New York Nanny Center » birthday

Bittersweet Birthdays

Lindsay Bell — Mon, 05 May 2014 19:04:03 +0000

At my age my birthdays are becoming bittersweet. On one hand I’m glad to have reached another birthday, but I also become more aware of my youth slipping away. I will concentrate on the positive. I so enjoy the days leading up to my birthday when cards arrive and I stand reading them through blurred eyes as tears sometimes fall uncontrollably. That happens to me in a card store as well.

Me and my beautiful family

Then one day a gift arrived in a padded envelope and the tears turned to waterworks as it was a Shutterfly book of baby pics celebrating the first year of my granddaughters’ lives. The best thing about birthdays is having wonderful family and friends around to help celebrate.

Another year wiser,

Mama Bell

The Luck of the Irish to You

Lindsay Bell — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:11:59 +0000

My “baby” had some unfortunate complication from back surgery two years ago. Her doctor commented that this is only the third time he has seen this happen in his 10 year career. A distinguishable fact I could live without. So I flew her back home so recuperation could be more comfortable. There’s no place like home! You sure can tell a lot about a person’s character by how they react to adversity. She was so strong and brave throughout this ordeal which has been a slow go. She is celebrating her 23rd birthday today and I want to wish my superhero daughter a very special St. Patrick’s Day birthday. So proud of you.

All my love,

Mama

Time flies when you’re having…babies!

Lindsay Bell — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:49:41 +0000

I cannot believe my girls are 1 year old! The last year pretty much feels like a blur with glimpses of sleepless nights, giggles, dirty diapers, and cuddles. People have always told me that this happens and to cherish every moment. I could not stress this advice more. Things aren’t always easy when you have your first baby(s). You put a lot of stress on yourself to do everything right because you don’t know any better. I’ve been a perfectionist throughout this past year and have gotten down on myself a lot when things go a-rye. I’m slowly starting embrace the imperfections of motherhood, because honestly it’s the only way that you’ll make it out alive.

Enjoying their first birthday celebration

This has also given me a chance to sit back and let my babies by babies. It’s not time to plan for their college education, but to let them explore and make a mess. Watch them get sooo exited to play with the pots and the pans and make noise. These are the things that matter. So mommy’s: live in the moment and hold onto this time when you can still rock your baby(s) to sleep.

-Courtney is a mother of twins, former sitter2mom, and an original LLD sitter!

Planning a Birthday Bash

Lindsay Bell — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 22:33:23 +0000

Once a year that special day comes for our lil’ ones… their birthday! Whether they are young or old, birthday parties are always a great way to celebrate. Today we’re giving some tips on how to make that party special, fun, and easy for you to plan!

LLD Sitters helping set up for a great kiddie bash

Don’t overwhelm your lil’ ones. A good general rule of thumb is invite one kid for every year (for example, if your child is 5, invite 5 of their friends). If you do choose to include more friends or adults, try to keep the activity low key. Too much commotion and a new surrounding can cause lil’ ones to feel overwhelmed and unhappy. Stick with fun, simple crafts, games, and activites.

Finger Foods. Although everyone loves being a great hostess and having a fantastic spread, lets face it, finger foods are just easier. Save yourself the cleanup and hassle of big spreads and opt for chips and dip, veggie trays, cookies, and other items that are not as messy. A cupcake “cake” is always a good option to avoid having to cut the cake (or that kid who always has to plant his face in the cake before it is even cut… yikes!).

DIY. One complaint many parents have is how expensive it can be to throw a birthday party for a young child. Although some costs are unavoidable, some things are easy to make yourself! Crafts, decorations, balloons, and games are all things that you can do yourself for a cheaper price. This is also a great way to get other siblings involved in the birthday party; having them help make crafts and set up will get them excited for the day, even though the attention won’t be focused on them.

Keep it simple; Its a party for kids! Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the birthday party is to make kids happy. Don’t get too wrapped up in making it fancy. Kids usually end up happier playing in the cardboard box their gift came in than playing with that fancy hovercraft itself. Remember that your kids will love their party; if they want mini hot dogs instead of cheese and crackers, go for it! If they want to wear their pajama slippers and a princess hat with a Batman cape, let them! Plus… those blackmail pictures could come in handy during their teenage years!

Call in help. Keep yourself from getting stressed by inviting the other guests parents to come with their children. This will help keep them in line and save you from being the bad guy if anything goes wrong. If this is not an option, hire a sitter or party staffer to help out and keep your party running smoothly.

We hope these tips to throwing the ultimate birthday bash have been helpful! Any other ideas? Feel free to comment down below! LLD offers sitters for parties to help watch the kids or staffers to help set up, run errands, and plan the party itself. Let LLD help you with all of your childcare needs! We’re here to help you throw the best party ever!

Happy First Birthday!

Lindsay Bell — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:08:25 +0000

On Sunday, my baby girl turned one!! How did that happen so fast? Wasn’t I JUST wearing maternity clothes? Wasn’t she JUST born? I don’t know that a year has ever passed so quickly in my life!

I was prepared for the countless hours scouring Pinterest for first Birthday party ideas. I knew I would spend several late nights making decorations. I figured that I would drive myself crazy looking for the perfect “1″ candle. But I did not expect the tidal wave of emotions that came over me that day (those days, really) surrounding her birthday.

I was happy to be celebrating such a big milestone, but I realized my baby was becoming a toddler and that made me sad too. Of course, I want her to grow up, but I also want my baby. I love holding her in my arms and giving her a thousand kisses a day, it’s fun to feed her and watch her reactions, and the best part of my day happens when we dance around the room to Disney show tunes. I know that very soon, she will not let me do these things because with a toddler, comes fierce independence. I also know that’s the goal….an independent, fantastic adult human. It’s just that I love this time we’re having now and I never want it to end. I also can’t wait to bake cookies together and make crafts and watch her dance in her first recital. I know there are amazing things ahead, I’m just feeling nostalgic for the amazing times we’ve had.

Happy First Birthday baby girl!!

-Jolynn Baca Jaekel has been a fitness professional for more than a decade. She just had her first child, Parker, with husband Rob last January. She and her family recently relocated from NYC to Washington D.C.

Stumped on what to get for the perfect birthday present??

Lindsay Bell — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:32:00 +0000

Nowthat you have your shower gifting complete time to get that unique birthdaygift that everyone talks about!

Lets say you have a birthday party for 3 yr old boy, where should you start?

Start with a Splendid brand pull over hoodie striped in blue perfect for springbreak and the beach. This vacation must have is both soft and comfy, click here formore info.

Pair it with khaki shorts, jeans or my favorite navy cargo pants. Check out thecargo pants here,they go with almost anything and are comfy enough to play around in.

Go with Melissa & Doug’s Band in a Box. It comes fully equipped with 5different instruments where your child can pretend to host a concert, throw aperformance for the family, have a playdate or start a band. Perfect for kids3+ yrs.

Budget total $140

Bundle NYC down in Soho is both fresh and welcoming!

All items can be purchased at Bundle NYC,the quaint boutique downtown. Need more convincing? Ask Nicole Kidman, JuliaRoberts, Jessica Alba, Alicia keys or Pink who are all recent shoppers.

Plan your child’s birthday party with Blast Events!

Lindsay Bell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:29:00 +0000

Annie Steinberg–Joachim has been in the events industry for 10+ years. She has built her reputation on being an upbeat event planner who is extremely detail oriented.

What sparked Blast Events?

Blast Events NYC was sparked by the birthday of my nephews Jackson and Truman. They are the most fun little guys in the world. I was in event planning for 10 years and feeling like I needed a change, once the boys were born I realized I could still do event planning, but for children. After my sister in law let me plan a few of their birthday parties and all the moms started to inquire about my services, I had the confidence to start Blast Events NYC.

Tell us a bit about the events that you work on?

We work on all types of events, they just have to be about children. We do baby showers, a briss, a baby naming, birthday parties and everything in between. My favorite is a birthday party. When you see a child walk in to their own party and they light up, it’s such a good feeling. We work on events of all sizes, we’ve done events in a Manhattan apartment and events located in Cipriani – so really no job too big, no job too small – when your job doesn’t feel like work you just go with the flow and enjoy!

What is your favorite project thus far?

Well this is my favorite question, thus far.. I love the parties we produce, they are all special to me, but my favorite project was a 1st birthday for a child named Jacob. The theme was a safari and it was held in their beautiful Chelsea apartment. I would say it was my favorite because the family was lovely to work with. His mommy was very involved in the planning process, but was very gentle and welcoming to our suggestions. It was the perfect balance of an involved mom but one who wasn’t a control freak. When you hire a party planner you have to know that they are the expert, not you! This mom welcomed our suggestions and still gave her opinion, it was just perfect. Once we arrived at the party her guest treated us like guest. The entire party, family and friends were by far the nicest people we have ever worked with. We made them a beautiful photo album of pictures from the day to say thank you. My wish is that we will be able to work with them on more events in the future.

For more info on blast events click here!