Taking a bite of the apple.

Catch up! Catch up! The weekend before Thanksgiving I was given an amazing opportunity: travel to NYC to meet up with my Aunt Kay and my cousins' children, Kaia and Anna. Yes, yes(!), I said and then spent weeks in advance freaking out about being away from Ella for three consecutive days. It would be a first. How would Larry do as full-time dad that long?

 

Larry was my biggest cheerleader about going. I left a two-page detailed list of what to do every waking hour. I did it, and will cherish every memory for the rest of my life.

 

 

 

Time Square at 11pm.

Couple smooches in the middle of the chaos.

Shopping with Kaia at midnight, yes...midnight.

It took me a good week to readjust my sleep upon returning. The city never sleeps, it is true. We were up until wee hours of the morning. Because my internal clock is set to wake at 6-7am, I would often sneak out of the room for brisk morning walks and coffee.

My Aunt, the unstoppable and killer public transportation navigator, had us booked for three shows in my three nights there, reservations at great restaurants as well.

Kaia waiting for the C Train.

 

7am walk through the Upper West Side = love

We hit Time Square, The Rock, Macy's Mother Ship on 34th, got whiplash looking up at the Empire State Building, took selfies...

FAO Schwarz was delightful! We got lost in there forever. And I was happy to see how well represented pandas were in the displays.

 

Through all of this, I was keeping in touch with home base and was so relieved to hear a happy Ella on the other end of the phone. No tears or complaints. Her daddy was rocking it out and she was no doubt getting away with much more on his watch.

 

 

I had the honor of getting Kaia to myself on most of Saturday. The girl loves to shop. We hit the subway and devoured hours and floors of some of the best. I enjoy some shopping but not like this girl. I was just elated to be in NYC with the decorations bursting everywhere, delightful music surrounding me. The hustle and bustle was worth the tired body.

 

 

 

My dinner dates.

 

 

Coffee Shop selfies with Aunt Kay after seeing Lennon.

Even Roz wanted to make sure I was having a good time and packed me a surprise.

At some ridiculously early hour, I loaded in the airport shuttle van to head home on Sunday. I was able to capture this GW Bridge image as we buzzed over it. (Totally made the early transport worth it)

 

 

And when the car pulled up at the airport and this little face was waiting for me, I thought I would burst. I missed her. I also enjoyed being Heather, non-mom, non-wife for the first time in way too long. I would do this trip all over again in a heartbeat. Larry was right, my friends were right ...I needed to go. My Aunt was a wizard at planning just the right amount of stuff for us. 

 

 

That evening, I witnessed this and it told me that these two were an amazing team in my absence. It was the perfect ending to a great 72 hours.

~H