At the bonfire

Roasting marshmallows

Wow, it has been a couple of weeks since I wrote anything.  Well part of my excuse is that this is vacation week and we have been busy.  We went to Cape Cod for a couple of days as a mini vacation and then the rest of the week has just been taken up with playing and hanging out.  Yesterday we went and got Harry part of his birthday present.  It was a bike!  He tried it out when we got home and I think once he's mastered the balance he will be very happy to have that.  Over the past year or so he's gotten very good on his scooter and his balance has improved immensely so I think now is the time for the bike.  Robert inherited Harry's old bike with training wheels, but so far is not very interested in it.  I think my children are late bloomers on bikes, but that is okay.

Yesterday the boys spent much of their day without me.  Kevin and I went to a doctor's appointment in Providence early in the day and so they were with Susan and Willa for the morning through early afternoon.  Then we had tickets to a reception and a show in the evening.  We left relatively early so I sort of feel like I barely saw them.  It is funny how that can disconcert me sometimes.  I do think that breaks are a good thing, but sometimes too much at once when I am not expecting it leaves me missing them.  Katie said both boys were tired last night and ready to go to bed well before their bedtimes.  I guess that means it was a good day.

We had a good time on our mini vacation, although we didn't get great sleep either night.  The first night was the normal adjusting to a new place and excitement of things battle at bed time.  Robert was the real culprit, he just couldn't settle in and fall asleep.  The second night (and we were only there 2 nights) all started out well, but then Harry woke up and turned on his book light at 3 a.m.!  That woke me up and I told him to turn it off and try to sleep.  I do think he tried to sleep, but he was very restless and so I too was restless and  had to ask him to quiet down a couple of times.  He finally fell into a deep sleep around 5:30 and then slept until a bit after 8 which was how long Robert also slept.  Being little boys they were raring to go in the morning, but Mom and Dad were a bit groggy.  Thank goodness for caffeine.  It is funny how sleep can become such an important thing when you are a parent.  I really cannot complain either, because for the most part we are blessed with our boys good sleep habits.  I have always loved sleeping and am an early to bed person.  Back before children I really enjoyed lying in bed in the early mornings and reading.  Apparently Harry likes to do that too, but we have had to discuss what early morning means, since 3 am is much too early to be up and reading!

We chose the place we stayed because it has a couple of nice pools - an indoor wave pool and an outdoor heated pool.  The weather was so lovely we spent most of our time in the outdoor pool.  The wave pool tended to be more crowded and louder.  I think this is why both boys preferred to be outside.  I was glad for that it was less noisy and the sun was shining while we were there.  Both boys are getting to be good swimmers, Harry loves doing little tricks and Robert spent much time going in circles.  He would climb out of the pool (or be lifted by Daddy) walk to the stairs, climb in,  walk over to a little wall and then jump into the pool (towards Daddy), swim to Daddy and then swim to the wall to repeat the procedure.  Pretty soon he was jumping in whether Kevin was looking or not!  I did get in and help out too, but Kevin definitely did the lion's share of direct supervision.  I was keeping an eye on Harry much of the time who sort of ranged around the edges of the pool, trying out different tricks and seeing how long he could stay under water.

We also visited the Cape Cod potato chip factory, got ice cream out and went to a joke store.  It was a nice little vacation.  The rest of the week has been spent playing outside, going to the library and walking to the beach.  Sort of regular times in our house.  We are very blessed in our little community on this island.  I am glad that the boys have the chance to be growing up here.