Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

Happy 40th Birthday Alec

May 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 1 Comment

Happy 40th birthday my dearest love! We celebrated in style with a festival of NYC events:

Alec's 40th Birthday

Lunch at ABC Kitchen. Cheese slept well the night before, so we all had a lovely lunch – especially when the little one slept through most of lunch so we were able to enjoy a leisurely lunch and then share dessert with her when she woke.

Alec's 40th Birthday

Alec had crab. I had ravioli, and we shared really good citrus desserts. ABC Kitchen was really kid-friendly too, which was nice, even though Cheese was asleep the whole time! When she woke up, they set her a special place at the table.

Alec's 40th Birthday

A party with friends at the KBH, Brooklyn. Nothing like beer, cake and pie with good friends. Pie and cake from Betty Bakery, Brooklyn. Alec wanted a pie rather than cake, so we had both to feed the masses.

Alec's 40th Birthday

Candles on the birthday pie. Happy birthday boy.

#Brooklyn #Nets game for Alec's 40th Birthday

Awesome seats at a Net’s game at the Barclays Center – the Brooklyn Nets vs Atlanta. My first basketball game! It was so much fun, both being so close to really see the players and the action, and the atmosphere. The view was amazing! Special seats for the birthday boy. The only celeb we saw was Katie Couric, but plenty of other fun things to watch, like the half-time entertainment and dancers. I also loved that our tickets included unlimited food.

#Brooklyn #Nets game for Alec's 40th Birthday

Last stop on the birthday train …

Alec's 40th Birthday

Dinner at Per Se. The most amazing dining experience of our lives.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #NEWYORK

Located in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, Per Se has been on our bucket list since we moved to New York. It was an experience worth waiting for, and one that we will remember forever. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel special and welcome. They knew our names, they knew I was a vegetarian, they knew it was Alec’s birthday. They printed special menus with “Happy Birthday Alec” on them. Every tiny detail was perfect.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #Newyork

And of course the food was exquisite. Every course was a tiny delight. In addition to the courses listed on the menu were various others including amuse bouches, bread, hand-churned butter from a small dairy of 14 cows, extra desserts, a cardamon affogato, macarons, hand-made chocolate truffles and, of course, the famous donuts. All up I think there were about 12 courses.

We were so full we had to take home the macarons and chocolates. As we left we were handed our especially printed menus in a folder, our boxed up desserts, and sweet little tins filled with the most amazing hazelnut cookies for later.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #newyork

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #NewYork

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #newyork

The best meal of our lives, and the most amazing evening.

Alec's 40th birthday

Alec looks eternally youthful to me, with the exception of some tired bags under the eyes thanks to the bad-sleeping Cheese monster.

My love, I hope your 40th was wonderful, and here’s to celebrating every day between this and the next birthday. It’s an honor to walk through life with you by my side. You’re a wonderful father and husband. Both the Cheese and I are lucky to have you making up our little family of three.

Mother’s Day 2014 at the New York Botanical Garden

May 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 2 Comments

Finally gorgeous weather after seven months of freezing cold. What better way to spend the day with my loves than in the gorgeous New York Botanical Garden? The gardens are way up in the Bronx, so makes it a good day trip for us. They are extremely relaxed at the gardens, happy for visitors to lounge anywhere and really enjoy the gardens (in contrast to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens where they won’t let you sit on the lawn!), so we always pack a blanket and picnic food so we can hopefully spread out under a tree at some stage and enjoy the serenity.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The gardens are so easy to get to by train. The B, D or 4 are all nearby, and it’s a short walk from the station to the garden. The gardens are MASSIVE. There is a tram to get around, but we always walk and haven’t found it too large for strolling between each area. Mother’s Day weekend is the perfect time to visit the garden – the tulips and daffodils were just past peak bloom, but the cherry blossom trees and azaleas were in full bloom and absolutely stunning.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The gardens put on a special Mother’s Day garden party, with a live jazz band, old school lawn games like croquet, kites, and arts for the kids like making cards, baskets for (pretend) bird eggs, and water colour paintings. We grabbed lunch from a food truck (grilled cheese!) and set up under a perfectly flowering cherry blossom tree. Cheese quickly found toddlers nearby to play with, and merrily entertained herself with a little boy the same age collecting and building a house out of sticks.

We stopped to listen to the band – Cheese wanted to dance, and so we did! Nothing like dancing to a real vintage jazz band among the gorgeous trees and flowers.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

A stroll around the gardens after lunch for the Cheese to nap brought us to the exact same spot we paused for a picnic two years ago when we first visited the garden. After the little lady woke up and saw our picnic spread, she proclaimed it “the best picnic ever!” (from Peppa Pig perhaps?). It was the perfect Mother’s Day with my dearest loves, in one of my absolute favourite places in the city I also love.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The only thing that could have made the way better was to be celebrating my own mother in person as well. I miss spending time with my parents, particularly on special days like today. Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mum, and all the wonderful mums in my life and in yours!

Reasons My Toddler Is Whining

May 9, 2014 / Family / 0 comment

Reasons My Toddler Is Whining via akissgoodnight.co

My mum warned me that once my child started talking, that I’d regret wanting her to talk so much as from then on, the talking never stops. Of course, I didn’t listen, and was so desperate for little Cheese to start talking. Over our summer visit to Australia, her speech finally exploded. Somethings are insanely cute, like “I love you Mummy!”, “You’re my best friend”, “Tulips are Mummy’s favourite!” (they are!), “I’ll be right back!” (so not true, she’s never right back). Others, not so cute, like “Calm down Mummy!”, or “Just stop it, Mummy!”. Ugh.

Worst of all though, is the whining. I was worried that age two would bring tantrums. Thankfully, no tantrums, but OH MY GOD, THE WHINING! Some days there are none, but some days, it’s literally non-stop all day long.

Here are today’s top whines.

She wanted to try bread in Whole Foods. I got her bread. It wasn’t big enough. “Want BIGGER BREAD!”

She wanted a bandaid on a graze on her toe. Socks and shoes went over the top. She wanted to pull her shoes and socks in the playground off to see the bandaid.

Couldn’t find Anna. Found Anna. Couldn’t find Anna’s dress. Found Anna’s dress. Couldn’t find Elsa’s dress. Found it! Can’t put either dress on. “BROKEN!!!”

Scooting was too hard. “NO MORE SCOOT!”

Breakfast was her usual favourite, Cheerios and milk, and strawberries. “DON’T LIKE CEREAL!” (Dramatic hand sweeping motion.) “DON’T LIKE BUBBIES! (Crap. Now what am I going to feed her?)

Wanted to take Anna and Elsa dolls to preschool. Told her they’d get lost so they needed to stay home. “NOOOOOOOO ANNA ELSAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!” Charges around the living room holding onto Anna and Else for dear life. Dolls need to be (lovingly) removed by force. Whining turns into crying.

A lady on the street admired her Cinderella dress. “DON’T LOOK AT MEEEEEE!”

Didn’t want to push the button to call the elevator, so I pushed it instead. “BUT I WANTED TO PUSH ITTTTTTTTT!”

I gave her Cheddar Bunnies and she wanted Gold Fish. THEY’RE THE SAME THING!

She did a poo in her nappy and I tried to change it. “DON’T TOUCH ME DON’T TOUCH ME DON’T TOUCH MEEEEE!!!!”

Toddlers, yay! Now someone please pass me the wine.

Mother, What is the Moon? A Book Review

May 9, 2014 / Product Reviews, Product Reviews, Sydney Food / 0 comment

It’s always a lovely surprise to receive books in the mail. I love reading to E and hope she will end up loving literature as much as I do. The particular book we are checking out today is Mother, What is the Moon? by David Griswold, and illustrated by Eliza Reisfeld. The book is perfect for preschoolers, so if you have a kid aged 2 – 5, read on.

Mother, What is the Moon? is full of gentle poetry and beautiful art, presented in an engaging way for little ones. The book tells the story of a young boy, asking his mother what the moon is. Her answer is both wise and whimsical. The moon is a nighttime adventure through snow, fields and streams. It’s connected to the cycle of life and nature, and is a thing of dreams, magic and science, all rolled together.

My 2.5 year old is currently obsessed with the moon. Every night, it’s the same. “Where is the moon?” “I can’t see it!” “It’s hiding!” This sweet book gives me a story to tell my toddler that answers the question “what is the moon?” when the moon, like us, is always changing.

Mother, What is the Moon? has become a new nighttime favourite in our home, among both the adults and our toddler. If you’re going to read a book a hundred times a week, make sure it’s one you’re all going to enjoy!

Mother, What is the Moon? is currently raising funds for its publishing run on Kickstarter. Back it to receive a first edition copy.

Brunch With My Baby was not compensated for this post. We just love awesome kids’ books.

Mother's Day Traditions to Inspire You

May 6, 2014 / New York Food / 0 comment

Rejoice! It is almost Mother’s Day! The Brunch With My Baby team hopes that you’ll be spoiled rotten by your family, and get to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones.

Haven’t decided on where to go yet? We asked some of our favorite blogger friends for their Mother’s Day plans to give you some last-minute ideas.

Kristin Strange of My Strange Family
This year I will be celebrating my 4th Mothers Day. Every year, my Mother’s Day is divided between “me” time and “family” time. We always have a nice brunch at The Harrison restaurant in Tribeca (which we originally picked because it is my son’s name). After brunch we make our way tonearby Washington Market Park for some running-out-the-crazies and slide time. During nap-time on Mother’s Day, I usually sneak out of the house and have a nice spa afternoon at the Langham Place Spa in Midtown. It is a perfect mix of activities for a perfect day of celebrating me as a mom. (The photo is from last year at Washington Market Park, when Kristin was 8+ months pregnant!)

#mothersday #traditions via brunchwithmybaby.com

Allison Cooper of Project Motherhood
For our family, Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day!) have become days that we always spend together as a family, but the rule is that my husband and son are in charge of planning something they know I will enjoy (we do the same for Father’s Day, but with me as the planner). Last year, we spent a wonderfully sunny day at Prospect Park Zoo, which we love because it’s so intimate and friendly. We also do small gifts, which is always fun to look forward to. As my son gets older, many of the gifts become homemade treasures that I value more than anything!

An Interview with #Brianne Manz from #strollerinthecity - brunchwithmybaby.com

Brianne Manz of Stroller In The City

My absolutely favorite thing to do in NYC on Mothers Day is to go to a wonderful brunch with my family! It’s so important to me to spend the day with my 3 children and husband. This year we are actually heading to Langham Place for a fun, family-friendly sing along. I think the kids (and us parents) will have an absolute blast!

Jory Lieber of Teeny Tiny Foodie
For Mother’s Day, I like to go out for a nice meal with my husband and daughter and enjoy time outside if the weather permits. The restaurants we like (with the perk of outdoor seating) are Du Jour Bakery and Stone Park Cafe. However, I also like to celebrate by taking a little time for myself and getting a manicure and pedicure too! We love the JJ Byrne Playground in Park Slope for outdoor fun, and we also like to go to the Prospect Park Zoo or just for a neighborhood walk.

#mothersday #traditions from @foodballfoodandmotherhood via brunchwithmybaby.com

Stephanie Barnhart of Football Food and Motherhood
It’s become tradition for us to go to Freeport in Long Island for Mother’s Day — they have the nautical mile which is lined with outdoor ocean/seafood restaurants. You can sit outside on the harbor and have a cold beer and fresh seafood. This year however, we are opting against it since Maximo is so wild and will probably fall off the dock. Stay tuned to see how that plays out! Typically we eat at Otto’s Sea Grill or Rachel’s Waterside Grill. (Check out Stephanie and Maximo last Mother’s Day at Freeport in the pic above!). The Freeport area was significantly damaged during 2012’s hurricane and only re-opened late last year, so the businesses would love your support!

#mothersday #traditions to inspire you via brunchwithmybaby.com

Serena Norr, Managing Editor of Momtrends and The Shopping Mama
With all of the busyness in my life, I love Mother’s Day as a time to spend time with family. Since I grew up in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, we usually go there to meet my mom and my sister for an early dinner and to visit to the local parks afterward. I also love waking up to the sweet and precious handmade cards that my girls usually make me. There is nothing better (to me) on Mother’s Day then the simplicity of shutting off, eating great food and being with my family.

If these ideas don’t inspire you, here are some of our fave restaurant and outing picks:

Lunch at DUMBO’s Superfine and something sweet from Jacques Torres

Fancy SoHo lunch at Mercer Kitchen

People-watching while dining al fresco at Isabella’s on the Upper West Side

A walk around Union Square and lunch at the Blue Water Grill

Playing in Washington Market and brunch at Sarabeth’s

A day trip to Blue Hill Farm

Touring the gardens at The Cloisters and lunch at New Leaf Restaurant

Enjoy!!!

Ergo Carrier: Fairy Wings Not Included

April 30, 2014 / New York Food / 0 comment

Toddlers are tricky little creatures. While they can indeed walk, they can’t walk for long distances yet, so when going on long outings, some form of transport is still required for them (unless you’re happy to carry them on your shoulders for hours and end up with a serious neck ache).

Since Missy E is now over two, she is pretty heavy. For the most part I throw her in the stroller when we’re going out, but foul weather always tricks me up. Trying to fit the stroller with a rain cover and pushing it while holding an umbrella over myself is always a disaster in the making. Particularly since a certain little person really hates being covered in the stroller.

The easiest way for me to get out and about with E in bad weather is still the good ol’ carrier. I also use the carrier if I need my hands free, or know I’ll be taking a lot of stairs and don’t want to haul a stroller around.

We take a lot of day trips with E where the carrier becomes super handy — like our recent one to the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Since it was, indeed, raining again, we bundled E up in the carrier (she calls it her “packpack”), and set off, hands-free, for a great indoor play (I mean educational experience …) option with a toddler.

The Ergo is really a wonderful carrier. It’s super comfortable, and designed for newborns (when using the infant insert) to children aged four. The Ergo guide recommends wearing toddlers over the age of 24 months on your back (rather than strapped to your stomach), which is what we do now with our big Miss E. Thanks to the padded waist belt, E’s weight is evenly distributed between my hips and shoulders, while the cushy padded shoulder straps mean I don’t end up with massive shoulder pains.

The Ergo is designed to carry children in a natural sitting position, which is good for maintaining healthy hips. I’ve carried E in a carrier since she was newborn, so she’s very used to being strapped in. She particularly loves the Ergo because she is really comfortable in her “seat”, and is high up so can see lots of great things at my eye level — like fire trucks when they’re coming from a distance. She occasionally yells “STUCK!” in my ear when she wants to get down, and also enjoys using my hair to play peekaboo with strangers on the subway.

A big bonus about carrying an older toddler is they can actually assist in getting into the carrier. To get E into the Ergo, I strap it around my waist and kneel down. I ask her to climb on my back and (most times) she obligingly grabs onto my neck and climbs up. Ell I need to do is reach back for the shoulder straps and clip them together, and we’re off. I can even strap her in by myself when I’m on the subway.

Carrying E in the Ergo also means I have my hands totally free. Days like this rainy one are suddenly so much easier to manage! It does however begin to pose a problem when the toddler can reach the umbrella and wants to hold it too . . .

Our Ergo is from the Original Collection range, in Galaxy Grey. Other helpful features include a hood, perfect for protecting baby’s head when they’re napping, and a large zippered pouch to throw in keys and cash, so you truly can leave home with your hands free.

Upon our arrival at the Children’s Museum, we folded up the Ergo and checked it at the front door. Since it’s all made from material, it folds up really easily into a reasonably small bundle — great for travel or throwing in your diaper bag.

The Ergo carrier is available from the Ergo website for $135 including the infant insert.

A Baby (Doll) Love Story: Ergo Doll Carriers

April 30, 2014 / Giveaways, New York Food, Product Reviews / 2 Comments

At around two, little girls discover baby dolls. Their new friends and loves, they let their imaginations run free with games caring for their new “babies.”

So it’s not surprising that these little girls adore carrying around their baby dolls in their Ergo Doll Carriers. These carriers are perfect for little kids to tote their beloved dolls around town, and make a great gift in particular for a new big sister or brother, so they can be just like Mommy and Daddy.

The Doll Carrier can be worn in the front or back position, just like the classic Ergo.

FEATURES
100% Cotton Canvas body construction
Padded shoulder straps
Padded waist strap
May be worn in front and back positions
National Molding buckles
Machine wash and dry, gentle cycles

The Ergo Doll Carrier is available on the Ergo website for $25.

A Brooklyn Love Story with Egg

April 23, 2014 / Fashion, New York Food / 1 Comment

Spring finally on its way means saying au revoir to giant coats and muted hues, and bonjour to color and fun-in-the-sun again!

Our absolute favorite place to spend a sunny day in NYC is Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn. It’s really the perfect playground. There’s lots of space to run around, grass to kick a ball on, and then, of course, there is the carousel itself. For only $2 per horse, you can take a ride with your little one. It’s the best value carousel in the city, with the best view.

On this particularly perfect spring day in Brooklyn, Missy E wore Egg by designer Susan Lazar. I’ve loved dressing E in Egg since she was a little baby, because the designs are adorable and the fabric is so soft against her skin.

Egg hatched in 2003, when Lazar decided to create a lifestyle brand designed around the needs of stylish mothers and children. Egg uses natural fabrics and simple designs. Perfect for parents who love clean lines, and want clothes for their kids that are made with movement and comfort in mind. The result is fashionable yet timeless baby and kids’ clothes of the highest quality. For little ones with sensitive skin, Egg also has an organics line, featuring soft organic cotton.

The 2014 Egg spring line is inspired by the South of France, evident in the delicate floral and fruit prints for the girls line, and the cool nautical motifs for boys.

The theme of this line, like most of Lazar’s designs, is very subtle — evident in the motifs and colors, but not obvious or gimmicky. “Each season the collection starts with a theme,” she says. “For example, Spring 2014 was inspired by the South of France — the wild flowers, the sea and the chicness of France. The theme is only a starting point and I never want the collection to be too trendy of costume-y”. The end result is a line of clothing that I wish came in my size too.

Being such big fans of Egg already, I was really excited to try out three outfits from the new Egg spring line.

The Shift Dress in pink is made from a super soft cotton-modal blend, perfect for running around town. This dress is designed with active kiddos like mine in mind. This super comfortable dress was a hit with E — she adored putting her hands in the double front pockets, and I particularly liked the buttons on the neckline, making it easy to get on and off. The bright pink stripes make this dress fun and bright for spring, while the three-quarter sleeves are the perfect length for days that still hold a hint of chill in the air.

The Pocket Dress in green is E’s favourite of the outfits. She loves the delicate floral print, accented with tiny birds, and the floaty skirt with little pockets in which she can hide rocks or other treasures. The dress is incredibly lightweight (perfect for keeping cool in high summer), and is 70% cotton, 30% silk. It looks super chic, but is still extremely comfortable as you can see from the photos of Miss E running, jumping and, her current favorite activity, climbing rocks.

The T-shirt Dress is fun and bright, and perfect for an active toddler. The big yellow pineapple on the front is the standout feature, and is such a cute print that isn’t typically seen on clothes for little kids. This dress is made for kids who are on the go. Perfect for running, climbing and having fun — being made from a super light weight cotton blend it will last throughout the summer, too. It’s cute without being fussy, and fun without being too “little kid”. Perfect for this sassy baby Brooklynite.

The Egg line is available online and in stores.

Brunch With My Baby received compensation for this post from Egg. All opinions are, as always, our own.

Not Bread Alone; Kid-Friendly Cafes, Crows Nest, Sydney

April 22, 2014 / Crows Nest, North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food / 4 Comments

Pre-baby, Not Bread Alone was one of my absolute favourite cafes. It was a pleasant surprise to find they are also super kid-friendly when I dropped by with E and some friends for brunch. Missy E was treated to her first Babycino ($2). I also ordered her some Hot Chips with tomato sauce ($4.50) in case she didn’t like the other food I ordered. I needn’t have wasted the money on the chips, as she devoured most of my meal anyway — lesson learned, the kid has good taste!

The adults in our party ordered: Lamb Shank (with creamy mashed potato, chef’s greens and a tomato and red wine jus, $20.90), Sweet Corn & Chive Fritters (with crispy bacon, baby spinach and oven roasted roma tomato, $16.90), Free Range Eggs (scrambled, poached or fried eggs with your choice of toast, $10.90) with Oven Roasted Roma Tomato ($4) and Baby Spinach ($4). Whenever I visit NBA, I always get the exact same dishes (the fritters or eggs) because they’re just SO DAMN GOOD. So good that I used to drive an hour or so to the cafe just for their breakfast.

On this particular visit, the staff were attentive and kind, especially to squiggly E who was also struggling with jet lag and a bit cranky. When they saw me taking photos of the food, they helpfully turned the plates to show off the meals to their best advantage (“We just had a lesson in food photography!” they told me. How awesome is that?).

The meal always ends on a sweet note — a few Fantails are always given with the bill. My friends didn’t want theirs, so I happily pocked them all for later (score!).

Last Bite: Always a winner for really great food, plus friendly, considerate staff. Outdoor, protected seating means you can make a quick escape or stroll around the block with fussy kids.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Not Bread Alone
376 Pacific Hwy,
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Phone: 02 9966 9788
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:30am-11pm Sun 7:30am-5pm
Get Directions

New Year’s Resolutions: Three Months In

April 15, 2014 / Family, Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

New Year's Resolutions: Three Months In

A good friend asked me to post about how I was going with my New Year’s Resolutions a few months in. I’d like to say that it’s a roaring success and life is now perfect, but that would just be lie now, wouldn’t it?

All I can say is that I’m doing the best I can do, every day. Some days go better than others. Some days are wonderful and I feel great about myself at the end. Some are a complete disaster and I wish I could have a do-over.

The main thing is I’m really trying to be a better person. And there’s been progress!

The most obvious is how my relationship with little E has improved. I’ve been making a huge effort to be present for her during our time together, and she’s turned into a huge mummy’s girl. So many hugs and kisses, saying “you’re my best friend Mummy!” and insanely cute things like this that help me want to do even better.