Rhythm of a Summer Day

I never know what the days will look like in the summer until I have actually done a couple with the kids. When do they nap? When do they get hungry? How much can we get done before we're all worn out?

After a couple of days at home with the kids, I'm starting to get a feel for the rhythm of this summer's days.

We woke up around 8AM and lazed around the house for an hour or so, eating breakfast, watching Word World, checking e-mail (that was me, not the kids).

Then, around 9 or 9:30, we headed out to the backyard to play.

Both kids can enjoy the backyard now that Jack is walking and Sydney had fun playing both my herself and with her brother.

After being outside for over an hour, Jack was ready for his nap, so we headed inside, and I did some housecleaning, like making up Sydney's bed. It's my goal to make the beds every day this summer. Jeremy has this opinion that first of all, beds should be made, and secondly, for some reason, if I'm home all day with the kids and don't have any lesson plans to write or other work to do, that I should do some form of housework. I don't get it, but I know a recipe for a happy husband when I see one. So made up beds it was. And today, as a bonus, I did the dishes. But only for today. No promises for tomorrow. I keep the expectations low and the opportunity for pleasant surprises high on the housekeeping front.

During Jack's nap, Sydney watched Toy Story 2, her new favorite movie and half napped and I played on the computer for part of it and laid down and napped with her for the rest. Once we were all up from our naps (and my bed was made), we headed out to the library.

I know we won't go to the library every day, but my goal is to either have an activity planned for the morning, or to go to the library or the pool in the afternoon. Sydney may be perfectly happy staying home all day, but I go stir crazy.

Sydney found these dinosaurs at the library. She has several just like them at home, but she really wanted to take one of these home. The librarian tried to explain that Sydney had to leave them, but Sydney said, "I want to pay for them." The librarian then countered with, "Oh, how much money do you have?" Sydney immediately reached into my purse for my wallet and credit card!

The librarian then changed tact and said, "No, we have to leave these here. You can visit it next time. Like it's a pet." So Sydney said, "But this one's a baby and is scared to go. I can take care of it."

Sigh. We did manage to get out with a full meltdown, but I wish other adults wouldn't try to reason with my kid. She's more reasonable than they understand.

In any case, it was a fun summer day and now that I understand that Jack needs a long afternoon nap and not two little naps, I have a better idea of how we'll be getting through the summer doing all of the fun things I have planned.

Like visiting the baby dinosaurs in the library.