Marianne Bolhuis, 34, stands with her 9-month-old daughter Noelle in front of Zabar
New York winter can be harsh, but for parents trying to get around in strollers with their children, navigating icy streets, mounds of snows and puddles of slush—all while keeping their babies warm—is exhausting.
Wrapped in a white parka clutching a cup of coffee, Marianne Bolhuis stopped in front of Zabar’s on 82nd street and Broadway yesterday to make sure her 9-month-old daughter Noelle wasn’t freezing. Wearing a knit pink hat, fleece gloves, and covered by a multi-colored blanket, Noelle was practically hidden by all the layers.
“You never know how many layers to put on them and when you go from inside to outside all day, you have to be really quick about dressing them,” said Bolhuis, 34, a lawyer who lives in the neighborhood.
Last month, many New Yorkers slammed Mayor Bloomberg for not putting in enough effort to clean up the 2 feet of snow that blanketed the city the day after Christmas. With snow falling all throughout this month, many mothers and nannies are having a rough time.
“The toughest part of it is when the snow is not cleaned from the walkway,” said Yvonne Baily, 52, a babysitter who looks after two young children. “And with a baby in a stroller, you have to make sure he is warm because remember he is not walking, so you have to make sure that he is covered.”
