City Talk. The verbal and non-verbal kind.

 It is no secret that a lot of the time, I walk the streets looking like a mess.  Like a bag lady, or the mother of uncontrolled children-- Just, not a cool, contained city mom.  As a parent from the girls school said the other day, "Where are you from?  You just don't look like you should be living in this environment.  I mean, it seems like children just follow you, wherever you go... whenever I see you, there are just handfuls of children surrounded by you.  You look like you should be like, in the country (no.), in a big farmhouse (nope.).  With 12 children (Ummmm...no thank you.), with your hair blowing (ok.)...with a dog! (NO!)

But every once in awhile, ;) we feel on top of it.  Hip, city outfit, hair done, make-up, children riding safely on scooters.  We even have code signals and words on the street.

For example, if I snap two times with my hands by my side, my children know they need to either hold my hand or catch up to me so they aren't behind me.  They know it's for their safety.

 If I say, "don't breath", they know to hold their breath until further notice.  (This is usually if workers are wearing face masks in an area that we are walking by or if it smells awful.)

 "Watch out! Poop!" means exactly what you think it does.  And the girls help me out on that one more often than not.  Gotta watch for stroller wheels now.

This reminds me of something else I've been thinking about for years.  You know when you go to a retail store, and the clothes have all of these unnecessary pulls, bungees, loops, pockets and such?  Well, all of those gadgets can serve a purpose in this city and we have used them!  Also, sunglasses.  New Yorkers don't wear them just to look cool or show their undone faces, it is to keep the dirt and snow and rain out of your eyes and face.  Necessity!  We have learned a few things along the way living here in NYC, for survival..even of we don't always look the part. ;)  Coming up on 5 years, next month!