Summer Break

I know it's way early but I am really looking forward to summer break this year.  Last summer was fun, but it really was a pain in the ass trying to haul an infant and a toddler around and do fun things.  (It was even a pain in the ass getting out into the front yard because I couldn't leave either of my kids alone anywhere.)  Tyler was formula fed and he was pretty particular about the temperature of his formula.  He liked his drink HOT and that was really hard to achieve out and about.  It was also hard because everything revolved around his nap schedule.  He was taking two naps back then so we were under major time constraints.  I also had to do a lot of prep work to get two kids out of the house.  Now I only need a few diapers/wipes, a spare set of clothes, which I keep in my car now anyway, a snack, the double stroller and we're off.

This summer is going to be so different.  Tyler is running walking like a pro and he's able to interact with me and Kaitlyn.  He'll really get to do all the fun things that Kaitlyn gets to do instead of sit there in his stroller and watch her have all the fun.  He'll get to participate in story time at the library and I'm super excited to check out the new children's museum.  I don't know how much swimming I'll be doing alone with the kids, that may be something I'll have to only do when I have help since neither child knows how to swim yet.  I do plan on enrolling both of them in swim classes because I know that once they get in it this year that damn pool is going to be tempting.  (Tyler knows how to lift the bar up and he can open the slider if it's unlocked.  Kaitlyn knows how to unlock the slider.  We are pinning the top of the slider and installing an alarm.)

I really want to get a new water/sand table because the one we have is really only for one child, maybe two small children.  I can see the fights start already.  I'll probably have a garage sale soon to get rid of a lot of our baby stuff to make room for some big kid stuff.  Maybe I can even talk Jerry into one of those play sets for the backyard on those days we just want to chill at home.  I'll have to start organizing.

I think I'm going to have to hit the garage sales too to look for clothes the kids can trash.  I want them to be able to paint the sidewalk, play in the sand, make mud pies, etc and not have to worry about them ruining their clothes.  I think with Kaitlyn we can get away with wearing her clothes from last fall that are a wee bit too small but Tyler doesn't have a stock of summer clothes.  (I'm just now starting to buy his summer clothes for daycare.)  Maybe I'll take some stuff to Once Upon a Child and get some play clothes for the kids.

I'll be taking the kids out of daycare for spring break so that will serve as a mini trial for the 2 1/2 months we get in the summer.  I'm going to be scouring the mommy blogs for lots of fun stuff to do.  I'm so excited!