Hello Friends! I think it's fair to say we really enjoy every season in New York, even the winter (which Robby LOVES). There is something so special about each one. This Fall has been no different and the past six weeks have been FILLED with us trying to make the most of every day. (Even if by making the most of it, it meant we stayed in, swapped out our summer clothes for winter clothes and ordered Pad Thai.)
This is the list we came up with at the end of the Summer with things that we'd like to try to do this Fall:
- Apple Picking
- Seeing the Balloons all ready for the Thanksgiving Day Parade by the Museum of Natural History
- Trick or Treat with Lucie at Lincoln Center
- Spend a day in Forest Hills
- Take Family Pics in Central Park
- Attend a Football Game and tailgate
- Hike around the Aqueducts along the Hudson River
- VOTE!
This is a pretty long post, but it's mainly filled with some of our favorite pictures from the past few weeks and an update about how Lucie's doing as well as a minor surgery she will be having this week.
We kicked off the fall with a day in Forest Hills. We had lunch with Sharon (my friend and coworker) and her husband Dan. We walked around the Forest Hills Gardens and admired the neighboorgood with its Tudor styled houses. It was hard to believe we were still in New York City!
Lucie playing Sharon's piano.
Conducting as Dan played us a song on Violin. Sharon and Dan treated us to a couple of songs they played together.
Out on our walk around the neighborhood.
Finally tried Snow Days - think snow cone/ ice cream mixed together with other fun flavors.
Lucie wasn't herself this day and we weren't sure why. When we got home she got sick after dinner and the next morning, her ear drum ruptured. After a round of antibiotics she was much better, but with that incident we decided it would be a good idea to discuss the need for ear tubes with her ENT. She will have the surgery tomorrow morning. We've heard from so many that it is a quick procedure and that afterwards you can sometimes tell a difference with an increase in speech and even better balance in some cases. We're hoping that at least this will help drain all that fluid that has been adding pressure to Lucie's ears for months. Prayers that everything would go smoothly this week would be so appreciated!
At the end of September I had a work training in Dallas. I enjoyed this peaceful view of downtown Dallas from my room. We had a team dinner a few blocks away but other than that, I was mainly indoors in training sessions. I'll be heading back again in January for our National Conference. When I got back, Bob and Donna had also just arrived for a long weekend visit.
Abo reading a book to Lucie
We went apple picking at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard with Bob, Donna, Scott and Katie. We were excited in this pic because we got our apple cider and our fresh apple cider donuts.
Lucie's tradition of falling asleep just when we start apple picking. At least she woke up this year while we were still there.
(Throwback to last year, September 2015)
Lucie, Rob and Uncle Scottie.
Good looking crew.
Baaaaa
Cluck-Cluck-Cluck!
The Fam
Back in the City the next day at one of our favorite playgrounds inside Central Park.
Grandma and Abo got Lucie a toy with Elmo and Abby and she LOOOOVES them. Every once in a while we watch YouTube videos of Elmo, she grabs her toys and dances along to the songs with them.
The following week we made our way up to Rob's old stomping ground in the Bronx to watch Maritime Football.
It wa a gorgeous day! And Maritime won! Woohoo!
Touchdown! Lucie at her first Tailgate.
Maritime W!
By the end of the next week, Abuela came for her first visit since last May and we were really thankful for the time. We did a lot of exploring, a lot of eating and a lot of walking!
Lucie and Abuela at the playground in our neighborhood.
Three generations together in the best park in the world.
La Familia <3
Walked through Grand Central Terminal, and Lucie exhaled, "Wooooow!"
Checking out the mall and transportaion hub called the Occulus in Downtown Manhattan. Thanks for the visit, Abuela!
The next week was Halloween. We dressed Lucie as a Lion. At first she wasn't a big fan of the mane, so we had Bess model it for her. Haha!
We went to Lincoln Center for a Family Trick or Treat event. Lucie and Elle liked the pumpkins more than the candy.
The gang!
Two Lions and a Nat Geo Photographer.
We also walked around to some of the local stores on our street that we regularly frequent to say Happy Halloween. Since Lucie isn't eating candy just yet, our bodega shop gave Lucie her first rose which was so sweet.
That weekend, we also celebrated Lucie's bff's 1st birthday, believe it or not. Lucie especially loved the balloons and the birthday hat!
All smiles!
Poor Elle wasn't a fan of the cake (she'll come around)... and yes, that's our daughter in the background being a total creeper.
At the end of that week I had another work trip up ito Albany. I took the train upstate and loved getting to see the changing leaves. It was a quick overnight trip and when I got back, we got to see my sister Eli who was visiting. We had lunch with her and her boyfriend Omar and then went to Central Park where we met up with our friend Jossie and her daughter. We've known Jossie since we were growing up in PR and I just love getting to catch up with her every now and then now that we both live in the City and have little girls of our own.
“And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.”
On Tuesday, we headed to the polls and took Lucie with us to vote. It was a really cool experience and I look forward to continuing to take her with us to teach her about the democratic process and her right to vote. It seems like in this election, many Americans were disenchanted with both candidates. If you look at both the electoral vote and the popular vote tonight the results are soooooo close, which just shows how divided we are as a Nation. Although we were surprised to see the results as they began to come in last night, when we saw the final call this morning, we just prayed that our country would unite and move forward together, not in fear, but in hope, understanding and love.
Ok, almost done with the update! Now to the best part - lot's of pics of the Goose!
Lucie playing at our neighborhood playground. She made a friend who gave her an Anna cape from Frozen to play with for a bit.
D is for Drive! Lucie went through all her toys and found the cars she's holding to show us that they were the same as in her new favorite book.
PLAY!!
Good times with Ellie Bear!
Dada setting up a bird feeder on our balcony so Lucie could watch them out her window. She had already seen several before he did this and would call out, "Biiird! Biiiird!" So now we are hoping this will bring a few more our way before winter. (We also discovered that this is not a fire escape like we initially thought, so we need to figure out an escape plan now. Eek!)
Now that Lucie is getting bigger, we're teaching her to help out. She looooves pushing the carts in the grocery store and won't let anyone help her steer. Look out shoppers!
She helped us vacuum the living room too, what a great helper! Bess is terrified. Haha!
Lucie loving the playground at school.
Playing on the Scooting Tricycle.
Time for dress up!
Lucie loves spending time with her babysitter, Aly, who makes managing our busy schedules possible and is huge answer to prayer!
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for Lucie's surgical procedure tomorrow.