Tobin and Bruno met Eugenie for a lunch date at Rice. The chilly weather didn’t allow for a takeout picnic, but there was enough space for BYOB (bring your own blanket … to roll on)

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It’s been a while since Tobin first tried the swings at Carroll Park, but with Mika’s help he took the fun to a whole new level. Unfortunately, the sisterly support dwindled after a few minutes and it was back to a full workout for me.

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On the last (week)day of Mika’s spring break, we returned to the BBG for some more ‘Hanami‘ (cherry blossom viewing/appreciation). Of course, Mika appreciated her ice cream treat just as much … but she helped arrange Bruno and Tobin for a keepsake photo. What those two really had to say is captured here.

Rising temperatures bring back one of our favorite summer past times, dining outdoors. Kiddie bonus: no wait (and plenty of sunshine!) when your party arrives before 6:00pm. Even at Frankies.

Continuing our spring break activities, we met up with the Litt-Cole’s at BMA to see the Murakami exhibit. Mika got a bit scared by the animations in the screening room, but generally enjoyed the art a lot. Tobin just enjoyed being in the company of 3 great girls in matching fishie dresses. Of course, we had to go for a stroll in the Botanical Garden as well … the cherry blossoms are officially at “first bloom”. If the temperatures hit 80°F tomorrow, they might peak as early as this weekend.

Today were a couple of “firsts” for Tobin: we swapped the bassinet on his stroller for the regular seat (made a brand new cover too!). He was delighted to ride face-to-face with his big, cookie-munching sister. Later, we plopped him into the high chair for the first time. He liked the view, but didn’t have enough endurance to enjoy a meal up there yet. Soon, little guy, soon…

While Tobin and Bruno were out partying at Adrienne’s Bachelorette luncheon, Mika (and Sung) got a dose of green in Central Park. Lately she’s been obsessed with climbing trees, just like her mom as a kid! One Magnolia tree seems to have gotten a good shakedown too…

They also visited the zoo and, on their way, accidentally ran into the Pope (!) and his heavily armed motorcade.

This week has been a treat with temperatures up to 75°F (24°C). While Daddy was still in LA, Mika, Tobin, and i spent most of today outdoors … including Vietnamese lunch at Hanco’s. The other 3 images are from Thursday’s pickup: Mika’s friends inspecting Tobin’s bare feet, and Tobin enjoying the ‘big kid playground’.

Mika and her friends Blossom and Hannah convinced the grownups today that they HAD to have a treat from the ice cream truck. Luckily, they weren’t interested in salmonella soft serve, but uniformly picked (bug eyed) Dora on a stick. You can watch the sugar high kicking in…

One look at the local weather forecast convinced Tobin to gear up for summer: SPF 50+ sunscreen (not pictured) and, well, 100% UV protection for his eyes…

Finally, we’ve had enough warm days to bring every tree in the neighborhood to a full bloom. It happened almost overnight, but with a vengeance. Perfect time to take the scooter for a spin and … to learn to hula!

Mika and Kai hit the playground after school today. Although Kai looked brand new with his (first ever!) haircut, they did the stuff old couples do: racing each other up and down the jungle gym, getting dizzy on the tire swing, sharing trucks, laughs, and snacks.