Hot Days of May

Oh the hot days of May are about to do me in!!! Okay not really but walking outside in the morning and immediately sweating is not my idea of a good time. But the kiddos and I have made the most of it so far. Monday, Sloan and I walked to pick Q up from school. Thank goodness I brought water for him too otherwise it would have been even more dreadful. We were all dripping with sweat by the time we made it home. Quiet time after lunch was welcomed by all three of us.

Afterward, I lathered up the kids with sunscreen and we headed out back so Q could do the slippin' slide and Sloan could play in the water table. She isn't too fond of the slippin' slide yet; it still scares her. The kids had a blast cooling off in the water. Of course eating Popsicles may have been their favorite part of the whole 'Outdoor Heat Fest Activities Monday!' <-- Now that's what I call a title! he he :) So today was just as hot as yesterday. Not sure it the thermometer read the same but it felt just as hot! The plan was for us to go to a park in the morning so that in the afternoon we could do the whole water stuff again when it was the hottest part of the day. Mom brought the Morton Arboretum pass in from her car and Q decided that is where he wanted to go. I have blogged about this place a couple different time in the past, but it is seriously an AWESOME place! For kids and adults alike. On the way there, Q says, "Nicki remember we said we would close our eyes and go strait to the end. Then we can work our way back and play. We are still going to do that right?" I told his as long as that was what he wanted to do, it sounded like a good plan to me. We started out doing our usual routine, we stop by the restrooms to get it all out of our systems; with a recently potty trained 2 year old it is a must! For the record, Sloan did awesome without having a Pullup on in public today. I think we will try undies for gymnastics tomorrow. She always tells me in time, but I am always nervous with all the equipment. But I have a feeling she will be just fine! :) Okay, on with the story...

Then we headed into the Children's Garden where a volunteer offered Q a map of this wonderful area with kid activities. He gladly accepted. Q looked like such an explorer with his red baseball cap on and map in hand leading the way. Every time we saw a sign stating what the new location was, I had Q match it to the sign on the map. He wants to learn to read so bad, so I figured this would be a good exercise for him. "Come on guys. This way. We have to go straight ahead and then we will get the stone with tadpoles" he said. "Am I seeing that right?" He would always double check with me to make sure he was telling us correctly... and he was right each time! The map has detailed enough pictures so Q could figure out where each place was. He was a superb leader :)

After Q led us through the garden maze near the entrance of the garden, we made it all the way to the end which is Look Out Deck. It looked kind of like a giant tree house. The kiddos ate their snacks under the shade of the trees and structure. From there we made our way to the tree house play area. There is a lot of climbing and rope bridges that Q loves. Last we stopped by the Tadpole pond where you can wade in 6-8 inches of water, or use the stepping stones, and examine the tadpoles that are swimming all around and their habitat. It has been a few weeks since the last time we went. The tadpoles have gotten pretty big. Not huge, but a lot bigger than the last time we were there. Q actually took his socks and shoes off and waded in the water. I was shocked! Last time we went he had not interest in it and looked disgusted that I had even suggested it. But today he did his own thing while I helped Sloan. Maybe with all the school age kids there for field trips made him feel like he could do it. You know he always wants to do what the older kids are doing :) So those were the stops we made today. Oh I for got to mention that we were yet again, dripping from sweat from head to toe, on another Hot A** day in May!

We did the slippin' slide again this after noon as well as the water table. Popsicles followed as usual along with hot exhausted children. The sun takes so much out of them... well okay, it takes a lot out of this fair skinned girl as well. Sloan has been sleeping like a log during her naps the past couple days. When we go to wake her she is still fast asleep no where near ready to wake up. Hate waking her, but mom and dad would like to go to sleep at a decent themselves at night, so it's a must. I think all babies and children are so cute when you first wake them. They are go out of it, looking all over the place trying to focus. So cute.

We only have six more days of May left. Enjoy your own Hot Days of May while they last!! :)