BCM - How did your life change when you became a mom?

Robin - It's more like what DIDN'T change?? Everything you do has to take this new amazing little person into consideration. Your routine completely changes. Besides all the planning and preparation for even a 5 minute trip out of the house and the lack of sleep, the biggest change for me is the all-encompassing feeling of joy I get from my boys. I just love being their mom. Even when it’s really hard (which is most of the time) I still wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

BCM - What has been your most memorable moment (s) as a mom?

Robin -My current favorite moments are when my two sons are "playing" with each other and they start laughing together. Max is 2 and Gabe is 9 months so their playtime is mostly Max bringing Gabe toys and saying "Here you go" and Gabe smiling and grabbing everything his big brother brings him. There's just no greater feeling for me then seeing my two boys happy together. Although seeing them both asleep is nice too!


BCM - What has been the biggest challenge for you in motherhood?

Robin -The lack of sleep! My toddler is an extremely early riser and 5 am is where his internal alarm seems to be stuck. We’ve gotten expert advice and not-so-expert advice from literally dozens of people (including sleep guru Dr. Weissbluth!) and no matter what we’ve tried, my day still starts at 5 am. It’s really impacted my life because now I have to go to bed early if I want to function the next day which makes it hard to spend time with my husband, make evening plans with friends or feel rested in the morning.

BCM - Tell us about your email newsletter Crib Notes? What was the inspiration behind the newsletter?

Robin - I had started a Friday playgroup with a few friends in Central Park when Max was a few months old and for fun I made a Facebook group for it and sent out weekly emails. The group quickly grew in size and the emails began to evolve into information-sharing. It seems like all new moms are hungry for information about child-rearing.  I have a background in business and economic journalism and starting the newsletter just seemed like a natural progression from those emails.

BCM - Can you share your top 5 Tips for Big City Moms?

Robin -

1. Make mom friends!! I wouldn’t be able to survive without my mom friends. Only people who are in the same stages as you can truly empathize over sleepless nights, the terrible twos and all the other bumps in the road that come with the job.
2. Take time out for yourself. Being a mom in the city is hectic. There are very few opportunities to create peaceful moments for yourself. Even doing something frivolous like getting a manicure or sitting down and having an iced coffee can help you feel more “human” and not just a baby caretaking machine.
3. Take advantage of all the amazing stuff there is to do in the city with your kids. It’s nearly impossible to run out of things to do.
4. Don’t worry about what the “best” class or teacher is. Your kid won’t know the difference. Pick what you like best and you’ll both have more fun.
5. Keep in mind that for kids it’s often about the journey and not the destination. Some of my best moments with my older son have been on the walk to the park. On the way we talk about the cars and trucks going by, we walk over metal grates, we look at dogs. Kids have an amazing way of looking at things that adults usually take for granted.

BCM - What types of activities do you like to do w/ your kids?
Robin - Most weekends we go to the playground. This past winter we discovered a great indoor favorite—Grand Central. We ride the subway there and then we walk around and look at trains pulling in and leaving the station. For a little boy, that’s about as good as it gets!

BCM- What has been your favorite Big City Moms event to date?

Robin - The new moms events were amazing, I really met a lot of my closest friends at those lunches. It didn’t even matter so much what the topic was, I was just so happy to be with other moms who also just had a baby and were in the same place mentally and physically as I was.

The Biggest Baby Shower ever though is a close second just for the amazing array of activities and vendors.