Things To Do In New York City With A Baby.

Those wild grasses of New York City.

I know I sound like a broken record, but guys, we had SO MUCH FUN on our family trip to New York last week!

It was a work trip for him, and a play trip for me, so I was the one spending most of the time shuffling around the city with my darling, almost 1-year old son. And even though I have lived in NYC before, and visited a million bajillion times, there is always something new to be discovered in this fetching, enticing, frantic city. And exploring it with my kiddo? Well, this opportunity was no exception. My eyes were opened to a whole new slew of opportunities and places to be discovered with a baby/toddler in tow. I wanted to share a few of my finds for all you adventuring mamas (and papas!) who want to tote their babes along while exploring the big city.

That happy boy.

Making friends.

We packed a few balls to pull out and be played with at a moment's notice.

Babies love fountains. They just LOVE THEM.

Everett roamed with daddy in his stroller, he crawled around Books of Wonder (don't judge, the kid REALLY needed to get out of his seat and it was an obvious play area for babies), and there he is on the subway, where he actually threw his ball in that woman's face. I practically melted into a puddle of sweat on the floor, I was so embarrassed.

These two little dreamers.

Baby and Kid-Friendly places in NYC:

Washington Square Park- For the gorgeous fountains, epic live music, and frolicking in the grasses. We might have eaten some stray dandelions, too.

Books of Wonder - Best bookstore ever! He was free to crawl on the carpet and play play play to his heart's content. This is a very special book store, and reminds you of the Shop Around the Corner from You've Got Mail. So sweet.

Picnic in Central Park - Because when you have an adventurous kiddo, picnics are the new way to lunch. We did this on several occasions, grabbing meals from Whole Foods and Shake Shack and enjoying them in the park. There are so many open field areas to lounge on the grass, too. It was a great place to pull out all the balls that Stevie made me pack for Everett, and we rolled them back and forth to each other. That child is getting pretty good at playing ball. It's really cute, but its even funnier how proud Stevie gets when Everett rolls the ball towards him. Oh boys.

FAO Schwartz - Talk about making a kid dream. My baby's eyes practically popped out of his head at all the wondrous toys, displays, animals, and joyful atmosphere. You don't have to be a big kid to enjoy - this place is even for babies! Heck, even for adults, we really love it there, too! I always want to over shop and Stevie is always like, "We can find it on Amazon later", and of course, we never do. Because this place is special and the toys in it are just rare, rare finds.

Hudson Eats at Brookfield Place in Battery City Park - Such an awesome place for a baby, because there are TONS of places to eat and you can sit inside or outside and stare at the ocean, the boats, Lady Liberty and Jersey City. Needless to say, my child was pretty quiet while we were all eating, because he had so much to look at and take in. Score.

Raining? It's no problem. There are so many places that you can stroll around with your baby that are so enjoyable and entertaining:

Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle - It's like a really nice mall. With really nice restaurants and bathrooms and coffee and pastries. These are mom necessities, right? Also, while you're there, make sure to check out Landmarc, which is known in the city for being an upscale, kid-friendly joint. Everett ate my entire grilled cheese there. Along with his own lunch.

The MoMa - This is New York's Museum of Modern Art and it is amazing. Luckily, it was located right around the corner from our hotel. I headed that way, then the rain stopped, so we didn't actually visit this time around. But any of the museums are really great for kids, including The Children's Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Met!

Have something to add to this list? We seems to find ourselves there at least 1-2 times a year and I would love to know of some more kid-friendly places! Because, you know, I plan on bringing this little one with me everywhere :) If you have more to share, please do! I'm sure other mamas would want to know, too!

New York City in the Summer!

New York City in the summer is like, well, New York City in the summer. It's so perfect that there is nothing else to compare it to. I can't get enough of this place. I am simply addicted to this crazy gorgeous city and all its grit and wit and glimmer and glamour. My little family had such a fun 5-day stretch in the city, exploring new places, paying homage to our old standbys, and reconnecting with friends. There are days when I miss living on the grand old Upper West Side, with all it's stately trees and delightful park access and established, artsy vibe. I loved our season there. It was hard, trying to make it as an actor and feeling some level of rejection all the freaking time, but- I am so proud that I took on that challenge and did my absolute darndest. I really did. And so I can always look back on my time in New York with a smile.

But I have to admit, this trip was good for my soul in a whole new way. Because as much as I love this place and I hold it dear to my heart, I felt certain in my gut that it was the right thing to leave this city when we did. And this visit really solidified that choice. I wasn't sure if I would come back and feel an incredible sense of longing, of regret. I am so happy to report that I didn't, in fact, I feel the opposite! I feel proud of our choice to move back home.

All that being said, this trip was even better than the first time we brought Everett. He's bigger, more mobile (though not walking yet, he's so close!), and even more curious about the world. And all the hustle of the city really had him intrigued: he was silent when we were in crowds. He was assessing, taking everything in, considering the moments and looking to me for reassurance every other minute. What a good boy he is.

I'm always on the bird watch.

Probably the only place where you can watch a ball game and gaze at the cityscape ALL AT ONCE. Central Park, you rule.

Don't you just love how quaint New Yorkers are? Pink shirt, big hat, this man is displaying his confidence! I love.

Summer in New York means the park is always packed with ecstatic dogs and their multitudes of humans.

I have to admit, one of my favorite memories from this trip is the evening that I went to dinner with a girlfriend all by myself. You have to understand, I am almost never alone. I haven't been alone much at all in the past year. Every mom who's reading this KNOWS WHAT I MEAN. It's just this thing, we are never, ever alone. We have these babies that need us and these families that need us and we tend to spend all our time providing for those familial needs and then time seems to always run out. And sometimes, I want to be alone. I'm the kind of person that needs alone time to recharge.

So one evening in New York, I made plans to meet my friend downtown for dinner while Stevie stayed at the hotel and put Everett to bed. And I have to say, it was THE BEST. I loved getting on the subway all by myself, NOT lugging a diaper bag, and remembering how to get around on public transportation using just my memories to guide me. I loved walking down the twinkly streets, sidestepping all the trendy youngsters who were getting off work and rushing to meet others for post-work cocktails. I loved seeing all the beautiful people, dressed up in weird trends that I will finally think are cool like 2 years from now, when those things are finally mainstream and the New Yorkers will already be way past it, on to the next. I loved meeting my dear friend at a super cool restaurant, waiting entirely too long for a table because the place was packed to the brim with the aforementioned beautiful people, paying entirely too much for a cocktail (a cocktail! Oh the joy!) and laughing entirely too loudly because I was having a ridiculous amount of fun. We talked about our dreams and talked about our mistakes and talked and talked and talked and - I felt so ignited after leaving that meal that I almost floated the whole way home. It was all very New York. I left feeling young, full of life, full of promise, and excited about the next chapter of my own personal journey. I don't know why this city always makes me feel that way, but that magic worked again. I know I don't have life all figured out, but I've got some light that I will keep on keeping on. I guess you call this feeling rejuvenation.

I was envious of that guy sitting out on his patio, looking over midtown. If you squint hard, you can see him. What's that feeling you're experiencing? ITS CALLED JEALOUSY.

Everywhere we went, this is how he rolled. I don't know where he comes up with this stuff, but he always has a new party trick to show the class.

Jessica giving Everett lemonade from a cup! Who wants a sippy cup of water when you can have someone drizzle lemonade in your mouth? He just loved her.

Stevie worked while we were there, so during the day times, Everett and I would gallivant, meet with old friends and play in the park. We walked sooooo much and it was awesome. My feet reminded me that it had been a while since I'd walked miles in sandals. We might have even fed Everett his first Shake Shack burger and fries... although I'm surprised that he didn't LOVE it the way I do. Ugh that healthy kid. It's gotta be all-organic, locally-grown with that one. Just kidding, unfortunately I've probably made him that way. But in all seriousness, I learned about a lot of places that are perfect for babies in the city, and I'll share more on that later this week.

This guy was playing all the classics in Washington Square Park and he was THE JAM. We stayed a listened for a long long time. Another thing I love about New York - free concerts!

Saturday was our family day, and we pretty much ate our way through the city. We spent the whole day just lazily munching our way through downtown, stopping only to frolic on the different tufts of grass we found along the way, listening to street musicians and watching Everett's eyes light up at, you know, everything. It was so much fun. I'm so lucky to have this little family that I just love love love. And to share my favorite city with them? Well, I think that's what we call bliss.

It was the most unexpected trip of the summer, but an infinitely important one. I'm so grateful that we don't live in NYC anymore, because it's so much fun to come back and dream and laugh and eat and reminisce. I wouldn't change this life for any other life.

Sidenote - Is it cheesy that I sang "Welcome to New York" to Everett every morning that we woke up in the hotel room? Because I totally did that. And now he raises his hands and claps to that song. That boy.

Everett Takes Manhattan.

Everett Takes Manhattan.

There it is. My tiny, bubble window frames that triumphant, iconic skyline. It never fails to give me a thrill in my gut, a rush to the head. This vast metropolis is comprised of anonymous multitudes who dream to be known, discovered and found. So much hope and promise pulsing through the subways, rising up the dizzying elevators, and reaching higher than Freedom Tower. I've admired this place from afar, lived in it up close, and today, for the first time in quite a while, am just a visitor. This time, though, everything is different. My arms are carrying the 15 most important pounds of my life and he has no idea what he is in for.

He stares up at me, almost reading my anticipation, feeling the sense of the plane landing. Can he tell what I'm thinking yet? I have no idea if a 3, almost 4-month old can intuit that profoundly. But if any of them could, it would be him. Ha. Thought every parent ever.

I brought my baby to Manhattan. And here is how it went.

We Came.

Last week we took our first family trip to New York City. I'll admit it. My excitement and anxiety for this trip were equally yoked in the days leading up to our departure. I mean, take a baby on a plane? With recirculated air? During FLU SEASON?! Ew. Ah. Oh.

We Conquered.

(Not Without Casualties.)

I'll just go ahead and get to the punchline: the trip was sublime. My child did as well as a spirited 4-month-old can. Was he a perfect traveler? Oh no. HE'S A BABY. There were two screaming restaurant incidents that I'd like to pretend never happened. But for the most part, he behaved wonderfully and went with the flow so, so well. It was almost odd, because, as I've shared before, he's not the lowest-maintenance baby. But his plane rides were so good, they were almost uneventful. And our time navigating the city together was actually super sweet and special. It was a delight sharing it with him, watching his eyes widen in awe at the enormity and grandeur and shimmer and grit.

// The foliage was perfect. Gosh I love New York. //

// Top Left: Everett putting on his fight face as we trolled the town, Top Right: Family Selfie waiting while waiting for the elevator, Bottom Left: Us with the iconic Love statue (right next to our hotel!), Bottom Right: Post-screaming lunch with the baby, where an Uber cab ride and a trendy coffee comforted my soul. //

// Central Park was as perfect as I remember //

// I got free balloons! It was really fun to walk around with... until it wasn't anymore. I might have tied them off somewhere in the city... //

// His puffer coat was like a magical cloak of sleeping properties. He yelled every time I put it on him... and then he did that ^. //

// Narnia. //

// Breastfeeding in the park (lets normalize it, people), some cute guy snapping photos, and me with my Everett bus loaded down with practically everything we own. //

How We Played.

What did we do while we were there? Mostly, we just enjoyed the park and visited some dear friends. Ate some rad sandwiches from the deli around the corner (several times :)) Took Everett to FAO Schwartz to pick out a Christmas toy (we ended up with a book.) Had some random girls give us balloons while we meandered through the park (I know - what??) Had a few too many treats from Magnolia Bakery (thanks, Jess!) Did a bit of Christmas shopping on 5th Ave., although this time I found myself wandering through the baby sections and chatting it up with the other moms in the store. It was kind of a surreal weird moment (like, am I old enough to even have a baby??) Watched the Veterans Day parade. Drank coffee and dreamed of what it would have been like if we were still living in our little 1-bedroom on the Upper West Side. As much as I love this crazy mess of a town, I am so glad we aren't living there now.

Sound too harsh? I'll give you an example. Each time I came back to the hotel after spending a few hours outside, I had to wipe a layer of grime off of Everett's face. He literally had a gritty pacifier mark from just, I don't know, the outside air? It grossed me out. When I walked with him in the stroller, I desperately wanted to shield him from the everything-ness of walking down 6th Avenue, where our hotel was located. Just so many people shoving by, jaywalking, cursing, smoking, yelling, cabs honking, exhaust fumes and wayward bikers every which way. It was just a lot. A whole lot. Everett took it in stride, but he definitely had his moments where he was DONE.

Moments That Surprised Me.

I definitely found myself holding my breath as we rode in elevators, anticipating him screaming in an airless, lightless space, squished awkwardly between strangers, but that moment never came. He was calm. I kept him out a little bit late one evening to meet my friend Deb for dinner, and he let her hold him for a loooooong time, so happy and content. I mean, it was like 9pm! And he was just chilling, completely content to be surrounded by the ardent aroma of pasta and pizza. That's my little Italian. And walking around the park with him was honestly dreamy. The leaves were raining down on us with every cool shimmy of the breeze, and in one bend of the path there was a saxophonist crooning, "Autumn Leaves", while we were surrounded by the mesmerizing autumn leaves, and ... well, it was truly a moment I will never forget. Like one of those moments that isn't significant for any obvious reason, but stands out so strongly, you almost lose your breath when you remember it. It was just a tiny slice of our time, merely a fraction of the day's experiences, but I will never forget that bend in the path, with that jazz saxophone, and looking down at Everett's eyes, knowing he was taking it all in.

We stayed in Midtown, which was perhaps a nutty choice (since its the busiest area of town), but I'm grateful that we had such a central location and could go back to the hotel throughout the day when we needed a break. My child, who typically doesn't nap well, took two two-hour naps each day - that's how stimulated he was! (Unfortunately, he was just preparing to turn the tables on me, since we have been sleep challenged ever since we returned home from our trip. No one told me that coming home from a trip is actually the hardest part of traveling!)

Thankfully, we had a lot of friends who came to the hotel to see us - thank you all so much for making those visits so easy! It was so much fun sharing him with all the wonderful souls who were so invested in him all last year, long before he was even born. These are the beautiful friends who celebrated his gender reveal, showered me and Stevie with so much love and affection, and kindly lied to me when I kept asking if I was really as gigantic as I felt. Everett was a lot more relaxed and able to interact with everyone in the hotel room than in a crowded restaurant.

Even though he was slammed with work almost the entire time, Stevie and I had bits of time to enjoy some of the New York splendor, too. We scoured the lower east corner of the park, an area we hadn't discovered much together. We ate really really excellent takeout when Everett was too fussy to go out, but even the takeout in New York is spectacular. We got to see what it feels like to be parents, traveling with a baby, which... let me tell you what, it is DIFFERENT than being all fun and fancy free on your own. Remember these times? It's safe to say those days are over. At least for a while. But it's more than okay, we are embracing this season with with big thankfulness.

// Everett and all his friends :) //

When We Were DONE.

By the last day, Everett had taken Manhattan - and decided he'd had enough. He pretty much lost his mind in a restaurant in the Flatiron area (sorry, Jenna & Tara, for all the stares for all the wrong reasons), so I was happy to take my screaming, wriggling, huffing and puffing child into a cab and call it a day. Overall, I feel proud that we managed to make our way in the city without too many meltdowns.

I'll share more details about traveling with an infant next week. So many of you shared your tips and tricks with me, many of which worked beautifully. With the holidays coming up (and Thanksgiving right around the corner!), I know tons of you will be traveling with your kiddos, and I am excited to share about what worked and what didn't.

Thank You!

Also, many thanks to all of you who offered up such helpful advice about the 4-month sleep regression/transition that we experienced coming back from this trip. We are still in the throws of it, but thankfully the waking up every hour of the night has stopped. Living on a prayer, baby. And coffee. Lots and lots of it.

Think You're Pregnant? These Were My Clues.

The Clues that I was Pregnant.

I had an inkling that I was pregnant before I actually knew. I just felt so odd. I experienced pretty much every pregnancy symptom under the sun - and I had them all much sooner than the books say is normal. Was I just hyper sensitive? I don’t know. But I’m willing to share these ridiculous tales with you because at some point, a LOT of you will find yourself in the same position I was in. Beware: This is REAL talk. If talking about body functions grosses you out, you should probably stop reading. But for all the ladies out there who care to know, I am happy to share my experiences (to a degree) about how I began to suspect there was something growing inside of me.

1. Frequenting the Loo.

In the very beginning (we are talking 3-4 weeks along) was waking up 5-8 times in the middle of the night to pee. Super abnormal. Also super annoying. Since that has continued, I’ve gotten used to sleep walking, and I almost don’t remember when I wake up anymore. Except for when I run into the walls. I think I need to get a nightlight.

2. FEED ME.

Beginning in week 6, I started waking up starving and panting for water. Like a wolverine-ish camel. A special new hybrid. First, I was craving kale and citrus fruits. Then a few weeks later, I began salivating just at the THOUGHT of bacon. And cheese burgers. And steak. Pastrami sandwiches. Barbeque pork. Weeks 9-12 were bacon OBSESSED. Now I have just settled into a new routine of protein mania. This is the one reason why I think this child could be a boy.

3. Nausea.

It’s the most boring and frustrating symptom, because it wipes you out. Nothing helps except eating. Which seems counter-intuitive. But it helped! I munched on pretzels, ritz crackers and English muffins. I watched my belly expand, but I don’t think it was due to anything more than just eating a lot of carbs. Thankfully, I did not experience the level of nausea that a lot of women experience. That's the one pregnancy symptom that seemed to bypass me (thank goodness!)

4. So. Exhausted.

This is one of the biggest indicators. When you all the sudden LOSE THE WILL TO AWAKEN, there is something going on. Before I found out I was pregnant, I was in the midst of the busy holiday season, working and auditions and having fun with new friends, and then all the sudden – my energy was just gone. Absolutely gone. I crawled out of bed as late as possible and crawled back in before 8pm. Netflix became my new best friend. And my favorite activity was sleeping. And eating. But no – sleeeeeeeeping. You cannot possibly get enough. It’s different than just being tired, though. You just lay there, wallowing in the weirdness occurring in your body. Wondering what could possibly create such an exhaustion.

5. Tears.

Exhibit A: This Josh Groban Christmas song came on our Pandora station, and I wept throughout the entire 4 minutes. I’m not talking a few trickling tears. I’m talking WAILING weeping. My husband was working on his computer and just stared at me. I surprised my own self.

Exhibit B: One night I was hungry for a cheeseburger. Really hungry. People, I was hungry. When Stevie asked me what I wanted for dinner, I burst into tears saying,” I just want a cheeseburger so badly.” He, being the good man that he is, got me a cheeseburger. And onion rings. And a root beer float. Bless that sweet man. He’s been the true champion of this pregnancy so far.

Exhibit C: I’ve been crying at least once a day for about 10 weeks straight. Sometimes its due to a cute commercial on TV. Sometimes it’s when my mom says something sweet on the phone. Sometimes it’s when we walk by a donut shop and it just seems so meant to be. But it keeps happening. Ain’t nothing I can do to stop it.

Oh, There's More.

These 5 symptoms were the ones that really stood out to me. But there are a lot of weirder things that people NEVER tell you about - like the cramping, killer bad gas, daily bloody noses, incredibly tender breasts, shortness of breath (just from walking up the stairs, geez!), headaches, super heightened sense of smell, dizziness when you stand up, insane dreams, etc. I experienced ALL of these precious moments in the weeks leading up to the discovery that I was pregnant. And many of them have continued on throughout the pregnancy. Looking back, it's really funny that I was surprised at finding out I was preggo. I mean, how obvious can it get?

Having a combination of these symptoms? Dude, YOU'RE PREGNANT.

Our Next Adventure.

An Adventuresome Timeline.

Stevie and I have been on a LOT of adventures since we've been together. When I think back over all the trips and moves we made together, my head swims through a messy wonderful kaleidoscope of memories. As we look forward to what is coming next, I can't help but smile at our milestones:

2006:

- Moved across the country in a hippie-ish caravan of our brothers, sisters, cousins and friends. We saw penguins in Tennessee, marveled at the Grand Canyon, bathed in the Colorado River (epic mistake), mountain biked in Moab and finally found our way into the city of Redding, Ca.

- Encountered Jesus in a whole new way during our time in ministry school. Life changer.

- Got engaged at Christmastime in Atlanta's Centennial Park.

- Trekked to Kenya together. We watched Nacho Libre with the Masai in the middle of the Masai Mara National Reserve. Not to mention, we saw some crazy big animals.

2007:

- Got married on a sunny southern plantation in the wonderful month of June.

- Went to Ecuador. Fell in love with the Andes.

- Went garage sale-ing on the weekends. Cuz that's a wild Saturday while living in Redding.

2008:

- Attempted to uproot the Redwoods and take them with us when we journeyed back across the country a year later. Moved back to Atlanta.

- Stevie got a job.

- I went to college.

- We made the best friends of our life.

2010:

- Had the pleasure of creating sweet music with some of our favorite people.

- Ate a lot of family dinners. Because, you know, we could. (Hi Mom!)

2011:

- Stevie got accepted into Harvard Business School

. Whoa. He's so smart.

- I figured out a way to work and go to school in Atlanta. While living in Cambridge. (Someone please pound a sarcastic "That was easy" Staples button)

- Made more best friends.

2012:

- Stevie went to India with his classmates to play with multi-million dollar diamonds. "For school purposes". I whined the entire time he was gone. LIKE THE GIRL I AM.

- Discovered the glory of Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod and all things Maine.

- Surfed in Puerto Rico. Where I performed mild surgery on my husband because he stepped on an urchin.

- I graduated! Go Owls!

2013:

- Stevie graduated! Go...Crimson??

- We took off to Europe for a month and had the trip of our life.

- Moved to New York City.

And now? Well...

Oh Baby.

Here we go... and we are thrilled! Bring on this next adventure!