August Weekends in New York

Getting through hot summer weekends in August in New York is an exercise in creativity and timing. If you have a child and you're not one of the many who flock to the shore, and you find yourself stuck in the City on a 90 degree day wondering what you're going to do for the next 52 hours, you're not alone.  O.k, so we were able to go swimming in a swimming pool at the Sheraton Hotel in Times Square. Forget laying out by the pool deck...it was too hot and my ever-expanding pregnant belly wasn't too comfortable in the lawn chair. I stayed in the pool with my daughter. She was so happy those two hours. But what were we going to do next? We had to get on a subway, with a stroller, not an east feat in itself, let alone being 46 and pregnant. But there will always be someone who will help carry the stroller down the two sets of stairs. Subway elevators? Very rare occurrences. We were headed to a hopefully air-conditioned children's museum in Soho. Oops, got there too late. Closing time already. The only thing to do was to find a shady playground. I had to grab some more water. I had to sit. Daughter played an hour, but wanted me to join her on the playset. I said maybe not, but there were fathers on there, she pointed out. I stood and played with her. Then we had a ten-block walk to the subway home. It was trudgery, but we made it back. We put the AC unit on immediately and watched a Sesame Street video. What were we going to do the next day, Sunday? Back to the museum. Luckily we got there early and it was beautifully air-conditioned and where we spent three glorious hours.  Dad then took her on a bike ride and it was supper time when they got back. We made it through another hot summer weekend, when things in NYC either shut down or are packed to the gill. And heat is everywhere outside and in the subway platforms. So planning is a must.  Otherwise, if you're pregnant and 46, you may be stuck with no bench to sit on and water fountains that don't work.