The Paddocks Take New York City!

Well, we are about to embark on the craziest adventure of the boys' little lives!! The boys have their first modeling job in New York City this weekend!! I don't know if trying to navigate NYC with two toddlers in tow would be considered brave or stupid- but call us what you want... we're giving it a shot! I know the boys won't have real memories of this trip, but I hope that through pictures, videos, and stories we can preserve enough of it in their little minds. Our goal in life is to expose the boys to as many amazing life experiences as we can, to enrich their lives with adventure and diversity, to show them the whole world so that someday they'll find their very own place in it. To be honest, Jon and I have never even been to NYC and we're in our 30's (well, I'm almost in my 30's!) so what a great opportunity to see such an amazing city at such a young age!

So... tomorrow morning at 5:00am we'll pack up our sleeping beauties and take them to the airport. Our plane leaves at 7:00am with a layover in Philadelphia. Tomorrow we have the whole afternoon to take in the sights of Manhattan. We're staying at the Sheraton Tribeca, right on border of Tribeca and Soho and we've been told both are amazing neighborhoods to explore. We are walking distance from the World Trade Center site... something I am so grateful the boys will be able to see even though I dread the day that we have to explain to them what it means. Matthew desperately wants me to carry him to the top of the Empire State Building... I hope he doesn't mind taking the elevator :) And the boys were given some very fun gift cards- FAO Schwartz, Dylan's Candy, Max Brenner's Chocolates, and a family pass to the American Museum of Natural History... so we're going to check all those out too. It cracks me up that we are going to spend an afternoon taking the boys to a giant toy store and a famous candy store! Both places they will be allowed to splurge! They have never been to either before- or at least they have never been allowed to buy anything- but it seems like a young child's fairytale, which makes my heart smile so we will enjoy every second of it :)

And the best part is that on Sunday afternoon we will jump on a train and head out to Long Island where we will spend the night with a very special friend of mine and her adorable little twin boys. After all the craziness of two days in Manhattan, the boys will be able to kick back with some friends and play their hearts out, while Jon and I can kick back with our own friends and relax :) The funny thing is- I have never met this friend. We have talked for almost three years now... we've shared the ups and downs of raising twin boys, we've laughed, we've cried, we've dreamed, and last Christmas she ran all over NYC to find me a rare bottle of beer to give to Jon as a surprise Christmas gift when she had never even met either one of us!!! Like my friend Heather, she is truly an amazing woman and mother. One of her twins, Christopher, survived a stroke in utero and even before they had a diagnosis, she was fighting endlessly to help him overcome his weaknesses. I don't know how I meet all of these amazing women- but they are truly an inspiration to me every single day of my life. I am blessed and honored to have them in my life, and I am so excited to finally meet Aileen and spend a wonderful evening and night with her that I can't even put it into words!!!!

So... wish us luck!!!! This could be a crazy disaster or an experience of a lifetime!!!! Can't wait to update you with pictures and stories!