Fall is upon us and before long winter will be here.  The temperatures are declining and the wind is picking up so if you are like me, you are starting to bundle up your little one to keep him/her toasty.  Warm coats, hats, gloves, etc… are all essentials for the upcoming winter season.  However, if you are experiencing the same thing I am, heavier coats are too bulky and too restricting for your little one when riding in their car seat.  Not to mention the fact that the thicker the coat the looser the straps must be, creating a false barrier between the harness and your child.  Safety tests and police recommendations for proper car seat safety strongly discourage parents from putting their precious cargo in a bulky winter coat before buckling up for a ride in the car.  So, what are we to do to keep our children warm yet not compromise their safety? Last year the solution was so simple, the BundleMe for the infant carrier but now we are in a convertible car seat that is no longer an option.

As I pondered the above question, a friend of mine introduced me to The Car Seat Poncho.  I had never heard of this item but when she showed it to me, I thought it was genius! The fleece poncho which has a hood allows you to dress your child in a warm sweater and a light jacket or vest so car seat buckling is simple and provides the tightness needed for the straps.   The poncho goes over your child after buckling them in and provides plenty of warmth even in the coldest of months.  This is just what we needed so I went to the website to investigate.  I read all about the product and was surprised to see all the safety endorsements, including one from our local police department.  For $39, the car seat poncho comes in array of colors and two sizes depending on how tall your child is.  This was a real find!  Of course, it does not replace the need for a good warm winter jacket for playing outside, walking in the snow or building a snowman.  But for the car and going in and out of stores, this is the perfect solution.  At least, I think so.

This week my first birthday (which isn’t for a couple of more weeks) present arrived from my best buddy Reid and it was a car!  The weather was so magnificent that Mom quickly took it out of the box and put it together so I could be on my merry way outside.  She is quite handy I’m learning.

What a snazzy looking set of wheels I must say!   I took it for a spin around the neighborhood (with Mom’s help of course) and I was loving every minute of it.  This was a fabulous way to spend an unusually warm October day.  I can’t wait to take my car out for another spin.  Maybe tomorrow when the rain clears up, I can show Daddy how my driving is coming along :)

Bright and early Mom and I were up and moving for my first day of ‘pre’ preschool.  A couple of weeks ago Mommy signed us up for the Wondrous Ones program at the local JCC and today was my very first class.  Since I am only turning one, Mom accompanied me and stayed the entire time but after a few minutes of playing with her I crawled off to explore the toys and the room as well as my new classmates.  There were five other little ones in addition to me and most of us are boys.  I may be the youngest and probably the tiniest but I fit right in.

My teacher Miss Jennie welcomed us with a warm smile and made the 75 minute class go by in a flash.  We played, sang songs, danced, enjoyed catching bubbles and even had a little snack time.  This was my first time sitting in a chair at a little kids table and I loved it.  Me and all my new little friends.  Mom thought it was so cute.  I had a great time this week (and so did Mommy).  We can’t wait to go back again next week.

Saturday afternoon I took a break from ‘mommy duty’ to spend the afternoon in the city with my best friend Shari.  We both are HUGE fans of Hugh Jackman (yes, we did see “The Boy from Oz” seven times) so when we heard he was going to be starring in a two man Broadway show, we eagerly jumped at the opportunity for tickets.

Rarely having the opportunity to get out without our little one’s with us, we met for a pre-show brunch at Blue Fin which was excellent and unbelievably reasonable before heading over to the theater for the performance.  We didn’t know much about the play other than the review in the New York Times, which was rather neutral.  After settling in our third row mezzanine seats, we glanced at the program which gave nothing away in terms of the plot so when the curtain went up we didn’t know what to expect.  What we got was an amazing performance by two incredibly talented stage actors who were capable of taking a mediocre screenplay and turning it into magic.  Both Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig were able to suck the audience into a gripping story set in the not too distant past in Chicago.  While they both initially struggled to hide their native accents after fifteen minutes they were fully immersed in their characters.  The plot was slow to start but within twenty minutes they had the audience gripped in their story.  Virtually no sets, these two men managed to take the audience into their minds living their story as it unfolded.

I do not want to give away anything with respect to the plot because for those that are lucky to have purchased tickets, I don’t want to ruin anything for you.  While I have seen better written plays, the acting was incredible.  Hats off to both Mr. Jackman and Mr. Craig for making my afternoon!  Anyone going to see this show will not think they wasted 90 minutes of their time.

Just shy of 11 months, I am in the process of popping out my first tooth.  I’ve had a gummy smile since birth but today when mommy felt my gum, there it was…my emerging first tooth!  Everyone has been waiting for this to happen for months and finally the day is here.  Grandma Lorraine says there is a Greek tradition of having something sweet, typically baklava, when a baby gets their first tooth.  I have a feeling I know what she will be bringing for mom and dad on her next visit :)

Over the past 11 months, I have had the opportunity to try many different baby items. Based on my experience, I decided to come up with my “Top 10 List” for any new mother with a baby under the age of one (in no particular order):

1. Citi Mini Stroller by Baby Jogger - lightweight, one-handed easy closing, and phenomenal ability to maneuver around corners and through doorways.
2. Gymini – Tiny Love Music & Lights – when your little one can’t do much other than lay on the floor and attempt to touch things, this item givens them something to look at and things to grab for.  It was the best investment for the first 4 to 5 months of life.
3. Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo – plenty to play with and a great amount of bounce.  David loves this so much more than this exesourcer.
4. Rainforest Bouncy Seat – if it weren’t for this seat I don’t think I would have ever been able to shower those first few months.
5. Bright Stars ‘By Your Side Seat’ - aka the “Lazy Boy Seat for Babies” as per our friends the Weissmans.  Fabulous investment.  David still sits in that seat when he needs to ‘relax’.
6. Pampers Disposable Bibs – Nothing better than a use and toss bib when you are out and about on the go.
7. Johnson’s Soothing Vapor Bath – when your baby has a cold this really helps open up the congestion in the bath.  I even used it when I had a cold!
8. Phil & Ted’s Me Too booster seat – fabulous to bring along to a restaurant or friend’s house.  It attaches right to the table so your little one can sit with everyone.
9. Fisher Price – Rock a Stack Rings – colorful rings that your baby can take on and off the holder.  David has been playing with this since he could hold something and it is the first toy he goes for in the morning.
10. Fisher Price – Baby’s First Blocks – 10 bright blocks and a drop in sorter box.  David plays with this almost as much as the stacking rings.

What is your top 10 list?

It has been awhile since I’ve blogged about restaurants, probably because our dining out venues have been limited to quick, familiar spots that we can be in and out of before David disrupts the dining experience for everyone.  But this afternoon I joined a friend and her 7 month old son for lunch at Wild Ginger in Bronxville.  I had heard wonderful things about this Asian fusion restaurant and I can honestly say those reviews didn’t disappoint.  The restaurant’s modern Asian motif and blend of Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine make for a great menu.  The prices are very moderate and the lunch specials can’t be beat.  For $9 a person there is a wide variety of dishes served with rice, mini appetizer and a huge bowl of soup.  The quality of the food was excellent and so was the presentation.  They were also kid friendly which was a huge plus for us since we had our little ones with us.  Wild Ginger is definitely a MUST if you live in the area or find yourself in Bronxville on a random afternoon.  They are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

The world as I knew it changed on Wednesday morning when I decided it was time to get up off my belly and start to crawl forward.  For a couple of weeks I have been crawling backwards but it finally clicked and I figured out how to go forward.  So, after 10 months of looking and laying around, sitting and staring at things I wanted, I can now go get them myself.  It’s so exciting!  I’m discovering all the new places I can crawl to and of course all the new things I can touch (and get into trouble with).  Over the last couple of days I’ve heard a lot of “no David”, “don’t touch that David”, “what are you doing David”, and of course Mommy is now chasing after me as I get into things I’m not supposed to.  But isn’t that the fun?  I’m certainly testing my parents a little bit and I’m having a great time flashing them my toothless smile as I attempt to do things I’m not supposed to be doing.  My curiosity is high so I’m planning on checking out everything I see.  I’m even starting to pull myself up on chairs and tables because I want to see and touch everything.  I keep hearing mommy and daddy talking about ‘baby proofing’ the house and putting things away so I can’t get to them.  I see it already, they are going to be party poopers with my crawling.   I’ll show them though…when I start to walk.  I’m going to have them chase me everywhere!  And daddy was worried that he wasn’t getting enough exercise…..  I’m going to be his best exercise routine yet!

I will always remember where I was and what I was doing at 8:48am on September 11th and so will almost every American.  Our lives changed forever that day and as a country, and as Americans, we bonded together to mourn those that we lost.  Life does go on and supposedly time heals all wounds but somehow this wound is one that will never truly heal.  Whether we knew someone personally or not, everyone was impacted by the gruesome, horrific attacks that took place.  As a New Yorker, our skyline will never be the same.  Our children will not know it as we knew it but it is our job as parents to teach them the importance of remembrance on this day.  To all those that fought so bravely on that day and to those that fight for our freedom each and every day, thank you.  For those that perished, you are forever in our hearts.  Peace out.