was born we chose Beatrix. X names had always been high on
our list, and it suited her. Well, imagine my surprise (and frustration) when I
discovered her name’s popularity.
“She’s our 10th Bea this year!” said our pediatrician.
“There are two girls named Beatrice in my building!” a new friend exclaimed.
I cling to the fact that her name is Beatrix with an X, and not Beatrice.
That’s why we’re mostly calling her Trixie. Spotlighting that X like it’s in a
talent show. Plus, I haven’t come across any other Trixie’s in the
neighborhood….except that for Christmas a friend gave us one of his favorite
children’s books, Knuffle Bunny. It’s adorable. But it’s about a little girl
named Trixie (grrr) and her daddy (a tall, skinny, strawberry blond who wears
glasses, a.k.a. my husband—double grrr) and their escapades in Park Slope
(where I live—triple grrr!).
Oh well. My little baby will always be unique to me!
— Alex Richards
The Pregnancy Dreams No One Warned Me About
Before I got pregnant, I heard about the dreams. Expectant friends would
describe nightmares during which their babies came out looking like Pee Wee
Herman or one of those flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz. But what have
recently come as a surprise to me are the husband
dreams.
I should start by saying that in real life, my husband is an angel. But in
my dream life, my husband has been a real louse lately. In one string of dreams,
he keeps leaving me—to tour the country with a newgrass band, to scuba dive the
Great Barrier Reef, to run away with a woman from down
the street. The worst part is when the dream cuts back to me, at home and
unsuspecting. Inevitably I’m sitting on the couch in sweats, eating ice cream
and watching “Supernanny.”
At first I would kick my husband awake in the middle of the night and berate
him: “How could you? I am carrying your child!” But now, whenever my
dream husband does something awful, I wake up and think about how lucky we are—me
and this baby, that is. I remind myself that instead of going on tour, he’s
already picking out silly lullabies on his guitar; that instead of scuba diving
a thousand miles away, he’s planning to fit one of those cute plastic whale
covers over our bathtub faucet; and that instead of running away, he is happily
devoted to us, ice cream and “Supernanny” addictions notwithstanding.
— Katie Main
The New Parents Expo: The Nation’s Biggest Event For New
Parents This Year
Calling all new and expectant parents! Coming this fall to
Pier 92, our New Parents Expo is expected to be the
single biggest event for parents in the nation this year! This mega-show will
enable parents to discover the best maternity, baby and toddler products from
national and local companies, and will offer an inspiring menu of lectures,
seminars and demonstrations from experts in the world of family and parenting.
You’ll get the lowdown on strollers, car seats, nursery furnishings, safety
products, early enrichment programs, infant and toddler toys, high chairs, baby
bottles, lactation consultants, child CPR, family apps and countless other new
parent essentials and resources. Highlights of the expo will include:
A Speaker Series where
doctors, doulas, sleep consultants, nutritionists, home designers, registry
consultants, and baby experts will be on hand, offering informational seminars
and hosting question and answer sessions.
A Stroller Test Drive Track, where
parents will have the opportunity to see, feel, and most importantly,
test out many different stroller brands on the 200-foot track with real-world
conditions.
A Mother’s Lounge filled
with comfy chairs, fully-stocked changing tables, breastfeeding pillows, bottle
warmers and refreshments.
A Fashion Runway showcasing the latest designs in maternity,
baby, and toddler clothing.
The
event will be held October 15 and 16 at Pier 92. Tickets are $35 in
advance; $40 the day of the show. To learn more about the New Parents Expo and
to purchase tickets, visit newparentsexpo.com, find it on Facebook or follow it
on Twitter @NewParentsExpo.
