This week's adventures

We have had another wonderful week. I think knowing that we are going to only be here for a year has given me a keen sense of the meaning carpe diem. I am also very aware that I only have a few more weeks with Scott before he goes back to school and that I only have a year with Abigail before she starts school. Sam is home less but it seems we try to enjoy the time we are together more. Allison needs to be potty trained, but I am hoping this can wait until Scott starts school. She is very aware that she is a silly girl. Her destructive, mischievous, and general messiness phases of toddler hood are in full force. We have lost objects to garbage can, had lipstick smeared all over her body and the bathroom, and many battles over glue sticks. Yesterday Sam and I were playing tennis and letting the children play on a close by playground. We had to stop playing tennis when Allison started scaling some climbing bars about four fee off the ground. To appease her we tried to put her in the baby swing - you know, the safe one that is like a rubber bucket. She screamed in terror and clutched at Sam in pure fright. Sam asked me to take over so he could practice tennis with Scott. I solved Allison’s issues by putting her in the big-kid swing next to Abigail. So the two of them swung happily until it was time to go. Sam and I laughed at Allison’s happiness in hanging precariously in the big swing when she was terrified of the baby swing. Scott’s tennis is improving and Abigail’s sharing skills are getting better. She shared her tennis ball with Allison to help her be happy while we were all on the tennis court. Sam had a good birthday though, complete with german chocolate cake and ribs.
Friday was glorious. The children helped me clean the house in the morning so that we could go on a picnic lunch next to the river. I needed to get a good run in and Friday is our free day or adventure day. So I packed for swimming, running and picnicking. We went to the trail that starts at the lock and canal. Scott rode his bike and I ran pushing the double stroller 2.5 miles there and back. We went to a swimming area on the river that Sam and I discovered on our biking date last week. I wasn’t sure how strong the current would be or if it would be too deep so I armed the children with rules, floaties, and river shoes as we braved the river. It turned out to be wonderful! Not too cold, not too deep, not too fast and with lots of rocks and shallows to climb around and explore for whelks, tadpoles, and little fish.
We have also enjoyed several family bike rides. Abigail has decided that she really likes her bike with training wheels and it is amazing how brave she can be when just a short while ago she was furious with us for even suggesting she should try the bigger bike. Once she started to go there was nothing that would stop her. She has fallen more times that I can remember, but she hops back on and goes as fast as she can until she crashes or runs into something. I am really trying to encourage her to use her brakes and she is becoming a little more compliant. At first I would tell her to get to the side because a car was coming and she would bike full speed into the curb every time. This wouldn’t faze her a bit. She is so tough.