[Editor’s Note] A few months ago, we launched Born & Bred, our blog for expectant and new parents, here at 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.