Little BoogieDowner

Seeking Advice on Baby Bike Seat

2009-09-15T08:44:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know that I haven't done a post on this site in oh, about 4 or 5 months, but I'm seeking a bit of advice from Bronx parents and thought this might be a good way to reach out to everyone.

I want to get a bike seat for Pearl so I have another way of getting out and about with her. My husband has the rear-mounted CoPilot seat (pictured left) on the back of his bike. Pearl seems to like this, but clearly the view of Dad's back might get a little boring at times. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with a front-mounted seat, such as the iBert safe-T-seat (pictured right). As many of the user reviews seem to indicate, I feel it may be easier to maneuver the bike with the front-mounted seat because it's closer to the center of gravity. However, when I stopped into a bike shop to inquire about the front-mounted seats, the worker looked at me as if I'd just asked him to bum a smoke for my kid. He was clearly not a fan of front-mounted seats and cited safety issues with using these as opposed to the rear-mounted ones.

So, do any of you Bronx parents have any knowledge on this matter?

Little BD Is the Most Boring Blog EVER.

2009-04-09T08:34:00.000-04:00

Oh my God... How boring is Little BoogieDowner? Sorry folks, I really underestimated how much time I spend working on big BoogieDowner and just haven't really had much time to devote over here...

I've also been lax in posting because I've been working on developing Bronx content for another great NYC parenting blog, Mommy Poppins. They're in the process of redeveloping their site and I helped them pull together all the great attractions for families here in the BoogieDown. I'll let you know as soon as they unveil the new resources.

In the meantime, I did a little review on 'Chocolate and Vanilla Adventures' at New York Botanical Garden for them. You can click here to check it out.

~Erin

Beauty and the Beast at Riverdale Y

2009-03-08T09:15:00.001-04:00

No matter how good well-behaved your children are, it can be incredibly stressful bringing them to live performances. The lights go down, a hush falls over the crowd, and your kid all of a sudden urgently needs to go potty.

Next weekend presents an opportunity to bring the little ones to a show created just for them at the Riverdale YM-YWHA. The Children’s Theater Company at Lehman will present a kid-friendly, “sketch-comedy” production of Beauty and the Beast, complete with musical accompaniment by the Bronx Arts Ensemble. Tickets for the show are quite reasonable at $8 for general admission.

When: Sunday, March 15th at 2pm.
Where: Riverdale Y’s Neuwirth Theatre at 5625 Arlington Avenue at 256th Street
More information: (718) 548-8200 or www.riverdaley.org

~Erin

'Political Playdate' Tomorrow

2009-02-21T08:07:00.001-05:00

This is the perfect opportunity for Bronx parents to get together and discuss their hopes for improving the BoogieDown...

Tony Perez Cassino (Democratic Candidate for City Council) will be hosting a Political Playdate tomorrow, Sunday, 2/22, at Uptown Sports Complex (170 W. 233rd Street) from 10am to 2pm.

There will be a mini-carnival, a gymnastics center, batting cages, snacks and the captivating sing-a-long music of Suzanne Hockstein (performance at 11:30) for the kids. For the adults, it is an opportunity to come together and discuss common desires to improve our communities. The event is free, but you must rsvp to cassinoforcouncil@gmail.com or 718.280.8999. Click here for more info.

Good stuff!

~Erin

Shadowbox Theatre Comes to the BoogieDown Next Week

2009-02-06T07:20:00.000-05:00

I just saw this listed in the New York Times, and it looks like a lot of fun for the little ones...

The Shadowbox Theatre, which is a multi-ethnic troupe that performs souped up puppet shows, is coming to Hostos Community College (450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street) next week. Their main theatre is based down on Bleeker Street, so it's exciting that they'll be performing up here in the BoogieDown.

They will be presenting "The African Drum" in honor of African American History Month. Here's the full description from the Times:

Shadow Box Theater's multimedia presentation of traditional African tales features characters that include a talking leopard, a wise loon and a turtle that is just as resourceful as the hero of "The Tortoise and the Hare." All are shadow puppets, manipulated behind a lighted screen.

They will be performing Tuesday (2/10), Wednesday (2/11), and Friday (2/13) at 10am and 11:30am, and tickets are only $7.50. The show is recommended for pre-K through 5th grade.

Click here to check out their website for more information. Call (212) 724-0677 to make a reservation.

~Erin

Dads Get All the Glory

2009-01-29T08:33:00.001-05:00

I've been meaning to put a link up to this Newsweek article for a few days now...

The author, Tina Elmore, writes about her reaction to seeing that her daughter selecting good ol' Dad as her 'role model' for a school project.

I'm not surprised when I see Pearl's face light up when Lou (her Dad) walks in the room... He's the fun guy, the one who throws balls in the air and bounces them off his head just to make her laugh. And me? I'm the 'caretaker.' The one who's always cleaning her up, getting her food ready, handling baby-proofing, and just generally doing all the boring stuff. Basically, she sucks her thumb and whines around me and belly laughs around Lou - I guess that's just the way it goes.

It's worth a read - Click here to check it out.

~Erin

Hope For the Little Ones...

2009-01-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Inauguration Day!

Pearl started clapping when President Obama stood to take the oath of office... Smart girl.

~Erin

Kid-Friendly MLK Day Celebration at NYBG

2009-01-18T09:43:00.000-05:00

New York Botanical Garden has a really cute exhibition dedicated to teaching kids about the 'Life and Work of George Washington Carver' which began yesterday and will run through 2/22/09.

Children can learn about this extraordinary 'slave turned scientist' through participation in interactive, hands-on experiments in the Everett Children's Adventure Garden.

Tomorrow, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, NYBG presents a family-friendly one-man play, "A Day in the Laboratory with Dr. George Washington Carver," at 12pm and 2pm in the Everett Children's Adventure Garden.

This is a great indoor event to break-up the long weekend.

Click here for more information.

~Erin

My Kid Pooped the Bath

2009-01-13T08:18:00.001-05:00

So, my kid pooped the bath last night.

She's 11 months old, and I guess it was bound to happen sometime.

I thought she was being especially good and quiet... no splashing, no screaming, no trying to choke the rubber duckie. She was just content sitting there, which is never really the case.

But, good news on the 'baby weight hell' front is that I lost a few pounds since started the New Year's diet... AND I'm down into size 8 GAP 'Long and Leans.' Goodbye size 10 'Curvy' jeans! So that really saved the day.

Baby weight loss will always take me down from the ledge after cleaning up Pearl's poop from the bathtub.

~Erin

More About Wave Hill's Weekend Family Art Projects

2009-01-09T09:40:00.000-05:00

Click here to read a nice write-up in the New York Times about Wave Hill's Weekend Family Art Projects...

Each weekend Wave Hill offers a new family art project on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4pm. The event is free with admission, and serves a nice educational opportunity that kids will love.

*Photo courtesy of Wave Hill*

~Erin

Weekend Event Reminders

2009-01-07T21:29:00.000-05:00

There are a few nice options in the BoogieDown to get the kids out of the apartment this weekend... I've listed a few below.

Please shoot an email to littleboogiedowner@gmail.com if there's something I've missed.

Puppet Making Workshop

The Huntington Free Library will present a Puppet-Making Workshop for all ages Saturday, 1/10, from 12 to 3pm. Come celebrate Three Kings Day and Little Christmas by creating a Royal Puppet of your very own with master puppet maker Lucrecia Novoa. Lucrecia will bring along some of her fabulous puppets to share. The workshop is open to the public and all are welcome. Admission is free, but space is limited. Please RSVP by e-mailing lisa@bronxarts.org or calling 718-829-7770. This workshop is presented by the Bronx Council on the Arts and the Huntington Free Library. The Huntington Free Library is located at 9 Westchester Square (next to the Apple Savings Bank) in the Bronx and can be reached by the #6 subway and the BX 4, 21, 31, 40 and 42 buses to Westchester Square. For additional directions or information, call 718-829-7770.

Family Art Project @ Wave Hill

This weekend's Family Art Project, Collage the Colors of Winter / Captura la estación, allows you to immerse yourself in the subtle seasonal shades of woods and gardens. Collect an assortment of plant materials. Combine them with a variety of papers in collage creations to capture the tones and textures of the coolest time of the year. Free with admission. Art project runs both Saturday, 1/10, and Sunday, 1/11, from 1 to 4pm. Click here for more info and directions to Wave Hill.

Create a 3-D Sculpture @ Bronx Library Center

Join Beth Bernett to create a unique 3D mixed-media relief sculpture using recycled computer parts, watercolors and much more! Recommended for ages 4 to 12. Preregistration is required. Children must attend all sessions, space limited to 15 children. Click here for more info.

Holiday Train Show & Thomas the Tank @ NYBP (final weekend!)

It's your last chance to catch the New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show, featuring large-scale model trains and more than 140 miniature replicas of New York landmarks created from plant parts. Complementing this show is Gingerbread Adventures, a fun and educational component for children, as well as an appearance by Thomas the Tank Engine! Click here for more info, or call (718) 817-8700.

~Erin

Best Time of Year to Hit the Bronx Zoo...

2009-01-06T09:36:00.001-05:00

In my opinion, the best time of year to hit the Bronx Zoo is right about now... It's basically just you, your kid, and the animals (plus some tourists here and there).

So I decided since the weather for the rest of the week isn't supposed to be so great, I'd make a quick visit over there yesterday afternoon with Pearl. It was probably my best visit yet because it was the first time I didn't have to dodge tons of screaming kids.

Sure, the weather isn't ideal during the winter months, but it's fine if you bundle up. The best part of the afternoon was that we were right in time for the sea lion feeding (usually my luck is that I just miss it). It was really nice not to have to elbow tourists in order to get to the front row to watch the action. FYI: Sea lion feedings are at 10:30am and 3pm daily, and the penguin feeding is at 3:30pm daily.

As if the freaking sea lions "laying down," blowing bubbles in the water, or waving their little flippers wasn't cute enough, there's actually a baby sea lion swimming around too! There are no words to describe the cuteness of this little gal... Her name is Katie and she was born July 14th, 2008. I mean, is it illegal to say that she might even be cuter than my kid? Because she might be. The above picture I took really says it all...

The other highlight for Pearl (who's just shy of a year old) was the peacocks. I guess they were feeling pretty brave due to the lack of visitors because they were literally everywhere. They just waddle around right along the path with you.

While we're on the topic of the Bronx Zoo, I wanted to urge everyone to click here to fill out a quick and easy message which will go to our legislators to urge them not to cut funding to New York's 'Living Museums'... This is particularly important to us Bronxites who enjoy visiting the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, and Wave Hill. These institutions will all suffer immensely if the proposed budget cuts go through....

Click here to check out an informative piece from today's Daily News which sums up the proposed cuts and the effects on our 'Living Museums.'

~Erin

Thomas the Tank Engine: The Jonas Brothers of the Toddler Set?

2009-01-03T08:19:00.000-05:00

I don't have a child who's old enough to be into specific characters but from what I hear, Thomas the Tank Engine has throngs of adoring toddler fans just dying to get a glimpse of him.

Lucky for us Bronx parents, that cute little locomotive with a heart of gold is right over at the New York Botanical Garden... But time is running out. Both Thomas the Tank Engine and the annual Holiday Train Show will be heading back to the North Pole (otherwise known as some sort of storage facility at NYBG) on January 11th.

To close out the season, NYBG is offering a special interweb-only deal for Thomas tix: Buy a full-price adult ticket to Thomas and the Holiday Train Show and get one free child's ticket. Just click here and select "NYBG email promotion" and enter NYBG0109. Note: Garden is closed 1/5 and the internet offer is only valid 1/6 to 1/9.

While you're at the Garden, take a stroll to check out the final days of the Henry Moore sculptures, which was rated among Time Magazine's Top 10 Museum Exhibits of 2008. Nice photo ops for the little ones...

~Erin

Recessionista Mama: How To Get Every Bit of Formula Out of Your Kirkland Can

2009-01-02T20:01:00.000-05:00

So I have to admit that when I first saw an ad for the redesigned Similac Advance SmartPac canister, I was a little jealous. It's rectangular shaped with rounded edges that match the dimensions of the scoop so you can get every little bit of formula out. It also has a hinged lid with a spot for the scoop to be tucked into, as well as a nifty little indented grip area for one-handed grabbing.

My 11 month old, Pearl, was treated to grade-A, top shelf breast milk for most of her first six months, but then my love of drinking quickly outshone my desire to provide the very best for my child... So onto formula she went.

We started out with Enfamil and were shocked-scared-amazed-pissed off by how much money we were burning through. My pediatrician gave me the green light to switch over to generic brand formula - she swore the health benefits were exactly the same.

So we joined Costco (a short trip up the Deegan to Yonkers for us Bronxites) and quickly realized that their Kirkland brand is the Holy Grail of affordable baby products - diapers, formula, wipes... you name it and they have it CHEAP. I mean, really cheap. The 25 ounce can of Enfamil or Similac powdered formula will run you at least $24 at Target or the supermarket (and you may even have to hand over your firstborn if you run out and have to buy it at your local bodega).

At Costco, you can buy a two pack of the same size Kirkland can of formula for $17.99. We decided now that we plunked down the $50 to join Costco, we should have at least 12 more kids because it is now so affordable to keep their butts clean and their stomachs full.

So, what to do about that jealousy over the fancy-ass new Similac SimplePac?

Simply crush the cheap Kirkland packaging beyond recognition so that you can get each little morsel of precious formula out:

Before:

After:

Just two other comments about the Similac SimplePac while I have your ear:

1) Why in the hell did they hire Ty Pennington to pimp the product? I immediately cringed seeing some dude who I believe doesn't even have kids telling me how easy it will be to hold my baby and get her bottle ready at the same time now that the SimplePac has arrived.

2) Why in the hell do all the women who appear on Similac's website as "Mom Testimonials" look like they had their babies via surrogate mothers? Where are their jiggly spare tires and empire waisted tops?

~Erin

Off to St. Barts...

2008-12-29T22:26:00.000-05:00

Ha - psych! We're not really going to St. Barts, but we have secured some Grandma/Grandpa free-of-charge babysitting services, and we're damn well going to take advantage of it. So I'll be away from a computer for a few days...

Yes, I am taking a vacation after only two posts. I can tell this is going to be a wildly successful blog. See you all in a few days!

Happy New Year and all that poop.

~Erin

Recessionista Mama: Recycling Crayons

2008-12-29T06:52:00.000-05:00

Let me preface this post by saying I would NEVER, ever do this. But times are tough, and who knows what parents are willing to do to save a buck...

What to do with all those pesky little broken down crayon stubs after your kid is done mutilating them? In my opinion, throw them out. Or, according to Chica and Joe (via Lifehacker), you can recycle them into triangular shaped rainbow crayons.

Basically, the steps are as follows:

Simply separate the used crayons into similar color families (so you don't end up with a bunch of poopie-colored crayons) and remove any remaining paper. Put one color at a time in an old metal can and place in oven or pot of boiling water. Remove when wax is totally liquid. When the can is cool to the touch but the wax mixture is still warm, spoon the mixture into silicone ice cube trays (Chica and Joe's author recommends triangular ones from Ikea). Drop in as many colors as you can fit after each previous color has cooled.

Once you have completed the project, take a nice, long look at your life and try to figure out how the hell you had enough time to make more crayons out of crayons.

Click here to read the full article.

The likelihood of me doing this project would be greatly increased if the end result was edible... it looks delish doesn't it?

Big ups to reader Shaun who sent this article in to us.

*Photo courtesy of chicaandjoe.com*

~Erin

Baby Weight Hell

2008-12-28T15:18:00.000-05:00

I'm not off to a great start with this parenting blog if my first post is about losing baby weight, am I? How cliche! I guess you can file this one under the "parental venting" bullet point of Little BoogieDowner's mission statement.

Here's the deal: I had Pearl 11 months ago, so by Jessica Alba standards I shouldn't even be harping on this subject of baby weight. It should be a long lost memory that I shudder thinking about as I strut around trying on cute, tight dresses for some fabulous New Year's Eve event. Instead, I'm sitting here in my one and only pair of jeans that actually fit (size 10 'Curvy' GAP jeans, thank you very much... long gone are the pre-baby days of the GAP's 'Long and Lean' stylings) and lamenting the fact that I finally gave in and ate the entire Toblerone chocolate bar that I've been avoiding in my refrigerator for a week now. I guess that means I'm not dieting today?

See, that's the problem. Against the advice of every celebrity trainer interviewed in US Weekly, I seem to be unable to approach weigh loss as a "get healthy" initiative. For me, it's much more of a "get back into my GAP 'Long and Lean' size 4 jeans" initiative. Prior to having Pearl, this was actually not that hard of a feat. If I needed to lose a few pounds (or, to be more specific, 15 pounds after waaaaaay too many Coors Lights in college), I'd get my ass to Weight Watchers, start logging what I was eating, and hit the gym.

That was before Pearl... After Pearl, weight loss is a much more difficult task, and I've finally figured out WHY: because it's not about me anymore. It's about the damn kid. So I can't just trot off to Planet Fitness for a session on the elliptical, or go out for a mani/pedi to congratulate myself for losing a few pounds. Nope, no sirree. If I want to lose weight now, I have to just not eat as much. No distractions, no real rewards, not even too many compliments of "You look great!" I spend most of my time with Pearl, who cannot talk yet and certainly doesn't care about whether I manage to whittle away the jiggly belly she saddled me with. So I guess that explains why we're approaching Pearl's first birthday and I'm still working on shedding 15 more miserable pounds...

As we get ready to ring in the New Year and everybody starts talking about resolutions and plans for weight loss, here's hoping that I'll be buying some size 8 GAP jeans soon...

And oh yeah... screw you Jessica Alba. My kid's cuter than yours.

~Erin