Neal goes to New York each fall and spring for market for a couple of weeks. I typically tag along every year to 18 months over one of the weekends. We have been talking about bringing the girls one day and recently decided to do it this spring with Reese and then bring Ella the fall of her 5th birthday.
Reese is a complainer and isn't the most flexible so I have wondered how this trip would go. We have had so much fun together. She hasn't complained about anything (aside from one cab ride after a long subway adventure that included waiting on a train for over half an hour to find out it was down after already riding on 2 other trains, she was done with travel). We have walked all over this city in the cold and sometimes in the snow and not once has she said a negative word about it. She has just been soaking it all in and we both have had a great time together.
This has been a very inexpensive trip as we had miles for the flight and we are staying in the hotel Neal is in for work. I am really thankful that we get to do this with her.
She was a very content little traveler, as long as she had a drawing pad, iPad or her baby dolls.
Having her 1st slice of NYC pizza.
Waiting on her 1st New York cab.
We went to Times Square and all of the creepy dressed up things would not leave us alone. I don't even know what the guy below is but he forced a picture, can you tell how thrilled she is about this photo?
I was just trying to get this shot with her and then...
she waived at Elmo and...
they came over and held her and told me to take a picture, gross. I then got more vocal in telling these gross characters NO. We also got inside of Toys R Us so they would quit bothering us. They would all beg for tips and I didn't want any of these pictures in the 1st place so I didn't want to tip. I made her sanitize well once in the store. Toys R Us on Times Square is pretty unbelievable and we hear that they are closing :(.
She loved the giant Sven in the Disney store.
We went to a fancy dinner her first night. We didn't eat until almost 9 every night, like true New Yorkers.
This is a café near the hotel that Neal and I always love to do breakfast at. They had vanilla greek yogurt and blueberries, 2 things she loves, so we ate breakfast here every morning. The ladies remembered her after the 1st day and talked to her each morning while we were there.
This is the cab ride I mentioned above. It smelled horrible in the cab and she wasn't quiet about it. She kept asking "what is that awful smell"? I would try not to laugh and rolled the window down some. She then asked if we could walk home. I told her we may take a cab or the subway because it was a long way. She said please not this cab because she thought he (the driver) had gas. It was funny and embarrassing...but she was right it smelled awful.
The American Museum of Natural History was absolutely amazing. This is a must for anyone that goes to the city, with or without kids. She loved the butterfly exhibit and the giant whale.
We spent some time in Central Park and she enjoyed painting with a stick and some mud, she's a true Arkansas girl.
Grand Central Station.
Rockefeller Center.
I knew there was a chance of snow and in this city she would need appropriate footwear for snow but her rain boots and snow boots are both way too small for her right now. I knew it would be a matter of minutes before her feet were soaked and it was so cold so we set out to buy some new rain boots. She decided on the "Elsa blue" and I think they are adorable.
I am not a fan of snow this time of year but I really did enjoy the experience of snow in the city and it will be one we remember. The snow didn't stop us from doing all sorts of things and she was such a trooper.
I know salad doesn't sound good to most in the snow but that's what we had and it was delicious. We ate at a cool salad place called Chop't.
My best friend from high school lives up here. Reese and I met her for lunch one day and it was so much fun to catch up. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me.
On our last night we saw the Lion King. This was definitely the best Broadway show I've seen. Reese was completely fascinated every moment of the play. We all loved it!
I really love this man and glad Reese snapped this shot.
Reese was such a delight to explore the city with. We really were able to spend some great time together and I'm so glad we did it. We are currently resting in the hotel because Reese isn't feeling great. She's gone so hard the past 5 days and is pretty congested. I really hope she isn't getting sick. She saw me drinking coffee out of a to go cup and decided to put some water in a to go cup and is calling it her coffee.
I'm so thankful that my mom was willing to come up and hang out with Ella. Ella had a hard time without her family but she had a lot of fun with her Emmie.
Now, I am so ready to get home to my sweet Ella...I miss her a ton!
