Celebrations in the Big Apple

While at the hospital, Noah and Kristi enjoyed every square inch of this new  little angel!  They marveled at their beautiful baby with Noah’s hands, Kristi’s/Lyla’s nose and perfect little ears!

So that Kristi could sleep instead of having the nurses wake her up in the night several times, they opted to come home after 25 hours. (Also because they wouldn’t let the kids come to visit because of worries about H1N1…after they did visit on the night Jacobson was born).

While Kristi slept and fed Jacobson and Noah hovered lovingly at their cute apartment the kids and i had a great time at the Manhattan Children’s Museum.  I haven’t had enough time with these kids without anyone else around so we had a ball!

This the view through the windshield as McKay drives a NYC fire truck complete with a fireman’s jacket.

They loved shopping.

Lyla loved carrying this grocery basket on her arm and McKay loved checking her out with a real conveyor belt.

(She is a bit obsessed with carrying something on her arm or over her shoulder. She was attached at the shoulder to my purse.)

We experienced about everything from Dr.Seuss to Dora and Diego!

 

I guess Lyla likes Dora almost as much as Lucy does!

At about 4 o’clock we heard a buzz and found then found a total surprise at the door….Hazel with a special delivery of lilacs at the front door!   In total amazement we found Saydi, Charlie and Emmeline hiding in the hall!  What a grand surprise especially because it was my birthday!

Jeff was in the city working anyway so he soon joined us and we had such a great party!!!

How fun to see all those cousins together!  We took all the kids to the park around the block and McKay loved teaching Hazel and Charlie how to ride is scooter.

 

That park has been such an important part of this NYC family’s life that it was especially fun to share it with the cousins who all had a fabulous time!

 

So fun to see Emmeline’s new bangs and realize that Jacobson has replaced her as the baby of the eyrealm family.

 

This was certainly a birthday I’ll never forget!  We called Jonah for his cookie recipe…first things first of course! So good for you especially with that good-for-you flax! Some without chocolate chips for Noah (how did that kid come from me???)

 

We took pictures of all those adorable kids before the Shumways left for Jared and Ruth Sine’s apartment just around the block because they just happened to be out of town (they returned the next day to get some stuff and then move to LA!)  Noah did a great job of getting a timed shot of the whole crowd. 

After the kids were all down, Noah ordered food from their favorite Thai restaurant that was so good it made my eyes water (sorry Shawni).  We enjoyed a fabulous candlelight dinner on their lovely dining table tucked away like many other things in their 480 sq.ft. apartment where they take advantage of every square inch!  Who would imagine you could fit a dining table (and a cello and a artist’s easel for the kids) in addition to a lovely leather sleeper couch in their 10 square foot living room? They are amazing! 

They’re even getting ready to empty the bottom drawer in McKay and Lyla’s room for Jacobson’s new bed!   (JK…I think).

Dinner complete with placemats and silver chargers!

Noah ran out at the last minute to be sure that I had real cake…four kinds…banana, carrot, red velvet (sorry Charity) and of course killer, devilish chocolate!

Oh man there just isn’t anything you can’t find in the Big Apple! What a fabulous birthday!  One I’ll never forget…especially with little Jacobson at the center of all the action!  What could be better than having six little grandchildren living in Boston and NYC on the same couch?

With special loving care coming from the two oldest cousins:

 

The next morning, cute Saydi and I took everyone but the baby to the MET and, the Ancient Playground next door and we had a “lovely” pretzel/hot dog lunch in the gorgeous weather at Central Park!  I don’t know how I got away without one picture but I took pictures in my mind that will be there forever!  Saydi was spectacular at engaging the kids every minute in the museum and then she took the little kids to the playground and I got to have a few minutes on a special Grammie tour with Hazel!

Thanks Saydi for putting up with 8 hours in your car with three kids and without air conditioning (it was actually hot). And to Jeff who drove them home after he finished his day at Bridgespan in NY.

I’m on the plane on my way home now, wondering if all that really happened!  It was like a dream to be with that little Jacobson within hours of his entry into the world along with all those adorable children and two of our children and their extraordinary spouses (spice?). 

To top it all off, I sent Noah and Kristi off to celebrate their 6th anniversary this morning for breakfast at a nearby French restaurant.  How terrific to celebrate three beautiful children in six years of marriage!  Eyrealmers will remember that great day with Elder Perry in the temple and the fun reception at the Deveraux House. Time flies when you’re having fun with those you love!  

How lucky are Dad and I that we get to go back in about 9 days on our way to Dubai!  By then they’ll have the normal jaundice issues worked out and cute Kristi will be past feeling like a balloon that’s being blown up and about to pop!  Ahhhh there’s nothing like having a new baby for so many reasons!   We are so grateful for these two plus three! So many reasons to celebrate!