10 YEARS A NEW YORKER

The other night Gaby and I were walking through the Lower East Side after a lovely dinner date.  We had picked up Biet from her downtown sitter and were leisurely making our way through the balmy summer night towards the subway to ride home.  As we turned onto Orchard street, the sticky musty half-garbage-half-exhaust smell hit us, and I was taken back.  That smell. That smell of the city, that smell of freedom. To me, it smelled not of dirty concrete grit, but of freedom and creativity and life. And then I realized that we were on the block of the very first apartment in which I ever lived in NYC. And then I realized that it had been ten years and one day since I had moved here. A decade in New York. A decade a New Yorker.

Ten years ago, I had parted with all of my worldly belongings, save for two suitcases, and hopped on a plane with a one-way ticket to New York City. It was a red-eye flight but I was so excited that I could not sleep. I knew that my life awaited me. I knew that finally, after 18 years, I was going home. It was a home I did not know yet, but it was my home, I could feel it.  I took a cab from JFK, telling the driver to take me to the Lower East Side.  He talked all the way, asking me if I was an actress. "No," I replied, "I am an artist." Then he told me that his son was an artist too and maybe we should meet each other sometime. But I did not come to the city for a boyfriend. I came to the city to live, to experience, to meet all of the crazy and wonderful people from around the world, to be surrounded in urban beauty, and to explore.. to explore all the world had to offer.

As the skyline grew closer and closer a quiet peace overcame me.  It was the wave of awe and respect that would wash over anybody in the shadow of a thing of such beauty.  Then we were flying over a bridge, and it was as if I was in an old movie.. riding in the back of a cab, unable and unwilling to go back, heading towards my destiny. Suddenly buildings and taxis and people were all around, going to work and heading to school and coming home from the bars, all types of people from all walks of life moving and buzzing in the early morning hour. And then we were there, at Houston & Orchard. 

I got out of the car and took my two suitcases. I had bought them at the salvation army before I left. The  light one held my clothes and two pairs of shoes.  The heavy one was filled with my most important treasures: my books and photos of my parents and sisters, letters and keepsakes and jewelry, and my life savings, all $500 dollars of it. I picked up one in each hand, and walked down the street. And thats when I first smelled that lovely old fragrance of the city, the wind gust of trash and old beer and sweat and fumes, rolling down Orchard street like a morning fog.  And I was the happiest girl in the world.

So now its been a decade. We took a few photos on that ten year anniversary night, and when I look at them I just can't help but think of all that I, and we, have been through in this decade.  So much life has been lived, and so much has been created, and yet I know that the future holds even more spectacular beauty.

I love New York more than ever.

**the winner of the Barrel and a Heap giveaway is Emily, who said "The watermelon nappy (diaper) cover is my favourite by far!" Congratulations Emily!**

THE DAY MY PUP WAS ATTACKED

A few days ago, my Nico was attacked by another dog, and hurt pretty badly.  Another pit bull apparently took a disliking to my pup and went for her throat, and it was one of the scariest situations I've ever found myself in.

In a split second, I was straddling Nico, holding her bleeding head in one hand as the other dog's jaw clamped again and again on my pittie's face.  With my other hand I grabbed the other dog's collar, trying with all of my might to get her to let go. But she would not let go, she would not listen.  I knew that she very well may bite me too, but I also knew that if I didn't intervene this may be the last time I see my Nico alive.  I instructed Nico to stay still, and she became a statue, trusting me to save her.  Then the other dog's owner was there, yelling for it to stop.  The dog did not listen.  Instead, she released her jaw for a moment and then bit down harder, over Nico's ear, this time catching her owner's finger too, nearly severing it.  And blood was everywhere, and Nico was whimpering, and I held both dogs' collars, at this point knowing that the least I could do was to stop the other dog from moving her head and ripping off Nico's ear.

It felt like hours went by like this. For some reason I wasn't panicking- I just knew that I had to save my Nico.  She didn't fight back or move, she just waited for me to tell her what to do. The other owner was yelling and bleeding, but that dog wouldn't listen.  She only wanted to fight.  I could hear Biet, who had begun screaming as soon as she saw the other dog pounce, in the background with Gaby, wailing all the while.

And then suddenly, my husband, who had handed off the baby, leaped in, shouting "get off my dog!" and began punching the other dog in the face.  And that did the trick. It let go and jumped back, and I pulled Nico away. We rushed home as fast as we could. I took Nico into the bath to clean and asses her wounds, and thats when the terror of the whole situation hit me. And I began crying and trembling. Nico was trembling too. She had deep bite Marks across her neck and face, and tears in her ear. We stayed in the water together until we both calmed down, and I hugged her.

And then I got mad.  As the owner of a dog whom I consider to be an ambassador for the pit bull breed, it is shocking to see the other side- the dogs who fight and attack and don't listen to their owners.    I could go on, but I'd rather write about the amazing recovery of the dog that I know, about how she was petrified and depressed afterwards, until little miss Biet cheered her up.

The vet put Nico on antibiotics, and she was sprawled on the couch for the rest of the day, unmoving and unresponsive.  She wouldn't even come when Gaby called her. We were worried that the attack would have a long term emotional impact on her. And then Biet went and found Nico's favorite red ball.

Biet began to play fetch with her sister dog (although she can only throw the ball about 2 feet), and Nico perked up.  And before we knew it, Nico was interested and smiling again.  And although playing fetch in the house is usually forbidden, Gaby joined in too. By the end of the night, Nico was back to herself- Biet had cheered her up.

She is still healing physically, and probably will be for a while, but I am happy to say that she seems to be handling her recovery like a champion.  So a word to the wise... be careful out there around unknown dogs of all sizes, because you just never know. And if you ever find yourself in the same kind of scary situation, punch the dog in the nose.  I don't know how Gaby knew to do that (he doesn't know where he picked it up either), but it saved the day.

Oh, and give your babies and your children and your pets a big kiss tonight and tell them you love them, because they are all just so precious.

GIVEAWAY: BARREL + A HEAP {CLOSED}

This week we have a generous gift certificate giveaway from our lovely sponsor Barrel + A Heap.  Barrel + A Heap is the etsy shop owned by the ever-so-kind Carissa. She hand-sews diaper covers for cloth-diapered babes, as well as pretty home goodies like quilts and pillow covers.

We've been cloth diapering Biet for 14 months now, and have tried most of the brands of diaper covers out there.  So at this point, I feel like I know a thing or two about cloth diapering.  My three biggest  pet peeves with diaper covers are:  the "waterproof" brands out there that end up being super plastic-y, the "easy" velcro closures that unfortunately wake up sleeping babes (when you're trying to be a super Mama and change them in their sleep), and lastly, poor fit (when the cover leaks like crazy or falls off on its own and you wonder what its good for at all).  Carissa sent Biet a cover to try, asking me to write an honest review, and here it is..

This watermelon diaper cover is up there with the best of them.  Not only are the patterns super cute (I usually don't even put anything over and people think that Biet is wearing bloomers), but the fabric walks the fine line of "water-resistant," amazingly not letting wetness through, while staying soft against the skin.  The fit is perfect. Biet is about 23 lbs and wears a size large, snapped on the tightest fitting.  It hugs her little bum snugly, stays put, and happily will be able to grow with her until she is potty trained.  I love that the cover is fastened with sturdy snaps.  Biet hasn't been able to open them yet, so that's been nice, and they are much quieter than velcro.  I've been throwing the cover in the washer and the dryer (which has made some store-bought brands fall apart) and its holding strong both in color and structure.

So, simply put, I wish we had discovered Barrel + A Heap earlier on in our cloth diapering adventures, so that I could have avoided buying so many subpar brands.  I tell all of my cloth-diapering friends about Carissa's lovely wares, and now I am telling you too. 

And to top it off, purchasing these means supporting a small woman-owned business, which is awesome, and, in my opinion, a way better alternative to buying mass-produced.

AND FOR THE GIVEAWAY: Carissa is giving one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to her shop!  You can use it to buy anything in her shop (I am loving this herringbone pillow cover right now). To enter, simply visit her shop and leave a comment below about your favorite item. 

A winner will be chosen on Monday. Good luck!!

BBQ IN THE BACKYARD

We invited some friends over on the weekend to have our very first BBQ in the backyard of our Brooklyn apartment.  I toiled away throughout the morning making basil-dill potato salad, herbed vegetable kabobs, strawberry brown sugar lemonade, and chopped fruit salad. Our guests arrived, we put on music, the weather was perfect, the meat went on the grill, and... I had to leave. Sunday night work at the restaurant.  I was sure that I'd at least get to enjoy one bite of steak before my shift, but, alas, time would not allow.  So I kissed my loves goodbye and headed to the train, giving firm instruction before I left to "take photos, take photos, take photos!".. I wanted to see how it all turned out.

The restaurant was packed that night, so I worked like a madwoman and made crazy tips, which is always a blessing as the end of the month rolls around and rent is due.  Although the late-night hours seem to be getting harder and harder to swing as my baby grows into a child, I am ever so grateful for the amount of work that has come my way lately.  I'm setting the wheels in motion for some alternative, creative-based work in the future, but for now my tried and true restaurant job is just fine.  Except of course on BBQ evenings, when I would love to be able to stay home with the family..

I returned home late that night, exhausted and ready to turn in.  Biet was sound asleep and  Gaby was watching a movie.  He jumped up to welcome me home, took my bag, and told me to look in the freezer.  I tiredly opened it up to find a little surprise- two (!) pints of delicious ice cream just waiting for a tired Mama to come home and devour them.  As we looked over photos (Gaby and his friends had listened well and taken lots and lots of photos for me) and enjoyed our late night dessert, I counted my blessings.  Enough work to get by, a healthy and ridiculously happy baby girl, and a husband who stays up to welcome his wife home in the sweetest way- I think I have it pretty good, even if I do sometimes miss out on family BBQ's.

And from the looks of these photos, the day was a laughter-filled success..

BACK IN THE SWING..

I'm so happy to be back. After an extended internet glitch that left us offline for a few days, all is well and fixed and back to normal around here, phew.  I was actually really missing writing. Over the next week I'll be sharing about all that happened during our time "off", along with hosting a couple of pretty amazing giveaways.  Yes, exciting things are in the works..

So for now I'll just leave you with this completely random and completely awesome portrait of Biet that our friend Yuval snapped today. I am in love with it. I mean, when you imagine a tough little New Yorker baby, don't you see this face in your mind?? She doesn't even need to say, "You talkin' to me?", because her expression says it all. 

Oh this kid of mine..

Happy Monday all!

UNION SQUARE

Biet and I took a little break from the heat the other day to lay on the cool grass in Union Square.  She nursed, played with dirt, and ripped out chunks of grass from the lawn. Good times.  I used to come to Union Square all of the time during my first years in New York.  The park was a bit more run down then and less of a shopping mecca, and I would people watch and sip coffee and marvel at the diversity of my new city.  You weren't allowed on the grass in those days (they were trying to grow it nice and green and thick- all the better for little baby hands to hold onto as they pull it out), so I would sit on the benches, sometimes for hours, striking up conversations with all of the people who sat down next to me. Some of them were amazing and some of them were crazies, but I loved getting to talk to so many New York characters.  I came to this park during the black out (when we all broke the rules and layed on the grass) and listened to the news updates on a little portable radio (you know, back in the day of non-internet radio broadcasting).  I would look up at the buildings and imagine what it must have been like when Andy Warhol had his factory here in the 60's.  This park, for me, was a place for dreaming.

Now I bring my little one here, to meet her own friends, and to make her own memories.  The west side of the park now houses a row of food trucks, so we grabbed a raw spiced nut milk (which was absolutely delicious) and shared it on the lawn.  A statue of Andy has been erected in front of the old factory building, so we stopped by there too. The park's awesome new playground will be perfect for Biet as soon as she takes to walking (the girl likes to take her time with these things. I'm not complaining), and will be so much fun as she grows.  Union Square is really becoming something grand, and even more lively.  And with all of its upgrades, it is still a place for dreaming.  So until next time, Union Square..

THESE DAYS...

These days, we've been sweating. And sticky, with frizzy hair and shiny skin and the works. We're in the midst of an infamous NYC heat wave, and its tiring and miserable and kind of.. spectacular.

Every summer the city builds up its warmth, then in rolls the humidity and glaring sun, and it all reflects off of the pavement and the buildings, intensifying and swelling in the narrow urban streets until the air is heavy and stagnant and the whole city becomes a bubble of sweltering heat.  The summers here have a life of their own, well known and well documented over time as some of the most intense experiences on this coast.  Everything slows down and heats up, a kind of wild energy spreads, the ice cream and the watermelon and the nudity and the outdoor movies and shows become the norm, and we all sweat.

And it all makes me feel especially alive, and Biet too, I think.  The heat seems to not even phase her, my little city kid.  Gaby, on the other hand, has a hard time. The man sweats, a lot, and this glorious season doesn't help much.  He basically has a bottle of seltzer in his hand twenty-four-seven, and a fan always blowing on him inside, and lots and lots of ice cubes ready for beverages. And he manages to stay alive.

These days, we've been riding out the heat in the water.  Biet is thrilled about now getting morning and evening baths.  The girl is a little fish and would stay in there all day, if I let her.  Our amazing neighbors downstairs set up a pool in the backyard too, so the kids have been living it up pool-party style. These days, we've been spending hours in front of the a.c. with either good music or a good book, stopping for ice cream every chance we get, and living in our sun hats.  These days, our lives look a lot like this...

A SHOULDER TO SLEEP ON

I remember the first time Gaby gave Biet a bottle.  She was just a few months old and we had been trying for ages to get her to drink from one.  I was pumping away each day, hoping that somehow the breast milk would end up in the tummy of my teeny tiny daughter.  But all day and all night, all this baby girl of mine wanted to do was to nurse nurse nurse, and she wouldn't let a synthetic nipple touch her pretty mouth.  So every morning I gave my pumped milk to another new Mama, whose brand new baby boy was having latch issues.  And Gaby watched as I fed our daughter meal after meal from my bosom, amazed and delighted at our strong nursing relationship, but also feeling a little sad about his powerlessness at fulfilling such a basic need of hers.  When she cried for milk, he could do nothing to console her, and it was hard on him.

Each week Gaby would come home with yet another bottle or fancy nipple to try, hoping that one of them might work. Every time he had to run to the store for a swaddle or diaper cover or baby accessory, he would come home with a new bottle and nipple set, guaranteed by the salesperson to work for fussy babies.  But they didn't work, not the glass bottles which I had dreamt of using exclusively, nor the plastic ones, nor the natural rubber nipples.  Not the wide mouth bottles nor the easy-flow ones nor the tilted ones.  Nothing.  She only wanted the real thing.  I was scheduled to return to work soon, and we were getting desperate.  

I told Gaby to stop buying bottles.  We had dozens spilling out of our cupboards. Nothing worked.  I was sure that Biet was simply too small; I hoped that she would take a bottle when she was ready, but that day never seemed to come.  We stopped trying for a while.  And then Gaby, who's never one to give up on anything, came home with this. And, to my astonishment, she drank the milk down.  She rested on her Papa, a wee little thing nestled into his forearm, and sucked away her warm milk until her eyes were closed and she was deep in slumber.  And oh Gaby's face.  He looked like he might cry and kiss her to death at the same time.  He was so proud, so accomplished, so selfless. He told me that the feeling of being able, finally, to nourish his daughter, to quench her hunger, to give her peace and satisfaction, was like nothing he had ever felt.  He was in heaven.  

Over the months, Gaby mastered his Papa duties one by one, each accomplishment bringing more fatherly pride than the last.  Swaddling, Dr. Karp's 5 S's, cloth diapering, co-showering, baby-wearing, food preparation, mealtime with solids, outfit-coordinating, playground etiquette, and singing her to sleep.  Biet came to prefer many of her Papa's ways over her Mama's, and now she really truly needs him- a lot of him. And I think the feeling is mutual.

When I peeked in Biet's room the other day and saw Gaby, sitting still in the big Victorian armchair with Biet's sleeping face plopped on his shoulder, I noticed that same expression on his face from the very first time he ever fed her.  He glanced over at me through the glass of the french doors and smiled a smile of compassion, serenity, victory, and love, all rolled into one.  His shoulder belongs to Biet now. To her it is the softest pillow in the world.  And I'm sure that no matter how many layers Gaby has on, that shoulder will never be quite warm enough without a certain little girl's head dreaming away on it. 

** the winner of the Gardner & the Gang giveaway is Rebecca O. Congratulations Rebecca! **

BLUEBERRY LEMONADE AT CAFE MADELINE

We discovered an adorable little cafe in our new neighborhood and it is fast becoming our regular hang-out.  Cafe Madeline reminds me of one of the old wallpapered cafe's we found in Paris when we took a holiday there a couple of years ago.. pretty glass bottles of flowers, pasty plastered walls soaring up to painted tin ceilings, strong espresso, and an overall sunny & relaxed atmosphere.  However the staff at Cafe Madeline, happily, are super kid-friendly (we were childless last time we were in Europe so I can't say I paid much attention, but I imagine Parisians may have a bit less patience with curious toddlers in their shops).  It's the kind of place you can spend hours in.

We stopped in to cool down on the hottest day last week, when temperatures were creeping towards 100 degrees and you could feel yourself melting after only minutes outdoors.  After a homemade blueberry lemonade for me, iced coffee for Gaby, & a chocolate chip cookie for Biet (ahem, the cookie may have actually been for Gaby under the guise of "its for the baby.."), we were feeling so very much better.  They even put a bowl of water out for passing dogs, so Nico got a drink too (I love it when NYC businesses are thoughtful enough to do that; the pooches get thirsty too!).  We could't stay too long this time because we didn't want to leave Nico out in the heat, but we will be back.  I must say that I am grateful to have finally found a place that is so relaxed about the little ones tagging along on coffee dates.  Most city establishments have a bit of attitude when you stroll in with kids (I'm ashamed to say that a much younger and less wise version of myself may have even been one of those snooty waitresses many years ago.. how the tables have turned), so you have to be extra careful to have them on their best behavior, and quiet, and polite... and we all know the likelihood of that.  To have such a beautiful neighborhood spot where none of those stuffy city rules apply is pretty wonderful.  I see many blueberry lemonades in our future.

*PS: That scary picture of Nico's teeth is actually Nico howling and Biet attempting to join in with her highest pitched wail. They were kissing each other moments later.

my dress: vintage // Biet's diaper cover: BARREL & A HEAP

GIVEAWAY! {GARDNER & THE GANG} *CLOSED*

Gardner & The Gang is an infant & children's clothing line based on the illustrations of its founder, Kristin Nystrom (who's also a professional graphic designer and photographer).  Kristin, who hails from Sweden and lives in Singapore, custom silk-screens her designs onto each garment, creating a wonderfully unique collection. Its got a little bit of pop-art and a little bit of punk and its really like nothing else out there.

Gardner & The Gang is giving away a pair of leggings (your choice!) to one Petite Biet reader this week, and there are a ton of chances to win...

You can enter by visiting Gardner & The Gang and leaving a comment below specifying which leggings you would choose. You'll also get an additional entry for following Gardner & The Gang on  

FACEBOOK, 

PINTEREST, 

INSTAGRAM,  

TWITTER.  

Simply leave an additional comment below for each. And lastly, if you want to share about this giveaway on any of your social media outlets, please feel free and leave a comment about that too! 

So that's six chances to win.. comment away!  I love supporting small women-owned businesses and am happy to feature Kristin's new line here.  And if you have a line you'd like me to feature please write me!

Happy Monday & good luck!

(a winner will be chosen on Friday)

I TURNED MY BACK FOR A MINUTE..

..and my yogurt with lemon zest and agave was gone.. sacrificed to two little hands.  And how Biet loved it.  I could have stopped it when I first saw her lifting the container up to her face, but I didn't.  I could have stopped her when she began her little ritual of letting Nico lick her fingers and then sticking them back in her mouth, but I didn't.  I was too tired to stop her, and happy that she was getting some good protein in her belly.  Maybe a better Mama would have nipped all these bad behaviors in the bud instead of relishing the 15 minutes of silence while her daughter was occupied and content, but I just wasn't that Mama today.  I figured, she's eating at the table, family style, eager about feeding herself, and an enthusiastic sharer.  There's three points for Mama. So I sat back, snapped a few photos, and caught up on emails while she covered everything in yogurt. A little mess never hurt anybody..