Sunday, June 30, 2013

Summer Fun # 3 ~ First Trip to the Splash Park

We have actually managed to check off quite a few of our summer bucket list to do's the last couple of weeks.  I have actually managed to get out with the kids every day this past week at over 40 weeks pregnant so I think that is definitely an accomplishment.  The weather has definitely been feeling very summer-like although we have still had some rainy days too.  I have been pretty disappointed that none of the parks in our area of Charlotte have splash pads.  The closest one seems to be in the uptown area and is just not convenient for us.  There are several in the northern part of the city which is over a 30 minute drive from us.  We discovered a fairly new park in the neighboring town of Matthews (it is actually in Stallings, NC which is in Union County, but the address is Matthews) that is only about 15 minutes from us so we were excited to check it out.  Unfortunately, when we arrived after lunch, we discovered that the splash pad wouldn't come back on until 3:00 p.m. so we had over an hour to wait.  I let the kids get good and hot and dirty playing on the playground equipment while we waited. They had several nice separate playground areas for big and little kids.  They even had a merry-go-round which I have seen very rarely at parks these days probably because of safety reasons.  Evan tried it out, and I was glad that he didn't seem to be bothered by the motion because I have terrible motion sickness problems.  We played in the heat as long as we could stand it, and then we sat in the shade and cooled off until the splash pad opened.  All of the kids at the park were ready for it!

 photo park1_zps96eeb7bf.jpg
Evan loved this neat little spinning sphere. 

 photo park2_zps8c251dbf.jpg
And Brody, of course, headed straight for the swings. 

 photo park3_zpse91ce03e.jpg
And this is what an overdue pregnant lady looks like in 90 something degree heat. 

 photo park4_zps2b689c86.jpg
Big brother sweetly giving Brody a push on the swings. 

 photo park5_zps95db7bb4.jpg
Sweet boys at the park together.

 photo park6_zpsb3bf4dc2.jpg
Brody walking across the big bridge by himself.  Mr. Independent!

 photo park7_zps0d9f2659.jpg
And he decided to go down the big slide too, but he didn't realize how hot it was until he sat down and then was a little hesitant. 
 photo park8_zps61fc15dd.jpg
Big boy climbing up the steps on the large play set by himself.  Where did my baby go? 

 photo park9_zpsc2808afc.jpg
Big brother wanted to try to help little brother go down the slide again. 

 photo park10_zps84c6bac4.jpg
And little brother did seem happier at the end. 

 photo park11_zpsffbcc0d3.jpg
Brody the airplane pilot

 photo park12_zpsfd1d4059.jpg
My sweet pilots

FINALLY TIME FOR SOME SPLASHING FUN!

Although we plan to repeat this trip several more times this summer, I won't always take this many pictures.  It was just our first time, and we wanted to capture the kids' excitement.  When we took Brody to one last summer, he wasn't walking yet and crawled around in the water.  Now, he headed straight for the biggest concentration of water and pretty much hung out there most of the time. Evan ran constantly until he grew too tired and cold to continue, but even then, he didn't want to leave when we asked him.

 photo park13_zps063fa70c.jpg
Running into the water.  

 photo park14_zpsf85e2c2e.jpg
Brody's face says it all...loving it!

 photo park15_zps9f009fb8.jpg
I guess Evan was doing some ninja or karate move on the water spout. 

 photo park16_zps8efe2db8.jpg
Evan was harder to capture in pictures because of his constant movement.
 photo park17_zps99dd1e2e.jpg
Brody checking out the big balls shooting water.

 photo park18_zps71e9fff7.jpg
Evan ran around the outside edge while Brody hung out mostly in the middle where most of the water was concentrated.
Daddy changed to the zoom lens to capture close up pictures.

 photo park20_zpse6a4aa04.jpg
Just so quintessentially Brody...playing in water holding a car (two of his most favorite things).

 photo park21_zps5c4ecd85.jpg
Oh that happy face!

 photo park22_zpse3ab6ac4.jpg


 photo park23_zps903fcae8.jpg


 photo park24_zps58c56529.jpg



 photo park25_zps01a6bc22.jpg
Haha!  He sprayed himself in the face!
 photo park26_zpsf7bc6ee0.jpg
I love how he runs through the water with his eyes tightly closed.

 photo park27_zps73dc2efa.jpg
There's a happy face. 

 photo park28_zps933c636b.jpg
Brody did not let go of his car the whole time except maybe twice and then another kid would pick it up and give it back to him.

 photo park29_zpsf2eae8ac.jpg
Actually got one of them together.  

 photo park30_zps3a3661a2.jpg
They were soaked!

 photo park31_zps85b81c39.jpg
Such a happy little boy in the water.

 photo park32_zpsc3838069.jpg
When he would tire of just running in the water, he would drive his car around.

 photo park33_zps24826e99.jpg
Discovering the water ball.

 photo park34_zps6a73670d.jpg


 photo park35_zps66b18830.jpg


 photo park36_zpsd8eaf196.jpg


 photo park37_zps48889823.jpg


 photo park38_zps98d8bc3b.jpg
And Evan starts to get cold. 


 photo park39_zps016b368d.jpg
But not Brody!

 photo park41_zps6c128b6f.jpg
We did get Evan to stop and pose for a picture.

 photo park43_zpse85decb8.jpg
But neither would cooperate for a picture with Mommy.

 photo park44_zpsb3b90103.jpg
Still not tired of the water.  This lasted for about an hour before we had to leave, and he probably could have kept on going. Of course, he passed out in the car.

 photo park45_zps92a9ae9a.jpg
Mommy cuddling her cold baby. 

 photo park46_zpsec5b6405.jpg
Yep, he's still my baby!
 photo namebutton_zps1d38d77c.jpg

Summer Fun #2 ~ Evan's Swim Lessons

Evan has already had a relatively busy summer this month.  He went to Vacation Bible School with his cousin one week, and they had play dates several days.  His cousin spent the night, and Daddy took them bowling because it was raining heavily.  Then, he spent a night with his cousins before they left for the beach.  I don't have pictures of these events because parents don't attend VBS with the kids, and Daddy was flying solo for the bowling trip while Mommy and Aunt Jessica spent the morning on a girls' outing getting manicures/pedicures and eating lunch on Baby Mattie's due date when we still hoped her arrival was imminent.  We also signed Evan up for two aggressive weeks of daily swim lessons.  It was time for him to learn to let go in the water and relax and have fun.  He has always been so cautious in the water and refused to let go and swim freely without his floaties, and we felt that he was really missing out on a lot of fun since most of the kids his age are swimming and even diving now.  We have never minded Evan's unusually cautious nature because it has been so nice not having to worry "as much" about his safety, especially since we have to worry so much about his little adventurous brother's.  Anyway, during this two week session at a very reputable swim instruction facility in our area, he learned to have more confidence in the water and is now swimming short distances unassisted and is also freely swimming under water.  He hasn't learned any of the major swim strokes yet, but we didn't expect that.  Right now, we just want him comfortable in the water.  I feel confident that he and Daddy will be able to work more on swimming together this summer now that Evan has progressed beyond the basics.  We managed to capture a few shots of his lessons although we had to remain in the parent viewing room behind glass windows.  The shots aren't the greatest, but I love having them to remember this time for him.

 photo swimlessons1_zps2d5c5a65.jpg
Evan in the pool on one of his first days of lessons.  He soon learned the water in this indoor pool was kept very cool, and he would come out shivering with blue lips.  We purchased him a warmer neoprene swim suit to help him be more comfortable and that seemed to help reduce his shivering.   

 photo swimlessons2_zps88c9d6b9.jpg
He was in a class with two girls, but he didn't seem to mind. 

 photo swimlessons3_zpsfdbddb84.jpg
Swimming across the little stretch of water with help the first day. 

 photo swimlessons4_zps4ffb5ebe.jpg
Going under water.  That's his head below the water. 

 photo swimlessons5_zpsfdd75d76.jpg
Back up and no tears!

 photo swimlessons6_zps1e2931ad.jpg
Waiting his turn on the last day of swim lessons. 

 photo swimlessons7_zps42166d29.jpg
On his last day, he swam across a longer section under water by himself.  

 photo swimlessons8_zps10d4576b.jpg
I was so proud of him!

 photo swimlessons9_zps1297525e.jpg
Floating on his back.  

 photo swimlessons10_zps40756ba8.jpg
Swimming across above water using a board.  He needs to work more on his kicking out behind him.  His instructor said he is still doing "bike kicks" under the water.  

 photo swimlessons11_zps6702f8a8.jpg
We'll call these first lessons a success!
 photo namebutton_zps1d38d77c.jpg

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails