With the suddenly sunny summer weather, comes more options to pass the days and a lot more outdoor time.
I am a big advocate of kids spending as much time outside as possible. However, I always forget what a hassle it is to prepare for our outdoor excursions.
First of all, my kids are white white, as in see through. Its actually scary to see them in the sunlight. Therefore, every time we step foot out of the house we have to spray them down like watering parched flowers with a garden hose. That in itself is a big, messy task, which certainly means baths every single night..maybe two!
Secondly, there are the snacks and water bottles. Not too many things still taste and appear appetizing after being smashed in a hot back pack. Peanut Butter bagels flattened and leaking... Bananas brown and smashed... Warm, soggy grapes... Melted cheese sticks.... And everything ends up having sand stuck to it. Every bite has a gritty crunch.
And then, lets not forget the inevitable diaper changes. Changing babies under trees is one thing. But now I have three hefty two year olds with over zealous digestion tracts. They like to explode. And they sure don't like to stay still as I'm trying to clean them up, under a tree, trying not to get grass, dirt or anything else nature in or on them. Honestly, the cleaning job is way less than satisfactory. But it will do until we take baths at night; all my energy and focus is totally channeled to getting that thing changed as quickly as possible.
Finally, there is the dirty diaper I need to somehow dispose of. I carry it across the playground, trying not to draw attention to myself from the other moms as I throw it in the trashcan next to the picnic tables.
Oh, and just because your child is potty trained doesn't mean you are off the hook. There are no guarantees there will be a potty...or one that you want to use, in close proximity.
Inevitably Evie has to go potty every single time we go to the park. Thus we end up completely stripping her bottom half (after learning a half a dozen times that this is the ONLY way to have a 50% chance of not getting any on herself)
It's especially an interesting endeavor when parks are surrounded by a cute residential community who's windows look over the sprawling green lawn. (Please don't judge me... I know my four year old is peeing like an animal outside your window..) As prepared as I pride myself to be, I never have toilet paper; so we end up using a leaf.
Then there is the balancing act of getting her back into her pants...Losing her balance, she grabs on to my head to steady herself (with the same hand she just used her leaf with...) and tumbles into her personal toilet space.
Then lets not forget the sand, the mud, the muddy-sand, and the sand that's really mud. At least we have remnants of summer forever in the van and in the house. On a rainy winter day we can just dig deep enough into the carpet and uncover a summer particle.
And sand is just about impossible to get out of hair. My kids' hair never gets fully clean until Christmas.
I don't want to be a downer about summer. I love summer. I love the new options for activities with the kids, the fresh air, the blue skies and the community it brings. However, it is a reminder that experiences are never as grand as you imagine them in your mind. Especially with toddlers and kids, there are things that you will never be prepared for. And even if you are prepared, everything is more of an ordeal than you envisioned.
In my mind I have visions and dreams of the perfect little magical bonding morning at the park; but, I always seem to forget that I'm dealing with real life here...about as real and grimy and sandy as it gets. However, if I set my expectations low and enjoy the moment for what it is-I won't be annoyed, disappointed or aggravated.
A morning at the park with four kids four and under really takes it out of me though. And by afternoon, I am craving some sort of quiet moment.
I think Evie summed it all up during her Mother's day party at preschool. The kids all filled out a card about their mom and read it in front of everyone. One of the questions they had to answer was: My Mommy likes to :_____.
As Evie got the the front of the room to read her card, I sunk down in my seat, a little nervous about what she was going to say.
"My mommy likes...to eat lunch alone."
Evie sure knows her mommy. As much as I'm grateful I get to be involved in my kids everyday, I sure do crave some peace and quiet time right around 1:00.
A sandwich and a espresso shot alone...and I'm ready to take on the hot afternoon of craziness. ;)
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