Our two days in Manhattan were customized by their own lack of a plan. We took on the city in full spontaneous spirit. Boldest of all, we did so with a toddler without a stroller or a back carrier (no carrier was dumb not bold).
New York City boasts great go-tos for a visit with a toddler. I found babyccino’s NYC guide to be exceptional.
However, our hope was to feel the city rather than see every landmark and sight. So we took it as it came which surprisingly worked out, especially for ev, happy as the street musician who got our coins, to balance the low window sills, hop the storefront steps, walk circles around the fire hydrants and run free in Central Park.
We went “down down down the steps” to the rumbling subway and came “up up up” to the Trinity church just in time for an afternoon nap on the cool pews of the dim chapel.
We watched a mouse noisily crunching a stale bagel between the subway tracks while we waited for the train to Soho for lunch at Morini where the waiters let ev help out at the menu station.
ev rests on a bench in Soho
Ev ran straight for a pair of cool pants at Sweet William, a children’s store of independent designers (check out their toys and books). She couldn’t resist swapping her matching outfit for those fabulous pants!
she got many a compliment on those pants!
We shopped Purl Soho for some fabric and buttons. I believe that shop could inspire creativity to anyone who enters.
We saw a bride in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, munched hotdogs on steps, browsed the Metropolitan Museum of Art Store and found this counting book of NYC by Joanne Dugan, photographer/mom/children’s book author.
St Patrick's
Who needs Disney World! Seriously.
p.s. Back carriers seemed to be the local mode for tots to travel. A stroller would have been complicated on crowded uneven streets and busy subway/taxi jumps. We made it with papa’s shoulders and mama’s arms.
ev Reaches 
I keep telling Chris I cannot wait to take Rogue to Chicago when we visit him during training. He will love all of the buildings and skyscrapers and noises of the city!
The city is full of new things for the little sweeties!