Picture of the Day: Just Let Me Sleep

Picture of the Day: Enough Already, Daddy

Cutest. Kid. Ever.

Apologies to all other children, parents and grandparents, but we have the cutest kid ever.

Here is Katie on her third day of life outside the womb.

A Few Thoughts after the Birth of My First Child

* It's amazing how priorities suddenly change in a moment. As I looked into Katie's eyes for the first time, it struck me that everything but God and my wife just dropped a level on my priority list.

* Recently, I learned of the tradition of "push presents." I wondered what would make a good push present. Maybe a card? A gift for the baby? Now, I'm thinking maybe bowing down at Wife's feet in humble service for her great contribution would be more appropriate.

* Having children is a wonderful blessing (hey, I'm two days in...it's awesome). But it's a blessing that not everyone should experience. I recognize that parenting is a big responsibility. I have decided that having children should require passing a standardized intelligence test as well as passing a moral character and fitness examination. I, in my sole discretion, will determine and implement the criteria for these requirements. Looking around it seems that those with more children are less likely to pass these standards than those with fewer kids.

* Father's don't really get that much respect at the hospital. It feels like it is mother, baby and that questionable guy with them. Of course, the reasons why are obvious. It's just interesting to see that mindset throughout the process in both the medical staff and the hospital procedures.

* Wife and I are proud that Katie was born in a year that the Lakers are the World Champions of the NBA. That makes us a little too happy. It also makes us spend money at the NBA Store.

* Would it be inappropriate to quit my job and just gaze at Katie all day?

Katherine Grace

It is our pleasure to introduce to you Katherine Grace. Katie was born today, August 21, at 11:58 a.m. She weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 19 1/2 inches long. It was a long, hard labor (unfortunately few are blessed with short, easy labors). Wife and I went to the hospital after working almost a full day on Thursday. Wife's doctor told her to come in for some measurements because she was in the early stages of labor. We fully expected to be sent home after the measurements were done; however, her water broke on its own while we were at the hospital. It turns out Wife wasn't in the early stages of labor - she spent the day at work in full-blown labor with contractions coming every three minutes (she had only been counting the "really big ones").

Without a doubt, Wife was the most polite, stoic woman I could imagine going through labor - and I think the doctors and nurses would agree. She never yelled, she never screamed, and she was always polite to the hospital staff. Though her doctor insisted that for health-reasons she take pain medications for about an hour during labor, the remainder, including the last four hours, were completed without pain medication. I contributed to this labor process by offering my hand as a squeeze toy; it was a true joint-effort.

As the Baby Drops

Wife and I began our day with an early morning visit with the doctor for a regularly scheduled exam. Ten minutes into the appointment, the doctor announced that Wife must go to the hospital immediately for more tests. Depending on the outcome of the tests, the doctor said there was a 50-50 chance they would induce labor today (if the baby didn’t show up on her own before that).

Two hours into our hospital stay, a resident and a nurse confirmed that, yes, one way or the other the baby would be born either today or early tomorrow.

Four hours into the hospital visit, the doctor sent us home, telling us that she looked forward to seeing us again soon. We’re told that we might make our next hospital visit later today, or it could be another three weeks before Baby Girl comes. The doctor is of the opinion that something closer to the former is correct, but I have my doubts.

Lucky for us, we have now entered the phase where the doctor wants to see Wife twice a week.

Upon hearing that news, Wife and I both went back to our respective places of employment.

The Fortune Teller

This weekend Wife and I were walking down the street not far from Times Square. A woman had set up a little fortune telling booth on the sidewalk. On her little table was a small crystal ball and a stack of tarot cards. The woman tried to look the part, but it was hard to take her seriously. Why was it hard to take her seriously? As we walked by, she called out, "Come, sit down! Let me tell you about your little boy."

A Powerful Lens

This afternoon, I took a trip over to B&H (the best photography shop in the world). While I was there, I got to see the Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM lens. Wasn't able to touch it, but I came within inches of the thing. What, that doesn't excite you? You're checking this blog to read about something other than camera lenses? You don't even know what this lens is? In a nutshell this lens zooms in to take photos of stuff that is miles away. Only about 12 of these things were ever made. A used copy of this lens sells for $120,000. Here's a video to learn more about this exciting lens:

Nearing the End (maybe)

If doctors are to be believed, and I'm not entirely sure that they are, Baby A could be making her appearance at any moment. The "official" due date we have been telling people is September 3rd, but the doctor has always told us that it might be "slightly" earlier than that. A few doctor visits ago, we were told that the baby was definitely older than we thought - probably by about a week. At the last visit, we were told that it was looking like the baby should come about two weeks earlier than we had initially been told. Today, the doctor announced that the baby is more than a week overdue. One thing is for certain, Wife is ready for this kid to come. Which one is the REAL due date? Who knows. This mystery just adds to the intrigue.

FYI, I have a LOT more subway stories to share. I'm thinking of writing a post on our recent subway tales. For those interested, yes, there have been many people offering their seat to Wife recently.

10 Minutes of Fame

Wow, for about 26 hours, we were very, very popular. My last post regarding Wife's incident on the subway was picked up by some blogwatchers and posted in a couple of different spots. This is a blog that generally gets 10-25 unique visitors a day. In a time span of 26 hours, this blog received nearly 7,500 hits. These came from all fifty states, 79 countries and 2,063 cities. According to our "meter" in the typical day, we are about the 4,000th most popular blog. Yesterday, we were 13th.

Our visitors were rather opinionated on a couple matters. First, several people were upset that I titled the post, "Wife Gets Inconsiderate Jerk Arrested," when a more accurate title would have been, "Wife Gets Inconsiderate Jerk a Citation." I think you complainers really should lighten up. I especially appreciated the message from a reader telling me that I need to learn more about the law since I don't know the difference between an arrest and a citation - yeah, that's me...an ignorant idiot that knows nothing about the law. From the first moment the post was published, the first line of the post notes that my title is hyperbole because nobody was arrested. Our usual visitors to this blog, mostly friends and family members, do not visit this blog because of my scintilating titles. Our visitors come to read about what's new with us, and I try to provide people already here with an interesting read. My titles are in no way intended to falsely draw readers to this blog (our intended readers are already here when they first view the title). I'm sorry to those of you who feel that you were led here due to deception, but you should understand that I never intended for the blog title to be posted as a link all over the internet. Moreover, those of you who think that this blog is intended to be serious journalism have another think coming.

Another hotly debated topic with our readers whether a pregnant woman is "disabled." Frankly, I don't know the answer to that. Maybe the actual citation was given because the woman had her bag taking up three seats, which is clearly a violation of city ordinances. But when the cop chastised the sitting woman, he did state that the person that was unable to sit was PREGNANT. The point of the post was certainly not to claim that a pregnant woman is legally disabled. Frankly, I don't think there should need to be a law saying give a pregnant woman your seat. But if you're completely healthy and a pregnant woman, elderly person, disabled person, or anybody else looks like they really need that seat more than you do, I think it's pretty bad manners stay in the seat and even worse manners to keep your stuff in an open seat. Should there really be laws against bad manners? Probably not, but I can still think such a person is a jerk.

Wife Gets Inconsiderate Jerk Arrested

Ok, my title is a bit of hyperbole (nobody was actually arrested).

Yesterday, Wife had a few errands to run. When it was time to come home, she was exhausted - as you would expect of an 8-month pregnant woman that has been out all day. Instead of walking two miles home, she decided to jump on the subway. The subway car was rather crowded with someone sitting in every seat. But in row reserved for those with disabilities only had one perfectly healthy woman sitting in it. The woman had a large duffel bag thrown on the seat which took up the three seats next to her. So, you can do the math: a row designated for those with disabilities which should seat four was only being used by one. A clearly pregnant, and exhausted, Wife asked the woman if she could sit down. The woman coldly replied, "I'm not moving my bag." Wife looked at her, "Are you serious?" The woman repeated, "I'm not moving my bag." A gentleman in another row called out, "Ma'am, take my seat." Wife thanked him profusely and sat down. The gentleman then pulled out his police badge and his citation book. For the rest of her subway ride, Wife was entertained by an irritated undercover cop giving the inconsiderate woman a lecture that personal belongings are not permitted on seats and that in a crowded subway the healthy people sitting in the disability row need to let pregnant woman sit down. This lecture was given as the undercover cop filled out the paperwork for this woman's citation. She really should have just moved her bag over a few inches.

Pregnancy Q&As

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q : I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q : What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q : My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q : Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word "alimony" means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q : Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.

Q : Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.

The Filming of Date Night

Our street has been very busy recently with a movie being filmed. The movie is "Date Night" staring Steve Carrol and Tina Fey. I'm a little shocked with the magnitude of this shoot. There are hundreds and hundreds of people here involved in this thing. I can't count the number of trucks, cameras, and star trailers. What I find most interesting is the catering (yeah, I would find the food the exciting part). Since we live on the street, we get to walk right through not only the "backstage" area, but also the scenery of the movie. We've seen a couple of the stars. We've also been told who some of the stars that we "should have" recognized are. They include Steve Carrol, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Taraji P. Henson and Kristen Wiig.

Weekend Tradition

Wife and I have come up with our very own Saturday morning tradition. Every Saturday morning stop by a local hole in the wall and each get an egg sandwich or a bagel. Then we stop for a cup of coffee. We then take our breakfast down the street to Bryant Park. Last Thanksgiving Day we did this before the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. We enjoyed it so much that the next day, since we were off work, we at breakfast there again. Well, it is now firmly entrenched as our Saturday morning tradition. We have only missed on Saturday morning since last November (it was pouring that day). During the winter, they turn the park into a skating rink. During those months, ate and sipped our hot coffee while watching the children playing on the ice and listening to Christmas music and Broadway hits on the loudspeakers. Now that lawn is back, but our tradition continues.

This morning, we had finished our breakfast and we were sitting in the park chatting when an "elderly" gentleman plopped down at a table next to us. The fellow was a bit chunky, probably at least 80 years old. The fellow didn't look good for his age. He walked slowly, with tubes coming out of his nose that were connected to an oxygen tank . He looked exhausted as he collapsed into the seat. His face was red and covered with sweat. The walk was clearly hard on him. He tossed a bag onto the table and pulled out a muffin, a bottle of juice and the New York Times. Wife and I continued our conversation, but my attention was drawn to him as he began to carefully remove his oxygen tubes. Then, without any warning, the guy ripped off his shirt. It took everything in me to not break out laughing. Wife and I sat there talking for about another hour, and this fellow just read his paper while sunbathing. You see everything here in New York.

Yeah, I know, the picture of the skating rink destroys the mental image of sunbathing. I just had to include it anyway.

My First Father's Day Gift

Sorry to gloat, but I forgot to show you my Father's Day gift from Wife:

If this were my daughter....

If this were my daughter...umm....I don't even want to think about my reaction. I'd probably pretty calm compared to her mother though.

CLICK HERE

Birthing Center Tour and Class

Back in undergrad, I remember a kindly old professor who would frequently say, "There's no such thing as a stupid question." That sounds so nice, but it's just wrong.

Later a grad school professor commented, "There's no such thing as a stupid question, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." I thought that was pretty good at the time, but it's also wrong.

The truth is that there are stupid people and they ask really stupid questions.

Why am I so jaded? Well, I spent the last two hours at the hospital in a birthing class and getting a tour of all the facilities at the world-renowned birthing center at the hospital where Baby Girl is anticipated to make her grand entrance.

I should have realized how the evening was going to go as we waited for the tour to begin. In the waiting room, there were twenty chairs. There about thirty people, equally divided between pregnant women and their male counterparts. Hmmm....how should we divide these 20 seats among these 30 people? My vote is that the fifteen pregnant women and the five most pathetic looking men get to sit. Unfortunately, nobody asked me. I was the only man standing whose wife/girlfriend got to sit. Every other man who had the opportunity to grab a seat did so, totally oblivious to the uncomfortable women about to pop all around them.

Most irritating was the couple who grabbed the couch designed to seat five or six. The guy threw his backpack on one couch cushion, the woman put a shopping bag and her purse on another. They then both put their feet up and relaxed for fifteen minutes. They proceeded to completely ignore the pregnant women who walked up and stared at the bags, hinting that they would like to sit. And I should mention that the woman whose feet had to be up and whose purse couldn't touch the floor was the only women in the room that didn't look pregnant.

I thought everything would improve once the program started (and it did improve), but about a third of the people started asking questions and just wouldn't stop. Sometimes listening to questions and answers can be extremely informative...this was not one of those times.

My favorite question was asked by the woman who kept talking on her cell phone thoughout the evening, "Can I bring my three year old into the delivery room with me?" Ummm...seriously?

To my shock, the answer was a qualified, "Yes." With the doctor's approval, a child may be present for the birth, but there must be another adult present to help care for the child. The woman went off. What if her husband doesn't get there fast enough? What if he can't leave work? She was furious that she needed another adult there to watch her other kid as she gave birth to the new one.

Right on the top of the first sheet of paper they gave us, it said in sixteen point font, "Private rooms cost an extra $1,000 for each night. Unless there is a medical reason, insurance will not cover this cost." The woman mentioned this within the first few minutes of the program. How many times would you think people raised their hand and asked how much a private room costs? Four. How many more times did people ask if insurance would cover it? Two.

How do we ensure we have a birthing room with good cell phone access? (cell phones aren't allowed in the birthing rooms)

But what if I really, really want to talk my cell phone on the phone? (sorry, cell phones and communication devices must be off)

Ok, I get the no cell phone thing. Can I use my iPhone to send email? (no)

My Blackberry doesn't have a voice plan - can I send emails with it? (no)

Can I bring DVDs to watch in the hospital room's tv? (no)

Can I bring a portable DVD player? (yes)

Can I listen to my iPod while I am in labor? (yes)

Can I bring speakers for my iPod? (yes)

Can I bring a stereo? (only if it doesn't need an outlet)

Wait, if she can use her iPod, can I use my iPhone? (no, absolutely no cell phones or communication devices in the birthing area)

I've heard a rumor that some nurses don't allow you to use a cell phone in the room, is this true? (yes)

After I give birth can the baby stay in the room with me? (yes)

After the birth, I want to sleep, would you take the baby away so I can rest? (yes)

After you take my kid away, could you make sure that there aren't any other babies in the rooms around me so I can sleep? (no)

If there is a kid in the room next to me preventing me from sleeping, can I switch rooms? (no). But what if there is an empty room down the hall? (no). You must not have understood, what if I want to sleep and there is a baby in the room next to me but there is another empty room that nobody is in - you'll let me switch, right? (no). But what if I can't sleep? (get used to it)

Will you change the baby's diapers for me at the hospital? (yes)

But what if I want to change the diaper? Could I do it? (yes)

Are Nokia cell phones ok to use? (no)

What time are visiting hours over for semi-private rooms? (10 pm) Is it strictly enforced? (not really) So, can we just agree right now that my husband can spend the night if he wants to? (no)

Ok...enough venting.

Despite the fact that some people are annoying, it was a good evening. We like the hospital. We like the staff we met. We like the choices that the hospital gives us in the birthing process. Now we need to start making decisions.

Best of all might have been as we walked through the halls where we saw babies that were just hours old. It is pretty amazing to realize that soon we will be looking at a little girl that looks something like that, only much cuter, who is part of us.

Our Love-Hate Relationship with Costco

I love good deals, but I hate lines. I love free samples, but I hate being shoved by a hundred other people trying to get one of the crackers with cheese spread. Thus, I love, but yet I absolutely hate, Costco. I am a conflicted man, unable to tell if the love or the hate is stronger. Right now, I think the hate is stronger. When today's experience wears off, the love will probably begin to outweigh the hate. Maybe.

Today, Wife and I ventured out to Brooklyn to do some shopping. What an absolutely exhausting experience. I'm not sure if it is the fact that it is Costco, or that it is in New York, or that people want bargains in this economy - whatever it is, that place is absolutely packed. We were seriously unable to move our cart around the store (Wife stayed in a central location while I brought the various items on the list to her). I refused to get samples, since the line for some of the samples was well over fifty people long (for a silly bite of food). The line to check out took nearly an hour (and we were thrilled it was that short). Most of our afternoon consisted of being shoved by customers and trying to avoid being run over by carts. While I'm usually pretty mellow, just ignoring the people around me as best I can, Wife has no problem turning to the inconsiderate people around her and giving them a piece of her mind. She's going to get me punched.

Among the items we purchased was a humongous package of toilet paper. There is nothing like walking home through Times Square carrying a hundred rolls of toilet paper. It's actually great because we usually get harassed by "vendors" trying to take advantage of tourists. We were able to get home completely unmolested as I carried the huge pack of TP and laundry detergent. So, the lesson, is that when visiting New York, you may want to carry a huge package of toilet paper around with you.

We also bought Wife a full body pillow, so now that she is in bed cuddling the pillow, she suddenly thinks it was a pretty good day at Costco.

A Date Night with Burgers 'n' Fries

Wife hasn't really had many of the"cravings" that I always hear that pregnant women experience. I have been waiting for requests of peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches - hasn't happened. She has however become quite a fan of cheeseburgers and hamburgers. This evening, we went on an excursion to Donovan's in Queens to enjoy what has been voted the best burger in New York. I think wife would agree with that vote.

After a thirty minute subway ride, we found ourselves enjoying what Wife has dubbed, "The best meal ever." The burger is a carnivore's dream -- thick, juicy, meaty, sandwiched by two slices of American and a toasted sesame seed bun. On the side, it comes with a hunk of iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato and french fries that are more like potatoes thick potato wedges.

Wife refused to stick the vegetables in her burger, instead choosing to eat them as a small side salad. She didn't want anything to distract from the flavor of the burger. If you knew Wife a few years back, I'm sure you're reading this post (and especially that last sentence) with a bit of skepticism and disbelief.

The Crib is in the Crib

The crib has been delivered and assembled. The mattress is in the crib. Now we just need bedding. And a kid.

If the new crib is any indication, I'm guessing we're going to have a spoiled child.

A Night at Yankee Stadium

This evening at about 5:45, the Firm offered me couple very, very good seats to tonight's Yankees game. About ten minutes later, a partner gave me a project to do tonight. Fortunately, about an hour into the assignment the Partner learned I had the tickets and insisted I go enjoy the game. So, Wife and I enjoyed an evening in the brand new Yankee Stadium. Our seats were just a few rows off the field right behind the Yankees' dugout. I've never had seats close enough to talk to the baseball players before. A true baseball fan would have really enjoyed it.

Enjoying a BBQ with 150,000 of Our Closest Friends

Wife and I attended the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party on Saturday. Nothing like pushing through a crowd of 150,000 hungry carnivores while waddling along with Wife. Nothing like free Snapple and Edy's Ice Cream to start a weekend right.

The event's website explains:

The Seventh Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party returned to Madison Square Park this weekend. The weekend-long event takes place every June and brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Madison Square Park, the Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party attracts people from near and far to sustain and celebrate America’s authentic culinary and musical traditions.

Below is a video made to promote last year's event.

Blue is Bad

Minutes ago, as Wife and I were in bed watching the overtime period of the Laker-Magic game, Wife began shrieking and ripping off her nightgown as she ran into the bathroom. I immediately followed standing at the bathroom door asking, "Is everything ok?" Seconds later, Wife walked out of the bathroom and slammed her nightgown into the hamper. "I just realized this is the same shade of blue as the Magic are wearing."

Right now, it might be a good thing we're not having a boy.

Quote of the Day

Quote of the day (for background, Stan Van Gundy is the coach of the Orlando Magic):

"If Stan Van Gundy is good at one thing, it’s making adjustments from game to game. We saw it against Philly, Boston and Cleveland, as he outcoached Tony DiLeo, Doc Rivers and Mike Brown (even if outthinking those three is like making a dog think you have a treat) to series victories. The Magic will surely work on defending the schemes executed by L.A. for the next couple days, and they’ll have an answer. Of course, the Lakers will have some adjustments of their own." Forum Blue and Gold.

Yeah, that quote is a bit harsh, but it is funny. Stan Van Gundy is one of the best minds in basketball; I have a lot of respect for him as a coach. Tony DiLeo was the rookie interim head coach of Philadelphia (who was immediately replaced as soon as the playoffs were over). Doc Rivers and Mike Brown, of Boston and Cleveland, are, in my opinion, overrated coaches that benefit from having outstandings teams (unfortunately, I could say the same thing about Phil Jackson, though what makes Phil great is his leadership and management of players' egos).

Highlights of the Black Mamba

Subway Performers

These guys are quickly becoming internet sensations. Wife and I got kicked on the subway by them before they were famous (seriously, we did).

Our Exciting Weekend with the President, the Zoo and a Salute to Israel

We did a lot this weekend. Many of our activities deserve their own post. However, if I waited to write a full post on the various events, nothing would ever get posted (as happens with most of the stuff we do). So, in bullet-point format, here are the things we did in the past 48 hours:

• Watched President Obama and his motercade blocks from our apartment as he enjoyed his "date night" on Broadway (that was a LOT of security).
  
• Visited the Central Park Zoo to gawk at seals, penguins, monkeys and the polar bear (seriously, Wife was content to leave as soon as we saw her favorite exhibits).
• Attended the Salute to Israel Parade (I think this had even more security than Obama's visit). This may have been the biggest parade we've ever witnessed in person with over a hundred thousand participants (not observers, over 100,000 marchers). We saw countless celebrities, politicians and musicians at the parade, including Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and New York Governor David Patterson.
• Husband inadvertently participated in the Salute to Israel Parade.
• Shook Senator Chuck Schumer's hand at the parade.
• Listened to an assortment of Israeli pop stars (and were shocked by the number of "boy bands").
  
• Enjoyed a Saturday evening pizza party at the park off the Hudson River.
• Enjoyed a Sunday morning picnic at Bryant Park.
• Attended church.
• Watched the Lakers pound the Nuggets and the Magic finish off the Cavs (Wife is very excited to get a few days free of NBA-related stress).
  
• Typical weekend shopping (groceries, toiletries, etc.).
  
• Window shopped for baby stuff at FAO Schwartz.
• Admired the Laker Western Conference Champtionship gear at the NBA Store on 5th Avenue.
• Wandered around the Disney Store on 5th Avenue.
• Laughed at people spending ridiculous amounts of money for shoes at Niketown.
  

Have You Seen My Three Championship Rings?

I'm sure a wonderful, award winning advertising company created this new ad campaign.

Our Baby Registry

Over the last few months, we have gotten many calls and emails asking with a couple questions whether Wife is having having a baby shower and what we will need for the baby. To answer the question about the baby shower, I doubt Wife will have one. Since her friends and family are scattered throughout the country (and mostly not anywhere near where we live), having a shower would be tough. For some reason, all the guys she works with don't seem to feel like throwing a big shower. Weird. To answer the question about what we need, we need everything. So, the bottom line, buy us stuff. Obviously, I'm just kidding. For those that have a deep burning desire to buy something for the baby (and for those who just want to laugh at what we think we'll need), feel free to take a look at our baby registry. We have finished our baby registry on Amazon.com. To find it, simply go to Amazon and then search the baby registries using either one of our names.

The registry is nice because when someone chooses to buy something on the list, it will give the buyer of shipping to either the buyer's address or our address. In about six weeks, we will probably go through the registry and buy everything that we need that has not already been purchased.

Yes, you need our real name to look at the registry, so I guess that means that about seventy-five percent of our regular readers won't be able to check it out. Sorry.

Family Vacation to Connecticut

Our baby had her first vacation this past weekend. I have been talking to husband about wanting to get out of the City for awhile (ok, I'll admit it...I've been nagging him about it), so when a three day opened up, Husband suggested we venture out to the beautiful state of Connecticut. I quickly agreed.

After talking to coworkers and searching on the internet, Husband and I decided to go to South Norwalk for the day, where we could enjoy the small New England town and visit the Maritime Center. I was so excited. I am not sure what excited me more: the train ride, getting out of the City, a whole day with Husband (without any work) or getting to see the Maritime Center.

Our day began early with our weekly Saturday morning breakfast in Bryant Park. We woke up a bit earlier than normal, so this was the earliest we have had breakfast in Bryant Park. Our park was so empty and serene. I love this park. This is the closes thing to a backyard that we have. In fact, Husband and I had a conversation that the lawn at Bryant Park will probably be the first grass our baby ever gets to touch and play on.

After breakfast, we continued on our walk to Grand Central Station. We purchased our tickets and boarded the Metro North bound for South Norwalk, Connecticut. The train ride had it charm. I loved staring out the window and watching the pretty landscape (I love the City, but getting out of the business for a little while is nice too). On the train, we had some tunes to keep us entertained. A fellow passenger was listening to her iPod (at an extremely high decimal). After a few head jerks, she was fast asleep and her earphone fell out of her ear providing the whole car the listening pleasures to the hip hop jams. The funniest part was how everyone on the train car took turns looking over at her in disgust. I’m not sure how she slept through all that noise.

We also were able to enjoy the lovely anecdotes of an adorable three year old boy. While the boy was definitely cute, he enjoyed talking and asking questions through the entire train trip and what was worst was that he didn’t understand the concept of using his “indoor voice.”

The train trip lasted just over an hour. After a couple wrong turns walking trying to figure out where in South Norwalk we were, we walked through an adorable little New England town and ended up at the Maritime Center. While waiting to cross the street at the light (yes, we waited at a crosswalk - a sure sign we weren’t in Manhattan anymore) we saw something that I have never seen before. A street divided in half and rose up so that a boat could pass on the water underneath it. Husband was pretty nonchalant about it, but I started screaming for him to take out his camera.

The aquarium was really interesting. We were able to see seals, sharks, penguins, lots of colorful fish (my favorite was the lionfish) and cool turtles (the fun of looking turtles made me want to get an aquarium; looking up at the thousand pound sea turtle scared me a little bit). We spent several hours walking around the center, but I quickly tired, so we walked through the town to find a nice place to eat lunch.

We wanted to find someplace special for lunch, so we asked some locals for suggestions on where we should go. We got a few different responses, but we finally chose a quaint little diner with great service and even better food (I’m really starting to like food!).

After a much needed rest and a wonderful meal, we traveled back to the Maritime Center to see all that we had missed earlier in the day. Our day was filled with a great deal of walking, so I was thrilled that one of our afternoon activities was kicking back to watch an IMAX movie (well actually, I kicked back and our little girl just kicked!). I have only seen one other IMAX movie before (years ago Husband – before he was “Husband” - took me to see my favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast at an IMAX theater). Our movie for this trip was the nature film “Wild Ocean.” It was an exciting 40 minute flick about the wild ocean off the coast of Africa.

The day was a ton of fun for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed it is so much that it knocked me out, and I slept the whole trip home (Husband makes a wonderful travel pillow on the train).

Our baby has now experienced her first trip out of New York with her trip Maritime Center and her adventure into her second state, Connecticut.