Mazzy is a very observant little baby. She stares at colors and shapes intently until she's sure she has completely taken them in. Every time I think she's moved on, she comes back a second later for another look. It is because of this penchant for observation, that I decided she would really enjoy going to a museum. And I, being a creative person who rarely takes advantage of all the culture NYC has to offer, would enjoy it too. Mazzy would surely study each piece of art in a way that would make me linger and appreciate it like I wouldn't have otherwise.
Because I live in the East Village and Mazzy is on a strict napping schedule, I made the brilliant decision of taking her to the New Museum which is close by. It opened up a few years ago and I had yet to go. I was probably at home catching up on numerous seasons of The Biggest Loser and The Bachelor so it's not like I wasn't doing anything culturally important. The current show going on at the New Museum was Skin Fruit which sounded innocent enough.
After we made our entrance donation, we ventured upstairs to see our first works of art as a mother-daughter team. A bonding moment that would surely become tradition for years to come. When the elevator doors opened, we were confronted with our first piece— a larger than life statue of a naked warrior woman spray painted gold with a pistol sticking out of her crotch. Lovely. Mazzy was entranced. "Look, shiny…" I said, as we spent ten whole minutes inspecting the woman's vagina. Next up was a large installation of half-human, half-pig like creatures having anal sex while rolling in money. Mazzy's eyes widened. "A pig says 'Oink Oink'!" I volunteered. After tearing her away, we rounded the corner and were faced with a ten foot tall man who was half covered in slivers of broken disco mirror and half eaten by numerous taxidermied squirrels. "Ooooo…can you see yourself in the mirror, Mazzy?" Her eyes settled on the squirrels. "Yes, cute and furry…"
And on and on it went. By the time we left my head was swimming with images that could at best be described as completely inappropriate for a small child. But Mazzy didn't mind, she had totally enjoyed herself. And I was right— she did make me see things I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. For instance, if I hadn't been staring at the flesh-eaten squirrel man for twenty minutes, I never would have noticed that he was also covered entirely in bits of real human hair. I guess 'notice' is one thing, but 'appreciate' is something different entirely. But that, I gather, is what 'art' is all about.
I don’t watch a lot of YouTube videos, but would love more with mazzy demonstrating pretty much anything. She is a natural! And thanks for linking to this post–i hadn’t read it before. I am so impressed at your ability to make it fun for mazzy despite what must have been some discomfort on your part. I also need more pink things on my Pinterest page!
I would love to see more funny stories like this one!
Monday mornings!
I’d love to see more videos! My 2&1/2 year old would too!
I’d love to see more post about Harlow and Mazzy, although I think there will be a lot of photos of them in your post. Haha. But seriously, I want to see more of your family travel and the product that you partnered with. You are such an amazing blogger and the products that you endorse are of good quality. More stories and adventures for 2016 I hope! 😀
cheers,
Gee
I want to see mor Mommy!
I’d love another Monday mornings series. It was great seeing how different people handle different situations.
I would love to see some funny new series..but I also love the Wednesday evening or morning series as well!
I love seeing the stories of you and Mike, and it would be fun to see more marriage stories in 2016!
I love your product reviews and everyday life!
I love all your snapchats and Instagram pics. I really enjoy seeing how you manage living in NYC and raising your family. Keep on doing what you are doing.
I love to see Harlow Dance Moves!! More dancing!
In 2016 I would love to see more real life parenting, like the Wednesday evening series. Like blog posts expanding on some of the average parent pictures:)
Even more videos of harlow! She is adorable!
I love reading about adventures with kids in the city! Oo and maybe some mama style inspo 🙂
Every day stuff. Your girls are so fun!
I too liked the Monday and Wednesday pieces. I am always interested to see if my family is disfunctional or if we’re “normal.” And of course, anything with girls is always cute. It’s nice to see that someone else has the same hilarity going on in their home too.
I would love to know about the girls fashion. I have a 3 year old and it would make it easier to find the clothes if I knew what brand or store they come from.
I would love to see more about New York and really mazzy’s take on NYC. I have always been curious about NYC and would love to see mazzy’s favorite restaurants.
More products you love!
I’d love to see more of the ‘morning with’ and ‘evenings with’ family series!
Would love to see more DIY projects with the kiddies
More of the Monday morning/Wednesday evening series and of course, more Mazzy and Harlow!!!!
I’d love to see product reviews directly from your girls.
More Ilana fashion in 2016!!
I will read ANYTHING you write!! I LOVE this blog and look forward to your posts, instagrams, snapchats, and emails every day! You’ve taught me a lot and made me laugh so thank you!
I love the Monday Morning/Wednesday Evenings and it would be a real treat for those to continue. I also liked the series you did about having difficult conversations with kids. Would love to see that again! As our kids age, there are so many more of those types of conversations to be had! While I love your writing, I also love hearing from other parents, too. Keep up the great work!
ps – This museum post about Mazzy was hilarious. Though I can’t stand squirrels, so that was super creepy. Your writing has really evolved into your own unique voice.
Oh man, I love your blog so much already that I’m not sure what you could do to make it better! I do miss the Mommy Show though …
I love when you are real – and admit that the “perfect” blog pictures often have some not-so-perfect moments happening all around them!
I would love to see more fashion posts from you and your girls.
If like to see “day in the life of…” posts.
first, I am new to Mommy Shorts so i never read this post and LMAO, this was awesome. I love reading about your life and kids so I would like more of that, and I LOVED the Wednesday night series!! Would like to read more! Or be one!
I would love to see more videos!
I’d like to see more about how the girls get along and play together!
I’d love to see more product reviews and gift guides!
Firstly, let me say OMG. And LOL at this!
I’d like to see more of your adventures in NYC. I’ve never been and probably never will be so I want to live vicariously through you all. Also mom friend get togethers…that doesn’t happen much for me… (I don’t get out like at all lol). Also, I love the Wednesday feature the of the regular families you did. Don’t remember what it was called but it was nice too
I would love to see more product reviews and a continuation of the Wednesday evening and Monday morning posts.
I would like to see more of your city adventures!!
Any chance you could bring back the Mommy Show? That’s what first hooked me on Mommy Shorts!
I would love to read more on balance. Work/life, multiple kids/multiple activities how it works for all different size families!
I would like to see more Monday mornings and Wednesday evenings. I also love your snap chat stories, although I need the reminder to go view it. Please keep giving me prompts to watch them.
I would LOVE to see more of your day to day life! Seriously, I love your sense of humor and your girls are just the cutest things! Keep up the awesome blog!
I love to see how your decorating and where you shop for the house and apartment. Also where you shop for clothes. AND more pictures with you and the girls. Get yourself in there too mama.
I don’t really think you need keep more of anything. One of the reasons I follow is because you’re so well balanced! I enjoy your posts thank you, for sharing your life with us ???? Crazy to see how much Mazzy has grown from this post!
I love seeing products that Mommy’s actually use. I’d also love to see more of the evening and morning sessions with real families. And of course more of Mazzy and Harlow!
I would love to see more of those moments of out takes and behind the scenes. Like the 55 pics it takes to get the one good one. Or the story behind the one good one but two seconds later everything fell apart. I’ve been trying to blog like that, more transparency less my life is perfect. However you are much more eloquent than I am so I’d love to see you do it 🙂 check out my tumblr to see a few of my posts of authenticity #whatyousee #sowhathappenedwas
I’d love to see more kids parties with little miss party in 2016. They inspire me and they’re just so cute!
I would love to see more of your family outings/activities. I always get such great ideas from those! It would be fun to see you pair up with other similar bloggers, too!
I think you do such a great job with sponsored content, I’d love to see more! I know some people may not agree, but i think the sponsored stuff is fun because you always put a fun, creative twist on the mundane using a specific context. Your contests are always hilarious too.
Your favorite things to do with toddlers (besides checking out all the awesome things in NYC). And perhaps your shoes…you always have great shoes. 🙂
I would like to see more funny videos in 2016…like the little girl who said, “I’m movin on!”
I would love to see more of Mazzy and Harlow kitchen activities!! I think it would be adorable to have them to maybe a weekly cooking thing!!
I would love to see more posts like your Land of Nod sponsored posts. I really like getting ideas for my kids’ room!
I love seeing just the everyday.
Love how you keep it real.
I would love to see more in depth details about the parties that you host/attend.
More of the morning/night series of real families!
I’d like to see more of the tough stuff- fights, meltdowns, defiance. Social media is too glossed over. I need someone to keep it real so I don’t feel so alone.
This next year, I’d love to see more videos of Mazzy and Harlow cooking/baking/showing us how to do something! Those always made me crack up!
I would love to see another series like Wednesday Evenings and it would be really cool to involve some single parents if possible… as I am one and we definitely have our own set of struggles which I think people can relate to.
I love your blog, and I would love to win a set bag :)!
And your girls are so stinking adorable!
I would love to see more of your sweet, sentimental posts. Like a sweet story of how you spent a holiday (like your Thanksgiving /birthday one). I love those the most. But obviously they aren’t as easy to schedule….
More of the girls sweet dance moves in 2016!!!!
In 2016, I’d love to see more of you partnering with small brands and showcasing family businesses for kids as they apply to your message and image 🙂 also, just more of your fantastic, real parenting anecdotes!
While o know you make a living off of sponsors, I am also not a fan of all the recent ads. I’d also like more practical tips on parenting, like exactly how do I get my two year old to put on pants? Even if you bribed them just tell me how!
Love all things Mommshorts – Product reviews are always good, and more about your daily life.
More interviews with other parents like those Wednesday evening posts!!! And more from you in parenting ups and downs as well, love your stories of Harlow and Mazzy. Oh just more of everything, I love all your posts!
More product reviews of things both kids love (like the micro mini scooter)!
Would love to hear more on parenting struggles. The struggle is real!
I love your head to head photo competitions. So much fun!
I woul like to hear more about mazzy’s school
I’d like to see more of your and the girls adventures around the city in 2016. Where do you choose to spend free time as a family? What are your favorite haunts? Favorite activities?
In 2016 I want to see more of you being real about parenting and more of those two cuties Maxzy and Harlow. Makes me realize my crazy life is completely normal!
See more? The Mensch! Dont give him back lol…way too awesome.
This is tough. I love your posts! I always like posts about the girls, and they always have such cute outfits. Maybe outfit reviews from them would be adorable!
I would love to hear more about how you deal with the day to day crazy that comes w having two kiddos. How do YOU keep your cool when your kids are being… well… Kids?
I would love to see more of the Wednesday evening-type posts – they are so diverse and well-done. I love the snapshot into a daily family life.
I loved the Wednesday Evening series and seeing how different families around the country live. Would love more of those stories in 2016!
I’d love to see more of how your book comes together, can’t believe how much you juggle!
This post is hilarious and I can only imagine Mazzy reading this someday and finding out!! Haha!!
I love your snapchats and I don’t think you necessarily need to show more of them, but keep them coming! I also love seeing the sister bond of your two girls. Mine are 2 1/2 and 9 months and I am just now seeing the possibilities of their friendship. I love watching your girls play together because I am looking forward to seeing my girls play together someday too!! I also love your NYC excursions with the girls. My brother lives there and I want to take my girls there someday and I get so many ideas of fun things to do!!
It would be fun to see a “what I learned/what I would do different.” As a first time mom, I’m always asking for advice on naps, foods, products, etc from more “seasoned” moms.
I forgot to add what I’d like to see in 2016, so here I am again! I love so much of your content! I really like your day to day content about your lives. It’s so fun to see what the life of a New York mom is with two neat little ladies. Your posts always have me cracking up!
More of the all state morning and evening series. Love them!!
I would love to see about how it was for Mazzy to adjust to Harlow being born in relation to how they are now. We are expecting our second little girl in March!
I love the photo contests, and the stories about your family!
I would like to see more of Mazzy in NYC. More of her showing us the city.
I would love more reviews of things you use to make life with kids a little easier! I have a toddler and I trust your opinion. Plus you have a great sense of humor.
I would love to see more antics from your girls! I can’t get enough of them! ☺️
Harlow has some sweet dance moves… I’d love to see more of those!!
I would love to see more Insta2yrold posts ???? & keep up with the fashion you have for you and your girls! Great job! Keep up the great work!
The everyday life with family… Marriage life.
Tips on life with toddlers and products that you find helpful
I’d like to see more posts about your family just doing regular daily things. My favorite posts are those about the girls and whatever they are up to, your various parties, fixing up your house, etc. I like the mundane, I guess!
I would like to see some good, kid friendly recipes. Also, if you could post some fun Indoor activities for winter for toddler/pre-school age that would be lovely.
More of how to stick to a schedule. Especially during the week
I would love to see more on Snapchat in 2016!
I love product comparisons
and Mom graphs!
I love stories like this one so keep those coming on your site :-).
More “the mommy show” episodes!
I’d love to see more parenting in the city tips/tricks
I’d love to see more about your daily life with your girls-they are so adorable! And stuff about decorating and organizing!!