Heat, cherry blossoms and a cow named Daisy.

We hit the streets, or rather the farm and the park, this weekend as the mercury hit nearly 90 degrees in NYC. It was a record high for April breaking the 1942 record of 84 degrees for April 26th, and the city came alive - everyone was out and about and searching for shade. We spent the whole weekend outside - visiting the Queens County Farm for the first time, the oldest working farm left in the city that dates back to 1697. The original farm house still stands and is open to the public. It is also complete with pigs, chickens, geese, goats and a cow named Daisy (I kid you not). Maya stared at the animals and watched as young kids fed them, the chickens were of particular interest. I think we'll enjoy going there this summer and fall - going to the annual county fair and pumpkin and apple picking (I'm excited about the produce).

Sunday we visited the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens which were beautiful. The cherry blossoms were in bloom and the gardens were packed - lots of people lounging under trees. We met up with Carmen, her husband Dan and baby Simon (11 days Maya's senior) who we had not seen since November when Carmen and I were both on maternity leave and met up frequently for lunch with the babes. Very funny to watch them interact and even use each other as a support to push up and stand (very funny). Lots of pregnant bellies around us too as Carmen and I both reminisced about April last year when were anxiously awaiting the stork deliveries and neck and neck on who would pop first.

Maya on the move.

Finally!! Warmth! Sun! Trees in bloom! We thought the day would never come - it has been an unbelievably dreary winter, cold and rainy well into April and today we finally had the day we were waiting for. People were out sunning, the kids were out, the pets were out people were riding bicycles - it was great. Maya celebrated by yanking off her socks and sticking her feet up in the air as we strolled around the neighborhood.

The real bonus was a short visit by Roshni, Joel and Liam who is just shy of his first year birthday. We took the kids to the playroom and strolled by the river and showed them around the neighborhood. It was so cute to get them together, we hadn't seen them since last November when we gathered in Williamstown and although the kids were more interested in the toys surrounding them than each other, the parents thought it was a real hoot.

We also had a gathering in our building today with other parents and kids in the common area courtyard. There are many children in the building, many under the age of 5 and 3 other baby girls under the age of 1. Soon to be Maya's playmates. We're planning on having several events for kids and parents to get to know each other, our own meetup group.

On the development front - Maya is on the move, ie she's a little terror. She's a little obsessed with trying to stand up and will pull up on anything and everything - the coffee table, the couch, your pant legs, the dogs (yes she pushed up on Bailey to help her stand, he was not pleased), her favorite are the dresser drawers in her bedroom and the washing machine. The problem with this of course is that she's not even 8 months and has no balance - so landing after standing is a treacherous affair and has lead to a few head bangs and tears. Occasionally she manages to land on her butt and will look at you very pleased with herself. But she discovered the bookcase and all of daddies boring finance books which she likes to pull off the shelves. I can't leave her along any more which makes getting dressed in the morning a little more challenging - every time I turn around she has managed to pull up on something and I find her standing, reaching for things with one hand which leaves the sole little chubby other hand to hold on to whatever she pulled up on with nothing but hard wood floor around her to land on. Ay me....