Solo Saturday

This has been a big week for us. On Sunday we kicked it off with our blowout of summer at Coney Island, on Tuesday we said goodbye to Nacho who left for training for 6 weeks, Wednesday was our escape from the hot weather at Target and Chuck E. Cheese, and Thursday Elisa started back to school with a half day and Friday was All. Damn. Day.  So yeah, I woke up this morning a little tired. No fucking wonder.  

But even so, I knew I couldn't stay home. I always feel like on the big summer weekends in this city, more people leave than go into Manhattan. So why not go against the flow and make a day of it in Central Park? We didn't get out of the house terribly late, and a picnic seemed like the perfect low-key affair to keep us all entertained (and fed).  So off we went towards Sheep Meadow and that wide expanse of grass that always mesmerizes me.  The girls were a little munchy at first, but then wanted to play. They grabbed sticks and set off on a mission to make potions. I was told not to look and that they didn't want me following them over to the rocks. Okay then.  It was all working out so well. Within an hour, they were winding up their game and I was ready to meander a bit more. We saw the bubble guys and decided to make a pit stop. Even though I had to sheepishly break a $20 out of his tip jar to offer him something. He was very adamant about getting that money, you know. But hey, the girls were thrilled and we milked it for as long as we could. Yes, a restful Sunday without the normal weekend crowds was just what I needed. Now, what to do tomorrow if it rains?  

First Grade Fun

Here we go again. Summer 2014 is over for us now that school has begun again. First grade. Big time stuff. Elisa was getting kind of nervous/excited the night before talking about it. And by Thursday morning, she was impossible to pull out of bed, begging to stay home and sleep. But no. It was time to embrace this new schedule and hop back on the merry-go-round. 

Her teachers are Ms. Miskin who taught K last year (and who impressed me with her speaking at one of the PCO meetings) and Ms. Rosendo who I'm looking forward to meeting soon. I was mostly hoping Elisa would get the chance to move on with a new teacher since I knew one of her teachers from K would also be moving up. We needed a fresh start this year. The end of the year report wasn't terrible, but it was disappointing--especially after such a glowing review in December.  I got it the weekend before we were pulling her out two days early to head to Spain and was blindsided by some of the commentary. Elisa wasn't engaged. She wasn't trying. She didn't always have nice things to say to her friends. And she could do x, y, z but they knew she was capable of more. It struck me as defeatist at that point in the year to get a snapshot of her as a slacker, mean girl who didn't live up to her potential. Was I overblowing things? Maybe. There were a few highlights which were art/gym/choir--all things I know Elisa loves and wants to do better at. But the rest was a bit more difficult. What was I supposed to do with this information, I wondered. How could I as a parent make her more attentive or inspired at school? A few emails and conversations with her teachers later, and I was somewhat relieved. These didn't seem to be major stumbling blocks, but rather things to stay focused on. Her math assessments rose from 60% to 88%.  I was also suspicious of making them feel defensive and placating. But oh well. It was done. 

And what I've come to realize about myself and Elisa in regards to school is that I'm totally fine with where she's at. She isn't reading to grade level and that's okay. She has very little interest and hates to practice. She guesses at words and begs to stop. The few easy books she's read from the library elicited shrieks and wide eyes when she figured them out. That was fun. That was what I wish for her. But forcing things is not working so well. So I just stopped. She's never been an easy kid and this school stuff is proving no different. She only worries about her social scene and her friends and making sure she impresses them with whatever strikes her that day.  She sometimes says mean things to her friends. And I'm sure they give it right back. Everything has a consequence and it's time she learned that.  Life moves on.  We didn't finish the take home worksheets from school this summer. We played and traveled and enjoyed each other's company. She is closer to her sister now more than ever. The reading will come. The math will happen. I have confidence in that. But until Elisa is ready and curious and eager to learn, it does no one any favors to try and drill her. I'm not that mom. I'm here, waiting and hoping that this year will be better. That we'll see some breakthroughs. But I'm not holding my breath either. If I remember my own shaky start in school with teachers I didn't trust, I have to think Elisa is testing the waters as well. Hopefully, we all learn something soon. 

Coney Island Crazy

Summer sometimes calls for me to suspend my usual aversion to hot, sweaty places and crowds. I mean, I wouldn't leave my house for 3 months if I didn't, right? And Coney Island is THE summer destination in New York City and deservedly so. I had been thinking we'd get back there again this summer, but there was always an excuse not to.  Until yesterday when Nacho announced that he had made tentative plans with some Spanish friends who moved to Sunnyside recently to meet up on the boardwalk. Well, okay. That's something, I thought. Nacho doesn't often make the big weekend plans so this was a welcome change. And considering it's his last weekend before training, I thought it would be a great finish to the summer. End it with a bang! And boy, did we. We made it there just under the midday sun and in time for a Nathan's hot dog. After that it was a bit of sand a even less surf (Nacho and Jose took a dip) before heading over to the amusement rides to placate three very eager kids. Herman did great tagging along with Elisa and Carolina, and after a few rides together they were really hitting their stride. It was so fun to watch. We all ended up on the Wonder Wheel towards late afternoon and then back to the boardwalk for an ice cream and a little rest in the shade. It was definitely a summery day and the heat really wore us all down. But it was also probably one of the best days of the summer so far in that everyone kept it together. There were no wild tantrums...only a few mild crying fits. I can handle all that, and I did. The rocking ferris wheel car was probably my personal highlight since the girls loved it as much as Nacho and I. And who can resist a funnel cake? The kids were licking the powdered sugar plate clean. And why not? It's summer after all and anything goes...for another week.

Summer bucket list

Today we managed to cross off another item from my Summer 2014 Bucket List. We made it to Astoria Pool for the first time ever and it was worth the wait. Going on an overcast day at the end of summer probably explained the lack of crowds but seriously, it wasn't nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. The prison-like atmosphere some people describe wasn't apparent and the locker room attendants were nice and helpful. We had our lock and most of the no-go items already stashed in the car, so it was fine. Really. I wish I'd gone sooner. The girls managed to enjoy the slightly chilly waters for a bit and even I made it in to swim. Of course, the sun didn't come out until we were dried off and heading over to the party on the park grounds. But that was okay. The kids played and ate, colored their gift bags and watched a nearby Aztec ritual dance. It was a beautiful day to be out in the summer and I was happy to spend time drinking it all in. We decided post-party to return to the second session of the pool (from 3-4 p.m. they shut down for cleaning). That time around, the sun was out and the dark clouds that had formed to the East kept on moving. It was all going to work out, and indeed it did. The summer has a few more surprises in store for us, I can feel it. Tomorrow we're planning our season's first visit to Coney Island--another bucket list item. Better late than never, I suppose. Off we go!