The End Of An Era

Our crib-loving boy finally decided a week ago that he was ready to make the big move to his big-boy bed.

He suddenly seems very small!

It's been a week now, and so far, all is well. He goes to sleep, he sleeps all night, and (just like Gabe and Dante did when they first made the switch to a bed) he waits for us to come and get him in the morning. I know that won't last too long, but I get such a kick out them laying there so patiently waiting for someone to come up and get them out of the bed that they are 100% capable of getting out of themselves.

As of today, the crib has been disassembled, and the sheets and mattress pads packed away - not to be put in the basement, but to be given to someone else who can use them, because we most definitely will not be needing them again.

No tears shed over here about this transition, though. I'm ready for my big boy to move on, and I'm having a blast with him at the age he's at, so I don't miss the baby stuff.

He's also working on learning how to get himself dressed, and is fully potty-trained, and an old pro at drinking from a regular cup. And Monday, when we went to Mystic Seaport for the day, for the first time ever, I didn't bring the stroller.

I've never visited the Seaport without a stroller (oftentimes I had the double), so that was a big milestone, and I was a little concerned about how Carmine would fare, but he did great. We were there for nearly 4 1/2 hours, and did a LOT of walking, but he kept up, with just a teeny tiny bit of whining toward the end of the day.

It's so exciting to go out and buy all the gear when you're getting ready to have your babies, and I can now say that it is truthfully just as exciting (for me, anyway) when you realize that you're done with each piece of gear and ready to pass it along to someone else. I am slowly reclaiming my house.

Today was also the first time I cleaned that house in - well, I'm too embarrassed to admit how long it had been, so let's just say it was a looooooong time. Happens every summer. And every summer I make my peace with a dirty house, becuase it means we're busy doing other, much more fun stuff.

Our trip to Mystic Seaport Monday was followed by a stop in Watch Hill on the way home, where the boys rode the carousel, we stopped at the candy store for some treats, and then walked along the dunes before finally heading home. A visit to Watch Hill is one of our summer traditions for the past few years, and I'm so glad for that, because it's just such a lovely place to visit.

His first solo carousel ride!  He was very nervous at first, but quickly warmed up to it!

Another cool local spot we visited this week was Fort Adams State Park. I've spent a lot of time there at many a Folk Festival, but had never actually been inside the fort, so figured that taking a tour would be as much fun for me as it would be for the boys - and I was almost right.

It was a very interesting tour, and we learned a lot of cool stuff, but I think all three boys were a little tired from the day before, and they pestered each other the entire time, which meant that I was playing referee the whole time. One of those days...... 

Still a fun thing to do, though, and I'm sure we'll do it again at some point, because as they get older, they'll appreciate it even more. And maybe fight less? Nah, probably not.....

Add in a trip to Connecticut yesterday to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and these boys have had a busy, busy week.

Which is why we spent today doing a whole lot of nothing. We all needed a day to decompress. Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but the weekend is looking pretty good for beaching it.

There are still many things on our summer fun list that we haven't gotten to yet, and many that I fear we won't get to. I want to do as many of them as possible, but I also need to balance it out so that we're not constantly on the go. We all seem to do better when we're busy, but there's a fine line between 'busy' and 'too busy,' and if you cross that line with a 3-, 7-, and 9-year-old, the results are very unpleasant.

So some of those summer fun items may remain unchecked (still haven't gotten over to the farm to go blueberry picking, and we never made it for strawberry picking, either!). But that's ok. Because it's not about how many items we check off our list - it's about making sure that we have fun, and that we remember summer as a time chock full of fun activities, but also with its fair share of lazing about. That's how I remember my summer days, and I remember them very, very fondly, which is what I hope for the boys.

It goes by a little too fast, but not too fast to make some pretty awesome memories - and have a blast doing it!

Comments

[Laura @ Mommy Run Fast]

I love that phase where they stay in bed until you get them out! We're past it now, unfortunately. L's our alarm clock, walking in each morning. :)