New York City Part 2

That I would do the remaining 4 days in one post to give the highlights of our trip.

We visited all the main attractions, minus the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock.  We were going to visit, but it was so darn cold!  Another time.  

Here's a briefing of what I did alone while BK was in meetings and what we did together.

 ^^Union Square.  Max Brenner is just off the square and oh my goodness, so so good!  I had the Italian Hot Chocolate and it was divine.  After Max Brenner I walked over to Strand Books to find Vivian a star book per her request.  I came across Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me by Eric Carle.  I was a great choice, she loves this book!  I couldn't leave JoJo out, so I got her Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli and she loved it as well.  Win, win!  I also browsed around Nordstrom Rack while killing time before meeting BK for lunch at Burger & Lobster.  I got the original lobster roll and boy, it was wonderful.  For the afternoon, I stayed around the hotel while he was in his meeting.  They had a mixer that evening off Time Square so I met him there that early evening.  

^^Financial District.  Our hotel was a short walking distance from the Ground Zero.  I remember that day like it was yesterday and to be standing where so many lives were lost was emotional.  I didn't visit the museum, but walked all around reading the names engraved.  I went to Century 21 department store.  Boy was that place huge!  Lunch at Eataly.  Such a fun place and so good!    

^^Time Square.  BK had a meeting off Time Square, I went to the Disney Store to find some gifts for the girls.  Well, I'm not the best with directions and walked completely in the wrong direction and ended up on 34th Street.  I did see Macy's so I guess it wasn't too bad.  I walked all the way back to Time Square and the Disney store was just across the street from where BK was.  After BK was done, him and I walked to Shake Shack for lunch.  

^^Rockefeller Center.  We went back to the tree and watched the ice skaters below.  We also watched the musical light show on Saks 5th Ave.  That was spectacular!  The window displays were incredible as well.  We of course walked inside just say I've been in Saks 5th Ave.  We walked to Saint Patrick's Cathedral and was able to go inside before they closed the door.  They were singing Christmas songs which was a treat to hear.  One of the nights we saw the Radio City Rockettes which was incredible and highly recommend.  Such an iconic staple.  

^^Fox News.  We got a behind the scene tour of the studios.  A former student works there and invited us to come look around.  We went on Fox & Friends studio, Bill O'Reilly's, Megan Kelly (she was about to go on air and got to stand in the corner to see her at her desk), Shepard Smith's and we said 'Hello' to Lou Dobbs and Eric from The Five.  It was a lot of fun!

^^Grand Central Station.  I couldn't help but think of the movie 'Friends with Benefits' at the end when Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis got together.  They have really cute shops inside as well.  I got Vivian a beautiful ballerina ornament to represent her first year taking dance.  After Grand Central we took the subway to Chelsea Market for dinner.  Chelsea Market was a fun place to visit as well.    

^^Central Park.  How can you go to NYC and not go to Central Park.  While walking there, grabbed a cup of soup from The Original Soup Man.  If you remember the "Soup Nazi" episode from Seinfeld, this soup stand inspired the episode. I had the lobster bisque and it was very good.  It was freezing so we walked over to McDonald's and got our drink there and ate our soup.  After lunch we walked around Central Park before going to the Natural History Museum.  We watched the ice skaters, saw The Plaza in the background from Gapstow Bridge, Bow Bridge.  I can only imagine what it is like being there in the Spring time.  I'm sure beautiful.  

^^Our last day there, we visited Santaland at Macy's on 34th St.  We didn't see Santa, but we did go thru until they asked if wanted to see him or not just to say we've been there.  Vivian would have loved it!  

We had an incredible time.  I enjoyed NYC more than I thought I would and hope to return.  Until next time!

New Yor City Day 1

The week before Christmas, I tagged along with BK to NYC for his work.  Neither one of us have ever been before and I so happy his trip happened during the Christmas season.  What a great time to visit!

We arrived at our hotel around 1pm on Sunday.  As soon as our bags went into our room, we found a place to eat for lunch.  BK's colleague went on Trip Advisor and found a great review for an Irish pub called The Dead Rabbit.  It was so good and loved the ambiance!  I had the Dead Rabbit Burger and it was one of the best burgers I have ever had.  Oh so good!  I highly recommend eating here.

After lunch we walked to Wall Street.  The tree was up in front of NYC Stock Exchange, so pretty.  After Wall Street we walked through Trinity Church where Alexander Hamilton was buried.  Beautiful church.  The subway was close to Trinity so we rode over to Bryant Park.  Love that area.  The public library was still open so we walked around before it was closed.  What a gorgeous library.  So much history!  After the library we walked over to shops at Bryant Park and watched the ice skaters. Too many people out there for me! While there it started snowing.  It was magical!  We sat at a beer garden while it snowed sipping warm drinks.  After drinks we went to Rockefeller Center to see the tree then off to Time Square for dinner at John's Pizzeria. We covered a lot of ground on day 1!

 

 

Thanksgiving 2016

This Thanksgiving we spent the night at Nana and Papaw's for the first time with Joanna.  It went better than I thought it would as for sleep.  

We arrived around 11am, Joanna took her nap in the closet at 1pm (had to wake her at 3:15pm), ate at 3:30, B's sister and her family arrived around 4pm, the kids played their little hearts out.  So nice they are all around the same age.  ML is six, Will is 4 months older than Vivian, Isla is a month older than Joanna and Ford is 6 weeks old. So fun!

 

18 Months Old

Happy 18 months, 1.5 years, to this sweet thing.  I'm late posting, but better late than never.

Stats:  Weighing 19.4 pounds, but we will know your exact weight and height this Tuesday at your well-check.  You are a petite thing like your sister!  You have 13 teeth with another trying to make its way thru.

Sleep:  Wake between 6:30-7:30am, but if you wake before 6:45am, I don't get you out of the crib no earlier than 6:45am.  You nap around 12:30pm for 1.5-2.75 hours...I wake you no later than 3:15pm to preserve bedtime.  Bedtime is between 7-7:30pm, but it usually takes you an hour to fall asleep.  Our bedtime routine consists of turning your box fans on, teeth brushing, getting into your sleep sack, reading a few books (If I Were A Lamb, Pat The Bunny, Numbers Book, Who Do I See), turn your lamp off, take a drink of water, I sing 'Jesus Loves Me', 'This Little Light of Mine', 'Jesus Loves The Little Children', and 'You Are My Sunshine', give you lots of kisses, you go in your crib, give you a lovey and tell you 'night night, I love you you, see you in the morning sweet darling, sweet dreams, hug hug kiss kiss' while walking out of your room.  

 Eat:  You are starting to become a little bit picker of an eater.  You do love Multi-grain Cheerios, strawberries, Annie's yogurt tube (frozen), soup (Annie's chicken & stars are your favorite), cereal bars, veggie straws, cheese, beans, pasta.  You are drinking cow's milk well.  You aren't the biggest fan of water like your sister.  

Favorites:  Nursery rhymes (5 Little Monkeys, If You're Happy And You Know It, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, 5 Little Duckies are your favorite songs). Dogs and birds.  You go bananas when you see a dog.  You point and scream out 'DOG!!!' Playing chase, sliding, swinging, bouncing on the bed, piggy back and shoulder rides, crayons, bubbles, riding in the stroller, running up and down hills, being naked (I could watch that sweet tushy run around all day long until you poop or pee on the floor HA), your Vivian (monkey see monkey do with you girls).  Y'all love each other oh so much!  

Dislikes:  Your car seat!  Hopefully Santa will bring you a new one for Christmas.  Diaper changes. Having your hair and body washed, but love just playing in the bath.  Having lotion rubbed on you, sitting in your high chair.  

Milestone:  You are saying more words....'dog', 'duck', 'daaddyy', 'mama', 'bir for bird'.  You try to make animal sounds when I say an animal...too cute!  I'll ask you what Santa says and you'll go 'Ho HO!'  so so cute!  You can sign 'I Love You' :)

I love you ho so much it hurts!!  I just love when you run to me with your arms spread wide to give me the biggest hug.  You wrap your sweet little arms around me neck and squeeze me as tight as you can.  Love it oh so much!!