Well I think it's safe to say that lazy summers equals lazy blogging. Despite all my efforts, posts I have written in my head just don't seem to make it to publishing. Oh well.
If you know me, you know that summer is not my favorite time of year. And I'm at that point in the year where I throw in the towel on summer. I know there is still something like six weeks left of this season, blah, blah, blah. I don't care what the calendar says, it's stormy outside, a pumpkin-scented candle is burning in the kitchen and Hocus Pocus is playing on the TV right now. Awe fall! But before I close the door on summer 2015, I thought I'd share some highlights from the last few months.
Wet n' Wild Waterpark
The waterpark opened a couple of weeks before Rian was born and at the time we decided that we would wait to go check it out until we all could really enjoy it. When our friends from Australia were in town recently, they planned on spending the day there. So we figured that it was a good time to go and see if we wanted to get passes. We ultimately decided that Rian is still too young for us to get season passes, but we still had a great time.
Rian pretty much spent the day here. That's her on the left, instructing some little random boy to move the blue and orange pods around.
She's too small to ride on anything, so she would stand at the end of the slides waiting for someone to come barreling down. But most of the time she just battled the lifeguards on duty by trying to climb into the bottom of the slides and use them as her own personal kiddie pool.
Someone looks cold. {You can see me in the top left corner wrangling Rian off the wall of the slide}
Buddies. Rory talks about his Australian buddy all the time. Mommy, you know I have a friend that lives really far away. I have to get on a plane to go to his house. Can we go to his house? Go ask Daddy!
Sun-induced afternoon nap
Swim Lessons
I finally signed the kids up for swim lessons.
Rian was not the least bit happy about not being able to go into the pool with Rory
She sat at the pool entrance and tried to push the gate open by leaning against it
During his first lesson, I noticed that Rory wouldn't put his face in the water. What?!? One of his favorite things to do is canon balls in the pool. He apparently got water up his nose the first few minutes of the lesson and it really bothered him. So that afternoon I had him practice putting his face in the water in our bathtub.
The next day...
Watching Rory make his last leap into the water
The celebratory ice cream sundae for completely swim lessons. {Insert thought bubble here: Mom, can I just eat my ice cream???}
After weeks of watching Rory swim around the pool, it was finally Rian's turn. I signed us up for a Mommy and Me class. She was so excited.
After her first lesson
She was able to jump into the pool, go under completely and push herself up to the surface. Don't worry, her teacher and myself were right there to make sure she was safe. She was so excited to jump in that her teacher had to hold her back so that I could give her the space to jump in. And she insisted that she carry a Pluto and Minnie Mouse toy in each hand while she did it.
She was not as close to the edge as it may look. I love that her teacher is doing a fist pump as she takes a leap.
Thank You cards for their swim teacher. I love Rory's drawing of his teacher and him in the pool
Rian colorful scribble on the front of her card
Flying A Kite
We managed to fly Rory's airplane kite a couple of times this summer. One of the parks near us has a large open space great for kite flying.
Riding Bikes
We love riding bikes together and this summer Rory learned to ride without training wheels! He was nervous, but had it in no time. The first few rides he had a little trouble getting started from a stopped position, but after a couple of days he was riding up then jumping off the little curbs of our neighborhood. His bike is a bit small for him now and I see a new bike in his future, maybe for his birthday or from Santa.
Last Day Of Preschool
And yes I weeped like a little baby
His first day of preschool, August 2012.... And his last day
His class had a ceremony where they worn paper hats with keepsake tassels and got their diplomas. He also took a graduation photo, made a self portrait and had a pizza party.
Rian's World
Paper crowns, tantrums and make up
And well the terrible twos have arrived
I made some play make up for Rian with a leftover eyeshadow case I filled with nail polish. I never use the little applicators that come with the eyeshadows so it was clean for Rian to use as her own.
Sunglasses and Snuggles
The other day Rory asked me if he could snuggle with me on the couch. Of course! Then Rian came over to us and become upset that Rory was laying down with me. She wedge her little hand under his head and tried to lift him up. Rory started screaming, then Rian started screaming. And then I thought, I might not get everything right as a parent, but I must be doing something right if my children are fighting for their place on the couch next to me. I will take snuggles from my little family any day!
While I was composing this post, I realized that the four of us love our eyewear.
Play-Doh
This is one activity that kids can do together. Some days they sit there for 5 minutes and other days they will sit there for an hour.
And then play-doh fun turns into dress up with circle cut-out bracelets
Well it's been raining here the last couple of days and oh how I love a rainy day or two. The perfect weather to fit my summer-ending mood.
And so does Rory
And just like that the summer is over for us. My official title is now The Parent/Guardian of Rory Harrington. School starts in a little over a week, so this weekend will be filled with school shopping. I really hope that Target has some school supplies left. Ok, let's be honest, we all know that school supplies are just this week's excuse to go to Target.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Anyone else excited for fall?!? No, just me?
xoxo
-aMie
