Summer Pics

Summer’s over. This is depressing for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because I’m now realizing how little blogging I did and how much picture uploading I have to catch up on. And then, when I do the above mentioned picture uploading and blogging about how much fun we had this summer, I’m likely to become even more depressed that summer’s over. It’s a vicious cycle.

 

In an effort to minimize the pain, I’m uploading our summer pictures to the blog in one massive post. Like pulling off a Band-Aid, quick and painless.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m already counting down the days until Summer 2014.

  

Cabin, Cabin, Cabin!

Tyson and Mimi,

 

This year, after several long and arduous years of searching for the perfect spot, your Nanny and Papa bought a cabin. We kind of made it our second home for the month of August. And by kind of I mean we lived there on the weekends. And also on Fridays. And sometimes on Thursdays. And there was that one Monday…..

 

Growing up I was lucky enough to have a Grandma and Grandpa who lived on a lake too. I also had cousins, and Aunts and Uncles, and friends with cabins.  My best and most favorite memories from my childhood are at the lake.  I  went tubing with my cousins and fishing with my Grandpa. I played card games and drank iced tea with my Grandma. I stayed up late and had bonfires with my friends. I camped out in tents, went water skiing, and helped my dad to drive the boat. I took the paddle boat out as far as I could paddle and jumped in the lake. I played outside for hours on end and took my baths in the lake. I collected cool looking rocks and went on walks with my Mom. I went to bed with sand in my toes and a slight sunburn on my shoulders.  

 

 

Selfishly, I prayed for years for your Nanny and Papa to fall in love with a cabin so you could have those same memories. I prayed for you to know what cool water felt like when you dove in on a hot summer day. I prayed that someday your Papa would teach you how to take your own fish off of a hook (because that is certainly out of my realm of responsibilities). I prayed that you would love to tube behind the back of the boat as much as I did. I prayed that you would jump off of a boat in the middle of the lake and yell, “Again! Again!” I prayed that you would have smores and watch late night fireworks.  I prayed and I dreamed and I prayed.

 

 

This summer your Nanny and Papa made my prayers and dreams come true. I know their cabin will continue to make yours come true for many more years to come.

 

Enjoy cabin life, little ones. You are lucky-it will be the best memories of your life.

 

Love,

 

Mommy.

 

 

Swimming Lessons for Mimi

On Monday, at eighteen months old, Mila started swimming lessons. It marked the first time she has been officially enrolled in a class by herself. Of course,  I went in the pool with her- you know-because she can’t really swim yet, but officially? She was enrolled in a class! By herself!

 

For the record, she isn’t a fan of being enrolled in a class by herself.  

 

 

 

Most of the swimming lesson was spent listening to her yell, “NO!” at the teacher. Also, she refused to splash during the friendly splashing song, but was happy to splash her classmates when they grabbed at the pink duck she wanted.

 

She cried when we sang, “Pop goes the weasel!” and looked at me like I was insane when I tried to get her to blow bubbles.

 

 

 

Oh, and, she ran away when I helped her out of the pool to work on jumping in.

 

The only sign that she might be ok with returning next week? The incessant chanting of “MOTORBOAT” on the way home and as she fell asleep that night.

 

PS: The brother also started swimming lessons last night. Of course he loved it.  The only time he yelled was when we told him it was time to go home.

Second Year of Preschool

Dear Tyson,

On your first day of preschool last year you timidly held my hand and walked behind me into your classroom. You were two and you were tiny. So tiny, in fact, that I had to help you reach the hooks to hang up your coat. You struggled to write your name (or any recognizable letter at all) on the chalk board. You sat on my lap at circle time and whispered in my ear the answers to your teacher's questions. You were shy and unsure and it took everything I had to leave my baby behind in a room full of strangers.

This year, you proudly led the way into your classroom and hung up your bag on the coat hooks. You are (almost) the tallest boy in your class. You hugged your teachers and told them that you could write your whole name now. You asked for harder puzzles during play time. You sat four feet in front of me during circle time, sang loud, prayed out loud, and bravely answered all of your teacher's questions without looking back at me once.

This year, I don't hesitate to leave you behind. I know that you will learn and grow and change. You will be good and listen. You will do good and help. You will make art projects that will hang proudly on our back door until the edges start turning up. You will make friends that you will want to sit next to on our field trips. You'll impress your teachers with your painting and coloring skills. You'll use your manners and care about all of your classmates. You'll be confident and proud. You'll be a leader.

Go. Have fun, baby. I'm so proud of you.

Love,

Mommy