Last week Annika was in full-day preschool camp at the YMCA here. It was amazingly fun for her, and a serious relief for this Mama who was getting exhausted from breaking up the she-took-that-from-me fights and decoding the I'm-HUNGRY requests from both whiny girls. I don't know what it is about this summer so far, but my girls have caught the whines. The only way I've found to cure them so far, is to get out of the house though that can get rather trying with both of them.
It was great to have two full days to work (which is twice as much as I usually get), and 3 whole days with just Mayzie. Here are a few pictures from our escapades.
Here's Mayzie all excited at the Zoo!
She got to meet & play with Beliza the Jaguar in the Rainforest area and checking the map for where we should go next.
Here she is pretending to be a bat.
I love my special Mayzie days filled with loads of cuddles and long naps (for both of us). It was so nice to get to give her the attention that she longs for every day and to be able to connect with her. I made every day a YES day, which wasn't too difficult. The requests of a not-quite-3-year-old are not that outlandish or extravagant. We had Fun. We ran around town and stayed home to watch movies. We stumbled on an awesome new free play-date program & kept our regular play-date with friends sans Annika. I worried less and actually got to chat more. There were MANY smiles & requested piggy-tails.
Here's Mayzie playing at the surprise organized play-date. This will definitely become a regular thing, as you can't beat a FREE indoor play-time with loads of 0-5 kids running around.
A requested picture as we were leaving. She's sooo tall!!
How can you NOT say yes when this kid asks to go swimming in the apartment pool?
Side Note: Look at all that F&%$ing bird poop on the fence!
Pool= Energy Sucker every time!
I loved my sweet Mayzie days last week, and get to have them again several weeks this summer when Annika goes to various camps. I also get some Annika time, which is oh so precious in the waning days before Kindergarten begins. I know that the sweet summer days filled with fun and whatever we want to do are going to go away. This might be the last summer that I'm home with them. This WILL be the last summer of Mayzie being not-quite-3 and asking every day when her birthday is. This will be the last summer of Annika being 5 years old chasing bugs, racing everywhere, and learning how to swim. I want to cherish it. I want to not hate the heat and humidity so much. I'm trying. It's our first summer in the Ohio River Valley, and I'm getting used to it still. So the Mayzie days of summer will be filled with love and sweetness that only an almost-3-year-old can give to her mother. That child lights up my world, and I'm so lucky to be her mother.
