Christmas in New York: I heart FAO Schwarz

This year our Christmas gift to each other was a long awaited trip to New York City. What fun New York is! Why have we waited three and a half years to go? Too bad we chose the three coldest days of December to visit. We all just bundled up and braved the chilly weather to see the sights.

We started by driving in across the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan and up to Grand Central Station. We made it to our hotel which was perfectly located in Midtown, parked the car and set out to see Times Square. As you can see here we have ducked into Virgin Records to get warm. The music was so loud and obnoxious I put headphones on Chloe to try and protect her hearing. We left shortly after this photo.

We saw the lights and advertisements of Times Square and took another rest in Toys 'r Us. Chloe enjoyed being out of the backpack and playing with a few toys. After all the lights we ate dinner at TGI Friday's because they had the shortest wait at 9pm. Chloe enjoyed dancing in her high chair and entertaining all the other people eating around us. She was such a good sport for being up so late after her bedtime. Our server was so cute an she absolutely loved Chloe. When we were leaving she told us Chloe should be in commercials. We agree but are not willing to put our child through all the drama of being a child star (wink-wink).

Monday morning we got up and jumped on the subway. Well, after standing there looking dumb and lost, the nicest woman stopped to ask us if we needed help. And they say New Yorkers are rude (we met those ones later). One stop later we were at were at FAO Schwarz. Mike and I agree, this was the best part of our whole trip!!! They do it right at this store. Our whole goal was to find Chloe her first baby doll. We spent probably 45 minutes in the Corelle doll section with the cutest sales associate. Chloe of course found a darling pram to stroll around with while we decided on her doll (I'm sorry to say it is still upstairs in the bag, two weeks later.) My favorite moment of the whole experience was as I was walking away to go pay for the doll, Mike (Daddy) was holding up a little doll umbrella stroller and said to me "I think she needs one of these too." It was at that moment I knew he was under her spell. Chloe can do a lot with this later in life is she just learns how to harness the power. Just a little side note, that stroller cost almost double the amount the real kid stroller costs at Target. Boy are we suckers, but who cares.

After a nap at the hotel, we wandered through Central Park for the afternoon. Wow that park is huge! It was super cold and we made Chloe take her 20 minute afternoon nap in the stroller. Poor thing. We loved the park and froze our little butts off wandering around getting lost in the detours. Who knew a park would be under construction in the middle of winter?

That night we met up with one of my sister's high school friends who lives and works in NYC. It was so fun to see Sheridan after what seems like a million years. She was a perfect tour guide around Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. Thanks again Sheridan for meeting up with some silly tourists from Maryland. As we walked back to our hotel along 5th Ave we saw many lights and holiday displays. My favorite was De Beers of course. Poor Chloe was pushed to her limits and got a cold that night. In the end, this little cold may have saved her from the stomach flu we had over our trip to Utah. I'm convinced the antibiotic kept her healthy.

On our way out of town we drove through Times Square, stopped and saw the Macy's windows, and got some good Mexican food in Greenwich Village. It has been a long time, maybe the first time, since we have had any good Mexican food on the East Coast. We drove to the New Jersey side of the river and took pictures of the NYC skyline before driving home.

It was a cold but fun and memorable trip. Well worth every penny and shiver!