New York City

Well it finally happened, after all my years of seeing it on TV and in movies and reading about it in my fashion magazines I actually got to visit New York City and it was awesome! We left Ty with grandma which ended up being the longest I've ever been without him and I only started missing him when we were on the train home and there was a little turd burgler running up and down the aisles about his age which is exactly what Ty would have been doing had he been with us. I know it may be weird but one of my favorite parts of the day was when we first got off the train at about 10:30 and hit our first bar. We met the coolest bar tender from Ireland. He gave us free drinks and a free ticket to the Empire State building. He told us all about the city and how much he hated St.Patricks day because it was the worst holiday to work in a bar in NYC and be Irish. He said it was the one day a year he had an American accent. I guess I was just expecting everyone to be so rude and the first person we met was so pleasant (and hot) that I wanted to stay all day and be his friend. Patrick and I travel a lot which is one of the things I love most about us. We travel really well together too, no fighting just good times. Another thing about our travels is that it usually revolves around bars. Hey what can I say some people have golf courses (my parents) others historical landmarks, Patrick and I have bars oh and sporting events (I forgot most trips also revolve around seeing sports). But we still see sights and do fun things special to the particular city so I love going on vacation and this one was awesome! I need to go back though and stay longer, I didn't get to go to China Town and I want a fake purse. Anywho here's my picture overload I tried to take a lot because when I went to Europe for 3 weeks I seriously came back with like 30 pictures I did not want that to happen again (in all fairness I didn't have a digital camera yet in Europe so I was rolling with film but still 30 pictures come one!!)

One of the last pictures taken of the day. I know I'm out of focus but the Empire State Building looks awesome. I think we had just walked out of a TGI Fridays on Times Square (give me a break we were just getting one last quick drink before the train ride back, plus its not a vacation unless we drink at a Fridays. Our relationship was developed in a Fridays, it has a special meaning to us)

First stop of the day. Since we had very limited time Patrick felt that I could knock out a lot of what I wanted to see from the top of the building thru those binocular things however neither of us had 50 cents to use them but I did still see everything, just not up close. 

This is in the movie Elf hehe its the first thing I thought of when I saw it. 

There's the Brooklyn bridge in the distance. NYC is just massive. I mean I always new it was big but actually seeing it is just awe inspiring. It reminded me so much of Paris. 

And theres Lady Liberty. The teeny tiny dot on the island in the water 

The building to the left of her under construction is the One World Trade Center building being put up in the place of  the old Twin Towers. I really wanted to see the 9-11 memorial but I will next time, this time it was just too far away and really the big Christmas tree was my main priority. 

One of my favorite pictures of the day and my current Facebook profile pic. Patrick took it and the flashing of the horns was a last minute thing I decided to throw in. 

The Chrysler Building

Another one of my favorite pictures snapped by someone who barely spoke English but was picked by me because he had his own fancy camera. I looked at everyone before I asked for the picture to make sure they had their own nice camera and wouldn't steal mine. Old habit from Europe due to my irrational fear of gypsies. 

Here she is in all her glory, the Rockerfeller Tree. This is what I came to see and to be honest I was a bit underwhelmed by it. It wasn't nearly as big and pretty in person at it is on TV. However I did find out later from Patrick's parents that the original tree they had put up was blown over during the hurricane NYC had so this was a replacement one. 

The Today Show studios. Oh one of the coolest things about seeing all this was the next day when I was watching the Today show I saw it all again and I said "hey, I've seen that in person" 

The famous ice skating rink this was way smaller then you would think it was. It always looks so big on TV I guess its like Patrick says, its all about the camera angles. 

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Who knew they had a Home Depot in the city? Look how fancy it is, my husband was very excited. 

So that's it, our Christmas Eve trip into New York City. I had so much fun spending time with Patrick and getting to see everything! Oh and a few more things that I need to put in here so I don't forget, the drinks and cabs were way cheaper then I thought they were going to be way less than Vegas or Chicago. The people weren't rude, it could have been because it was Christmas though. They did curse quite a bit, every other word out of their mouth was the F word so I now see where Patrick gets it.

Almost 19 Months

Wow I just now realized that Ty is almost 19 months (in 2 days) 19 months?!? How in the hell did that happen? 19 months means that he is now closer to 2 years old then he is to 1. Boo! Time is going way too fast. I know I roll my eyes every time I read in a blog how fast time flies but you truly don't understand it until you have a kid it is going way too fast for my liking and frankly, its irritating me but whatcha gonna do about it? So anyway since we're almost to 19 months I thought I would do a little update post on what he can do now. I should also note that I have yet to write a single thing in his baby book, good thing I have this blog and my cheap little pocket calendar which if I ever lost I would be devastated! I don't have a whole lot of new pictures maybe I will make him take some this afternoon at the park since the weather is so nice. 

Today was the first day to wear the infamous Ugg boots and I must say they are cuter then I ever imagined and surprisingly he really likes them (well not surprising to me because I know how comfortable the stupid things are, they're like walking on a cloud)

The weather here has been so stupid and hard to dress for. This was this morning before we walked the dogs at the park, it was 29 degrees. Now and when he wakes up from his nap it will be almost 70 degrees and we will both require new outfits. So ridiculous! I thought only Texas had stupid weather like this. 

Oh yeah back to Ty's post...

He talks so well now, its like it happened overnight. Used to be only I could understand what he was saying, now everyone can. He speaks clear and pronounces words very well. The coolest thing he's doing is putting strings of words together though in preparation of real sentences. Some of the phrases he says

"dada work"

"dad's truck"

"dada backhoe"

"dada plane vrooom"

"up all done" after he's done eating and wants to get up out of his high chair or in the bath

"play outside"

"brrrr cold"

"Oooh hot"

"moon dark"

He really is quite obsessed with the moon now and loves seeing it and pointing it out. He will also say if he can't see it "moon dark" the little fart knows that its supposed to be dark for the moon to be out. 

I bought him a potty since he started telling me when he was going pee and poop. I haven't officially tried to potty train or anything I'm just introducing it to him and he usually will go peepee at night before his bath and then he'll say "peepee" its so cute sounding when he says it too. 

We have all of Patrick's legos from when he was a kid. Recently I have been letting Ty see them. They're really small but the boy can stack them, he's got great fine motor skills apparently. He was building a tower the other day and one piece was slightly askew making the tower fall over. He went straight for the piece that was wrong and moved it so the tower would balance. 

He's got his 4 molars coming in right now so that makes 12 teeth and they're all so straight and evenly spaced. Especially compared to the yokels here. 

Still sleeps horribly and almost never sleeps in his own bed anymore. I will put him down around 8:30 in his own bed and he will wake up an hour or 2 later. I'm over trying to rock and put him back to sleep all night long so I just bring him to our bed. This is going to be an awful habit to break someday but oh well. I kind of like it you know I get to snuggle and sleep close with my baby who won't be a baby forever and while this practice may lead to never having any more kids, at least I get to say I spent the maximum amount of time with the one I did have. Sometimes I hold him longer then needed at naptime, all scrunched up and warm on my chest and just stare at him. While I know that sounds borderline stalker I still, after 19 months, can't believe that he's mine. And what a perfect child her turned out to  be. 

 And can you believe, this is his first nigh here in Aiken? I can't believe how much he's grown up! Still loves his apples though and his tractors. Ha!

Ty's First Official Present

I let Ty actually open a wrapped gift yesterday from my mom. As presents come in, for the most part, I've just been letting him have them depending on how bored he is and how annoyed I am with him since he's not really aware of what Christmas is. He got a really cool Thomas the Train Engine set from Mark and he LOVED it! It only came with one little train so I sent Patrick to Target to get some more little cars to go with it. When he came home he was complaining how expensive they were and they are! Those stupid little trains are so ridiculously high but whatever back to the present. Since I knew my mom had sent a Thomas toy too, I kind of wanted to give it to Ty so he could put the 2 together to play. I had already wrapped it all up pretty with a box because I thought I was taking it to New York to open so I gave it to Ty and I showed him that he was not only allowed to tear mommy's pretty paper but it was encouraged! Needless to say he was super excited  He ripped that paper off and once he realized what was in it he was even more excited. However, now he's got a taste for opening gifts. I guess before he didn't realize all the pretty packages in my closet could actually contain toys! He went in there this morning and carried out his grandma and grandpa's gifts and was going to open them. He was not a happy camper when I had to tell him no and take them away. This makes me so excited for Christmas day though! Knowing that he likes opening gifts and gets excited makes Christmas so much more fun this year. I literally have no gifts for myself and I don't care. I love this little boy so much I cannot wait to see the joy and excitement in his eyes when he finds out Santa came to visit us in New York, that's seriously gift enough to me (no really it is.)

I just included this picture because I look so retarded. Oh and Patrick made a rude comment when he was taking it like "uh mama gettin all in the way" Whatever I was just trying to help Ty, I can see when I'm not wanted.