Granny Dot and Papa were going to be in New York City for the Presidential debate so we sort of invited ourselves up to visit them. New York is closer to us than CA so we took advantage. We drove up after church and made really good time. It's only a 4 1/2 hour drive and both girls did amazing. I fed Anna a bottle so we didn't need to stop. I packed fun things for Macy to do in the car but we didn't need any of it. She ate snacks, looked out the window, did her thing.
We stopped at our hotel (the Hilton on 6th and 53rd, a great location), dropped off our luggage, gave Macy a bath (not stopping to change her diaper got her pants a little wet, oops), and fed Anna. Then it was off to the streets to meet Dorothy and Greg at their hotel. Macy loved the walk and all the things to see. She would point at the sculptures, the water fountains, the signs and posters, all the people. There were so many interesting things. She also liked how tall the buildings were.
First stop: looking at pictures on Granny Dot's phone, and Anna napping with Papa.
I was a little concerned how the nights would go with all 4 of us in one room and Anna waking up multiple times a night. We had two double beds so Ja got his own and Macy and I slept together. Anna was in a porta-crib. We didn't make it to bed until 10:30 the first night so Macy was wiped and didn't take too long to get to sleep. She did wake up each time Anna woke up in the middle of the night but she always went right back to sleep. We all slept in until 9:30 a.m. and leisurely got ready and went to breakfast downstairs. I was so happy and we were well rested.
Monday was spent at Central Park. It was a very short walk from our hotel. First order of business was a carriage ride through the park. Macy loved the horses and had a smile on her face the whole time. She told me, "This is fun mommy!" Every time she would see another horse she would point and yell, "There's another one!"
Then we headed to some playgrounds. Macy was having a great time and Papa went on the swings with her. Dorothy took some great pictures with her camera so I hope I can get some of those.
After the playground was the carousel. Macy knew exactly which horse she wanted and doesn't need help holding on anymore. She's a big girl! Then after a minor tantrum (she was tired and wanted me to carry her but I was holding Anna) it was off to lunch at a great Italian place.
Greg and Dorothy were off to meetings so we had rest time in our hotel for a couple of hours. It was very nice to rest after all the walking we did earlier that day. We decided to visit FAO Schwartz that night (also a short walk from our hotel). Macy loved the "Big Piano" and of course the toys, candy, and princess dresses.
She wanted to buy all the dress up clothes right now! I told her we would take pictures of the things she wanted to put them on her Christmas list. She told me she wanted to text the pictures to Santa. She is so funny. Tantrum averted!
It was pouring rain on our walk home. Luckily Anna was completely covered and dry and Macy only got slightly wet. We got into some warm clothes while Ja picked some dinner up for us. It had stopped raining as soon as we got into the hotel. Oh well.
Macy helped feed Anna a bottle and things turned silly very quickly.
Tuesday we headed to Central Park again. Macy had so much fun there we had to go back to explore some more. Ja found this great playground for us with this really cool granite slide. Macy could have spent all day there climbing up the hill and sliding down (on one of our laps of course). I could have too if there wasn't more to see. A mom there told us about steering little remote control sail boats on a little lake so we did that. Macy was actually pretty good a steering! She would move the controls back and forth very quickly. Call it beginners luck but her sail boat would go really fast.
Ja went off to have lunch with an old friend to BYU. I was left with the two girls by myself in Central Park. I felt like a real New Yorker :) We got lunch at a little place in the park then walked back the long walk to the hotel. Both girls did great and Macy was helpful and cooperative. We were eating outside so all the little birds and big pigeons were walking around trying to find food on the ground. If one came close Macy would yell at it, "No! Shoot bird! My food! Go away!" It was so funny. We took our time eating and enjoyed being outside with nothing else to do.
We met up with Granny Dot and Papa at FAO Schwartz. Macy was lucky to have her Papa there to buy her candy! Two kids in a candy store!
Papa also bought Macy a doll (which she later named Suey) and a Cinderella dress. Macy would not let go of the dress. As soon as it was purchased she wanted to go to the hotel so she would wear it. She carried the dress the whole walk back to the hotel.
Once we opened the dress we discovered that it lights up! I wish we had captured her face when she realized it lights up. She got a huge smile on her face and a look of pure joy. She loves that dress so much!
That night for dinner I randomly found a pizza place called Harry's Italian at Rockefeller Center (also close to the hotel). They did free delivery so we had a pizza picnic on the floor of our hotel room. Macy loved it and we loved the pizza.
That night Macy went to bed at 9 p.m. and was out in less than 2 minutes. She got up once in the night with Anna but very quickly fell back asleep and we all slept until 9 a.m.
Wednesday morning we rushed over to say good-bye to the grandparents. They had to fly back home. We were sad to see them leave, especially Macy who kept asking why they had to leave. On the way back to our hotel we stopped at Rockefeller Center to check out the cranberry bog they had set up for Oceanspray week at NBC. The two guys from the commercials were there too.
Macy really liked watching the people "dancing" on the ice rink.
A quick picture with Radio City Music Hall.
A perk of driving is you can leave whenever you want! We took advantage of our car being parked at the hotel and took the subway to Battery Park and then a Ferry to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty.
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| On the boat |
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| Skyline from Liberty Island |
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| There she is! |
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| Macy's favorite pose. |
After returning to Battery Park Macy heard music and insisted we watch the people dancing. She loves music and always has to go see what's going on. It was a street show and we made it for the finale. IT was a guy jumping and flipping over 4 people!
After that we had a pretty uneventful trip back home. This time we did stop for dinner at Cracker Barrel and changed everyone's diaper.
We had an amazing time in New York! I can't wait to take Macy and Anna there when they are older and watch their faces light up when they discover all the new things. They both are great travelers. As long as Anna was fed she was happy in the ergo or stroller. Macy does great and slept great. She's been traveling since she was 3 months old so she's a pro by now. Anna has her beat though, traveling at 7 weeks old! This was the perfect way to end Ja's paternity leave.
I love that city.
