Balancing Act Success

Last weekend, despite the heat, was an absolutely wonderful weekly. So rarely does a weekend contain the perfect balance of productivity, fun and relaxation. This one did.

Saturday, Dylan was up early. As Mike often does, he let me go back to sleep while he and Dylan played. Then, Dylan helped me do some yard work while Mike napped. When all of us were finally awake at the same time, we took our weekly trip to the local farmers market. I love getting some local grown, fresh veggies! After stocking up, we headed to our favorite bike shop with plans to get set with a kids bike seat and go on our first family ride. Dylan fell asleep en route so I went in knowing I had some time to kill.

I've been looking for a bike for several years. I was ready to buy one this year but hadn't found the right one yet. The bike I've been riding I've had since college. And, while I still love it, it's a mountain bike and doesn't work very well riding next to Mike's hybrid. So, I wanted to get a hybrid bike to speed up my commute times and allow me to ride more comfortably next to Mike when we went on rides.

I got all the information we needed on kid car seats, and found a new bike for myself! While they were getting my bike customized and ready to take home, Mike brought his in for a few tweaks and we got the kids seat all set up. 2 hours spent in the bike store later, we were ready for our ride!

Excited for His First Bike Ride

Unfortunately, after all of our time spent at the store, we only had a little bit of time left for the ride. Mike and I had a date night planned and needed to get home and ready to go out. The bike shop was not too far from the arboretum, so we just hopped on our bikes outside the shop, rode to the park, up the peak and then headed back. It was a nice 45 minute ride. I'm not sure Dylan knew what to think of his ride, but he did at least seem to enjoy watching me ride my bike next to him.

Bikin' Boys

Mike and I probably don't do date night nearly enough, especially since we now have found a local sitter that Dylan seems to have fun with. When we did date night pre-Dylan, we always had something new, fun and exciting to experience up our sleeves. Now, we've fallen into the proverbial "dinner and a movie" date night. The thing is, we never get a chance to do that type of thing anymore so it's actually really fun to get to do that. Last weekend, in honor of the recent Bastille Day, we ate at a French restaurant and went to see "Le Raconter Jouet Trois," known in English as "Toy Story 3" (I hope I didn't botch the translation). I know, we are such wild and crazy kids, aren't we?!?

Sunday was another great day. Armed with our zoo family pass, Mike and Dylan had gone one weekday last week and found out that the new aviary exhibit we had being watched built was now open. Mike described to me how you could feed the birds and Dylan's experience with it. I wanted to see it for myself so we went to the Franklin Park Zoo on Sunday morning to do that and walk around a bit.

The aviary exhibit was really cool and I really enjoyed feeding the birds with Dylan. In normal Dylan fashion, he found the most exciting part of the exhibit the little girl squealing with delight at the birds. Oh well....at least I got good entertainment out of the seed sticks we bought!

Feeding the Budgies

Another highlight of our zoo trip was seeing the prehensile-tailed porcupine. He's usually buried in his log but on Sunday, he was at the top of the tree and in fine form to view.

Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine

And My New Favorite Picture of the Boys Taken By That Exhibit

The day was topped off with some cleaning and laundry around the house, some afternoon naps and family pizza night. It was a really great family weekend that was packed with fun but also very relaxing - a perfect balance.

Storyland is Hot, Hot Hot!!!

The 6th, the day after the crazy party, was Dylan's actual birthday and his Mimaw and Pipaw's last day here. My Dad, who doesn't know how to relax apparently, was driven to finish the swing set. He and Mike got the slide up and running. My Mom and I spent a somewhat leisurely day indoors with Dylan. Of course, my Mom doesn't know how to totally relax either so she lent us her mending skills on a stack of our clothes. They did manage to get a good amount of playing time in with their grandson too.

The morning after that, we all packed up. We drove to the airport said our goodbyes to my parents and then immediately hit the road for our next adventure - a couple of days at our place in NH with Mike's cousin, Eric, his wife, Jessie, and their two sons - Justin (turning 2 next week) and Ryan (5 months).

Normally, when it's hot in the city, we can get away to our place in the mountains which will have cooler temperatures. Unfortunately, the mountain escape didn't get us away from the heat either. Not only was it just as hot (or hotter) than Boston, we have absolutely no A\C there. Ugh! If not for the ice cold pool, which I normally can't get in for over a minute, we surely all would have melted. The temperature inside the condo was upper 80s to 90 during the day, dropping only to the lower 80s at night...at least on the main floor. The loft where we sleep retained most of the day's heat. 4 adults, 3 young kids and a lot of heat. We weren't sure how this vacation was going to pan out.

Lucky for all of us, we're all fun people, made the best of the situation, and have pretty great and resilient kids. Although I don't think any of us will forget the intense heat of those two days for a very, very long time, we will also remember what a fun first vacation we all had together.

On our first day there, we mostly just enjoyed the pool and a night out at what we hoped would be a nice cold restaurant. While a little cooler than our condo, it was obvious they weren't well equipped for that kind of heat either. Back at the condo, we put the boys in a cool bath to try and get them to a nice temperature to fall asleep.

Cold Tubby Time with Dylan and Justin

The next day was our Storyland adventure! Storyland is a little kids' amusement park about an hours drive from our place. It's a pretty popular family vacation spot so I was somewhat surprised to have little to no lines all around the park. I guess the heat was on our side for one thing, reducing the crowds.

Dylan's a pretty adventurous guy. The more we throw and swing him around the happier he is so we thought he would absolutely LOVE all the rides. Well, I don't think we were quite right. While he was in good spirits and not ever upset, he pretty much retained his deer in the headlights look during the typical amusement park type rides. Though, I do think the heat played a part in draining him. He's usually not as his finest on hot days.

Mike and I tried not to fight too much over who got to ride rides with him. Somehow, I won the coin toss for going on his very first right with him - The Flying Dutchman!

Dylan's Very Fist Amusement Park Ride

Jessie and Justin

We went for a different kind of ride after - a safari type ride. This one Dylan was a little more into. He didn't really care too much about the silly scenery, but he had a great time sitting on the seat, swinging his legs and holding onto the railing. Man, I wish I were amused that easily

Safari (Good Thing We Had The Right Hat)

One of his favorite park activities was not a ride, but the Loopy Lab. Playing ball is just about his favorite thing. There were only about half a million foam balls under the Loop Lab tent and he crawled around throwing everyone he could get his hands on. Seemed his mission was to get to every one of them.

His Hat Also Held a Lot of Them

Other rides included a balloon ferris wheel, some flying whales and a tractor drive.

Mike and Dylan on the Flying Whales

Eric and Justin Tractor Driving (note the small size of the front seat)

Family Self Portrait on the Tractor

Dylan really enjoyed turning the wheel on the tractor. It probably would have been a lot cooler for him if his mother hadn't tried to shove into the front seat with him. Even with my short legs, my knee was crammed into the wheel!

A group highlight of the day was a stupid show about a scarecrow and a vegetable garden. Why was a stupid show a highlight? Well, the auditorium was air conditioned! The adults cooled off in there and Dylan enjoyed cruising around the bench and seemed to also enjoying looking at the characters on stage. Justin and Ryan didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of us - Justin got scared of the fake lightening and Ryan started a melt down. So, after cooling off, it was time to call it a day.

Dylan Giving Ryan Pats

We headed back, spent some time at the pool and all tried to get another night of sleep in a ridiculously hot home. Mike and I had planned to stay at least another night but we were all done with the heat. After Eric, Jessie and family packed up to head home, we followed suit. It was still hot in Boston, but at least there we had the sweet relief of air conditioning!

The Big FIRST Birthday Bash!

(I had a hard time scaling down my picture choices to get ready for a lot of them!)

After our brief but full time in NH with my parents, on July 4th, we packed up and headed back to Boston. Unlike the rest of the country, we didn't do much to celebrate independence day. We had bigger fish to fry. We were doing party prep for Dylan's first birthday!

My Dad and Mike stayed very busy trying to finish putting together the swing set for the party. They got on everything but the slide, which they then finished the day after the party.

Sliding Dylan

My Mom stayed VERY busy ALL day long working on little masterpieces - cupcakes for Dylan's party. She has been the official cake maker for grandkid birthdays in our family and we were lucky enough to have her creative skills lent for Dylan's big event. Kids normally have themes for birthdays. Since Dylan's not old enough to really choose a theme, we went with what he really enjoys - our household pets. Each pet had a representative cupcake; Oliver (orange cat), Luci (gray cat), Smokey (gray chinchilla) and George (the tortoise). No one suspected, even her, how time consuming this undertaking would be. She was a trooper and (mostly) really enjoyed devoting an entire day to do this for her grandson. Kudos to her....they were a BIG hit!

Birthday Cupcakes

I spent the day shopping for food (with Mike), doing some clean up, assisting where possible, and keeping Dylan entertained. After our full day of prep, we were ready for a cookout party.

On the 5th, the day before Dylan's birthday, around noon, local family and neighborhood friends filled our house and yard. The day was VERY hot. All our window AC units were running at full blast to try and keep the house cool for heat relief. But, for the most part, folks found ways to stay cool outside. They used the swings....

Dylan Enjoying His New Swing Set

Friend Ryan Enjoying the Swings

We also tried to stay in the shade and have cold drinks.

Shaded Mimaw and Dylan Digging Into the Watermelon

Silly Bands in the Shade (Corwin, Emily, Dylan and Jacob)

Mike had bought a small wading pool the week prior and this was the perfect time to use it.

Jacob Helping Maureen Set Up The Pool.

Kids Enjoying the Pool (Corwin, Emily, Dylan, Jacob, Luke)

After we finished eating and were absolutely done being the heat, we headed indoors for the traditional birthday fare - singing, cake and presents. It wasn't until the day before the party that it dawned on me that I should maybe sing the "Happy Birthday" song to Dylan to prepare him for it being sung to him by a group of people. During a diaper change, a time he doesn't particularly enjoy and always take creative entertainment on our part to get through with minimal unhappiness, I sang him the song. He immediately smiled and was calm during the change! Now, he is a boy that likes songs but I was impressed at the magical powers the song possessed - no familiarity with it and instant love. When the time came at his party for everyone to sing to him, he didn't get freaked out and even seemed to like it. I'm still using the song at diaper changes...I suppose I'll have to stop at some point so it still retains it's "special occasion" appeal.

Happy Birthday To Dylan!

Now, of course, it was time to watch the birthday boy eat his cake. The joy of the first birthday is seeing the messiness of the cake eating. Dylan did not disappoint. At first, he didn't really know what I'd stuck in front of him. After a couple of pokes of the icing and me breaking off a little and giving it to him, he was good to go. He picked it up bit by bit and ate it all. We gave him a second (hey, it's only your birthday once a year). This time he knew what to do and was all over it!

What's This Squishy Stuff?


That Was Good! I Got This! I'm Ready for More!




Not Messing Around This Time


Mojo Helping With Cleanup

Dylan was pretty sleepy when we started with the singing and cake. Thank goodness for sugar! It gave him enough energy to open most of his presents before he crashed for his nap.

Croc Walking Toy From Nana and Bumpa

Special Book From Mimaw and Pipaw

Most of the way through the presents, we just couldn't keep him up any longer. Down for his nap he went. The party broke up and folks went home. After he woke from his nap, Dylan finished opening his gifts with just Mike and myself as well as his Mimaw and Pipaw

Pop Up Toy From Mom and Dad
Wagon of Sand Toys From Friends Luke and Ryan

Our friends and family were so generous and thoughtful and brought Dylan some really sweet gifts. That kids has the coolest pj's to wear, some awesome new books to read, and lots of new toys to entertain him. He seemed to have a great time at the party and we were so thankful for all that were able to come and share such a special day with us. Thank you all!

And for those that weren't able to come, I hope you were able to take part in the festivities through this posting.

Day 2 NH - Another Full Day

After a fun filled day of sightseeing during our first day in NH, our 2nd day in NH was full of outdoor fun.

It had been a while since I'd hiked in the backyard of our condo to check out the waterfall. So, first on the agenda that morning was to head that way. While Dylan was taking his morning nap, as well as Mike, my Dad and I headed out (Mom opted for some relaxing time indoors).

For some reason, the wooded land owned by the association is always a little muddy and buggy. Other than those slight irritations, my Dad and I had a nice hour plus hike, making the nice loop on the trail up the hill to the waterfall, up a little further and then down another trail.

Dad at the Waterfall

Self Portrait of Us Both

We returned back to a happy, rested bunch. Next on the agenda, something Mike and I never get to do anymore - play tennis! When Dylan was a wee one, we would walk him to the courts, he'd fall asleep en route, and we'd play until he awoke. Now that he doesn't instantly have a snooze when we're out walking, we don't get to play anymore. So, we took advantages of our on site babysitters and hit the courts. Dad and Mom both jumped in and played some with us too! Dylan had a great time hanging out in the shade on the lawn and playing with his Mimaw and Pipaw.


After a very active start to the day, we weren't done with the fun yet. After lunch, we all packed up and headed up to Mirror Lake, which Mike, Dylan and I had our kayak maiden voyage on back in May. While Dylan finished his nap in the car, Mike and I took a paddle around the lake. Then, Dad and I took a paddle around the lake. When we came back in, Dylan was awake and ready to join in the fun.

Me and Dad Being Welcomed to Shore By Dylan and Mike

My Dad loves to take his grandkids fishing. This was a great opportunity to take Dylan on his first trip. Even though they didn't catch much more than a couple of logs and branches, Dylan seemed pretty entertained by the casting out and the spinngin of the reel. I'm sure it won't be the last time these two fish together.

Fisherman and Fisherbaby

While Dad and Dylan fished, I stayed in the kayak and was joined by......my Mom!! She scoffed at the idea of kayaking when I brought it up prior to their trip but after seeing that lake kayaking really is FAR different than the white water kind my brother used to do regularly, she was actually up for trying it out! And wonder of all wonders, she really enjoyed it. In fact a little birdy (also known as my Dad) even said she expressed interest in renting a boat and paddling around the lake near their home in Dallas!

My Adventurous Mom

When Mom and I paddled in, we found a diapered Dylan splashing around the water. He's had lots of practice splashing around during his tubbies so he did a great job, and had a great time, splashing around in the lake.

After an extremely full day of playing in the warmth and being under the sun, we did what any sane person would do - get ice cream! There's a new place just off the parking lot of the tavern near our condo. On the way home, we stopped to check it out. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it, especially Dylan - he's a great ice cream eater!

Ice Cream Group Self Portrait

Dylan sat right on the picnic table, downed his whole cup of ice cream (and a few bites of ours) and started bouncing up and down with joy....or with a sugar rush. Either way, it was the perfect way to finish off our very full NH tour.

Yummy!

And Hiking Through....

Our first busy day in NH was not over. After going down and up mountains, it was time to go through....well, not through a mountain but through a gorge. An hour drive back to Franconia Notch and we began our journey through the Flume Gorge.

As it was a weekday (Friday) and towards the end of their open hours, there were not any crowds to contend with and felt like we had the place (almost) to ourselves. And since we were the last folks to leave the park, we actually did for a little while.

The Flume is easily one of my favorite sites in NH, which is saying a lot. It's an absolutely beautiful site, well maintained park and great for folks of all ages to enjoy. The first time I went here was with Mike's sister's family. This was 3 years ago so her kids were really young at that time and we had a great time with them. Everyone in our group on this trip, from my parents to Dylan, enjoyed the sites and the total experience.

The two mile trip through the Flume first takes you by a covered bridge (one of two on the trail), beside water cascading down ledge (makes you want to just slide down it), up to the lowest point of the Flume. Then, you walk up stairs and across boardwalks attached to the Flume walls.

Self Portrait at Covered Bridge

Reading a Sign Along the Way

Looking Up Through the Flume

At the top of the Flume you reach Avalanche Falls. Up and around the trail a bit further, you walk down some stairs to get a great view of Liberty Gorge cascade. Beautiful sights!

Me, Dylan and Mike at Avalanche Falls

Me, Dylan, Mom and Dad at Avalanche Falls

Dylan and I at Liberty Gorge

After a long day of sightseeing, Dylan (as well as the rest of the group) was still in great spirits, but getting a little tuckered out. After seeing the sights, it's about a mile walk back to the car. I had a great time running around the large boulders to the side of the trail with Dylan on my back to keep him entertained.

My Cute Traveling Companion

Also a Very Cool Dude!

After sliding down a mountain, driving up another, and hiking through a gorge, we called it a day, headed back to the condo, had some dinner and all slept very soundly.