Summer’s Here. . .

Sunday morning I walked into the 1-year old room at our church.  I peeked down into the sea of toddlers in search of Meadow and saw her chewing on the head of a baby doll.  I smiled for a split second because, let’s be honest, it was kind of cute.  But then my Mama brain kicked in and thought about the dozens of other toddlers who likely had that doll in their mouth and my stomach dropped. 

As we loaded into the car and began to drive away I said this to Chad. . . Meadow was chewing on a baby doll when I walked into the room to pick her up, so by my calculation she should be sick around Wednesday or Thursday. 
I know. I should think positive.  Speak blessing, not curses, some might say.  Let’s just say after three kids–we kind of know the drill.

Meadow just puked all over me.  No, really, ALL over me.  It was gross.  Really gross.  I could go into more details, but I’ll spare you.  I’ll keep it at, it was gross. . . really, really gross.
BUT. . . before all that doll sucking-puking-gross stuff happened. . . we had been diving deep into the pool of summer and enjoying every second of it.  It has been my tradition to address the entrance of summer in a celebratory manner.  I did it here and here and today, I’ll do it once again. 

I think we finally hit our summer-groove last week.  It took awhile to adjust to new schedules, figure out how our days will look, and to find balance in the going-and-doing and the staying-and-being.  I think we’ve got it down now.

The biggest change that has come with summertime?  Charlie. . .

After the brutal 5 a.m. wake ups and traveling for the school year, I think he’s recovered.  He had returned to his 7-year old ornery, active, crazy self and we are loving it. 

Well, most of the time.

On a daily basis I hear this:  Mommy, spell “I cup”.  I-c-u-p-.  Hahahaha. . . I see you pee.  Hahahha.
Or this one. . .

Mommy, look under there.
Under where?
Hahahaha, I made you say underwear.
I have a 7 year old. 

Truly, I’ll take that over the tired, often moody boy we had during this school year.  We’ve enjoyed our time together. . . and we have a lot of together time.  We find lots of ways to fill it. . .

Last week Charlie counted the steps to the closest store for his All About Me Book. 

This is such a great book.  I had it growing up and was thrilled when Miss Nancy got one for Charlie.  I highly recommend this book.  It is a keepsake and an opportunity for your child to record significant and fun details of his or her life. 

It was 926 steps to the store.  Yep, every kid needs to know that.

In other news. . . one day Charlie thought it would be a good idea to take the training wheels off Chanelle’s bike.  Chanelle didn’t think that was a very good idea, but she relented.

She practiced for maybe 20 minutes on day 1.

Day two. . .

Girlfriend is a believer in herself. . . she rocked it.

For awhile we were uncertain whether summer was really going to settle in.  I think we can call it a certainty now, though.  Summer heat has settled in and so Chad did what Chad does. . .

He calls this our “Redneck water park”.  Fancy? No.  Fun?  YES.  The kids love it and really, that’s all that matters, right?

In between the crazy summertime moments we have plenty of quiet moments.  Times when we just chill out and exist together in the same space.  Nothing special–just us being us. . .

Truly, I absolutely love these times.  I can’t tell you how often I look up at one of them, or two of them, or all three of them and think to myself. . . they’re really mine.  It’s funny how you grow and age, but really, it doesn’t feel like you do.  (Or is that just me?)  Sometimes it is so surreal that they are my kids and I am their mom. 

I’m getting off script, aren’t I?  Summertime. . . in other summertime news. . . Meadow now has enough hair to have pigtails.  Each morning she brings me that baggie with rubber bands and insists I put her hair up.  I guess I can understand that. . . I mean, all that hair, her neck must get really hot.

. . . especially when those summer storms roll in. . .

And that about does it.  Summer has brought with her all that I love about summer. . . more time. . .

Have a great day.