New City

Today we had a great time in my old hood. I lived in New City for most of my life, and fondly remember driving around Rockland County in my young adult years, eating at the New City diner at midnight, and spending way too many hours trying to pick a movie at Blockbuster with friends.

I have a big problem, always had. I am very good at saying something when I should not. It is a gift, or a burden. So, tonight we had very many people meet us at our hotel for a "meet the baby" session. He was tired. I know his ear is still bothering him, but at this point, I know we just have to get home. He has had two different medications to fix this infection and nothing has worked. So, we soldier on. But it is not fair to him, and he gets cranky. I know I like to say that taking care of him is hard work, but normally it is not. He is picture perfect. But, tonight he was not. And everyone in the room was wondering what I was doing with a super tired baby. Sad.

Besides the point, the people in the room are from my childhood. I grew up in New City. My three good friends from elementary school were there, as were their moms! The fourth good friend could not make it, but her mom and dad both came! I am so absorbed into my new life in New England that it is a real treat to see the old stomping grounds. In ten years, I have been back once, for 2 hours, and that is not right. I miss it. After two hours, I swear my NY accent is back in full force. I love it!

But enough about me and back to the story. So we are all chatting and when they all came they had brought me gifts. New City area is big on gifts. Joel and his family had never heard of engagement gifts, yet we got them. There are ridiculous wedding gifts, and Joel knows after you have baby-crazy gifts. So, there are also "you invited me to see your baby in hotel" gifts. Which I was not expecting, but I knew were coming... if you know what I mean....

So, here we are and everyone is showering us with gifts, so much so I do not remember who has given me what and not all has come with a card.
Meanwhile, I am not opening things but setting them aside. And, again, I remind you of the start of this topic which is I am really good at saying something inappropriate, in this case, mean about a gift someone has put a lot of thought in purchasing for me, but I have not yet opened... I have done this at both baby and wedding showers, saying, oh, I do not want that... and then opening it one present later. I have even done it to Joel, when he bought me my engagement ring. A week before he proposed to me, he had already bought the ring and was so excited he pointed almost the same ring out in a window and I said "are you crazy, I hate that ring, I only want solitaire, I hate side diamonds." (by the way, who complains about extra diamonds?)...

So, here we all are in the hotel, visiting and having fun... and then this happens...

"You a Yankees fan still?" Someone says from the group. I explained how I tried to hold out for so many years. They all look at me with shame as they know what I am about to say. I explain I was a faithful Yankees fan. I combatted the evil-chatter of Joel and his friends (Tim G., you were the worst). But then, Jordans, our furniture store, had to have a deal where if you bought furniture during a certain period, and they won the world series, we would get it for free. So, that year I became a Red Sox fan because we bought a ton of furniture. And they won!

Someone says, "so you sold out for free furniture?" I reply, "Well, we ended up returning it all because it did not fit in our living room." End of conversation... Minutes later they remind me how they bought the baby all Yankees onesies for his "new baby" gifts. And I reply, "yeah, we returned them and bought Red Sox."

Fast forward, two hours later in the room I am opening all of the "hotel room visit new baby" presents. Everyone has gone and the kiddo is struggling to fall asleep with my opening present noise. Come to fin out what the kids have bought us... Their really thoughtful gifts... We have lots of Yankee apparel...