girl power....activate!

Rod and I had tickets to a big event this week. Which meant I had to figure out what to wear. Which meant I had to have a teenzy, tiny anxiety attack first.

We moved from Colorado, the land of blue jeans, flannel and hiking boots. I don't own a lot of swanky New York attire yet. Plus there's that whole issue of eating every carb in sight since we arrived last November. Not too good for the waistline.

My first instinct was to tweet Rachel Zoe. This was a true fashion emergency. Unfortunately, tweeting Rachel Zoe does not produce the same result as sending a flare up for Batman or something. Rachel Zoe doesn't own a bat mobile. But if she did, I'm sure it would be buh-hanans.

Since I didn't have Rachel, I grabbed the next best thing. My 7 year old daughter, Lily. She is an expert Project Runway watcher. She was thrilled and jumped right into the task at hand. We both crowded into my closet (if you live in a NY apartment, you know this is quite a feat) and started going through all the possibilities.

Me: "Lily, I just don't know what to do. I don't think I have anything that will work."

Lily: "Don't worry, Mom. We'll find you something. WE HAVE GIRL POWER!"

Bless her heart.

I pulled out a couple things and threw them on the bed. I started trying on the first one and Lily ran out of the room, but was back almost immediately. I turned around and said, "Well, what do you think?" People, she did not answer me.

Instead she held up a number.

The number 1.

She rated my dress a 1.

Apparently, she had run out of the room earlier to whip up a set up score cards, numbering 1 to 5. She thought a scoring system might help us narrow down the choices. And provide more opportunity to mock her mother.

After several dresses, we did agree on the final choice, a white Tibi dress that I bought last year at an outlet. And though my self esteem was damaged a bit by my original low scores, I went to the event knowing Lily thought the dress I ended up wearing was a strong 5.

So, if you are unable to get Rachel Zoe in your next fashion emergency, feel free to contact my daughter.

Lily, stylist to the Upper East Side carb-aholics. Coming soon to Bravo TV.

PS. Don't worry Mom. She's not really starring in her own Bravo reality show. I just made that part up.

there were no dancing circus monkeys at this party

I thought it would be fun to have Lily's 7th birthday party here at home. And by home, I mean our tiny apartment. We'd decorate like crazy, then count the minutes until all her little girlfriends from school arrived. I thought she'd think it was special and I'm all about making a memory. OK, who am I kidding? I just didn't want to spend $1000 on a party for a 7 year old.

Welcome to New York City, the home of the best bagels, pizza, and out of your mind birthday parties for children.

In the city, you can rent out museums for sleepovers, have your own personal chef create a special meal for you and all your pre-pubescent friends, or you can learn the proper form for the downward dog at your very own yoga party. The possibilities are endless and the list goes on and on...and usually ends up costing at least $1000.

Don't get me wrong, if you have those kind of parties for your kids, I have no problem with it. In fact, please invite us. It's just that I can't justify spending that kind of cash. I'm trying to buy groceries here. And Bobbie Brown makeup. And I sure could use some botox.

So after realizing my lack of options, I resigned myself to having the party here at home- something almost unheard of in Manhattan birthday party land. When I told Rod, he thought I might be a bit crazy. But then I ticked off the financial data and he thought I was beautiful. I mean...genius. I don't care. I'll take either.

We actually had a great time. We only invited the girls from her class because there is not quite enough air in my apartment for a party with the entire class. And you know what? It turned out great. I found the key to having a birthday party in a small space is provide lots of activities for the kids to do. If they run out of activities, they will run laps in your apartment. Note to self: Need to plan about 10 more minutes worth of activities next time.

I gave you a sneak peak yesterday, but thought I'd share more pics with you today.

I borrowed this idea from Lola B. I had all the girls decorate Peep birdhouses out of graham crackers. A spring version of a Christmas gingerbread house.

Lily and I assembled the houses before the party, so the guests would just have fun decorating them with jelly beans and royal icing. FYI- It takes exactly 15 seconds to get a sugar headache from eating too much royal icing. I know this first-hand.









We used pink peeps and edible Easter grass. However, I would like to debate the word "edible" that was on the package.



It tasted quite a bit like a combination of hay and styrofoam. It was not delicious like the word edible would allude to.

The cupcakes were my only splurge. They are from Two Little Red Hens Bakery.



I ordered 18. Lily's party was for 6. I'm sure you understand the math here. They are delicious.

And a little girl's party would not be complete without the sparking pink lemonade.



This also makes a fantastic beverage for a big girl's party if you splash a bit of vodka in it. But I'm not telling you how I know that.

All the girls went home with their bird houses and these tiny gift bags full of candy necklaces, bubbles, and sparkly pens.



There you go. A NYC birthday party on a budget.




I don't think she really cared that we didn't have one of those fancy schmancy parties. Do you?

and now your moment of zen

As a mother of four, I am usually the one teaching my children things.

This is the right way to cross the street.

You should eat your vegetables like Jamie Oliver says.

Be kind to NYC tourists, they are people, too.

And please put the toilet lid down when you're finished. Girls don't like to fall in.


If you're a parent, I'm sure you agree with me.

Life gets busy. There are places to be. Deadlines to meet. Meals to prepare. Battles to wage. The list can go on and on. But every now and then our children are the ones to teach us things. They remind us of what is truly important. My seven year old, Lily, does this.

Lily is obsessed with flowers. If there was a stronger word to describe this, I would use it. But since I'm still working on my first cup of coffee, I can't find that word. Several times a day, as we are walking down the streets of New York holding hands, my arm is rapidly pulled out of my socket. All because of flowers.



Lily: "Flowers!"
Me: "Yes, Lily. Those are flowers."
Lily: "Wait!!! We need to stop and smell them. Aren't they the MOST beautiful flowers you've ever seen!"

Keep in mind, she says this about every flower. The most delicate tulip or the ugliest weed that is sprouting some yellow version of a flower. It's all beautiful in her eyes. And needs to be noticed.

I used to get frustrated, hurry her along, and tell her we needed to be somewhere. But lately, I've been using this time to follow her lead.
So I stop. Stop everything and smell the flowers with her.

Stop thinking about bills I need to pay.
Stop thinking about what to make for dinner.
Stop thinking about how to remedy a problem.

I stop and smell the roses, as they say. And when I do this, I find that it adds such an element of peace to my day.

There is a reason flowers are so beautiful. It's so we stop and notice them.

So, if you see a flower today. Stop. Stop and take time to notice.

i've included a handy visual in case you don't understand. you're welcome.

Lily (age 6): "Mom, have you seen the goose tape? I need it."

from now on i would like my entire diet to consist only of crepes

Rod took our boys to Shake Shack on the Upper West Side for a guys night out. I thought it would be nice for Lily and I to go somewhere, too. A girl's night out. The only thing she was upset about was that the boys got Daddy and she was stuck with just me. I guess she is prepping for her teenage years when she wakes up one morning and tells me I am the one who is ruining her life.

Anyway, Lily and I walked a couple blocks to Yorkville Creperie. I have to tell you that walking to restaurants is one of my favorite things about living in the city. It's nice to walk and talk instead of drive and break up fights in the back seat.

Lily had never even tasted a crepe before. So the entire walk went something like this:

Lily: What's a crepe?
Me: It's like a pancake. Only better.
Lily: OK. Where's daddy?
Me: With your brothers.
Lily: What's a crepe?
Me: It's like a pancake. Only better.
Lily: OK. Where's daddy?
Me: With your brothers.
Lily: Oh....Can you tell me what a crepe is again?

I finally gave up and told her it was delicious. She would love it. And it would change her life. The end.

As soon as we were seated, Lily pulled out all the sugar packets and asked me to play a game. It's the same game she always wants to play in a restaurant. The problem is...there are no rules. Well, there are rules, but only she knows them. And she changes them constantly to throw you for a curve. It's a little game I like to call insanity. She loves this game. I am not a fan of this game. I quickly ordered a glass of wine.

Then I looked up and noticed the crepes were being made right there at the bar counter- behind a little wall of glass. I grabbed Lily away from her evil game of Sugar Packets and plopped her down in front of the crepe chef.

She was mesmerized. Her mouth fell open and she proclaimed that she felt like she was IN A COOKING SHOW. From her excitement you would have thought she was in Pat and Gina Neely's TV kitchen. By the way, "Down Home with the Neely's" is Lily's favorite cooking show. I'm assuming this is due to their extensive use of pork in every recipe. My girl loves her pork.

Our dinner crepes came and they were mouthwatering. Lily ordered a cheese and ham crepe. Surprise, ham! And I ordered the bruchetta crepe. We moaned after every single bite. It was delicious. Once we were done, I told Lily that if she thought that was good, she should try a dessert crepe. She laid her head down on the counter and sighed. It was all too much for her.

But I did order a dessert crepe. With strawberries. And dark chocolate. And whip creme.

Lily took one bite, looked at me and said, "Is this a dream?"
To which I replied, "No, but I'm sure it is similar to heaven."

Once we were home, Lily began to re-live the experience and tell the boys about it.

"OH.MY.GOSH. YOU HAVE NO IDEA! THE CREPES. THE CREPES. THEY WERE UNBELIEVABLE, YOU GUYS!"

And then I heard her in the shower singing this.
A little love song about crepes.
Enjoy.

the crepe song from six in the city on Vimeo.

her room with a view

As I mentioned in a previous post, Lily (age 6) sleeps in the dining room. Well, it's a dining room that's been converted into a bedroom. Something quite common in space-deficient NY apartments. She loves her little room and frankly, I do to. I thought I'd give you a detailed tour today. (Click on any photos to enlarge them.)

We finally have the doors up that separate her space from the family room. Thank goodness! I highly suggest having doors to your six year old's room unless you are the type that enjoys high levels of drama on a daily basis.



Come on in. She's at school right now, so she won't mind. Just don't touch anything, because she will lose her mind if you rearrange ANYTHING in her room. I know this from experience. Girl is very particular.



I made the pink silk taffeta drapes about six years ago. Definitely a splurge on the material,but they've lasted so long, it was worth it. They are held back by jumbo pink flowers. The pink toile upholstered glider I've had since she was a baby, but it transitions nicely into a big girl room. It is by far, the most comfortable chair in the house.

My sweet Aunt Kathy painted this beautiful picture as a baby gift for Lily. I love the special touch it adds to her room.



This is a handmade batiste dress that my mother made for me almost 40 years ago. The detail is amazing, and it looks so girly hanging in Lily's room even though she is too big to wear it anymore.



There is a collection of silver and pewter baby cups on this cute display shelf. (If my mother is reading this, she is also cringing at how tarnished the cups are. Sorry Mom!) I think I bought the shelf from Target. And I made a garland of family photos that I found in one of my grandmother's albums. The little girl with the heart on her dress is my grandmother. As you can see, I'm a tad sentimental when it comes to family.



The newest addition to Lily's room is this cherry blossom mural above her bed. (And guess what? I'm going to do a give-away on Thursday for this exact mural- make sure you come back and enter on Thursday!)







The white wicker dresser is a vintage piece I used for all my kid's rooms when they were babies. But since Lily is a girly-girl, she gets to keep it for a while longer. The rug is from Pottery Barn Teen. I made the upholstered headboard out of the same fabric as the glider. And you'll also notice the infamous doors I mentioned in another post that lead to the kitchen.

But the best part of Lily's room is the view. (And the fact that the window has safety bars on it.)



Would love to know what you think! And don't forget to come back Thursday for the give-away!

fashion week's newest designer

It's fashion week in NYC. And there is a budding designer on the scene.
She likes to take other people's designs and remake them into something "much more beautiful." Her words exactly.
All she needs is a handy pair of kitchen shears.

I was privy enough to attend the preview of her most recent collection. I even sat on the FRONT ROW.

I thought I would share it with you.



Beautiful, right? There was an amazing response from the crowd as the dress went down the runway. Remarks like, "How chic." "How fresh." were whispered amongst the front row.

Then...the model turned around.



And the front row fell out of their chairs because they were laughing so hard.

opening soon on broadway

sing from six in the city on Vimeo.

future star of a bravo tv fashion show

I'm not afraid to admit that I ask my six year old daughter for fashion advice on a regular basis.

Lily's favorite show is Launch My Line or Project Runway. Her favorite time of day is when she stands at her closet and creates her own masterpiece. I love watching her expression as she does this. It's the same expression I get when I see a cupcake shop.

She notices if I am wearing something new and points out all the little details. But then realizes that I went shopping without her and scolds me.

But my favorite is when she says, "Mom, you are rockin' those boots." Because I am 42 and I need to hear I am still capable of rockin' something.

She is our in-house stylist.
Yes, I am living with a mini Rachel Zoe.

The other night she was pouring over the Boden catalogue, trying to put together her spring wardrobe. She tore out the pages with items she wanted and handed them to me.

"Mom, I TOTALLY need these things."

"OK. I'll take a look."

"No, really. I TOTALLY need these."

"We'll see, Lily."

"PUHLEEESE Mom. I'll give you a kiss AND a dollar."

Apparently, she's become aware of my love language.

But I noticed a common theme as I examined her choices. Something that usually doesn't happen with her. Everything she picked was shades of black and gray.

People, New York is really rubbing off on her.

Which means I can breathe a bit easier, knowing she will NEVER look like this.

time for tea

I decided to go to the park with Lily this afternoon. But by the time we started walking down the street, I decided it would be a lot more fun to go eat something. This was an easy sell for Lily. She is always ready to eat. I have taught her well.

We went to the cutest little tea shop. It's called Alice's Tea Cup. There are 3 of these in Manhattan and one is just 3 blocks from our apartment.








The tiny shop is just adorable. Whimsical decor and mismatched china. Lots of teas (brewed in the cutest little pot at your table), great soups and sandwiches...and the scones. My word, the scones. I have never tasted anything so delicious. Lily ate hers, then sighed and said, "I wish I could start all over again." Let's just say she doesn't have that same reaction to zucchini.

Lily ordered the Wee Tea. It's off their kid's menu. It came with her own pot of tea, served with a tower of treats. She selected the berry scone, the chocolate mousse, and chicken fingers. I tried to tell her that chicken fingers was really not proper etiquette for a tea and that she should order the little sandwiches instead. She refused. The girl loves her chicken fingers. I couldn't even get her to put down them down for a picture. At that point I think she was just rubbing it in.



We had a lovely afternoon tea together. It was the perfect girl time - except for when she decided to change all the rules to the game 20 questions. I'm a tad competitive and as you can imagine, this threw me off a bit.

When it was over, Lily said:

"Do you what my favorite thing to do is, Mom?"

"No, what is it, Lily?"

"Anything with you."

Melt my heart and someone get this girl some more chicken fingers.

walk this way...

I have accomplished something remarkable. Something extraordinary.
Something I thought might not be able to be done.
I have taught my six year old how to walk in a straight line on a NYC sidewalk.

If you know my daughter, you are in awe of me right now.
Thank you. I accept your awe.

We have lived in the city for almost 2 months now. I have spent most of those two months chasing Lily down the sidewalks of Manhattan. As soon as she steps outside our apartment building she goes into sensory overload. And I mean major overload. She goes crazy. She flips around like a fish who has just been tossed out of his fishbowl. It's not cute. And to be honest, it's quite dangerous.

I have pulled her out of the way of screeching taxis, apologized to more innocent bystanders than I care to admit, and almost had a stroke a time or two. And don't even get me started about my anxiety levels when I'm on the subway platforms with her. It scares the bejeesus out of me. While my sister was visiting, she told me Lily should really be on a leash when we go outside.

But, no longer.
Last week Lily had a breakthrough.
Lily learned how to walk like a city girl.
That's even what we call it. She thinks it's a game.

I have to tell you though. It's quite funny. I can tell she is totally suppressing every ounce of energy in that tiny body. She's almost tense while she walks. It takes a conscious effort on her part, but she does it. And I couldn't be prouder. Plus, I no longer crave a Xanax every time we walk outside.

I thought I'd video it for you so you could see for yourself. Enjoy.

Before:



After:

happy gotcha day lily!

Dear Lily,

Six years ago today you joined our family- making us a complete family of six. I will never forget that day as long as I live. The moment you were placed in my arms, I melted. You see, you were born in my heart years before you were physically born in China. I know it's hard for you to understand all that now. But one day, I trust you will.

I do apologize for dressing you in head to toe pink for the first 2 years of your life with us. This picture is a perfect example of that. But what can I say? I was only allowed to do blue and other boy colors on your three brothers. Except for one of them. I did dress one of them in pink pajamas when they were a baby. I did it only once, but I can't tell you which one it was for fear that your brothers will never let him live it down. In my defense, I am from the south and southern mamas dress their boy babies in pink or in lace collars if they feel like it.

Each of my children bring something special to the family and you are no different. You bring a passion and a zeal for sucking every ounce of life out of a day. You love life. You live life. I am trying to keep up with you. You are creative and energetic. And yes, at times you are a tad dramatic. But I'm so crazy about you.

You are my daughter. You needed me. But I, also needed you. I love you with all my heart. And today I celebrate you!

Love,
Mommy

PS. I don't care what you say, your hat in this picture is fabulous.