spring refresh

At this time last week, I was waking up in a bed all to myself indulging in the tropical sounds of daybreak at my grandmother’s house in Santo Domingo. Who would have thought that taking on the task of picking her up to bring her back to the states would turn into some much needed R&R. My three day trip turned into total beach reveling and although I did not get as much sleep as I had hoped for, the little time away was the perfect remedy for the funk I was in… You know, the zombie-like state brought on by dedicating unrelenting hours to a small (and very active) being without a moment’s rest, the sleep-deprived condition from trying to squeeze in some “me” time (also known as fleeting moments of sanity) while playing super mom, and the sucked out of energy condition that comes not only from the physical whereabouts of your daily life with a toddler but also, from the toll that the draining routine has on your marriage.  To say I NEEDED this “time off” is a true understatement.

So I’m back now and even though life has a way of showing you that slowing down is an idealized fantasy, I was able to return feeling energized to enjoy the spring season with the little one in tow. We took advantage of the donation-based admission on Wednesday (and the added perk that we live fairly close) and visited the Bronx Zoo this week. Although my little Lola was super excited about the afternoon fun with her cousins, she was especially clingy; which I guess shouldn’t surprise me after my little unplanned escapade (be prepared for this if you ever get to sneak off).

We ended up getting to the park just a couple of hours before it closed and while we were able to avoid the crazy crowds that are customary on freebie Wednesdays, I totally feel we missed seeing some of the legendary animals that the kiddos dream of (and the much acclaimed elephant poop my three year old nephew was obsessed to look at). I was a little disappointed that the Children’s Zoo within the park is under some construction and only the farm area is available for visiting but after all the feeding and petting, I realized that the little ones didn’t even notice. There are many upcoming events happening this Spring so be sure to check out their calendar for more info and remember, there’s much to cover so be prepared for loads of walking (or running if you have a curious and energetic toddler like I do).

xoxo