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  • Earth Day NJ: Mommy Flips Out

    Jumbo Shrimp.  Brooklyn College.  And now, improbable as it seems, the deliciously oxymoronic Earth Day New Jersey. The man unit was working this past Sunday and I'd been too busy to plan ahead with friends, so Hugo and I had to find a way to entertain ourselves.  I loathe shopping, so during naptime, when I read about the park with Earth Day Fair and promised children's activities, I said what the hay. Check out my thrilling quest through Satan's arse NJ.  Driving less than 6 miles, took an hour. Oi. Sorry Earth, my bad!

    In other news, I lost 3 pounds this week with moderate diet and exercise.  Which is super impressive if you hadn't read about last week's scandalous weigh-in.  Oh well.  Keep on keepin' on...

    Coming this week, stay tuned for a peek or three into our wacky, fun, drama and food-filled Seder at Grandma's. 

    See you soon Internet friends.

    Kisses,

    me

    UPDATE:  Turns out Earth Day celebration was Saturday, not Sunday and the emails alerting me to the event just showed up late.  But in my DUH-fense, before I went, I swear I checked the park's website.  As you can see the website for Liberty State Park is one page with no links.  But I dug and found the park's calendar of events, which you can see, hasn't been updated since 2001 (!). 

    Still, being caught in traffic and having a little girl in a pretty dress spit on my dog* was cool, right?

    * The mother of the little girl didn't say anything to her daughter when/after she spit on my dog and since the mother was obviously a Muslim (she and what looked like the girl's grandmother were wearing the headscarves), I was too intimidated by my guilty liberal conscience to say anything/get visibly angry.  But when after she spat twice, the little girl made as if to stamp on my dog like he was a little ant, I said, "No, we do not threaten dogs."  But I said it in a really soft way as she wasn't my daughter and again, I didn't want to seem like I had anything against Muslims, because I don't. 

    I know, I'm an idiot for going to Earth Day the wrong day and possibly for being so careful I am incapable, in the moment, of giving minorities the same "me" I'd give anyone else.  


  • "No, I'm Not Pregnant. I'm Just Fat."

    File this one under: Grist for the Treadmill. Are you ready? First let's have an adorable photo of my spawn at the local "Tot Lot" and then we'll get to the big fat drama...

    OK, so...the title of this post was honest to Thor my lightening-quick reply this afternoon when an old crone of a woman at Hugo's school looked at my belly, beamed, and said, "OH, are you expecting another?"

     After I shot back my response, she said, "But that waistline, I thought..."

    I repeated myself word for word saying, "No, I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat."

    Undeterred she said, "Oh, I was thinking maybe we were getting another baby from you!" 

    This came after a morning in which two other teachers said I looked like "a model" and "gorgeous" in my cherry red empire waist number.  I puffed myself up and said, "Target!"  As in, "I know, I can't help it, I make even the simplest frock, rock!"

    Let's recap here. 

    I'm far from obese. Seriously.  I know the exact number at which someone my height becomes technically obese and I'm at least (insert funny absurdly gluttonous six-month scenario here) away from it.

    And I'm thinner now than when I conceived the baby you see due north of these words.  How many women can say that?

    Yes, I'm trying to lose weight for boring healthy reasons and yes it's hard because I am highly confident.  So confident, in fact, that someone thinking I was pregnant today didn't make me feel fat. It honestly just made me think that if one has big gazongas, one probably shouldn't wear an empire waist -- ever.  Also, I think I should live a little and stop buying couture that cost less than a latte from Starbucks.  Lesson learned.

    So, where's the video?  Ive got lots of new exciting videos.  But we are experiencing technical difficulties please stand by.

    I promise to blog this weekend and maybe even bring you a slice of the hot Seder action happening from Lawn Giland. The best part will be when my mother is surprised that a toddler has no interest in sitting patiently at a table loaded with fine China while we read about plagues from of a book with no pictures.  Wait, did I say no pictures?  Lies.  There is a 60's woodcut of a shank bone, some slaves and bitter herb.  Of course he'll love it.

      Here is where I will not complain that without my father (dead, but who we do this Seder for, I think) or this brother (In LA, which is like dead except they sometimes appear at weddings) this Seder thing is a sad sham.  Depressing.   Oi, and it's my bi-annual reminder that I'm such a bad Jew. But never fear and courage -- to get through it, all we hafta do is eat until we look pregnant.

    See how I tied that up?  I'm so good.   

    But seriously, I gotta go.  If I'm not well-rested my brisket will suffer. So will my impression of "the child who doesn't even know how to ask a question" -- that one has been slaying them like the angel of death for years.

    Loving you Internet.

     xoxo,

     Susie

     



  • Upscale Mommy

    "Upscale" as in -- OMG!  How the cow did I gain 4.5 pounds in a week?! 

    Yes, spring has sprung, and so apparently, has my posterior.

    To recap last Monday's weigh-in... I had lost 3.5 pounds with diet, exercise and a late-breaking stomach virus. 

    I felt my clothes slipping off of me.  I has lost a total of 6.5 pounds.  I felt my goal to lose 20 by 6/17 was perhaps too easy.  I got Weight Watchers hubris telling myself I was obviously healthy for life with a metabolism that just won't quit. 

    FOUR POINT FIVE POUNDS.  How?  Why? 

    I dieted!

    OK, there was my husband's birthday extravaganza meal at Devi which saw me eating everything that wasn't nailed down. 

    Oh and last night I had Chinese food while visiting my mom's house on Long Island -- what, you want that my mother should cook?  Oh and also a couple of two-bite thingy's from Whole Foods, originally bought for the babysitter who's so skinny she doesn't cast a shadow.  

    I exercised!

    OK, only four out of seven days... I think.  Also I listened to way too many NPR, Bill Maher and Coffee Break Spanish programs on the treadmill, which made my workouts kinda intellectual &  slow.  But still...

    I HAVE A THEORY! 

    Obviously, my husband is pumping nutella into my veins as I sleep.  Bad husband! I think I saw a Lifetime movie about this.

    Spring In the photo you see here, my man unit looks happy enough, probably because his diabolical plan is working. Of course what his motive in this wife-fattening via hazelnut IV scheme might be, I haven't figured out yet but... COME ON PEOPLE, I'VE GOT TO BLAME SOMEONE!  Good, glad we're on the same page.

    Hey so here's my Hugo this evening at the park. Don't miss his grand finale trick at the end of the vid.

    Night Internet. Please offer a prayer for my rump to get serious and skinnify itself this week.

    xoxo,

    Susie


  • Baby Weight

    I said I'd never be a mommy blogger.  Ha! 

    I vowed I'd never reveal any sort of details about my life online. Whee!

    I swore I'd never be a diet blogger. Ho ho ho!

    Wait, diet blogger?  You?  Where?  When? 

    Right now.  See, I'm on a quest to lose 20 pounds by my birthday: June 17th (yes send pressies!).  I started this diet two weeks ago (ya, Weight Watchers -- boring and do-able).  I've lost a whooping 3.5 pounds according to my highly unreliable scale. I didn't mention it because it's personal, see?  But suddenly I'm feeling sharey and I figure if I tell you, Internets, maybe it'll help keep my eyes on the don't-look-like-Shamu prize. 

    Here's all you need to know:

    1.  It's not baby weight.  When Hugo turned a year old I had lost all the baby weight and that excuse went out the window. See amazing picture evidence.  Oh how I regret not wearing a more flattering sweater in the after!

    looking back

    2.  It's not because I adhere to an unrealistic idea or because I dislike myself when padded.  Au contraire! My problem is I am super confident, and when one believes they are the shizz, it's hard to mess with perfection. 

    3.  I currently exercise one week on, one off... I want to be motivated to be oh-so fit.  Sound boring?  It is!  But I do feel better when exercising, mentally and booty-wise.  

    4.   I still feel coming back from a difficult C-section was like coming back from the dead, and everyday I can sit up without pain or worse is a day I want to take advantage of by treating my body well.

    So.  Can I do it?  Will I do it?  Stay tuned and wish me luck.  Now, without further blather from me, the really interesting bit... Hugo at dinner tonight.  Watch for mommy's magic pea trick and Hugo's sly attempt at sleight of hand.

     

    All the best Web friends,

    xoxo, 

    Susie 



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