New York State of Mind

Traveling with kids.  There should be a warning on suitcases when they are purchased….”If you plan to bring kids on this trip, you’re going to need two of these”.
We headed to NYC last weekend with the kids.  It was a goal of the year to get there, tour, see the Statue of Liberty. 
Trip was actually fantastic.  We saw people we love, Ciera ate all the carbs her little body could hold, Isaiah saw dinosaur bones and knights, and I got to see the Met-a personal mecca.  We loved it and it proved to us that our kids are not only pretty cool, but they adjust well and can be city dwellers. 
Here’s the thing-timing is never awesome, right?  That was proven on Sunday afternoon.  We were at the Fraunces Tavern in the Financial District.  Bob was determined to have a frosty beverage where George Washington had before---and the historian in me (who had been there with my dad as a kid) couldn’t resist either.  We were all soaked from the deluge during our tour of the Statue of Liberty….(PS, if you even consider doing this to tour, please call me first.  There is so much security I practically had to give them Isaiah to let us up in the pedestal, which was about 100 stairs up to a 4 inch balcony).  Our $7 ponchos I had ordered on Amazon were soaked as were our shoes.  But, seated, with drinks in hand and Shirley Temples in front the kids, all was going to be fine.  Then, Ciera began coughing.  Ciera does cough from time to time, so I failed in reacting probably as I should have until Bob was beside her, and doing the Heimlich maneuver.  The man at the next table is asking me if he should call 911.  Holy God.  It was an ice cube stuck in her throat.  She coughed for a while, but she eventually worked it out. Poor kid.  Needless to say, we had another round of drinks before we headed out in the great storm again.

No problem.  On Monday, before leaving we decide to walk through the park, around the Jackie Onassis reservoir.  Ciera full on face plants.  FULL ON.  Girl had her hands in her sleeves because they were cold.  So when she tripped, she had no ability to save her face with her hands.  She looks like she has been in one heck of a fight. We’ve taught her to now, when asked about her face, respond “You should see the other guy”. 

So, it’s time to go….we pack up and head to the airport.  Taxi ride is a little rough.  All good, we are city people.  We can handle it.  Until Isaiah throws up in the LaGuardia flight line.  Makes it 70% to the trash, good boy.  We ask the cleaning lady for a trash bag in case of future issue. 

At this point, Bob decides, on behalf of his clan, that “New York has won, guys.  Time to fly home”. 
And so the Fredricksons board, head home.  Traveling is part of us.  The good news is we left a piece of ourselves all over the city.  Bless.

 

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