Many Firsts on our Trip to the Big Apple

This past weekend, Anthony, Aidan and I experienced many firsts, though Aidan had the majority of them.  As a family, we went to the great city of New York, where it was AJ's and Aidan's first time being in the state; I was born in the upstate and my passport calls me a New Yorker.  Aidan quickly experienced his first ride on a plane, train, subway, and a ferry.

Our first impression of New York City and Long Island was loud, dirty, fast paced, little greenery, and requires the constant use of the horn. Oh, and motorcyclists are crazy for driving between lanes of cars. Rush hour was not as bad as I expected, though I had been stuck in bad traffic in LA and Atlanta, so I prepared myself for the worse.

After heading to our hotel, we met up with some friends for our first taste of "real" pizza. Seriously, what's wrong with Papa John's or a good thin crust Pizza Hut pie? Our impression was that it was good, but was it that great...I mean some people FedEx NY pizza to their house all over the U.S.  But wait, we had more NY pizza over the following days, and it really is fantastic.  Also, I have relented a little with the foods Aidan eats, and he had his first taste of pizza, okay so he had cheese, a little sauce and some bread...not much different than a grilled cheese.  But I wonder, have I ruined the boy? Will he eat our chain restaurant pizza or will he demand NY pizza?

Aidan also experienced his first island visit (Long Island and Fire Island); Fire Island reminds us of small beach towns back in SC.  It was a nice change of pace to the hustle of NYC.  The ocean water was COLD.  AJ and I tasted our first Australian fish (not too impressed) and Rocket Fuel, which is a hard liquor drink exclusive to the island than many try to duplicate but fail.  However, we quickly learned that the island is expensive, more so than NYC and Long Island, so curb the adult beverages!

We all saw the WTC, Time Square, and the Statue of Liberty in person for the first time thanks to some wonderful friends who were our local tour guide.  The friend's husband works at the construction of one of the WTC buildings, and I was able to ask him 100 questions about the construction, cranes, foundation, etc.  It was great having someone around that knew so much.  Though I will say, I have seen much bigger cranes. :)

Since we were visiting during the middle of the day, the streets and subways were not as crowded as they typically are, and I greatly appreciate it.  I don't know how I could be packed into a subway like sardines while smelling the urine and having to touch someone who is also sweaty.  Big cities are not for me.

On the train, which we were waiting for underground after getting off the subway, we celebrated our visit to the city with a beer...good ol' Bug Light tall boy.  The beer hit the spot and cooled us down while we waited and apparently missed our train, which never came on the tracks we were led to by our New Yorker friends.  So I had fun running around, looking at train boards, and hauling butt up and down stairs with Aidan in my arms as AJ help bring strollers up and down the stairs.  Then, to top it off, a nice New Yorker wanted to point out that the last car was the quiet car, so she accurately assumed we were not from around New York.  Why thank you, but we're going to board your quiet car.

At the conclusion of our trip, one of my dreams came true...I attended my FIRST Yankee game, and it just so happens to be in the Bronx.  Aidan was not a fan of the noise when a home run was hit by the Yankees or when Granderson made some awesome defensive plays, but he did get use to the noise.  The heat was another issue...gotta break him in for college football. :)
I absolutely loved watching the game in Yankee stadium, and I cannot wait to make a second game.  The game, even though the Yankees lost, was everything I imagined and more.  I know a few years back, I tried to not like the Yankees since I was living in the South and needed to be a Braves fan, but I couldn't.  After attending the Yankees game, I will forever be a NYY.  Though, I think I need a new hat since my favorite hat is apparently not a lucky one.  Oh, and I concluded the day by having my first dirty water dog, and it was delicious.

Aidan did exceptionally well in NY and on the flights.  He stayed up past his bed time with a smile on his face, he slept in, and he chugged his water to stay hydrated.  In addition, he slept on 3 of the 4 flights, flirted with the passengers and stewards, and ate his food with no issue.  The boy makes traveling easy, even when our flight was delayed and we had to run in the ATL airport to make our connecting flight to NY.

As far as New York goes - the city is exhausting but we had a spectacular time.  We would love to return to the city and see more.  So until next time, that's all of our firsts.

Hold the Mayo.....or not!

I have never been a fan of mayonnaise.  I don't like the taste, the texture, or it touching me.  When I work at Fazoli's and Wendy's, I hated having to put mayo on a sandwich.  I always wore gloves so the mayo would not touch my skin (and for good food hygiene!).  The thought of mayo on my tongue made me shiver.  Really, mayo and I were enemies.  But now...slap me some mayo on a club sandwich, and I am loving it!  Mayo isn't the only change.
Steamed brocolli and cheese - yeesh, but now, give me a bowl, and I love every bit of it.
Margarita (okay, always loved) and a side of guacamole, yes please!  But I never liked guacamole.  Are my taste buds tricking me?

And to answer your question, NO I AM NOT PREGNANT.

However, I wonder if pregnancy changed what I did not like.  I did try to like tomatoes during pregnancy with no luck, but I definitely did not try nor crave mayo, steamed broccoli, or guacamole. I know I have been trying to eat better since Aidan eats a more diverse variety of vegetables me.  What happens when he gets older and asks me why he has to eat zucchini when daddy and I don't? Or now that Aidan offers everything, how will he react if I say "No thank you.", will he continue to eat the food?  So in hopes of teaching Aidan better eating habits than myself, I am trying to cultivate my food palate.

Good questions to ponder on a Friday night...speaking of which, I'm craving a grilled turkey sandwich with, you guessed it, MAYO.  Mmm, mayo oozing out of my sandwich.