goKit - Instant identity kits that tell your story. Beautifully

goKit - Instant identity kits that tell your story. Beautifully

Wow, what a busy few months!! Alot has happened since the last time I posted...

First of all, Clayton is about to turn ONE on July 22nd!! That is unbelieveable. He has had alot happen. He can now WALK! Which is kinda early for a boy I have heard. He started at 11.5 months offically. He didn't even start crawling until June 2nd and by July 5th he was taking his first steps! That's my boy! And at the airport...imagine that! He has spent lots of time in an airport this year! He is also saying bunches of words...like door, fruit, shoe, dirty, button, stinky :), dada, etc...he did manage to say mama for the first time on Father's Day...how ironic right??

We have been having lots of fun in the Big Apple. A few things that have happened...

Our minister Lud Weaver and Jean Weaver and their daughter Kate Weaver came to visit!

Clayton and I have since had lunch with Kate at Koodo Sushi and she is going to come babysit Clayton one night so mommy and daddy can have a much needed date night!

We also had Kelly (Price) Smith and Julia Price come by our apartment while they were in town which was fun!

On Father's Day, I found a really cool driving range on Chelsea Pier 59...so we took daddy to hit golf balls. We walked 2.6 miles in the 95 degree heat, but it was worth it...pretty cool...the driving range sticks out into the Hudson River and Ryan was clearing the net with his driver, so there are a few golf balls in the Hudson now!

Queen Elizabeth came to the World Trade Center so I got to see her from our apt...I got her on video! And it was one of the 100 degree days and she had her hat and stockings on as usual, I bet she was about to pass out from heat exhaustion! Poor little lady!

I also went and met up with 4 of my high school friends that are living here. Ryan let me escape for the night and I walked (all by myself :) ) to Stone Street in the Financial District down below Wall Street...what a cool place...it's this cobblestone street lined with bars, restaurants and it is completely blocked off to cars, and there are a millions tables where people sit and have drinks and/or dinner. We had a BLAST!!! I got to catch up with Jennifer Hoffman, Brennan Durham, David Suggs and Damien Dupont...all of which I hadn't seen in years...we had a really really good time! All thanks to Facebook...ain't that great!!!

Also, I joined a mamas group called HRPmamas (Hudson River Park mamas) which has great playgroups and an online daily blog that you can ask questions or just post general stuff that is on your mind. I have met up with the nicest girl named Callie and her son Jack (who are from GA and used to live in Winston Salem) so we have hit it off quickly! We are now taking swimming lessons in Battery City with them. And we plan to introduce our hubbys soon too...I am so excited to have a friend in NYC!

We also met a couple in our building that have three kids...Ashley and Trey...in fact its the kids we met the first week we were here (Olen and Scarlett and they have since had a new baby named Georgetta) and Joyce is there nanny (who has kept Clayton on time)...they are really cool and we hope to hang out with them again soon! I don't know how they do it with 3 kids in a 2 bedroom apt...I would go bananas!

I am starting to change my opinion on the people in NYC...when I first arrived, I thought everyone would be standoffish and rude, but the more I am up here, the nicer everyone seems to be getting. Maybe it's because I have a baby?? But we take our nearly daily trip to one of the 1 million Dunkin Donuts in the area and 80% of the time, they give Clayton a free donut and they all smile and talk to him! It's great. And everyone is really helpful when you have a child too, well, not everyone, but alot of people. I have noticed that at the airports and in the airplanes especially. I will have to admit that traveling with Clayton is a bit harder these days, but it's simply because he wants to be mobile ALL the time...just doesn't want to sit still anymore. So mommy gets her excercise for sure!!

I am loving this age...although I have said that about every age...it's just wonderful to see him learning new things and to hear him speak is just incredible. His little brain is just absorbing everything!

We have also taken a few trips home...we have enjoyed the freedom of going back and forth and getting to see our family and friends at home. One of the trips was a lake trip for Memorial Day weekend to Lake Murray...we had such a blast! Another trip was home to play in the GCC Member/Guest Golf Tournament (well at least Ryan played - I just got to do the wife things, like a pool party and magarita party - poor me). And another trip which was about 2 weeks ago was a trip home to MOVE which was not a very leisurely trip...at least for Mamaw, Stephanie, Chandler, Papaw and Ryan...and ME of course. We worked our fannies off getting everything moved box by box until the movers came to get the funiture on July 1st, so we officially live on Douglas Drive now...I miss my Rock Creek house that I lived in for over 10 years, but I am extremely excited about the new house! Everyone will have to come visit...

Anyways...I felt like I had lots to say...sorry if I have babbled on too long...we just had tons going on recently...

I hope all is well and will have more news later! I am including photos in random order from some of our happenings!

Love, Becca, Ryan and Clayton!

Still having fun...

Sorry it's been a few weeks since the last update...here it goes...

We made a trip home at the end of April for a week and a half while daddy stayed and worked in NYC, which we decided was too long to be apart because he spent the whole next weekend at the beach for a bachelor party. Next time we won't be apart as long!! But we enjoyed our time at home. Clayton got to go see his friends at school and mom got to visit with family and friends!

After the time at home, we were back in NYC for my birthday weekend...May 2nd.

First of all, I got flowers from Ryan and my family AND Coleman - it was the most exciting thing to receive deliveries right to my door...made me feel so special, so thank you all. And got sweet gifts from Mandy and Ellison and Mary Linda! Thank you thank you.

Saturday morning we "tested" out the pancakes at the Gee Whiz diner in Tribeca to make sure they were OK :) We wanted to have a good place to take the family when they arrived and they were delish. We then went through the Tribeca Film Festival street festival and went to the playground and on Sunday the 2nd, we decided to have a picnic together for my birthday at Battery City Park (an area I absolutely love). It's a brand new area, apartments, a big park and playground right on the water. It is fully landscaped with trees and grass and it just makes me feel like I am at home instead of a HUGE city. There are shopping areas, restaurants, and a movie theater, if we ever have date night ?!?! We picked up food from Whole Foods and had lunch on a blanket. It was lots of fun. It's the simple things that make me happy :) And of course Clayton loved being outside!

During the week, we just did our normal thing...EXCEPT for our first FEVER on Wednesday night. Poor pitiful Clayton. It got up to 102 almost and he felt terrible, but luckily, it was only a 24 hour thing...scared mommy to death though - i can tell I am going to be such a worry wart!!! We of course called the nurse's line at 3:30 in the am!!! So we had to skip Gymboree and reading at the new Public library, but managed the grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, napping, etc...for the rest of the week.

Clayton is really getting active and attentive to EVERYTHING. I love this age. He is understanding words and what they mean. And smiles and laughs at everything. And talks and smiles at strangers all the time...everyday someone tells me how cute he is which makes his momma so proud :) - there are actually lots of nice people up here, something about having a cute smiling baby, people just can't resist. I love it! He sure is growing up. Everyday gets better!

The following weekend was a biggie...Mom, Dad, Mandy and Ellison came to visit on Saturday, the 8th of May, which was mom's 66th birthday. And the next day was my first Mother's Day. They came from Saturday to Tuesday and we kept quite busy. We decided to get a babysitter for the first time in NYC. We had Joyce, the nanny I met in our building, come keep Clayton Saturday afternoon so we could go explore. And Joyce IS WONDERFUL! So, we went up to Central Park...we had lunch at Carnegie Deli and went to the Central Park Zoo. Ellison had a blast feeding the animals and we took a million photos. We also went to FAO Schwarz and bought candy and puppets and found the first "ride" Clayton will have when he is old enough - a mini golf cart!!! Precious.

The 2nd day was a visit to the Empire State Building in the am and then a girls date to The Lion King on Broadway for our Mother's Day celebration. It was fabulous! And daddy took Clayton swimming while we enjoyed the show! And my sweet and thoughtful sister sent my mom and I a basket of yummy chocolate dipped fruit from Edible Arrangements on Sunday with 3 big balloons attached, which was Clayton's favorite part. He is so curious and excited about these balloons and we STILL have them in the living room. One escaped and floated up to the ceiling and EVERY time we come around the corner into the room, he looks up to make sure it is still there. He knows the word balloon now...you ask him where it is and he looks up! Too cute!

The 3rd day Mom, Dad, Mandy and Ellison went to the Statue of Liberty and the last day, we just goofed around and went to the playground at Battery City Park. I was sad to see them go!

I wish our WHOLE family could move up here with us!!! I so enjoyed having everyone here!!!

Then we came home again for a wedding this past weekend and had a really good time and Clayton got to visit all his family! And we sure appreciate Auntie M's help while we were out. And Clayton slept better the two nights Auntie M put him down than he has slept in months...thanks...I need some of those drugs you were feeding him :) haha

And this week, we went to Gymboree, the park, the playroom, etc...

And now we are deciding what to do this weekend...hopefully something fun...who knows...stay tuned.

Love - Becca, Clayton and Ryan

The Adventure continues...

Well, we have accomplished a lot in just a few weeks...

First of all, Clayton has mastered a few new skills which he likes to show off all the time. One is shaking his head "no" which he does everytime he sees his daddy...funny...and he also claps (Patty Cake) when you ask him to and he will also pat something when you say "bang bang bang" to him. And we have started noticing he is trying to copy some of the things we do like sticking our tongues out or making a clicking noise. He is just BRILLIANT!!

As for our adventures in the City, we had our first weekend in the City as a family and ventured up to Daddy's office, to Grand Central station via the subway on Saturday and on Sunday, we walked over the pedestrian bridge to the World Financial Center to shop and have lunch and look at the WTC site from a different view. Our first ride on the subway to Grand Central went great and Clayton and I are now experts thanks to daddy ;) - yeah right. BUT, we did manage to make it to the pediatricians office in midtown all by ourselves on the 31st. We just acted like we knew what we were doing! haha

We also had our first Gymboree class on the 30th and Clayton met a few new friends and of course I met more NANNY's. They are all very nice, but wish we could meet the mommies!

Also, on April 1st, we had our first playdate with Wilson Urist (5 weeks older than Clayton) and his mommy Jac. They were the two we met on the first day here back in February at the Whole Foods. We exchanged numbers and became Facebook friends and hope to get to know them even better! We had fun playing with them and plan on doing it again this week. She is a lawyer with a film production company, so maybe she can introduce me to some movie stars :)

This past weekend we went home to Greenville for Easter and had so much fun with the family. I got re energized down there in the south and was so happy to see our doggy Gibson...we miss him terribly too. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful food and good times while we were home. Feels good to be missed. I know Clayton enjoyed seeing everyone. We COMPLETELY wore him out but he loved it all!

Now we are back in the City and Mamaw is visiting until Wednesday, so we made a trip up to Central Park yesterday and saw CBS, the Apple Store, had lunch at the Plaza and strolled through Central Park near the zoo. All via the subway...man we are getting to be regular new yorkers huh! And Clayton did great and stayed happy to whole time. I have such a great baby!

And today, we took Clayton to his 2nd Gymboree music class and he was in heaven...a little tired....but really enjoyed the other kids and playing the instruments. I think he may have the musical gene thanks to Pawpaw :) But his favorite part of the whole class was the bubbles...the teacher blew bubbles and played music and he was mesmerized. SO, of course Mawmaw and I had to go straight to the store and buy him some bubbles and once again, he was elated. We got him on video tape laughing hysterically! It's been a fun day!

So......I am attaching photos of some of our recent adventures and will keep you updated as we go! Having lots of fun so far!

Mommy and Clayton in the BIG APPLE!!!

Well, it's the second day here in the Big Apple and we are excited to be here. Yesterday we started the day reading the morning paper (as you can see in the photo) - Clayton was updating us on the Stock Market :) What a smart baby! And the weather was not cooperating so we spent the day playing in the apartment and made our first trip down the the playroom. Clayton was mesmerized by the room and all the cool murals painted on the wall. He couldn't take his eyes off of them. Within 15 minutes, in strolls 4 kids! With their nanny's of course. Joyce couldn't be any nicer. She was caring for Scarlett and Olen. We just had to take a few photos of our new friends...Scarlett is in the AC/DC dress (too cute) and Olen is behind Vivian who is in the precious little pants! We hope to get to know them better very soon! Joyce gave me her cell number so we could hangout!!!

Now todays weather is a little better. About 58 degrees and cloudy, but we ventured out! We needed just a few things so we headed to Whole Foods and Bed Bath and Beyond. Clayton did wonderful - loves all the sites and sounds around him! Nothing seems to scare him which is a change from when he was a newborn...you would sneeze and he thought the world was ending :) So we bought dinner for this evening and clothes hangers so mommy can get organized.

We are doing great so far and hope to have some good sunny weather tomorrow...stay tuned!