Also

I must look like I know what I am doing, because a few times people have asked me how to get places and I have absolutely no idea. 
I suppose that is a good thing.

Dude, I know

Everyone wants to know what I have been up to.  Tomorrow, I promise.  Today we went to FAO Schwartz and the American Girl store.  I can't even describe how hard it was to not buy every cool toy I saw.  But for now I am going to watch some 30 Rock and go to sleep.  Tomorrow I get to sleep in.  Hallelujah.

Best cupcake ever.  Seriously.   I usually don't like them, but the frosting is like fudge... which really is the best part. 

Also, I have skype now, so if you want to talk/know my skype name, let me know.

Good night all.

100th post

I thought this post should be comemorated in some way... so I just mentioned it.
I couldn't get a link to the pictures on facebook on here... so if your my friend just look at them.  If your not my friend then, well... thats your problem:)

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was seriously fun.  I know I only uploaded a few pictures but blogger was taking FOREVER.  So here are a few and I will put the rest on facebook then post a link on here to look at them there.  Make sense? 

Here is the train stop that I usually take.  This is the to last stop going uptown in Manhatten.  I took the train all the way downtown to the last stop in the other direction.  So basically the bottom of the island.

Here is the NYC shoreline... Battery Park is right at the edge of the water.

Here is Lady Liberty!!!

Stay posted for the link to the facebook album!

This is what we listen to all day

Oliver is much calmer if we have music playing in the background.  His favorites are Raffi, and the girl named Laurie Berkner.  I love her.  Seriously. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwVo5E04CVQ
Go to the video... its amazing.  It's Oliver's favorite song, and he sings along to it.  My favorite one about monsters, but I couldn't find that one.
I have had to turn off these guys because I have figured out my limit to the same c.d. is about 5 times in a row.  I have been turning on pandora and I love their toddler channel, especially when they sing the song about fizzy milk.  I couldn't find the video for that... but this one is pretty good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6h7LEru69U

Also, I took off my backspace key yesterday because it was feeling sticky.  I cleaned under it, and when I finally got it back on, it clicks weirdly. 
Just thought you wanted to know.

Who knew chasing an 18th month old around all day would be so tiring?

Well... any of you that have kids.  So I am pretty much wiped out and am going to bed in a minute... but I feel obligated to update.
Yesterday it snowed and snowed and snowed. You know that picture of the bridge from the front window?  For major parts of the day we couldn't see that, let alone any of the trees in the park.
The ENTIRE city was basically shut down all day.  The schools were cancelled the day before, and almost everyone stayed home.  That was nuts.
Ok.  I can't keep a thought going straight, so goodnight all.

Okeydokey... this is going to be quick...

I am too tired to do more than post pictures...  This was how Oliver looked when we arrived...

The Museum of Natural History!!!  Silly me I carried the stroller all the way up the stair because I thought that that was the way to get in... actually no- when you have a stroller.  All there was to get in were revolving doors.  The stroller didn't fit.  I tried.

Central Park!

I was hoping this would come out better, but it is a sperm whale with a giant squid in his mouth.  Pretty cool.  The ocean animals were my favorite part of the whole place.

The HUGE whale that took up the entire room was super cool, but the room was dark like you really were underwater, so it was really hard to get a good picture.

Having just woken up from his nap, Oliver wasn't all that impressed.

Some sharks...

This is the official entrance to the Museum, the one I couldn't get into... we had to go around the corner and take the handicap/stroller entrance.

I was kinda disapointed that the entrance was not like the one in the movie, Night at the Museum.  I know, I know, real life is never like the movie... but I really love that movie.  The main entrance outside is the same... but not this part.

Giant tusked... thing.

Dinasaur...

Another dinosaur...

And Oliver... He was pretty much indifferent the entire time... except when I let him out of the stroller in an empty hall and he ran ran ran. 

Monday

Don't worry, I am completely aware that I am a horrible blogger.  I have yet to take pictures while I am downtown, and I haven't really taken any while I have been uptown.
Yesterday I took the train downtown and did some shopping.  It was super easy to figure out, and I found Macy's pretty quickly. 
On the way back I was on the train and finally decided to be like all the other New Yorkers and listen to music on the train.  We stopped at one stop, and people slowly all got off.  I didn't think much of it till one of the MTA guys came and started looking in every door.  He came to the one by me and said something, and I took the earpiece out, and said sorry, what?  Then he just stood there.  He didn't say anything.  So, I just sat there, because I didn't know what was going on.  Then another guy came up and was like this is the last stop.  Oh, did I jump right up and say sorry, I didn't hear you the first time.  I know they were laughing at me, but whatever.  I got off and realized that I was nowhere near my stop.  My stop was 215th and we were at 168th.  There was no way I was going to walk that far.  Thankfully, my phone worked once I went up a level in the subway, and I called Christy to see what I should do.  It turned out that where I was at was a stop that another train passes the one that I was on... and it is a few blocks farther walk away from their house.  Phew. 
Today I needed some time to myself.  I didn't really want to go downtown, because all those people did not feel time time alone.  So Christy sent me to Yonkers, NY driving.  I drove all the way there and back by myself!  It took a few blocks to get used to the traffic flow.  It all really boiled down to go fast and be prepared to stop fast.  If someone gets in your way, don't be afraid to honk. 
I did get confused coming back, I couldn't figure out how to get back onto the interstate that I needed.  I think I drove past it about four times before the gps finally made sense to me and I figured it out.
You know how when you are driving into Des Moines from the north and you can see the DSM skyline, and be downtown in 45 min or less?  There was a bit of that, I could see the NYC skyline and it was not very far, but I knew if I drove directly down I wouldn't get there for HOURS.  Its crazy... the sheer amount of people everywhere. 
Seriously, every time I am on the subway and it starts to fill up, the "poor and huddled masses" phrase off the Statue Of Liberty runs through my head. 
Wow... I wrote way more that I was planning on. 
Its seriously only 8:35, but I am tired.  I'm gonna watch a movie of some sort, then off to dreamland for me!
Have a great day!

Saturday

Not much happened today.  This morning Christy and I took Oliver to music class, then when it was over she took the train downtown, and Oliver and I went home.  Actually, I ran to the grocery store and picked up a couple things before heading home.  I love that you can walk everywhere here, there is no need for a car really.  I don't like that the aisles at the grocery stores are so small... there is barely enough room for the stroller to make it past someone with a cart.  But I guess you just grow used to it.
I have tomorrow off... and then most of Monday.  I know for sure I am going to sleep in tomorrow.  I have never been a early to bed/early to rise kind of person, I like to stay up late. 
I think tomorrow I am going to take the train downtown and do some shopping.  I have been itching to do that all week, and tomorrow's the day.  I was going to go to the Statue of Liberty, but I think I will save that for Monday so there is less chance of crowds when it isn't a weekend. 
Anyway...
Have a happy day!

Friday

Today is my half birthday... just in case you were wondering.
Yesterday I went downtown after Christy got home.  I didn't take any pictures... just because I had never ridden the train by myself, and I was by myself, so I really just wanted to focus on getting there and not getting lost.  I was surprised how easy it is to figure out the train and stuff.  I did get frusterated because I needed a book to read and Barnes and Noble was not easy to figure out.  I picked up the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, and I wanted to read the next one.  I know that those books are for middle schoolers... but seeing as how they are easy I can read while Oliver is playing because I don't have to pay too close of attention to the book to figure out what is going on.  The downside is that they are so easy that I read them pretty quick.
Today we walked about a mile to Target and Marshalls and wandered around.  I found the next two books at Target today... how dumb is that... It was super easy to find them at target, but Barnes and Noble was a freaking labyrinth.  Anyway.
There is a bridge that we had to cross, and I think its super fun, except for the cars zooming right by right beside you.
You know those movies where you see the New Yorkers, its loud and there are people everywhere... Yup... its pretty much just like that.
To make up for my lack of pictures... here are a couple...

This is what we use to take the laundry downstairs and back up.

We are pretty busy all day... this is right after supper and I had taken his shirt off to keep avacado from being smeared everywhere.

How cute!

Onne more quick snack before bed!

Day- I lost count, and I was lazy last night and didn't post anything...

Ok... Yes I know I didn't post anything last night.  After dinner Christy had gone to yoga, and there was a messy baby that needed a bath, and I decided my faithful followers could wait until tomorrow, because I wanted to veg and watch Modern Family.
So yesterday.  Christy had a eye appt in midtown, so we drove down there.  Driving in NYC isn't as scary as I thought it would be.  I didn't drive, but I think that I could do it if I had to.  They have a GPS in the car, and the streets are all well labeled... it is just a matter of being agressive.  Oliver and I sat in the car while she ran in, and people watched.  That was pretty fun.
Then we came home, had some lunch and then walked the neighborhood.  Christy showed me where to get on the "A" train to go downtown... that is the one I would take with Oliver because of the stroller.  There are two trains that are close that go straight into downtown, and it is about a half hour train ride. 
This evening after Christy gets back from work I going downtown by myself to get used to taking the train, and see where stuff is at. 
Last night we did laundry.  I have never lived anywhere where there wasn't laundry in the apartment, so that was interesting.
I think I am going to take a bit of a nap before Oliver wakes up for lunch.

Day 3

Hey all-
Today was my first day of actually working-ish.  As I am writing this I have to stay in the living room because Christy is still at work and you can't hear Oliver from my room.  I am watching Lost... and already have a million questions. 
Today during Olivers nap, Christy sent me go on an adventure, to get used to the neighborhood.  I walked to Broadway and went to a grocery store to get bananas.  Then I went to Park Street Deli to get sandwiches for lunch... BLT's... super good.  Then I walked all the way home... and I didn't get lost! 
I also had to move the car today... they clean one side of the street every other day, and the other side on the other days.  Does that make sense?  Anyway.  You have to double park and in about an hour or so move the car back to the other side.  All I did was move the car back to the other side of the street, but still, I DROVE in New York City!

On to why you REALLY check up on me... Oliver and I took a walk today, and I put him in the stroller so that I could take pictures as we walked.  This is the Hudson... I have no idea what bridge that one is called...  But the park is Inwood Park... their neighborhood is called Inwood.  Anyway.

Some of the "wildlife"

I was freaked out at first when I saw a black squirrel... but they are pretty cute.  There are greyer ones too but they are better hiders.

This is looking back towards the apartment...  I would so love to be here in the summer because the scenery is pretty in the winter, think of what its like other seasons!

And finally... Seriously... how cute!

Day 2

I didn't do much today... Oliver had a bad night so after he woke up Christy went back to bed for a couple more hours.  That is totally fine with me, we will be doing that quite a bit when she has a show and doesn't get back until after midnight.
Right across the street is the Hudson, and there is a lovely park with paths all along the river.  I will have to take pictures another day... I just had my phone with me today and it doesn't take that great of pictures. 
Also... its not that cold.  Don't hate me... I have my window open because my room was so warm.  I am used to the ceiling fan on in my room all the time and the air being cold that I don't sleep well without it being cold around me.  Today was in the upper 30's.
I don't have much else to report.  Christy and I are just getting used to each other... you know, that sort of thing.

This is the veiw out my bedroom window

This is the veiw out the front window... that is the Hudson.

This is my bedroom... it is the smallest in the apartment... Actually, if you have ever been to the house I live in now... I am pretty sure that space wise it is about the same.  This just has a big bed filling up space.And finally... who wouldn't want to see that cute face!