TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK

We met our dear friends at Tompkins Square Park the other day to celebrate the birthday of their gorgeous little one, Ava, who was born just three days after Biet.  We all met in our Bradley class when these babes were still in our bellies, and have done our best to meet up every now and again for playdates.  This one was the best yet.

The whole park was in bloom and brimming with summertime energy. They brought home-pressed cherry juice and baked amazing mini cakes for a little picnic.  It was really a beautiful afternoon.

Biet and Ava, for the first time, really played with one another (and with the dirt on the ground and with the toys and with their food), and it was magical.  They had so much fun. Biet, who sadly never ever gets a chance to play with balls (thanks to a certain pit bull who goes crazy for anything of a spherical shape), adored playing catch with Ava.  She fell in love with that pink bouncy ball.

And it turns out that Nico has given Biet some useful experience in the world of sharing.  Ava had a great time sitting in for Nico and letting Biet feed her over and over and over.. one bite for Biet, one bite for Nico Ava.  Just like at home, except instead of driving me crazy it was kind of the cutest thing ever.

After our farewells Gaby and I walked in between the two big trees where we were married and reminisced a bit.  My how much has changed since that winter afternoon three and a half years ago... it truly just keeps getting better.

Biet's Jersey Shorts w/Braces c/o LITTLE VINTAGE

Sunday

Our whirlwind of a weekend wrapped up on Sunday with a little family time in the morning and party time in the afternoon.  The morning began with a smidgen of extra sleep (thank you! thank you! baby girl for letting us sleep in until almost 10am!) and a houseful of music.  As we sipped our coffee and enjoyed our breakfast together, Gaby serenaded his girls with a few songs on his guitar. We loved it. Biet swayed to the music and, once in a while, joined in with her tiny voice.  I just sat there and soaked in the feeling of being with the two people I love most in the world, in my favorite city in the world, listening to my husband's beautiful voice.

One train ride later and we were back in the old neighborhood, the East Village, to attend the very special birthday party of Biet's friend Dacien. He turned one! Seeing as it was Biet's very first birthday party, we were super excited. We did our hair, dressed up nice, found the perfect gift, and strolled into the party. And... Biet began screaming. She was tired and didn't want to play with any of the other babies (or even be touched by anyone other than me, not even her Papa!), didn't want to eat, and most definitely didn't want to sit on the mat and listen to the live music. We lasted about 15 minutes and had to leave- not the most successful party experience.  As soon as she was back in her stroller walking around the city with the buildings & the traffic & the noise, she was once again content.  This little bird of mine really is a true city girl. 

She later fell asleep, and I went on to work the night shift at the restaurant, while Gaby went on pushing her through the city, back on the subway, and finally home to her crib. I look forward to beginning our new day tomorrow with a new cup of coffee (decaf for me), and a new song. It's my favorite way to start the day.

..and I'm hoping that baby girl grows a bit more comfortable with the whole party thing before her very first birthday rolls around in a few weeks.. 

Look at those tired baby eyes!

Baby Reunion #3

As last week rolled to a close, we three set out to attend a very important meeting which we had been looking forward to for some time: the reunion of the home-birthed babies. While pregnant with Biet, we met a lovely group of couples in our Bradley class, and every now and again we all meet up. The babes interact (ok maybe not so much yet, but they're getting there), the parents exchange stories & advice, and we all rejoice with our little families. This was the third reunion, and I can't believe how we've all grown. {You can see the first one here, and the second one here} We've each reached a certain comfort level in our parenthood, where being a Mother or Father is less of a novelty and more of a normalcy. I've heard time and again people say that they can't remember what life was like before children. And while, at least for me, that's not quite true, I do feel that having a family, a real family, has become the most natural thing in the world. I see that in our Bradley classmates too, and it makes me happy. We have all blossomed from eager new parents into confident Mama's & Papa's, nonchalantly balancing a baby on one hip while eating a slice, or breastfeeding like champions in the midst of adult conversation. We each had very different & beautiful home-births, figured out the first few months, and are now here: having a play date as our little ones near their first birthdays. Wow.

We met at Grimaldi's Pizzeria in Brooklyn's Dumbo, and it was quite an affair. Three curious babies + two hot pizza pies = fun all around. Only a few of us could make it this time, but it was more than enough baby-craziness at one table.  Biet and her Papa watched intently through the glass as they made our pizza, and she ate a whole pizza crust with her two little teeth(!). I was a bit scared that she might choke, chewing on such a huge piece of crust, but Nancy assured me that she would be fine, and indeed she was. Nancy's son Dacien is a few months older than Biet (and a ridiculously cute little man), so, along with great advice from her, I always get a little preview of what's to come. And Ava is just a few days younger than Biet, so I'm sure they will grow to be close friends. Biet wasn't feeling too social this time around (she was more into the pizza than her playmates), but that's ok. There will be many more of these reunions in the future, and for this I am grateful. It means so much to me to have these families in our life.

*Since Grimaldi's is voted best pizza every year, I think its safe to say that baby girl's first pizza slice was the very best in NYC.

*We'll be choosing a winner for our first giveaway tomorrow! If you haven't entered yet, go ahead and leave a comment here. Good luck!

Baby Reunion #2

A couple of weeks ago we met up with our Bradley classmates for a second reunion of the babies (you can see the first reunion here).  This time, only four of the Mama's and their home-birthed babes could make it, but it was still a joy. I sat beside these women, each of us with our baby bumps & dreams of the future, when Biet was still unseen in my belly.  It amazes me to see the growth of the little ones and to witness their personalities slowly emerging (this time, there was a little crawling & a couple of teeth added to the mix!) I feel that Biet has such a special connection to these bambinos.  It will really be something when they can interact and play with one another (so far, these "playdates" have been more about us Mamas sharing experiences and advice as we navigate life as new mothers).    I love these little reunions & hope to continue them throughout Biet's childhood. Happily, all of the other Mamas feel the same way.

Baby Reunion.

In preparation for Biet's birth, Gaby & I took a Bradley Method class. There were a dozen or so couples in our class, each awaiting & preparing for the arrival of their little devil (uh, I mean bundle of joy). We became especially close with our classmates because nearly every one of them, like us, was planning to have their baby at home. There were a few birthing center births, and one scheduled c-section, but I am proud to say that EACH & EVERY ONE OF US HAD THE BIRTHING EXPERIENCE WE HAD CHOSEN- no complications, no hospital transfers, & every baby born healthy! We spent 8 weeks together, learning about birth & forming friendships, and were all a tad bit sad when the classes came to an end.

Today we reunited. We met in Central park, spread out a mosaic of blankets, & chilled with our babies and our picnics in the shade. It was so exciting to finally meet all these little people whom we had talked about in class for so long. We exchanged birth stories and postpartum experiences, introduced the babes to one another, talked & laughed & ate. It was amazing to see everyone transformed from eager first-time pregnant couples into strong and wise parents. I am very proud of every woman in my class, and proud to be one of them. It was a lovely day.

This was the first time that Biet has really been around other babies (even though all these kids sat for hours right next to each other in their Mom's bellies during our classes) and I couldn't help but notice that she is a bit more "high-maintainence" than any of the others. Where the other babies whimpered, Biet yelled. Where they signaled for food, she screamed for a snack. Maybe she'd lay on the blanket with the others? No way, Biet only wanted to be carried around the park (and I couldn't even attempt to stop walking- around in circles, no less- because if the scenery stops moving, baby Biet gets angry). She finally allowed me to put her down with the others, on one condition- no pants. She spent the majority of the day diaper-free. She laid next to all the babes in their cute baby outfits, without her panties. When I tried to put the diaper back on, she broke down in tears. So I left it off. It's how she felt comfortable, my tiny nudist. If this is a preview of the future then we might have one picky girl on our hands.. But she's OUR picky girl and if that's how we made her, then she's perfect.