New York State Of Mind

We've just returned from a 6 day visit to NY. I haven't been to NY since January, when the baby was 5 weeks old - this is the longest I've stayed away since relocating to Vegas. The trip was great and yet, still, 6 days was just not enough time to see everyone and do everything I had planned to do (my apologies to LPA & Ms. Jackson and Slim Larry, among others). Added to the mix this time was the fact that I had the baby with me and I just wasn't that comfortable with the idea of public transportation yet, which admittedly limited my mobility substantially - Slim Larry sent me a text urging to me to hurry up and move back so that I can remember that public transportation is the only way to get around in NY. So true, so true. K told me that he didn't travel with my Stepsons on the subways until they were older and could walk. Just thinking about the screeching trains was enough to make me cringe on behalf of my baby's ears. The thought of being stuck in a subway car with a revolving cast of passengers, plus remembering how dirty I found the city when I visited during my pregnancy was just too much for my inner germaphobe. (I actually can't believe I am writing this - have I lost my native NY flavor? Have I become suburbanized? Desertized? Say it isn't so!!). And to be honest, I am still feeling apprehensive about the Swine Flu. Of course, it was a true test of will power sitting on the plane surrounded by coughing passengers - in the row across from us, the row in front of us, and some rows back. I finally just had to let go and let God.

The baby was wonderful on the plane. Going to NY he was fussy in the airport, but settled down once I gave him his teething tablets and nursed him right before boarding and right before take-off. He slept during the entire trip (hooray for the Red-Eye flight booking), with a little stir right before landing, allowing me to nurse him again as we landed (great for the ears). He slept until we reached my in-laws' house. Going back to Vegas, he was up for a lot of the ride, but pleasant, smiling at passengers, jumping up and down, only fussing here and there. He slept during take-off and slept for the last 2 hours of the trip as well.

It was great to see the family, although I am so sad that I only managed to see my Grandma for about a total of 10 minutes, our first night. There was major repainting going on at her apartment, which made a formal visit impossible, between the clutter and the fumes and dust. I am so used to my Grandma's apartment being my Manhattan base, so without it, I ended up hardly going into the city. My family members came out separately to Brooklyn to visit with me, which I loved because it gave my in-laws a chance to hang out with them as well, and everyone got along famously. K and I both had family functions to attend, which had K driving non-stop, poor thing. Plus he was so jet-lagged, having only been home from New Zealand for 2 days before we headed for NY. I did get to see my family on my Dad's side, and they all got to meet the baby, which made me so happy - relatives came up from down South to celebrate my cousins' college graduations! And I did get to see my college "posse" (sans DDG), thanks to the generous hosting of a barbecue by RMC at her lovely digs (THANKS AGAIN) and that was great. I didn't get to see all the "New York-y" sites I wanted - I had a clear image of myself taking the baby to various places and getting pictures of him that would be unmistakably NY shots. But, alas, we will return. The weather was a little challenging, with more rain and cooler temperatures than I remember for June in NY. I did manage to take the baby out on strolls around the block in Brooklyn when the sun allowed.

One of the highlights of the trip was seeing my Stepsons interact with the baby - they loved each other. The baby was full of smiles whenever he saw his brothers, and they in turn were completely taken by him. My Stepsons are getting so big, it is crazy! My older Stepson is now taller than me and about to start High School! Crazy!

The trip confirmed for me that I do miss NY. It is really such a big part of who I am, and I really want to share that with my baby. At the same time, I am very appreciative of my life here in Vegas and know that when the time does come to return East, there will be lots that I will miss about life here in the desert.