Park days are here again...

Just when I thought this winter might last until June, we've had a few warm sunny days sneak in and give me hope that spring is really here. And with that, we've been able to head back to our beloved Sunnyside Gardens Park for long afternoons (and the occasional morning) playing on their bikes and slides, swings and sand. I remember thinking last year when we joined up that it would be great to be here next summer when Elisa was that much older and more independent. She could really have the run of the place without much need for my interventions. And that's proving to be mostly true. I can definitely relax more at this park than in most public places in NYC. It's partly because I know so many of the other moms and families hanging around who are always able to point Elisa back to me if something comes up, but also because it's a very well laid out area with lots of different interests to keep her busy. Mostly, I like our time at the park because it's like having a communal backyard where I can bump into friends and chat for a while, and the time just flies by before dinner and bedtime. Here are the kiddos running around the other day...

Elisa still has her moments of craziness at the park, but generally she's happy enough just to be there. Her new thing is to sit atop the big slide in what I can only assume is a power play for control of the slide. It's slightly maddening to watch her sit and stare down other kids, but with a little coaxing it usually ends well with a race to the bottom. Unless I have to pull her off kicking and screaming, which I did today. There's only so much patience you can expect of a line of 2 and 3 year olds waiting for their turn, especially when Elisa's being a little turd. But fortunately, she was able to recover and go find a bike to pedal. That's another newfound hobby--biking. There's at least one good bike with training wheels (that seem a bit more stable than the old kind if you ask me) that she loves racing around on. Normally when she's off and about for a long stretch it's because she's doing laps around the baseball field on the bike. What good exercise and distraction! I love seeing her enjoy something that much, but let's face it, I also love the down time to sit and talk or wander around without having to follow her every move. And the more I see of her in the park this year, the more I'm relieved to find that she's handling herself pretty well. Maybe my summer won't be too bad afterall. Long and hot and tiring, but the park gives me hope. So yay for that.