Last Friday I was picking up Peanut at pre-school, chatting with a few mothers before the littles were dismissed. School’s been going well and we’ve been feeling great about it all, generally. I started talking to one mom, in particular, about what the kids had been up to that week.

“Did you send in something for show and tell that starts with the letter ‘N’?”

I stared at her blankly.

“Didn’t you read the letter?” she asked? “The letter advised parents to send in something for show and tell that started with the letter ‘N’ or ‘O’”.

Did I mention I had been feeling really awesome about handling everything in my life and not forgetting anything important?

Yeah. Back to “the letter”.

You see, Peanut’s school send home these notes weekly. They update parents on the happenings at school, including books that have been covered, and general goings on.  I read them (mostly), except when I’m unpacking her folder and backpack from the previous day 5 minutes before we leave (um, sometimes). I clearly hadn’t read this one. Obviously. Or Peanut would have had something for the letter ‘N’ and ‘O’ and I think I would have even thrown in a ‘P’ to be keen.

Her first show and tell. EVER. And I missed it.

Fail.

Not the first, probably not the last. I know I’m not alone here, too. But still.

Fail. And a little reminder to never get too comfortable with all that school paperwork (does it ever end?!)

Let’s just say we’re prepped and ready for Wednesday.

Yesterday afternoon I took Peanut skating for the very first time, at Wollman rink in Central Park as part of Big City Moms Winterfest. Skating is something I’ve been doing for what feels like ever; as a child growing up in Canada my dad would clear a stretch of ice on the lake behind our house and we’d hold informal hockey games. After moving to Connecticut at the age of thirteen we tried to maintain our winter sports (like any self-respecting Canuck).

Great memories.

Today I discovered that “skating” is a very loose term with respect to toddlers. Crawling on ice might be a more appropriate description. We made four laps (or perhaps 200 – at least that’s what it felt like). Of course, she was very pleased with herself. And the truth is, she really did a respectable job. Slightly nervous at the beginning, but by the end of our last turn, she actually pushed my hand away.

After a good two hours she left the rink with a new sense of self confidence, joy, and appreciation for a different sport.

As well as a blister.

Great memories.

Last weekend we decided to send Peanut away with her GiGi and Pops for a little overnight visit. Yes, you heard me. Over. Night. (Overnight!)

The sleepover. A most efficient use of grandparents everywhere.

She was utterly thrilled, of course. You see, my parents make any visit an absolute party, filled with cupcakes, glow sticks, and multiple miles of choo-choo track. Of course there’s always a paradox in dropping Peanut off – I’m generally thrilled to have a moment of silence but spend the next 5 hours asking for photo updates so I can see exactly what she’s up to. I enjoy the break but am just so curious during those moments when we’re apart – it’s like a little mystery I love to peek in on.

Jerry and I spent Sunday afternoon visiting friends, shopping, and walking the city on possibly one of the coldest days yet. Still, New York rarely shuts down; it’s one of the most wonderful things about this place. Even the streets and restaurants were just busy.

We ate dinner (during which we talked about Peanut – eh).

Then picked her up Monday morning, after sleeping in until the (extremely late) hour of 8am. Which, in all reality felt like 2pm (the sad state of affairs that is our life). And she missed us. And I missed her.

And it felt good to get her back.

Time apart.

It’s a good thing.

Over the past several months I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work for an incredible company; GoGirl Finance. GoGirl Finance was founded by Caryn Effron in the hopes of getting women talking about money.

Finances have got to be one of the most difficult things to discuss. As women we talk about almost everything – childbirth, raising kids, relationships – and often money is just a tough topic to broach. But it’s so important.

Last Monday GoGirl Finance held its first live event at the fabulous Warren-Tricomi Salon on Madison Avenue, co-hosted by personal finance expert Manisha Thakor. It was a night of beauty and conversation about financial health. Manisha is one of those people who has an easy way about her, and is able to address tough topics in a manner that’s just so accessible.

Over the course of the evening, she spoke about some of the things that are relevant to women of all ages; money and relationships, saving for the future, estate planning and insurance, and what to do if you’re self-employed. I loved how she was able to put planning into perspective – her philosophy is that by taking care of your money, you’re respecting yourself. And when the “financial” part of your life is in order, it’s easy to achieve “MoneyZen” – “a simple path to find financial peace of mind”.

For a full recap of the event, hop on over to GoGirl Finance, or check out these posts by some of the other fabulous bloggers who attended this event: Glamamom, A Mommy In the City, Ramshackle Glam, Mommy Delicious, and Momtrends.

A big thanks to Manisha for opening my eyes to some of those oh-so-important financial topics.

Being money saavy is sexy!

Is it really January? Because it feels like April.

I’m in denial that it may actually get cold (at some point).

But we’re currently loving this.

xo

I’ve taken a much needed break from social media this Christmas. It’s actually been almost nine days since I’ve last written here – although I’m sure it barely made a ping on the blogosphere. Still. There’s something so refreshing about stepping back once in a while, don’t you agree? Particularly when we’re all so connected.

Yesterday, I spent a quiet New Year’s Eve with my family. One of the best parts of parenthood is being able to gracefully bow out of events that are positively annoying. I detest the fanfare surrounding NYE, and always have. Enter Peanut. The difficulty in finding a sitter/impossible logistics of getting anywhere means I haven’t really had to celebrate New Year’s (out) in around three years.

Bliss.

Mild temperatures actually permitted a trip to the park yesterday afternoon. It was standing room only – I think every parent in our neighborhood had the same thought. Peanut spent most of her time trailing some older children, and (I believe) trying to get their attention. At one point she overheard the (possibly 4 year old?) girl she was shadowing refer to her as a “baby”. “Not a baby,” Peanut responded, “a big girl”.

Her wish for the new year: to be perceived as something grown up.

We all have goals we want to achieve – large, or seemingly small.

I feel that 2012 will be the year to do it.


Everything.

Celebrating one of those quintessential holiday feelings…

Terror.

(She did manage to choke out exactly what she wanted from the Jolly Old Soul, though).

Best to you and yours,

xo

You know when you make one of those incredible parenting decisions – they type that makes you feel absolutely brilliant? This past fall, I made one of those choices, and bought this.

A pink butterfly vest. Nothing exceptional – just an Old Navy sale purchase. But something I was certain Peanut would like (she’s interested in all types of small animal). And I was right; the vest was happily received and she stayed warm and cozy throughout the fall.

Like I said, brilliant.

Of course, the thing about parenthood is how those moments of intense clarity can come back to bite you. In the biggest way. That butterfly vest is currently the only piece of outerwear she will even consider. Which wouldn’t be a problem if the temperatures were approximately 15 degrees warmer. It’s led to some intensely frustrating moments (mostly involving the heated rejection of a fancy new GAP Parka). I actually sent her to pre-school in the vest (with a sweater) due to lack of better options. Upon dismissal, I saw that her teachers had dressed her in an additional sweater (borrowed from another child), as they didn’t think the vest was “quite enough”.

Fail.

The vest is about to take a one way trip to the Goodwill bag. And I’m reminding myself that there’s no such thing as apathy when it comes to toddlers and clothing.

What experiences have you had with picky little dressers?

These days, it seems like Peanut grows out of clothing in 2 seconds. She’s also extremely hard on her pants, in particular, wearing out knees after what seems like one trip to the playground. As a result, I’m always on the hunt for great deals on clothing. That being said, I still love stylish items (as does Peanut). I’ve always enjoyed shopping at H&M because I feel like they strike the perfect balance between price and flair.

A few weeks ago I was invited to shop H&M’s holiday collection with some great New York blog friends. We were each given a $100 gift card and the challenge of seeing how much we could get. It was so much fun to browse the aisles (sans toddler!) and check everything out.

I was able to pick up a load of adorable items for Peanut, things that will work for play, school, and quiet time. Check out this darling sweatshirt, plaid shirt, pair of jeggings, sweater, and vest. In addition, I got a pair of black leggings, and two (great!) white basic under shirts. Peanut has worn it all, and is in love with the comfort and versatility. I’m in love with how utterly delightful everything is.

It was also great to hear about the ethical side of H&M. H&M’s safety standards are based on the country of sale that has the most stringent safety standards. H&M’s baby line is also made entirely of organic cottons. This means you can feel good about what you’re buying – from a value and social perspective.

After shopping, we were invited back to the H&M showroom for lunch and a spring preview. I can barely wait for warmer weather and all the adorable dresses in store (not to mention the delicious Peanut-sized items).

GIVEAWAY!  Just in time for the holidays, H&M and I are giving away a $100 gift card, plus a VIP unlimited 25% off card valid until June 30, 2012!

TO ENTER: Visit H&M.com and tell me what (and who!) you’d spend this money on.

For additional entries:


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Three entries total.  Please leave a separate comment for each. I’ll be randomly selecting a winner Monday, December 19th to make sure you receive your gift card in time to do some holiday shopping. Best of luck!!

BONUS: All readers can get 20% off a single item by signing up for H&M’s newsletter.

{I was not compensated for this post. I received a $100 gift card to shop and the VIP card.  Photos courtesy of H&M’s photographer. All opinions expressed herein are my own.}

December ushers in my absolute favorite time of year. And lately, it’s become apparent that Peanut is equally enthusiastic for Christmas. So, this weekend we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and do something we hadn’t in years – cut down our own tree (I say that loosely. A saw-wielding teenager actually did the dirty work).

It was an utterly perfect day. And although a mere 50 miles outside of New York City, we felt eons away. I hope this will become somewhat of a yearly tradition, a memory Peanut can hold on to as she grows.

It’s the stuff that holidays are made of.