surviving summer

Back in the spring, I had some serious panic attacks wondering just how I was going to make it work with the three kids home this summer. How would I work around the baby's naps? How would I let the kids be outside (their preferred place to be!) while the baby was still too young to wear sunscreen? How could I handle taking bringing three kids out and about?

Today I realized with great surprise that we have somehow survived a full month! Busy we have been! Somehow- even with all of those valid worries I had, we've made it work. 

Of course, some days are better than others. Some days I feel like a rock star. And others... well, others are the kind of days you take the kids to swimming lessons along with every other family in town and yours are the only kids that are not paying attention, throwing rocks, disrupting the group, etc, etc. (We paid for 14 days of lessons but that whole experience was so mortifying that we only went to 3 of them)

Another mom I know had this wonderful suggestion of planning out the summer by days: Mondays are "Craft Day", Tuesdays are "Water Day", etc... And while I love that idea, it didn't exactly work for us this year because of the kids' opposing schedules with camp & summer school (though it may work in August...) What I finally ended up doing was making a master list of activities organized by category...

CRAFTS/COOKING

✓build & paint a birdhouse

✓air-dry clay

make cards for loved ones

✓art/painting

✓baking

make popsicles or ice cream

✓*book club*

NATURE/DISCOVERY

✓gardening

✓nature/bug hunt

tiny trotters at the farm

robb's farm

dinosaur state park

✓nature's art

ecotarium 

MUSEUMS/ZOOS

✓science center

✓ aquarium

✓roger williams zoo

southwick zoo

PARKS/WATER

✓sprinkler

wash the car

splash pad

salmon river

✓the lake 

✓beach in ri

✓papa & gaga's pool

HOME

lemonade stand

fly a kite

obstacle course in yard

camping

✓picnic

waterballoons on trampoline

paint the chicken coop

friends over for MYO pizza

friends over for ice cream social

...and kind of just playing it all by ear. 

I think the key has been doing something- even something small- every day. (This site has some great simple ideas for activities, like "go to a store and pick out diapers and canned goods. bring them to your local food pantry" and "go on a bug hunt. how many bugs can you find in your yard?") Because of Dylan, we have to be a bit flexible, so if it's forecasted to be a 90-degree day our plans for something outdoors might have to be switched with an indoor activity, but so far Ollie and Peyton haven't seemed to mind!

Something that the kids are really enjoying is our Book Club. A few times a week we read a book and do a coordinating project afterward. (I have a board on Pinterest dedicated to home school projects if you're interested.)

So that's how we're surviving summer! 

How are you all making it work? Any fun suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

In any case, I hope you are all having lots of summer fun! 

dylan {{5 months}}

So, time and I are officially fighting. While I love the silly, happy personality that is developing in my little Roo, it is all just moving a little too quickly for my taste! I've already found myself getting teary at pictures from a few months ago- yikes!

Dylan's Milestones, Month 5:

Dylan has had a really big month! Started solids (rice cereal) // Rolled from back to front (and quickly became an expert) // Has great belly laughs when she gets tickled or if she's watching someone who she thinks is funny // First time to the lake (Didn't love how bright it was but tolerated it) // First time to the ocean- dipped her toes in the sand and the water // First 4th of July // And First time destroying the flowers from our monthly photo! Haha, I knew it would happen eventually!

We didn't have a check-up this month, but I got on the scale with her and I'm thinking she's around 13 pounds. I still nurse her about 10-12 times a day, plus one sit-down for rice cereal every day.

She's getting great rolls on her legs and her cheeks are delightfully chunky. She had a follow-up with the cardiologist and, while her VSD has not gotten any smaller, the doctor is still pleased with her progress and general development. 

Firsts:

First time at the beach (at the Lake in our town)

First 4th of July

First time to the ocean (and first tow dip!)

First time to the movie theatre (and she made it approximately three-quarters of the way through the previews before I decided it wasn't a good idea)

First time in the doorway jumper and LOVED IT.

Some of my favorite photos from this month: