Summer Schedule

It finally feels like summer is in full swing.  The week after school gets out doesn't quite feel like summer to me because I am finishing up with grades at PSU and then trying to get things organized for Trey's birthday.

We have started all of Trey's summer classes, and for the most part, they are a hit.  Mondays we go to swimming class at a private (read expensive) swimming place called Children of the Sea.  I'm still not convinced it's worth it, but I have heard strong testimonials from friends and also from the moms I sit next to while my child cries through swimming.  As of today, we have gone four times.  The first week Trey cried so hard he would not even get in the water.  I went to Fred Meyer immediately following with my shirt and pants drenched due to his little wet body clinging to me (we tried to get him in the water but it lasted for about 20 seconds).  The second and third weeks, Trey got in the water, followed all of the directions, and cried the entire 30 minutes.  Today was the fourth week, and we made some progress.  He got in without crying, immediately started up with the crying, cried for about 20 minutes, but then stopped for the last 10 minutes and even got out with a smile.  So proud!!

These were from the second week.  

He looks okay, but he is crying.  

Fridays we take trampoline class (well, it's called Tiny Jumpers, but I call it trampoline class) with Grady.  The first week Tim came along, and the second week Julie was there.  This class is perfect for Trey and his lagging gross motor skills.  It requires him to do so many things that he needs to work on - jump up, jump down, jump in the air, leap frog, leg stands (hands on the floor, legs on the wall), balance beam, balance balls, and, of course, trampolines.  It is also really fun to watch Grady and Trey together.

Every other Friday, Trey and I will be spending the day with Grady.  I brought them home with me after our last trampoline class and Grady spent the afternoon here.  As I looked in the rearview mirror and saw them both back there and then watched them both eat, I thought, "Holy crap, I am glad I only have one kid."  Two is a lot of work!!!

We have also been having fun going to the zoo.  Here is a Sunday trip with Adam and his girls.  It was a little rainy, so there weren't a lot of people there.  It was great! (Sidenote: Adam and Jenny are moving to Boulder, Colorado next month, and I am in serious denial that they are leaving. Serious denial.)

One day after swimming class, Trey and I stopped by Annie Bloom's Books before going to meet friends for lunch.  Trey loved the rocking dragon, of course, and my heart melted at seeing my boy on the toy that hundreds of kids have loved over the years.  I worked at Annie Bloom's for 12 years, and I had daydreams about my future child loving this toy, this children's section, and books as much as I do.

We have been spending a lot of time with Grady, and it is so fun to watch these boys together.  Stay tuned for the beach post where the boys got to play together for four days straight.

One high point of summer is putting Trey in daycare two days a week.  It's to hold his full time spot for fall, but the upside is some mental sanity for me.  Kerry is interested in the Portland Hill Walks as much as I am (probably more so), so one day we went on a walk from the book and then enjoyed some beers at Uptown Market.  I would like to say that the book is just as bad at helping the walker without the stroller as it is with the walker with the stroller.  This time we got lost in Gabriel Park and had trouble getting back to our cars.  At least that's better than my obstacle course a few summers ago.

Another thing I love about summer is afternoons in the park.  Mindy, Camille, Trey, and I met at Sellwood Park one afternoon so the kids could play and we could have a picnic lunch.  It is such fun to watch these two together!  I have some really cute shots of them showing each other their bellies, but after that random porn traffic on my blog, I have a personal rule about relatively-naked kid pictures.

After leaving the park, Trey and I drove up to Overlook Park.  We were going to meet Randy for the Organic Brewfest.  Trey went to his first organic brewfest when he was a brand-new baby.  (I was already horrified that we took him to a brewfest when he was this little, but when I just now realized he wasn't even ten days old yet, I am even more horrified.)  First, I had to get Trey to take a nap, so I walked around the neighborhoods with him in the stroller trying to get him to nap.  I had a few thoughts as I walked...1) I really miss living in the city.  2) I did not wear good shoes.  3) I really wish I had my fitbit.

This is what brewfests look like these days. 

Trey LOVES his guys.  He has been playing with them for a long time now, but, more recently, they have become characters in his "shows."  The newest show is the "Yo Gabba-Sesame Street-Farm-Live Show."  It basically incorporates all of his favorite live shows, all of his favorite guys, and all of his favorite farm toys into one ginormous, fabulous, rockin' SHOW!!!  (Insert wild applause here.) (Also, Trey looks a little dopey because he's watching mesmerized by his tv show.)

Because Trey's schedule is different every day, and I know kids thrive on routine, I have been making a weekly schedule for him.  I go over it with him at the beginning of each week, and I have it posted on the fridge.  Sometimes I talk to him either the night before or the morning of about what is going to happen that day.  I have no idea if this schedule helps him, but it certainly helps keep me organized.  We just started art class this week, so that adds another component to our week.   (It might look like I'm overscheduling my three year old, but art class is only for three weeks and trampoline is only six weeks.)