Cabin Fever

It's hot outside, and Baby G is loaded with energy. The other night he just raced in laps around the kitchen, chasing the dogs and chasing a ball for quite some time. It was so much easier when we could go for walks or sit on a blanket outside because he loves that. So now it's time to get creative.

We discovered the one thing that will cause him to sit still for a good 20 minutes, and that is Baby Einstein. Other cartoons are eye-catching, but his interest is fleeting. Baby Einstein, simple though it is, really grabs his attention. So we use it as an excuse to "wind down" before bath time. I love it because he'll sit still in my lap, which never happens otherwise. Dylan and I joked that the only time you can snuggle with Gavin is if he falls asleep while taking his last bottle of the night, or while watching his television program. So, there's that.

We don't have a pool, and that is fine with me for right now. Though I do send Dylan the links to purchase above-ground pools. Seriously...I want one! You just put it away when you're done at the end of the season. He just rolls his eyes at me. We're probably better off without a pool, as I have an irrational fear of having a baby (and then a toddler) around an open body of water. Maybe when I don't have to worry about children drowning...

Anyway! Gavin hasn't gotten much use out of his baby pool because it's the blow-up kind, and it already got a hole and deflated. He has taken a dip with his cousins a couple of times, and he goes in the pool at his grandparents' house. We can visit the pool at the gym whenever we want, too. So we're not hurting for opportunities to go swimming, and we're thankful to be able to get outside and stay cool.

But other than that, we go a little stir crazy. Gavin takes two naps, which hardly leaves us time to squeeze in a trip to the gym or out for errands in-between. If he falls asleep in the car, even for five minutes, he won't nap again and then the rest of the afternoon is ruined. It's the only time that living so far away has really cramped my style. But even so, I've decided it's time to take our show on the road a bit more. I signed him up for a Gymboree class today...but I'm going to cancel it. I'm working an extra day this week, and I need today to take care of other things. (Selfish, I know...but Gavin has a playdate with his Nonna, which is way more fun and exciting than any class could be.) Has anyone done Gymboree, and how did you like it? Any other suggestions for activities for a rambunctious 10-month-old?

Flashlight play

So interested in this little light

Enjoying a snack at the gym

Water baby!

We had the pool to ourselves on a Saturday afternoon!

Post-swim bottle

LOVES waving and clapping his hands!

Feeding the dogs

Don't sit so close to the TV!

Also, I'm toying with the idea of starting another blog about non-baby things. I like having this space to document our lives and post our pictures, but it's getting a little dull for me. The show will go on over at Boondocks Blvd, but if I take to writing somewhere else about other things, I'll let you know. Unfortunately, my life is not full of variety these days, leaving me short on interesting material. However, we actually have plans to get to a movie theater today for the first time since Gavin joined the world (first time for me...Dylan catches a lot of movies on the road.) As he creeps toward turning a year old, life just gets better and better!

And lastly, I think we will do a birthday party for Gavin in August. I always said I wouldn't do a big party because Gavin would never know the difference, but deep down I knew I couldn't pass up an excuse to get everyone together. Plus, Dylan and I are celebrating making it through this first year, which I consider one of my biggest accomplishments in life. Forget all those years of school or whatever else I've done...this past year was a true test. A test of endurance, patience, and so many other things. So we will party, and we will party tractor & farm style. With a slip 'n slide and water balloons on the side so the kids can play and get rowdy.