Small Space Living

My daughter had just turned two, and naturally we wanted to do something special to celebrate. But when I started to research venues to rent, I realized that we were looking at $300-plus for a few hours of toddlers smashing frosting into things--and that was just to rent the space! I couldn't justify the expense, especially her young age.

But how could we have a party at home in our teeny, tiny 1.5 bedroom apartment? Well, we found out and we've lived to tell the very successful tale. Here are 10 simple rules to follow when you want to host a budget birthday in a small space.

When a friend tells you she's pregnant, after all of the usual questions—due date, boy or girl or unknown—you usually ask where she's registered. But as a parent of two I can tell you, sometimes it's best to think outside the box. Buying off the registry is nice but some parents—especially first-time moms and dads—don't realize what they really need until the baby arrives. This is especially true for New York City families, who are usually way too space-challenged to accommodate large or unnecessary items, like one of those humongous FAO Schwarz stuffed animals that requires its own bedroom.

As someone who's had to freecycle a number of well intentioned but extraneous gifts (see ya, wipe warmer), I've compiled a list of presents that I think NYC parents will be psyched to receive.

We recently wrote about Exerblast, the new family adventure gym that gets kids (and grown-ups) moving in a whole new way. But sometimes getting to a gym isn't in the cards. I realized my family needed to find ways to integrate movement and exercise into our everyday lives. That's why I decided to check out Sneaky Fitness, a book by Missy Chase Lapine (of The Sneaky Chef fame) and Larysa DiDio, a fitness expert.

Read on to find out what I thought of this book, and a list of 25 easy indoor exercise ideas that you can do with your kids at home.

I've got a two-year-old and baby No. 2 on the way, so picking a double stroller is one of many things on my to-do list. If you’re in the same boat, or if you're expecting twins, you're probably looking online and on the street to see what other moms of multiples are pushing.

But for the ultimate advice, I went to the best experts I could think of: the 30-plus members of my weekly Upper West Side mothers' group. Here's a roundup of the double strollers they use, and what they really think of them.

June mainly means two things to many parents: Father's Day and the end of the school year. And that means gifts for teachers and dad and sometimes yearbooks and, ugh, what to do with all the priceless artwork that comes home from your child's classroom. Whew. It's a lot.

One thing that won't make your life easier (we're not going to lie to you), but may make it nicer is digital photo book services that let you make great gifts and memory books from your photos, children's artworks or writing. The great thing about photo books is they slide neatly onto a shelf, meaning those piles of artwork and great memories can be easily accessed and shared without creating clutter, something teachers appreciate as much as you do.

Here are some places to make great books including a place you can do it right here in person in NYC. And we've got discount codes too!