Monthly Archive

Library and movie time on the road

August – the Sunday of summer months – has never been my favorite. I prefer June with all of its optimism, the summer stretching its tan limbs out ahead. This August in particular was more trying than usual.

On paper, it sounded idyllic: A week-long beach vacation with oodles of family, followed by three weeks of unstructured fun time with the boys. I pictured filling the last weeks of summer with playdates and the kids and I winging it. Truthfully, I was wary of the stretch of time without schedules, but I kept pushing off the thought of it all. Truly August wouldn’t come for a long time yet.

Here’s what transpired: August began with a combined 28-hour drive with our preschooler and toddler in tow – the kids did great! –  but we spent only two hours, tops, at the beach. We came home to develop a double ear infection (Ian) and two upper respiratory infections (me and Josh). Then, the A/C unit broke upstairs, which is where we sleep, and it took two out of our three “free” weeks to research and replace it. Did I mention that during our family road trip, Max got motion sickness and puked once in the car and once at my sister’s dining room table? (Sorry Stace!)

On the bright side: I finally covered with protective foam the razor sharp edge of the sofa table behind the couch. Now the boys will never realize my fears of cutting their faces open while making forts with the couch cushions and jumping across the “moat” to “safety.”

This August I also took the kids to a Children’s Theatre of Charlotte performance of Psshh!, a production created for the under-3 set, which was Ian’s first time in the theatre and which both boys adored.

We did have three play dates in August once our family was healthy again. And Max attended two amazing backyard birthday parties – one that taught him the finer things about super heroes, namely how to put the bad guys in jail. The other included a bounce house, a singing farmer, balloon figurine design and snow cones, all out back behind our friends’ house.

After a long end to summer, I admit I spent several days in bed, recovering from it all. And now, tomorrow, school starts. With that, I say a fond farewell to August. And hello, September!