The weeks leading up to our trip to New York were filled with dread and second thoughts and what the hell are we thinking?!? Every time Paul and I talked about it, we’d look at each other with true, deep fear in our eyes and debate calling the whole thing off. New York frickin’ City. With frickin’ Stevie. OMG. Just totally terrified.
The only reason we were going in the first place was for a reunion. Paul used to go to camp when he was a kid. A place in upstate NY called Camp Nubar. During the summer, all his cousins would go and it was this magical place that you never wanted to leave! The best summer memories of hiking and swimming and all the great things you can think of at a kids’ camp. The camp was having its 50 Year Anniversary and all the cousins wanted to go back to relive their youth and bring all our own kids to see this wonderful place.
Such a beautiful idea in theory, right? So we arranged the trip, all took the same flight, stayed at the same hotel, shared rental cars. I mean we really went for it. There were 10 adults and 6 kids. Hey, at least we weren’t outnumbered. But the thought of a 5 hour plane ride with a child who won’t sit on your lap, plus 3 days in a bustling city with a child who won’t hold your hand? Well, it just sounded so stupid the closer we came to actually going.
And guess what?!
We were dead wrong.
The trip was so fantastic.
New York frickin’ City was Stevie’s jam.
I streamlined our packing and traveled light so we wouldn’t look like those people in the airport. Stevie slept about 3 hours on the way there. When we arrived, he was completely mesmerized by the excitement and energy and chaos (and trucks and buses) of the big city. He didn’t complain. He didn’t beg for food. He didn’t say “mom” 14,362,041 times a day. He just came along for the ride. He watched everything and everyone with open eyes and an open mouth. He seemed so content. Toward the end of the trip, he got increasingly more difficult, but I honestly couldn’t have been more happy with him!
So glad we hiked up our panties and jumped in. It was such a great long weekend.
Here’s everyone in Central Park. Lots more to come…
Very yes! 🙂
Hooray! I’m so glad it was as magical as it was cracked up to be!
I want it to go on record that I knew it was going to be awesome and wasn’t worried one bit!
that’s cuz you’re not with him every day! 😉 PS I wish you had been on the plane home with us. i was ex.haus.ted. by the end of that one.