A Glance Back and a Steady Look Forward

I've never been one to write a New Year's Resolution, mainly because I'm a planner and I've planned my life out in spans of 5yrs+. But, recent years have taught me that we make plans and God laughs! 2010 was good to me, compared to the two years prior to it I can say I was truly blessed on all sides. While I started this blog, I didn't fully open up until recently and you guys missed most of my drama (a good thing), but in looking over my own personal journal I can see a change and a growth and can now smile about some things. So in looking back I think my real feeling about 2010 is: Wow! Thank You!


So many things/people could have been a stumbling block for me and my family but through those rough years I learned how to REALY pray and I think it set me up for how to tackle hard things as a mom. a new wife, and a woman coming into her own. 2010 was a learning year in all of these very important areas in my life and I have to say I think I got the lessons out of each trial, like getting comfortable with the idea that I didn't have to be Super Mom, and Chunk's growing process is also MY learning process in motherhood. I've enjoyed watching my little guy grow into his personality, seeing him become adjusted as an NYC baby, and having so much fun along the way.

This blog, while I haven't always been as consistent as I'd like has opened me up to whole community of friends that I am so greatful for. So I guess if I had to make a New Years Resolution it would be to commit more to this blog, build on the relationships that I have started, continue to love and support my little man through toddler-years, and build more and more on the relationship with the man God gave me. It's a tall task in it's own way but if I've learned anything, I KNOW that God has plan and His ways are not our ways so I'll keep pushing and trust that He'll teach me something new and better along the way.

Do any of you make New Year's Resolutions? How do you remember/stick to them?

Wordless Wednesday-Blizzard Edition

 

Chunks

1yr 4m

2nd Snow

Raising a Health Nut

Ok I have to admit that while I strive to raise a man that eats his veggies and fruits and drinks his milk I am an admitted Junk Queen! So while I try to get it together before high blood pressure and the sugars catch up to me, I'm trying to be an example for Chunks and just leave my Chocolate drawer at the office hehe!

Anyway, since he's hit full toddler mode and is so VERY active at meal times I've noticed he's eating fewer and fewer portions and I remember my grandmother laddling Cod Liver Oil and Honey down our throats because she felt we needed to "get a appetite". I don't want to do that to the poor child but I need him to get his right amounts especially at this growing stage. I've searched to find any product that is healthy enough for a little terror his size and one that we've all fell in love with (even the Mr who said "I ain't drinking no green juice) is Bolthouse Smoothies.

It has the best amount of veggie-to-fruit ratio with added vitamins that will fill his needs for the day in just one sippy cup. It is a bit high on the calorie in-take so he doesn't have more than one cup a day but on those days where EVERYTHING gets his attention, these are great fillers. My fave (and the Mr's too apparently since the bottle was empty when I got home and I left more than half in there, hmmm) is the Green Goodness that has a pretty yucky look but great apple-kiwi flavour, just don't look in the glass and you're good. It's a little pricey at $4 a bottle, I've found them on sale at Target and our Associated market but the best price was Walmart (but NYC doesn't have one :-().

Really a great find for me when I need my energy and Chunks when he has too much energy to sit at the table smh.

What quick snacks do you give your little ones? Do they know you're sneaking in veggies?

Christmas 2010 Recap and More!

Well Christmas came and went and no one got hurt! lol Last year was Chunk's 1st Christmas so of course we were more excited about it than he was but this year, while he still didn't fully understand Christmas we've been reading T'was the Night Before Christmas and he got the 'Ho Ho Ho' part down and the best part of this year was watching him actually ripping his gifts open.

Of course he was more into the boxes and paper but eventually we got him playing basketball with his new hoop set from his Uncle and riding in his pick up truck from Grandpa! He really had a great time and that made us happy.

Then...

It hit us! The snow storm came HARD on NY and as I type this, it hasn't stopped! I tried helping the Mr shovel snow and my arms and legs feel like I was running track all over again!!! But we couldn't help getting out in the snow and having some fun first. 

Chunks had a great time running up and down in the snow, his dad however tried to beat me in a snow ball fight but if asked the guys on my block, I DO NOT LOOSE a snowball fight lol!! Good times!

In other sad news, the R&B world lost a great voice in Ms Teena Marie and we will forever remember that white girl with that black girl voice! Thank you for your time, talent, and inspiration.

RIP MS T!

Merry Christmas!!!

Wishing You and Yours the happiest Holiday Season!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Shootin the Dozens

I stole got this idea from some fun blogs I've been following to write a post of randoms of the week or your mind and obsessed decided to make up a list of my own. Be sure to check out these fun ones from Lipgloss and Binky, Shaken Not Blurred and Rose's Daughter GREAT LISTS!


I'll start my randoms about me, so here goes: 


*I recently moved back to Brooklyn from school in Philadelphia THANK GOD!
*While I love my West Indian food, Southern food makes me weak at the knees
*If I could be anyone else it would've been Audrey Hepburn...LOVE HER!
*I love road trips and visiting new cities
*There is a fat girl that lives inside of me, her name is Bertha and she can clean a plate
*I only have road rage when Chunks is in the car, the thought that you can drive like an idiot with my baby in the back seat makes me want to get out the car for you...sigh
*Sometimes to remember how long we've been together I have to remember how old my nephew is (he was born right before we met) it's only been 5 years
*I've silently decided the amount, gender, and estimated month my kids will be born (so far I've been right)
*I love to cook and bake and I'm always looking for something new to make
*I am an avid coupon-clipper/promo-code user and research EVERYTHING #geek
*I believe in side-walk etiquette (stay to your right and never walk in 3s, etc.) 
*I used to be into fashion and high end designers but now I can't even shop for myself, I need a buyer to just pick fab things out for me and let me choose, no Chunks's wardrobe is SHARP!
*I never wanted a diamond engagement ring but an aquamarine one (my birthstone) so until it is in the budget I only wear my aquamarine wedding band
*I swore I would never get into reality tv and now that's all the tv I watch (follow me on Sundays)
*I'm a health nut that is addicted to junk food and anything with butter lol
*My style is simple classic but I admire anyone that is bold enough to have a funky style all their own.
*I have an obsessive kind of love for Brooklyn but sometimes I dream of living in Atlanta, Ga
*I dream of opening/running about 4 different businesses one day, maybe it just might happen!


My list seems a bit neurotic now that I look it over but those were the first 12 that came to the top of my head, hope I don't lose any blogger buddies for being weird lol. 


Care to share any randoms? Would love to hear from/about you.

Potty Training Updates-Signs and Signals

In a recent post I talked about us working on potty training and I got some great advice here and on Twitter. THANKS GUYS! Well I mentioned that Chunks didn't give any hints or clues when he either had to go or had gone in his diaper so that I could gauge when he needed to go or put him on the potty. Many of the sites I've read said that a tale-tell sign of readiness is a discomfort in a crappy diaper. I talk to him throughout the entire diaper changing process and tell him everything I'm doing ("Mommy's going to get you a clean diaper" or "Pew stinky butt butt you went poop") so he could get used to the terms and the times but all I get is babble and giggles. Just as I made up in my mind that the little monster was a true guy and couldn't care less if his drawers were dirty he started with "Poop" this morning! After becoming a mother I'm still amazed how excited you can get about the word and subject Poop!

Since this morning it's changed from "poop" to "diapa" when he's either peed or pooped so I since I'm home with him this weekend we'll spend more time on the actual potty after he eats and snacks so he can get a feel of the sensation versus the feel of his undies. Thanks again guys, or poop adventures continue...

Lucky Streak Continues!

So remember when I told you guys that I was having a bit of a lucky streak well the good news keeps coming! One of my #1 go to sites and magazines, Time Out Kids had a holiday contest where parents were asked to send in a holiday photo of our little ones at Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza time. Well, just for the fun of it I submitted my favorite one of Chunks from his 1st Christmas Eve last year.

I LOVE his face in this pic, this was the beginning signs of his silliness (he really is a little clown) and his Paul Frank pjs were adorable! Well I almost forgot about the contest when I got the email that Chunks's pic won us 4 tickets to see Momentum at The New Victory Theatre. I have heard great reviews on the show and I'm so excited to see it for ourselves!

Maybe I will take your advice from the last post and try my luck at Lotto lol.

Potty Training-Am I Doing This Right?

VIA

I've heard so many mothers proudly brag that they had their kids potty trained before their 1st birthday and how simple it was to do it. Even my mother-in-law doesn't hesitate to tell the story of how she put the Mr and his brothers and sister on the potty at 6months. "Every time they ate, I put them on the potty and make them stay there". Simple right? Ummm, NO!

Of course, as a scientist first I research everything and many specialists say that children show signs of readiness and that potty-training shouldn't feel like a chore and should they mess up shouldn't feel like a failure. Well the Mr and I decided to try right after Chunks's 1st birthday because he was starting to take off his diaper after a movement, sign that he might be ready. We got the potty with all the bells and whistles and he used it properly ONCE! Other than that one time, which was followed by the suggested praise of the specialists, the potty has become a seat, a toy to take apart, the bowl is something to wear on the head (DISGUSTING), and a big white truck to be pushed around the room. The Mr took his father's way of teaching and basically forced Chunks to sit on the potty almost all morning and of course was met by rebellion, tears, and wailing which I couldn't take. So we decided to take a pause on the training and come back to it when he was ready and could understand a little better.

Well, I haven't seen any new signs but I've been taking him to the bathroom with me and explaining how going to the bathroom works from pulling down the pants, the sitting properly, getting him to listen to the sound and wiping (sorry TMI but hey that's parenting huh?), to the flush. So far the flush is the winner! I've gotten the Mr to take him to show him how a man uses the bathroom and I'm hoping something is clicking. I want to bring the potty back out but I'm not sure exactly how to do it. Added to the pressure (on me, never Chunks) to get into the Montessori school we're considering he must be potty trained by 2 so I would like to get any mishaps out of the way and him comfortable with it by then.

So I'm posing this S.O.S to my fab readers and experienced parents around: How did you potty-train your little one? How old were they? Did you get any signs or did you just say "You're old enough now"?

Home

I know that I can go on and on about how much I love this city! In undergrad sometimes I was simply referred to as 'New York' and I answered to that with so much pride. Being raised here allowed me an opportunity to learn how to easily function in chaos, deal with a large range of people, be 10 minutes late for something and make it there in 5, and appreciate things that some can only dream or watch tv to see. While I love the city and I'm so happy to be raising my little one here as well, I've always said Manhattan is where I party, work, and shop but Brooklyn is where I go home.

This was the biggest part of my heartache when I thought I would never make it out of Philly. While the city has an amazing energy, Brooklyn always gave me a feeling of norm. I'm at home here, where I can be bustling on Flatbush Ave. picking up random things for dinner, see people I've known since Elementary school, hear the blend of island dialects, and then suddenly turn up a street and PEACE. I'm a city girl in that I can't be too far away from life but I'm a home-body and when I'm here I just want to be with family, cook out in the backyard (can't do that in the city), watch my tulips bloom in early spring, and  watch my little guy play with the other kids on the block.

While some have their say about the artsy scene in Brooklyn, I love the vibe. The history of this borough is awesome and I'm so grateful to have grown up in it. There's nowhere else more amazing to me than DUMBO at night, Park Slope IS Family Central, Brooklyn Heights...I don't even have to speak on it's level of FAB! Lefferts Garden-the perfect blend of everything. Red Hook has some of the best food I've ever tried and if you're looking for a great cook-out in the summer time it doesn't get any better than Canarsie. With it's hard edge, some might not dare look at Bed-Stuy, but this area alone has a history that I don't think should ever go untapped. I remember shopping with my cousins on Pitkin Ave. when jellies were hot and thinking if we could just get the right funding into Brownsville, this place would be CRAZY! And the world's best cheesecake is here!

I'm a Brooklyn chick! I rep my borough EVERYWHERE I go! If a DJ even looks like he's getting ready to play the Bk Anthems I might be one of the first with my hands up on the dance floor. I've even written poems about this place! It's gritty, yes! Some say you have to be born here to love it, eh maybe. But you can't deny how relaxed you become once you cross that bridge, you'd be amazed at the culture, the original pieces you'd find in our little shops, your taste buds will sing it's praises, and so will your wallet lol. Chunks and I played tourist in my neighborhood recently I couldn't help but to fall in love with this place all over again. It's like dating someone for years and finding new and amazing things to fall in love with everyday but still loving the everyday staples even on the days you don't want to.

A Make It Happen Mom

With all that's been happening on my side of things I found that I allowed myself to get wrapped up in trying to be the fixer of all problems and solver of all drama which in turned made me sick...literally. After a little spell of the hot flashes and dizzy spells, I found myself voiceless, fighting to breathe properly, and miserable with a sinus infection right after Thanksgiving. It was NOT a pretty sight!

Well one morning my little guy came over to my side of the bed and rubbed my cheek with a drop of drool and I realized it was time to get up and get myself together. He was stuck in the house all week, no real play time with mom, and oatmeal became a staple in his meal plan (I HATED THAT!!) We made lunch, played a Super Why game and then headed to the book store to update his library collection (this little monster can tear up some pages!). When we got home he went right to sleep with no fight and woke up in good spirits (he is the fussiest when he first wakes up). DH even noticed a difference in the way Chunks' spirit was. NOTE TAKEN!

When things get crazy, a mom CANNOT disappear! Even if I want to just curl up in bed all day with no real energy to do anything, his temperament depends on me. He plays great by himself but there's so much for him to learn and new things to see and mommy needs to make it all happen. While he might cling to dad for somethings, he needs mom for some essentials. The bachelor diet of oatmeal and mac & cheese is great for a day but the nutrients in a home cooked meal is what he needs at this age and is actually used to. I didn't grow up with fast food and Chinese food and he won't either. Sick or Not.

I pray I don't feel that miserable anytime soon again but I'm learning to find a balance despite how I might be feeling, which is mainly TIRED!! I let Mommy and Me Day slip but we're picking it back up now that I'm better. So Chunks I owe you an apology, if my patients can get my hard work then my main guys deserve that and then some.

A Lucky Streak!

I hate a bragger and typically wouldn't do this but for my luck this was to awesome to not share. It looks like things are looking up for me over here at New York State of Mom! It all started when I got an email from Yakini over at The Prissy Mommy Chronicles telling me I won her giveaway for a fab Little Boy Lightning Customized Book! That's one off the Chunks Christmas List (because of course a 15mo old has such high demands).

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Then, a few nights ago I get another email for the fab Tam Styles of Get It Girl Style with the subject title WINNER! I got all excited all over again! She had a great giveaway sponsored by Springcart for a $25 gift card to use on the website and with the bags and accessories so chic and affordable I can sure do a lot since they also have a promo going for $10 off.

Congrats to

New York State of Mom

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But it gets even BETTER!! An associate producer from the The Nate Show, saw the blog and invited the Mr and I to do a Holiday taping of the show and ask some holiday money saving tip questions!! I've heard mix reviews about the show but I've been a fan since the Oprah days, so I gotta see for myself. Now to do something with this hair... (a whole other post smh)

To top it all off, guess who's going to THE VIEW!! Yeah, ME! I requested tickets a while ago, even before we moved back and on Saturday, these came in the mail for a taping in 3 weeks.

Christmas is coming a little early for me and I'm so excited and greatful about it!

Yummy Mondays-SPICE

Sometimes I find that the best way to work out a disagreement is over a good dinner, drinks included of course lol. Well the Mr and I talked about the issues we both saw in our relationship and it got to be a little stuffy. In the big scheme, most of our issues stemmed from young pride and the growing pains of starting out in our lives (the frustrations mostly), so I suggested that we get to the root of things without someone wanting to play blocks or be read to. We both love the Union Square vibe on the weekend so we headed down there to find  somewhere new to eat and when I was going to resort to one of my favorite ice cream spots (later post) we stumble upon the sleek corner spot SPICE. 

The first time I tried Thai was in undergrad and I didn't care for it, I didn't even finish my meal, it was laden with cilantro and the entire plate tasted like perfume. The decor and smells coming from the restaurant though caused me to give it another shot. We went for lunch but could tell that at night it was a chic, modern place to be for date night. It's near the NYU campus, so the patrons were a bit artsy, student like but still a nice place. The decor reminds me of an asian diner, with some long lunch tables in the center of the restaurant but booths along the wall surround.


Our server was a sweet, young student and the service was quite fast. The drinks weren't anything to rave about (I had the Pinky Mimosa, pink lemonade and champagne and the Mr had their Thai Iced Tea) but still decent. The food, however,  DELISH!!! 


I devoured the Lemon Grass Chicken which was tender, juicy and very well seasoned. The Mr had their Sea Food Rice Bowl which had fish, jumbo shrimp, scallops, and calamari. The fish was so tender and the sauce nicely coated the shrimp. Both came with two appetizers, the steamed dumplings were so flavorful as well as the crispy spring rolls, they didn't even  need the dipping sauce that comes with it. No wonder that got a Zagat rating A!


The total bill came up to $30!!! Drinks Included!!! I would DEF recommend this place for a date night, lunch with the girls, mommy/daddy & me time with tweens/teens, not quite the toddler-ish place, unless you're trying them out for an early lunch when it's not as full.

Holidays in NYC~Theatre Edition

If you're in the NYC area for the holidays then one of the MUSTs on your to-do list has to Broadway! One of the major things New York is known for is our fabulous theatre and if there is by chance a night that you have a great baby-sitter and just the perfect black dress then please let me recommend The Scottsboro Boys!

One of my biggest regrets was not taking advantage of seeing Cat on Hot Tin Roof while it was here but I wouldn't miss this opportunity. This thrilling musical is based on the Scottsboro Case, the basis of the famous novel To Kill A Mockingbird, where 9 African American men are falsely accused of raping 2 white women. The musical piece of the play alone will be what wins you over as they tell a thrilling story of American culture and history.

Now showing at the Lyceum Theatre through the end of the year, kids 12 and older will be thrilled and ahead of the game in English Literature after watching this astounding performance. Be captivated by an American classic before it leaves Broadway this Holiday Season. The Scottsboro Boys is sure to please and a great gift for the Mrs./Mr. or the friend who has it all, nothing say NYC Classic better than the theatre and BROADWAY!

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