Where to get waxed?

Hi ladies-

anyone have a recommendation for where to get waxed in the
neighborhood? it's that time of year, with bathing suit season
approaching!

thanks

Choosing to stay a single child family

For months we (my hubby and I) have been talking about keeping the size of our family to three - that's us two and our little girl. I am interested in hearing from other single-child parents and ask how you went about your decision.

Did you ever feel pressured by the overwhelming number of 2+ children families?
Moms, do you react to the frequent sight of pregnant women ?
What criteria did you consider in your decision? Money? Your age? Your family experience? The environment? Can't get yourself to change another diaper again in your life?
Were you ever concerned about the notion that single children are lonely, selfish, etc.? How have you handled it?

I hope many of you will be willing to share your experience.

Anyone have a reptile? I have a chicken for you :(

Let me know if you would like it. It's freshly killed and about a month old. We keep chickens but a stray cat just got one of them :(
give me a call 

potty training goodies

We're starting to potty train our son. He loves books. If anyone has

a great potty training book or dvd they'd like to lend us, please send
me an email. Thanks!

I recommend : "GHOST Poop and other stories"

Feeling adventurous?Try...http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poop

Goldfish?

I hate to tell you this, but you can't keep goldfish in a bowl. To keep them humanely, you need at least a 5-gallon tank per fish, preferably more, with pumps and filters, the whole works.

Goldfish, when kept correctly, live to be at least 30 years old.

I found all this out when my kids brought home two fish from a carnival -- I too kept them in a glass bowl, and thought they would be happy with regular water changes. But when I started to do research on proper care, I learned that keeping them that way is cruel, akin to slowly torturing them to death.

How about a guinea pig?
P.

I was wondering if there were not larger issues and I'm very glad you responded. 

We're not prepared to deal with a tank, so I won't be getting any goldfish. Thank you   

for letting people know this. (But now you have to write to Elmo too!)

G.

Who said you can't keep goldfish in a bowl?

Head lice help!!!!

Go to the Lice Lady! (info below)

A few years ago my daughter came home with lice. A neighbor gave me the number for A. R. My daughter has very long, very thick hair. She combed it relentlessly and and patiently with a very fine toothed comb. First with just gobs of conditioner, then conditioner and baking soda. Then again after washing it. You can try this yourself, but the magical comb is key. All I have to say is that after we went, I combed (she sells the comb) my daughter's hair nightly for a week or two and never again found another nit, or egg.

Nothing. She is very thorough and never uses chemicals, ever. It was I think $80. 

Worth every penny for the peace of mind. 

Free-range kids. bad mommies, etc.

I thought the question of how to find ways to let kids have some autonomy might be something worth thinking about at a community. Check these links :

Helecopter Moms versus Free-range Kids

http://www.newsweek.com/id/133103/page/1

Free range kids

http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/

So the story goes : 
"and the girl ran away with the chicken".

Man with a van

Cloudy with a chance of wolf attack!

"My son is very upset about the loss of his favorite Mission Mars lego guy at the park this afternoon. He fears for the life of his favorite toy. He is white plastic with a helmet and we'd love him back if you found him".

Eyebrows in Brooklyn

excerpt from "Standard textbook of cosmetology" 1972 - Reanimation Library@MOMA

Eliminating dairy from the fridge

Whoever came up with this idea should watch Fellini's "Temptations of Dr Antonio", I'm sure Anita Ekberg will turn each of you into a milk addict.

Do you still want to give up on dairies?
Open your fridge and prick up your ears: 

"Bevete più latte, il latte fa bene" (Drink more milk, milk is good for you)

Mattress advice needed!

Choosing the right matress is almost like choosing the right Camembert, it's definitely not an online business. The purchase cannot be complete  without the experience of feeling it, touching it, pressing it down, your full body has to be involved in this choice. Wether firm,  soft, squishy, foamy, organic,  padded or with springs you can only go for the one that's best for you.

One thing is sure:  you certainly don't want the gap valley in between the two sides of the bed unless you're ready to give up Camembert talk and sleep on the floor. 

Lost Monkey

I do feel like him sometimes, all these years in New York and still unable to figure out which end of the train I should get on. Front or rear ? All of a sudden my throat gets dry, I totally freak out as if my life were at stake. 

Aren't you like me , so desperate to save those extra precious minutes? 

To tell you the truth depending on which end of the train you're getting on your vision of life might end up being quite different. Once I got on the train with my girls and guess what! I met a ZEBRA. Totally true, from head to toe and for no particular occasion this totally sane lady was dressed up like a zebra. Don't be surprised now if tomorrow you see me as a Monkey in need of directions. Here is a tricky one for you : "Which end of the Q train to the zoo?"

The unflappable nanny

Looking for a nanny ? 
Here is what you should be hunting for. Don't miss her!

She is  fun, caring, gentle, super everything, lovely, wonderful, totally reliable and trustworthy, never raises her voice, vibrant, the best in the known universe,sets up playdates, has super powers when it comes to potty training,

superb cook (healthy too!), responsible, unflappable, dependable, loyal, flexible, super sweet, won't be texting at the playground, attentive, experienced, shows initiative, takes kids out rain or shine, amazing, ideal, plays with kids like a kid, calm, communicative, very mellow, energetic, dedicated, nurturing, calm as a Zen monk, never sick.....

This woman makes me sick.

So now, here is my question : 
Do you want to share her, hire her... rave about her or maybe marry her????
You've got it, she's a readymade Mum!

And the winner is............

and a new word for me is "unflappable"...simply not me!

It all started with a breast pump

 "My pump broke! I need a replacement one ASAP"

 Hi guys!

My pump stopped pumping this morning! I need to either borrow or lease a breast pump for a couple of months. Never mind how old (or new) it is, I just need a working motor as I have all the hardware.  Please reply directly to me....Fingers crossed.

Many thanks!

These few lines happened to be  my very first contact with a community forum in Brooklyn I was suggested to join four years ago before my family and I  moved from Nice to New York.
This woman got successful and here was her second posting to the group: 
I was competely overwhelmed with the response to my plea for a breast pump the other day. After only a few minutes of my posting I was offered a free pump ! I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who responded, and to tell you how great a  community we are. 


There I was at home packing boxes and trying to organise our move and in the same time thinking of this woman in need of a breastpump ( I found the term hilarious). I couldn’t help imagining this woman with several breast pumps connected to her breast and her child nearly drowning next to her trying to tell his mother who was jubilating : 
« Mum, I think that’s enough milk !!! ».

From that day I decided to translate some of these messages into drawings. These online community forums were my first contact with America. I learned a lot from them and used them as well. I am so thankful to the people who took the time to reply and to the entire community for the help these posts provide.

This blog project has been a long process, some of the drawings were stuck in my mind waiting for the right moment to come out but I knew that one day they'll find their way.
I still read a lot of posts every day. I choose to illustrate the ones that have a visual impact on me.

I am French and the way I read and interpret these posts is the point of view of a foreigner that landed in New York four years ago with no idea of such a cultural concept.

"Communityjevousaime" is a tribute to Brooklyn people and its cultural diversity.

* Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of my imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.