Your first trip to NYC

Dear Em,
When I was in middle school we took a class trip to NYC to see a Broadway musical, Les Miserables. I was instantly enchanted with this place of lights & sounds of hustle & bustle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a city girl at heart. I could never live there. I need wide open spaces & quiet, but I do love to visit.

Over the years we have visited to experience Central Park, Columbia University, New Year's Eve in Time Square, FAO Schwarz, Phantom of the Opera, the intricacies of the subway, & so much more. This weekend we went on our most recent visit, & it was such a special treat because it was also your very first visit.

We woke up on Sunday, & I told you that we were going on an adventure. You were so thrilled to go on an adventure, just you & me. We drove in. It was actually a lot easier than I anticipated. You watched Super Why during the two & a half hour drive. We parked, loaded you into your stroller, & we were off.

Your eyes lit up the second we left the garage. You were amazed by all the beeping & kept asking, "Mommy, what's that?" We're not really accustomed to a whole lot of traffic & beeping in our quiet part of Rhode Island. It was a kind of sensory overload for you, & you fell quiet for the first hour or so as you just took it all in.

Our first stop was the disney store. I think it was your favorite part of the whole trip. We found a plush Rapunzel & you didn't let go of her for the rest of the trip (after we paid for her of course). My two best friends from high school met up with us in Times Square & joined us on our adventure. It was so fun to share your first trip with two of our favorite girls & so helpful to have two extra sets of hands in a city that I don't feel is very child friendly (I could not even find one changing table).

I've never been to the city just before Christmas. It was packed. Being the big city it is, NYC is always kind of packed, but the holiday season brings a whole new level of population density. It also brings a whole new level of beauty to the the city. The Macys window displays were enchanting, amazing, & unlike anything we've ever seen. You "oooed" & "awed." The inside was just as beautiful (although I felt like we were packed in there like sardines).

After Macys we let you out of the stroller outside for a little while so you could get your sillies out. We sang "If You're Happy & You Know It." You clapped your hands & stomped your feet & twirled around & touched your toes & shouted hooray. It was the most amazing NYC performance I've ever seen.

After listening to "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" for two weeks, I was feeling the Christmas spirit & had to have my very first bag of roasted chestnuts. I would have shared, but you were more than a little exhausted from our adventure & the lack of a nap.

We ended our night in Rockefeller Center with the lights of the gorgeous Christmas tree. It's probably the biggest tree you'll ever see. At this point, NYC had worn you out, but the tree filled you with a little burst of energy & a whole lot of joy. It was such a special moment to share with you.

Thanks for being my partner in adventure this weekend. I look forward to so many more adventures with you, in the city & beyond. I hope when you go to your very first Broadway musical, I'll be sitting in the seat right next to you. I imagine that watching your eyes light up during the performance will be more special than anything I could watch on stage.

I love you so,

Mommy

* Readers, what is your favorite NYC adventure? *