Every once in a while as parents we need a reminder to take care of ourselves. We spend our lives day in and day out catering to our families needs in one way or another, not recognizing or taking a moment out of the day to devote to ourselves. At least that’s me.

Planning vacations with family is a little deceiving in that way. At first, when we hear the word vacation we jump, knowing that we’ll be able to spend quality time with family and maybe even get a moment to ourselves. What I have found as a mother of two very young children and with another baby on the way, is that vacation is only such when the kids are happy and taken care of.

On a recent business trip to Los Angeles, I found myself alone in the gorgeous Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire for 3 nights (the property boasts a swimming pool modeled after Sofia Loren’s Italian Villa. Need I say more?). While I didn’t have my own children with me, I did notice that there were many children floating about the property. This to me meant that even for a 5 star hotel right off of Rodeo Drive, the accommodations at the hotel not only welcomed kids, but also treated them as the 5 star guests that they are-something that the Four Seasons is known for across the board.

Even though I was traveling alone, the Beverly Hills Wilshire took pains to make sure that my children weren’t forgotten. Upon my arrival, I found two beautiful little backpacks and a set of bibs for our unborn baby waiting for me. They must’ve known that traveling alone isn’t really my favorite thing to do, as I always miss my children terribly. The staff made sure that I had some fun little gifts to bring back to my kids when I returned home.

Traveling alone isn’t always so bad (in fact, I do love flying alone and the notion of sleeping in a gigantic bed all to myself). Mothers-especially pregnant mothers-need to take time out of their busy schedule to pamper themselves a bit. I firmly believe that a happy, relaxed mother is a more patient mother. The Beverly Hills Wilshire has a truly fantastic spa on its property, one that not only offers maternity massages, and amazing facials, but they also offered a package for children this summer called Alice in BW Land, where children could receive a variety of treatments complete with special treat of cupcakes and tea afterwards.

I was astounded by the serenity and luxury at the Spa at the Beverly Wilshire. I left after having an amazing 45 minute Natura Bisse facial and maternity massage feeling like a brand new human being… Not an easy feat when you’re 6 months pregnant. I loved my facial so much that I brought home the moisturizer used during the treatment, and apply it every single day. The effects are lasting, and it makes me feel like I’m pampering myself even for just a moment every morning-which in my book is very necessary. The spa itself is completely serene and inviting, the robes are warm and the accommodations are many. I could have easily spent an entire afternoon just in the relaxation room. It’s one of those places that I think about often when I’m juggling two children on the busy streets of New York City.

Even though I don’t take the time out of my daily life to treat myself to such luxuries, it was an absolutely wonderful experience and one that I reflect on frequently and fondly. I even find myself getting jealous of myself thinking of the fabulous treatment I received and relaxed feeling I left with. Spa treatments make the best gifts, for those of you husbands and fathers out there that are reading- just in time for the holidays!

Head over to the Four Season’s Blog Have Family Will Travel for this article and many more all-things-travel with children related.

I was not compensated for this post, however I was given the spa services and one night at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire for purposes of the review.

About a week ago, we were invited to Beverly Hills to celebrate the launch of the Lion King, this time in 3D. For the first time in 10 years, the Lion King will appear in 3D only on the big screen for two weeks, allowing new generations to experience the best selling home entertainment release of all time.

Just like most people I know, I grew up on Disney films and animations. The Little Mermaid is permanently engrained in my memory and childhood, along with the powerful and emotional message of The Lion King, which seemed to resonate with so many people, on many different levels. A hilarious and timeless comedy about a lion cub that can’t wait to be king, but learns through the loss of his father and growing up on his own how to be a leader.
During our trip to LA for the premiere, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with producer Don Hahn and Nikita Calame, the voice of young Nala. Both were charismatic and fully invested on a personal level into this movie-something that really resonated with me.

Don Hahn, also the producer of Beauty and the Beast-the first animated film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar was candid and honest about his experience working on The Lion King, and one could easily tell that he had seriously invested himself into the film. “Unlike any other art form (animated movies are) a collaborative art form.” Hahn says. The idea that all of us together is better than one of us alone is the big thing I took away from this movie. It was the perfect storm of 600 people working on this one film for four years”.

Calame, who was 12 at the time that she recorded the voice of Nala (and precisely my age at the time as well) touched upon a part of the movie that seemed to really strike a chord with all of us, especially the parents in the room. “It was the first time in a long time that a parent died. I don’t think a parent had died since Bambi.”
I had been wondering about this a long time, so to hear Hahn’s response was very interesting, especially to a mother who has had reservations about showing the movie to her toddlers.

“That’s true” Hahn says. “Actually we have questions like that. You have eighty minutes to tell a story and killing off a parent is something we don’t plan on doing when we start these movies. These movies are about growing up, and a lot of times when you take a parent out of the picture, it forces the character into a situation where the have to grow up-probably artificially sooner than they would have. That’s really in the Lion King as well: Mufasa is betrayed by his brother and gives the guilt and sacrifice to Simba, and now Simba is not only alone but he is framed for the murder. “

“If you would have told me then about a movie about a lion king that gets framed for murder would be this huge hit, I would have said ‘No. That’s impossible’”.

The story is so tasteful and beautiful though, that the upsetting part of Mufasa’s death is evidently more about the lesson for Simba rather than the sensationalism of selling a movie.

Even the animations were well thought out and incredibly lifelike, not only enveloping the personalities of the actors behind their famous voices, but also even some characteristics of the animators themselves. We sat down with Mark Henn, supervising animator of young Simba, and Tony Bancroft, supervising animator of Pumbaa. As they sketched freehand at the table of a dozen bloggers, they literally lit up the room with their humor and stories of creating some of the most beloved characters in film history to date.

A lifelong lover of comic strips, Bancroft spent his days as a child copying Peanuts out of the newspaper before eventually being accepted to the exclusive California Institute of the Arts. “I just loved to draw all the time-a big geek for animation. I consider myself a cartoonist first and an animator second, but I love both. “
Mark Henn applied three times to the Disney Studios before finally being accepted. He went on to become what Bancroft affectionately calls him “the ladies man”. Henn is the creative genius behind Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Jasmine in Aladdin, Mulan and Belle in Beauty and the Beast, as well as Pooh and Christopher Robin in this year’s super sweet and nostalgic Winnie the Pooh. Henn quickly became something of a hometown hero to his native Dayton, Ohio and has been with Disney for an impressive 31 years. I get the impression that the company and its movies just wouldn’t be the same without him.

The movie itself was even more vibrant, emotional and powerful (especially that opening sequence when Mufasa raises Simba over his head) in its new 3D version. I found myself laughing and crying all over again, wishing that my children were with me and counting the days until I could introduce them to such a fantastic film.

We had a ball at the premiere, and on the “grass” red carpet… It’s so much fun being in Los Angeles-even breifly-to live the life of the media amongst the likes of Rickey Schroeder, Ally Landry and Melissa Joan Hart to name a few of the parent celebs that were at the premiere bash.

Even though I was attending this premiere under the intense stress of Hurricane Irene, the glitz and posh surroundings of the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire were certainly not lost on me. I appreciated every single moment, and even felt like Pretty Woman for a glimpse of time.

The Lion King 3D will be released into theaters for two weeks on September 16th . The film, which has been in Disney’s famed Vault for the past 10 years or so, will be released for a limited time beginning on October 4th in three different sets on Blu-Ray. The DVD Edition will be available on November 15th. You can go into your local Disney store and place one on hold to be shipped or picked up on the release dates, as well- which is exactly what I did with my family this past weekend. I don’t want to miss the chance to own this classic for my children and even theirs.

For the full version of this article and more interviews/details, head over to Vera Sweeney’s Lady and the Blog!

I was not compensated for this post, however my travel arrangements, hotel accommodations and premier tickets were covered in exchange for these posts.

Last Thursday was one of the craziest days I have had in a very, very long time. I was up at 5AM packing lunches, writing notes for the babysitter, finding a broadcast worthy blouse, and loading up my suitcase for a weekend trip to Los Angeles. Justin left at 7:30AM to take one of the biggest, most significant exams of his life up to this point: the first half of the National Boards for Dental School (an eight hour long test on everything he has learned in DS the past two years). This also happened to be my very first day as the Director of Social Media at RedRover.

You could say that our life was busy and stressful that week, but that would be a gross understatement.

I kissed and squeezed by babies goodbye hurriedly, knowing that I wouldn’t see them for a couple of days. They were so excited to show the new babysitter all of their toys that they barely looked at me as I left. Sigh.
I was en route to broadcast a live, online segment at Fox News about Tommee Tippee’s new site The Day Baby Was Born, as I am the new “face” of the particular site-and couldn’t be more thrilled.

Shortly after the 7 minute segment, a car picked me up and whisked me off to JFK airport, where I was to board a plane to Los Angeles for the World Premiere of the Lion King 3D. I love that my life is exciting right now, and am embracing every single moment, however the unexpected impending doom of Hurricane Irene was right on my heels- excitement that none of us neither needed or wanted. With the news loud and blaring about Irene’s massive wingspan fast approaching Manhattan, I considered de-boarding the plane and heading right back home. No one seemed to think that she would leave much more than a whisper, so I decided to continue about my travels and tried to remain confidant and calm.

The 5 hour flight in silence didn’t bring me much peace amongst the deafening worry in my mind, despite the glorious views.

I was greeted Los Angeles by gorgeous skies, warm weather, and that ever-familiar feeling of being back on California soil. It’s not quite as nice without my family with me, but I appreciated it all the same.

I checked into the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire and headed out to explore Rodeo Drive with the darling Colleen Padilla of Classy Mommy. Both of us had left our families in the path of Hurricane Irene, and spent much of that evening trying to figure out how to get back home ASAP. The news was not promising. Irene was on her way and we would both mostly likely be stuck in California for days to come.

On Friday at noon I received the first notice (including urgent phone calls) of mandatory evacuation from the management of the complex where I live in Manhattan with my family.

Sure enough, our buildings began to get boarded up and I immediately arranged to have my husband and kids head to a hotel in midtown. Hotels throughout the city were filling up with people from evacuation areas, labeled Zone A, and I wasn’t about to have my family somewhere unsafe or unfamiliar. I called our beloved Four Seasons and they not only had a room but were also able to accommodate our kitten, Charlie. I knew that this was somewhere that the kids would think they were on vacation and it would be an adventure with daddy-taking focus of the stress of the hurricane and my absence away from their attention.

My superhero husband packed the kids, cat and everything else they might need into the stroller and headed out into the calm before the storm. The following photos of my children smiling both brought me to tears and helped me get through the following day that they would be weathering the storm.

They were excited to see the little gifts that I had sent for them waiting for them upon check-in!

Charlie was the only unhappy camper. She did not like her foreign surroundings and found comfort in a bathroom drawer. Ingrate!

The hotel was not even halfway staffed and had completely shut down room service, but made sure that their guests would be safe throughout the hurricane and possible tornadoes threatening the city. This in and of itself was priceless to me, especially knowing that I couldn’t be there to take care of them myself.

The following morning, after the storm had passed, I received this photo before just after they had gotten the call that it was “OK” to go back home to our apartment. There hadn’t been any damage to our buildings whatsoever. We are all very lucky.

Everyone was safe, sound, and happy. Thank goodness.

I was in the process of wrapping up my trip in Los Angeles a the time, and learned that due to all of the flight cancellations to and from the airports in NYC, my next flight back home wouldn’t be for another week. So, I flew upstate to the Bay Area to stay with my mom-and I’ve been there ever since.

I miss my family and friends so terribly when we are in New York City, so this extra little blip of quality time with them has been truly a blessing in disguise. We almost didn’t even know what to do with ourselves!

Myself, mom & sister out to dinner in Los Altos

It still feels quite unnatural and almost awkward being away from my children for so long, but this is the first time during this pregnancy that I’ve been able to actually focus on myself and baby #3. I’ve been trying to relax by sitting by the pool, having lunch dates with friends, and catching up on lots of work. I haven’t had this kind of time to myself since way before my first child was born. It’s so foreign!

While I’m in my old town gaining perspective about finding alone time, prioritizing, re-evaluating and “finding balance”, my dear husband is gaining a little on his own. Today marks day seven of being alone with the kids-seven straight days. He’s a champ though, and even found it in his heart to give me a little bit of credit: “I now understand why you can’t keep the house clean ALL the time”.

Thanks, babe.

My flight leaves tomorrow, and you can only imagine how thrilled I’ll be to see the kids and my darling Mr. Shyba. It’s been so nice spending time with my people at “home” in California, but my home is with my children, and my heart is aching without them.

I’ve been waiting to be able to tell you about our trip home to California in June, and finally I can. We spent so much time with family and friends, but for three very special days I was able to treat my mom and sister to a perfect little staycation in San Francisco at the Four Seasons Hotel.

I grew up in the Bay Area, about an hour south of San Francisco, visiting the city rarely until I moved there to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. During that time I spent very little time at the tourist attractions, and I now know how much I missed out on.

We drove to the city on a weekday morning, braving the one way streets and general chaos that is maneuvering a vehicle in any city. Pulling into the Four Seasons San Francisco, we knew that our five-star experience would erase any and all stresses that we had up until that point. The valet gentleman knew all of our names as we exited our vehicle, welcoming especially vibrantly Jack and Zoe. These two are seasoned travelers at this point and immediately recognized the special attention-and I as the parent certainly appreciated it.

We were surprised by a beautiful spread of snacks, desserts, and even a birthday cupcake for yours truly. The attention to detail and the fact that they remembered that I had briefly mentioned “birthday weekend” was truly a delight. The kids immediately found their pint sized terry bathrobes and tested out the beds with their very specialized, learned expertise.

We rested in the room for a bit, soaking in the huge bathtubs and prancing around the room, snacking on guacamole and Pellegrino-allowing ourselves to feel spoiled and taken care of and relishing in the moments. A few hours later we walked down to the embarcadero and played in the park near Cupid’s Span, chatting with the locals until it was time to head back at dusk.

The five of us snuggled up in the king sized bed that night, armed with popcorn for a special viewing of Rio that served as a bedtime story. We all slept so well tucked into the ultra soft sheets on the beds that the Four Seasons are known for.

The following morning, a huge breakfast came to our room, complete with children’s pancakes and the very best almond croissants that I’ve ever tasted. We filled our bellies and headed out for the day across the Golden Gate Bridge for an afternoon in Sausalito at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. The hotel had even packed us a lunch to take with us on our adventure: Peanut butter & Jelly, carrot sticks and oatmeal cookies for the kids, and smoked turkey sandwiches for us adults. Traveling with children isn’t easy, but if you find a place that will make every step of the way fun and simple, you are sure to have a fantastic time. The museum was fantastic as well, the perfect place to take young children. Jack still talks about our trip over the “big red bridge” and playing at the Curious George exhibit.

That night, the five of us dressed up and went for dinner at Seasons Restaurant, located in the Four Seasons San Francisco. Our table was perched in the corner of the grand room, five stories up and peering over the gorgeous city. Although this is an upscale dining experience, the children were welcomed and handed their own menus complete with crayons. The food was fantastic, the service was kind and full of smiles, the wine was excellent and the dessert blew us all away.

Jack and Zoe got to make and decorate their own sundaes while the adults had the chance to enjoy a rare and real conversation. That night as we tucked in to the luxurious beds, we closed our eyes feeling spoiled and completely grateful. It’s been years since we’ve spent three consecutive days together without the typical life commitments getting involved.

We woke early the next morning for another adventure on the cable cars to Fisherman’s Wharf. This is something that I always wanted to do as a resident of San Francisco, but simply never took the opportunity. What a fantastic way to experience such a spectacular, breathtaking city.

If you haven’t ever visited San Francisco, make sure that you do and do not, I repeat do not skip a venture down to Fisherman’s Wharf. The food and sights are fantastic… The city by the bay at it’s very best.

Vacation should be about spending special moments with your loved ones. Vacation means taking a reprieve from the daily stresses of life, from bills and worry and messes. I have had the opportunity to do this with my husband and children on various occasions, but it’s been years since I’ve spent quality time with my mom and sister. It was one of the very best times we have spent together, and a memory that I will always hold dear to my heart.

San Francisco is a glorious city in and of itself, but travel accommodations have all the potential to make or break an experience. I was impressed by the graciousness and kindness of the staff at the Four Seasons Hotel, and appreciated every single detail that made traveling with my small children that much easier and so much fun for everyone.

For more photos and coverage, please visit my post at the Four Seasons blog, Have Family Will Travel.

I was not compensated for this post, however our hotel accommodations were taken care of by the Four Seasons in exchange for coverage on my personal blog and Have Family Will Travel. All opinions are my own.

I spent my first two pregnancies in the calm, cool and collected corners of Northern California. My first was a winter baby, and while I remember it raining the day that we left the hospital, I don’t recall any other sort of climate inconvenience during those first, long nine months.

I was thrilled about getting to wear long sleeves and jeans to mask my weight gain and awkward new shape. When Jack was born at the end of January, I knew I had a couple of months before bathing suit weather, and so we relaxed and snuggled up under layers, spending hours getting to know each other. I never left his side. In fact, I didn’t leave the house with (or without) him for six entire weeks.

My second pregnancy was totally different. I was chasing around a one year old through the majority of the summer while baby Zoe grew in my belly, and while I was a little sick, I don’t remember being overly affected by anything-even heat. Zoe was born during end of September on a gorgeously sunny, quintessential California day. I was literally skipping around the hospital an hour later-so thrilled to NOT be pregnant any more and even more so to have a gorgeous little baby girl. The impact of having a 19 month old and a newborn wouldn’t set in for a few days-three to be exact-the day my husband went back to school. I introduced Jack to his very first television show (Look! A CHOO-CHOO!) while I struggled to nurse and maintain a shred of sanity.

During the hot days, we’d go to the mall, or Target, or the toy store or museums. I was out and about with the kids as much as possible, even though juggling two babies wasn’t the easiest thing to master. We had a car with carseats that we parked at our home (for FREE!) and we only spent $3 per gallon on gas. Our chariot would take us to and from wherever we wanted to go, whenever we felt like going there. Life in the suburbs was perfectly coordinated, consistent and completely boring (so says the spoiled girl who now lives in NYC).

With my third pregnancy, things have been very different. I spent the first 16 weeks outrageously sick and tired. I’m now 19 weeks along and so grateful that for the most part, I’m feeling better. The heat in the city has really cranked up right along with my hormones and waist size, and I would be lying if I said I was handling it all gracefully. Our lives in New York City are much more active and compromised than they were in the Bay Area, and I think it took me getting pregnant to really realize it.

I’m starting to miss the relatively “normal” and simple luxury of owning a car, a back yard, and a BBQ. We’re sort of trapped in the apartment lately, and even though it hasn’t been storming out, the humidity and heat is just nearly intolerable. The subways have turned into stinky sweat lodges and the busses are jam packed daily… leaving us to either walk, scooter, or brave the taxi cabs to run menial tasks and errands. Most days, we spend our time at the local spray grounds between doctors appointments, barber shop visits, and grocery shopping.

These tasks are never boring with a 2 and 4 year old in tow. They make even a trip to the barber shop look like a mini red carpet event.

There are amazing events and experiences in NYC offered daily, and most of the time the travel is worth the extra effort. Yesterday, we walked the six blocks between our building and Madison Square Park, where every Tuesday they offer a free concert for children. I forgot the lunch that I packed before we left, forcing us to grab a burger and milkshakes at the local Shake Shack that is perched so perfectly in the park itself. I beached myself on the grass with food while the kids played in the fountain. Typical Tuesday morning.

Today we’re planning on taking a shuttle to go food shopping at Trader Joe’s and then hit the park on our walk back home. I’m so grateful that I’m no longer running for garbage cans or plastic bags battling the intense “morning” sickness, but I sense the larger I get, the harder these tasks will become. Never a dull moment… and I while sometimes I feel very overwhelmed by everything-mainly due to my size and lack of energy-I still love most things about living here. I knew that being pregnant in the summer in New York City would be interesting and much different than my first two pregnancies, yet somehow I feel like the best is still to come.

We’ll be blessed with a three year old, a four year old and a newborn come December. Life is a never ending escapade.

We’re back in the city after an exciting, relaxing and restorative vacation back home to Northern California. Nothing like traveling back in time to land far, far away to gain a little perspective.

Traveling to the airport and across the country alone with the kids was the easiest and smoothest to date… there were zero puke episodes on the 40 minute drive to JFK, and we made it into the airport and through security in record time. What a difference 10 months makes. My seasoned traveling toddlers knew the shoe and jacket removal drill like it was daily procedure, and the only real issue we encountered was placing Zoe’s babies in the buckets. It took three security guards to coax ol’ Tina and Baby Kitty out of her iron grip, but after a few tears and a quick belt travel, they were back right where they belong and pretty much stay every single day.

Note to self: Slip on shoes are MUCH easier to travel with.

We checked the stroller at the gate and boarded the plane, the kids excited and me discreetly wiping the cold sweat of anticipation off of my forehead. You can’t let them sense your fear, I thought. The other travelers sneered and rolled their eyes as we passed them in their seats. Flying with children would be so much more pleasant if it weren’t for other passengers judging and scooching away from us like we have a disease. Fortunately, I’m now a New Yorker, so guess how much I care about that any more? Rushed, impatient and self concerned travelers make up my neighborhood. You learn to ignore it.

Still, at their ages of 2 and 4, I can never really predict how they will behave and react to certain situations. They giggled and squealed in delight as the flight took off, and I laughed right along with them. We were excited for our vacation, and I wasn’t about to contain it.

They were really good. The only issue we encountered was the seatbelt sign, turbulence, and all three of us needing the lavatory at once. After a bit of a heated word exchange between me and an attendant, I left Jack in the bathroom by himself with the plane rocking, as I sat and waited in my seat as ordered. There’s a two person limit per lavatory, of course.

We landed safely and were greeted my mom and sister at SFO with open arms and excitement. There’s nothing quite like California air and the feeling of being *home*.

It had been close to a full year since our last trip across country to the place of our roots. The beauty and redundancy of a small town that never changes is really quite comforting to return to after living in a place of the extreme polar opposite. Friends and family welcomed us with love and smiles, and I saw feelings and expressions in my children that I rarely see normally. They were beaming and proud to be amongst people that love and care about them unconditionally.

We visited beloved close friends and family, our favorite old parks and haunts (including our favorite outdoor swimming pool), and spent a nice amount of time in the Santa Cruz Mountains at the home where Justin grew up. You can’t really compare that kind of nostalgia and home-y feel to anything, and I am so grateful that my children have this in their life-even though the times are few and far between right now. When we are in New York, they know that this place exists and for them it’s a place of comfort and freedom.

The kids planted trees, caught salamanders, and mixed cement for their own handprint stepping stones in Gran-Gran and Papa’s back yard. This was the ultimate vacation for them… just being kids.

I even got to go to our local Apple store and make a purchase that I’ve been waiting on, saving for, and anticipating for years. My first MacBook Pro. Welcome to the Shyba family, Pro, and helloooo productivity!

Grinning like a fool with my very first computer baby.

Our visit to California included a visit to the fabulous Four Seasons in San Francisco, of which I will share about in it’s very own post. That city is incredible-I cannot wait to share.

More than anything the time spent at home was really healing. We get so used to our daily routine amongst the hustle and bustle and being so far away from our support system that we forget how crucial it is to have in our lives. However, for me, New York City represents home and freedom. I’m happy here and I feel the most like myself than I ever have before. I imagine by the time Justin graduates dental school in 2013, I may be ready to move back to California because I know that it is best for my children. For now, though, the place where I grew up no longer feels like the place where I belong.

Maybe I can convince my entire family to move to New York? *ahem*

Today marks the second birthday of one of the coolest, most poignant projects of my life. I’ve been blogging now for two years exactly, and while it feels about right, I’m still in awe at the freedom and joy that documenting our journey to New York City from California has brought me.

When I started this blog, I expected it to be an online journal of our lives, assuming that our family and friends would be the only ones reading it (how on earth would anyone find it otherwise, right?). Then again, I knew that this would be mostly for me, my husband and eventually our children. We were about to embark on the most significant adventure of our lives as a family, and I was petrified.

We were diving deep into the abyss that is financial uncertainty and the precariousness of raising a family in one of the priciest cities in the country-on nothing but dental school loans. We even considered joining the army. We aren’t trust fund babies or heirs to some great fortune, but we have a solid set of family members interlacing their fingers and creating a gigantic net in case we falter.

Many of our family and friends voiced their concerns and doubts at our ability to make it work, for Justin to obtain a degree successfully while keeping our marriage and family life in loving tact. Not to mention what felt to everyone-including us-the absurdity of bringing toddlers to the middle of Manhattan. No matter the doubts we had or faced, we forged ahead. Before leaving for Manhattan, we took a trip to Las Vegas and renewed our vows, walk-in chapel style, solidifying our love and trust in one another.

Crunch time came, and I turned to my writing for an escape: we were hopping on a Wing and a Prayer, and I was terrified and very intimidated. I felt comfortable and content in our little town with all of our people. What I had yet to learn was how significantly life improves when you set yourself free and live by your own rules, facing your greatest fears head on.

One of those fears was living away from my mother and sister for the first time ever. This remains one of my greatest challenge to date, but we are learning to savor the short and sweet moments that we have every few months or so, and relying on iChat and phone calls to get us through.

When it came time to find an apartment in New York City and say goodbye to our life in California, I was overwhelmed with stress, excitement, fascination, sorrow, and fear. You never know what you are made of until you’re completely stripped of all of your bearings. None of this was easy, and I fell quite short of graceful on more than one occasion.

When we landed in Manhattan with our family for the first time, it was like we were in a movie, living someone else’s life, and for the most part- I really liked it. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been to New York City as a child, but I learned very quickly that I am, in fact, cut out to be a city dwelling soul.

Justin started dental school at NYU and I took the kids on the M16 bus across town for the first time by myself.. A few weeks later, I braved the subway and took them to Central Park. That day remains one of my favorite memories.

Our life set in, as well as the panic. The doubts we all had came pouring in as the weather turned and I realized how alone we really are here. I quickly became consumed by fear again, and booked a trip home to California no less than our second month out here. It was exactly the breath of fresh air we needed before heading into a crazy winter.

We saw the balloons being inflated for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and decorated our first Christmas (fake and easily stored!) tree as an urban family., and learned the true magic of New York City during the holidays.

It was right around now that things started to change for Momma’s Gone City. Out of the blue, I was invited to interview Peter Hermann for Time to Talk Day. I couldn’t figure out why they wanted me or how they even found me, but I wasn’t going to turn it down! Rookie move take one. We were then invited to Madison Square Garden to see Sesame Street Live, an opportunity that was so incredibly special, as we wouldn’t normally splurge on such grand entertainment.

We experienced our first introduction to the insanity that is preschool registration in New York City. Jack developed a nasty allergy to tree nuts and pollen, and he was quickly diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease. Caring for your ailing babies alone in a big, busy city is nothing short of completely terrifying. It’s also a sure fire way to tiptoe over your breaking point. I am not the same person I used to be; I’m not exactly a “hardened” New Yorker, but I certainly won’t sit weeping in traffic when I can run with the stroller.

Easter came, and I cooked my very first holiday meal without the help of my mother or the company of any family. It was bittersweet yet full of joy for the four of us.

Through this little website of mine, I started getting invited to more and more events and even meeting celebrities.. I couldn’t quite figure out what was happening, but I liked it. It was the perfect escape to my own little life, and it was mine.

Travel became an issue, and so my obsession with strollers officially began, just as Summer was peeking around the corner. Life was feeling really quite normal and glorious.

That July, I was invited to my first blogging conference, and I was introduced to some amazing people, new friends, and welcomed into an incredible online community with open arms. My life was changing because of this blog, and I embraced it with everything I had.

In the fall of 2010, I had reached what felt like the end-all-be-all of my blogging career. One of my lifelong dreams was to attend Fashion Week, and I was not only given the opportunity to attend, but to cover a show or two backstage as well.