We Got a Car!!

Well, does a rental car count? Marc had to drive to CT for business and on his way home he called me with a surprise, much appreciated offer: "Do you want me to swing by and pick you guys up for Music tonight?" Oh, did I ever! Tuesdays are a marathon day. Maddy to school at 8:30, Eva to School at 12:30, everyone picked up at 2:50 then it is off to the subway station to head across town to Lincoln Center for music. This entails a 35 minute commute with 3 subway line transfers, and a trek up/down 5 flights of stairs, carrying Owen in his stroller. When we arrive at the music school at 4 pm, I have to then figure out what I will do with my 19-month-old for the next 2 hours until the girls finish at 6 pm. Then it is the same subway routine home (3 line transfers, up/down 5 flights of stairs) and we collapse into our apartment at 7 pm. I usually have Owen boogers all over me, string cheese in my hair, and a smooshed ham sandwich to clean out of stroller.

When Marc called up with the offer to DRIVE us to music in a CAR the heavens opened and I swear I heard a hallelujah chorus. WooooHooo! Within minutes he arrived in a shiny HOT Royal Blue Dodge Charger (which, BTW, is totally not a car I would normally like at all but it looked SO incredibly awesome at that moment in time because I knew it would whisk me off to music lessons with out even a single sniff of the urine-laden subway).
Owen looked quite confused as we strapped him into his car seat. This was his first time EVER being strapped into his big-boy car seat. I may be a bad parent, but I cannot lug a car seat around NYC for cab rides. I pat myself on the back when he is at least strapped into my Ergo for those. So, this was the inaugural ride. Shiny Royal Blue Dodge Charger......matching Royal Blue car seat.

We arrived at music class unscathed- but very, very carsick. Unfortunately Madeline has inherited my propensity for carsickness. We arrived at the music school and the first thing she said was, "Oh, mom, I am going to puke!" All it took to cure the nausea was a drink of water and a snack, and we were good to go- thank goodness. Eva finished her Dalcroze class, Maddy started her Piano lesson, and we were off to pick up a snack as we waited for our Driver to return (Marc was off in the car on a conference call). Thank goodness Magnolia Bakery is only a few blocks away.......hee hee. Eva helped me pick out a few of these chocolate cupcakes:

And some banana pudding...........

And a peanut butter cookie for Owen. I need to stop letting him watch Sesame Street. He is really taking the Cookie Monster imitation to extremes. Our trusty driver (Mr. Chenn) showed up after Maddy's class and took us home in style. Now I know why people have drivers. I want to get me one of those. Full-time.

So we are still car-less in the city. I miss our cars sometimes. Those fond remembrances are quickly erased, however, when I think of filling up the gas tank (for $4 a gallon!) or paying insurance, or paying for parking, or paying for tolls, or getting the oil changed, or buying new tires, or replacing the windshield monthly, or even vacuuming the car out........:)

The subway isn't that bad.

Did I just say that??!