Race ON!

We started the Memorial Day Weekend this year with a huge bang (although 24 hrs later, I'm regretting the exertion on my poor legs). Our friends suggested a hike and I suggested trying the Bambaroo instead of using their usual Kelty carrier.

We had the usual discussion over how much a Kelty weights, pros and cons etc. over breakfast but they were totally open for trying anything new.

If I say so myself, I think they loved it! Yay! My friend and I carried our 2 year old and 23 month old respectively, but when it came to a long hike up a steep hill, we unanimously decided to use the power of dramatics-of-a-tired wife and loaded the kids on to our husbands' backs. As the men, Wizard and Oguz neared the hill, I tried to avoid the accusing glances Wizard started throwing towards me. Too late buddy, start laboring up!

To our surprise, the men as is typical of them, started bragging as they breezed the hike.

So just for the sake of fun, my friend and I tried to egg them on to race each other and they listened, as is also typically hehehe.

I can't imagine how much fun the two kids had on their way up! Weeeeeeee

Great Idea gone very bad

On my way to taking Monster to LL park this noon, I saw this guy who looked like my friend's husband John from a block away. Of course, the little bub cradling inside a stretchy wrap gave him away. The resemblence though may have given me the courage previously lacking.

"He looks like JOHN! And he has a BABY! How cool would it be to have the two of them share a post on babywearing dads" and then the worst mistake "Let me follow and ask to take his picture."

So I chase the poor man down and introduce myself as well as I could while excitedly beginning to find the camera function on my phone. By the time I had shot out the name of the blog and explained the monster and hugs part of the blog name, I may or may not have scared the crap out of the new father.

Needless to say, the guy backed away from me as if he heard a ticking somewhere on me.

So, dear new dad, if you managed to indeed see this blog, I assure you I'm not going to blow up not crazy and even though I may seem like it the way I accost babywearers, I have my intentions straight.

Secondly, do congratulate your better half if she did indeed help you in turning out that perfect cradle carry. Not many people can achieve that hold with a stretchy wrap and you should be proud of yourself.

The offer to publish a picture here still stands, and entries can be sent through Email Monster's Momma link to the right.

Till the next time I run down meet a babywearing dad or a mom using something unconventional, I'm considering having a custom made sign for Monster's stroller:

"My other ride is a German Engineering 100% Cotton wrap"

It's. Just. Not. Rational

Remember the Brooke Shield's VW Baby Boom ad?





I'm feeling like there will soon be a Didymos Rubin/Gold Indio boom. I've rarely felt the urge to reproduce like I did when I saw THIS BEAUTY!

Oh and yeah, don't bother trying to find where to buy it. It's already sold out!

It probably wouldn't look good on me anyway. Right? Right?

Anyway, if you were &&%$%^^& lucky enough to score a Rubin/Gold and have action pictures, just for sake of archiving for later, will you please share?

Baby wearing and acting--NOT kidding!

From since before I went to Turkey, my good friend Emilie and I had been talking about me possibly playing a Muslim mom on a short film she wrote. So over the last weekend, Emilie and I and some of our other mom friends worked on Other Peoples' Houses. For the first day of shooting, all our scenes were around the neighborhood and in Lou Loudati park on 4oth and Skillman Avenue.

Monster was the perfect diva; she slept in that morning, wouldn't stay in her clothes and created a huge fuss when she saw a piece of egg yolk sticking to her egg whites. She was however a very good toddler once worn. Her friends kept handing her snack and craisins from their trikes and while walking beside us.

One funny incident happened: While waiting inside El Shater on 43rd and 43rd for my cue to walk out and run into Emilie, I heard some women talk about me and the store owner tell them "It's her own daughter" and then he came over to confirm it with me. After I told him "Yes, she's my daughter, all the kids in the shoot are our own," I heard the woman scoff some more "Is she even Muslim?"

If I wasn't waiting for my cue, I would have totally fallen out of character and either a. started cracking up or b. pulled my bee-Otch on and went "and what does it mattah to you sistah?"

Anywhooo... I'm going to give El Shater's owner Hassan a shout out here. Go and try his spinach pies...(but stay away from the dried fruit and nuts, they're over priced and stale--not a good combination.)

Play nice ladies!

Oh what a cute......dog?

I'll admit, I love seeing little tea cup dogs in people's pockets or bags with their little wet noses hanging out. They bring a little smile to everyone's face when they're suddenly noticed in say, a subway or pop out of a bag at Starbucks.

It amuses me when I see people using baby carriers as pet carriers. On the other hand, there have been cases where I saw a badly slung carrier and half expected to see a dog in there and discovered a baby. That can never be a good thing.

Cool Babywearing Dads

Over last weekend, I saw Mr. Oz's Facebook update during the time I was snapping pics away and he was carrying Monster while she slept.

"Updating FB Status while baby sleeps on my back. Cool!" it said.

I distinctly remembered, leaving Monster sleeping on his CHEST! So why would he say she was on his back?

"It sounded cooler," was Mr. Oz's reply.

I love my babywearing Baba =)

We have our first featured Daddy-babywearers!

Meet Abdou! My friend Doa (who I met through the wonderful network of iVillage pregnancy forums) got into babywearing with the rest of us. The two of us however are the rare few that ventured further than stretchy wraps. And now her hubby has been sucked welcomed into the wonderful world of babywearing. Doa says " I always put her on his back, he is still too scared to do it on his own. At this time he loves our mei tai."

Now for one of our local dads: Joe Orecchio. Elyse had been a babywearer since before it was hot and trendy! When I first met her, she had her second ickle one in a Peanut Shell pouch, where the peanut stayed till she could peak out and sneak out on her own.

"When I wore my babies as infants, it felt like they were extensions of myself. Just like when they were in the womb, only cuter, because I got to see them and cuddle them close," says Elyse.

"Now that Melody is almost two, I still sometimes wear her in the Ergo so I can easily fly up and down subway stairs. She still loves the face-to-face transportation!"

The two have pictures of her hubby Joe wearing even the handsome 7 year old son the two have.


"Have you ever seen a baby gorilla riding along on the back of her father? There is something so natural and primal about moving through our concrete jungle with your child attached" Daddy thinks. "Since my babies can't hold on as well as baby gorillas, I use the Bjorn."

Does your Darling Hubby babywear? I have seen some men wearing their little ones around the Sunnyside nabe and would love to hear their take on babywearing.