Warm memories , warm summer

We have had a great summer.  Full of laid back fun at home , and two family trips.  One to Greenview Aviaries and the other to Storybook Gardens.  I'm happy that our kids have reached an age where we can travel a bit more.  We even stayed overnight at my sisters house with success!  I'm also glad we have decided to keep the vacations local.  A week long camping trip or a long drive to a cottage or an expensive trip to Florida all seem more like nice packages of stress/exhaustion rather then vacations.  Next year may be different, but we plan according to our kids' state of craziness. The kids have had lots of fun playing at parks, splash pads, and beaches.  Nathan has tried to keep up a "park count" where he labels all the parks with numbers.  I think he is up to 5 or 6, but I'm not sure if that is an accurate count :).  Next summer I hope to put the older two at least in swimming lessons.  They love the beach, but they make us nervous frantically splashing around as soon as they loose their footing...if they could just remember to stand up...  

Nathan lost his first tooth - naturally!  He now has two bottom teeth missing. Unfortunately I think he brushed it out and it fell down the sink drain. My husband being the awesome father he is even took apart the pipes looking for the missing tooth, but we never found it :(.  I think he may have a loose one on the top as well.  He will be starting grade 1 in a few weeks.  Sometimes I think I get into a rut where I treat all the kids the same (which usually works - they are all very close in age) , but then I'm faced with things like Nathan turning 6 soon and heading to grade one! Its exciting to see them grow up!  I'm so proud of Nathan, and all he has really had to do was grow and learn things. Mark and I left the kids with my mom to go on a shopping trip.  I got a hug from Nathan and a hug and a kiss from Sarah.  Nathan looked at me and said with a smile " I don't like kisses", then he and Sarah returned to their game of "acrobats" on the couch (involving a series of flips/somersaults and other odd positions).    

The other day I saw Abby and Hannah reading books to each other - neither one making any sense, but it made me smile on the inside (and probably the outside).  Sometimes they sit watching TV holding each others hands , sucking on fingers and thumbs (usually when they are tired). Other times Hannah is pulling out Abby's hair or stealing toys.  Hannah is picking up more and more words.  She picks up words that she hears often like "GO AWAY!....STOP IT!....WHY?".  I heard her unload all three in succession when in some sort of confrontation with Nathan and Sarah.  For a moment I felt a little sad that she learned these words first , but a few minutes later I remember why she knows those words so well.  I hope she won't be scarred by our response to her industrious destructive tendencies. I have however remembered to praise her for things like throwing away garbage and not running away yelling "NO!" when I need to change her diaper (she learned that one from Abby) or saying "Sorry" when she attacks her sister.

The summer remains as a warm comforting memory.  It pleases me to know that the kids will start to remember summers like this.  They remember Green View Aviaries from last year and they will remember Story book gardens next year.  I love my family so much :)

Appropriately exhausted after a family trip