We are having a heat wave here on the East Coast, and with poor sleep and dehydration, tempers are flaring at my house. This afternoon I seem to have hit on a solution as I suggested they squirt each other with the hose. It is wonderful and simple, just the sort of blessing that comes with not having too much. Later on in the day, we will treat ourselves to popsicles. The pictures above are from last summer when we escaped to the beach at Grandma's, Red's town pool and the sprinkler at the playground. What are you and your families doing to keep cool these days?
We are having a heat wave here on the East Coast, and with poor sleep and dehydration, tempers are flaring at my house. This afternoon I seem to have hit on a solution as I suggested they squirt each other with the hose. It is wonderful and simple, just the sort of blessing that comes with not having too much. Later on in the day, we will treat ourselves to popsicles. The pictures above are from last summer when we escaped to the beach at Grandma's, Red's town pool and the sprinkler at the playground. What are you and your families doing to keep cool these days?
10 comments:
Yeah, love the pic of PT and Gianna! So fun! I have a cute one of the girls I should put up...
Sadly, we are staying inside to stay cool!! We just can't bear the 100+ degree temps! I had the downtrodden thought the other day that summer was almost as bad as winter, in that we're cooped up inside to avoid the extreme temps! This should not be the case... and I am actively seeking quick "adventures" out and about to quell my active boys!
I think we are going to shell out the $5 to get a little backyard pool for dipping. I so worry about the drowning hazard, though... Thoughts anyone?
I would go with a sprinkler over the pool because of the drowning factor, and also, they get really yucky, but maybe sprinklers waste a lot of water? Just shooting with the hose has been serious fun though.
With a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old we have been staying inside, especially with all of us having colds and being grouchy.
But I did by the Melissa and Doug Easel and companion set and Cecilia has been having a blast drawing with chalk on one side and painting on the other side. Tomorrow, since it will "only" get into the mid-80s, I'm blowing up the little pool for the girls in the morning. Afternoon will still be inside, esp. with their naps being in the afternoon.
We have two baby pools. One super tiny one for Jack-Jack and a big, tacky looking one from Wal-Mart. Some days I don't even put the boys in clothes...just swim diapers. Dash usually says he wants to go swimming before he's done with breakfast and Jack-Jack pulls on the door handle and signs water.
We empty the pools and flip them upside down every night and they have never gotten nasty or mouldy. The boys fill them up again the next morning taking turns playing with the hose.
I don't think I would ever leave the boys with even just a hose outside alone (I can't really leave Jack-Jack ever). So I don't have any worries about them playing in 4 inches of water since I am always within sight. If they are playing nicely, I can peruse the mail or say a rosary.
Some mornings we go to our neighborhood pool/spraygound and use our backyard ones in the afternoon when they are in the shade. I just can't imagine a summer day without the boys in the water.
While you all can make fun of me for freezing when it's 45 degrees out in winter, summer doesn't phase us so much.
My number one rule with blue-eyed polish babies is sunscreen. Everyday. Always. As iron-clad as don't touch the stove. The hose does not get turned on without sunscreen on.
Texas Mommy, any tips for making sunscreen part of the routine? Our new yard is in full sun all day, so we need to be much better about using it, but I find it hard to add one more thing to my list of things to do before we leave the house, and they all seem to complain about the feel. I am sure that, as with all rules, if I am consistent over time we will get there, but are there brands that are easier, should I keep it on the changing table, where can I find big hats for the baby?
Also, what about breaks for drinking water? I have been trying to serve my kids lots of water but I think they are dehydrated.
BTW, the heat has broken here, the high today is only 86, the air conditioner is off and the windows are open, praise God!
We love the sprinkler, too! I agree that really hot weather can make it tough to be outdoors for long stretches of time, unless you have access to some shade and water - those two are essential when the weather is scorching, especially when small children are involved.
In terms of applying sunblock, I've found it helpful to designate a spot where we always apply it - seems to help with keeping C in one place, and it's predictable. We do use the spray sometimes, but he thinks it's cold so sometimes it's actually harder to apply. I have heard that there is no such thing as "waterproof" sunblock - if you go in the water, it's going to come off and you must reapply. I guess that sunblock can only be water resistant, but not waterproof.
I'm sure you all don't have to think twice about putting hats, coats, gloves, etc. on your kids in the winter. It's just something you have to do. But on the few days a year when we don this mountain of apparel it is a hugely time consuming ordeal because we're not used to it.
My sunscreen strategy: Kids in the nursery, close the door. Start with least offensive areas first...arms, legs, back of neck, ears. Then, usually from behind in a head-lock type maneuver, get forehead, down nose, cheeks and do under the eyes very last since this usually gets the most adverse reaction. There is almost always whining and complaining, but it's a kind of hurry-up-I-hate-this kind of thing so I ignore it. Only if there is kicking or temper tantrums do I treat it as a disciplinary issue since I don't like putting lotion on myself either.
I agree with Kat that the spray types are harder to deal with. We use the lotion. Also, sunscreen does go bad. Best to replace it every year. I write on it with a Sharpie when I bought it, though I think they started putting expiration dates on it.
We always have water in reach. Quite frankly, they drink a lot from the hose, but I ask at least once an hour if they want water.
Imagine if you will... having that heat every day from late April to early October.
Floridians do not suffer as much purgatory. But I am in Ohio finishing my degree this week at Franciscan. It was 65 this morn and I had my leather jacket on. That's my winter.
O welll....
Fun fun fun. We have been doing lots of hose, and we have two fountains nearby that I love. Contemplating getting a pool again this year, but it did get nasty...I just don't have the rigorous discipline of texas mommy to dump it every night...I'm just trying REALLY hard to remember to cover the sandbox everytime.
We are also intense about the sunscreen, and yes it does expire I just super burned with an expired batch (I check Jack's but not mine...real smart). He actually doesn't mind it and we use California Baby brand, it is like paste, he is literally coated in white stuff, but then I can tell if I missed anything. They also make a stick I like a lot for doing the face quickly.
Our main line of defense is a hat, with fair hair and a long period of being bald (until he was well over 1yr old) I just enforced the rule.
We like hanna andersson sun hats, worth the extra money and nice enough to wear with dressier outfits, and flaphappy hats which are great for the beach since they have three sides and are light-weight enough to dry quick.
For myself I splurged on a Shady Brady hat, and I love it, love love love it.
Good luck getting out there and enjoying the sun and fun guys!
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