the Rays: Catching Up: The Big Apple

My brother Peter and his wife, Keri, live in Astoria and work in NYC and we decided, in mid-February, to go make a long overdue visit to their home. Due to the restrictions of Andrew's present workload and the various factors of traveling with a 2.5 month old and a 2.5 year old we were only gone for a total of 30 hours (including the two hour drive each way), but we made the most of every moment to be sure. We've driven through/around NYC numbers of times on our way to and from New England, so from those times pointing things out, a healthy dose of books, and one particular Reading Rainbow episode Michaela was somewhat aware of what "New Yowk Citeee" would be like. In living color, however, it only exceeded her expectations. Here's some documentary footage of our time...

In the car...all ready to go...one stroller, one pack 'n' play, one sleeping basket, one duffel bag, one backpack, one small cooler, and two ridiculously cute girls in their carseats!

I'm a big fan of encouraging Michaela in her own style choices...usually things turn out better than this, but I am sort of to blame, I did purchase the shades...

We arrived around 4pm and promptly took a walk to Astoria park which is a block away from P and K's apartment. We gawked at the beauty of the setting sunlight hitting these bridges and also enjoyed this great snow architecture that was exciting for M because, "It's just my size!"

Looking across the East River to Manhattan.

M had not slept in this industrial sized pack 'n' play since Hannah's wedding and she was thrilled to renew aquantainces. She delighted in rolling around while her aunt Keri delighted in her. They really bonded here as is evident in M's face of joyful adoration.

I love this photo. Keri is getting her MA in interior design and thus is incredibly creative with spaces. M loved this little window seat. I did too :-) (P.S. Keri made the curtains, pillow, and seat cushion)

Friday night we enjoyed eachother's company and chats over and around M's antics. Keri broke out a fun house model from school that M enjoyed and Pete juggled and counted down for M's races. His long-standing nickname for her is "Speedy M" and so she likes to show off her "fast wunning." After the energizer bunny went down for bed, the adults dined on chicken stir fry for dinner and chocolate ganache pierogies for dessert! The overnight was blissfully uneventful until 4:30am when M woke up a bit disoriented, she recovered pretty quick, thankfully. Saturday morning dawned bright and mild for mid-February! Hooray! Great day for NYC. After a first breakfast with Uncle Pete...

We were off! After a delicious second breakfast in Astoria...

We hopped the subway...

And came out at 5th Ave!

Here we weren't certain on a plan, but decided to make the most of our 40 minutes (before Sophie had to nurse again) and bite the tourist bullet...a horse and carriage ride through Central Park. Here is our horse, Silver. M showed uncharacteristic bravery with him and actually fed him a carrot herself, almost. She must have gained some strength in the presence of her adored aunt.

Uncle Pete sacrificially stayed behind to mind Sophie who was snoozing in the stroller, and Hi-O Silver, Away!

I, personally, thought the candy-apple red leather seat, faux cheetah fur lap rug, and my glam daughter were a picture of fun. I think M was in shock here...there was A LOT to look at and she is quite a mistress of attention to detail-ness.

This is what happens when you try to point at something really exciting...with mittens on.

We really had a great time. It was a beautiful day! Warm sun, low 40's...perfect.

After our 30 minute ride and a little more carrot-lovin for Silver, we waltzed across the street to The Plaza Hotel for the most posh nursing session Sophie may ever have. Sophie and I found our way to a quiet moss-green velour high-backed arm chair near the gold-paneled restroom doors and did our thing. Meanwhile M and Andrew poked around, looked at the Eloise store, and debated which $549.00 hat they should purchase for me. We ended up just taking this picture by the waterlily pond near the escalator instead. Sophie was thrilled...not.

M loves the Eloise books, "Daahling," and agreed to pose with her portrait.

After the Plaza, we were about done...I had thought we might be able to just power through and let M skip a nap to be able to do some other fun stuff, but it turned out that this option slowly dwindled as M quickly went down hill with regard to energy. Soooo, we walked an extra block or so just for fun to a different subway stop and got home in time for a nap. That turned out to be a great choice and enabled us to take another walk to Astoria Park after she woke up and before we had to head home. Here is Sophie with her Uncle Peto getting ready to be bundled.