Today was the second attempt for Taiyo's dental treatment under full anesthesia at Mount Sinai. Last month he became sick the night before. This time at 6 am I got a call that the doctor is calling in sick. So again, it didn't happen. I decided to keep our day off. I really wanted to get it done, but now maybe next month, or the day before his first day of school. That's kind of cruel, but I don't like the idea of further delay. We are getting better at brushing at least three times a day, but I'm still so nervous to make it any worse. So anyway, we enjoyed a gloomy day, less hot but still very humid, out and about. We went to Intrepid, a place I would probably never go if I didn't have a son or had to pay for it. My membership to Brooklyn Children's Museum, which we think is one of the best places in the city to go, gives me access to Intrepid, also. It's super touristy, way too patriotic, and although Taiyo loves to sit in a rocket, a little helicopter and a boat, mess with some buttons and turn some knobs, he doesn't care too much of any of those stuff anyway. I asked him if he wanted to see Space Shuttle, but he didn't really care. This is extra admission($7)to the rip-off price of entering Intrepid ($24), so I didn't mind missing it. So we spent about an hour there and we were bored. A bowl of nice ramen noodle soup at Tabata on 9th Ave, then we were ready to head home and relax. It was mellow but still exhausting day. It's still too hot. But only a month and a change left of this summer I kind of miss it already.

Oh, I truly hoped so. This time the attempt was to a place that was close enough and can be arrived by train: Philadelphia. There's many things to see and do, and we were staying by the river with view of the city. How difficult could it be? Oh it be with a not-even-four-year-old. First the subway got stuck at 23rd street. "It's not so far we can walk!" We started to walk and it began to rain. We got to Penn Station and it was packed- the day before 4th of July. We walked all the way to the back of the train but there was no two seats together available. I asked a middle-aged woman if she could switch since I have a small child, and she refused. I was so discouraged but someone else offered to switch. Taiyo was very bubbly and excited even iPad couldn't keep him quiet and still. An hour and a half later, we arrive at Philly, and I'd rather take a cab but Taiyo insists on subway. So we took subway. Pretty easy trip. But when I emerged to the ground I wasn't quite sure which way to go. A store clerk nearby just made a strange face when I asked which way was Hyatt Hotel. Great impression of the city. We walked to the river then the hotel was visible, but still blocks away. At least when we finally settled in the hotel room, he loved it. "Five pillows!" he was ecstatic. Right away we enjoyed dipping in the swimming pool, as he predicted before we left: "The funnest fun will be swimming pool."

So we had some fun, the next day at the science museum Franklin Institute, and view of so many fireworks from our window, but the next day he refused other choices like "Please Touch Museum," the children's museum. He finally agreed to take the ferry across to Adventure Aquarium on New Jersey side. But for $42 admission for two of us was a joke, a rip-off. We were done with the exhibits in one hour. He was still happy to eat some french fries at the cafeteria, then we came back. There was an outdoor food event by the hotel at Penn's Landing, which seemed suicidal in above 90 degree heat wave. So overall, it was hot, Taiyo was whiny, but we enjoyed daily swimming, and he totally enjoyed Cartoon Network. The train ride back was another challenge with bubbly noisy not-even-four-year-old who kept shouting "I'll poop in your mouth!" But we survived. I was thinking Disney World could be still easier vacation on the trip home.