I Heart New York- Part 2

On Monday, we left the hustle and bustle of the city and headed to Basking Ridge, NJ, home of Verizon Wireless. Basking Ridge is a quiet little town and it was the perfect contrast to two busy days in the city. This pregnant woman was ready for some R & R. We found a cute little restaurant for lunch and retired to our hotel room for the evening, where we both crashed out and slept through dinnertime. Around 8:00 pm we finally manged to get downstairs to the hotel restaurant for something to eat.

Tuesday, poor Fernando headed to the office early and I, after picking up breakfast for myself, returned to the hotel and fell asleep...again. That afternoon, I braved the New Jersey highway system (GPS in hand, naturally) and found my way to a shopping center. Oh how I enjoyed shopping without children in tow!

The next day, I ventured out yet again, this time with a mission to visit my childhood home (which also happened to be my mother's childhood home) and our old town. It was a good 40 minute drive, but time passes quickly when you have NO idea where you are. Much gratitude to the inventor of the personal navigation system for keeping me from getting lost somewhere in central Jersey. Here are some highlights from my afternoon of gallivanting-

Our old house at 22 Califon Drive in Colonia, NJ. My grandparents had this house built over 50 years ago and my parents purchased it from them when my sister and I were little. I remember playing in the snow in the front yard and in our playroom downstairs. I even remember the view of our backyard from my bedroom window.

The front entrance of School 21, my sister's elementary school. It was within walking distance from our house and I recall many mornings and afternoons, sitting in my stroller on the sidewalk outside this building, dropping her off or picking her up.

The grocery store where mom used to buy me giant dill pickles from a ginormous glass jar on the deli case.

What was once Vicaro's Italian Bakery. Our favorite place. Only one word is necessary...YUM!

Upon returning to the hotel, I got changed and ready to have dinner with my godmother, whom I haven't seen in 29 years, as well as my aunt and cousins. We enjoyed dinner at this little Italian hole in the wall- aah the joys of eating restaurant Italian food prepared and served by actual Italians.

The Marciante girls (minus my mom and sister). From left to right- my cousin, Lauren, my aunt, Nancy (mom's sister), moi, my cousin and godmother, Carla, her daughters, Marissa and Mariel.

It was so fun to catch up and spend time with my extended family.

On Thursday it was time to head back to the airport and return home to our kiddies, whom we missed terribly!

Until our next adventure....

I Heart New York- Part 1

It's been years in the making, but we finally got to take a trip to New York. A big thank you to Verizon for locating their headquarters in Basking Ridge, NJ, and requiring Fernando to be there this past week. An even bigger thank you to our parents for being willing to come stay with our kiddos while we enjoyed a few extra days in the city.

We arrived at Newark airport around 4:30 Saturday and took the first of many death rides into the city. The shuttle dropped us off at our hotel in the heart of Midtown and we checked in. Upon our arrival we were greeting by swarms of "New York's Finest" who had blocked off the street alongside our hotel in the aftermath of the "America's Next Top Model" stampede that left at least one model hopeful unconscious. Welcome to the city! :) That night it was off to a little Italian restaurant around the corner and a stroll down to Times Square.

Sunday morning we engaged in our own walking tour of the city as we headed down 5th Ave. We enjoyed seeing in person Rockefeller Center, NBC studios, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Bryant Park. I quietly revelled in the glory that was Saks 5th Ave, Prada, Cartier, and Ferragamo (insert blissful sigh, here), and mentally began planning the shopping trip of a lifetime. We chuckled as we past stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Babies R Us sprinkled intermittently between the iconic New York scenes. By the time we had walked 14+ blocks we decided to return back to the hotel and rest for a bit before lunch.

That afternoon, my aunt and uncle picked us up at our hotel and took us for lunch at a trendy French restaurant in the West Village. After that, we embarked on a historical tour of the entire island, courtesy of my Uncle Bill. Seeing as how he was raised in New York and currently works there, he was just the man for the job. We cruised around "the horn", through lower Manhattan and up the east side. There was a moment of quiet as we passed by Ground Zero and so many scenes of that day flew through our heads. The day before I had a strange glimpse of what I can only imagine people seeing on September 11th. I happened to glance up between the buildings and saw a plane heading toward one of the airports. It was well above the city still, but from my point of view, watching it fly overhead and disappear into the skyline sent chills down my spine.

We drove up along the East River to see Wall Street, the UN, the Brooklyn Bride (and Brooklyn itself), and the Upper East Side. We ended up on the upper West Side where we parked and strolled over to Central Park.

It was a chilly day and much of the city is still showing the signs of winter, but the park was still a wonderful place to be!

After returning to our hotel, we changed and caught a cab down to the East Village to see the show Stomp. It. Was. Awesome. There is no other word to describe it. After that it was a quick slice of pizza (or two!) and took another "death ride" back to the hotel. It was a long day and we were officially exhausted.

Monday morning we got off to a slow start, but managed to head across the street and have lunch at the Carnegie Deli before heading back to New Jersey. There's nothing that screams New York more than a pastrami or corned beef sandwich on rye, complete with a chocolate egg cream and a black and white cookie, of course!

Most of what is truly wonderful about New York would be overlooked by the average visitor. It's the attitude, the energy, and the history that make it so unique and so special. Gertrude Stein once said, "America is my country, but Paris is my home town". That's exactly how I feel about New York. Not only is my family history deeply rooted in this great city, but there is something about it that runs through me- in the marrow of my bones. I feel at home when I'm there and miss it terribly now that I'm gone. I can't wait to go back. It's not just a novelty to me, it's a necessity.

So Big Girl!

In typical "slacker" fashion, Sofia had her 9 month well child check up today- just 7 days shy of the 10 month mark.

The entire process provided enough material for a blog all it's own. But, in an attempt not to bore you with the lengthy description of the idiocy of the medical assistants at the pediatrician's office, I will avoid any further commentary on the subject.

On a happier note, I am pleased to report that we have a perfectly healthy, albeit rather large headed, baby girl.

Sofia weighed in at a featherweight 18lbs 6 oz and measured 28 inches long. Her 18 inch cranium, placed her well above average for head size, and earned her a respectable spot in the 95 percentile. Poor baby has to have a head that large to accommodate her beautifully colossal eyes and eyelashes!

She was such a trooper as she endured another round of immunizations as well as all the poking and prodding that accompanies a trip to the doctor.

Sofia is officially on the move and refuses to sit still for any amount of time. She loves to clap, say "mama" and "dada" indiscriminately, and giggle at her brother. She is now pulling herself up like a pro and loves to stand. She also manages to find the most random, and often, prohibited objects to play with- including, but not limited to any and all electronic equipment, power cords, trash cans, DVDs, and shoes. But nothing compares to the joy she finds by looking at herself in the mirror.

Our sweet girl is full of smiles and just as sweet as she can be, with rarely a complaint. She sleeps like a champ- thank goodness- and is a willing eater (shocking!).

We are so blessed to watch her grow!

Happy Birthday to Me

...and a happy birthday it was! I'm so lucky to be married to a man who determines to make my birthday special each year and make sure that I feel loved and appreciated. He always succeeds! Thanks babe!

This year, I was treated to having my house cleaned professionally. What a way to start the weekend! My birthday morning, I received the second gift, a Chi- something I've wanted for what seems like forever, but NEVER would have purchased for myself. (incidentally, my 3rd gift was the ability to do my hair in about 5 minutes!) We then headed over to my parent's house for an amazing birthday breakfast, which included egg & green chile casserole, crispy bacon, home style potatoes, bagels and cream cheese, fresh berries, and coffee cake. A pregnant woman's dream! Gift #4 was the offer to stay home with the kids so that my mom and I could spend the day shopping. One of the things I missed the most about being away from home was our "girl's days out". Mom and I haven't gotten to have many since we returned, so that was a special part of the day.

The party continued today when Fernando's family came over for lunch and cake. It was really the first time we've all been together since the holidays and a blessing that everyone was healthy enough to be there. Fernando did all the shopping, prepared and served the food, and cleaned up. What a sweet guy to spoil me so much! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday, and more, importantly, a better hubby.