It's amazing what a little sunshine can do. After months of bundling up, searching for missing mittens, battling about winter hats, and braving the cold, the boys and I can finally leave home with short sleeves and sunblock on, light jackets tucked into our bag just in case, toes peeping out of sandals and Crocs without socks. Walking around our neighborhood is such a treat right now. Flowers are blooming everywhere and just like last year, Nico longs to pick them all. I spend a lot of time explaining why certain rules apply to other people's gardens, but as much as he likes magnolias, daffodils and tulips, he's fond of dandelions too. His pockets are usually full of them by the time we get home.
On Tuesday, a long walk led to a search for ice cream. We ended up at Red Horse Cafe, a popular Park Slope spot that recently started serving scoops from SoCo Creamery, a company in the Berkshires that makes small batches of cool flavors like chai spice, mission fig and lavender honey. We'd picked up some watermelon along the way, and I was hoping that would keep Leo happy since he hasn't had much sugar yet. When I went to reach for the container, I forgot that the top was already off and it went flying and slimed him, bringing to mind the show You Can't Do That On Television that I loved as a kid.
Splashed with a lot of watermelon juice and fat pieces of fruit, he didn't cry, but looked at me wide-eyed and bewildered while his big brother filled in the blanks: "Why did you DO that to him?!?" The whole incident helped me realize how unthoughtful we were about to be. "Here little guy, let me rub it in your face, literally, the fact that we get to lick luscious scoops of ice cream while you munch on some deeelicious watermelon!" I guess it ended up working in his favor because I couldn't possibly withhold ice cream from him after that. He had a few bites.
Afterward, Nico used a sippy cup to give his little brother a light shower. Watching him make Leo laugh—those wonderful belly laughs that are seriously the best sound in the world, especially when coming from a baby with a sweet, sticky face and a watermelon seed or two stuck to his cheek—made my day even better.
Red Horse Cafe
497 Sixth Ave, at 12th Street
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-499-4973
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