Toddler Times
Hello, My Name Is Ilana And I Have A Toddler
Today marks my first day writing for Babble’s Toddler Times. The qualifying ingredient for my new writing gig would be the toddler currently running rampant in my home, refusing broccoli, dismissing bedtime, hogging my iPad and the like.
Her name is Mazzy and she recently turned two. It was an Elmo-themed event that rivaled my Bat Mitzvah and no, the thank you notes have not yet been written. Thanks for the reminder.
I live in downtown Manhattan with my husband Mike in an apartment that costs us five times as much as a five bedroom house in almost any other part of the country.
Living in a two bedroom apartment with a two-year-old means the living room doubles as a playroom and the hallway doubles as a stroller parking lot and the coat closet is such a disaster there should be crime scene tape condemning anyone from opening the door.
Why do we stay here then, you ask?
Because Mike and I both work in NYC and the thought of spending precious time commuting that could be spent with our beloved little girl is enough to keep us in our toy-infested apartment forever. Well. That, and our proximity to great bagels.
We are currently working on having a second, which I hate telling people because then they look at you expectantly every time you turn down a glass of wine or wear a blousy shirt or eat an extra muffin with a leading, “Is there something you want to tell me….?” Nope. If I wanted to tell you something, I would have told you.
Mazzy took a while to create and it seems like this next one will take a while too.
That’s fine. We’ve got our hands full.
Happy New Year to everyone reading, people who jumped over here from my blog Mommy Shorts, and people reading me for the first time on Babble.
I hope to get to know you all better in 2012.
You’ll certainly get to know ME.
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21 Comments
Cynthia commented on Jan 03 12 at 12:55 pmI will definitely be following your journey. Our son is a bit younger than your Mazzy. We too have been talking some about planning on Baby#2. I can completely relate with you cramped quarters! I love that I can follow along with another working mom on a baby #2 mission. Best of luck.
Heather K commented on Jan 03 12 at 1:36 pmOh crap, I need to write thank you notes too… Thanks for the reminder… (Or should I say no thanks? :))
Hope this new blogging endeavor is a great success for you!
P.S. Unfortunately, Bergen County NJ isn’t much cheaper than Manhattan… my old friends who moved to Georgia spent 1/3 what I paid for their home, and it’s about 3 times the size. It makes me want to cry sometimes. :P
Alyssa @NearNormalcy commented on Jan 03 12 at 1:48 pmAw, look at you Babbling about your Toddler! And to think I knew you when (when you had a BABY, I mean. Ha).
Speaking of babies. Are you pregnant yet?
Kristin commented on Jan 03 12 at 2:08 pmI thought you’d hate telling people you’re trying for a second because of all of us picturing you guys getting busy in the two-bedroom apartment. With Elmo in attendance.
Glad to see you over here!
Ninja Mom commented on Jan 03 12 at 3:01 pmYou are going to rock this toddler story business.
PS: Your post didn’t mention eating deli meats or partaking of unpasturized foodstuffs, is there soemthing you want to tell me?
ilanawiles commented on Jan 03 12 at 3:09 pmAlyssa- how long can I keep this toddler moniker? Up to the pre-teen years? Can it follow Mazzy to high school? I’m not good with change.
Kristin- that is it in a nutshell. Having sex with Elmo in the house is worse than my own parents. Now stop picturing it!!!
Kim at Let Me Start By Saying... commented on Jan 03 12 at 3:39 pmCongrats on your second home! How spacious it much feel.
Everyone here will love you as much as I already do, I’m sure of it.
Jen/kvetchmom commented on Jan 03 12 at 7:05 pmYAY! So glad you are at Babble. Maybe this can be like your third bedroom? My husband and I moved from the Upper West Side to Portland, OR and I’ve never been so heartsick. The bagels here suck.
I’ll be following you here :)
julie gardner commented on Jan 03 12 at 11:07 pmUmmm….why WOULD you turn down a glass of wine if you weren’t pregnant?
Just kidding.
Kind of.Either way, congrats on the new gig, lady.
Can’t wait to catch your stuff here.I’ll bring extra muffins and not ask you a thing…
XO
Alison@Mama Wants This commented on Jan 04 12 at 2:58 amSquee!!! (squee is totally appropriate here in this context) New writing gig!! Now we can get more of you and Mazzy.
Celeste commented on Jan 04 12 at 12:13 pmI am a loyal reader of Mommy Shorts and love it! I followed the link from there and am excited to see you writing here! I’m looking forward to reading more hilarious Mazzy stories. She is absolutely super cute, but you know that already!
tracy@sellabitmum commented on Jan 04 12 at 2:06 pmCongrats on your new writing gig!!! So happy to see you here. xoxo
Natalie commented on Jan 04 12 at 2:12 pmCongrats on your new gig and so excited to see you here!
Yuliya commented on Jan 04 12 at 2:14 pmCongrats on the new gig!
Amanda commented on Jan 04 12 at 3:02 pmCongrats on the new writing job! Now I have two places at which I can stalk, uhh, read your work. :)
Elmo is the devil. I can’t have him in my house because he makes my blood pressure rise.
Sara @ PeriwinklePapi commented on Jan 04 12 at 10:14 pmLove seeing you over here! And yes, those bagels ARE damn good.
julieminer commented on Jan 04 12 at 10:24 pmI’m so glad you’re here! Can’t wait to read you in so many places!
Jen commented on Jan 04 12 at 10:53 pmListen, I moved to the freaking suburbs and still only got 900 sq ft and 2 bedrooms for 2 adults and 2 kids. So stop whining!
Congrats on the new gig!
ilanawiles commented on Jan 05 12 at 1:15 amThank you to everyone for the support! I hope to make everyone proud over here. While keeping you all guessing with my alcohol intake…
Just Cherish Today commented on Jan 05 12 at 10:42 amYes, loved mommy shorts, so I’m definitely looking forward to your posts here :)
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