keeping up

I am having a hard time keeping the blog updated with our everyday happenings and outings. It may be because we are so busy having fun or it may be our computer here is ridiculously slow and I dread sitting here waiting to upload pictures.

It has really started to feel like spring here and I couldn't be happier about where we are at right now. Everywhere I look trees are in bloom, flowers are popping up, birds are chirping, we are shedding our coats. I swear the longer I am here the longer my list of things to see and do and eat is getting. Here is a quick recap of some of the things we have seen and done.
We went to Macy's in Herald Square, it is HUGE. Right now is their flower show sale. They had some amazing displays in the store and the windows, amazing. I didn't plan it, but I was also there on the 1 Day Sale Event. Oh my it was crazy there were just crowds of people and of course good deals too. I (or Sadie I should say) could not be bothered to wait in line to buy anything. After we left I felt like I needed a Macy's bag as it seemed like everyone else on the street was carrying one.

Sadie, taking time to enjoy the flowers in Herald Square.

A shot of the Empire State Building. Did I mention that I went to Ryan's work (The New York Times Building) where from the library you get a fabulous view of the city including the Empire State Building and in the distant the Statue of Liberty.

Grand Central Station and the Empire State Building

Grand Central -the concourse level


On the weekend we ventured to Brooklyn. It was so so different looking and smelling than life in Manhattan. The area we were in was a Russian community, so Ryan was chatting it up with some of the locals. We went to Coney Island.

I thought this was kind of funny, and sick. Just think about eating that many hot dogs... sick.

We saw the famous Cyclone roller coaster and the massive Ferris Wheel. I won't lie things looked pretty divey around here. It hasn't officially opened for the season yet, I sure hope things clean up.

Somethings look better in real life, I am pretty sure these look worse in real life. It was sad there was no good fair food to tempt me.

One of the real motivations to head down to Brooklyn was for the Aquarium. It was pretty awesome. They had some really cool animals to see. Sadie loved cruising around and peering in the windows, until the sharks peered right back at her then she backed away very quickly.

Had to pose on the walrus.

Have I mentioned how independent this little girl wants to be. Right now she often refuses/puts up a serious fight to go in the stroller, insists on walking and NOW rarely will hold my hand. On the other hand she still turns heads everywhere we go, waves to everyone like she is a celebrity, can melt even the gruffest of people, makes friends and smiles faster than anyone. I think she loves this city and the people.

Sadie & I with the penguin.

Watching the Sea Lion Show.

We really wanted to try some real authentic NY pizza. We heard about this place in Brooklyn and wanted to go. We were glad we did. It was sooo good.

Even though we had to line up and wait with all these people... still worth it. They say it can be a lot worse, people seriously line up down the street and around the corner.

New Yorkers love love their food. There are restaurants around every corner here.

View of Manhattan from Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge

We went to the story time at FAO Schwartz. After a while she preferred reading her own book in this little nook.

She loves playing here, she is surrounded by so many awesome toys and cool displays. She leaves pretty satisfied, and so do I we have yet to actually buy a toy from here.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, it is amazing inside and out. Everyday I am amazed by all the things I see, but since I am usually out with Sadie it is not always easy to take a ton of pictures, and when I do I'm usually snapping it and getting on my way as fast as possible. I also keep thinking to myself I'll take a picture later, cause we're here longer than a few weeks, right.

This is a really random shot. I was in our apartment one afternoon and heard some loud cheering outside. When I looked out I saw this little film crew doing a scene. You can't tell but it was a mini MJ dancing and doing the moonwalk, then he gets grabbed. I'm just sure it will be hitting the big screen.

This is how excited she gets to leave the apartment when she is sans stroller. Yes she thinks she needs to take her backpack and puppy everywhere.

A picnic in Central Park.

With the warmer weather here, all the street performers are starting to come out to entertain. It's very fun to see so many people out and about in the park.

Yesterday I won the lottery tickets for Shrek the musical. I was lucky enough to find a friend in the city that came out with me too. It was really fun. Now I am dying to go to some more.

the Glitz & Glam

Guess what? I am still a mom. I knew I would still be a mom when we moved here, but I was holding out hope that it might be just a little more glamorous or magical. But, alas here I am doing the regular feed me, entertain me, pay attention to me, clean up after me routine. Don't get me wrong I love it, but I still have 'those days' where we cry over spilled milk, have laundry to do, groceries to buy and carry home. I don't mean or want to sound negative because we still get days where we can walk and walk and don't need a single toy to be entertained, just staring and pointing at people on the sidewalk is suffecient. We are awaiting the day we get to brush shoulders with a famous celeb. We walk in Central Park where we meet up with strangers and leave and have to say good bye to new friends. So far the people here are really quite friendly and helpful. Like the time on the street where I overhead a tourist ask a local which way to 52nd Street, as he stood between 50th and 51st Street. He just simply gave him directions, instead of, "are you an idiot" I also think it helps that everywhere I go I am pushing my way through with the cutest little girl.

So what do will fill our days with, what do they look like? Sometimes the same as our days back home, and sometimes we are both so exhausted at the end of the day because we can't believe what we've seen and done in this busy city. Now, what does our apartment look like? Tiny. I am guessing it is around 500 sq. feet. Here is a sneak peek into our new little home.

This is the view out our window. After our first night here we haven't opened our windows, but I could swear they are. The noise from the traffic and people is LOUD and seriously at ALL hours. I think the quietest time of the day is probably around 9:00a.m.

This is as soon as you walk into our apartment, kitchen to the right, bathroom to the left. I guess the beauty of it all is how convenietnly close everything is.

Here it is the studio apartment.

Just another view of the same room, I'm trying to make it seem like there is more to show but when you live in a 0 bedroom apartment - I mean studio apartment (that sounds way better) what can you do.

The sweet deal. It's a 2 for 1. This lovely space interchanges as kitchen and Sadie's bedroom.

Another sweet selling feature would be the dishwasher, it doubles as the obvious dishwasher, but also a crib toy. I have shoved her to this side of the kitchen and hope we can manage to keep her away from the stove dials a mere 8 inches away.

DIRTY LAUNDRY....

It is definetly going around, and I love it. Everyone is partaking in the "slacker mom revolution," I think Lindsay started it, but Brittany and Whitney have joined and so the airing of our dirty laundry continues. We all have it. I don't know if I can be so bold as some and let it all out. I am always curious what do other mom's really do all day, myself included. Not so I can judge them just to see oh so that is how you make a meal, or oh, your house isn't always perfect. I guess it makes me feel better that I am not the only mother out there feeling inadequate at times. I am already feeling a closer bond with these not so perfect moms out there. THANK YOU!

I think I have a "just roll with it" attitude a lot of times. At times this is very good. When somebody says something that could offend, it doesn't it just rolls right off me. My child has chocolate all over their face, we just go out anyway (if you're lucky we'll share it). Woops, supper time and I don't have any supper plans we're good with a quick PBJ fix. No time for a shower today, oh well tomorrow is a new day. On the other hand it may not be so great when I keep my child out late therefore missing bath nights for too many days in a row. Sometimes rolling with it means a whole day goes by and even the really important things on the list get missed. I put Sadie to bed at a friends so we can hang out (no babysitter) and then we have to wake her and take her out in the freezing cold to go home,.Way too many times when I've been invited to somebodys house for a fun get together and may have had intentions to make something delicious I find myself scrambling for the next best thing I can find at the grocery store or even worse the Mac's. So that's how I roll, and for the most part I'm good with it.

My New York stinky laundry

Since we now share a common hallway with neighbors it is killing me to listen to Sadie cry it out at bedtime or in the middle of the night. I duck and cringe in the hallway afraid that people are thinking, "there is the kid that can scream so freakin loud" I even walked the opposite way when I got off the elevator hoping the guy wouldn't see where I live.

Since I have been here I don't even want to know how many PBJ sandwiches I have made for Sadie. If you know me this is a BIG DEAL, I have eaten 2 PBJ's myself, this is huge. I haven't quite gotten into the whole groceries and cooking thing here. We haven't been here 2 weeks yet & I need to go restock the jam.

More dirty laundry, this is like the stain that will not go away. Getting Sadie dressed, especially since we have moved here is such an ordeal. She screams, squirms, goes rigid, and pulls her shirt off. It's brutal I keep hoping it's some phase of rebellion since we've moved here and that it will end soon. (the only reason she is kind of smiling is from the blinking light of the camera)

Bad picture but they are both on timers, and I wasn't about to do it again. Brushing her teeth is going to be the death of me. It's the same thing all over again. I have tried to be nice and make it fun, but no more mrs. nice mom we are out to have some pearly whites so I pin her down for a whole 20 seconds (it sure seems longer at the time) and get it done. Pure Torture for the both of us. I don't even want to know what my neighbors are thinking, as she screams and I relentlessly BRUSH.

So open up your curtains (or blogs) and let us see how imperfect your life is, and be proud of it. Because perfect just isn't as fun. What do you do with your time? What do you think about when there isn't anything to think about? What's your 'useless' pastime? What are you doing?!"


Lastly, my latest find mint and coconut chocolate kisses. I am addicted, and now stash them by my bed, since access to the kitchen closes as soon as Sadie goes down.

Shhesh marathon post. Goodnight all.

More Manhattan

We started our Saturday by getting on the subway to downtown. We went to Century 21 (a major designer discount store)- it has been referred to as a Winners on steroids. We got some sweet deals, and managed to get out of there before the store was completly overrun by crazy shoppers everywhere.

We saw Ground Zero, where the World Trade Centers were. It's hard to imagine and take it all in. That there were these massive buildings that are now missing. I can't imagine all the people locals and tourists going about their day and boom, everything changed.

I felt surrounded all day, by all the buildings just hovering over us. They are seriously never ending in this end of the city. All the buildings are so amazing.

I don't know if you can tell from this, but it was windy and freezing when we got near the water and away from the buildings.

If you can look way out in the water you can see the tiny lady of liberty raising her torch. I think we'll get a closer look another day.

A statue that was in the WTC and stayed intact after the terrorist attacks. It is now in Battery Park with an eternal flame as a symbol of hope.

Ryan and the raging bull

The New York Stock Exchange.

Ryan at Wall and Broad St. looking so stylish.

I sure made Ryan pose a lot today.

Trinity Church

Again feeling claustrophobic with all the buildings.

I had to take a picture of this, can you see angel Moroni on top?

Riding home on the subway

Goodnight

Who Knew??

We went down to lower Manhattan today, with a few ideas of what we wanted to see and do. Little did we know what we would run into on Wall Street. Apparently this is kind of a big deal round here and we got to see it, if only I had a pillow I could have been a part of it. It was hilarious and crazy and I couldn't stop laughing about the whole thing. I had no idea that the third Saturday in March is Worldwide Pillow Fight Day. And they totally celebrate it here in NY. Did you? Go grab your pillows and kids and have at er. Can't rearrange the order of the pics so this is it, all mumble jumbled.

The streets were packed with people, police and feathers flying everywhere. Some of the after math, seriously feathers and fluff EVERYWHERE.

People, people and more people. We were seriously just trying to get down the street, Ryan pushing Sadie in her stroller, when all of the sudden...

someone would blow a whistle or just yell, "pillow fight" and it all unfolded right before our eyes.

This is some of the die hards, I think. They all ran out along the boardwalk and a few jumped up on this cargo thing and were totally owning the crowd. Nothing like a bunch of crazies chanting, "Pillow fight, pillow fight" and the people raising their pillows up in the air.

Of course there was loads of police on hand, to make us feel so safe. Like, how much damage can 5000+ people in pyjamas armed with pillows do? The authorities managed to use some enforcing to an "innocent" girl

It was so funny to see a few people yell out, "pillow fight" and the people and pillows just came running.

Another crazy day in New York.

If you're as into this as I am here is one more from last year.