As the summer winds to an end, I am sad thinking of the things we did not get to do. Last summer and the year before, noah and I walked every day with his stoller, all around the neighborhood. We became an icon of the neighborhood, people have told us. I remember this time last summer becoming nostalgic that it would soon turn cold and told noah he would have to start wearing a jacket and socks and shoes when we went out. then in the spring, the first warm day in april, we were outside and so excited! now it is the end of august, the summer has FLOWN by and we only walked 3 times. I guess as he gets older, activites change. walking was our activity and that was great. but I am realizing things change. it is great to have those first memories, but we cannot always recreate them. and in the vain attempts to do so, we become disappointed.
We also did not play outside in the front and back like we used to. his water and sand table sat for most of the summer. same with the bubbles and side walk chalk, bikes and buckets. the front yard tree swing is covered in fallen leaves.
but this summer we created new memories. Many carousel visits all through CT and RI. Trips the different parks and zoos. Vacations on the beach, theme parks to ride roller coasters, visits to see Thomas and ride a train and go to car-washes to see robot arms helping... his favorites. Trips to the library and mall. He enjoyed art and music class at gymboree and began going to the ymca while I exercised. he likes to play with "different friends at the Ymca". He even asked me to leave so he could stay and play! He loves to search for snakes and bugs with daddy and pick tomatoes from the garden.
so I guess I am learning in my new stages of motherhood that it is ok to have different schedules each summer and things cannot be recreated some times. I look forward to what we will learn and discover next summer.
