over-scheduling and under-scheduling and sanity!

There are many big debates over the scheduling of kids, over-scheduled, under-scheduled and just plain scheduled. This is one of those times where I said 'oh I never would' and yet here I am looking at our summer schedule going woah.

Step back a moment and since K turned 3 and I became a SAHM I have had the forever question of 'is she in preschool', like I'm some crazy lady for not putting her in...erm the whole point of staying home was to stay home with my kiddos, not stay home so I could send them elsewhere. I mean if you work, they have to go, but if you're home I'd feel weird sending my kid to school when they don't have to go.

But a 3 yr old has a lot of energy and being home with a baby brother and an OCD mother can't always been fun right? So we looked at different options, we did dance for a little while, library time, MOPS, Awana and various playdates but *I* felt totally over booked and living where we were at the time it was a long drive to all these activities! When we moved we stopped everything for about 2 months and just spent time at home, it was nice for a break.

Now we're back to doing stuff! We started with church playdates which are every other Friday at various places (parks, indoor play areas, etc) that lead to joining music classes on Thursday mornings for both kids which is a great time and they both love it.
Now that summer is here we've just finished a week at VBS (vacation bible school) for Kaitlyn from 9:30-noon which to be honest was pretty awesome for me, we dropped her off and came home for B to nap and me to clean up without a tornado following behind me. My house was clean for a good 3 hrs a day.
Next week K's starting gymnastics on Mondays for 8 weeks
Thursdays are music for both kids for another 4 weeks
July 5th K is doing swim lessons everyday for 2 weeks
Then we're likely going to the beach in Florida to meet up with some friend from Denver for a long weekend.
K's 4th birthday party is the end of July.
Then it's Boston for a long weekend.

And summer's over

So maybe a bit of over-scheduling going on...but K's excited and my little social butterfly (who swims up behind kids in the pool taps them on the shoulder and says hi my names Kaitlyn want to play) will have a BLAST!

Happy Weekend!

The differences

When I first found out I was having a boy I was excited, partly because my husband was over the moon and partly because it was better than being anxious about having a boy! I mean I'm a girl, I have two sisters, my daughter is (obviously) a girl...I didn't know boys.

When he was placed in my arms, all the anxious feelings disappeared and he was my sweet little boy! In many ways he is still so sweet and kind hearted...he is however ALL boy!  He is destructive, loud, busy, silly, messy and rough.

My house is never clean anymore, which if you really know me is difficult for me to handle.

K is not this way. Case in point right now she is happily playing in the playroom with her dolls by herself.  She's contained and fairly quiet.

My little man does not do this, he pulls everything off the shelves, throws stuff around, pulls things out, leaves stuff everywhere and does not play alone! Currently his favourite activity is playing with the glass doors on the fireplace and putting random things in the fireplace. I mean really? Oh he also loves to climb and bang his head against the wall.

In our last house, in Denver, we had barely any child proofing...a simple elastic band around the chemicals kept K out, a foam pad on the fireplace just in case and the essential outlet covers....she never messed with anything.
In this house we have outlet covers, all chemicals in the top cupboard, baby gates everywhere, doors must be closed to rooms, etc. B gets into EVERYTHING!

Amazing how different they are and also how much of the same characteristics they have, just now they are starting to play together and while K is still pretty rough with her baby brother it's sweet to see their interaction. And I will take as many pictures as possible to torture them with when they are older and fighting like cats and dogs.