Go, Go, Diego!

So far our New York outings with cousin Diego have been way more successful than our ill-fated trip to North Carolina earlier in the week. We've hit Central Park twice, Times Square, Bryant Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, Ground Zero and the remaining World Trade Centers, Battery Park City, Riverside Park, the Upper West Side and a bit of Sunnyside as well. It's a lot for a 9 year old to take in, but I think Diego is up to the challenge. He loves taking photos, and he keeps Elisa entertained quite well. I have Abuela to thank for a lot of extra help as well, but mostly, we've been able weave the days together around lots of kid-friendly sites and some pit stops for food and exercise. Having Nacho around today (and through Thursday, thank God) means we can break apart into groups now if need be. Being the tour guide and Elisa's momma can sometimes be a bit much to handle, but for three days it wasn't too bad. She's complied with mostly hour long naps in the stroller, and except for a 5 minute screaming spree yesterday, hasn't been too crazy out and about all day. And really, when family comes to town, you just have to bend the rules for a bit. You wanna get down while we eat lunch? Sure. Another sucker? Why not. Kind of like our journey to Spain this summer, I think the ability to stay mentally limber and adapt is the hardest part of parenting. But I'm getting a lot of practice. And after this visit, I think I can say I have done it all in Spanish. For as much as we want Diego to learn English, it's true that Spanish is the first language of our household right now. Which means that just like our friend Dora, we have a cousin Diego to whom Elisa can say "Vamonos!" And believe me, she does.