Summertime Blues and an Update

When winter finally clears out and the weather warms up it is incredibly exciting for me/us! We spend most our time outside during that time. The warm temps give way to hot sweltering summer temps and we hit water activities to keep us busy. By mid August, however, I'm more than ready for a reprieve from the hot sticky temps.

The kids started preschool in Jan. Although they were too young technically, we sent them anyway since it was only half the year. It was a great experience for them and us. When summer came, I knew I would have a hard time filling five days a week with them. I thought about camp, but honestly, I think they should stay home and just enjoy being a kid as long as possible. There's lots of time for camp and summer activities away from home. They are only 2! Well, after having them home one full summer, I think next summer we'll sign them up for some kind of camp.

We've had a busy summer which included (almost) weekly trips to the zoo and tons of pool time among many other things. But, I'M DONE!!! We go out most days to do something. I simply cannot sit at home with them all day every day. But, I am over summer!  I'm tired of dragging them out into the heat to play outside in our yard even.

We have been having a lazy week and watching too much TV, but I just don't have the energy to keep the summer fun alive this week. They start school next week and I am very excited to get back into a routine of having some 'alone' time. I am tired of cramming everything into the weekends. Right now, grocery shopping, cleaning, lawn mowing and any house projects get crammed into the weekend. It makes for busy weekends and I'm honestly tired of it. It's impossibly to get any decent cleaning done when they are awake/home. They need attention, are fighting over a toy, crying over something ALL THE TIME. I have to run back and forth to play referee and it's impossible to get anything done.

So, I've hit the inevitable summer wall. I've had this summer wall thing happening since before kids. I'm not a fan of summers in the South at all. The rest of the year is amazing, but summers are just too hot!! School next week. Free time next week. It's happening so soon!!

Although we are still incredibly far behind in talking, we are slowly making progress. My theory for them being delayed in speech is that they are happy and content at home. They play with each other (and they don't need to talk to one another to come up with games), have a solid routine and know what to expect out of their day and simply don't have a real need to talk. There is no evidence or science to back this claim up. Maybe I came up with it just to make myself feel better. But, for whatever reason, talking has been SLLLLOW! Our favorite phrase, however, is "ME TURN." They have gotten much more competitive over toys and some days I feel like all they do is fight over who gets what. I make them share/take turns if they have something they both want. They each get it for about 2 minutes and then I tell them to share/give it to the other one. About half the time they will willingly give up the toy and share. The other half the time (usually Evan) will run away when it's time to share. He sometimes throws the toy or hides it and then runs off and screams/whines about having to share. If he gets really upset, he'll throw/knock over objects. That gets him a direct ticket to his room for 2 minutes. Putting them in their room for a time out is very effective. They hate it and scream 'noooooo!' as soon as you shut the door. They come out after screaming for 2 minutes suddenly calm and willing to cooperate.

They amaze me every day with the things they learn and are able to do. Evan loves to help unload the dishwasher and he even puts all the silverware back in their appropriate spots. We call him an elephant bc he never forgets. Example: we were upstairs playing with Ella's dollhouse. He opened the fridge and started pointing inside of it and saying 'uh oh.' There is some food that goes in the fridge that is maybe 1.5 x 1.5 in big. It's small. Seemingly insignificant. But, it belongs in the fridge and it wasn't there. He took off running downstairs. A few minutes later he was back with that food. He had the proudest look on his face. If he leaves something important outside or in the van he will remember it's out there and insist he goes to get it hours later when he decides he wants it again.  Ella is very much into arts and crafts.  She loves to paint, color and make things. She is quite and calm when she is being creative.  She is also so silly.  She loves to make us laugh at her.

They are in a naked phase thing at bedtime. Evan is potty trained and took to it immediately. Ella on the other hand, is a mess. She doesn't want to wear diapers and will hold her pee. She will ask to use the potty and sits on it several times, but as soon as she sits on the potty she has to get off. She refuses to sit on any potty long enough to actually pee. She'll go ask for a diaper, pee in it, and then rip it off and ask for underwear. It's a disaster. We've tried everything. She is very stubborn and simply won't do it. Whatever, I have kind of given up on stressing about it. She's kind of trained? But the naked thing. They go to bed in a pull up for Evan and a diaper for Ella. Both of them take off their pull up/diaper at some point. We go to say goodnight to them before we go to bed (usually around 10-10:30) and there they are both naked form the waist down. Their beds are dry and sometimes Evan's pull up is wet, sometimes not. Ella's diaper is always wet. We put them back in a pull up/diaper, but first thing in the morning they will have them ripped off again. I know it's probably bc they don't want to be wet, but I am not ready to put them in underwear and change sheets/mattress protectors in the middle of the night. I like my sleep!

It seems like there is always something they are doing that I'm trying to fix/change. They always grow out of it in a few weeks. 

They are bound to be up from naps any minute now so I'm going to wrap this up. They are still great nappers! I hope I didn't jinx myself.... I know so many people who have problems with naps/kids that won't nap, but that has never been a problem. These two are so busy they are worn out and NEED a nap by 1:30. Some days Ella goes upstairs on her own and puts herself to bed she is so ready for a nap! Nap time is the best. I love a little break from the chaos.

Until next time!!