Now that we are officially an elementary school family, time passes in related increments—nine months of school followed by three months of summer. Every changing of the season gives us reason to stop and reflect: the first day of school, the last day of school, the start of summer, the end of summer.
This is the first year where summer has felt significant for a couple of reasons. Pre-kindergarten, I had all the kids with me all the time, so outside of the warm weather, our routine didn't feel much different. Now I only have a few months with all three of my babies under the same roof. Furthermore, I found that during the school year I didn't plan quite as many mini adventures with Wes and Hazel. I knew that Owen would be upset if he was left out, and we had so many structured morning activities that there wasn't much space for spontaneous outings. With these two epiphanies, I was determined to make the most of the unstructured sunny days. I put together a bucket list and we spent the summer checking things off. Hazel is old enough that it feels fun and relatively easy to venture out, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the kids played together at home. As much as I love the break that comes with dropping Owen off for six glorious hours, it's special to know that I love having him home just as much.
The first year of Hazel's life was hard. Her second has felt much more manageable. This summer we're coming alive. With fewer nap schedule constraints and more independent kids, it feels like we're on the brink of a new chapter in our family history. We've checked almost everything off that bucket list and I've genuinely enjoyed my time with them. As things wind down, we are feeling ready for fall. I'm equally grateful for the adventures and time together as a family that summer has provided and for the routine that comes with back to school.
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