Happy 6th Birthday, My American Girl, Julia!

It's been a long time since this blog has been updated--thank you, Terence, for the reminder ...

Graham and Julia turned 6 on April 3...but in March, we started the celebration with a trip to NYC. It was unreal to me that it was Graham and Julia's first trip to the city--we stayed at the National Arts Club, on Gramercy Park, adjacent to our old apartment which we sold only 4 years ago. It was quite poignant to be there, to get the key to the park and have the children run around (more blog posts on that later).

 

But for Julia, and for me, a highlight was visiting the American Girl store, and eating a birthday celebration lunch (ahem--at 9:30 in the morning, the place is so booked up!). The service, view, and actually, even the food, were all good.

Julia was beside herself, so excited to be in a large building devoted to 'Her' American Girl!

Here are some photos--it was so lovely to be alone with my little one (more on Graham, upcoming).

 

 Julia poses with a cardboard cut out of a ballerina.

 "Christina" (Julia's doll), Julia and Kitty dine at the American Girl Cafe

 Birthday treats for my sweet.

 Julia, pretending to hold a flute

 Hmmm...somehow, we forgot to buy this ;) ...it's downright amazing how much money one could be coerced into spending at such a "doll" store! Lucky for me, Julia is not an Adamant Shopper!

 Pedicure on our first  night there

zzzzz Taking the Acela up to NYC from DC.