We have a list of house projects we want to work on this summer. In all honesty, we probably can't get them all done. The worker in me is desperate to complete as much as humanly possible, but the other part of me calls out to that over-zealous doer, "It is okay to have some fun, too." Poor Brian. He did marry a girl who doesn't know how to relax so well. I have to pause and remind myself that Caleb won't always be so small, and I highly doubt that I'll remember all the house projects that we did or didn't get done. I will remember his smiles, his giggles, and the way he studies the world around him. He is a wonder, and I don't want to get caught up in always cleaning, or always organizing, or always doing laundry that I miss the important moments.
Our deck is currently in upheaval as we started painting it this past Tuesday. We haven't gotten far as we've had to contend with lots of torrential downpours since our work that day, but we managed to get half of the side of the deck done. (Those individual posts take forever.) Once we get to the floor, that will be a breeze with the roller. Brian will most likely complete the bottom and underneath by himself. As it is, I can only really help when Caleb is napping.
We also finally got Caleb into his pool! He loved it! (But... he did not like me changing him into his swimsuit and changing him out of it afterward. Oh, the drama!)
I am so thankful for this hand-me-down swimsuit. One of the many things Caleb inherits from big cousins Matthew and Nathan. I'm so glad it isn't just swim shorts, but a swim top as well. I have had two incidents of skin cancer- caught early on and surgically removed- (as well as many other potential cases), but since it is genetic, Caleb will be prone to these issues as well. Unlike my own childhood in which I laid out in the sun in order to try to tan myself (impossible as well as foolish... I am fair and it cannot be changed), Caleb's skin will not be allowed to see the light of day without shirts with sleeves, healthy, chemical-free sunscreen, and large, floppy hats.
Tomorrow, we are planning on going to the zoo, the thing we have been waiting to do with Caleb since the long winter. While we have tons at home to do, including getting that deck painted, even I have to admit sometimes you just have to shake it all off and let your hair down.
It is wonderful to have Brian home and to be a family of three!
