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Do you 'enjoy' spending time with your kids?
- Yes, most of the time we really have fun together
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UB Like it's 1776!
Posted September 13, 2007(191 replies)
More reminiscing about laughs on UrbanBaby »Inside UrbanBaby
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Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood: The Good, The Bad, and the Scary by Jill
What lies under the surface of the perfect mother viewed pushing her luxury stroller looking idle and triumphant? If you w ...
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[-]Do you like these wedges in gold {http://www.calypsostbarth.com/Bel-Peep-Toe-Gold-p-17941.html} or in platinum {http://www.calypsostbarth.com/Bel-Peep-Toe-Platinum-p-19148.html}?
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[-]Do you think it would be odd to buy a weekend home in Rye? DH could golf, we'd join a beach/pool club, and it would be close to NYC.
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[-]My 19 month old son was recently sick and had trouble sleeping so my husband and I stayed closed and soothed him to sleep. He's better now but he refuses to go to sleep alone. He cries and protests for an hour and half past his bed time at night and wakes up early, 5:30 am whereas before it was closer to 7. Any advice on how to get him back on track?
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[-]IVF moms - did you show earlier? Friend told me she did becuase she did IVF
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It is not at all nonsense. When you go through IVF, your body undergoes extreme change because of the many added hormones that cause your ovaries to expand (sometimes to the size of grapefruits), cause you to bloat and constipate, etc. Add that with an expanding uterus, and you better believe your belly is going to be bigger than most other pregnant women in early pregnancy.
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[-]Orthopedic specialists say they treat a number of toddlers and young children each year with broken legs as a result of riding down the slide on a parent’s lap. A study at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., found that nearly 14 percent of pediatric leg fractures over an 11-month period involved toddlers riding down the slide with a parent....
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so what are you supposed to do? let them go down by themselves when they are 18mo old?
[ Reply | More ]Or just hold them on your lap and be careful with the legs. That is what DH and I do. At 15mo, DC wanted to do the slides but was SO not ready to climb to the top by himself. If only one parent at the playground, meant no one there to catch him on the bottom. You just need to be careful and aware.
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Link to the article: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/a-surprising-risk-for-toddlers-at-playground-slides/
[ Reply | More ]Know what's an even bigger danger? Letting them walk around the house. Maybe we should envelop them in pillows until their 8th birthdays, just to be on the safe side.
[ Reply | More ]Actually a lot of children do die or are seriously hurt from furniture toppling over--especially TV's that are unsecured. Children are captivated by the TV, try to climb up on the unit--their weight topples it onto them crushing them. Thanks for that reminder that the home is likewise a dangerous place if things aren't safety proofed.
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Ramen (homemade, but I'd eat the cheapo ones too) with vegetables and seafood in spicy miso-based soup. Salad later. My picky eater ds loves the noodles and drinks milk when it gets too spicy. It's hilarious,
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I used miso paste and lots of sriracha and made a soup. Then I put in carrots, scallions, daikon, broccoli, and bean sprouts and cooked until done. You can add any seafood or meat or tofu that you like. In a separate pot cook the ramen noodles (get them in an asian food store) and then add to the pot. Serve.
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I want steak...prob won't be having that. Maybe I should go downstairs and buy some steak and do a steak stir fry?
[ Reply | More ]Mad Men dinner party! Apps: deviled eggs, chip-and-dip, shrimp cocktail, proscuitto and melon. Mains: Chicken Kiev, Scalloped potatoes and asparagus. Guests are bringing salad and mystery dessert. And lots of booze!
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just ordered in baked clams, chicken parm and spag marinara. Can't wait . Where is it?
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What's for dinner?
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[-]Need to send a nice, but inexpensive thank you gift (in NYC). Considering Fat Witch brownies, but would love other suggestions. Don't really want to spend the $ for flowers. Budget is $25 - $50.
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I just don't care for them. If giving fruit, would rather order from Manhatttan Fruitier. Need something "nice" for this occasion and don't think of them as high-end enough.
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OP: Yes. I don't care for them and I don't think of them as "nice." In this case, not appropriate to spend more than $50...and I am confident that I can come up with something (i.e., the brownies). I know that people love EA...different strokes for different folks. OR asked and I explained my reasoning.
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I gave those brownies to the maternity ward nurses as a goodbye gift after I had each of my kids. They LOVED them.
[ Reply | More ]Aren't macarons the hot new trend? If you don't want edible, Michael Aram makes a beautiful candle - I got one as a holiday gift from an acquaintance. Take a look at the gift sections on saks or even on gilt.com (gilt also has a new food website) - might be something you haven't thought about on there.
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[-]Anyone seen/used both Emily Blake and Dorothy Greenbaum for a bris? Trying to decide. Used Blake last time but not sure if I should switch.
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Phil Sherman is the exact opposite of Emily Blake. if you like her style you will hate him and vise versa.
[ Reply | More ]What's she like? I'm the one who appreciated Phil's speedy hands above. Every other bris I have been to has been torture, with baby screaming, use of clamps, sometimes even strapped to a plastic platform to immobilize. My main concern was my boy's comfort. I wanted him off the breast for the least time possible and Phil made that happen. We're Reconstructionists but didn't mind his pedagogical differences. Spouse is a pediatrician and preferred this approach. In fact, he refers even non-Jews to mohelim if baby does not get circ at hospital and parents want it.
[ Reply | More ]OP: Blake was really mellow and sweet and lead a beautiful service. Sends it to you via e-mail first so you can print it out for all your guests to follow along. So moving it made me cry, with stuff about his future, etc., and his name/hebrew name on first page, etc. Just really warm. HOWEVER, she did strap ds gently to a board in a back room first and apply the clamp.. so he was held down for a long time and started crying right then, through the whole thing. Brought out on board (covered in blankets), it was done, he was unstrapped and given to me. But there was a lot of crying b/c he was confined for so long. Want the nice service of Blake with the quick snip of Sherman. Where to find it??
[ Reply | More ]Beats me but maybe you could write want you recall from Blake's service and give it as your own speech. My boy was on my breast while Phil spoke, then on a pillow in my father's lap sucking on a hanky corner dipped in wine as Phil spoke more. Husband held his legs for the 5 or fewer seconds of the snip itself. Handed to me immediately to get back on breast while the dancing and singing went on. Then we went into another room and Phil showed us how to do after-care. It all depends on what's most important to you. PS is not part of our ongoing spiritual life so his remarks were not pivotal.
[ Reply | More ]I have the entire service printed out from last time, so I guess i could do that. Have heard that PS is cracking jokes about "working for tips", etc. the whole time, and talking about how great he is, etc... so that part I'd love to avoid.
[ Reply | More ]I have been to many brises by both and phil sherman will not give you the warmth of Emily. He is a show man and it's his show. But Emily did my son's bris. I didn't want the board so she didn't use it. I held my son until the actual sniping time and then my dh held him during the sniping part. We did get my son nice and drunk first with the gause dipped in wine (at emily's suggestion)
[ Reply | More ]Thank you so much for your reply - perhaps this is my answer! Did she put the clamp on beforehand and everything? She told me that essentially the real circ. occurs before the baby is even brought in (when she clamps it in the other room) but I really hated how long he was held down/clamped. Maybe we can do it the way you did. Was she fine with that?
[ Reply | More ]Oh no, now I don't like that Idea at all. If she needs a clamp, she's no Phil Sherman. If the circ is happening at some other time/place really then the ceremony feels like BS to me. I couldn't do anything that led to more than a few seconds of crying so I'm back to Phil. Nobody else out there who does it freehand??
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Thought Dorothy Greenbaum was fabulous. Warm, kind, made everyone feel comfortable (and we had a lot of gentiles at the bris). Phil Sherman puts on a show, it's rote. Seen him a ton of times and he tells the same jokes each time, zooms through it. Don't like him.
[ Reply | More ]ita about Dorothy Greenbaum. She was wonderful. My OB attended and he was amazed at what a wonderful job she did.
[ Reply | More ]OP: To both of you - did you feel like she rambled on and talked about herself a lot? That's one complaint/comment I heard from another person who used her. That is was not "schtick" like Sherman, but that she just "rambled" a lot. Was the service itself nice? Did she put the baby on a board at all or just brought out and put on a pillow?
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Best Mohel: Dr. Eric Diamond. Loved his service. Great circumcision. Baby didnt cry. Has a list you can follow on his website Moheldr.com His list makes it easier to buy all of the things you need. I didn't want to think about all of the stuff last minute... I knew how to plan for everything in advance. My sister also just used Dr. Eric Diamnd. He did her Bris out east on Long Island and he didn't even charge her more to go there. I thought he was very fair. We both thought he was great.
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DO NOT use Dr. Emily Blake. We used her for my son's bris in 2010 and she did a horrible job and left most of the foreskin on him. When I called her to tell her that three different pediatric urologists said that my son needed to have it redone, she basically shrugged and said something to the effect of "These things happen. It's not the first time I've had this problem." She took no responsibility and this is her CAREER. She didn't even apologize. I DID NOT ask her for money nor did I mention it because money wasn't and isn't the issue. Having a conscience and taking responsibility is the issue. Now 1.5 years later, we've had to redo his circumcision at the hospital. My poor baby had to be put under anesthesia, will be bandaged and uncomfo...
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[-]Sheryl Sandberg leaves work at 5:30pm to have dinner with her kids every night. http://mashable.com/2012/04/05/sheryl-sandberg-leaves-work-at-530/
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lmao! well, good for her, but I wouldn't have a job if I did this on a regular basis. Maybe she will offer me a mommy-friendly job.
[ Reply | More ]She wouldn't either. She is full of shit. You don't get where she made it working until 5:30, even if you get in the office at 5:30 am.
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[-]Sandal mom here. Don't worry, not going to try to get your advice on some fugly shoes. Would like to get a pair of fisherman's sandals or some type of sandal for DS who is 15mo and will be about 18mo this summer. Any suggestions? If he's a size 21/5.5 now, should I size up? TIA
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[-]What should I do when my nanny has taken all her personal days and vacation days, but then all of a sudden has to take additional days for doctor appointments, etc.? Do we come to an agreement as to whether those should be paid days or non-paid days? What's standard?
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I have never offered our nanny a set number of sick days. Vacation days, yes, but sick days, no. If she's sick, she's sick, and she still gets paid, no questions asked. I have found that by treating her with this type of respect, she is in turn extremely loyal and has probably taken less than 5 sick days in three years. At this point, I would say you should pay her and just tell she can "pay you back" by babysitting a couple of weekend nights down the line. But to me, it is a red flag that she has already used up the days you alloted her - what is going on with her? Is she taking advantage? Or is she really not well and possibly unable to keep this job long term?
[ Reply | More ]She doesn't sound very responsible--or maybe she is very sick. If my nanny ran out of sick days and had to go to the doctor, she would NEVER accept money on those extra days. Do you think your nanny could be taking advantage? Or do you think she may be having a health crisis? I guess it would be good to figure out what is going on.
[ Reply | More ]I should clarify. We give her two weeks vacation (1 of her choosing) and 5 personal days. sometimes she uses her personal days as vacation days or routine doctor appts. I don't see that as taking advantage. She has never called in sick. But if she does, we would have to hire a substitute babysitter for that day.
[ Reply | More ]Honestly, I do think it's taking advantage to use sick days as vacation days. I would never do that at work in a million years, nor would most of my coworkers! Not showing up makes things really hard for everyone else. But it is DEFINITELY taking advantage if she is now wanting to use extra days to go to the doctor and expects to be paid--or even if she didn't volunteer immediately that she understands these doctor visits will be unpaid time.
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Play it by ear and ask her. Perhaps she has exigent circumstances or is just having a tough patch. Being understanding through this will net you social capital with her and it will mean a lot to a good worker. If she is taking advantage, nip it in the bud.
[ Reply | More ]Officially, our nanny gets unlimited sick days and 3 paid personal days in addition to her vacation and paid holidays. She never takes advantage on the sick days, so it's not an issue. Unofficially, my agreement with her is that if she needs more personal days - as long as I don't have to pay for extra childcare I still pay her. So if DH or I could take that day off, or if a grandparent could fill in, then I paid her. In 7 years, it's been very rare that I've had to get extra childcare on those occasions, maybe once, and those occasions are also rare - mostly when she was applying for citizenship and maybe one other time.
[ Reply | More ]Was it clear when you hired her that personal days were for sick/doc appts, etc as well? I think its aggressive that by mid April she will have already scheduled all her vacation and personal days and have NO sick days left. People do get sick so she was probably 1/2 expecting to go over the contractual days. Personally I would have more sympathy for my nanny if she was sick for more than 5 days--thats uncontrollable vs planned.
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Had a fight with my closet before work. Went to work. Came home and took a nap on the couch. Met DC atbth
[ Reply | More ]Got up early and took dd to dr. appt. Then went to Target to by bday gift for a party ds is going to tomorrow. Took dc to lunch and to park where we met friends. Babysitter came over and I went to library for 3 hrs to do school work. Came back, picked up ds and took him to baseball practice. Got home, made dinner, read to dd and sat down to do more school work. Got sucked into UB.
[ Reply | More ]took very crowded train to work, decided to walk around the lower concourse food court at Grand Central instead of walk directly from train to work, left my office fob at home and had to spend 5 minutes checking in at security, worked, got a bra-fitting and bought bras, worked, came home and played with DB
[ Reply | More ]Woke up after sleeping a total of 2 hours last night, as one of my twins is teething and screamed all night; had 2cups coffee; went to work, pretended to be a lawyer and give a shit while really researching preschools; had more coffee and a Jenny Craig frozen lunch; conference call; stopped at Starbucks; Jenny Craig weigh in on way home; picked up some breakfast food for babies for tomorrow; came home, fed twins, bathed them, played , put them to bed; orrer sushi; hanging out with dh while he watches tv I am on ub on iPad. Please let the teething stop for one night!
[ Reply | More ]Went to work. Came home excited to go to the playground and a pizza date w/ DH & my boys. Got 2 blocks & 1YO DS had a major allergy attack - couldn't stop coughing and couldn't catch his breath - turned around and put them in the tub. Had take-out in our PJs (bath cured DS). Watched Dora. Bedtime routine. UB, cocktail, laundry. Ready for bed. God my life is exciting!
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[-]Does anyone know anything about Olga Bosio and Love-a-Lot daycare? thanks
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there was a daycare uptown/West side ion her home as far as I remember, something very obscure and chaotic, babies running all over, completely unsafe from child care point of view.she was money hungry, lack of English, very poor grammar, no curriculum for the kids. my husband and I were quite surprised that she got away with her setting.Her staff was also immigrants, low pay probably, not educated in the early childhood. Now I am reading that she did not pay her staff and parents and disappeared. Not surprised. I agree that she might open under somebody else. She seemed street shrewed but not sophisticated smart. what a pity.I would stay away and tell friends too..
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She had such a nice daycare facility, but she mismanaged the funds so badly that the place collapsed in September 2011 and left families stranded. Teachers, landlords and who knows who else went unpaid for months. Such a shame.
[ Reply | More ]Hey everyone, did you know that a new Montessori is opening up at the old location of recently closed down Love a Lot preschool?Tell all your friends not to sign up their kids at Lower East Side Montessori 212-982-4444!! It is owned by OLGA BOSIO- the same owner who still did not pay her teachers 17 weeks of back wages and still owes us parents deposits in the hundred of thousands... she just got new management , new name and is reopening! Incredible!!! Strongly suggested to stay away!! BAD NEWS!! BAD KARMA and she does not know anything about education at all!!! Sure she will never show up but someone must pay her Fire island vacation house and long travelling periods away from the school....
[ Reply | More ]WOW I am flagging it too.... she is really a piece of scamm artist. definitely also she has someone to erase all blogs people write against her. so many parents, including myself had made comments and all are gone. I checked with the urban baby office administrator and they told me that they have been erased as of yesterday... well Olga, if you are so innocent why are you erasing people's comments?
[ Reply | More ]hey, I checked on that new school coming up at 99 Suffolk. They are very obscure ....never had infant program. It seems Olga is behind the management or the least she got paid or sold the business. I remember how greedy she is asking us parents to pay $20 dollars for 15 minutes lateness. I will flag and tell parents to stay away too..
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[-]had first ultrasound today. 6w0d, baby is measuring 2.5mm. Doc mentioned seeing the yolk sac, but didn't say anything about a fetal pole. Should I be worried? Is 2.5mm small?
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just noticed this is an old post, but for benefit of anyone reading now- 2.5mm was the fetal pole- so yes, you had a fetal pole, and at that length, although heartbeat probably technically exists, nearly impossible to detect, so not seeing would not be a cause for concern (typically only visible approx. 5mm)
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