Photo Friday

Photo Friday. 

A single photo from the week, a single sweet moment. 

A moment to savor, cherish, and remember.

NYC bucket list!

This is what I have so far!  I came to NYC quite a few years ago around Christmas and already experienced a few of these, but I wanted to do them as a family.  Does anyone have any suggestions of things we should add to our list?  

1. Liberty Island- Statue of Liberty

2. Ellis Island

3. Coney Island

4. Staten Island

5. Empire State Building

6. Museum of Modern Art

7. American Museum of Natural History

8. Metropolitan Museum of Art

9. Museum of Sex

10. Ground Zero

11. Rockefeller Center

12. Rockefeller Ice Skating Rink/Christmas Tree

13. Holiday Windows

14. Strawberry Fields in Central Park

15. Carousel in Central Park

16. Grand Central Terminal

17. Broadway Show

Last week a couple of our friends flew into Long Island for the PJ Rodeo. The first night here, they took the train into the city and we went to dinner at Bettalona... of course I forgot my camera!  John came back on Sunday to spend the day with us, so we decided to take a stroll through Central Park to see Strawberry Fields.  My dad introduced my siblings and I to good music early in life and The Beatles became one of my favorite bands.  

Walking into the park

Having a picnic

Teaching John how to use the moby wrap

Strawberry Fields Forever.

Memorial for John Lennon.

Most unflattering picture!  John Lennon's apartment building behind me.

Turtle Pond

My favorite picture of the day.  My baby girl as relaxed as can be!

Showing John the campus.

The essentials!

I was talking to a friend recently that is pregnant with her first child.  As her due date is approaching, she is panicking about not having everything she needs to care for her baby.  Contrary to what you may have heard you do not need much to take care of a newborn.  Before my baby showers, Ben and I made a registry of items we needed.  While in Target we looked at each other, both of us completely overwhelmed, we couldn't help but wonder how people in the old days made it. Really it made us wonder what was necessary and what was just fluff.  Just because it's at target doesn't mean you need it.  As I started making a list for her, I figured I would blog to remember for next time and to help any other new moms out!

1. Diapers, wipes, desitin, baby powder.
*My sister, along with many others, told me to buy pampers.  I guess little boys pee out of the top of huggies?  Also a bonus, pampers has the yellow line that turns blue when it gets wet!  I also noticed with Charlie that the unscented wipes are less irritable on her skin then scented.
2. Car Seat
3. Stroller
4. Crib, mattress, mattress pad cover, and sheet
5. Dresser with changing table
6. Baby bath, shampoo/body wash, lotion, washcloths, and towels
7. Breast pump, breast milk storage bags, and nursing pads
*It's way cheaper to purchase your pump at the hospital!
8. Pacifiers
*Pacifier wipes are nice to have on hand in case if it falls on the ground!
9. Nail clippers, hair comb, snot sucker, thermometer, and medications
*Digital thermometer is the way to go it you can spend the extra money. Instant gas relief has also saved my life!  I've also heard gripe water is good for gas as well.
10. Diaper bag
*Portable changing pad for when you are in public places and need to change a diaper.
11. Rocking chair or glider
12. Clothes
*Don't go crazy on the newborn clothes.  Charlie is 6 weeks and has practically outgrown all her newborn clothes.
13. Blankets and burp cloths
14. Nursing bras
*You don't need to spend a ton of money on a bras.  I got mine from target and they are so comfortable.
15. Baby book
16. Baby laundry detergent
17. Monitor
*If you live in a large house a monitor would be nice, otherwise you don't need one.
18. Boppy
Not totally necessary (for me.)  But, I think for women who have c-sections these are a key item.
19. Moby wrap or some other form of hands free baby carrier

If anyone has other items they would like to suggest leave it in the comments!

It's officially fall!

I love when I can put on a cozy sweater and breathe in the cool, crisp air.  I love the color of the trees.  I love the anticipation of the holidays.  I love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  I love when the days get shorter.  I love snuggling up and watching movies.  I love when you can finally build a fire.

Since there aren't many trees to look at I figure I would post some from previous years...

  

Brian Head, Utah

St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin

Last night I made some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies... YUM!

Here is the recipe:

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

*Mix first four ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, add the next four ingredients together.  Dissolve baking soda into milk and add to flour mixture.  Combine both mixtures and add vanilla and chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Growing up, we would make these in the fall.  When I moved to Minnesota nobody had ever heard of them.  If you have never had these delicious cookies, do yourself a favor and make them now!

Here are some bonus pictures I took today!

Charlie walking Dad to school!

Charlie walking Dad to school!

Charlie walking Dad to school!

Virtual tour

The three of us have lived in our apartment for almost a month!  Last night was the first time it felt like 'home.'  Once we arrived and unpacked a trip to Ikea was a must.  I ought to admit I have only shopped at Ikea online and never actually stepped foot in a store (gasp!.)  I had no idea what I was getting myself into!  Picture this. . . Ikea, in New York City, with back to school shoppers, a two week old, an exhausted husband, and in-laws.  After hours of shopping and people watching we were ready to check out.  Since none of us had any Ikea experience, we didn't know you needed to load all of your own items.  We thought you wrote down the number for the item you wanted to purchase, and it was that simple.  WRONG!  To make the story short and sweet we left with a trash can, dustpan, bathroom rug, and hallway rug.  What a waste of time!  The only thing I got out of the field trip was learning how to breastfeed in public, while standing up.

A couple days later we made an online order and delivery was a two week wait.  Oh, and did I mention that one of the items we needed was a couch?  Yes, that is right... we had to sit at our table, on a blow-up mattress, or the floor for two weeks.  Now that we have a couch and a glider, I feel like I'm in heaven!    

Since most of you who read this won't ever see our apartment in person, I thought I'd give you a look around!  Ben and I have worked hard at putting it together.  I am so thankful to have such a capable and handy husband!  I have to admit he did most of the work and I assisted!  Also, thanks Jeff and Kim who helped us move and get things in order.

The front of our apartment building!  The four windows to the left of the black gate belong to us.  When Jeff and Ben were unpacking the U-Haul they could hand most things through the window.  Also, when we make trips to costco we unload that way as well!  It makes it a lot easier so we got lucky!

This is the "courtyard."  Aren't courtyards supposed to be fancy?  This is what we look at through our  bedroom window as well as the bathroom window.  Yipee!

We have entered the building... after two locked doors.  The black door on the right is the elevator.  We take that bad boy to do our laundry, take out the trash, and to collect our mail.  The hallway on the left is where we are headed next!

Walk down this hall and take a left!

There is our door!  Do you get the picture yet?  It takes 3 doors to get into our house...

The hallway

We had to buy the butcher block with extra storage because look at this...

A baby kitchen!  Don't ever take your kitchen for granted.

Bathroom

Bedroom

Living/Baby Room

If anyone has any idea on how to stain a coffee table to match the rest of the room, let me know!

Couldn't leave Minnesota without a deer!

Ben measured our place and the grand total was 700 square feet.  We have met a few couples with children at the park and it sounds like this is normal for NYC.  One of the families even has 3 kids!  The good news is that when we finally get into a home it is going to feel like a mansion!  Everyone feel free to come visit, we love company!  

What better time than now?

Our family has gone through a lot of big changes in the past month, and now that I'm a newly stay at home mom I figure this will give me the outlet that I need. You see, I love to work because I love to be around people. . . Well, when you move to New York City with a two week old baby it is difficult to do just about anything like make friends.  However, I love my daughter more and would not hand her over to anyone I don't know.

I have been telling Ben for months now that I want to start a blog, and with a push of a friend I decided to go for it!  I want a place to share my experiences, pictures, and thoughts with family and friends!  Also, this will be a good place for you to come and see how rapidly Charlie is growing.

Getting ready to leave Minnesota.

Entering New York State.

Can't believe this is where we live!

Across the Hudson River is New Jersey.