Central Park has always been one of my favorite things about New York City. It's an oasis, a sea of life surrounded on all sides by the steel and concrete on which New Yorkers build their dreams. The park makes the noise and the pace of the city a bit more bearable; inside its lush greenery, you can come up for air.
Yesterday, Olivia and I spent the day (the perfect, glorious, sunshine-y day) exploring the park. After poking around the flea market on the Upper West Side and stowing our treasures in canvas bags hanging off the stroller handles, we made our way east into Central Park.We entered at Strawberry Fields and watched the tourists snapping photos. We saw penguins, puffins and polar bears. We snooped on one of Manhattan's most famous residents with a high powered telescope. (It's someone we've enjoyed reading about recently.) We admired sailboats as they glided silently past. We joined a mad tea party, already in progress.I
t was one of those days when the universe conspires to spread smiles on the faces and joy in the hearts of Mamas and little ones everywhere. It was as perfect a day as any in my memory. And I got to share it with her.
Lucky, lucky me.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Olivia's Pick--31 May 2009
Writing! W-R-I-T-I-N-G! Olivia has burst through the initial barrier of literacy! This weekend (with a fair amount of assistance from me, I'll admit it) she wrote her name! In hot pink sidewalk chalk on our slate patio, the letters O-L-I-V-I-A are clearly and gloriously legible.
I felt like throwing a party.
She made calls, told the grandparents and reveled in the general hooplah Mama and Papa were making. But despite all that, her memory of The First Time She Wrote Her Name will doubtless fade into the mists of childhood experience.
But not for me. I'll never forget it: The bright pink color of the chalk and how she had it smeared on her forehead. The navy batik shirt she was wearing, and how it tied in the back. The way she went running, yelling "Papa! Papa! I wrote my name!" The hug I gave her and the way her skin smelled like sunshine, sunscreen and the ocean.
These things, I will not forget. Not for the rest of my life.
This is how it was, the day that she wrote her name for the first time.
I felt like throwing a party.
She made calls, told the grandparents and reveled in the general hooplah Mama and Papa were making. But despite all that, her memory of The First Time She Wrote Her Name will doubtless fade into the mists of childhood experience.
But not for me. I'll never forget it: The bright pink color of the chalk and how she had it smeared on her forehead. The navy batik shirt she was wearing, and how it tied in the back. The way she went running, yelling "Papa! Papa! I wrote my name!" The hug I gave her and the way her skin smelled like sunshine, sunscreen and the ocean.
These things, I will not forget. Not for the rest of my life.
This is how it was, the day that she wrote her name for the first time.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Olivia's Pick--24 May 2009
18-months'-worth of weekly swim lessons at our local Y have paid off; Olivia has, for the last several weeks, been doggie paddling without Mama's assistance, further proof that she'll be going off to college in about a week.
The swim lessons are great, and our teacher is first rate. Best of all, the better Olivia gets, the more she enjoys it.
I think learning to swim is a necessity, especially when living close to the shore. Olivia thinks it's the coolest thing since pedaling a tricycle.
The swim lessons are great, and our teacher is first rate. Best of all, the better Olivia gets, the more she enjoys it.
I think learning to swim is a necessity, especially when living close to the shore. Olivia thinks it's the coolest thing since pedaling a tricycle.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Olivia's Pick of the Week--17 May 2009
The summer festival season has begun. This weekend, we visited a beach festival in a neighboring town. Olivia rode the carousel, the train, the cars, the fire engines and the ponies. She was all smiles and excitement. I looked on in complete astonishment that she is old enough to ride on these things all by herself! Didn't I just give birth to her like last Tuesday or something?
One of the games we played entailed throwing darts at balloons. The sign proclaiming "Everyone Wins!" beckoned to us, perhaps skewing our sense of our dart-throwing capabilities. Giant teddy-bears, stuffed dogs and flamingos looked down from their perches on high, smiling at us, their eyes saying "Take us home!" So we shelled out 6 bucks for three darts.
45 seconds later, we walked away from the booth 6 dollars poorer. But we were the proud new owners of a very loud harmonica, the kid-sized stuffed animals remaining frustratingly out of our reach. No shrinking violet, my little Olivia proceeded to regale festival goers and workers alike with her natural abilities on this nuanced instrument.
She has brought the magic of the weekend into Monday morning and currently has her harmonica talents on display for the family and the family dog.
Someday, when she's playing at Carnegie Hall, this will be a funny story for me to relate to the New York Times. Right now, it's just loud.
One of the games we played entailed throwing darts at balloons. The sign proclaiming "Everyone Wins!" beckoned to us, perhaps skewing our sense of our dart-throwing capabilities. Giant teddy-bears, stuffed dogs and flamingos looked down from their perches on high, smiling at us, their eyes saying "Take us home!" So we shelled out 6 bucks for three darts.
45 seconds later, we walked away from the booth 6 dollars poorer. But we were the proud new owners of a very loud harmonica, the kid-sized stuffed animals remaining frustratingly out of our reach. No shrinking violet, my little Olivia proceeded to regale festival goers and workers alike with her natural abilities on this nuanced instrument.
She has brought the magic of the weekend into Monday morning and currently has her harmonica talents on display for the family and the family dog.
Someday, when she's playing at Carnegie Hall, this will be a funny story for me to relate to the New York Times. Right now, it's just loud.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Olivia's Pick of the Week--10 May 2009
It's Children's Book Week and Olivia has decided to celebrate by compiling her first ever Top 5 list.
Olivia's Top 5 Favorite Books Ever:
1. Winnie the Pooh -- A.A.Milne
2. Olivia and the Missing Toy -- Ian Falconer
3. Peter Rabbit -- Beatrix Potter
4. Madeline -- Ludwig Behmelmans
5. The Wind in the Willows -- Kenneth Grahame
Olivia's Top 5 Favorite Books Ever:
1. Winnie the Pooh -- A.A.Milne
2. Olivia and the Missing Toy -- Ian Falconer
3. Peter Rabbit -- Beatrix Potter
4. Madeline -- Ludwig Behmelmans
5. The Wind in the Willows -- Kenneth Grahame
Olivia's Pick--4 May 2009
Our little artiste has been busily expanding her oeuvre of late, and has been enjoying experimenting with watercolor.
Mama likes watercolor, too. It isn't very messy and it provides hours (OK minutes) of entertainment.
Even better, I found a quick and easy recipe for making your very own watercolor paint.
Cheap, easy, non-toxic. What else could a Mama ask?
Mama likes watercolor, too. It isn't very messy and it provides hours (OK minutes) of entertainment.
Even better, I found a quick and easy recipe for making your very own watercolor paint.
Cheap, easy, non-toxic. What else could a Mama ask?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Olivia's Pick--27 April 2009
It doesn't take long for the weather to warm up in the Northeast. What I mean is, once Old Man Winter finally releases his death grip on the region, we usually go from 40 degrees to 80 degrees in the space of about six days.
This weekend, the mercury spiked and our backyard became a summer-like wonderland. Sure, the leaves on the trees were still curled tightly into little buds, but the sprinkler was out and Olivia & Co. were running, jumping and laughing their way into the season.
Her Green Toys sand play set is still her favorite outdoor dirt & sand kit. It's made from recycled milk jugs, but you'd never know it. It's cute, durable and "eco-groovy." And if that's not enough, it's made right here in the USA.
This weekend, the mercury spiked and our backyard became a summer-like wonderland. Sure, the leaves on the trees were still curled tightly into little buds, but the sprinkler was out and Olivia & Co. were running, jumping and laughing their way into the season.
Her Green Toys sand play set is still her favorite outdoor dirt & sand kit. It's made from recycled milk jugs, but you'd never know it. It's cute, durable and "eco-groovy." And if that's not enough, it's made right here in the USA.
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