Shoes by Kay

My daughter Kay likes order. No, make that loves order. She is the youngest clean freak in the land. She already has the only tidy room in the house, but still, I often find her trying to organize other areas. Lately it's been the pile of shoes by the front door.

Yesterday, she arranged them like this:

Today, I found them like this:

So Kay, while I appreciate your efforts, I think it only fair I break this to you now: the rest of your family are slobs. It is unlikely we will ever change. Try to accept us as we are... messy.

Random Handprints is now on NYC Moms!

Random Handprints is no longer a blog on it's very own. I've joined the ranks at New York City Moms Blog, and I can't believe there is even the possibility that someone besides my immediate family and closest (and most loyal!) friends would read what I have to say about my own little world. So for anyone who is here reading this, thank you.

On the road

One of the many delightful aspects of spending a large part of my day driving my kids back and forth to school, as well as all over the tri-state area, is that sometimes I get to see a really funny license plate like this one. If you can't read it, it says:

D F N S M R T Z.

And if you don't know what it means, you need to check out the very amusing Phineas and Ferb.

Sometimes it isn't just a funny license plate, but a whole funny car. Like the locally popular graffiti car created by a neighborhood artist with just Sharpie markers.

Welcome to Random Handprints!

Here's my blog about life in suburban New York. I may try and pretend it's about life in actual New York City, but the stories about carpooling, driving to the grocery, and doing my own laundry may expose me as a fraud.

Guest Blogger at Random Handprints - Welcome Sarah!

This guest post is from the very talented and optimistic photographer, Sarah Sloboda. Sarah shares her tips for getting the best photos of the little ones this springtime.

Thank you, Sarah for all the great tips!

Spring is the perfect time to experiment with photography because you can get outside and enjoy the sunshine, the kids can run rampant, and you can turn off the flash and take advantage of the natural light. Some of my favorite places to shoot in New York City are listed below - I recommend letting the kids run free, and experimenting with the direction of the sunlight and backdrops.

1. Brooklyn Bridge Park – There are lots of trees and buildings and bridges, so whatever your pleasure - urban backdrop or greenery - you'll find something here. Plus you can reward the kids with a walk over to the playground when you're done.

2. The High Line – The High Line boasts an awesome stroll for you, and tons of interesting things for kids to occupy themselves with while you frame the perfect shot.

3. Roof decks – Take advantage of your building's (or a friend's) roof deck! Just getting outside into fresh air has an inspiring effect on kids and adults alike. You'll find yourselves breathing deeper, and relishing even a brief respite from the confines of the old apartment.

4. Sheep Meadow – Nestled on the west side of Central Park, diagonally northeast of Columbus Circle, is the sprawling Sheep Meadow, where you can pack a picnic and sit in the sun or shade, blow bubbles, play catch, and capture memories.

5. Prospect Park – A little trip to Prospect Park will reward you with a feeling of connection to nature. Prospect Park is more wild and sprawling than its Manhattan counter-part, and you really will feel like you have traveled outside of the city. Incredibly photogenic views abound.

You can learn lots more tips at University of Sarah, and from Sarah herself this Thursday, April 8, at 12:30pm when she'll be hosting a teleseminar to Introduce "Photo Workshops for Moms." Get all the details here.

Thank you Sarah for sharing your fantastic ideas and for guest blogging here at Random Handprints!

I forgot the baby!

I'm linking-up this old post to yeah write #53. If you're here from there, welcome!

I always worry this will happen, and this morning it did.

I was racing around the house, trying to remember everything, reminding Magpie (age 6) what she needed for school on this first day back from spring vacation and asking Kay (age 3) ever so nicely if she could please put on a dress or even a tee-shirt over her ever-present bathing suit.

Then it was the looking for the shoes, and the sweatshirts, and the arguing over whether they needed a coat if it was going to be 75 degrees later (their argument) or if they needed at least a light sweater because it was only 48 degrees now (my argument).

Next was a heated debate on what exactly constitutes the public schools "closed toe" policy on footwear, and then, finally, we were on our way. Throw in a lengthy discussion about whose turn it was to sit where, and we were off, for real this time.

There we were. Two girls secure in their car seats, one mom at the driver's wheel of her giant SUV. I pulled into the elementary school drop off line, said "'Bye Magpie! See you after school!" like I did every morning.

And she replied as she did every morning with: "'Bye Mom! 'Bye Kay! 'Bye Ziggy!"

Only this time, she added this sentence for the first time: "Mom! Ziggy isn't here!" I tried to stay calm as I said breezily "Don't worry, he's just at home."

Meanwhile I drove home as lickity-split as only a person can who has just realized that they have left their six-month-old baby ALONE at home, and not even necessarily secured in a play pen or stroller.

And to make matters worse, because I was so distraught, even though the school is only half-a-mile away from home, I kept making wrong turn after wrong turn and ended up completely lost.

And right when I thought to myself, I am never going to find my house..... I woke up.