Trying out the First Day of School outfit last night.
pro·duc·tive –adjective
1. having the power of producing; generative; creative: aproductive effort.
2. producing readily or abundantly; fertile: a productivevineyard.
Productive refers to a generative source of continuing activity: productive soil; a productive influence.
I have been looking forward to the start of school with the thought that I was finally going to start being productive again. But, today, the day my firstborn starts Kindergarten, I realize that this summer’s productivity was never to be judged by the size of my inbox, the backlog of photos to edit, or the home improvement projects to be completed. This summer WAS productive, if not as structured as I had hoped. But I am not as structured as I often wish I were, so once I again I am reminding myself to cut myself and my family some slack and be proud of what we did. Our mantra for the summer, after all, has been “MORE THANK YOUS, LESS WHINING.” It came from a parental lecture to CM, but has turned into a relevant goal for us all.
This summer, we accomplished…
CM mastering tying, and even double knotting, her shoes.
VC singing her ABCs, counting to 10 (when she’s in the mood), singing songs, especially Mary Had a Little Lamb, over, and over, and over…
CM reading. Always reading.
CM swimming with confidence, finally!
Sisters playing WITH each other. Telling each other stories, dressing up, playing pretend, coloring, running, kicking balls, telling secrets, swimming, running through sprinklers, building castles out of sand, or blocks, cardboard boxes, or bedsheets.
CM did her first cartwheel, and dove to the bottom of the pool for the first time.
Riding our bikes on the street, as a family.
Lots of Band Hero on rainy or too-hot days. (I now know every word to three Taylor Swift songs, CM can mumble her way through American Pie, and T can always guarantee us a good score on Every Rose Has its Thorn)
VC’s first time tubing, and CM’s first time in her own tube. She was so proud.
Hosting family and friends. Visiting family and friends.
VC turned two.
VC working on potty training.
A bedroom makeover that is 90% complete. A bathroom makeover that is 40% complete. No one except me complaining about the ugly mess and annoying inconvenience of either.
VC moving from the crib to a bed. CM moving up to the top bunk she’s been wanting for years.
T passing the halfway mark in his grad school program, and juggling a particularly busy summer with work, and still making the time to ride bikes, go swimming, put the girls to bed every night, and get engrossed in the World Cup.
We got family photos taken, and NOT by me!
Me keeping everyone busy and active enough so that the girls (even the 5 year old) would be ready to take sanity-saving naps in the afternoons. Sometimes I would join them.
Me squeezing in a few hours of work, here and there. Just enough so I didn’t feel l was neglecting it, but not so much that I let myself forget it was summer break.
Here are our First Day pics. T had to leave early this morning, so he left CM some flowers and a very sweet note that she was proud to read all by herself (with a little help).
It was a great summer. I’m looking forward to a busy fall.
