Baby Meets the Big Apple! Part 1

Baby & I just got back from our big East Coast trip for my Aunt Martha's 90th birthday party.  We flew into Newark airport last Thursday, where Auntie Jade picked us up and whisked us away to her family's farm in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. They have peach & apple orchards, as well as random veggies for the family.  There is nothing better than eating the first batch of peaches fresh from the trees!  I think Baby may have gotten spoiled and will need that taste of peaches every summer (wink, wink, Jade!)  I even got to bring some home for J.R.  We also had fantastic shrimp & scallop skewers & strip steaks thanks to her Dad's expertise on the grill.  Yum! 

We spent Friday down at the Jersey Shore, Point Pleasant to be exact.  Thanks to J.D.'s sister Christie, I had a maternity suit to borrow, so we laid out with our books (and SPF 50) next to the Atlantic Ocean.  After awhile, I got a little overheated, so we moseyed down to the water to cool off.  Now, before I go any farther with this story, let me make something clear to my fellow Midwesterners:  The ocean & Lake Michigan are NOTHING ALIKE!  I can handle Lake Michigan.  I could not handle the waves of the Atlantic.  Poor J.D. tried to convince me that splashing in the shallows was really the best plan, but no, I figured I was this close to the Atlantic, I was going in!  Again, poor J.D. (who was already a bit nervous about being the sole protector of the pregnant lady) tried to tell me how to accomplish this feat.  I, however, could not quite manage to follow them.  I got in past the first set of waves, but apparently I didn't get out quite far enough.  The second wave crested over my head, since I was already deep enough that I couldn't push off the bottom to get up over it.  I decided to head back in, which was the exact wrong decision because I wasn't moving very fast thanks to my weight & balance issues and the next wave was coming up quick.  It was a doozy!  Not that I could see it since I was focused on the shore, but a very nice man had a panicked look on his face as he grabbed my arm to haul me out more quickly.  Luckily, he was an ex-lifeguard having a fun day at the beach with his kids and recognized that I was about to get tumbled.  As a warning to other potential preggers, do not try swimming in the ocean for the first time when you're nearly 7 months along!

 So, all was well, and once J.D. got back to shore and her panicky breathing returned to normal, we decided it was time to head to the Boardwalk.  Jade beat me twice with the water gun races, winning us both these adorable pigs.  I popped four balloons with three darts and won a penguin for us both and a stuffed rubber ducky! Most of the toys in my classroom have come from trips to the Jersey Shore, and my new additions should feel right at home.  To cool off we drove back north a ways to a movie theater to wallow in the A/C and the music of ABBA.  Mamma Mia was quite entertaining, but note to casting directors: When casting for a musical, make sure your leads can sing!  We had mixed opinions about Meryl Streep's performance, but Pierce Brosnan, for all his masculine appeal, CAN NOT SING!  Still, all in all, a fun flick to finish the afternoon.    Dinner at On The Border capped off a perfect day!  

Saturday, JD masterfully negotiated Manhattan traffic to meet up with our friend Kate for brunch at a funky little diner called VYNL.  Any restaurant that gives me The Who's Tommy album as a cover for my menu and a huge breakfast for under $10 is tops with me!  After a quick stop at Kate's cute apartment, we headed for Central Park.  After a bit of a walk around, we settled in for a nap in the sun!  It was great!  Then Jade took me to meet up with my family in Long Island City at the Hotel Verve (a Clarion).  At that point, I was definitely ready for a nap.