Sunday 19 June 2011

Dog days of summer

Anyone else really enjoying the beautiful weather we've had? I can't count the number of times we've stepped outside as a family and James just breathes in the summer air and proclaims the day absolutely perfect.

We've been frequenting the ice cream store a lot lately. Actually, it's called the Chocolate Shop (they make the most amazing homemade chocolates) but they also sell Kawartha Dairy ice cream - two huge scoops for $2. And the owner is so lovely, she used to give mini cones to our boys for free, until they got big enough to want their own, and now she splits the two scoops into two cones and only charges $1 each. $5 for ice cream for everyone. Sadly, she just informed me that the Kawartha Dairy has stopped making my absolutely favourite ice cream flavour ever. I am still not fully recovered. She used to stock it in her store especially for me. I have been enjoying Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake ice cream for more than ten years. I don't know what I'm going to do.

We picked up a season's day pass to our Provincial Parks. The closest one is 30 minutes away at our favourite local campground. They have a nice little beach with mucky, gross sand that the boys love, and is perfect for wading. I plan on taking them down for many mornings during the summer.

Band is over which means...kayaking season begins! I missed last week because we didn't have our act together early enough in the evening, but hopefully I'll be able to get out this week.

The countdown to school finishing is on. Caleb was able to go one day and participate in a story and craft time at the new school. He's really excited right now...I hope it lasts in September when he realizes he's supposed to go every day! I don't know how I'll feel about putting him on a bus. When Colin sits in his seat, his eyes barely reach the window, and he looks so small there, grinning and waving at me. Caleb may not even come up to the window!

Summer is filling up. We've already got three camping trips planned with friends. I plan on taking the boys myself a few times as well. At least two different weeks of summer camps that I've signed the boys up for. Then there's t-ball, which the boys love, including Benjamin, who I spend the whole time dragging off the field. I'm collecting toys for the backyard also, where I hope we'll spend most of our time when we're home.

The only hiccup to summer is Benjamin. He's still not doing great sleeping at night, and he's still nursing all the time. Every time I sit down, he climbs on my lap and tugs at my shirt. 3-4 times an hour, 20-30 times a day. He's nursing for comfort and out of boredom and to be close to me. And if I say no (like, for example, if I'm sitting in the middle of church and it's really not appropriate!) he throws a tantrum. But I don't know if I'm ready to wean him. What I wish is that he would just nurse in the morning and at night, like most 18 month olds. I can't cut him off completely, for fear of our camping trips. I really don't think the neighbouring campers would appreciate him screaming through the night, and I know I could just keep nursing him back to sleep.

At any rate, summer is looking great. This is the first summer I'm not confined to the house because of illness (pregnancy) or morning/afternoon naps with a newborn. So exciting!

1 comment:

Mom said...

Let James know that he could "breathe in the summer air and proclaim the day perfect" about nine or ten months of the year here in Hervey Bay. :-) What summer camps do you have the boys signed up for?