Top 10 of Summer

A blog I read had a top 10 things of summer and as I'm feeling just as nostalgic with the start of school and D's impending 4th birthday I thought I'd do my own.

But first ...

This was the low point of the summer.  I realize for many nebulizers and breathing treatments are just par for the course, but when out of nowhere J started breathing *funny* it was new to me.  I was up a good part of a night with her, listening to wheezing and I couldn't decide if she needed the ER or not.  Was she really wheezing?  Am I hearing things?  She's sleeping, but she's breathing funny.  She's not blue.  She's getting air.  She's not struggling super hard.  She is sleeping, so she has to be mostly okay, right?

That's just part of what my mind went through that night.  I have a high propensity to go straight to - it's cancer - with my kids.  So I was trying to not over-react but still give it the urgency it required.  That is a terrifying balancing act people.  I know all my fellow parents get that.

I ended up calling her pedi first thing and they brought her in.  She was doing much better to my ears, I thought.  But her pulse ox was only 95.

For reference ... when D was hospitalized his was 97.

But a quick treatment with a dose of steroids and her lungs opened up and she started getting better almost immediately.  I only gave her two treatments at home - mostly as a precaution in my mind - because I never heard the same sound again.  The big fear here - since she had had similar issues earlier in the year, was that she actually had / has asthma.

The jury is still out on this.  But.  The doctor is hopeful that it's just young child building an immune system and she's fine.  But her likelihood of having asthma is higher than not.

Alright onward to the highlights!

These are a good percentage of the elementary school aged kids in our neighborhood all jumping into the pool after the last day of school.  Swimming - as we will soon see - was a big highlight this summer!

Golf camp with our dear buddy!  G loved camp.  And his dad loved that he loved it.  And they went golfing together (with brother) at the end of the week.  It was a big family highlight.

Our newest nephew was born!

Lots and lots of dress up, pretend play.  The boys imaginations are just exploding.  And D is really coming into his own and they played amazing together most of the summer.  I'm going to pretend the last 2/3 weeks of bickering just didn't happen. ;)

So many fun playdates with D's friends from prek who have big brothers who are the same age as G.  So. Much. Fun.  The boys all got along great and were super fast friends.

The family trip to the Rough Riders game.  I will remember this for a long time.  The boys shouting batter up and "strike him out!" and cheering for home runs.  Such a great evening.

The annual 4th of July parade through our neighborhood!

The annual trip to the lake with our old college friends.  There is a grace and fun in doing these things  as a complete family and out of baby jail.  Have I mentioned I am so glad to be out of baby jail??

Our family vacation to California.  I love visiting family (truth) but it's so amazing to get away with just the immediate family and spend time just us.  We had a blast at the beach and going whale watching and going to Legoland.

Another lake trip with our close friends!  G caught 3 fish!

This amazing birthday party that had bowling, laser tag, and video games.  Boy mecca.

I have so many pictures of the kids helping me mix cookies and make pancakes.  My goal this year is to start making different things with them but baking is my go to for cooking with kiddos.

Talking about our summer wouldn't be complete without discussing pokemon go.  G is obsessed.  He loves it.  I have had to tell him if he can't talk about anything else we will stop playing until he does.  Also looking at this picture - my boys dress themselves.  And I think they do a great job.

Because I am terrible we only made it the FAC once this summer.  But it was amazing.  

So. Much. Watermelon.  So much.

And the pool.  We swam in our community pool in friends pools at the lake at the FAC.  Swim, swim, swim.  They love swimming.  J is a mermaid, I kid you not.  She has no fear and loves putting her face in the water, blowing bubbles, kicking and just face planting into all of it.  No fear.  She did great at all the lakes because she loved even her life vest (a nice surprise).  She is a petite thing so she still only fits (safely) the infant vests (with the head rest and handle?) and I stupidly gave mine to Megan. So we made do a bunch.  Next year will be amazing for her.

I am pretty sure that is more than 10.  We didn't get everything accomplished that I wanted.  We only made it to the Perot once (last week), didn't make it to my moms at all (complicated story), and while we started strong on the library we finished week.  I don't think we went at all in August.  And I got completely sick of entering in the reading time in the system so that G would get credit.

And on that let me rant ... I have to create a "family" account first.  Then I have to create separate accounts for the kids UNDER the family account.  Then I have to enter the reading time in All THREE BLESSED ACCOUNTS in order for it to go towards their prizes.  It's tedious and stupid.  And the prizes are coupons to local merchants (I learned) so I'm not entering all that time just so we can go spend $$.  Even if they would absolutely love their picture taken and put on the wall for being an all star reader.  And we read.  We read every day.  I read books to each kid.  I read a chapter book to the boys.  Their dad reads to them after I leave with J sometimes.  G reads to us sometimes.  But it was so tedious I could NOT BE BOTHERED.  And I have to do it from the computer.  Do you know how rarely I sit at the computer?  Once a month when I pay bills.  That's why all the blog posts are at the end of the month.

Anyway.  I didn't hit every bucket item on our summer list.  But I think they still had a good one.