Look What I Did to the Door

Five years ago my apartment was a bachelorette pad of sorts. I had minimal furniture, bare cabinets and music galore. So, with not so much as an inkling of a child in my very near future, all of my most treasured cassette tapes, CDs and vinyl inadvertantly became mainstay decorative pieces. Fast forward 17 months into this mommy thing and I can say that not much has changed, except for the food part. And why? Well, because I like it that way. And also, because I just can't get into childproofing my apartment. Don't get me wrong, all the emergency-type stuff has a safe home far away from Hayes's reach {no scissors, knives, plastic bags, wires or bite-size thingys at his level}. But cabinet doors and the toilet lid remain unlocked. My tables' sharp edges remain completely exposed. And my cassette tapes, CDs and vinyl are all there tempting Hayes into trouble every second of every day.

Sure, part of the reason I won't childproof is purely aesthetic. I'm mean, those extra locks and pads they sell to parents don't exactly blend into the decor. But more than that, I believe it's important for Hayes to learn what to touch and what not to. This, of course, requires a certain level of attention and energy on my part since my valuables and his safety must be looked after. {But that's parenting, right}?

So today, when Hayes stood at my bedroom door, locking and unlocking, and opening and closing it for the first time all the while repeating the word "door," a part of me thought, "hey! look at my little genius go!" And then I remembered there isn't a key to that door. And there is barely a hole in the knob to pick the lock. For a moment I thought I might actually be forced to buy one of those awkward-looking childproofing gadgets to keep Hayes from locking himself in. But I couldn't...I just couldn't. So here's my bright idea. No better than a silly-looking gadget, is it?...

Downward Facing Sheep Dog

Month 17: Day 5

Of all that can be done at 11:15 on a Tuesday morning {like trying to make a phone call and keep a toddler quiet and engaged enough to have an uninterrupted conversation with the person on the other end while clearing the remains of breakfast off the walls and floor}, I’m glad today I did something fun before preparing a lunch that would end up smashed and under my feet…and it required only two hands!


I took Hayes to Karma Kids Yoga at Yoga Works Studios for our first Parent & Child yoga class ever. It was 45-minutes of unadulterated fun for the both of us. I did downward facing dog {and a host of other animals} and Hayes did a few poses too, that is, when he wasn’t running around like a stimulated 17-month old toddler in a new surrounding.

The Parent & Child class welcomes children walking through 3 years of age so you gotta know that the serious yoga workout you’re used to is not going to happen because this one is all about the kids. And the bonding is priceless!

Latham Thomas instructs the Parent & Child classes at Yoga Works Midtown, 160 E. 56th Street, Tuesdays 11:15-12:00PM. She is also the co-founder of Panela, a hands-on, parent-child food education program that celebrates community and culture. {www.panelaproductions.com or 212.545.4159}.

Namaste!

To the Left {This Will One Day Make Sense}

Month 16: Week 3: Day 1

In Brooklyn, I took the uptown A. In Washington Heights, I hopped on the 1. At 242nd, I took the #6 bus then transferred to the #1, all the while getting closer and closer and more and more lost as I tried to keep with the directions, journeying farther and farther into the Boondocks. {I can’t help but think that all this drama could have been easily avoided if only I had a car}.


Omigod! Where am I?


Yonkers!


Pleasantville? Never heard of it.



After the bus, there was a walk down a winding, very hilly road lined with houses straight out of a one of Hayes’s storybooks. At the end of the street was a castle, {ok, I’ve never seen one in person but it was exactly what I imagine a real castle to look like}, a swarm of police cars, good looking people milling about and a team of crew members working hard.

At the door, I spoke the magic words to security. Inside were lights, cameras and good catered food.


Exactly what was all the hoopla about in Nowheresville today? Well, it was a real hush-hush affair. But I’ll give you a few hints: The title of this here blog, Mtv, Kelly and…Beyonce! {Sorry. A celebrity pic would have gotten me thrown out}.

Suffocation

Month 16: Week 2: Day 6

In life, some opportunities keep coming around and passing us by {like working hard to make money}. Then there are once-in-a-lifetimes that are too crazy for a girl like me to pass up {like making good money doing my everyday thing while a death metal band shoots a video in my apartment. Yeah, death metal...in my apartment. Wanna see a pic?}



I know what you’re thinking and I’ve got answers:

A friend of a friend works for a film company and was scouting for a location, my apartment was suggested and they liked it. Suffocation. Yes, they’re famous. It’s not exactly kosher to tell but it was more than $600 and less than $700 {tee-hee}. It wasn’t as loud or the day as long as I thought it would be. They have lots of hair, tattoos and were very, very pleasant. No, there was no sex or drugs involved, mom! And no humans or animals were harmed in the making of the video. You can visit Suffocation and hear their music at www.SUFFOCATION.us or www.myspace.com/SUFFOCATION. Huh?...I don't really know what I was thinking either. But mama needs a robe and a fresh pair of sneaks!

Who is Mel D. Cole?

One of the coolest and most talented photographer's I know, that's who. {No kidding, he came all the way from Jersey on a cloudy Saturday and made sure a big, stray dog didn't ruin our photo shoot. Oh,... and he took lots of great pictures too}.

Still wondering about Mel? Go to WWW.OKAYPLAYER.COM.