And it’s Marianne’s birthday today!

And there are more photos over at www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanstrahan

Just to show that we’ve had some fun, we went to FAO Schwartz where they have the big piano that kid’s can dance on. It actually works the way it should, and the girls loved it.

While a lot of this trip has seemed difficult, inconvenient, or just plain stressful, we did have some fun. I got some less than fun book news yesterday, which has left me feeling not so confident, I’m way behind on a piece I have to get written ASAP, and I just found out I may be expected back in the office two days earlier than expected (in fact, before I get back to Perth!), so this bit of silliness snapped a couple days ago in Manhattan.

So, I know I should have written more about ‘the trip’. I certainly want to tell you all about being in Manhattan. A couple days back we took the girls on the train and Staten Island ferry for the first time, which delighted them both. We then spent hours lining up to get a ferry over to the Statue of Liberty, which Sophie had something of a fixation about. It was perfect. The day was beautiful, we went up the Statue and the girls both had a ball. Yesterday we hopped on the train, the Ferry and then the subway (for the first time) to head into Manhattan and the hotel. Highlights of the day included riding the forty foot ferris wheel inside Toys R US not once but twice, and having (as Sophie put it) ‘so MUCH fun’. We then shopped at the American Girl store (blech), had dinner, and brought sleepy kids home. Today was the Museum of Natural History, which was a huge hit. They loved the gemstone exhibit and the dinosaur floor (Sophie loves the bone animals), but the hit of the day was the giant piano keyboard at FAO Schwartz (as seen in the movie Big). They both loved it, but Jess was genuinely delighted. We bought a few small gifts, went to the Disney store, did the same there, and then had Chinese at a nice restaurant. A satisfying day, all in all. Tomorrow, Central Park, Books of Wonder (maybe), and then back to Staten Island.

So, how is the trip? LACon was fun because of the people, though I wasn’t quite in the mood. The Catskills were fine, and the rest is ok, but I’ve been tired. I’m ready t head home. Three more days.