NYC: #HundtBoysx4 Smiles & Frowns
It's obvious we love to travel. Experiencing the world, serving the world, learning about the world, seeing the world is better than any tangible gift. However, traveling with four young kids is VERY CHALLENGING. There's a lot of people, a lot of behaviors, a lot of varying needs and wants, and a whole lot of crap to pack. We are a wide load.
We just got back from New York City. This trip was unplanned and scheduled very last minute and we prepared as best as we could. As people have been asking me how the trip was, I continue to say, "We had a lot of fun and this was the most challenging travel we've ever done." I wish there was a word for something that was amazing and extremely stressful at the same time.
Maybe I will make one up... diffilmazing? wonderfulofinsanity? challengtacular?
It was like crying tears of awe and absolute desperation at the same time. I think I really did that while we were there... more than once...
Whenever we travel we always learn SO much and this trip was no different. One of my biggest take-a-ways was that two of my boys are easy travelers, two of them are difficult... very difficult... ;)
NOLAN:
It has not been a huge surprise that Nolan is an absolute all-star when we travel. He is OBSESSED with seeing and learning everything about the world. He is in awe, he asks questions, he explores, and he is excited about each sightseeing adventure. He could go anywhere and see anything and be so game. He makes things easy for us.
He has been obsessed with building since he was very small. Because of this love, big cities have been on his mind. He's been wanting to go to New York City for several years, particularly wanting to see the Empire State Building. He also has recently been into Brooklyn because he loves the Beastie Boys song so this trip was like MADE for him.
When we went through the Holland Tunnel and he saw the Manhattan Skyline for the very first time, he said, "This is a dream come true." #I'mNotCryingYou'reCrying.
Nolan's Smile: Seeing all the big buildings (especially loving the Empire State Building and Times Square)
Nolan's Frown: Not having toys in the apartment we stayed in
JUDAH
Judah, our free spirit, wants nothing to do with holding hands or being confined to a specific location. So, he almost got hit by many cars and we almost lost him more times than we can count. He was not easy in a big crowded city.
Although challenging when we were all together, if you got Judah in a small group or alone on the trip, he was such a gem. I really wanted to go see the Bushwick Art Collective Street Art and Judah was the only one of my kids that wanted to take that walk with me to go see it. He LOVED seeing all the art and asking questions about it and taking in the sights and sounds of Brooklyn.
Judah also enjoyed climbing on things, seeing the lights of the city, playing on one of the several playgrounds we hit up, and he must've eaten 17 hot dogs and 17 slices of pizza while we were there.
Judah's Smile: The big buildings
Judah's Frown: Being cold and wearing shirts that were too big
CARTER
Carter, apparently, hates walking. Every time we'd get out of the car or off the subway the first thing he'd say is, "UGH, do we have to walk AGAIN?!?!" He asked to be carried constantly, went limp while we were holding hands so we had to literally drag him around from time to time, and even decided just to sit down in the middle of the sidewalk to take a break. NEWSFLASH- that is not appropriate or smart behavior in a mega city! So, we had to adapt...
Preston was often being worn and then we took turns for who was in the stroller. If it wasn't Carter's turn to be in the stroller the regular way, we often stored him underneath. You can imagine the looks and whispers we got! One time, while we were walking our seventh of eighth mile, Josh thought we lost Carter and began to panic and sweat. The rest of us were unfazed because we knew he was underneath the stroller.
Even though Carter did his fair share of complaining, he LOVED bridges and fountains and there were plenty of both in New York City.
I have to remind myself that he's only four. A four-year-old shouldn't be into walking miles, and may not want to read about what the Brooklyn Promenade used to look like. I get it. He drove me crazy, but I get it.
Carter's Smile: Seeing fountains
Carter's Frown: That we didn't go on top of the Empire State Building
PRESTON:
Preston, was amazing on the trip. The poor kid hardly got to walk around since he was either in the stroller or being worn most of the trip and he took it in stride. He took sleeping in a closet in stride. He took puking from riding the subway in stride. He took being fed slices of pizza in the middle of the sidewalk in stride.
Even though he was one of our easy travelers, this trip was hard for him. You can't just go walk around the city when you're almost 18 months. There was a lot of dangerous things both at the apartment we were staying at and just out and about. He wanted to pick up trash on the sidewalk and eat it, he continued to take his shoes and socks off so we did not come home with as many of those as we brought. He wanted to unplug things, climb on things too big for him, and wanted to run freely.
Thankfully, since we went to several playgrounds, he was able to do some exploring and some walking, but it was limited for him and I bet that was hard.
His waving and smiles were a hit wherever we went.
Preston's Smile: Playgrounds
Preston's Frown: Throwing up from motion sickness after riding the subway
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were moments where I thought we made a huge mistake coming to New York City with such a large gaggle of young children. It was really, really hard. However, each night when we went to bed, the kids couldn't stop talking about all the wonderful things they saw, how much they loved the city, and how excited they were to see more. Everyone was so sad to leave, everyone wants to come back. I LOVE seeing the world with this crew. The difficulties are worth it.
We just got back from New York City. This trip was unplanned and scheduled very last minute and we prepared as best as we could. As people have been asking me how the trip was, I continue to say, "We had a lot of fun and this was the most challenging travel we've ever done." I wish there was a word for something that was amazing and extremely stressful at the same time.
Maybe I will make one up... diffilmazing? wonderfulofinsanity? challengtacular?
It was like crying tears of awe and absolute desperation at the same time. I think I really did that while we were there... more than once...
Whenever we travel we always learn SO much and this trip was no different. One of my biggest take-a-ways was that two of my boys are easy travelers, two of them are difficult... very difficult... ;)
NOLAN:
It has not been a huge surprise that Nolan is an absolute all-star when we travel. He is OBSESSED with seeing and learning everything about the world. He is in awe, he asks questions, he explores, and he is excited about each sightseeing adventure. He could go anywhere and see anything and be so game. He makes things easy for us.
 |
| Nolan admiring the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island in Brooklyn |
When we went through the Holland Tunnel and he saw the Manhattan Skyline for the very first time, he said, "This is a dream come true." #I'mNotCryingYou'reCrying.
 |
| Nolan and his Manhattan Skyline |
Nolan's Smile: Seeing all the big buildings (especially loving the Empire State Building and Times Square)
Nolan's Frown: Not having toys in the apartment we stayed in
 |
| Nolan hanging around in Brooklyn |
JUDAH
Judah, our free spirit, wants nothing to do with holding hands or being confined to a specific location. So, he almost got hit by many cars and we almost lost him more times than we can count. He was not easy in a big crowded city.
Although challenging when we were all together, if you got Judah in a small group or alone on the trip, he was such a gem. I really wanted to go see the Bushwick Art Collective Street Art and Judah was the only one of my kids that wanted to take that walk with me to go see it. He LOVED seeing all the art and asking questions about it and taking in the sights and sounds of Brooklyn.
 |
| Judah's favorite piece of art |
 |
| Hot dogs at Coney Island |
Judah's Smile: The big buildings
Judah's Frown: Being cold and wearing shirts that were too big
 |
| Loving the buildings and climbing on huge dangerous rocks ;) |
CARTER
Carter, apparently, hates walking. Every time we'd get out of the car or off the subway the first thing he'd say is, "UGH, do we have to walk AGAIN?!?!" He asked to be carried constantly, went limp while we were holding hands so we had to literally drag him around from time to time, and even decided just to sit down in the middle of the sidewalk to take a break. NEWSFLASH- that is not appropriate or smart behavior in a mega city! So, we had to adapt...
 |
| How a family of six struts around Manhattan |
 |
| Not walking on the pier at Coney Island |
Even though Carter did his fair share of complaining, he LOVED bridges and fountains and there were plenty of both in New York City.
I have to remind myself that he's only four. A four-year-old shouldn't be into walking miles, and may not want to read about what the Brooklyn Promenade used to look like. I get it. He drove me crazy, but I get it.
Carter's Smile: Seeing fountains
Carter's Frown: That we didn't go on top of the Empire State Building
 |
| With the fountain in Washington Square Park |
PRESTON:
Preston, was amazing on the trip. The poor kid hardly got to walk around since he was either in the stroller or being worn most of the trip and he took it in stride. He took sleeping in a closet in stride. He took puking from riding the subway in stride. He took being fed slices of pizza in the middle of the sidewalk in stride.
 |
| Little guy in a big city |
Even though he was one of our easy travelers, this trip was hard for him. You can't just go walk around the city when you're almost 18 months. There was a lot of dangerous things both at the apartment we were staying at and just out and about. He wanted to pick up trash on the sidewalk and eat it, he continued to take his shoes and socks off so we did not come home with as many of those as we brought. He wanted to unplug things, climb on things too big for him, and wanted to run freely.
 |
| Trying to climb out of his highchair at our apartment Airbnb |
Thankfully, since we went to several playgrounds, he was able to do some exploring and some walking, but it was limited for him and I bet that was hard.
His waving and smiles were a hit wherever we went.
Preston's Smile: Playgrounds
Preston's Frown: Throwing up from motion sickness after riding the subway
 |
| Preston roaming free at a playground in Brooklyn |
There were moments where I thought we made a huge mistake coming to New York City with such a large gaggle of young children. It was really, really hard. However, each night when we went to bed, the kids couldn't stop talking about all the wonderful things they saw, how much they loved the city, and how excited they were to see more. Everyone was so sad to leave, everyone wants to come back. I LOVE seeing the world with this crew. The difficulties are worth it.
Comments
Post a Comment