Five Reasons I'm a Terrible Blogger

1. I don't own a bubble necklace.

My teeth hurt just looking at this.

2. I hate cupcakes.  Ok, not really.  I mean, if you put a cupcake in front of me, I'm probably going to eat it and enjoy it.  But I'm just not all "oooh, OMG, cupcakes!" like everyone else on the interwebs.  It's a small cake.  Let's all collectively move on.  P.S. Ice cream is vastly superior.  P.P.S. I guess I'm not the only one who feels this way.

3. I can never and will never discuss my child's toilet training process on the internet. Typing the word "potty" makes me break out in a cold sweat.

A hundred dollars says this chick didn't even vote.

4. Nail art. I just can't do it.

5. I let my blog domain registration lapse and didn't even realize it. Sorry the site was down for a bit.

I'll try to post more frequently, I know I've been a little AWOL.

Whew. It feels good to have come clean about the cupcake thing.  I've kept that bottled up for years.

images via jcrew.com, lovescool.com, and luckymag.com

Labels We Love: DVF hearts GAP

It's so sad when your kids out grow their clothes.  

Not like ice-cream-falling-out-of-the-cone-in-the-gutter sad.  But still sad.

The other day, I was packing up some of Reese's clothes from last spring and found the wealth of DVF for Gap Kids collection that she wore to death.  I lamented silently that I didn't just buy everything in multiple sizes and store them away because they were so frick-fracking cute.

Ugh. (heart asplodes)

While I obviously can't rewind time, I can apparently replenish the adorable in her wardrobe, because DVF and Gap Kids are launching a second collection on April 25th!

Last time, a lot of the clothes sold out quickly in our local Upper East Side store, but remained plentiful online and then went on sale.  My advice would be to pick out must haves (like bathing suits and dresses) first and then wait to see what is available on sale later.  And as always, if in doubt, buy big.

For some reason they just keep growing!

Five of the Best Baby/Toddler Things We've Bought (or were given)

When you find out you are pregnant, there is no end to the number of people who want to give you lists (or, if you're really lucky, color coded spreadsheets) of the MOST IMPORTANT BABY STUFF YOU WILL EVER NEED.

Those lists are what led me to have a full on panic attack in Buy Buy Baby trying to fill out my registry.

There is plenty of baby stuff that is useful and really important, there is also a lot of stuff that is totally superfluous and loads of things that fall in between.  For me, there are a few things that were the essentials...like a car seat.  And a crib. And stuff I hated so so so much (you suck, Boppy pillow). And things I never really cared about (Jumperoo, exersaucer, those mini mitts for the baby's hands, swings).

Here are five things I really like, love, use on a daily basis.

1. aden + anais Swaddle Blankets

These blankets really are worth every penny spent on them.  They are big, soft and adorable. You can use it for swaddling, as a nursing cover, a stroller blanket, a changing pad, even an actual sleeping blanket.  It's basically a Thneed without the environmental repercussions.  Greatest baby shower gift EVER.

2. Ikea Antilop High Chair and Tray Table

We held off on buying a high chair for a looong time.  Basically until the day I was ready to feed Reese solids for the first time and not a day sooner. It was partially because I didn't  want an enormous piece of baby stuff in our already crowded apartment, and partially because I'm incredibly indecisive.  I considered a bunch of expensive ones (Stokke, Bloom) and one that folded (Fisher Price), but we ended up buying the $20 one from Ikea and I'll be damned if it wasn't awesome. We sprung the extra five bucks for the tray.

3. Maclaren Volo Stroller

Strollers are one of those brand-loyal things that parents in New York get really really way too into. People who love their UppaBaby act like Bugaboo people are America-hating-Commies and Bugaboo owners think City Mini people can take their one hand foldable stroller straight to hell. Don't get anyone started on the running strollers.  It's a war out there. At a certain point though, everyone needs an umbrella stroller and I think the Maclaren Volo has been amazing. It's light, easy to fold, durable, and comfortable.  It's enabled us to get in and out of buses, subways, cabs, etc in the city, basically allowing us to leave a 20 block radius.

4. Beaba Fork and Spoon Set

There is a spot in time after you start solids with a baby when you need special spoons that are soft and small.  That time does not last very long.  But the amount of time between needing soft spoons are using real cutlery is very long.  Since baby food time ended with Reese way back when and we have yet to enter silverware land, we have been using the Beaba forks and spoons.  They are easy for her to spear pieces of food, scoop up yogurt, and generally learn to eat like a person very quickly. The only downside is that there is only one pink fork and one pink spoon and when they are dirty, Reese has to pick another color.  Life for a toddler is hard.

5. Ladybug Backpack. (similar)

I don't exactly know why, but there was a minute there when all of Reese's friends needed backpacks. The idea of being able to carry one's own stuff was just the absolute coolest.  My aunt gave Reese a ladybug backpack from Hanna Andersson and she is so adorably proud of it. The best part for us is that it has totally usurped the diaper bag. Now that Reese is old enough, I can throw a couple of diapers and wipes in the bag, plus a small baby doll friend and a sippy cup of water and we are on our way.  Sometimes she'll carry it herself, but if not, it's so light that it makes it easy to tote it along and hold her hand as we walk. Not to mention it's like half her height and makes her look a little like a turtle, which is hilarious. Our specific one is not available anymore, but this Skip Hop one is very close, or, you could have a cute little hipster with this Fjallraven Kanken mini, or relive your 90's youth with an L.L. Bean pack.

Bonus mention. It isn't a baby item, but I must give a shoutout to my Rebecca Minkoff cross body bag. I wear this bag every...single...day.  It allows me to be hands free when pushing a stroller (shoulder bags are so very awkward for stroller pushing) and on the playground, it's big enough for the essentials (wallet, keys, phone, seven lipglosses), and nice enough to wear when I'm not on mommy-duty.

Naptime Reading List: Holiday Weekend Edition

It's been a good week.  The chill in the air has finally lifted here in New York and I don't think there are words for how happy that makes me.

(Seasonal affective disorder much?)

This weekend, we are heading up to my parents' country house for a spring holiday double header....belated Passover seder on Saturday and an Easter brunch-slash-egg-hunt on Sunday.  Bipartisanship at its best, amiright?  I've also gotten the go-ahead from my physical therapist to start running again (Internal squee!). I've done two short runs this week and I'm aiming for hitting up the Central Park Reservoir tomorrow morning.

So, here's what I've been enjoying around the web:

Raluca from What Would Gwyneth Do posted about taking kids out to eat, and I was nodding along to all of them.  I wish I had read this 18 months ago when we started taking Reese out to eat and I wouldn't have to had learned through trial and error.  I particularly endorse "the brunch option" and big groups.

Speaking of Ms. Paltrow, she just started plugging her new book, It's All Good. Look, I have a serious case of the eye rolls when it comes to her too, but every recipe I've made from her first book has been a keeper. I'll hate myself a little, but I'm totally going to buy it. She does have some freebie recipes in Goop and Self Magazine.

I also heard that one of my other favorite recipe scribes, Lucinda Scala Quinn, has a new book out called Mad Hungry Cravings. I might do a totally separate post on this, but Quinn is like an urban Ina Garten...minus the Hamptons Estate and instead of coterie of gay friends who always need help in the kitchen, she has four sons who she taught how to cook for themselves. Everything is delicious and pretty easy...and not twee.  I feel like food has gotten too twee and Pinteresty lately, I just want to eat!

I got a chance to do a little shopping with my sister last weekend and now I'm totally on the fence about adding this short sleeved chambray shirt to my wardrobe. It's already on backorder, which means it could be played out. On the other hand...so cute!

We probably all go to Capitol Hill Style site for great fashion advice, but she also posts on serious topics.  Today she addressed the issues around organ donation.  One of the most romantic moments with my husband was when he told me that if I needed it, he would donate a kidney to me. (We are a little weird...and the same blood type.) Seriously though, it's the greatest gift anyone can give, especially to a stranger.

OH MY GOD YOU GUYS.  Thug Kitchen.  I couldn't fall asleep last night because I was giggling like a moron after reading this.

See you on the flip side!

Mixing it Up

There have been things going on that I haven't told you about.

Beauty things.

After a long term relationship with a tinted moisturizer, I've decided it was time to move on.  I heard rumors about it getting reformulated, and to be honest, I was just a little bored.  I got samples of several potential replacements and finally fell hard for the Bobbi Brown BB Cream with SPF 35.  It goes on smoothly and evenly, leaving a sheer coverage.  It's not heavy like a full foundation, but covers up a lot.  I can't really attest to any of the "BB" benefits, I just like the way it looks.

(I did try one heavier full-on foundation that I liked, but it's a little much for every day.)

New Beauty Stuff by caphillbarbie featuring bobbi brown cosmetics

While the foundation confession might be a little more shocking, I've also found a new favorite mascara in my neverending quest for perfection.  While I really liked Benefit's They're Real! mascara, I cannot resist picking up a new one (or three) when I'm reordering diapers and shampoo from Soap.com and Diapers.com.  They just make it too freaking easy.  TOO.  FREAKING. EASY.

So I bought the brand new Cover Girl Clump Crusher.  And, believe it or not, it does crush clumps.  The best part is the curved brush, which makes it really easy to apply the mascara, even in the corners of your eye.  I love that the brush really feels like it grips to the lashes and separates them with each stroke.  (If I sound like an ad here, it's only because I've been watching a lot of cosmetic commercials during Reese's naps.  They are just ON during those Law and Order: SVU marathons.  And I like the mascara.)

At first, I was worried it wouldn't make "enough" lashes, since a few strokes just leaves a nice daytime natural look, but more strokes build to a pretty nice darkness and thickness.  I haven't tried layering with another brand, mostly because I'm a wuss, but I bet it would really help.

So, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to order diapers and more mascara.

Television Obsession: The Americans

Do you ever find yourself sitting around thinking, "You know what would be awesome? A television series that combined the terrible fashions of the 80's, Cold War politics, and Felicity kicking someone's face in."

Well....someone obviously did.  And they came up with the newest television obsession in our household.

The Americans.

To be totally honest, my husband and I haven't been this mutually interested in television show in years.  (I gravitate towards junky reality shows and anything involving Mindy Kaling, while my husband will put on, literally, any sporting event.)  But every week, we look forward to watching The Americans every single week.

It's the story of KGB agents living undercover in Washington, D.C., as a married couple who also have to carry out spy missions for Russia.  Keri Russell is doing her damnedest to shed her Felicity image in some acid washed jeans and wigs.  It also has a major nostalgia factor with the DC setting and the leg warmer references, plus, my husband is a big Eastern Bloc buff and loves the incorporation of actual news footage and events into the plot.  It's awesome.

Plus, it's been picked up for another season already, so you don't have to get worried about getting emotionally attached to a show about to be cancelled. (Damn you, Pushing Daisies!)

The Americans airs on Wednesday nights at 10 PM.  Watch it.

Things and Stuff: An Update

These past few weeks are been certifiably nutso.

This past weekend, we saw both a snowstorm and balmy spring-like temperatures.  Unfortunately, I was horizontal on the couch for most of it finding out that I am, in fact, just one stomach flu away from my goal weight.  I'm still not really into food (this from someone who never loses her appetite, like, EVER), subsisting on a mini-bagel and a string cheese.  So, Reese is delighted by our new diet!

Last week was also kind of hectic in our neck of the woods because it was decision week for preschools.  Just to make the experience even more of a mindfuck (check out my guides to The Tour and The Playdate here!), preschools mail out decisions on the last day of February and give you a week to decide.  But! There is an extensive wait list process, so you can "scramble" and call every day to get off the wait list at your preferred school before you accept.  We were mercifully spared the whole nonsense because Reese was accepted to our first choice off the bat!  We celebrated with her (cookies) and without her (Scotch).

I've been going a little stir crazy since I was diagnosed with a strained hip flexor about six weeks ago and have been ordered to stay put and do physical therapy.  You know how you only want to do something that much more when someone tells you that you can't?  Because ohmygod I want to go running.  I finally got the go ahead to go for a long walk or light jog this week. Heavens open, angels sing, and then it rains and rains and rains.

I've been hoarding some J. Crew credit* and holding out for some good sale purchases when I finally saw it.  The Jaspe Scoopneck Popover.  In the FREAKING SALE SECTION.  I wish I could tell you how long I've been tracking this top, believing that it was simply sold out.  To make my week, it arrived in light speed.

I also succumbed to the Peter Pan collar trend and picked up this striped sweater.

*My sister will tell you that I am the worst at hoarding gift cards.  I really string them out over the year. I may even have some leftover from my wedding...which was five years ago.

Looking ahead, we're headed down to Washington this Friday.  Originally, it was so I could run the National Marathon.  And then it was so I could run the National Half Marathon.  Now, it's so I can collect my t-shirt and cheer for friends who are running and see my in-laws. The good news is that we get babysitting services! Where should we be spending an evening out in DC these days?

Meanwhile, I'll be resting on the couch and dreaming about being hungry for our new favorite brunch spot in New York...Jacob's Pickles.

Mmmm, chicken and pancakes....