Taiyo sometimes disapproves my wardrobe choice. It's summer and I want to wear my cute summer dresses or tank tops on Sundays. But Taiyo may say, "I don't like it." He doesn't seem to be pleased with more skin exposure. "How about a shirt?" he says. Then I would take other clothes out and ask him, "How about this one?" until he says, "I like it." So the other day when we came across a street fair I let him pick a dress for me. We did agree this time.

On Sunday he wanted to go to the zoo again, but I convinced him to head to Governor's Island for FIGMENT art festival. The ferry was pretty crowded, but as soon as we got off the ferry, there were plenty of space, and oh, boy, so much fun things to participate at this great festival. He painted, did some swords fight with other toddlers, went up on a tree house, and practiced patting at miniature golf. I wanted to explore some more, but he was exhausted in just over an hour. Sun was strong and we got really hot in the big field, too. There were long lines at the food trucks, and he was too tired to think of food anyway. We couldn't cover too much, but it was very New York kind of wonderful event. Maybe someday he would realized that he's growing up in an amazing environment. He crashed as soon as we got off the ferry back to Manhattan.

Last sunday, I convinced Taiyo to go check out the Science Fair at the Washington Square Park, although he wanted to go to the zoo. "Let's go to the Science Fair first, then we'll go to the zoo. He agreed. The fair looked amazing, but when I tried to lock the bike, I realized I forgot the lock. After he posed in front of an orangutan, and a big grasshopper on stilts, Taiyo still wanted to go to the zoo anyway. So we headed back home first, and biked all the way uptown. There was Israeli Parade on the Fifth avenue, and it was hell to go across to the park. It was one of many parades you wonder- why do we have to have this? Because we have more Jews in NYC than the entire country of Israel? We managed to get to the zoo eventually, and he first spent a quality time in the gift shop, and picked up a toy to make me buy. He was going to be obsessed with it for maximum two days. Then we went to see the penguins, and oh boy it was so crowded in there but being so small and determined Taiyo can make his way right at the front to enjoy. After that he wanted to go to the cafeteria and have some burger and french fries. I really hate this cafeteria; it gets so hectic and service at the food counter is so slow, rude, and unorganized, but Taiyo always insists. So we did. Fortunately we beat the serious rush when it started raining steady outside. By the time the rain subsided he ate pretty much all the fries and some of the burger, and he was tired. "Should we go home?" He nodded. Oh yes, just for these little things he made me bike all the way uptown. That's ok. This was still not much of workout for me anyway. I used to run up there and do a loop or two of the park. Tomorrow is Puerto Rican Parade- I really have to talk him out of getting up to the zoo.

Today he just wanted to go to the park with a sandbox. I asked him, "Do you want to go to Union Square park, or Thompkins Square park?" He replied, "I want to go to Thompkins Square park." No problem. We get there, and he ran around for a while and it started to rain again.

I tried to talk him into having a brunch across the street, but he just wanted to get a slice of pizza next door. So we did. By the time he chugged down a slice the rain subsided and we took a short ride home. He kept saying he wanted to stop at the toy store, but I simply pretended I didn't hear.