trip to NYC!!!

For my birthday (Dec. 11) Adam surprised me with a trip to NYC (Happy Birthday to me and Happy 5 year anniversary to us this past summer). I have always always always wanted to go to New York City at Christmas time! Thankfully (for me) he surprised me about 2 weeks in advance so that I would have time to switch my work schedule, prepare and pack for the kids (including bottles and baby food for Andrew), and figure out what I was going to wear (most importantly!). We had a fabulous time! The kids stayed at my parents' house on Thursday night until Saturday afternoon and then with Adam's parents' from Saturday afternoon until Monday afternoon. On Thursday after dropping off the kids I ran about a bazillion errands while Adam took his last final of the semester (1 semester of MBA school down - congrats babe!). We met Adam's parents to celebrate his finishing and my birthday and so I didn't get home until 11 pm. At 11 pm I had to pack and clean the house - we got in bed on Thursday night at 1:30 am and woke up at 3:30 am to catch a 6 am flight. We were already exhausted! On Friday morning we got to New York and were able to check into our (awesome) hotel in Midtown around 9 am. We went and got some New York bagels for breakfast and hopped on the subway to go shopping in SoHo. It was FREEZING on Friday - with the wind chill it was -11. Thankfully my friend Debbie had let me borrow her jacket (she used to live in NYC) and that helped some. We went shopping in SoHo and walked around for the morning and early afternoon. One of our highlights of the whole trip was that twice on Friday we got asked for directions on the subway (we were so proud that we were mistaken for locals).

Friday evening we headed over to MoMA - the Museum of Modern Art where we got in for free (Target Free Fridays). The highlight was seeing The Starry Night painting by Van Gogh. After leaving there we walked over to Rockefeller Center and saw the Christmas tree. And took "that" picture of ourselves in front of it. And then we went ice skating right there! It was awesome. We were a little worried about our skills on the ice but not to fear - we were both pretty awesome at it. Let me tell you, it was SO cold - I mean absolutely freezing. If you want to get the feeling of skating in Rockefeller Center watch this video of us doing it.

Also while we were skating a guy got down on one knee on the center of the ice and proposed. Everyone that was watching all around the rink was cheering. It was pretty cool. After that we went to a really good Italian restaurant in Midtown West called Nizza's. On Saturday morning we got up and took the subway down to the Staten Island Ferry and rode for free past the Statue of Liberty. We had awesome views of the skyline. Then we walked around Battery Park and the Financial District. We walked down Wall Street. And saw the New York Stock Exchange and also Trump Tower. We saw where the World Trade center used to be. And some of the memorials around Ground Zero. We then took the subway to Chinatown and walked up and down the streets. It was a sight to see. It was seriously like being in another country - we heard hardly anybody speaking English. To experience Chinatown fully we even bargained for a purse that we bought for me out of the back of a van. After Chinatown we ate some NY pizza for dinner and then walked to see the Lion King on Broadway. The Lion King was absolutely amazing - definitely one of the highlights of the entire trip. We were so glad that we splurged for tickets to see it. We walked around Times Square and went to Toys R Us at 11:30 pm after the show. On Sunday morning the weather was absolutely horrendous. Cold and really really rainy. Nothing like the picture below. On Sunday we took the subway to the Upper West Side and ate breakfast at a cute little place called Good Enough to Eat. We walked around up there and through Central Park (in the pouring and freezing rain) over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the 'Met'). It was an absolutely gorgeous museum. We know absolutely nothing about art - and don't really care about it either. But at the museum we took a one hour tour with a tour guide (for free! after getting into the museum for $6 total) which took us on a quick tour through all the different areas of the museum. The museum was huge and the tour was really really interesting. If we wouldn't have done it we would have had no clue what to even look at (seriously folks - we know nothing about art). We saw this really cool birth plate that was commissioned for some famous old person - it was used to serve food to the mother in bed after she had just had a baby. I decided Adam needs to use one of these to nurse me back to health after our next child. We saw some neat stone art from the Iraq area from 1800 BC or something like that. And we saw the Christmas tree. And some beautiful armor. This armor is actually like a statue of the knight - it is that form fitted to him. And it seems ridiculously heavy at 60 pounds. But then our tour guide told us that this is actually the same weight that our soldiers over in Iraq today carry on their backs - that really put it in to perspective. On Sunday afternoon/evening we went to FAO Schwartz, grabbed a hot dog for a snack, and then went to church at Redeemer on the Upper East Side. After church we walked around the shops down by Rockefeller Center, saw some really neat light shows (especially at Saks), and got a really good steak at a steakhouse around there. We flew out on Monday around 1 pm and we seriously had such a fun time. We really missed the kids and talked about them all the time but they did great with their grandparents. Even through we were SO busy on our trip it was relaxing to not have to worry about eating meals at certain times and to wake up whenever we wanted (which was pretty early so we could see the town).

We commented on a couple of things while we were there:

• We saw tons of people smoking in NYC - I mean a lot. It really surprised me because even in this tobacco producing state I hardly ever see people smoking in Charlotte. Which I like.
• We felt so safe while we were there. I was worried about getting mugged or something but even in Chinatown and on the subways we never felt nervous about that.
• I would really miss driving if I lived there.
• And I would miss being able to only go to the grocery store once a week - I think there you can't really make big trips - you only get what you can carry (which is not a lot if you are also carrying 2 kids).

Part of me was a little nervous to go to NYC because we have always felt like we would love to live there (maybe even considering it when Adam finishes his MBA)... but we didn't love it enough to want to move there. It was great to visit and I can't wait to visit again, but even at church it seemed a little devoid of the amazing community of believers that we have at Uptown in Charlotte. Being in NYC made me realize how much we really do love Charlotte and made me unable to think about ever moving. All in all we did have such a fabulous time!

Caleigh is 2 years old!

This sweet peanut is 2 years old! I thought I would be so sad and that it would be so weird to say I had a 2 year old but it doesn't. It seems like she has been 2 for a while now. I honestly can't even think of how to describe this little goose at 2 years old. So I will start with her stats - she weights 27 lbs. (54th%) and is 34 inches tall (51st%). She has always been perfectly average with her height and weight and that still rings true.

She is a pretty good little painter and asks to do it all the time. She also says often "Mama, I want to draw." And then is done with it in like 5 minutes. A typical day for us (when I am not working) is: we get her out of her room around 7:45 or 8. She will often be up before then and will go and get toys (quiet as a mouse!) and put them in her bed and then get back in her bed and play with them until we come and get her. We will do breakfast sometime around 8:30 or 9 after I have fed Andrew. She loves oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, and bananas for breakfast and will ask for all of them by name. Sometime around 9:30 after Andrew goes down for a nap she will go and have roomtime in her room for about an hour. Sometimes she plays the whole time and sometimes I find her in there at 10:30 laying on her bed, reading a book, and sucking her thumb. At 10:30 we will usually have a little snack and then Caleigh will help me do chores - fold laundry, put clothes in wash, unload dishes, or cook. Sometimes she watches about 15 minutes of Elmo depending on our day (she literally asks to watch Elmo every day all day - I think she thinks it is the only thing that comes on TV). Sometimes we will have learning time before Andrew wakes up at 11:15 or 11:30 - playing play-doh together, playing 'which one is bigger?' or 'which one is different?' or we will have craft time (like painting). We do lunch either early at 11 if we are going to run errands or lunch around noon and then naps at 1 - she usually sleeps until at least 2:45, sometimes until 3:30 or 4 depending on the day. We usually go somewhere after naps and then we play with Daddy and have dinner. After dinner are baths, PJs, brushing teeth (Caleigh also asks to brush teeth all the time), and reading before bed. I know that isn't the most exciting for everyone to read but I want to be able to look back and remember what we did all day! Some of Caleigh's favorites...

• Food: breakfast as described above, PB and honey sandwiches, crackers, all kinds of fruit - especially blackberries, and grape tomatoes
• Activities: play-doh, watching Elmo, going to the park, having someone throw/swing her around, and hanging out with Gigi/PopPop/KK or Gammy/Bampa

Caleigh's language has been exploding lately. She talks all the time - often in sentences... we probably understand about 40 or 50% of what she says.

That pretty much sums up our little girl!

the day after thanksgiving

The day after Thanksgiving we spent the day with the Adams' hanging out with PopPop, Gigi, KK, and Uncle David. And we celebrated Caleigh's birthday again!

Caleigh enjoyed playing with some fun Melissa&Doug cutting food that Uncle David gave her. And Caleigh's favorite present - her car! (Which we are keeping at Gigi and PopPop's for now until we have more space). So we spent the afternoon playing with Caleigh and the car. It brought back memories for me of when we used to get our Christmas presents when we were little and the go outside and play with them all morning no matter how cold it was. And Andrew spent some time with his favorite person - his PopPop. "Andrew, what are you doing with my balloon..." And the family shot. Caleigh's birthday basically lasted an entire week and she absolutely loved it! She now likes to sing Happy Birthday Caleigh all the time. Pretty cute stuff.

thanksgiving day

Since both of our families live in Charlotte (Concord) we rarely travel for the holidays - which is nice in some ways - nice to not have to pack up 2 kids and all of their stuff, nice to have time at home and be able to really relax. What stinks about it is that you don't get the feeling of staying in someone else's house (one that you don't have to clean), you don't get to hang out late at night after the kids are asleep talking or playing games, and you don't get to wake up in the mornings to the smell of coffee (that someone else has made) wafting into your bedroom (and therefore don't get to hang out in your pjs all morning drinking said coffee). So this year for Thanksgiving (and Caleigh's birthday!) we went up the the Dyers' house in Concord just before the kids' naps to hang out with both of our families, plus some of Adam's extended family: Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Kemmer, and Aunt Becky and Uncle Ray. After Caleigh's nap we had a little family birthday party for her - complete with balloons (that we blew up ourselves and entertained ourselves with more than Caleigh), Curious George hats, plates, signs, etc. Every time Caleigh saw them she said 'who-who-who' which is what she calls monkeys (because that is the noise they make). Caleigh enjoyed opening her presents!

Andrew spent some time with Uncle Jon (thankfully Andrew doesn't discriminate - Caleigh is still a little nervous/shy around both of her uncles until she gets used to them). Andrew also enjoyed being held by pretty much everyone else - especially Great Grandpa Kemmer (his namesake and look-alike!). What does it mean when you say your son looks like an 88 year old man... Since I was so busy eating (I realized this is the first Thanksgiving in the last 2 years that I haven't been pregnant! - 9 months pregnant in 2007 with Caleigh and about 9 weeks pregnant with Andrew in 2008) I didn't get any good pics of the table which was beautiful or the yummy food that was consumed. After dinner we had a fun time of sitting around being entertained by Caleigh (who was full of sugar and thus hilarious). We also had a special time during which Adam read Andrew's blessing from his baptism for Great Grandpa Kemmer to hear in person. Already looking forward to the cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans, ham, rolls, twice baked potatoes, and excellent pies at Thanksgiving in 2010.

dancing queen

Caleigh is quite the little dancing queen these days. These videos were taken the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (also Caleigh's birthday). As you can see Caleigh is quite hyped up to 1. have daddy home in the evening and 2. for her upcoming birthday and time with all her favorites: Gigi, Pop-pop, KK, Uncle David, Gammy, Bam-pa, and Uncle Jon.

gone for good

Well - the silky in this picture is gone for good. Not on purpose. Earlier this week we lost it at Walmart. By we, I mean Caleigh dropped it at some point and I didn't realize it until we were getting in the car. By that point, Andrew was screaming and Caleigh was whining and there was no way I could take them both back out of their carseats to go back in and look for it.

Despite Adam leaving work to go and search for it and despite calling Walmart several times for a couple of days, it was never found. So somebody out there is enjoying a little purple silky with the initials CGD in it. And Caleigh keeps asking for "other silky." She will cuddle up with her big one and then say, "Mama, other silky." So now Caleigh is getting a new silky for her birthday/early Christmas and hopefully she will take to it just as well. I guess it lasted us for 2 years - besides, when I was asking one of the employees at Walmart about it she said "it probably got swept up in the giant sweepers" - that is not what I think happened to it, but still - would I really want to find it after something like that? Probably not. So sad for Caleigh (and Mama!).

a visit with the greats

Last Sunday, Caleigh and Andrew's great grandparents were in town and came to see us after church. (They couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to see their great grandbabies). Here is great grandpa Jack holding Andrew - this is Andrew's namesake!

I actually think they look a lot alike! I don't know what that means for my 5 month old if I think he looks like an 88 year old man but Great Grandpa thought it was awesome that they looked alike and talked about it pretty much the entire week. Look at Andrew in his little button-up shirt - my little A is getting big! Great Grandma Mary Jane got some love from little A too - this was the first time they met Andrew in person. And attempting a picture with both kids - very difficult on a Sunday at 1 pm, but it looks cute enough!

elmo party!

On Saturday (before Caleigh's birthday which was on Thanksgiving Day this year) we celebrated Caleigh's 2nd birthday with her 2 or almost 2 year old friends. We had a playdoh party with an Elmo theme. Here are Camilla, Sam, and Caleigh playing with some playdoh.

After the playdoh fun died down, it was time for Elmo cupcakes - Elmo paper, yellow cake, chocolate icing, Elmo candy, and a sparkly candle for Caleigh! Happy Birthday to Caleigh... (she LOVED us singing to her and we sang to her many times that day - when she woke up in the morning, before and after her nap, at her party, before dinner...) Mmmm... And Caleigh's friends who celebrated with us that day - Sam (who also almost broke my heart when he left at the end saying, "I want to come next time..." but next time Caleigh has a birthday Sam will be in Prague helping his parents and baby Foard plant a church) Harrison Maggie and Camilla After cupcakes and snacks we opened presents.

Caleigh is giving Milla a hug saying 'And you' (thank you) for her presents... All the moms were there (and baby Foard) And Daddy helped open the presents. Caleigh is sporting her loot - a new dress from Maggie (that Carrie made!) and a purse. Thanks to all of Caleigh's friends who celebrated with her to make her birthday extra special!

little helper

This is how Caleigh likes to help me fold the clothes - by taking them all out of the piles and dressing herself with them. (note the layers on her legs)

Oh, and there are the bows again...