The Long Ride Home

I always imagined that I’d want to get out of the hospital and back home as quick as possible after having my baby. However, when you are dealing with hormonal imbalances, sleep deprivation, new mom anxiety and some pretty painful stitches, it’s just more convenient to be there. The people at the hospital are trained and seem to know everything about babies. Who wouldn’t want all that help? Gone are the days of week-long hospital stays for straightforward vaginal births (or even C-sections). They pretty much want you out on the second or third day.

Just before we were getting ready to be discharged on our last day in the hospital, my husband Derek looked up at me and said, “They are going to let us take him home? What is wrong with them?” The fear in his eyes was undeniable and I have to admit, I felt the exact same way. How could they let us take home a fragile little newborn? Don’t they know we have NO IDEA what we’re doing?! Well, they did let us take him home that day and it was the longest car ride of our lives.

Dylan was born in NY Presbyterian Hospital on the Upper East Side. We live in Jersey City. What does all of that equal? A long bumpy ride down the FDR. The ride could go one of two ways: a smooth easy sail home with little traffic, a quiet baby and no potholes; or the very long and dreaded gridlock situation, made worse by a screaming baby, terrible driving conditions and any other driving-related obstacles you could think of. My mind, in its post-partum haze, was banking on the latter.

Getting Dylan into the car seat was much more challenging than we had expected. Being that we had opted for one that doesn’t detach easily from inside the car, we kicked it old-school and I held the baby while being wheeled out of the hospital by an orderly (who was shocked that we didn’t have a car seat “like everyone else”). Dylan looked so small in the car seat. I decided to sit in the back with him and off we went.

The first moment of sheer panic was when his head started bopping around. If you are familiar with newborns, you know that this looks similar to a bobble-head figurine…very scary to a first-time parent. So, I decided to hold his head up. Doing this while avoiding all the soft-spots and minding the neck is no easy task.

Then we started driving on the FDR. It suddenly felt like we were riding in a Hummer with absolutely no suspension. The potholes were epic (and cringe-worthy for someone who has stitches in a place where no one should ever have stitches). I think I held my breath for almost the entire ride home.

When we reached our exit on the FDR, we were both shocked that there was no traffic! A miracle! The Holland Tunnel was another concern, but strangely enough…no traffic! We were home in no time and Dylan actually slept for the whole ride. We did it! We transported a tiny baby home and didn’t hurt him at all. I looked up to our windows on the third floor and breathed a sigh of relief. Now…if I could just get up those three flights of stairs…

Play On! Studios

Play On! Studios offers theater day camps and after-school classes on the UWS that are guaranteed to give kids a summer full of acting, music, and fun they won't soon forget! Young actors will rehearse and perform in a full production, work with professional NYC actors/teaching artists, build up their skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment and play lots of drama games! Creative Drama Camps are perfect for kids entering grades K-4. Campers will work each week to put on a brand-new show! Each session, they will receive a script, rehearse a production, make a set and costumes, and perform their play. Kids will also play drama games, play outside (weather permitting), and have tons of fun! Musical Theater Camps are aimed at kids entering grades 4-9. In Musical Theater Performance Camp, campers put on a complete musical production in a professional NYC theater! Campers will stretch their skills with drama exercises and games, vocal coaching, field trips, and building a professional set. Our incredible teaching artists and campers come together to put on a truly remarkable show! During the school year, classes are great for beginners or more experienced actors - sing, dance, and put on a play! Whether your child is just starting out, or ready for Broadway, we&rsquo;ve got the class for them. Classes are available for grades PreK-8, after school or on Saturdays! Come play with us. &nbsp;

Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research

<h1>Summer Science Camps for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Medical Professionals</h1> We offer a variety of workshops on molecular medicine for high-achieving high school and middle school students interested in pursuing careers in medicine or related fields, such as biomedical research, drug development, pharmacy, bioengineering, or nursing.&nbsp; Workshops are taught by PhD-level instructors with years of research and teaching experience. Camps are offered in summer and winter and there are online and in-person options available.&nbsp;&nbsp; Through engaging lectures and hands-on laboratory classes, students learn normal molecular and cellular biology, and then learn how these normal processes are disrupted or distorted during the development of disease. There is a heavy emphasis on experimental design, modern drug development, and the emergence of the era of personalized medicine. To conclude the workshop, students use what they have learned to create an original research project. More broadly, workshop attendees strengthen their academic skills, build their college portfolio, and explore potential career options while making friends from around the world and experiencing college dorm life in a safe environment. Our university-based workshops are held at Columbia University, Imperial College London, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego, and both residential and commuter options are available.&nbsp; &nbsp;University-based workshops include Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Biology of Cancer, Astrobiology, AI-Enhanced Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology of Aging, Neurological Bioinformatics, Molecular Immunology, Bioinformatics of Aging, and Bioinformatics of Cancer.&nbsp; Biomedical Research &ndash; a workshop focused on learning modern molecular biology laboratory techniques - is taught at our lab in the Bay Area, CA. Our online workshops include Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Medicinal Chemistry and Medical Bioinformatics.&nbsp; Intro to Cellular and Molecular Medicine is our entry-level workshop that is only two hours/day.&nbsp; Students in the Medicinal Chemistry and Medical Bioinformatics workshops learn how to use online tools to analyze biochemical data.

New Country Day Camp

Transportation is provided from Manhattan and Brooklyn to Staten Island&rsquo;s 75-acre Henry Kaufmann Campground, where swimming pools, hiking trails, and open meadows set the scene for a summer of adventure and enrichment. New Country Day Camp, a program of the 14th Street Y and Educational Alliance, is a joyful and inclusive community where campers, families and staff build meaningful connections with each other and the natural world around them, and experience personal growth through high-quality programs that are rooted in the outdoors and guided by Jewish values.