Central Park Zoo

Yesterday morning, as we were passing in front of the zoo in Central Park, as we usually do when we go to the playground there, I told P to look at the sea lions. But this time, he wanted to see them closer. He pointed the entrance of the zoo and asked me to go in. It was a beautiful day - blue sky, sunny, warm (for this time of year). At the beginning I wasn't really thrilled with the idea, and then I thought 'why not'? 

The visit was fantastic. We had the zoo almost for ourselves and I realized it was the first time I was taking P by himself, without F, to the zoo. So I felt like it was his well deserved special treat. And it was a totally different visit than the ones I did with F alone, or with both of them together. P is a calmer person and F has more energy than his body can actually burn. Therefore, this time we actually spent time in front of each animal. P would observe them for long minutes and make few comments. Whereas F would make tons of questions (which I actually love and find amusing) and when he was P's age he would be running around all the time.

When I was pregnant of P, I would ask myself the same question I heard from many women during their second pregnancy, which is, how I would be able to love someone as much as I loved my first child? But more frequently, I would ask myself if I would have the patience and same dedication as I had with F to go through all the developmental stages and doing everything again with my second baby. What I hadn't realized until P was born is that he was actually a whole different person, who would bring me different kind of joys and difficulties. I always pictured my second son, exactly as my first. However, not only his personality is different, but even physically he doesn't really look like F. And that was such a pleasant surprise. 

So, yes, for my second one, I still have lots of patience - even more than with F because I'm less strict with P. I know, that's unfair, but sometimes you need to have the second child to realize that what you thought was so important for your first, wasn't really that important. And, yes, I still have the same dedication with P. What I found out is that nothing that I've already done with F is the same with P. It can be similar, but never the same. They like different things and react in different ways. Which makes my life as a mom even more interesting and engaging.

If you can, try to avoid the weekend's crowd and plan your visit to Central Park Zoo during the week, preferably in the morning. Leave behind New York's chaos and the sounds of sirens, to get a little bit closer to Nature. This morning we could only hear birds chirping and the sound of water in the zoo. Even if it's a short visit, you'll see how rested your mind will be when you'll rejoin New York's life - it's almost like a short trip out of town.