Summer's Swan Song

I hate to say it but today might have been the best day of the summer. At least for Elisa. After much hooing and hawing, she consented to a hair cut and inspired her sister to do the same. I took them up to Fernando's salon on Skillman and splurged on some real hair cuts. It also helped that they had two stylists to do the cuts simultaneously so we were in and out of there in no time. Carolina's hair didn't need a major overhaul, just a healthy trim and the stylist actually told me the bangs (which I've been cutting for 4 years) were perfect. He didn't even clean them up. Meanwhile, Elisa was getting her long layered look which was loosely based on Mia the LEGO girl. Yeah, that's right. She wanted bangs and layers to look the same as a plastic figurine. Hmmm. Not sure how that's going to go. But we went for something slightly more mature, and boy did she look older once it was all blown out smooth and pretty. My girls are growing up. 

Maybe that's why I didn't hesitate to take them both out for a last city swim of summer and mess up that perfect hair. It was pretty, but nothing beats a great day out in the city exploring and doing something new. We had never been to McCarren Park Pool so today was the day. And it was worth the wait. There was no wait to enter when we finally made it in around 1:40pm and the locker rooms and facilities are recently renovated compared to the prison camp feel of Astoria Pool. Ladonna and Miles also came along on this summer swan song which made it all a bit more fun. Nothing like a change up of friends to make the day go fast. The wading pool is similar to one section of Astoria, but there are lots of other parts for bigger kids.  And Elisa and Miles had a blast hopping over the rope to jump and swim and get their kicks out with a little more space in deeper water.  Carolina also had fun doing her "tricks" in the shallow water which amounted to mostly jumping up and sitting down, doing some walking on her hands and forming a V with her legs up. After just over an hour's worth of swimming, we had to leave the pool for cleaning time, but even that was okay. The kids took our suggestion to go for a walk and off we went.

We headed down 12th Street towards the waterfront in Williamsburg without any real agenda. Ladonna was game for a little excursion, so we headed over to the East River State Park to let the kids play around. I was surprised to see so much development in that area even though it was three years ago when we were there last. I know, I know, that area is booming and continuing to boom. But seriously, the playground with the hill of grassy steppes was a perfect backdrop for us to sit and watch the kids run through the sprinklers on the play area at the bottom. They chased one another with cups of water and we debated the finer points of living in NYC. And the plethora of reasons we should move. No one wants to leave, but we all know it's coming. Or at least that's how it feels some days. Will we end up here after all? Who knows. But we're here now. That's what matters. And in that spirit, we hit the 16 Handles fro-yo store on the way back towards the park and the car. As we approached McCarren Pool again, Elisa started begging to return for a later afternoon swim. Miles joined in with the pleading and before you know it, we were suited and showering off for another round. It was true we had nothing better to do anywhere else, so why not? This time, we ventured into the deeper area and after a while, I started swimming with Elisa. I wanted her to watch me go under without pinching my nose. Since she first had to give up her swim mask this summer, she has been reluctant to let herself swim without holding her nose shut. But I knew once she did it, she would be thrilled. And today was that day. She let go and started to blow outwards. It was magnificent. It really was. Just as we were heading out of the pool, she had her epiphany. And that joy and excitement carried her all the way home, through the evening and into bed. She told me again and again she was so happy. She was proud of herself. And I was too. Today was her last hurrah before school starts in the morning. I'm so glad it was a good one.