Dancing Girls and Baby Jesus

Ok. I am sure that title sounds a little weird. However, that pretty much sums up the content of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

It was AWESOME.

I partially watched/took pictures/laughed/ohmygoshed/cried through the whole thing. Some of that had to do with the fact that I was actually THERE...in Radio City Music Hall, watching THE Rockettes (that I had only ever watched before during countless Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades) and I was with all my "girls."

But another part was the fact that it was Christmas. I am not a big fan of the "Happy Holidays" greeting and pretty much try to not use it. I realize other people are celebrating other things this time of year, but we celebrate CHRISTMAS. And so that is what I like to say. Merry Christmas. Happily enough, the Christmas Spectacular is just about Christmas. Sure, about 2/3rds of it is the Santa/Shopping aspect of Christmas.

But then, THEN, there is a live Nativity. With real camels. CAMELS PEOPLE! IN NEW YORK CITY! I still wonder how they get them there and where they stay between shows, etc. etc.

It was so beautiful I actually got tears in my eyes. Of course, in between all that I tried to get a picture of it.

I will try and post tomorrow about the shopping/sightseeing portion of the trip.

Plus, I should probably post about our Christmas (especially since it was a certain little man's first!).

Here's a sneak peak...

5 Months

Dear Baby Boy,

I can't believe 5 months ago today you were born. I can't believe how big you are getting. I also can't believe Christmas is going to be here in 4 days.

Time doesn't just fly, it flies on a supersonic jet!

This has been another busy month...full of holiday cheer and happiness.

It also was the first time I was away from you for any real length of time...and while you seemed ok with it at first, you decided to show me just what you thought about my absence by going on a nursing strike when I returned. For two days. That was a hard time, and you got your point across, believe me! I won't be going anywhere for awhile...

You are still a super good baby. Of course, I knew as soon as I typed our last monthly post about you sleeping through the night that that it would change, and it did for awhile. But for the most part you are still a good sleeper and still a happy baby.

This month you are most happy about the dog. We have no idea why because that dog will bark and bark and bark and ... well, you get the idea. But when she walks in the room and you see her, you laugh and laugh and get the biggest grin on your face.

You also started using your exersaucer. You seem particularly intent on figuring out how to bounce in it. You have not shown any interest in rolling, but you have started to notice your hands and feet more and we are pretty sure we will see some teeth pop out soon. Or you just are one drooly, drooly guy. The drool, combined with your spit-up (oh yes, still with the the spit-up) means the laundry is becoming it's very own mountain in our laundry room.

We continue to be amazed at how quickly you are growing. You are just about out of your 6 month sleepers, we have gone up another diaper size, and you have the longest feet (and toes!) I have ever seen. Really.

Just don't grow up too fast, Baby Boy.

Tiny Home - Big City

First of all, I HAVE to thank my sister for being our tour guide/awesome host on our trip to NYC.
She is the cooler, hipper, braver, younger version of me.

She has moved every year for the last 3 years (did I also mention she is fearless?) and a big part of what prompted us to visit her in NY now is that she is moving to LA in January.

I always try and see the places she is living when she moves. It helps me envision her in her home when we are talking on the phone, especially now that she is moving all over the country (or so it seems).

All I knew about her apartment in the Upper East Side was it was small. Really, really small. And expensive. REALLY, REALLY expensive.

Finally, I have seen the apartment, and it has lived up to its reputation.

The door on the left is her apartment. It is a little blurry, but the hallway goes to a point and that little strip of white at the end is all the divides her door from the door across the hall.

I am taking this picture leaning against the back wall of her apartment. Yes, that is her bed Baby Girl is resting on. And yes, that is her kitchen. This is it. Her whole place in one picture. There is a dresser to the left that is out of frame...but you get the idea.

This is the closet/entrance to the bathroom (you can see the closet just behind the kitchen in the previous picture). I realize that looks like A LOT of shoe boxes.

OK, it IS a lot of shoe boxes...but it's what she does for a living. NO, not shop for shoes...she works for the company!

We didn't sleep at her apartment (for obvious space reasons) but I was so glad to have the chance to see it. Of course, I have to start planning my trip to LA so I can see her next place!

Next up...Radio City, Shopping, and More Pictures!

New York, New York

We're back! We survived the crowds, the cold and the craziness and had a lovely "Girls Only" weekend. I'll post more later. Here is a video that pretty much sums up Baby Girl's favorite thing about the whole trip: