The Big Apple treated us extremely well and really exceeded our expectations. Since we were on a limited time schedule, we made the most of our mini vacation and tried to fall into as many tourist traps as possible. I will spare you the boring details and instead let you browse some pictures.

Obligatory stop at the Statue of Liberty. We walked around, snapped a few pictures, and put a check in the box. Not too terribly exciting. The next stop, Ellis Island, was definitely more intriguing.

Inside the Ellis Island museum. This was by far one of the best museums I've had the pleasure of visiting. I really wanted to drop $5 and spend hours tracking my family's ancestry to the US, but we had to remind ourselves there was so much of NYC out there to see.

Such as the enormous Chinatown district. Interesting. And smelly. These fish vendors lined the streets and made you want hurl.

Our stop in Little Italy was quaint and pleasant, thanks to the awesome cannolis we dined on.

We then walked across the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge. Ok, we made it halfway before realizing the bridge is extremely long and we would end up in Brooklyn. So we snapped some pictures and made a 180.

A highlight of the trip was renting bikes and riding around Central Park, drinking frozen lemonade and people watching. I could spend every sunny afternoon out there, perfect place to relax and breath in the fresh air. Eh, I mean air. Not really that fresh.

And literally, this city never sleeps. Here we are in Times Square around 1am and it was crowded with people. Crazy and exhilarating at the same time.

Our last night was spent experiencing our first Broadway show. We opted for The Blue Man group over The Book of Mormon and left a tad bit disappointed. The Blue Man group caters towards a younger audience and I didn't think their talent was worthy of $80 tickets.

Nick and one of our many slices of pizza. I think we went to 5 different pizza parlors in the short time we were there. My love handles thank me.

I realize this picture didn't turn out well, but the city skyline was breathtaking. We had dinner with Nick's cousin and her apartment is in the heart of the city, so we hiked up to the rooftop and opted out of the Empire State Building, for this view was just as glamorous.

And of course, my wonderful mom who graciously watched our baby while we were in NYC. Even with a neighborhood gas leak that led to their evacuation from the house, they both had a great time and I never once had to worry. I cannot thank you enough, mom, you are truly the best!

While we had a wonderful getaway, being away from my baby was tough. More than I expected. My heart ached whenever I saw another little girl her age and the separation was tear jerking at times. Call me pathetic, but I felt like a piece of me was missing, like our family wasn't complete. I missed her so much.

And I cannot end this post without a mention to the reason behind a long weekend. While Nick and I were able to enjoy a small vacation with each other, and even though at times we both wanted to strangle each other (we are both really impatient) I never once take him for granted. I never once take our time together for granted. For I know there are others who have given the ultimate sacrifice and will forever miss out on family vacations and time with their loved ones. Tomorrow I will think of those who have died for our country, may they never be forgotten. God bless.