We're home! And bored.

A visit that ends too soon is better than one that feels too long, so that's a plus!

We had a great time, once we recovered from: 1. An awful first leg of the flight to NY. So unpleasant that at one point, the flight attendant took A. for a walk up and down the aisle, because of the screaming. I wanted to cry. 2. Getting A. used to the sleep schedule and replacing the not-so-good pack'n'play that my mom borrowed from a friend. One night, I think the max was 2 hours of sleep together.

Then... we hiked, swam, played games, lounged in my parent's ridiculously cool and beautiful yard, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ate yummy pizza, saw my little brothers in a gig at a 50's style burger joint while a car show was going on (they are a 50's-ish rockabilly cover band. (?I think). We watched Olympics and oohed and aahed at my mom's home and yard renovations. And, we watched Annika eat up all the attention! (At times, a little too much attention!)

We also went to West Point for what I think is their best concert ever! West Point is on the opposite side of the Hudson River and north a little way, and is just about the prettiest campus anywhere, (with super tight security, on account of being at war.) Trophy Point is a hill that swoops down to the river (natural or man-made amphitheater) with the band shell at the bottom. We all sit on blankets with our picnic dinners and run around the old cannons won/taken from the losers of whatever battle involved. The concert band was great and they had a guest singer who was the understudy for Wicked's Elphaba on broadway, and the lead (Elphaba - the "wicked" witch of the west) in the LA production. She sang, with the duets sung by a USMA singer, 5 songs from Wicked, and she was wonderful. We didn't end up going to a broadway show, and Wicked would have been my first choice, so this felt like a great substitute! And a much nicer setting, and an unbeatable price! This is one of my favorite places anywhere and I was so happy to take John and Annika!

The Met was wonderful and they have a display on the roof, which was fine, but THE VIEW! The Met is next to Central Park and so we got a skyline view with the park (really big, leafy park) in front and it was way better (my opinion) than the view from the Empire State Building, which costs a whole lot, and takes a LONG time standing in line.

Annika took a bit of a beating while in NY. She fell off the bed in the middle of the night. She had some sleeping issues for the first few nights and got into bed with John while I slept on the couch. (bed wasn't big enough for 3, especially with Annika sleeping perpendicular to us and kicking me off! Daddy's girl to the extreme!)
She fell off while both were asleep!

She fell while taking a bath, even though John had actually gotten in the tub with her to keep her sitting. It didn't work. She fell head first onto the side of the porcelain tub and then backwards under the water. I thought I was going to pass out or hyperventilate from the freak-out I had.

Lastly, I think, she fell outside while running on one of the patios. She fell face first and got a bump ( actually, i don't know which fall caused the bump) and scraped her nose.
Poor kid! She shakes it all off pretty quickly, though.

Our flight home, which I had seriously been praying about for days, was.... DIVINE INTERVENTION!!! She slept for 2 HOURS on the long leg to Denver. She was happy and played on our laps when she was awake. The short leg, she FELL ASLEEP AGAIN! And played happily when awake! Truly, divine intervention. Or divine sleep. It was still very tiring, but I wanted to cry with joy and gratitude the whole time.

So, home now, and quite frankly, bored. My mom is the most energetic person I know and she keeps us having so much fun. Now, left to my own resources and energy level, dullsville!

Pictures. We didn't take a single one. Because... my dad takes tons, so I'm waiting for him to email them all to me, at which time (or a little while later) I will share with you all.

Annika only wanted Dad, sometimes Mom, in terms of laps or cuddling. This was sad for aunt and Grandma, so the day we went into the city and left A. with them was great. She cuddled and snuggled and didn't pine for us at all. I feel so much better about leaving her with Michelle's family next month when we go for a final hurrah before we have 2 little ones.

Annika gives actual kisses now and also blows kisses. Emphatically. Not really blowing, but giving her hand a loud, wet kiss and thrusting her hand towards the recipient. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and everyone on the plane and at the airport. Such a lot of love to pass around!

Speaking of the little cutie, she's been awake for a while, babbling to herself, but I can hear the shift in contentment. Better go!