Wandering Wednesday: Adventures in NYC

Last week the big kids and I went to Lincoln Center with my Dad. 

I am not actually drunk in this picture. 

We went to a dress rehearsal of the New York City Ballet's Nutcracker. 

It was actually more of a working rehearsal, but we got to see the whole second act. I am a huge Nutcracker nerd and I feel like this is the best classic production. (Except for the one that I was in during my youth, which sadly no longer exists.) 

This is the lobby of the New York State Theater (which I think has a different name now, but I refuse to use it, in the same spirit that I will always call Giants Stadium, Giants Stadium and not MetLife Stadium.) 

There was an interactive screen and no other kids. Heaven. 

From the balcony. If only I'd taken a few photos of them here, I wouldn't have to share the one with Ironflower's eyes closed. 

More balcony. 

View of Avery Fisher Hall. 

I made my Dad be in a picture. I swear there's about 12 pictures of him with me growing up and he has the exact same expression and stance. 

The rehearsal was definitely worth seeing, but I think next year all the kids will be ready to see the big production. I can hardly wait. 

And just a few days after that trip to the city, we went in to celebrate Ironflower's birthday at the American Girl store. I swear I've been in the city more in the last two weeks than I have in the last 6 months. 

We checked out many different areas of the store. Which was so, so, so, so crowded. Like, even more crowded than last year. 

Like, so crowded that I contemplated jumping over a baby carriage and knocking a 4 year old out of my way just so I could get to a relatively empty spot to stand in. 

And this one child? Probably 10 or so? Actually shoved past me and another little girl to get to a rack, and when I exclaimed about it, she actually PUSHED me out of the way as she walked back to her grandmother, even though there was plenty of room for her to walk around me. 

I almost said something, but I didn't want to create a huge scene on Ironflower's day. 

It was a relief to get to the cafe. 

We didn't go to it last year, but I'm glad we tried it this year.

It's not as big as one would think. 

Photobomb from Daddy. Notice Katie (that's Ironflower's Just Like Me doll, her favorite) seated AT the table with us. 

Birthday crowns for everyone! 

The meal started out with cinnamon rolls, so Ironflower was so happy. 

My chicken club was pretty good. 

Ironflower's meal came with a hot dog AND mac and cheese. 

Dessert was the biggest hit. 

Ironflower and her loot. 

We Survived the American Girl Store

Back in August, I made a rookie parenting mistake. I gave my daughter a toy catalog filled with toys she did not have. It was the day our Lego Club magazines came (yes, we get two so the boys don't fight over them) and I thought the American Girl Doll catalog would prevent her from reading over Lovebug's shoulder. Nothing makes Lovebug give up faster than having his older sister do something faster than he does.

This may be why he is embracing basketball, which Ironflower has no interest in.

So of course Ironflower fell madly in love with the dolls that currently retail for $105. I explained that she would need to wait until her birthday. She accepted it with good grace. . .and started planning her shopping trip. I explained that a day in the city and buying more than just a doll was approaching birthday party level costs and we couldn't do both.

She chose the day in the city.  She studied the catalogs more than she studied her math facts. But she never whined or complained. Friday, the day before her birthday, was the big day. A day in the city with Mommy and Daddy and the American Girl Doll Store.

En route. 

Two dolls. Two outfits. Matching pajamas. 

Ah, the store. It's big. Like three floors of big. It's pink. Of course. It's crowded. And we were there before the people who work there consider it crowded, so I don't know what kind of hell it turns into when it's officially crowded. Maybe you have to wait in line to see the products? I don't know. At least the people swarming through the displays with us were generally nice. The lines to pay weren't too long - though I think there were three places to pay on every floor.  I highly recommend week day mornings. 

Checking out Rockefeller Center. She decided the wait was too long at the cafe, so we went to an Irish place nearby. She was pleased by the grown-up establishment and all the attention from the wait staff. 

The Hershey store for dessert. 

Here's the worst part; Hot Guy and I have also been suckered in by American Girl. I mean, we're history nerds. We like our kid to be happy. We like her playing with dolls that don't look like strippers. I'm already plotting what Santa can bring. How could I resist? 

"My American Girl", who has been named "Katherine", and Caroline from 1812. 

The only problem now is that Lovebug and Hugmonkey want to know why there aren't any American Boy dolls.