The Peytons: Summer Time

It is still a little hard and sad for me to believe that the summer is over. I feel like this happens every year but when school ends in May, I always have a moment of panic about how I am going to entertain these little people in the sweltering heat for 3 months! But then, I start to enjoy the slower pace and the lazy pool mornings, enjoy watching my kids loving the exposure to varying camps, and then throw in a few trips and visitors and before I know it, the summer is gone! Crazy how time works!

Anyway, this was definitely the summer of popsicles and camps! I think we as a family we went through close to 200 flavor ice popsicles! And Ainsley enjoyed fairy and princess ballet camps, science camp, wacky water nature camp, gymnastic camp with Bailey, and a weekly mother's day out program. She declared that science camp at the children's museum was her favorite and I love that! Bailey is still too young for most camps but he did a twice a week mother's day out program at his new school and the gymnastic camp with Ainsley, along with swim lessons.

Here are a random assortment of pictures from my phone that capture many of our summer activities.

Bailey snuggling the Build-a-Bear that he made when Grandma Smoothie came to visit. I think he was sick this morning.

Ainsley learning the value of money. She threw a fit at one Target visit because she wanted a toy. George said that he would buy it and it would be his toy and that she could earn money and pay him for it. This was the first time she has used her own money to buy something and George was so funny because he kept making a point that it was his toy and she wasn't allowed to open it until she bought it from him. When we got home from the store, Ainsley used the $4 she got from her birthday (thank you Aunt Marsha and Uncle Steve!) and George helped her count the rest of the money from her piggy bank. It turns out she had enough money to buy it without having to do chores but still she was so proud to buy it herself and the experience has definitely stuck with her!

Here is sweet Bailey after being sick for over a week. This was a turning point for him in his sickness because his appetite was back and he requested a smoothie. Still, you can tell from this pic that he had lost weight and he looks so pale. Poor kiddo. It was shortly after this that we did the surgery to put tubes in his ears.

Below is one of the many water table activities that quickly turn into mud play with this little guy. All boy!

Evening story time with the best dad in the world!

My night-night boys enjoying an afternoon nap.

Here is Bailey on the first morning of gymnastic camp. This was his first camp ever and he felt like such a big boy to get to go do the same things that Ainsley does. I love his excited face here. Such an independent big boy. Ainsley also loved having him in the camp with her and took her role as his big sister very seriously reporting to me at the end of each day whether or not he listened to the teachers or ate all his lunch. My little mother hen.

Gymnastic camp had a different theme each day and this particular day was super hero day. Ainsley had her heart set on being wonder women so of course I stayed up way too late the night before making them costumes. Their excitement was worth the lack of sleep and plus they look so darn cute!

Here is Ainsley after buckling herself in her carseat for the first time. We have been working on this on and off for months because when this baby comes we are going to have to move her carseat to the third role and she needs to be able to buckle and unbuckle herself so I don't have to crawl back there. Anyway, she has had a pretty hard time picking it up and so I was thrilled this morning when she got it for the first time!! That said, we haven't seen a repeat performance since. Sigh.

Here are the kids playing library. This game gets played often around here and involves them empting all the books off the bookshelves and moving them to another area of the house. In this particular afternoon of play I was struck by the difference between Ainsley's library setup on the left and Bailey's on the right. Funny to see the direct difference that 2 years or just personality can make. :)

Below are the kiddos at our first attempt at a family movie theatre experience. We went to see the movie Planes. Both kids were really excited about the movie and the snacks... at first. Even though Bailey can sit contently and watch 45+ min of TV at home, he was pretty over the movie after about half an hour. George took him out in the lobby to run around and then they came back for the end of the show. I thought Ainsley would be able to sit through it without a problem but she was pretty restless not long after Bailey. I managed to keep her interested by talking up the storyline and she made it through the whole show. All in all, it was a fun way to spend a hot summer afternoon but I don't think we will be rushing back any time soon.

Just a picture to capture the beautiful manicure my 4-year old gave me.

Me about a month ago at 24 weeks.

Ainsley after a day at her nature camp. She came home this muddy, wet, exhausted, and delighted everyday... and went right into the bath as soon as we got home. She had such a blast at this camp and I loved how the teachers allowed the kids the freedom to play in the mud and water and paint their whole bodies. Such a great experience!

Pudding!! Bailey was very excited for his post-dinner treat!

Bailey and Daddy putting together his new tricycle. Since Ainsley still refuses to graduate up from her tricycle to her two-wheeler, we decided we better just bite the bullet and get Bailey his own trike. He was so excited about it and just kept saying "I help Dadda. I help." Ainsley was a bit younger than him when George and her put together her bike. It was shortly after Bailey was born and it was one of her big sister gifts. It made me smile remembering back especially since now Bailey is almost a big brother.

Just a cute, funny picture of how Bailey went to mother's day out one morning. He insisted on wearing sunglasses and a necklace around his waist. Silly lil man!