Taking a Bite out of the Big Apple

Because Cole loves buildings and Jay is always up for an adventure, we ventured into NYC during our Thanksgiving visit to Rob's hometown. The boys were ecstatic that the day began with their first real train ride, complete with tickets and a conductor. As we passed the 5- or 6-story buildings in the suburbs, Cole kept asking, "Is that a skyscraper? What about that one? Is that one?" His excitment was contagious. I couldn't wait to see his expression when he gazed at a true skyscraper. After arriving at Grand Central Station, we headed down 5th Avenue. (No, Cole, they didn't name the station after Geotrax.) Our first stop was the public library for a picture with the famed lions. We went inside to admire the beautiful building and to use the nicest public restrooms I knew about in the area.
Next stop was one of the ubiquitous street vendors for hotdogs and pretzels. No visit to New York would be complete without a tasty vendor treat!
And, finally, the pièce de résistance : The top of the Empire State Building! Jay seemed more interested in the pigeons, but Cole was excited to see some of the famous buildings shown in a skyscraper book we have. (I'm not sure why Jay decided to play dead for the photo.)

As we walked back up 5th Ave at dusk, I thought about visiting Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree and ice skaters, then I decided it was already a full day for the boys' first trip to the Big Apple. (A wise decision, I just learned, because the tree wasn't lit until a couple days ago.) Instead, the boys got to experience rush hour at Grand Central Station from stroller height.