I have a list in my brain. A list of things I want to do with Will. things I think a good mom does. things I try to do to keep sane. Because believe me…being at home all day with a baby will make you feel a little insane at times. or a lot insane if you are like me. So my list is like a medicated dosage of sanity. I pop a little thing off the list – BAM – sanity ensues. Do you wanna see it? My summer activity list? Here ’tis:
I must admit that some of these things were blantantly stolen ideas from Meg & her kids summer list. And one of the things not on my list is playdates.
This week’s playdate was with this little guy:
Mr. Ethan. Do you remember him? He was the little guy that encouraged me to start shooting newborns. I enjoyed him so much. What a sweet little dollface. Can you believe that was less than a year ago? Just check out how much he’s changed:
Like a totally different kid. With blonde hair. And giant eyes.
Okay – back to the playdate. Basically he came over with his mom Jules and I had just put Will down for a nap.
This was my open palm to forehead moment. I did not have to imagine Ethan’s reaction to his playmate being gone:
Long story short, I let Will ride out his nap (cutting it short by an hour or so – yeah, if napping were a job, us Bowers would be workaholics)…
And then got him up to play with his buddy.
Nothing too exciting happened. Did you expect something spectacularly clever from a couple of babies playing?? I mean, they walk around and throw things. They don’t exactly give me particularly lifechanging material here. But they did look very cute so that should count for something.
Basically all that to say – yeah, we try to fill our days with playdates, and trips to the playground and sometimes a fun treat at night…like a frozen yogurt popsicle. But I AM DYING. Seriously…going a little insane…and my list is halfway completed already. I need more.
So as a little Ethan smile as payment, will you please help this new Stay-At-Home-Mom of a 1 year old out with suggestions of what we can do? Because chalk, baby pools, and sprinklers only go so far in keeping me sane…
Katie, have you hit up the State Botanical Garden in Athens? It is a wonderful place and admission is FREE!
try your local library for a toddler story time! When my kids were little little they loved it and it gave me a chance to get out and be around some adults! Also, if you have a Little Gym in the area those are suppose to be great or a trip to the local zoo or even a petting farm! Have fun 🙂
Handsome little guys! 🙂
Pinterest has some great ideas! There is even a bored jar that you stash with fun strips of things to do.
Check out your local parents magazine and make a calendar of things to do. Sometimes looking it at from a glance (of a filled calendar!) will make you realize you do a lot more than you think!
I’m a newish stay at home mom and new to a city. Join your local moms group (which I have yet to do. As a (used to) working parent of 2 sometimes I can get intimidated by the professional SAHM)
Don’t forget sometimes it’s ok to stay at home and lounge. Everyone needs down time.
Have fun and enjoy these days!!
You should join a Moms group. Saved my sanity!!!! I join AtlantaAreaMommies.com years ago and it was so great. I am pretty sure they have a Gwinnett one now. We have our own in Cumming where we live. You pick and choose what you have time for in the week and how much you want to do. I love reading your blog and looking at all your wonderful pictures!
My son is about 2 weeks younger than Will and we took him to the children’s museum, the aquarium, and the zoo so far this spring and summer. He loved them. As a SAHM I right there with you on feeling like your going crazy sometimes or a lot of the time. 😉 I am excited to see what other people suggest.
One is a hard age to keep mom and kiddo entertained-especially if you want to keep your little guy on his nap schedule. Have you heard of MOPS? It stands for Mothers Of PreSchoolers. They have groups all over the country, usually at a church but not necessarily affiliated with a church. They have outings and playdates, and also Mom meetings, where the kids all get to play together supervised while the Moms get to do something fun and/or crafty. It’s instant Mommy-friends and fun for the kiddos, too.
Other thoughts: Sign up for a Mommy + Me music or tumbling class, local beach, don’t know how far you are from Atl but we visited there this spring and my kids loved the Varsity. Also we live the Chicago burbs, and we have two free magazines (usually found in dr’s offices, etc), one called Chicago Parent Going Places, and the other is Oaklee’s Guide. Both have lists and advertisements of all kinds of kids activities-it’s been a great source of ideas for me. Good luck!
It’s SO FUN to see our little boys growing up. I love watching my Son’s little friends getting bigger too. It is amazing how fast it goes by!
Water/sand table
Go swimming in: brook, river, pond, lake, ocean, public pool, kiddie pool
Ride bikes to the ice cream stand/store
Fly a kite
Go to play or puppet show or make your own puppet show and have Will & Ethan be your audience
Throw water balloons
Play ball (kick ball, roll ball)
Go for a walk, pull Will in a wagon
Bubbles
More play dates
Go out to lunch
Go to a museum
Go to an aquarium
These are just a couple of ideas I came up with…I don’t have any children, but when I do, I hope to be a stay at home mom too!
Have a GREAT summer!
Kristi
These are just a couple of ideas
I’m not much help with activities for 1 year olds, but I will say that those two boys are adorable!
Not to minimize what you’re saying, but I’m dying for a different reason. I have to work full time outside the home. My baby just turned 10. People ask us, “What are you doing all summer?” and my answer is something like, “Not much different that what we do the rest of the year.” We still have to get up way too early. We still have to go to work and daycare. We still spend a lot of the weekend catching up on housework, yardwork, paying bills… Super sads… xo
*than
Check your local library to see if they have weekly toddler storytimes. Most have them for many age groups. You can get out of the house and Will can be entertained by someone other than you. Win win!
Storytime at your local library? Most libraries also have a summer reading program. My 2 year old and 6 month old love it. So I’m sure Will would. I understand your need for getting out of the house! I plan on reading every single comment later for ideas!!
My boys are 4, 2 and 7 months, so I’ve been in your shoes! That 1-to-2 age is tricky and I remember my days being very much the same! I’m sure you understand that feeling! But if it’s any help, once he’s just a little older, he can be involved in more activities outside the house (if you choose) and he will be able to play better by himself too.
Know there’s a fellow SAHM mamma praying for you!
Instead of buying a water table, I fill up a big tub of water and soap… then toss in some measuring cups, some big kitchen spoons, maybe some little trucks, smaller bowls… and let him at it! It is a life saver! Here is a link to the blog I wrote about doing it in the winter month’s… but we do it all summer long on the deck too! http://ourtinyplace.blogspot.com/2011/02/best-idea-ever.html
I know someone already mentioned MOPS but it really is a great program you may want to check out.
Is there a farm/petting zoo/zoo near you?
Take Will to a pond and feed the duckies!
Let him play with your Pots & Pans—always a favorite for little kids
Get out the kiddie pool and use shaving cream as “body paint”
Blow bubbles
Take him to a museum, railroad, field/farm (so he can watch the big tractors) or a construction site to watch the big machines (obviously from a safe distance!!)
Really hope this helps….enjoy your summer! 🙂
I don’t have any kids of my own (yet), but I found this great list of activities on this blog.
http://www.shrutigupta.com/index.php/2008/04/25/activities-for-toddler/
I loved the “Lacing Plastic lids” because its so simple and I love how she adapted it as he got older with the alphabet.
And this great list of activities here:
http://www.babycenter.ca/toddler/development/stimulating/games/
I love the idea of starting a collection of something… rocks, pinecones, shells, coins, etc that you can find anywhere.
Have fun!
I vote for the moms groups…they saved me when my first was little. Other than that I would say TRADE with other MOMS for TIME-OFF! Take little Ethan for examples for a couple of hours so his mommy can do something solo and then hand off Will for the same. Even an hour or two a week will work wonders for a SAHM mamma, even if it’s to go grocery shopping alone!
Right now I still work 30 hrs a week…but I will be joining the SAHM club in August! My daughter I think is about the same age as Will, she just turned 14 months. She personally loves climbing/getting into stuff. So on days I have off work we’ve driven to the mall a few times to play at the indoor play area there (since in Tucson the playground equipment outside is too hot after 8:00 am). Or I’ll go to a store like Target or Big Lots, and not get a cart, and just follow her around the store while she looks at stuff.
It also helps that we have stairs…we scootch down, and then I chase her back up…over and over…which helps get her wiggles out when it’s too hot to go outside!
My kids live it when I fill ther kiddie pool with dried beans. I give them some scoops, toilet paper roll tues, shovels,etc. And they can go for hours!
I love love love playdates with other moms with kids of similar ages! It helps me feel connected to something outside of my four walls 🙂 But I also count trips to Target or good will with my one year old as fun for her too – haha:) I will also be joining a Bible study soon that meets in the mornings once a week while the kids have childcare- I am super excited about that! But I get what you are saying, things that are fun for a one year old are just not that exciting for us 🙂 I feel that way all the time…
oh yeah, there are several moms around here that get together all at once, 4 or 5 moms with their 2-3 kids in someone’s backyard with water 🙂 it’s fun 🙂
Here’s a link to another mom’s blog (she has a 4 year old boy and a 2 yo girl) and her summer strategy: http://www.emilycassee.com/not_that_you_asked/2011/04/summer-strategy.html
Her readers also have some good advice in the comments, check that out too. This is my favorite mom’s blog – she’s so honest and funny, like you. I hope you like it 🙂
That’s funny, I just made my own Summer list on Friday. I, too, and a SAHM to my 1 year, and I’ve been feeling cra-zy lately, too. I will have my 9 y.o. niece with us this summer, so that should inject a little more fun and newness to our schedule. Here’s my list broken into Daily, Weekly, and Monthly/Once or Twice items. (Keep in mind this is probably a bit ambitious, but I have high hopes) 🙂 And I live in Seattle, so some of these things are local.
Daily
Reading, Bible Time, Math Work (for the 9 y.o.), Gratitude Journal, Art, Walk
Weekly
Craft, Visit a new park, Hike, Make a Scrapbook page or two, Bake something new, Library, Farmers Market
Monthly
Zoo, Some new fun thing (Arboretum, Jetty Island, Children’s Museum), Make Cards, Make ice cream
PS Your list sounds fun, and I may have to steal some of it. 🙂
Your list is great! As a stay at home mom and organizer of a moms group, we rely heavily on getting out of the house with OTHERS… other kids to play with, other moms to socialize with. Meetup.com has several moms groups in all areas, maybe that would be a good way to get out of the house and come up with new ideas to do with Will? My son is a year and a half and we spend our days: baking cookies together- we do egg-free recipes sometimes so he can eat as much of the batter as he wants, makes for cute pictures too ;), coloring in coloring books together, going to the Childrens Museum (good gift idea to ask for a year pass), the aquarium (same, good gift idea so it doesn’t drain your wallet), petting zoos, sprinkler parks ($1 to get in to most), going to bounce houses, finger painting pictures for daddy to hang in his office (haha), going to minor league ball games ($1 tickets, yes please!), berry picking at u-pick farms, going to the farmers market, stroller walks along the coast, sharing a treat at a nearby frozen yogurt “bar” with numerous fun toppings, we attempt crafts but he’s still a little young for most but we do make his dad crafts alot. The things that he likes to do most outside at home are: the sprinkler, his craigslist slide going into his baby pool, pushing his cozy coupe car, and his little tikes basketball hoop… if I bring all of these out back he’ll entertain himself so I can take a minute to sit and sip tea in the sun, which you probably know is a rare treat. 🙂 Good luck finding things to do, hope you continue to share your list and your adventures as you go! I could always use new ideas!
As a SAHM of 7, 4, and 6 months, I have found various survival techniques to try to keep my brain from atrophying. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but sometimes, well, you know how it is. I’m a big fan of books on tape/CD for both me and the kids. The library has ’em, and they love reading along in their books, while I listen to my favorites while doing housework and projects. Yes, I still own and use a walkman. I’m such a classic!
Schedules are great too, because it give you structure for your day. When my oldest was 1 I had stuff planned for each time he was asleep, so I could do things like paint, tear off wallpaper, etc. without him thinking he could do the same. When he was awake I did typical housework and played with him. We found trips to pet stores and anything with wheels were his favorites.
I just posted my summer list on my blog too. Ours is posted on our frig with boxes so we can check them off. Since I printed it a few days ago there are already things I’d like to add though!
My little guy loves to “bake” with me and to make crafts with craft foam. I get those large sheets of foam, cut them down to a more manageable size, and then get a bunch of the foam stickers…letters, numbers, shapes. He loves to sit and create!
A water table is worth the investment. It’s an important developmental activity for babies and a great thing for summer time. Let him “paint” you concrete slab out back with water and big paint brushes. It’s amazing how entertained this keeps some kids (not all). Try setting up a tent in the backyard or the basement for fun. Kids love to play in tents. For some reason the simple act of getting in and out is fun 🙂 Simple pleasures.
-Ex Preschool Teacher, Current Stay-home-Mom that sometimes needs sanity breaks too.
Add a museum to your list: Imagine It Children’s Museum is next to the GA Aquarium, and the High Museum of Art has a kids museum too.
I second the suggestion of the library, most libraries have lots of free stuff to do during the summer.
I know it’s a bit of a trek for you, but there are new fountains at Piedmont Park that my 1 year old and all her little pals LOVE. We have a blast every time.
Home Depot and Joann Fabrics have free classes in my area. HD does build a bird house and Joann’s has all kinds of craft classes.
Check on Groupon and Living Social for deals to go out for lunch, the zoo, etc.
Two summers ago, I was unemployed and watched my nieces for the summer. We set up a tent in the backyard and did camping naps. My husband would bring home his projector from work and the kids and I would close the blinds and play movies (basements work for this too!). We cooked a lot so they got use to reading a recipe, following directions.
At that time, we were also planning our wedding, so the girls helped me with my DIY projects… tissue paper poofs, napkin rings, save the dates, wishing tree tags, etc. You could do something for your house… like have him create wallpaper, art, little clay pots, herb garden… whatever you need! haha
I have boy/girl twins…ok now they are 25, but hey-I have been where you are
( times two) and here’s what I learned. Hope it helps!
I have a brain that is not made happy by play dates and chitchat. I LOVE my children to the moon and back, but I figured out early on that I needed to do things for me-by myself, or with other adults-SANS CHILDREN-if I was going to be sane.
I am a voracious reader, have the need to be creative( writing, painting, home decor, gardening, etc), and like to get out of the house-those things didn’t go away when I became a mom.
First: Have a schedule so you can slot in classes or shopping or whathaveyou.
Second: Get a babysitter! Get A baby sitter! GET A BABYSITTER!
I cannot stress this one enough-this is PRICELESS.
Make it fit in your budget, or swap baby sitting time with a neighbor.
I did both and it worked out great-neighbor and I swapped time out on a weekly basis. I used to use mine to go to the bookstore…alone 🙂 Once in a while I had her take the kids to her house-and I stayed home alone. In the quiet. Bliss.
Next: Join one club that is all about mommy/parent stuff, baby poop, and how every kid in the room is a GENIUS. I had twins, so I did the MOT club in my area.
When I met the woman who had two sets of twins-ALL boys-I appreciated my situation a bit more 😛
Join another club/class that does NOT revolve around the kiddos-a book club, a writing workshop, wood-shop class, yoga …etc. your sanity will thank you later.
A schedule is what REALLY helps-here’s what mine looked like:
Breakfast
Morning walk/playtime
Art time-crayons, paint, lots of paper; crafts when kids get older
Stories/book time
Pre-lunch clean up
Lunch prep
Lunch for kid( s)
Baby naptime-YOUR lunch time, try not to do chores during this time
Afternoon walk-good exercise for all involved
Music time- I played all my old rock and roll albums back in the day, lol, I never liked “kiddie” music…and now both my kids are musicians, and my daughter is a modern dancer. Go figure!
Reading time #2
(babysitter time was used here, or DVD movies-of course mine were VHS tapes )
Dinner time-I used to put on Sesame Street so I could prep dinner.
I would cook it when the hub came home.
No matter what you do, know that life will change, and you all will have to change too-and that’s what keeps it interesting. Take your kid where YOU want to go for the most part-he just wants your time, and really doesn’t care if he is in a Disney theme park or not. You are also teaching him, in part, to entertain himself-so he can teach himself things later in life. Yep, you are!
Sorry for the long rant. As a mom and a teacher, I’m pretty passionate about mommy and kid topics. Enjoy this special time in both your lives-
Susan, mom to Mike and Ashley ♥♥
Freeze an ice cube tray of colored water, let it freeze, pull it out and let will get completly covered in color! I would put him on an old sheet, and of course, use organic food coloring. Its so fun, I have been doing it with my little guy since he was about 13 months. ( he will be 2 next month 🙁 sniff sniff)
Freeze an ice cube tray of colored water, pull it out and let will get completly covered in color! I would put him on an old sheet, and of course, use organic food coloring. Its so fun, I have been doing it with my little guy since he was about 13 months. ( he will be 2 next month 🙁 sniff sniff)
How about going to a petting zoo? We have a few free ones here but if you can’t find a free one you can always call up a local farm (they often have phone #s on a sign in front of the property) and see if you can run around letting Will pet things. Or better yet, get a tour. How about play date cookout? (aka a homemade play area outside for the kids and tea or lemonade for the ladies.) play dates are always better with a bigger group. Find a yard sale. There is a TON of fun in just driving from sale to sale AND if Will is anything like most babies, the car will put him right to sleep so he won’t be cranky when its time to wander around. Try looking up local Church event (Even if its not your church you can find one who share the same values). They often have mini fairs throughout the summer and a lot of the time the profit goes to a good cause or the church. Plane your garden. I know this sounds silly because summer is JUST getting here but it will be gone quick so maybe you could start planning the winter and fall veggies and fruit for your garden (if you have space for them). Well, That’s all I got for now 🙂 hope it helps.
I just saw this the other day. http://counting-on-me.blogspot.com/2011/05/101-things-to-do-with-your-toddler.html
I just read all the previous comments. Im 21 with NO babies, and about to graduate from college. 99% of my friends graduated in the spring and have already moved away. My roommates went home 3 weeks ago. Yesterday I checked out the dog park twice, morning crowd vs early evening crowd. Summer is killing me! Want to trade places for a week? Just like the TV show except no cash reward at the end.
Haven’t read thru the comments but….having 4 kids age 5 and under….we get a kick out of painting….there’s also edible play dough and edible finger paint….wagon rides-while mom is brisk walking off her baby weight, gardening-yes even at 1 yr…they like it, BUBBLES, and thats all she wrote…can’t think of anything…major brain freeze…happy summer!
these are great thoughts! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I used to live in Cumming GA. = )
I SO know how you feel. When I was a first-time mommy, I was so super lonely and bored all day at home, I was going insane as well. Some things that worked for me:
have more kids!! (seriously, there are days I long for the days of having just 1 kid and nothing to do)
do things that are for just you, but bring Will along (go shopping, run errands, get together with friends)
join a MOPS or mommy’s group
do a Bible study (something in depth like Beth Moore or something)
Have another baby! Doesn’t solve this summers problem, but helps a lot for every summer to come! My boys are 17 months and 22 months apart and entertain each other!
Yeah, thanks! I appreciated that too. 🙂
My favorite on your list was “visit Chattanooga”!! 🙂 Seriously, though, I feel your pain..err…boredom. I actually take Asher to play at some pretty random places when he and I are going stir crazy! He loves Lowes or Home Depot…Lots of tractors, tools, appliances to figure out, and plenty of open space to run around. Also we do book stores (ours has a train table and a stage) and I can sip on a coffee while he plays! And then we’ve been to a pet store to see animals. That’s all I have for you b/c no matter how many new things I try at home, his interest only last two minutes!
But, you could always take a fun trip to see his cousin… just saying. (Of course, we need to take a trip to Atl. too.) Love checking in on your blog!
When my son was Will’s age, it was a challenging time. It could get pretty mind-numbing since he wasn’t talking yet, rarely wanted to play with his toys and I was new to the area and hadn’t met friends yet.
My saving grace was my awesome jogging stroller. I walked, and we explored different parks and walking paths all over town (at that time we lived in St. Louis). My son was somewhat soothed by being in the stroller with lots to look at, and I always felt uplifted being in the fresh air. I always took snacks, the camera, etc. and every now and then I would stop to nurse him or let him play. It was good for both of us.
It was a short season of life though and in the blink of an eye I was expecting another little boy and then….it was certainly never boring again. Crazy, but never boring!
I second the Children’s Museum – hours fly by at that place. The other one I didn’t see mentioned, albeit I flew through the comments – The Center for Puppetry Arts (and you can usually find a discount code online!) has great stuff and the 10am is a nap-friendly hour, you can grab lunch and then head home for naptime. We also loved going to the Botanical Gardens last summer – which I saw on your list – but what we didn’t know the first time was that there’s a super fun water feature area for the kids, so bring him a swim diapee and strip him down – they have so much fun there. Also, the playground at Piedmont Park (the newer one by the pool) is fabulous for little ones.
Baby pools in the backyard also provide hours of fun!
Take it from the top…and then repeat again, and again, and again.
It can get boring if you let it, but Will won’t mind the repetition…and, I just try to see it through my little ones eyes. Suddenly it’s a completely different splash in the pool than it was 2 days prior.
The best thing about being a mom is you don’t have to entertain. Just laying on the floor and letting Will climb all over you can kill 45 minutes 🙂 We always end up with a load of giggles & snuggles in their too…many a skipped-nap-turned-cranky-kiddos-afternoon have been salvaged by simply laying on the floor. Our duo gets the biggest kick out of me being their jungle gym.
Also, when you feel like you aren’t doing enough, if you’re beating yourself up (which I don’t know that you are), don’t.
He’s little. Just pull out a stack of books, sit out in the grass & watch the sprinkler, try the aforementioned mommy jungle gym 🙂
I’ve decided there will likely be plenty of time to run my sweet gifts around when they’re older. Right now, I just want to enjoy them, teach them by example to delight in the little things, and stop pressuring myself to do more.
It’s so counter to anything you’ve ever done, but so good for the soul 🙂 Love your list by the way…such a great way to be intentional…now go have some tea and be still 😉
Here’s a link to our “summer list” though my kiddos are 2.5 and 5, some might still apply to you!
http://aidricz.blogspot.com/2011/06/summer-to-do-list.html
I am a SAHM of boys ages 6 and 3 and it is hard! Good news about this age is that seriously, the simplest things entertain them! One thing I did with my older one, is he had a little chair in his room and he could sit and look at books and listen to CD’s on a CD player. Will might be too young and mess with the CD player but it’s a great way to entertain them. I would invest in a simple baby pool and that provides MUCH entertainment for them. And you can sit and read a magazine while he plays! If he’s not too much into putting things into his mouth, another thing my kids like is getting a bunch of dried beans (it is messy, however) and putting them in a plastic container and using spoons and/or measuring cups to play with the dried beans. You could also use dry rice for this. Hope that helps!
I agree with other readers- library storytimes, aquarium, children’s museum, bounce house place(if they have a toddler time), nature center, zoo, farm…. I started 4 years ago when we moved to Buffalo and my son turned one, so being in a new city, we had a lot of exploring to do and lots of new things to do. Now it’s like starting all over again with my 18 month old. I am trying to find things to do again. We just went to the science museum today(they have a great hands on play area) for free b/c I can check out a pass for free admission to there and a children’s museum at our local library which is a great money saver. Now to figure out the rest of the week/summer,lol!
I loved reading through this list, it gave me a ton of ideas! I’d also like to point out that what saved my sanity was doing baby swaps. (I hope I’m not the only one that feels like in order to be a happy, better and present mom, I need to get away from the little rascals every once in a while!) Basically once a month or so I would watch a friends child while she went out and she would return the favor. You don’t have to do anything spectacular – go to a bookstore and read by yourself for a while, go home and organize a few drawers, or go someplace that is no longer fun to take a child like furniture shopping. I find when I do this, I come back refreshed and looking forward to spending all those countless hours with my little ones.
I don’t know if Will is into coloring or drawing yet, but a fun idea that I’ve heard done at some preschools is to squirt some shaving cream onto a table (of course they did it on their desks) and then have him “draw” in the cream. And when he’s tired of one design, then you just wipe and start over again. And supposedly your table looks really clean afterwards. 🙂
I just want to make sure that I read your summer list right… get tatoos. As in a tattoo? Do tell what you are thinking of getting!
Adorable pics! Your list looks like so much fun too – summertime is great, huh?
As in temporary tatoos…
can’t you see Will with a tramp stamp?!
xo – kb
While staying home can be mind numbing you have to be thankful everyday!!! I was fortunate to have a Stay at home dad for the first 2 years, but even when my son will be turning 11 it is hard not to have him every hour of every day! When he is at school and I at work, I jones for a fix from my child! And I remind myself every day, he will only be this XX age once! And I have to be present and enjoy! One of my best friends just sent her son off to the AirForce academy and it soooo flies by, (apologize for the pun) but you blink and they are older! Enjoy and be present, and one of things my daycare does is odd trips that I love! They went to the butchers at the local grocery store and talked about the food, that was fantastic and he got to touch the lobster which he talked about all day! Think outside of the box and take him everywhere!!! Petsmart, hobby stores, anywhere that may trigger a reaction….Good luck and god bless. Mary
Have another one!! I’m never bored!! hahaha!
In all seriousness…I was on the crazy train for awhile too…but I found that indulging in my own hobbies and having my kids “help” is the best way for me to stay sane!! When I scrapbook, I give my three year old (Hunter) stickers and crayons and my 1 year old (Jagger)”confetti” from scraps. He just loves throwing them around! Then if I garden, Hunter gets a watering can and I give Jagger a plastic beach shovel and a bucket and he gets a designated….hole? Pile? He gets super messy and muddy…but that’s the fun of it all. When I bake..Jagger gets some dough or whatever and he plays with it in his high chair….or eats it…and Hunter gets to stir and mix. And I totally take them out on outings…like the Home Depot and Target! They love it! Hunter even asks for “Car ride? The Depot?” It’s fun for me cuz I get to shop…and I take them to the outdoor area and explain the flowers, the trees, and we sometimes even see insects and stuff. Yeah…there’s the park for that too….but I don’t get to peruse for future projects And it lets me do things that I want to do and not just indulge in baby classes and music and stuff that can all get very mind numbing.
And yeah…TOTALLY have those playdates for that adult interaction. I’ve made some really good friends with Mom’s in the neighborhood just by taking walks in the morning and in the evening…trying to scout out the kids and where they live. Yeah…kinda stalker-ish…but we have about 3 good playmates now! And I have Mom-mates that I totally adore!
Good Luck on getting the crazies out! 🙂 And you’re list looks super fun…I should probably do one!!
I can take you on a boatride in Chattanooga, TN! 🙂
I don ‘t have kids yet, but because I’m a crazy person I read the book Steady Days (by Jamie Martin). It had some great ideas for structuring your days with a little one and was a very very very easy read. The chapters are super super short and I read it on my iPhone with the kindle app.
Totally off the topic trend of the comment section train, but I cracked up when I read “He was the little guy that encouraged me to start shooting newborns.”
Now, back on topic: Like I told one of my expecting girlfriends who isn’t sure if she’ll have to go back to work, “you’ll cry either way.” You just have different challenges, depending on the situation. Motherhood isn’t easy, but it’s priceless. I wouldn’t trade my 9-mo old Jack for anything! Have fun with your summer list and hang in there!
The children’s museum is a great place to take little ones. Having a 14 month old boy myself, I can totally relate to how your feeling. I think they really like anything they can get messy with. 🙂
My son and I planted a little garden. He loved it. Plus he goes out and help me water the plants and pick the veggies when they are ready.
thanks for linking to meg’s blog!
what other blogs do you read? (besides yhl, of course!)
My favorite part is imagining Asher figuring out the appliances 🙂 Can’t wait to see you guys – we’ll have to coordinate the boys outfits for a mini photoshoot 🙂
xp – kb
Hi Sara,
There are more blogs in my blogroll on the sidebar – I list them by name 🙂
Happy reading!
xo – kb
If you go the balloon route just make sure the little one doesnt get any pieces in his mouth! Yikes! My daughter is 14 months and still discovers things by tasting them!
Family Fun magazine (and their website)…lots of wonderful ideas for inexpensive fun!!
Our library has a storybook time that is really fun. You could see if there is one in your area. They read a few books, sing songs, and then we all dance at the end.
You could attend a free concert. Check the local paper for early evening or lunch time concerts in the park. Bring a picnic lunch or dinner and make a date out of it.
Is there a zoo nearby? If not you could feed the ducks at the pond or hunt for frogs.
Also, you could take Will for a ride on the city bus. My friend does this with her son, and he loves it.
That’s all I can think of right now. Good luck.
OK. My babies are adults, but I remember those days. You wake up in the morning and wonder how you are going to fill up the day. Try letting Will paint. Give him a bucket filled with water and a paint brush. Let him go to town on the deck. By the time he finishes, the deck is dry and ready for another coat. My kids still laugh about me “making” them do this.
Katie! I LIVE in Chattanooga, so if you’re looking for recommendations..I’d love to help! My family lives in the Atlanta area too and I’ve been wanting to visit Stone Mountain.
Katie, I have been there. It is not easy to stay at home with your baby. I thought the 15 month to 22 month range was especially tough. You spend your day preventing them from killing themselves and you are physically exhausted at the end of the day. Is there a mom’s group nearby? They have some on meetup.com. It will give you activities and playdates for you and will and you can have some adult conversation! I also did mommy and me classes; baby yoga, swimming, library time, music, art, the beach, playgrounds, parks…. My YMCA has a classes for toddlers too. Hang in there, we all go through it.
My kids are 9 and 11 now, but I remember those days with my daughter… Going bananas and trying to come up with things to do… Here are a couple of ideas: trip to the zoo, trip to a petting zoo, save up bread and find some ducks to feed. We also had tons of fun with a small bucket of water, a clean paintbrush and a hot patio. The little one gets to “paint” and then the paint “magically” disappears… Never-ending fun! Oh, and since my 9 year old is hanging out inside a giant cardboard box as I write this…don’t forget to get a big box to play in! 🙂
Lol! I just saw the paint bucket post right above mine! Great minds…
Highly recommend a local MOPS group…keeps you sane…and it’s a good way to meet moms and discuss mom and non-mom issues…
we also get passes from the local library for almost everything…plus schedule one night out a week with a friend or even better with just the boyfriend. Our goal is one outing a week, with lots of activities at home on other days.
I didn’t go through and read these comments, so someone might have told you this already, but on Sundays at the Vines Botanical Gardens in Loganville, there is a train town thing set up. It’s open from like 11-3 and it’s just a bunch of trains and like a little city set up outside that these sweet old men run. And did I mention it’s totally free. You enter by a railroad sign (not the main entry) and there’s usually either Thomas or Percy, I believe! My kids all loved it…there’s lots to look at b/c of all the things in the little town.
Oh yes! Maybe a bicycle or John Deer Tractor 😉
what is “berry art” ? I’m intrigued!
What about volunteering somewhere where Will can come too? Someplace like a local nursing home (where the residents would probably be delighted by some kid time), a crisis pregnancy center (baby central anyhow!), community gardens, tutoring, VBS, or what have you? You get adult interaction, he has new things to explore, and he gets an early introduction to service by hanging out together while you lend a hand. My mom took us along on things like that from a pretty early age.
My friend just blogged her own summer bucket list too! She’s a stay-at-home mom of three kiddos and has so many great ideas to do with her kids that I’m starting to want a little one too! Check out her list and blog for some ideas if you’re getting bored this summer: http://www.housingaforest.com/summer-bucket-list-11/
I dont know if anyone else mention this but have a mud day! Soo much fun just fill a kiddie pool with some dirt + water and boom you are done. Its a mess so you may want to dress Will in a swimsuit so you can rinse him clean afterwards. Im sure you could take really cute photos, like close ups of his toes covered with mud! Good Luck!
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OK, just now getting around to reading this adorable post. It’s taking me quite as long as it should have because sweet little Ethan is trying to eat the power cord for the lamp… oye!
So… my only answer to “stay-at-home” boredom is more playdates… with me and Ethan…. of course! Had fun on our shopping trip! ; )
We live in Cumming – and have joined Forsythmommies.com, but they also have a Gwinnett Chapter called Gwinnettmommies.com. It really is an awesome way to meet new moms and they have planned activities all the time so it’s great if you’re looking for a way to fill up your schedule.