Summer Lovin’

In my last post, I wrote quite a bit (in as positive way as possible) about how it was difficult to make plans due to Rory’s nap and erratic sleep schedule.  Rory’s 4^th-7^th months were rough on all of us.  I went back to work at 4 months, and we struggled with sleeping during the day and night through April.  We had a few rounds of illness, it was cold and dark, and overall, we were not our best selves despite our best efforts.

Then, something wonderful happened…..

Late spring and summer arrived in Fort Collins.  It’s amazing what better weather does for your mood when you’re feeling stir-crazy and slightly confined to your house.  Rory needs his morning naps, which can limit our plans on the weekends.  But, while he’s sleeping, we can play outside!   That has made all the difference in the world on all of our moods.  Rory gets better sleep and we are all less resentful of his naps. Suddenly, I felt like we were better able to plan our days and commit to outings or social engagements.   It’s like we suddenly surfaced from the sea of unpredictability.

So, summer has been a huge blessing to our family.  We feel much more like the family we want to be – social, active, connected – now that the weather is nice.  

Are you humming “Summer Nights” from Grease yet?  That song is popping into my head as I write about loving summer time. 

Summer lovin' had me a blast   /   Summer lovin' happened so fast

I met a girl, crazy for me   /   I met a boy, cute as can be

Summer days driftin' away to uh-oh those summer nights

Summer lovin' had me a blast :  We’ve had quite a few adventures this summer – some bigger than others.

• ·         Visiting McPherson for birthday parties, the All School’s Day Parade, Baldwin Family reunion, hay-rides,  playing with cousins, and more
• ·         Bike riding – Eric and I have gotten a couple of rides in together.  And, Harper has learned to ride her tricycle
• ·         BBQs in the back yard with friends
• ·         Splash park and pool time
• ·         Hikes to waterfalls, streams and rivers, and “humongous mountains” (according to Harper)
• ·         Visiting Snow Mountain Ranch (YMCA of the Rockies in Winter Park) with cousins
• ·         Daddy-daughter camping trip
• ·         Tasting grass, sticks, rocks, sand, etc. (Rory’s primary summer activity)

Summer lovin’ happened so fast:  Summer always goes by so quickly, but I feel more acutely aware of it when I see the developmental milestones Rory and Harper pass on a daily/weekly basis. 

• ·         Harper is in a “watch me” phase – we “watch” her do all sorts of crazy acrobatics and tasks.  “Isn’t that amazing?” she asks.
• ·         Rory went from siting in one spot (where you put him) to crawling EVERYWHERE in one day.  He has found every wire, lamp, bit of fuzz, etc. that we don’t want him to find.
• ·         Harper turned 3 on July 19.  She is now “a big girl”.  I’m not sure what happened to my baby.  She has long hair and is so tall and articulate.  Not a baby anymore at all.
• ·         Rory is babbling up a storm.  We are quite sure his first word may be “Harper”, but it’s not officially confirmed.  We hear lots of sounds.  He’s especially fond of blowing raspberries.

I met a girl, crazy for me – I will change this to “crazy for turning three”.  Our summer has been defined by her birthday.  We started talking about “when I’m three” months ago, and it is still the topic of conversation weeks later.  We celebrated for an entire week with both sets of grandparents and several of Harper’s friends.  She was so excited about everything!

I met a boy, cute as can be – Rory is really starting to develop his personality.  He is a fairly laid back little guy who entertains himself pretty well.  He loves to take things out of boxes or buckets and clap them together.  His favorite toys right now are pulling all the pieces out of puzzles and playing with his sister’s toy house.  He likes flushing the play toilet.  Rory babbles a lot and has a very ornery and flirtatious smile. 

Summer days driftin’ away to uh-oh those summer nights – Nice evenings mean playing outside in the back yard, taking walks to the park, or hanging out in the neighborhood.  We often are surprised by the time when we check it, so getting kids to be on time has been a challenge.  And, even though it is light later in the evening, Eric and I are usually so pooped by the time Harper and Rory go to bed, we don’t get to take advantage of the extended time.  Summer nights for us are most enjoyable when our precious little ones are sleeping peacefully and we get to go to bed early.  

Now that it is almost August, I’m already mourning the end of summer. However, we are in a much different state now and I’m optimistic that we can continue in a positive way throughout the fall and winter.   

Well-a, well-a, well-a, ugh……………………..

Enjoy the rest of your summer!