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Such Is Life in New York City

December 12, 2012 / Family, Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

I don’t blog as much as I should about the amazing things I get to do living in New York. Here are a few fun things I’ve been up to recently.

Seeing the world premiere of Les Miserables with Beck, followed by a Q&A with the cast, including Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried.

Christmas decorations are up! Loving this beautiful tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Eloise also loved the museum – she has reached an age where she notices everything around her and is so curious about everything she sees.

Saw the NYC ballet perform the Nutcracker with my friend Alexis at the Lincoln Center.

Hanging out with a special visitor! It was wonderful to see Beverly after almost three years, and meet Hunter and Carter.

Eloise’s first time in snow!

Had a wonderful time at the So You Think You Can Dance live tour with Dan and Sue.

Watched the US Olympic gymnastics team perform live in a showcase at the new Barclay Center in Brooklyn.

Lived through Hurricane Sandy.

And managed to celebrate Halloween straight afterwards.

Had great adventures with Grandma!

Thanksgiving 2012

December 12, 2012 / Family, Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

This year I am especially thankful for my wonderful husband, my amazing, beautiful daughter, my loving parents, and both old and new friends. I’m thankful for mine, Alec’s and Eloise’s good health, and for our situation in life that enables us to live in New York, in a lovely apartment, and for me to take care of Eloise full-time while she’s so small.

It’s hard to focus on the big picture when the day-to-day gripes set in. I’m taking a moment today to really feel thankful for how lucky I truly am.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving 2012

November 22, 2012 / Family, New York Life / 0 comment

This year I am especially thankful for my wonderful husband, my amazing, beautiful daughter, my loving parents, and both old and new friends.

I’m thankful for mine, Alec’s and Eloise’s good health, and for our situation in life that enables us to live in New York, in a lovely apartment, and for me to take care of Eloise full-time while she’s so small. It’s hard to focus on the big picture when the day-to-day gripes set in. I’m taking a moment today to really feel thankful for how lucky I truly am.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eloise’s 1st Birthday Party in NYC

September 2, 2012 / Cheese, Family, Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

For our little girl’s first birthday, we threw a party at Jane’s Carousel, Dumbo. We were blessed with a gorgeous day, with everything coming together beautifully for our little baby’s big day.

Welcome to the party! All stationary via Bekkah Little, Etsy.

Sugar cookies in the shape of ballet slippers from SugarFairies, Etsy. Photos of Eloise taken each month and assembled in a row.

Strawberry lemonade cupcakes from Betty Bakery, Brooklyn. Ballerina toppers from Annie’s General Store. Tutu cake toppers from JeanKnee, Etsy.

Vanilla cake with dulce de leche filling and pink vanilla buttercream, from One Girl Cookies, Brooklyn. Ballet slippers and sign from Crumby Art, Etsy.

Tutu!

Eloise’s headband by Devon Evenson, Etsy.

With birthday buddy, Clementine.

Lunch was bagels from Mocha Bagels, Brooklyn.

Carousel ride!

Cutting the cake.

Cupcake face plant.

With Daddy.

Happy birthday to our dearest love. We love you more and more every day, little Cheese.

Photography by Raquel Frechette.

Eloise’s 1st Birthday Party

September 2, 2012 / Cheese, Family, Kids, New York Life, USA / 0 comment

For our little girl’s first birthday, we threw a party at Jane’s Carousel, Dumbo. We were blessed with a gorgeous day, with everything coming together beautifully for our little baby’s big day.

Welcome to the party! All stationary via Bekkah Little, Etsy.

Sugar cookies in the shape of ballet slippers from SugarFairies, Etsy. Photos of Eloise taken each month and assembled in a row.

Strawberry lemonade cupcakes from Betty Bakery, Brooklyn. Ballerina toppers from Annie’s General Store. Tutu cake toppers from JeanKnee, Etsy.

Vanilla cake with dulce de leche filling and pink vanilla buttercream, from One Girl Cookies, Brooklyn. Ballet slippers and sign from Crumby Art, Etsy.

Tutu!

Eloise’s headband by Devon Evenson, Etsy.

With birthday buddy, Clementine.

Lunch was bagels from Mocha Bagels, Brooklyn.

Carousel ride!

Cutting the cake.

Cupcake face plant.

With Daddy.

Happy birthday to our dearest love. We love you more and more every day, little Cheese.

Photography by Raquel Frechette.

My 33rd Birthday in NYC

August 26, 2012 / Family, New York Life / 1 Comment

Birthday number 33! I can’t believe it. Alec was so great and made a huge effort to give me a wonderful birthday. Unfortunately, both he and Eloise were suffering with a stomach virus, so it ended up being a low key day.

We started with my fave sandwiches and ice tea from Via Quadronne, followed by a stroll through Central Park. We dropped into the Plaza Hotel, and then went shopping at Tiffany & Co.

Hi Eloise! The Plaza Hotel.

Tiffany!

Rockefeller Plaza.

A week later Alec and I were able to go out for dinner, to A Voce in Columbus Circle. It was delicious! I had an amazing pasta dish, cocktail and wine, and a delish dessert. Add into that wonderful company, and it was a really great night out.

My dear friend Alexis was super lovely and took me to lunch at Gramercy Park Hotel for a birthday lunch too. The babies caused havoc, but we had a wonderful lunch just the same.

Eloise’s 1st Birthday

August 20, 2012 / Cheese, Family, Kids, New York Life, USA / 0 comment

A huge occasion – our little Cheese’s first birthday! I’m finding it hard to come to terms with my little baby turning into a toddler.

To celebrate the day, we had lunch at Artisanal, followed by present opening and a cake smash.

Eloise – Month 11 – 12

August 19, 2012 / Cheese, Kids / 0 comment

My little baby is now 1, and no longer a baby. I can’t call her a toddler yet, I still think of her as my little, tiny baby.

What a big month we’ve had, finishing with her first birthday. She was sick for a few weeks, with her first stomach flu as well as a nasty cold.

We had a lot of fun though, and ate at delicious places like Public, Balthazar, Gramercy Park Hotel, Brooklyn Farmacy, Artisanal, One Girl Cookie.

We also went swimming at the YMCA where Eloise loved being in the water after some initial hesitation.

Our dear friend Lisa Maher visited us this month from Sydney. Together we went to Governor’s Island to see the jazz festival and Central Park.

Developmental

First steps! Eloise started to let go and take solo steps – 3 or 4 at a time. She is more confident cruising around the furniture, using the the walker or holding onto our hands. She charges across the floor while holding onto our hands in particular.
New sounds: Eloise is making new noises (like nanana) and high pitched shrieking.
Following directions: Eloise is getting really great at understanding what we’re saying. She does things like comes when we call her, stops when we say no.
She also shakes her head emphatically for no, nods for yes, points at things she wants very clearly, even the door when she wants to go out. She loves looking at pictures and points to people, so we tell her who everyone is in the photos.
So curious. She loves looking at everything, pointing at things that she wants to know more about.
Waving at everyone. She’s so friendly and social.
Clapping when she’s happy.
Babbling happily in gibberish.
Giving us hugs! So great.
Bouncing up and down to music.

Food

The girl loves to eat! She loves things like goats cheese, milkshakes, fruit, goldfish crackers, grilled cheese sandwiches. I have cut out the midday breastfeed, replacing it with more food and cows milk.
She really loves anything we’re eating and drinking, and loves to drink out of my giant Camelbak.
Wants to feed herself. Doesn’t like being spoon fed very often anymore.

Sleep
We had some sleep regression while Eloise was teething or sick, but generally she has settled into a routine where she sleeps from 6:30 or 7pm till around 5:45 – 6:45am.

Lessons from Eloise

July 20, 2012 / Cheese, Kids / 0 comment

My baby girl is 11 months old tomorrow. I’m spinning out at how fast the time has gone. Are we really almost at her first birthday? I really can’t believe it.

Every day, Eloise is turning more and more into a kid and leaving the last remnants of her babyhood in her wake. She is a high speed, full throttle baby. Constantly watching, reaching, trying to work out what’s going on around her.

When people tell you your life will change when you have a baby, it’s a gross understatement. It’s more like my life was reborn. Not only in obvious ways (sleep deprivation! a new constant companion! body changes that are way too personal for a blog!) but in fundamental ways that I could never have imagined.

1. I’m more patient than I was before – by a long shot. Having always been someone who wants everything to happen right away, Eloise has definitely helped me to slow down and accept that somethings take longer than I’d like to happen – and even to appreciate this.

2. Unconditional love. I thought I had known it before, but the way I feel about Eloise has been with a depth of love I didn’t think possible. Just thinking about things potentially happening to her sends my heart racing. The idea of her growing up and leaving me makes my eyes tear up.

3. Tolerance of others. I’m also a very intolerant person when it comes to other people, but thanks to Eloise that has also improved a lot. It’s much easier to understand now how hard everyone’s life may be, and I really try to be as kind as possible to everyone, even rude people on the subway. Everyone has their own daily struggles and I’m trying to give nasty-ass people the benefit of the doubt that the day they’re hideous is a day they’re finding too hard to cope with.

I’m not only looking at my baby, but also at myself, as a work in progress. I hope that as I try to teach her about life, she continues to teach me about how to live it as a kinder, gentler, better person.

Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Eloise – Month 10 – 11

July 20, 2012 / Cheese, Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

Our little girl is growing up so fast. She’s becoming more and more like a toddler, and less like a baby every day. I’m so proud of her growth and development, but also a little wistful already for the baby we don’t have for much longer. I’m so happy to see such great qualities in Eloise already. She’s fearless, curious and generous.

We’ve been out and about a lot this month! Cousin Sara came to visit, so we’ve been siteseeing all over the city – such as the Empire State Building, Alice’s Tea Cup, Central Park, FAO. We also went to fun things with Alec while he was on paternity leave, like the Bronx Botanical Gardens. We finished up the end of the month with two stroller tours, of the Guggenheim and Whitney.

Developmental

Standing with confidence now! Lets go of surfaces and balances on her feet.
Cruising around the room using furniture to balance on.
Dismounts easily from standing onto her cushy rear.
Takes steps on the walker or if we’re holding her hands.
Pulls herself up on our legs, the appliances, furniture, everything.
Dancing! Bops to music.
Nods her head for yes and shakes it for no.
New words: “up” and “yeah”.
Reaches to be picked up on command.
Understands “no”.
Comes when she’s called.
Hand-eye co-ordination getting really good. Can pick up things like single peas with her thumb and forefinger and put them in her mouth.
Very chatty. Doesn’t make any sense yet, but is very serious about telling us things and nodding her head vigorously.
Managed to get a block shape into the correct hole in the box.
Teething, but no teeth broken through yet.
Much more affectionate. Lots of hugs.

Food

Eating really well. Three solid meals a day, plus snacks in between. Prefers large chunks that she can hold and gnaw on. Typical meal for the day: Breakfast: plain, full-fat yoghurt, half a banana. Snack: Half a banana. Lunch: Usually when we’re out, so a puree pack of baby food, plus bits of whatever I’m eating. Snack: rock melon, watermelon, cheese. Dinner: Leftovers from food I’ve cooked for myself and Alec, like pasta, steamed vegetables, baked vegetables, veggie burger patty.
Getting much better at drinking water from a cup and water bottle.

Sleep

We completed sleep training with success. Eloise started sleeping from 7pm – 6:30-7:30am. AMAZING. We had a few nights where she woke at 6am, or at 10:30pm, but for the most part, it seems like our sleep issues have been solved.
Naps: Down to two naps a day. One at around 8:30-9am for anywhere from 1 – 2 hours, and 12:30pm for about 45mins to an hour a half.

Empire State Building.

Christine Knight