Suburb v. City: The Big Question
Posted by Laurie
We lived in a Manhattan apartment until 6 weeks ago. Now we live a house in the ‘burbs of Westchester outside New York City. Was the move the right decision? Yes, for us.
The Big Pros:
1) Backyard. A major reason we decided to move is that our son loves being outside. Whenever he’s in a bad mood (since he was four months old), if we take him outside, he calms down and becomes happy again. This wonderful feature of Blake meant that in the city, at 7:30am after he, and therefore I, had been up for nearly 2 hours, I’d have to pack up the diaper bag, put our coats, bring a snack, my wallet, cell phone and take the elevator down to head to the park or just stroll and visit a Starbucks or the supermarket. I’m not kidding; I did that way too many times. Then there would be the mornings when he had no plans and it was too cold for an hour at the playground so his nanny would take him in and out of stores or set him free on the kid’s floor at Bloomingdale’s to run around. Now, in a house, I can just open the back door and Blake can run free in the yard, play on the swing set, and ride his tricycle. Since it’s summer, he also plays with water toys in the baby pool and he LOVES watering the plants with the hose. The ability to be outside in one second is a huge pro for our family. It also makes the weekend afternoons flow by because my husband and I are also happier being able to play outside and run into the bathroom or take turns watching him.
2) We have “family friends.” Yes, we had such friends before, but now (more…)

I’m all for date night. And I’m also for taking the babies and kids out to (some) restaurants with parents, but what happens when family night out interrupts other people’s couple time? I wrote about a child who interrupted my date night in
Style tips? In pregnancy? Is that possible? Yes, because style is not all about looking skinny. Style is about looking confident, comfortable and happy. It’s about putting your best face (and body) forward.
This past weekend my husband and I flew to Cancun, Mexico. We spent four nights in Shangri-la, while our son stayed at home with visiting grandparents. It was our longest time away from our son. The weather was nice. It was slightly overcast part of the time, but as long as I could sit in a lounge chair by the pool with my husband beside me, I was euphoric. Blake was thoroughly entertained and happy at home, and the grandparents were thrilled to be with him. What could go wrong? Me.
Mothering: The most exhausting test of endurance I have ever experienced.
