In like a lamb, out like a....??

Today has been a glorious day.  We've had several unseasonably warm days in the recent past, but we've had a very unseasonably warm season, and I'm pretty sure that if you're reading this, you are too.  (unless you're in Europe--i hear they got last year's winter and snow dumps)  Do we love it? Say it with me--YES.

Even so, winter still remained true to itself and sucked bad this year.  It is what it is.  And it's just so evil that even without multiple snow dumps or painfully cold temps, it's still a horribly ugly demon and it will treat you like one, without mercy.  A friend and I drove through the city yesterday and we noted that it was more difficult to complain about winter this year.  "Oh this WEATHER.. it's just so.... mild..?"   "Oh, what a crappy day! I had to walk 10 blocks in... 50 degree temps and no snow."    But still.   It's still been bad, i just have to be more vague in my complaints.  "Oh WINTER... i hate it."  I can do that.

So today, as on other days that first show signs of spring, everyone emerges from their cocoon homes like butterflies and everyone is happy, and prettier than they were before.  Here's what happened today:

First, I have yet to adapt Julian to the daylight savings schedule so he's sleeping at 10pm and waking at 9.  So I get up at 7:30 and have a morning to myself which is just a treat. Eventually I will change it but I enjoy these mornings.   I got him out of bed and we happy wrestled for a while. Then i put him in his blue skinnies that are actually girl pants from Old Navy, but whatever. What's the diff, anyway.  And what if i want him to wear bright colors? It's fine.   I packed a lunch and then we drove to Cobble Hill to run some errands before his little preschool class.   In-between errands we'd go throw some more quarters into the meter.  We shopped, we laughed, we watched the lava lamps at the lights and lamps shop.  We went to his class and had a good time. On the walk back to the car, i saw a man with a teeeny tiny baby in his baby carrier and he was eating a sandwich.  It looked like a doll and he was practicing, and it reminded me of the early days of coming out with a new baby, and feeling like you had to pretend to be a real person again, pretending to live real life, feeling like you had to start over again.  Like, "let's go practice standing outside and doing something else at the same time, like eating a sandwich" all whilst being acutely aware that you had this new tiny living bundle on your chest that is pretty unnerving.  (that sounds like you have a growth on your chest, but really isn't that what a new baby is? I just chose to use less-gross words)

I gave Julian a bag of pear slices and bought a gift in a gift shop, and hugged one of these. (the narwhal is my favorite)  I couldn't help myself. I said, "what the!" and out came the hug. The salesgirl said, "I know! they're so squishy and FAT!" and I said, "they are!" and we both got more excited and loud about it and I had to leave before we both exploded. Then out on the sidewalk i pulled over to give Julian a granola bar and i locked eyes with Nora Jones who was shopping in a shoe store.  Fortunately i had my sunglasses on so it concealed any recognition that may have reflected. As you know, I am a staunch anti-famous person-acknowledger (<--official title).

Just as we were getting in the car, I noticed there were 20 minutes left on the meter. What a waste! So i scooped the boy and skipped across the street to the Blue Marble for ice cream. I really couldn't decide what flavor to get so I asked the girl, who was a happy clam because she was the disher of ice cream on a warm day and everyone was giddy to be getting ice cream on a warm day, which one should i get? She said, "well, I like the peach," and I said, "yeah? I LOVE peach! But when it's good. I feel like peach is rarely very good."  And she promised me it was, so i got it and it was as good as her word. Julian and I shared that cup while we watched some pre-adolescent girls take turns attempting the pogo stick.  Having been one myself, attempting the very same feat, i wanted to give some pointers, but i figured the pogo stick is one of those endeavors that is best left to conquer all on your own.  I have put some long, long hours into learning the pogo stick, and they were hours of self-discovery and life lessons that i know i can't get any other way.

So, basically, spring is pounding down winter's door and winter's like, go away! nobody's home! and spring is like, whatever, ready or not, I'm coming in.  And it's alright. It's aaaalriiiight.