#tatstakenyc (!!!) take one

Let's get something clear real quick. If your last name is not Wigginton, McKee or Tataipu, you may be totally and utterly bored with all these Tats take NYC posts (2 of them to be exact--1 would have been a life sentence). Me? I think they're just about the best posts to ever hit my blog and I want to remember these moments forever...but don't say I didn't warn you.

Ash, Log and Co. just spent a week in New York City visiting us little Wigs. Ash and I have been planning this baby for months and about six weeks ago I sent them an itinerary so full that James said we would be lucky to get through half of it. Oh ye of little faith, my dear, oh ye of little faith! You better believe we slayed that list and shoot, we even added a few extras for good measure. We were busy little bees but this was the Tataipu's first trip to the city and you better believe I was going to give them the ultimate New York experience. The list, yo:

 Am I right? Some of those things were flip-flopped but holy hannah we were running around like we owned this place...and it was so fun. Come back to me Tats, I miss you so much it hurts. {Can I lure you back with Shake Shack?}

 Thursday:

The Tats got into town first thing Thursday morning and were met on the street by a bunch of Wigs singing "Welcome to New York" as they exited their taxi. Ash and Logan took a nap, being exhausted from the red eye, but the kids were ready to party so I strapped Lincoln to my chest and put all the other babies on my stroller and we were off to adventure the morning away. They've been gone now for quite a few days but I still feel like I'm missing someone every time Ev jumps on the ride board. It was so much fun pushing around that brood.

Kai and Avery's first NY experience was buying a donut from a street car. I knew right away after seeing their excitement that this trip was going to totally and completely rock.

We partied at the park and before I knew it Kai was screaming with excitement over seeing this police horse. We chased it down and asked if we could pet it, and much to my surprised the nice police officer said yes (Kai knew he would from the start!)

Baby's first Gray's Papaya! No, but seriously. He inhaled that hot dog!

Like any responsible mother I busted T out of school early so that he could join his cousins on a trip to the toy store. I was feeling really bad about him missing out (as was he) and in my defense he only had an hour left of his day. He was so surprised and so excited to see us show up on his doorstep (AKA--the office accompanied by school security, this is NYC we're talking about!) 

I'm so glad we got to go to FAO Schwartz one more time before they close their flagship store. It makes me way too sad just thinking about this happening.

    

The Big Piano broke a few months ago and they didn't replace it (since they are moving locations) so this was a counterfeit big piano that I wasn't all that happy about. The kids, however, didn't know the difference and thought it was all amazing!

Playing with Lego peeps.

Two pretty ladies.

While eating their giant marshmallow suckers the boys earnestly watched the afro-bats perform outside the Plaza hotel. Kai's moves after watching this were top notch!

 

From there it was a walk through Central Park and Shake Shack for dinner. It did not disappoint and I was pleased as punch that the Tats loved it just as much as we do.

Friday:

This was the first subway ride these two cute people ever took. Bam, just like that they're nearly natives.

One of Ash's big requests was to go to the Today Show. She watches it quite often and really wanted to see where the magic happened! As luck would have it, the week she was here was the first week of the concert series and Meghan Trainor was kicking off the season (I love Meghan Trainor so, so much!) Ash and I were originally planning to go out and stake some seats at 4 am, but then a good friend offered to let us watch from the conference room of her office and we jumped at the golden opportunity. We got there right as the concert was starting and had perfect seats looking straight down on Meghan. It was perfect and definitely one of the best parts of our whole trip (although I'll probably say that at least five times in the next couple of posts!) Thank you so much Tracy, it was so much better because of your kindness!

Meghan, doing her thing.

Sister selfie.

Since we were kid-free for a few more minutes, we messed around in the NBC Studios Store, posing for pictures and picking out funny merchandise.

We picked up the babies, and then headed to the Empire State Building. It's tall and iconic and I really think it's a must-do if you're in the city for the first time (Top of the Rock is awesome as well). The line was long and the kids were crazy but the views on top? Well those just can't be beat.

Long line shenanigans.

Quinn-a-lynn was on her A-game the whole time. That baby is delicious.

I put her down to give her a break from the pack and before I knew it she was surrounded by tourists playing paparazzi. She gave them a good show with giggles and laughs and as I walked down the stairs to the lower deck I felt so happy that I could share my baby and she brought others so much joy. We were on top of the world and she was still the best view around!

Kai saw this on the street and wanted to take a picture with it! 

We knew T would be sad because he missed the Empire State Building adventure, so we decided it was an ice cream in Sheeps Meadow kind of day. We raced and raced from the tree and back and dined on ice cream with the greatest city views in the back.

OK, this seriously was the highlight of my whole life maybe! Ashleigh, the girl who (bless her heart) never wins a darn thing won tickets to see Wicked on Broadway! They had wanted to see the show but tickets are outrageously expensive so we, along with 900 million other tourists, decided to put our name in the bucket to see if we could win big. When they called Ash's name we both started screaming like banshees! I honestly can't remember being so excited before! She and Logan went to the show that night and loved it so much...what a great NYC memory.

Avery Ann with Uncle Jungle Jim!

Saturday:

"Let's go to the beach, beach, let's go get away..." Per tradition, we spent the Saturday before Memorial Day on Jones Beach watching the most incredible air show and catching much needed rays. Sunshine and sand is my happy place.

The first time their baby toes have touched the ocean. You know what they're both thinking? This is cold and overrated, I'll take a warm bath please!

These pictures of me and my baby girl make me laugh so hard. That one on the left? Ha! She's such a cute little elf!

The boys playing frisbee.

Another one of me and my girl (I loved that there was another Momma behind the camera!)

T the Muscle Man thanks to Uncle Gogo, and Ever the giraffe thanks to Daddy.

We were slightly sun-kissed and so happy about it on the train home. And tired, we were a little bit tired!

The highlight of T's trip (and the reason we had to stay until the bitter, bitter end) was seeing the Thunderbirds perform. Those pilots are amazing and I was praying the whole time that they weren't going to crash into each other every time they passed! It was so much fun watching their show!

And yeah, so as seen on the subway on the way home. 

take 2, happening soon.