Be It Ever So Ghetto . . .

We are here. (For those of you who don't know, here means Manhattan.)

It was not the easiest-breeziest process to get here; we ended up having to completely move out of our apartment which was not in our original plan, so Pete and I spent the last few days packing, cleaning and re-packing and re-cleaning everything that the babyface decided to "help" with.

And whose idea was it anyway to take a toddler on a midnight flight?? Mine I suppose. We were under the impression that because of the late hour Amelia would sleep the whole time. We were incorrect.

She was so happy roaming around the airport in her cute little pajamas before we boarded the plane. Everyone around us was smiling at her and talking to her, pretty much thinking she was the cutest kid they had ever seen--which is correct. But as soon as we were on the airplane Amelia somehow realized that it was about three and a half hours past her bedtime and proceeded to whine, fuss and finally scream for the next two hours.

She eventually did fall asleep, but neither Pete or I could get any sleep for fear of moving and waking up the poor kid.

When we finally arrived in NY she woke up and was perfectly charming, her usual self again. Pete and I on the other hand were both a bit wrecked from the sleepless flight and crashed as soon as we got to our apartment at seven in the morning.

Which brings me to our apartment. I like it. I really do. It's fully furnished, and because we've already been here to see it once before, feels familiar and comfortable.

But I can't say I'm overly enchanted with the neighborhood. The elevator appears to be about 70 years old with a broken window. The basement laundry facility looks like something out of a cliche horror film and the park across the street is nowhere near as nicely kept as Nielson's Grove. Litter and bits of halfhearted graffiti decorate the streets.

But we are here. Pete went off to his first day of work this morning (kind of like a kid on his fist day of school--he kept asking me if he looked all right and if I thought he'd be able to get there on time. I'm fairly certain he'll be about a half hour early).

I don't know what adventures the babes and I will get up to today, I was thinking we'd possibly try to find the nearest library. Or we might just get lost and wander, that could be okay too. Either way, photos to come!