Christmas in New York City!

December 27, 2008

This year GrandMom and Pops Riecks came to New York City to spend Christmas with me. It was a lot of fun showing them around the city and doing all sorts of special stuff with them. Of course we spent the most time outside on the coldest days, but that is how it works out.

On Monday we went into Manhattan and saw the trains at the CitigroupCenter. I loved this! Apparently this is the last year which makes me really sad. You should definitely check this out if you have time.

We then walked over to Rockefeller Center and looked at the Christmas tree. We also got to see the ice skaters. I had seen them before with my teachers at school but I was able to get so much closer this time. I liked seeing Santa Claus skate.

We then went to go look at the windows at Saks. I have seen these windows in the daytime, but I've gone from a side street. I've also seen the windows at night when the "snow show" is on and the windows light up. I was very confused to see the windows during the day from the front and to not see the snow show. I got very upset when the show didn't start. At that point we decided it was time to head home.

On Tuesday we went to the Bronx Zoo. Last year I went at night and saw lights. But this year there are no lights (reducing carbon emissions) but there are still plenty of animals. My favorite animals were the monkeys, but we also saw the sea lions, the reindeer, ducks, cranes (they were very loud), a snow leopard and the polar bear. We also got to watch someone make ice sculptures. While we were eating there were Christmas Carolers. It was a lot of fun.

On Wednesday we did some family stuff (I'll write about that later) and we did see some pretty Christmas lights. We also went to see a large menorah in Riverdale.

Thursday and Friday were also family days.

On Saturday we went to the New York Botanical Garden to see the Holiday Train Show. I had so much fun. Every time a train came by I assumed a"train-watching pose" so that I could better see the trains. Mommy really liked looking at all of the buildings that were made of natural materials. She made a pointing of showing me the ones that I see on a regular basis (Rockefeller Center, Van Courtlandt House) and some other ones. We then went to see a puppet show of the "Little Engine that Could". I really enjoyed that.

I hope GrandMom and Pops enjoyed their visit to New York City at Christmastime. I hope I didn't wear them out too much.

Balloons!

November 26, 2008

Tonight was a lot of fun! For the second year, Mommy and I went with my friend Max and his Mommy and Daddy to see the balloons get blown up before the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I really liked the Dora balloon, the Kermit balloon, as well as the one in the shape of a pumpkin, and the one in the shape of a star. The balloons were big!

Spoiler alert for the parade! There are three new balloons this year, a Smurf, Buzz Lightyear, and Horton (from Horton Hears a Who). It was really crowded but we all made it through.

My favorite part was probably getting to ride in a taxi cab to the train station.

I can't wait to see the parade on television tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to seeing friends again!

Lunch with Friends

November 23, 2008

Today we had lunch with some of Mommy's firends. Mommy was in shock when she realized she has been friends with some of them since 1995. She feels this is a long time. They all worked together at Trail Blazers.

We went to lucnh at a fun place called Dinosaur BBQ. I had macroni and cheese and french fries. Mommy had barbecued chicken and Daddy had some cat fish.

Mommy's friends also had children so there were 4 of us under the age of 3! (Somehow I was the oldest!) But we had a lot of fun.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Nov. 15, 2008

My Daddy had a birthday this week! I sang him the happy birthday song several times and gave him a card. Hopefully this weekend Mommy and I will make a cake.

Here are some pictures of me hanging out with Daddy this week!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Children's Museum

November 2, 2008

Yesterday I had a fun adventure. I went with Mommy and my friend Sam and his Mommy to the Children's Museum of Manhattan. This was my second time, but I was a lot bigger this time and a lot braver!

Sam and I first went to see the Dora and Diego exhibit. We had a lot of fun driving Tico's car.

We then went to the third floor. We both loved playing with the fire truck. We were able to dress up as fire man and take turns driving the truck. There was also a bus we could play with.

There was a really neat climbing thing in this room.

The best part of the museum was the sandbox. (Mommy didn't take pictures!) Sam and I played there for 45 minutes. We had so much fun. We also did a really fun painting.

After the museum we went to get something to eat at a restaurant.

I had a good time with Sam!

Halloween 2008

November 1, 2008

I really like Halloween. What's not to like? I really like pumpkins, I like dressing up like a train, and I like candy!

Two weekends ago Mommy and I picked out my own pumpkin. Then last weekend we were at a mall where there was free pumpkin decorating so I now have two pumpkins. Daddy wouldn't let me take a bath with them the other night, I don't understand why. Mommy doesn't think I would react to well to permanently carving the pumpkins so she says we will wait until next year for that tradition.

I decided I wanted to be a train this year for Halloween. The only costume that was my size and still had the appropriate hat was the "James" costume from Thomas and Friends. However, I call all of the trains Thomas, so Mommy and Daddy decided I could be a "Red Thomas".

We had a "Fall Festival" at school. I had a lot of fun decorating a cookie (and eating it of course) and making a painting using an apple for a stamp. I also had fun decorating a pumpkin.

On Halloween I went trick or treating. Even though there are a lot of houses in our neighborhood Mommy decided to start small this year so we went trick or treating in our building. It was a lot of fun and I got some candy. (Somehow it has all disappeared though?) Who knows.

I like Halloween.

Birthday Party!

October 2008

A few weeks ago I got to go to a really fun birthday party. My friend from school, Max B. was having a party at Appleseeds. Since we were going to go to Brooklyn after the party Daddy came with us. That means I have a lot of pictures to share! I think Max had a good time at his 2nd birthday party. I had a good time!

Columbus Day Weekend with GrandMom and Pops

October 2008

OK..So my mommy has been very busy lately to keep up my blog. But I have been doing some fun things!

On Columbus Day Weekend GrandMom and Pops came to visit. I was really excited to see them. They read me several books, including two they had "written" themselves based on their recent trips. I really like the Train book and often sit and read it myself.

On Saturday of the weekend we decided to take a little road trip to see all of the fall leaves. We took the "scenic" way to Milford PA. We stopped several times to take pictures--but somehow Mommy didn't take any.

When we got to Milford we saw Aunt Carol, who is my Godmother. We had lunch at a nice restaurant, Apple Valley. Aunt Carol gave me a copy of Fox in Socks along with my own Fox in Socks. (I enjoyed it when GrandMom read it to me later!).

After lunch Mommy took us to Grey Towers. I had a lot of fun running around in the grass there and listening to the echos that were created in the amphitheatre. GrandMom and Pops seemed to enjoy the trees and flowers. I took a LONG nap on the way home.

On Sunday we we went to church and then grocery shopping at Stew Leonard's. Mommy and Daddy then went to a movie while I stayed with GrandMom and Pops. At first I wasn't too certain about this, but then they gave me a fire truck! That was a lot of fun.

On Monday we finally took GrandMom and Pops to Wave Hill near our house. I had a lot of fun running around on the grass there while GrandMom and Pops looked at the flowers.

It was then time to take GrandMom and Pops to the train station in Yonkers. We walked around the waterfront a little bit before dropping them off. I was sad to see them leave but I can't wait to see them again!

This is looking North from the Yonkers Pier, towards the Tappan Zee Bridge.

This is looking South from the Yonkers Pier at the George Washington Bridge.

A concert at Lincoln Center

September 21, 2008

Today was an exciting day! I went with Mommy, my friend Max (and his Mommy and Daddy) and my friend Nicholas (and his Mommy and Daddy) to Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. We saw the Laurie Berkner Band perform.

I had a lot of fun. Nicholas and Max were more into dancing than I was, but I still had a good time. I was fascinated by the seat and how it would move up and down. I attempted to figure it out before we left but I wasn't exactly successful.

I had a good time at the concert.

The Beach

August 16, 2008

Even though I am almost 2 and half years old and live near the coast Mommy and Daddy have never taken me to the beach! I've seen the ocean before, but it was in the winter and from a board walk.

Because GrandMom and Pops were visiting us and they wanted to see the Atlantic Ocean before their trip to visit the Pacific Ocean we went to Orchard Beach. It was a whole 20 minutes from my house. I hope Mommy and Daddy feel guilty for not taking me before! (OK it actually is on the Long Island Sound and not the Atlantic Ocean but it does have waves and sand!)

As you can see in the pictures I had a lot of fun at the beach. I liked playing in the water with Mommy and Daddy. We did "jump, jump" and I also balanced on one leg while standing in the water.

The sand felt different than the sandbox at the pool, but I soon discovered how much fun it was. Daddy couldn't believe how much sand was in my diaper at the end of the day.

I had a lot of fun. I hope Mommy and Daddy take me back to the beach.

A weekend with GrandMom and Pops

August 14- 17, 2008

I had a great weekend with GrandMom and Pops. They came on Thursday night before they began their trip out west!

On Friday we took it pretty easy but I did take them to Stew Leonard's. I showed them the animals there as well as my favorite part---the ice cream!

On Saturday we went to the Beach-see more in another posting. Saturday night I stayed with GrandMom and Pops while Mommy and Daddy went out for dinner.

I had a lot of fun this weekend. GrandMom and I read several books together, Pops and I built towers and other things. Pops and I also went on a bear hunt. I also showed off how good I have become at riding my bike. I'm glad my grandparents were able to come and visit.