We are in
full swing around here with Summer Vacation activites. When Dad is not working we are at our vacation spot up at the lake. We
love it! The kids have settled into a routine at home and at the lake. I will admit I was very nervous how the summer would go.
It is not easy to entertain a 7 year old, two 4 year olds while chasing after a very curious 18 month old. My oldest likes
outdoor activities like shooting his bow or the pellet gun, riding his quad and helping with work outside. He has no interest in video games or lego {though I am deteremined to get him interested into lego because he is so creative}.
He also loves playing baseball and hockey but he wants us to play with him and sometimes that is not always possible. We do our
best to give
each child the same amount of attention. When my husband is working a tour I find myself
stretched thin keeping everyone happy but at least for a moment I feel thin
{bawahhahaha}.
Yesterday I braved the waterpark as a
single parent. No easy task when one child wants to waterslide more than swim, two children want the big pool and the toddler wants the children's pool and slide.
Stresses you out just reading that right? Wondering why I did it? Because I went with two other Moms and we helped each other out. I also laid down ground rules with my children that we stick together. That rule was changed for the older children as soon as we got there instead they had to stick with a buddy.
It was quite an
enjoyable yet tiring day.
I saw a glimpse of my future. Let me explain.
You must realize I kept activities with my children to a
minimum, especially when the twins were small. A trip to the librairy is crazy sometimes with a lunatic 18 month old running around. I have yet to take the twins to the movie theatre and I
avoid children's festivals unless I have someone to help me.
I like to do things with my children but I'm not crazy.
Maybe all this restraint made my oldest son always want to be
"doing". I think he just loves to be moving but having twin siblings did not help his attitude towards
time management with Mommy.
So yesterday when I saw the glimpse in the future.
.the ability to go places with all four of my children without another parent, I liked that vision.
I liked that my kids knew I meant
business when I laid down the ground rules. I think unconciously they knew Mommy taking them to the waterpark ALONE was a
big deal and they wanted it to happen again.
Yes I am proud of myself that I did not have a nervous breakdown...
okay there was a moment I lost Sam but he was in a tunnel in the kids pool so it was more me panicking.
I feel a slight bit if
jealousy when I hear of families that go on mini vacations to here or there. It always took so much stuff to go anywhere with the twins so we stayed close to home until we started camping. Two playpens, diapers, toys, you get the picture.
But now that they are 4 1/2 years old, things are easier. They are little people not babies. And I love every inch of witnessing them grow up.
I look forward to introducing my children to the
arts. We start off with Max & Ruby
{it's close to be considered the arts right...stuffed bunnies singing and dancing?} and I plan on attending a play with my oldest on our own. Dad takes them
hunting and I take them to the
theatre. We sound like Tim & Jill.
In the end I think our children learned restraint along with us. We could not sensibly take our kids everywhere. Instead they learned to play with each other. They still have to be encouraged to play nicely of course especially the twins.
Even though I am jealous of those that have gone to Disney World, West Edmonton Mall and places similar with their children I would not change the past 8 years. I know our time will come for all those things.
With that said I should really get in the shower, wake the troops and get to the grocery store. We have a lake awaiting us.
