A Lazy Summer Afternoon...

Normally when the weather is this hot, I'll do just about anything to stay inside where it's nice and cool.  However, when you have a baby that likes being outside as much as mine does, it's not really an option.  Brennan will search the house until he finds a pair of shoes and bring them to me with a lot of loud whining until I oblige and put the shoes on him.  Then, if I still don't take the clue, or choose to pretend I don't know what he wants, he'll go find a hat and put it on.  By then it is just too cute to ignore and I finally give in and take him out into the scorching heat to melt.

Today I planned ahead.  While he was napping this morning I went out and filled his baby pool.  I figured that I could at least hang my feet in to stay a little bit cooler.  By the time he woke up and started acting like he was ready to go outside, I had decided that I was going to go all out.  I put on both of our swimsuits, slathered him up with sunscreen, and trekked outside.  I sat myself down in the pool while he walked around the yard for a while, just coming over every now and then to throw his bottle of sunscreen into the water and laugh when it made a big splash.

After quite a bit of playing 'sunscreen splash' I remembered the new pack of foam balls that I had bought for him.  I ran into the garage and gave him one.  That was a big hit.  We played catch for a while in the pool and then I went into the garage and got out the bat I got for him.  I know he's a bit young, but you can't start learning how to play baseball too early.  So he would throw the ball for me and I would hit it.  Then he would hold the bat out and I would carefully aim for it and bounce the ball off.  That way he could 'hit' the ball, too!  It was such a good time.  I can't wait for a second adult to be around to help him swing!

After a little while of playing baseball, I put Brennan into his swing and quickly ran inside to get the load of clean diapers out of the washer to put them on the line.  I figured I might as well take advantage of the heat and sunshine on a day like today.  Unfortunately, the humidity is so high, I don't know if the microfiber will dry all the way by this evening!  We'll see, I guess.

Brennan spraying himself with the garden hose.

I let Brennan back out of his swing and I headed back to the pool to cool off.  I was just drenched in sweat slightly glistening already so the cool water felt so good.  I basked in the watery heaven while Brennan explored the yard.  I got distracted just long enough for him to cover his feet, legs, arm, ear, and the side of his face with mud from the one obvious mud puddle we have.  We've had a ridiculous amount of rain lately and the yard just hasn't dried out yet.  I didn't want him getting the water all dirty, so I grabbed the garden hose and sprayed him off.  The water was nice and warm from the sun warming the hose, so he didn't mind it at all.  In fact, he loves spraying himself with the hose.  He'll spray himself until he's shaking because he so cold, yet he just keeps spraying!

When I finished cleaning him off, I turned off the hose and laid it down.  That caused an immediate uproar!  He wanted it back on!!!  So I cooperated and gave him the hose.  I knew that would keep him busy for a while, so I laid right back in the pool, head resting on one edge and calves resting on the other, to soak up some sun.  It just felt so good.  That's when Brennan started spraying me.  It was a little cold, but I just couldn't help but laugh as I listened to his mischievous giggle and felt the water raining down all over me.  It really just made for the perfect summer day and made me feel like a kid again- laying in a kiddie pool with the powerful sun warming my skin, not being self conscious about my stretch marks and extra padding.  After all, there was no reason I should be!  I was in my own backyard in the middle of the afternoon when my neighbors were all gone to work.  The only person with me was the one who gave me the stretch marks in the first place, and he doesn't seem to mind.  In fact, the extra padding on my tummy makes for awesome, obnoxious noises when he blows raspberries on me!

I just love days like this.  They make you realize that it is the little things in life that really matter!

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