Your father has been distracted as
of late. There is no excuse for not writing, it seems perhaps 2 months have
gone by, probably 4 since I last put a post on this journal, though I do have
them on my computer and have just failed to upload them. I want to tell you
about your first vacation.
I have a good friend who you will
hopefully meet someday. His name is Brent Gaylord. We only knew each other for
4 years in high school, but that was enough to cement a strong friendship that
has lasted through 9 years of us living at opposite ends of the country. If you
are laughing, thinking to yourself it sounds as though I am describing a lost
love, note that it is not lost on me as I type these words. The reason I
mention Brent is that he lives in New York, and that was where we took you on a
7 day journey for his wedding, in which I was a groomsman.
You took your first flight on June
27th 2011. Actually you did pretty well, you are now at the stage
that crawling and standing up on things is your favorite pursuit, as is playing
with everything that is not a kids toy. Items included on the flight were;
boarding passes, plastic cups, napkins, magazines which you like to shred, our
shoes, and bits of plastic wrapping or plastic containers. When we landed at
JFK 4 hours later you then embarked on your first cab ride into the city.
When we got to our hotel, the
Waldorf Astoria, you had a blast. In point of fact you were blasting across the
room at wild speeds as you explored every nook and cranny, and brimmed with
smiles from ear to ear. Your favorite room, for reasons unknown, was the
bathroom. You slept well and we all cuddled together after a delicious dinner
at a local Italian restaurant where we kept you busy with lime and lemon
wedges.
The next day was our private tour
of NYC. Our guide was also named Mark, and was quite taken with you. Actually
most New Yorkers we encountered were, I began to think you were the only 7
month old in the city, though once we ventured into the parks we found more
children. Our tour ended up being about 10 hours, no joke. Of that I would say
I was wearing you for about 7 and mom did the job for about 2, the extra hour
was lunch. We saw so many things that I hope someday you get to see again with
your friends or husband. We rode the subway, saw famous and historic churches
and buildings, viewed ground zero and structures so immense they made one feel
both empowered by what man can do, and at the same time insignificantly small
and obscure. That night we all crashed hard, one of the first you have slept
for 8 hours straight.
Good thing you did sleep, because
the next day was another 9 hour day! We successfully navigated the subways
without a guide, and arrived at the MET after a short stroll. There were so
many great exhibits, we started off in ancient Egypt, then toured “period
rooms” from Americas 1700s on that displayed varying lifestyles and fashions,
then to ancient arms and armor- my favorite, to Roman and Greek art as well as
so many other wonderful things. It is truly fascinating to stand next to
something someone not so different than you created hundreds of years ago. I
often stop to enter into their life, the things they saw and did, the dreams
and beliefs that they held and the passions they followed. It often makes
history more relevant when you place yourself in it, or rather in the people’s
shoes who lived during those times. We really enjoyed our time there, but after
a few hours it was off to central park.
Central park was great, you got to
crawl around while we ate some sandwiches we picked up a local deli. You pulled
out every blade of grass you could get your hands on, and then you went after
our food! We meandered around, stopping for ice cream and to view the sights
occasionally. Then disaster struck….. we lost your pacifier! It was something
you always needed to go to sleep and comfort you when you got cranky and tired,
and somehow it had come loose. I retraced our steps but couldn’t find it, I
guess it was some New Yorkers lucky day to score a used pacifier. Luckily mom
got you to sleep on a park bench nuzzled up against her. I took a picture,
hopefully you will see it someday.
We then went and found you a
replacement at a local drugstore, and then….. Tiffanys! Momma went shoppin! I
kept you busy and entertained in a corner playing on the floor. Mom ended up
with a pretty necklace, one which at time of writing you have not yet broken,
but are quite enamored of.
The remainder of the week I got to
spend with my old friend and though we ventured into the city another day to
ride the Staten Island Ferry and do more shopping and sight seeing the wedding
was the next big event. Unfortunately half the bridal party and your mother got
sick from the rehearsal dinner and were not feeling so good come Saturday, the
day of the wedding. You were quite the hit at the wedding, hanging out with the
groomsmen and admiring the brides dress, which I kept you from climbing up
onto. You and your mother returned home early that evening since she was not
feeling quite right yet, and I stayed and danced like a fool into the early
morning.
It was great sharing our first
vacation with you. Seeing you smile and seeing so many peoples days brightened
by your smile and piercing eyes. Some you would frown at, others- especially
waiters in little Italy you were immediately fond of! Your mother and I love to
travel and see new things and places, but it was extra special having you
along. After two days of carrying you around my back felt extra strong! I hope
you have adventures in your life both before and after you start your family.
It can be hard at times to get away or go through the troubles that some
adventures sometimes entail. But in the end you are rewarded with a richness of
memories and moments that will be like punctuation marks in your life. I sure
do love you, I love seeing you, kissing you, and watching you grow. I love the
way you smile at me and I love the way you smell. I am proud of how you are
beautiful like your mother, and I imagine I will be proud of you for the rest
of my life. I will always remember our first vacation together, and now, I
hope, you can too.
