NYC Day Trip

As my little guy was younger, we took a day trip or two into the city and he always loved it. But, as time went on, and being a single mom, the thought of taking him into the city alone was frightening to me.

But, low and behold, the chance to spend a day in New York City with my little guy gnawed at me and finally I announced: "We're going into the city for the day."

"Yessssssssssssss!" He exclaimed oh so excitedly.

"Let's go to the Museum of Natural History." I told him.

"Bbbbbbbbbbbbbboooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg." He sang to me.

I knew he was right. He wouldn't like the museum. I'm truly blessed with a boy. A real active boy. I knew he was going to be the jump out of airplane type of boy when he was two weeks old. So I pondered.

"How about we go to the top of a really tall building?" I asked him.

"Really?" His big eyes got even bigger with inquisition.

Off we went. We started out our little adventure on a train and I never knew a child could worry so much about missing the train or if it's the right train. I assured him at the train station that we were good. Have some faith in your mother. I've done this before. Little did he know that I felt so much better when I asked the conductor if we were on the right train when he took our tickets.

Next, a walk through the city. Destination: Empire State Building.

The joy and excitement that this little man endured while looking down on the cars and people that looked like aunts warmed my heart to the ultimate max. How impressed was I when he found "the jungle" i.e. Central Park on the distant horizon.

On the way down from our tour, in a packed elevator, he asked ever so loudly "Mom, how come people don't talk in elevators?"

"Because people don't talk in elevators. Only you do." I giggled to him as my answer, never amazed at his intuition and wisdom. Another woman in the elevator giggled along with me and announced: "It's something people just don't do. You'll realize that when you get older."

"Yeah." I said laughing. "Someday you'll understand the phenomena." At this point the entire elevator was laughing.


Lunch was on our mind and as God is good, we stumbled upon a taco place. Tacos are the mostest favoritest food in the whole entire world. According to little man, "they are the best tacos I ever had!"

Next, a little subway ride. I insisted we get off before we ended up in Brooklyn.

What to do with a child in NYC? FAO Schwartz was next on our hit list. And yes, I got to see my little guy ham it up on the Big Piano. He also got the biggest and bestest tatoo. "Better than Disney's tattoos Mom!"

"Let's go to the doll section." I announced to him as I pryed him out of the "action figures" section. "No Mom. I do not like dolls. No how, no way!!

"Ah, excuse me. I like dolls. I'm a girl and I want to go see the Barbies and the dollhouses."

"But you're not a kid!" He told me.

"Um, I was a little girl once, and I will always be a kid at heart." I explained. He became a man at that point and directed me to the doll section and we both enjoyed seeing the miniatures collection in the store.

He wanted to go back to the "boy section" and I laughed so hard as we had to go through the "dress up section," i.e. dresses and tutus He had to have his hands over his eyes, refusing to look at the girl stuff. People were staring at me because I was laughing so hard.

A taxi ride back to the train station and our day was complete. Almost.

As we were standing in the train station and I was reading the overhead train schedule trying to see when our train was due in, imagine my surprise when I found it and it said "boarding."

"Run!" I said.

"Where?" He asked.

"Track 14! Now! Go!"

We ran to our train, only to find a double decker, "triple decker mom. . .there's three floors here." Double, triple, it had to have been one of the most modern trains I've ever seen. We of course sat on all levels on our ride. It actually made for a fun and seeming fast ride home.

Next visit: Museum of Natural History and Toys-R-Us. It's already planned.