Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow.

Holy cow! We really managed to pack in the fun today and we are exhausted!

Dave and I made the rookie mistake of letting the kids know we would go to Carlos' Bakery as soon as they woke up for breakfast since we missed our chance last night.  They were up at 5:45 instead of their usual 7:30.  Yowza!  We beat the crowds for certain when we strolled in when the bakery opened at 7am.  The kids enjoyed cheese Danish and apple turnovers.  A fun way to start the morning.

We were on the subway with the commuters by 8:30 and headed under the Hudson River to Manhattan.  We strolled through Battery Park and landed at the 9/11 Memorial just before it opened.  A somber way to start the day but I am glad we did it.  Where the towers once stood,  now two beautiful fountains sit with the names of all of those who lost their lives on 9/11.  Very glad I have seen it.

We walked the financial district, Wall Street, and NYSE.  I don't think the kids fully understand the significance of this part of the city because our explanations of stocks and the market still leave them scratching their heads.  We have some room to improve on this topic.  We did manage to stop into Tiffany and Co. on our way through just for fun.  The kids don't really understand the significance of the little blue box either.  I guess that comes when you start to figure out the stock market. 

We hopped the subway to Time's Square just around lunch.  You could see the kids were getting tired and nearing sensory overload.  Adelaide seems to be the one most bothered by the noise of NYC.  So much traffic noise, sirens, music, crazy loud everywhere.  I expected at least one of the kids to fall in love with the bustle of the city, but they all seem pretty set in their love of Colorado.  This was a large dose of city for one day.

We had a slice of pizza for lunch and headed to see Annie at the Palace Theater.  Dave got good seats for us and the kids were so good.  After each of the first 5 acts Maggie would ask me, "Is it over"?  I had to explain that the audience would clap after each act, then an intermission, then many more acts.  She finally settled in after that.  The kids really did love it, maybe Magnolia the most.  She really didn't want the play to end.  We will remember it always I think.  I thought about my first Broadway show many times today when I was about Adelaide's age.  My parents took us to see 42nd Street and I can still remember the pretty girls tap dancing on giant metal coins on stage.

Visualize our efforts to manipulated the city.  Magnolia rides in her sad, little, umbrella stroller that has probably seen 2000 miles in the last 10 years.  I push the stroller and drag Dagny along in my left hand.  Dave takes the lead with Addie in one hand and Alastair in the other.  We hold onto them pretty tight here in the city.  Dagny is by far the biggest risk.  I am becoming more and more aware of her spaciness.  I have observed this over the past 30 days especially.  She will find something of interest (usually an insect) and stop.  She doesn't see us moving on and will stay engaged in whatever she is watching until I physically walk back and get her.  I am now saying several times a day, "Dagny, focus."  When we return to cities and towns with a slower pace I will be sure to carve some more time out for her to stand and observe nature.

Broadway is so close to the Empire State Building that we couldn't head home
without stopping.  Adelaide had to be convinced to go to the top (she claims a fear of heights).  We visited the observation deck on the 86th floor and a good time was had by all.  Such great views even though the rain was starting to fall.

Back on the subway and across to Jersey City again.  We stopped into a fun Cuban restaurant for dinner.  Dave and I enjoyed our dinner but the kids were practically falling asleep at the table.  Bad luck, still raining pretty hard when dinner was over and we needed to walk about three-quarters of a mile home still.  Dave drew the short straw and ran back to the car so he could drive back and pick us up so we didn't have to drag all 4 kids the distance home, exhausted, in the rain.  What a good guy.

The kids feel asleep in a flash and I am hopeful they will sleep a solid 10 hours or more.  We are all tired and will probably take a bit slower pace tomorrow.  Good night NYC.

Jll