Sunday, August 1, 2010

Why I'm savoring summer, like I've never savored summer before



Gotta love a kid who thinks spraying down garbage cans is fun. Wait, it gets better: After this, Max hosed down our minivan.

I know the child labor lawyers are going to be after me one of these days.

Sabrina was under the impression she's been growing pickles, no doubt because Dave has been calling them "pickles." When I broke the news that her first cucumber wasn't going to taste like a pickle, she refused to eat it. I may just have to learn how to pickle stuff, which could come in handy given that I have no other kitchen skills and that one could certainly impress friends and family. The tomatoes and peppers in the garden got eaten by the squirrels before we could get to them since SOMEONE forgot to put up fencing. DAVE!

We are really savoring this summer with the kids. Things are easier, for one; Max is a lot more independent. I don't think he could have held that hose last summer, at least not with such accuracy. (Or, for that matter, tried to get me with the spray—and then understood what I was saying when, weenie that I am, I asked him to hit the garbage instead. His comprehension has also significantly improved.)

This summer, Max is also enjoying outings more than he has—he doesn't get as intimated by new places, especially if a car wash is involved—and we have been going nuts with the weekend trips. (I'll tell you about Sesame Place after I upload the photos, I seriously sometimes wish I could pay someone to do it, why aren't there robots for that yet? Or robots who put up garden fencing when SOMEONE forgets to? DAVE!)

But I'm also savoring this summer because I feel as if it's the last one when the kids are going to be little. I mean, they won't be old or anything when they're six and eight, but by next summer I will no longer have two really young kids. And, yeah, we're still debating #3.

[Insert much sentimentality here.]

13 comments:

  1. So glad this summer is going well for you! I used to give my son the handheld vacuum and he would "clean" the living room for me. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than it was before, and he thought it was great!

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  2. I keep thinking about those little stem cells from that study! Max's gains seem to be in the "leaps and bounds" category!

    It's all good!

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  3. Aiming water at parents is very motivating, Dimitri loves it too :)We were up on the roof last night with the paddling pool and hose pipe, he tried to get the cat but it's too quick.
    Certainly sounds like a summer worth savouring!!
    p.s. sent you a couple of e-mails, did you get them?

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  4. Me and you both. When I look back on our "rougher" and not so happy summers in the past, this one is a slice of life. you're so right.

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  5. Did you know that you can pickle a cucumber in the juice from a pickle jar? After eating/removing the pickles, cut up the cucumber and put it in the juice. I would refrigerate it and I'm not sure how long it stays in there. But, it would be an easy way for Sabrina to get her pickles! :)

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  6. Gardening is such an art. I've always wanted to learn the art but never actually taken the bull by the horns to learn. I respect anyone who can grow anything in the dirt.

    Glad that you can savor the summer. I think next summer I'd like to think I'll be savoring.

    Hmm...another child? We almost had one, but that was last year and we lost it. After that we just decided...nah, we be too old.

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  7. totally impressed that you've been able to keep your cucumber plants! a love doe devoured ours over the weekend - I saw her early Saturday morning and she kindly left some hoofprints in the raised garden bed! Must be comfortable in our space just down the block from you!

    Kim

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  8. It's awesome to see this video and how well Max is doing. I've been reading you blog on and off for the past year and I don't often leave comments but Max is the same age as my Daughter Haley. Haley had an SDR (Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy) this summer and is recovering well. Anyway I just wanted to stop by and say hi. I also wanted to see if you have seen the non-profit Lets Cure CP yet. We are working to fund research looking a regenative therapy. There have been some really promissing developments. Check out the research page over at http://www.letscurecp.org.

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  9. First of all, talk to Rachel Matthews at A Southern Fairytale to pickle those cucumbers -- she had a recipe that even I couldn't screw up!

    I can totally relate to the kids not being so little anymore sentiment. My soon-to-be kindergartener has taken to asking me to leave him in the hallway at summer camp (G-d forbid the other kids should see him hug his mama). My 8-year-old is the starting pitcher on a baseball team! I feel like I'll flip the calendar and it will be time for high school graduation.

    Also totally think you should go for #3, but that's easy for me to say, as I'm done. That would be one lucky #3, though:)

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  10. Ken: I'm sorry to hear that. I feel like I might be tempting fate with a third. We don't know. FYI, we garden by the let's-just-not-weed-and-not-water-and-see-what-happens method. Thanks to previous homeowner, soil back there is pretty good.

    Hollee, I think I might just have to steal no-brainer pickle recipe for no-fussers like me from the above Rachel! But, yes, will also ask other Rachel cause now I'm curious. You just made me really grateful that Sabrina still lets me drop her off at camp! And thanks for nice thoughts on #3. Will you babysit? Ha ha ha ha ha

    I agree, Mommy as a target is good motivation. Emma, I have not been getting emails! Eeek! Are you sending to lovethatmax@gmail.com?

    Kevin: Thanks for saying hi, I hope Haley is doing well. Will check into the group, I joined but need to explore.

    Kim: Hello! I didn't know you guys got deer over there. Our yard is fenced, so it keeps them out. Nothing, however, will stop the squirrels. I wonder if Max could use them for target practice?

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  11. Just checked the e-mail address, I seem to have sent it to the right one, and there was no message back as undelivered. Junk mail? Will try again.

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  12. Love your blog! And..
    Here's an easy peasy pickle recipe:

    http://family.go.com/blog/catherinewman/the-world-s-best--and-easiest--dill-pickles-957273/

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  13. As an OT employed by the school district I always savored and still do summers with my kids.But I remeber The summer Angela was 8 and Brittney was 6 I savored most of all. Anglela has autism and that summer we eased up on therapies her gross moor skills were greatly improving and she was swimming! She was able to run through the woods.Her speech was getting so much clearer and her behavior was under control.I had so many lazy days with my little girls.Sigh Now Angela is 19 and has a summer job at the local ice cream shop and Brit is a camp consuler at the local Girl Scout Camp.

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Thanks for sharing!



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