ashleyd /

Brooklyn Adventures: Prospect Park Zoo

Over the past few months, I’ve started to receive more and more Brooklyn requests. Locals and tourists alike want to know our favorite spots to workout, run, sip, shop, eat and explore with Katie. While I have a few ideas in the works, today’s post highlights the most wonderful Brooklyn adventure we had with Katie this weekend – Prospect Park Zoo. \

One of New York City’s four zoos, the Prospect Park Zoo is located on the eastern side of Prospect Park. It’s a small, 12-acre zoo perfect for a short visit. We spent 1.5 hours exploring the grounds with Katie on Saturday and really enjoyed our experience. Even on a hot, Summer Saturday the zoo was busy but not packed, allowing us to easily navigate with the stroller and even allow Katie to practice walking. There is a mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits, providing a nice respite from extremely hot or cold weather.

The zoo’s main attraction is the sea lions, which are located at the center of the zoo. There are feeding sessions three times a day – 11:30am, 2pm and 4pm. While I’m sure the sea lions are especially playful at this time, they were engaging with the crowds and chasing each other even when we were there; without the trainers or food. Katie loved squealing and pointing at the sea lions. Beyond the sea lions, the zoo is organized into four different areas: Hall of Animals, Discovery Trail, Animal Lifestyles and the Barn. Throughout these exhibits, there are 25 animals ranging from the alpaca to tamarins. While it was hard for Katie to appreciate or see some of the animals who were further away or hiding in the shade, she was able to appreciate every section except the dark bat section.  If an animal was out of site, we focused and pointed out other things in the area such as birds, flowers, trees or even playful children.  As you would expect, the zoo staff said that the best time to visit is early in the day when the animals are more active. During the summer months, many of the animals will hide in the shade during the hot afternoons. 

The highlight for us was the barn area as Katie was able to safely pet pigs, sheep and alpaca. Next time, we will make sure that we bring spare change or a few dollars so we can buy feed for Katie to give to the animals.

\

Hours: The zoo is open 10-5 PM during the Summer and Fall hours but closes at 4:30 during the winter.

Admission: Earlier this year, we purchased the Family Zoo Plus Membership which gives us access to all of the zoos throughout the city as our nanny enjoys taking Katie and the two boys in our nanny share to the different zoos and aquarium on a regular basis. If you don’t have the membership, admission to the zoo is $9.95 for adults, $6.95 for kids and children under 2 are free!

Transportation: Subway (B/Q/S), Bus (B41/B47) or Car (street parking on Flatbush Avenue)

Best For: Young children or people who are exploring Prospect Park and want to squeeze in some animal time

Food: While there were food options, they were a bit underwhelming. I was happy that we chose to bring Katie’s lunch in a stay-cool bag and give it to her while sitting under the shade.

 

You can easily experience the entire zoo in a few hours or even visit for a shorter, more focused trip if you’re short on time or trying to squeeze a visit in between naps. You can access the zoo via car, bus or subway. We found plenty of free parking on Flatbush Avenue, just a few steps from the zoo entrance.

Share Button
Follow:
ashleyd /

One Year Later: What We Learned During A Year of Parenthood

I still can’t believe that this morning, when Katie wakes up, we will sing Happy Birthday to her and begin celebrating her FIRST birthday.

It has been such a joy being her parents and while there have of course been challenges along the way, it has been the best year of our life.

Last night during dinner, Bo and I reflected on a few of our favorite moments and what we’ve learned along the way. Please keep in mind that the below is only based on our experience and perspective. Every child, parent and family is unique. My experience is based on that with a partner and my heart goes out to those who do it alone as I have so much respect and awe for all that you carry on your shoulders. Your child is blessed and so lucky to have you!

What We’ve Learned

  • Babies are resilient. The first few weeks that she was home, we worried non-stop about everything and anything. As the year has progressed, we’ve both evolved to a parenting style that is far more relaxed in certain aspects. Our pediatrician told us that “babies are sent home with first time parents every single day” which helped us realize that we weren’t the only ones on a steep learning curve.
  • Be forgiving to yourself and others. You can easily beat yourself up about almost every aspect of parenthood. The guilt can start as early as the birth experience or pregnancy and continue as you find your rhythm as a parent. So many things will challenge you along the way – nursing, schedules, their health, work life balance, your new routine – that it is easy to find yourself in a trap. The best thing that Bo and I have been able to do this year is to forgive each other for the hiccups along the way, learn from them and give ourselves and our loved one’s grace.
  • Support your support system. I can’t imagine this past year alone. Bo has truly been my partner and support system every step of the way. But, we can’t be there fore Katie or each other if we are drained and our “cup is empty.”  Make sure to support and encourage each other to take time away to refresh and energize whether that is a weekly workout class, music lesson, long walk or time with friends. Keep in mind that your support system often goes beyond your partner. It can include grandparents, care takers and others.
  • Parenting is 10x harder without team work. Bo and I communicate more than ever before. We have to plan time to connect and talk about our work weeks, social engagements, internal and external stressors and our concerns. There have been two major “speed bumps” during the past year and those both came when we’d stopped connecting and talking. We were out of sync and not working as a team.  Luckily, our schedules allow us to spend the mornings together and this is when we typically connect. We will review what is on our mind, whether it is something causing us anxiety like a work deadline or something bringing us joy. We share a calendar that has EVERY single event in it from conference calls to workout dates. We have all of Katie’s appointments, leaps, milestones and reminders in that calendar as well so we are aware and prepared. We check in via text a few times during every work day just to make sure plans haven’t changed. Since I work from home, we are lucky that I can take Katie to nanny share and pick her up most days without any issue. But, when I travel or I have meetings that force our schedule to change, we work through this by planning not only with each other but also our nanny and family, who often steps in to help. Both our parents have been a large part of the team work as they’ve sacrificed their personal schedules to step in and help last minute. While we typically pay for their flights from Savannah to New York, it still takes time out of their personal lives and schedule to help us balance work and Katie. We are so thankful for their support this year. You all know that we do not have family immediately in the New York area but we are lucky to have family in Southern New Jersey who would always be here in case of emergency and friends locally who have evolved into friends who feel like family. Whether it is family, friends, co-workers or people in your “mom-tribe” bring those people into your circle of team work and thank them constantly.
  • Make 20 copies of your key. Okay, this is a bit of an exaggeration, but we’ve had a few instances when we needed a spare key and were left high and dry. A year later, we’ve realized that the best option for us seems to be to have two spare keys in lock boxes, 3-4 close friends with a spare key, a spare key at our office and with our nanny. We also have realized that it would be very convenient to make a key chain for each sets of the parents or guests and have it in the spare bedroom to welcome them along with their towels and toiletries.
  • Realize that everything is a phase. Every single aspect of Katie’s first year has been a phase – the newborn state, the sleepless nights, the colds, the teething, the clingy phase – you name it. Keeping this in mind for both the good things and tough things definitely help keep things in perspective and make you savor those chest naps, cuddles and smiles.
  • Focus on what is best for OUR FAMILY, not others.  Parenthood is no different than the rest of life – it is easy to fall into the comparison trap. Over the past year I’ve actually found myself in a better place than before.  Every child is different and every parent and family is unique.
  • You will never regret the time you spend with your child. Neither of us have regretted the time we’ve invested in Katie. Whether it’s rescheduling a social engagement, putting our phones and distractions away or delaying a morning workout for some extra play time or cuddles it has always been worth it.
  • Find a babysitter sooner versus later. We have been able to enjoy one evening away each month to focus on our relationship and this would not be possible without a network of babysitters. It seems like most of my more experienced parent friends say that 3 reliable baby sitters is the magic number as inevitably a few of them will always be booked or have other plans when you text.  We found our baby sitters through friends and the local Brooklyn parent Facebook group.  Also, plan your date nights or time away in advance versus waiting for when you feel you need to get away. If you wait, it’ll often be too late and no one will be available.

I’ll be back later to share some pictures from the year as well as our birthday celebrations!

In the meantime, here are a few of the most popular posts about Katie this year:

Share Button
Follow:
ashleyd /

A Few Things We’ve Done to Make Business Travel Easier

Regardless of how much I prepare, being away from Katie is always tough. At ten months old, it feels like she’s growing leaps and bounds each day.  When I accepted my new role, following 4.5 months of maternity leave, I knew that it would involve some travel but, my manager, who is also a mom, told me that she would do her best to work with me to manage the travel schedule and help me prioritize. Since returning to work on November 1st, I’ve traveled six times – two times to San Francisco, one time to Cincinnati and three times to Arkansas. Since taking my first business trip, back in November, Bo and I have learned quite a few things that help make the time away more manageable for all of us. It’s important to note that my travel isn’t just tough on me but it also puts a strain on Bo, as it requires more of him while I’m away since he is responsible for all of the tasks that we typically share each day.

Here are a few things we’ve done to make business travel easier for our family.

  • Realize it’s okay to ask for help. We are so lucky to have two sets of very supportive parents. When I was considering whether or not to accept this position, both sets of grandparents offered to help when I traveled. While we know it isn’t realistic for them to travel up from Savannah, Georgia every time I travel, we’ve enrolled their help for the two longer, four-day trips. Since I leave early on Monday and return after Katie goes to bed on Thursday, it’s very helpful to have them here to help Bo. It has also provided an opportunity for them to have special bonding time with Katie since they typically choose to keep her home from nanny share when they are here. For my shorter trips, which are typically two nights, we make sure that our nanny knows that I’m out of town as well as our close friends who live three blocks away. That way, if anything comes up for Bo, he has a local support system.

  • Stay in touch leveraging Facetime and a video monitor. The first trip, Bo and I struggled with the time change and found each other constantly missing the other when we called or tried to Facetime. Since that trip, we’ve talked in advance and scheduled a time to connect via video each day. Most trips, we Facetime at 7:30 AM EST when Katie is finishing her bottle and then again around 6:30 PM right before bath time. It can mean an early wake up depending on where I’m traveling but that quality time with her is worth it. I also “check in” on her each night before I go to bed using the Nest app on the phone that allows me to see her nursery since we have a Nest cam set up above her crib. A few readers have recommended sending videos back and forth as this helps avoid time zone complications and then children can watch the video over and over.
  • Preparing for the week can help minimize stress. It took three trips for me to realize that the easiest way for me to minimize my anxiety about Katie was to take matters into my own hands and prepare ahead. Instead of worrying whether Bo would remember to take her foods to nanny share, find her outfits, or figure out her breakfast food I now devote about an hour the day before I leave for travel preparing everything. I lay her outfits out in the nursery so he can easily grab them, I restock the diaper bag and the diaper drawers upstairs and downstairs, I check to make sure we have plenty of formula and Camilia (our teething lifesaver) and I prepare her meals for the week so we can easily take it to the nanny share at the beginning of the week instead of daily. Don’t get me wrong, Bo is a great partner and a supportive parent who could most likely do all of this on his own. But, why make him worry about it when it’s easy to plan ahead?

  • Stay busy and try to enjoy the alone time.  Many moms quickly recommended that the best thing I could do during business travel was to stay busy and focus on ME. At first, I didn’t know what they meant but then, the first evening in Arkansas that I finished work and realized I didn’t have any evening plans, I felt lonely. Instead of focusing on Katie and Bo, I made a quick list in my mind of all the things I rarely have time to do back home – manicure, working out, relaxing, going to dinner with friends. Now, before leaving for a business trip I review my schedule and anytime I have large gaps of time outside working hours, I try to take advantage of it by scheduling dinner with friends who live in that town, looking up local nail salons on Yelp and booking a manicure or having a good book or show on my iPad to enjoy. This week in Arkansas I spent one evening reading for two hours in bed while sipping wine and eating Whole Foods hot bar for dinner. It was wonderful to just relax by myself for a bit.  Since I don’t have the extra responsibility of getting Katie fed and ready for the day when I’m traveling I set my alarm for a nice, long workout session every morning. Sometimes I’ll try a local studio and others I’ll head down to the hotel gym for a run or strength session. It feels so nice to have this uninterrupted workout time and is truly a treat and privilege.
  • Ask for extra pictures. When I travel, I ask Bo and our nanny to send me extra pictures during the day since I know I’ll be missing Katie and these little surprises light up my day. My parents were so adorable when they came this week and sent me at least two or three pictures each day in addition to a few videos and Facetime dates. It seems silly but I promise it helps, especially when they show up unexpectedly.

Your turn: I’d appreciate any other tips or tricks for making time away from your child more manageable.

Share Button
Follow: