The past week or so has been a little cooler than earlier in the month, when it didn't make sense to do anything other than swim. So we've been playing outside and taking wagon rides more frequently than usual. The boys have decided that it's cool to wear sunglasses, and I think Owen actually understands the utility in wearing them now. Spencer loves wearing shades too and doesn't even fuss with them on his face like the twins did at his age. The boys really know how to kick their feet up and relax while out on a ride. Check out Spencer's yawn while out on a lazy summer day ride in the third picture below! And the sly smile a couple below that is him testing me as he slowly raises a rock to his mouth.
July has been a pretty amazing month! Staying home and doing all these wonderful summer activities with the boys has made me feel like I'm reliving my childhood summers with them...and for that I am truly thankful! I've added a few pictures at the end from our typical July days in the pool.
This past weekend we put the rest of the boys' swing set up. They love trying out all the different swings, switching positions with each other every few minutes or requesting "timer on" if someone won't give up a particular swing! There's only one baby swing, and the twins seem to like that one more than Spencer, who enjoys gliding back and forth on the lowest big boy swing. Then there's the swing on a rope - I'm not sure what it's called, so I've been calling it the circle swing - that fascinates them all. I think you're supposed to stand on it, but they're too small for that, so they've been having fun being creative with it. As much excitement as the swing set provides, all 3 boys always return to the driveway and their favorite push, pull and ride-on toys. I'd say that you can never have too many of those...but I think we just might :)
Two great things to play with (and taste?!) while playing in the driveway. I guess one of the nice things about having a twin is that you can experiment on him before trying something for yourself (Owen is the one who figured this out first)! It may also have been an inventive distraction to swipe some crackers from Oliver's snack bag. Spencie, who tends to be very smart with his snacks, kept a distance and ate on the comfort of his Power Wheels tractor, ready to motor away with the goods should one of the twins come after his bag. Next I brought some chalk out - one quick taste of that and they lost interest in eating foreign objects. However they still liked the idea of smearing it all over their clothes, hands, and faces!!
Saturday we took the boys for an overdue haircut. We considered taking them one at a time, but decided it would be easiest to get it all over with at once...which turned out well because it turned out that there was a family discount - buy 2 get 1 half off! We went to Cartoon Cuts in the Dulles mall this time (no more Great Falls Hair Cuttery after a terrible experience there in January!), and I must say, these people are extremely patient and do an excellent job cutting squirming, crying kids' hair! And the haircuts turned out exactly the way we asked, not too short, but thinned out and cleaned up along the back and sides. Ryan and I both have a hard time parting with too much of their hair each time...the boys just look so cute in long hair! I took some "before" pictures in the parking lot on our way into the mall. We decided it was best to have Oliver go first, assuming he would be easiest and cry the least. Although he did cry, he was the only one to sit on a booster all by himself without being on one of our laps. Spencer sat on my lap and went at the same time, crying a little bit but pretty good overall. Poor Owen sat in the stroller watching his brothers get their haircut, fear building in his face. We thought that once he saw them get a lollipop for a reward afterward he'd feel a little better, but he didn't care about that and cried the whole time until it was over. I did however get him to try the lollipop and that made him really happy. We took the boys on a choo choo ride and 2 carousel rides before going home. I think they felt fairly rewarded after that :)
