Sleep Overs

Another first happened this weekend. Carolina made it to her first sleep over birthday party. First sleep over, period. But the fact that it was combined with a party to celebrate her BFF Kira's 6th birthday was just icing on the cake. With Elisa, her first sleep over happened at age 6 during a sleep over for the Girl Scouts at the Parish Center. I didn't chaperone and felt mildly guilty the whole night. But she made it through and I was happy that so many other moms I knew were staying as well just in case she needed help. Fast forward a few years and Carolina and Kira started planning a sleep over somewhere in the middle of UPK last year. I wasn't completely opposed but it did seem a tad early. So when this party invitation came through, I figured it was time. Carolina showed no signs of anxiety and I suppose our Hamilton invite last weekend where the girls went without me was a forerunner. 

The only real kicker was what I was going to do with Elisa during her little sister's night out. She had attended two Girl Scout sleepovers, but had never had one with a friend. So I thought perhaps this was a chance to host her BFF Birdie since they wouldn't be bothered by a third wheel. I got the clearance from Amanda and away they went planning their evening together. It went through several stages including one where they ordered sushi and went to a movie, but in the end, they were mostly just happy to get McDonald's and hang out on the fold out couch. Yes, this was a girls night IN and I think they had a blast between their fashion show (in at least 4 parts) and their late night run to the deli for ice cream. Elisa and Birdie have been friends since my first meeting with the playgroup at 4 months, but it's taken most of that time for them to find their groove. Somehow here we are with 3rd graders who made it through a whole evening of fun without getting upset or hurt feelings, and were all giggles going to bed at 11pm and waking up at 7:30am to watch videos and eat cereal together. They exceeded my expectations so I'm looking forward to more of those fun nights.

The rest of our Sunday was picking up Carolina and dropping Birdie off before setting out for the Waterfront Center in Oyster Bay, Long Island. This is where I took Nacho for a sailing class a few years ago. And we promised we'd be back...some day. Well, the time has come and Nacho is all gung ho to take the intro sailing course this summer. And why not? He's got the time and now the money and I think it's great he has something he is so passionate about. He never ceases to amaze me in that regard. This time we asked José and Irene if they wanted to join us since the center was having an open house and we could check out the area and grab lunch. They were game, so we met up out there and had a walk around and visit with the bay wildlife on display before making some fantastic buttons and heading out for park and burgers. The kids were happy and we were content so it was a win-win kind of day. Driving home in the early rush hour on a Sunday night also turned out okay since both girls slept a good part of the hour-long drive and I was finally able to bathe them before starting the new week. So yeah, all these new adventures were a fun way to end the weekend and I have to say I think we'll be back out there and on a boat in no time. 

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A Walk in the Woods

The first four day weekend of the school year came just weeks into our new routines. So what were we to do? I thought about running wild through an empty city, and while that plan had its merits, I also really wanted to go some place new--some place we might not get to on a usual weekend. So the idea of heading out further into Long Island to a nature preserve along the north shore called Bailey Arboretum sprung to mind. Several moms in the neighborhood have posted photos of it before and I've always been intrigued. It also looks like a good place to hit for family photos some time, and best of all, it's free! So yeah, it had a lot going for it when I mentioned the idea to Nacho and he was absolutely game. Driving over the LIE wasn't too bad and we were zooming up towards Oyster Bay in no time just making it there after lunch. The girls spotted the wild bird haven first and made their way out of the car and over to check out the hawks and owls nestled in the cages recovering. Some had lost wings or other vital parts of their wildness and wouldn't be returning to the forests. But it's wonderful that they have a volunteer staff to take care of them and visitors can stop by and check on their progress. After that, we walked a little closer to the mossy lake before hitting the children's garden with its fun instruments and hammocks. The nature trails were pretty empty and it really felt we had the run of the place. Part of me loves being outdoors on those kind of days because of the contrast with our city life. It feels like a wild kingdom is just outside our doorstep (or, okay, 1 hour and 5 minutes away) and we could come back any time. And gauging the reaction Nacho and the girls had to our time there, I think we will.

Sunken Meadow

With just a few days left in our summer schedule, we decided to hit the beaches of New York one more time before Elisa starts school on Thursday. So today we packed up around 11 a.m. and made our way out to Sunken Meadow State Park along the north shore of Long Island. Clocking in at just an hour away, it was a spot I'd been hearing about for a while and never had the reason to go. I knew it was going to be rocky, with calm waters because of the sound. But I didn't really think about all the seaweed it might hold. Um, yeah. Elisa is NOT a fan. It took her a good 30 minutes to warm up to the idea of coming into the water. And truth be told, I kind of couldn't blame her. I didn't look like the most inviting body of water. If Lake Michigan was crystal clear (and freezing!), this was murkier water with better temps but lots of floating algae and sea gunk. Walking out past all the floating stuff wasn't too hard, but lots of little sharp rocks underfoot didn't make it easy either. We finally coaxed her into the water with a promise of $5 if she set foot in this perfect swimming spot. And she did. By the time she gathered her courage (and Nacho's help to carry her over the first icky part), she was almost unstoppable. And that's Elisa for you. She might faunch and fuss, but eventually when she caves she will never get enough of that thing she resisted. She is completely and utterly unable to be lukewarm about something. She either despises it or adores it. And that's part of why I try so hard to coax her with things like this. I knew she would have a great time swimming out in the calm waters, but it took a lot of effort to convince her. Too much effort really. But in the end, her delight and Carolina's absolute ease about everything made the trip a success. It also helped that we had a shady spot with a table to eat lunch and a concession stand with delicious ice cream right at the boardwalk. So, yes, Sunken Meadow was a fun change of pace. Not sure it would be my go-to beach, but I think the playground and proximity to other things in Long Island (hello, Hicksville Target) made the outing more enjoyable. So thanks, Summer 2015. You haven't disappointed me yet. 

Long Beach Blow Out