The Upper West Side of my brain

During Hurricane Sandy a friend was nice enough to lend us her apartment on the The Upper West Side. Tuesday and I spent A LOT of time walking around because NONE OF THE PLAYGROUNDS WERE OPEN SO THERE WAS NOTHING TO DO. On the up side, with all that walking I lost a few pounds right before Thanksgiving so I felt very free to gorge myself during the holiday.

Anyway, on one of our marathon walks we passed by a bookstore (I'm pretty sure it was the Upper West Side mega bookstore where Tom Hanks worked in "You've got mail.") and I noticed "How Children Succeed" featured very prominently in the window. The cynic in me would normally give an eye roll and a emphatic Harumph! Who am I kidding every fiber in my being would usually do that but since I was an Upper West Side mom for the time being I did as other Upper West Sider moms would do just then, I told Tuesday to push the door open with her feet so we could manhandle the door open with our stroller and I could grab my very own copy and I could find out exactly how my child was going to succeed.

The bad thing is, we moved back downtown the next day and I reverted back to downtown slacker mom and now have this book, and possibly my child's future, on my bedside table. I can't decide if I'm actually going to read it or not.


Did you notice that it's right under Babs' book - subtitled becoming Barbara Streisand? If this is also a "how to" book I think I'd prefer to have that! The lady has her own mall in her own house, how much more successful can you possibly become!

Do you really need a book about discipline?

In a word, I'd have to say Yup.

I know it's hideous but please try and remember not to judge a book by it's cover (although I always do.) The advice covers tantrums, yelling, arguing, biting, sleeping issues and pretty much all the other regulars. What sets this book apart, in my opinion, is that advice is dispensed in a simple, concise and straightforward manner so that regular parents who are not awaiting PHD's from Bank Street or something can understand how to raise respectful, well mannered, happy children. Happy being the key word. Also, it was recommended to me by a friend I really trust.

Just one, Japanese, word. Uniqlo!

 Yes weird would be another word but considering Uniqlo is Japanese and this is fashion, I'd say it's pretty normal all in all.

Oooohh, a sweater with no sleeves! What every kid needs. Love it!

Not sure what I have to say about these. 

Love. Need. Want.

Half unicorn. Half sheep. Need I say more.

I guess it's too much to ask for these gorgeous items to have been made in a lovely nordic country where spun wool is raw and children's clothes are untreated and organic. After all, for the rock bottom prices Uniqlo clothes go for I'm assuming China and all its glorious fire retardant chemicals is the obvious partner. Oh well, on the upside if your house burns down your child will still have something gorgeous to wear.

Oh how my life has changed (aka the Bon Point sample sale)

I'm counting down the days till the Bon Point sample sale. I'm not kidding. Bon Point. Insanely  expensive french clothes for kids. A sample sale for kids. Kids. I've gone the last two years. The first time I went I was still on maternity leave so that means my daughter was less than 3 months old. I stood on line with a lot of other moms in the rain for 45 minutes until they let me in.  I spent way to much money on gorgeous clothes that my daughter wore for 2 minutes and then threw up on and grew out of. But I loved those clothes. Love them. I still have them. They aren't going anywhere. They will never become hand me downs. They will stay in my closet until Tuesday grows up. Then she can look at them and give them back to me. Anything from The Children's Place she can have. These, these are mine.

Here are a few things I hope they have at the sample sale. Who am I kidding, I hope they have EVERYTHING.

The best 1/2 inch of parenting advice money can buy

This book is only 1/2 inch thick.This means you can actually read it.

Size may not be the best way to find your parental books of choice, but unfortunately it is mine. Once you have kids there is no time to read. No time to read books about things you actually want to like sexual sadists or serial killers. And certainly no time to read about parenting. First of all you are busy doing it so there is no time to read about it. Second, by the time you figure out how to work your new baby reading parenting books makes you realize that you've done it all wrong and now it's too late so why even bother. That being said, when I found this book the size, not to mention the title, made me get it. And I'm so happy that I did. It's funny, honest and well written - something that is apparently not a must in this genre. But most importantly the advice is sound. It holds up to the select chapters I've read in  more  "established" parenting books as well as with the words of wisdom that my pediatrician and my "go-to" moms give me. I'm sticking by it.

                       

Looking for a classic six, family 2 inches tall.

I've started looking for a doll house for my daughter. I a had no idea how much real estate is out there for dolls. I think it's actually harder to find a doll house than a house house. I could use Barbara Corcoran here. There is something out there for every profile. From tenement living to homes fit for the 1%.  I'm confused. I'm kind of thinking this first house that she owns is going to influence her notion of what her dream home is for the rest of her life. After all it did for me. If I had my way I'd live in a light blue victorian with white trim and handle on top so you can carry it around like a purse.  So naturally I have to be very careful.

Ok if i want to raise a crack head.

Perfect for Wednesday Adams.  I'm wondering if it comes haunted with ghosts. I kind of love it.

An Eames house. Tuesday will want to order furniture from Design Within Reach. Probably not the best idea.

Aaaah, memories.

Pink and Purple. Next.

I think I'd be intimidated by the dolls that live in this house.

Plan Toys version of a "green" house. Love it. Maybe.

Plan Toys Chalet. Love the bathtub. Possibly.

Plan Toys  nice old fashioned Victorian. No handle on top but we can paint it blue with white trim if we'd like.
Home Sweet Home.

Not expensive french looking kids clothes.

Why are simple, french children's clothes so freakin expensive? I don't get it. No rhinestones. No glitter.   No licensed characters. It makes no sense. Well, if you look around for hours and hours you can find some really nice kids clothes that look like they come out of a french atelier but really come from The Children's Place.

Trains, trains and more trains.

My daughter recently has become obsessed with trains so I took to the internet and started searching. Before a minute and a half I was totally overwhelmed. I had to set down some ground rules. First I wanted all wood - for some reason I've got it in my head that toy trains should be wood. Light, kind of bleached, birch wood. Then I wanted the train pieces and traks to be PVC, lead and fire retardant free. Little pieces way too easily find their way into little mouths. And finally I looked for  a sort of Euro/German/Swiss sensibility. After all, if I was going to ride around on a train in circles for the next two years I would want it to be Euro/German/Swiss. 

This simple Melissa & Doug set is a great place to start.

How great is this "high speed" modern train from Plan Toys?
Top that Amtrak.

Traditional locomotive, Plan Toys.

Recycling? Fun!
Also Plan toys.

More from Plan Toys. Comes with bicycle to ride to train. Very Euro.

Trudi set with lots of bells and whistles (no, no pun intended.)

And Conductor Carl. Love the little church and steeple.
I'm kind of  imagining this to be a little village in the Swiss Alps.   A little village where after  my ski lesson I  go and get raclette and chocolat chaud with my gorgeous ski instructor, Jean-Claude. Wait that's my fantasy, scratch that/

It's Alive!

I got an email in my inbox today from ToysRUs. Totally normal, I get one everyday. Usually I delete them right away but the words Baby Alive immediately caught my attention. My daughter has zero interest in dolls, unfortunately I have enough interest in the new Baby Alive to make up for that.

 I loved Baby Alive as a kid. And I loved her food even more. I can still taste and sort of orangey syrupy vaguely "St. Joseph's Children's Asprin meets fluoride treatment" taste. Yum!

Here is what she looked like when I was a kid. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? She kind of looks like a blow up doll, yes that kind of blow up doll.

Yikes!

Here's the new and improved version.

Double Yikes!

Guess I'm happy that Tuesday is not into dolls. Yet.

Mommy Crush

Sophia Coppola. How does she keep it all together and look so cool? I have no idea.

Hate her.

Love her.

Hate her.

Ok fine, love her.