The Cline men are very attached to their bathing suits. Sammy has a green octopus bathing suit which the only one he’ll wear and this is the third summer that Steven is wearing his Captain America bathing suit.

Monday was an at-home activity day. Sammy needed more “slime activator” which landed him a whole new slime kit that he was eager to dive into. No one loves slime or goo more thant his boy.

Amaya worked on a kit to make her own lip balm. Not the kind that you make in a tub but the kind that will harden in the fridge and can be kept in a twist tube like chapstick. Right up her alley.

With one of her lip balms. (Same dress, later in the week.)

I finished my ceramic piece on Sunday night and Amaya and Steven both got back to theirs on Monday. Amaya finished hers while Steven drew it out through the week working methodically on his layers. On Friday, Penni and the kids dropped the pieces off back at The Bees Knees to be fired.

If you’re taking a late summer walk, might as well dress for the occasion.

At baseball on Sunday the kids got a huge surprise – Ms. Shannon, the director of the JCC CDC, came to see the play. Can you believe it!?!? What a special woman and a special relationship she has with the kids. She even brought each of them their own bat bag.

Tuesday was a pool day for the kids and I got in some Sammy snuggles before they left. I’m not with the kids for the vast majority of the day while I work but I absolutely love the opportunities I have to pop down and see them. <3

I had plans with a friend on Tuesday night and literally built a shine to me as he went to bed. The way Steven expresses his love for me is truly a gift.

Sammy had one pair of socks he would wear and they weren’t just falling apart, they no longer had heels. He was able to articulate that he liked them because they had cute puppies on them and we were able to find new socks that meet his “cute puppies” requirement.

At their baseball game on Wednesday night, he asked anyone with a dog, “Do you like dogs?” and, if they said “yes”, he pulled up the bottom of his pants and said, “Look at my socks.” Lol

Amaya had a particularly good game with a hit and some solid fielding. Sammy got a hit, too. Steven only had one at-bat because it was a shorter game, and he needed to use the tee after missing the pitches. When he got to first base he told me, “One of the other players said ‘that’s embarrassing’ because I didn’t hit the ball but it’s not embarrassing. This is kids baseball. If it was grown-up baseball on TV, then it would be embarrassing.” I’m so glad he has that frame of mind about it – they’re kids who are still learning to play. (And soon that other kid will learn that professional players get out more often than not.)

On Thursday night, Amaya and Steven were both having trouble falling asleep. Amaya asked me for “one of the sleep things on my phone”. She meant mediations in my Calm app, and I found that the app has a section with kids’ bedtime stories. Such a great idea! I’m wondering if I should put them on more often, when all the kids are awake and still talking. Maybe it will quiet them earlier in the night and help them fall asleep sooner. Maybe I’ll try tonight.

Friday was a rainy day. Perfect for games in the playroom with Penni.

On Friday afternoon, as I was working, the kids decided to make me “special drinks”. That’s generally code for “nothing you’ll want to drink and we’re going to watch you with love and anticipation in our eyes as you take sip in front of us.” This time could have been worse. Mostly milk, cocoa power, sugar, sprinkles and honey, if the kids are to be beleived.

Homemade monopoly.

The boys got haircuts on Saturday morning. Photo credit for Sammy’s haircut photo goes to Amaya. I gave her my phone and said, “Take a picture of whatever’s going on downstairs.”

Mid-morning through lunch was a visit from Grandma Sunshine and Aunt Annette. They had blast playing games with balloons.

Sammy and his grandma <3

SSA went through their NY shells and gave some special spiral shells to Grandma and Annette.

Counting coins from grandma!

The highlight for me were these photos, and many more, of Jason when he was young. Loo at that little face!!

Amaya is still hot and cold with Sally. The night before she was nervous to be in bed with Sal but the rest of the weekend has been a complete turnaround. It makes my heart happy. (Face paint courtesy of Daddy!)

Friday night we had plans to go to Kensington Metropark for a drive-in viewing of Frozen II. Sammy doesn’t like the movie so I planned to take Amaya and Steven while Sammy had a Sammy-Daddy night. He and Jason even made a list of what they’d do together. (Water balloons fight, water balloons catch, eat dinner out, eat cake, play Jenga, watch a Barbie movie, etc.)

The weather was terrible on Friday and the drive-in was canceled so we moved the fun to Saturday night. Amaya, Steven and I said goodnight to these guys and headed out on our own.

Rather than do a (late) alternative drive-in, we decided to check out Jurassic Quest. Steven and Amaya loved it. It took a little over 30 minutes to drive through the animatronic dinosaur experience and we listened to the audio tour along the way. The drive was slow enough that the kids were able to unbuckle and we thought to bring their tablets so they could take photos and videos.

With their souvenirs at bedtime – couldn’t leave out Sammy!

Today, after a family game of “San Diego Zoo”, the kids and I went for a hike at Maybury Park. They had so much fun on the trails at Cuyohoga National Park and we have trails right in our own backyard. We’ve gone for geocaching but never just for the fun of walking and exploring.

We spent a little over an hour on the trails. I think the highlight was finding centipedes. These kids are totally into insects.

Amaya spotted this insect and it created a great bug hunt for everyone.

Steven loved checking it out but, understandably, was not interested in touching.

They found a bug trapped in a spider web which led to a good conversation about hunter, prey and the animal life cycle. If we let the bug go, it gets to live but the spider doesn’t get to eat. If we leave it, the bug dies and the spider gets the meal it worked for.

We wrapped up the weekend with a Raddish Kids meal – chicken caesar wraps. Steven cut the lettuce, Amaya made the seasoning for the chicken and the caesar dressing, and Sammy prepped the chicken. Delicious!

Have a great week!

It was a much quieter week than last – no surprise. We missed two baseball games while we were gone but got right back into the swing of things on Monday.

I know there are many many photos of Amaya and Steven showing physical affection. That’s just who they are. Every now and the, though, Sammy’s up for it, too, and indulges Amaya.

See that ball coming toward Amaya. About 1 second later she hit it! The kids are doing really nicely. I’m hoping we can keep practicing & building skills through the year if they think they’ll want to play again in the spring. (Which makes me realize that I’m not sure when the baseball program splits into male / female teams and the girls shift to softball. I’m guessing we have another season after this but I’m not certain.)

On Tuesday Penni took the kids to botanical gardens. It was a gorgeous summer day – high seventies and sunny. Perfect for an outdoor adventure.

Afterward they got treats – donuts for the boys and ice cream for Amaya.

Through the Summer, Penni has continued to do some weekly learning activities with the kids – writing, reading and math. Not enough to make it feel burdensome but, hopefully, enough to help avoid the summer slide and set the kids up for a strong start to first grade. (Two weeks!)

Amaya created Ms. Taco. 🙂

Steven has a difficult time saying goodbye to me at night so we remedied that with a photo on the wall by his bed. We’ll see how long it helps. Somehow I suspect that an image isn’t going to be as meaningful to him as the real deal.

On Wednesday night the kids had a 8:30pm game at Ford Field in Northville. It was an hour long game that gave the kids a chance to play on a bigger field under the lights. It’s definitely a late night for 6 year olds but they seemed to really enjoy it.

Warm-up with Coach J – aka Mommy.

Sammy at bat.

Amaya’s home run pose? Not so much. She’s pointing at some gnats she wants to smash. 🙂

It appears the kids have created a nature preserve under our play set.

On Thursday afternoon, Steven and I visited a PMR doctor out of U of M (physical medicine and rehabilitation). Our pediatrician suggested it. Steven’s been in orthotics since was 15 months old – before he even started walking. He’s all had PT twice. Dr. Heinen thought it would be beneficial to see a specialist who focuses on the whole body, not just the parts and pieces his orthotist would look at.

This doctor was awesome. His style was incredible and he seemed super thorough. His conclusion is that Steven has mild low tone – which is consistent with what both of his physical therapists said and not anything that warrants PT – and he said that there’s no need for orthotics anymore. Yay!! At this point he doesn’t need the extra support, which is all they provide. Sneakers with high arches will do the trick. Steven said it was the best. day. ever!

Doctor: Do you bruise easily?
Steven: No, but bananas do.

Telling his daddy the good news about his orthotics.

Goodbye orthotics!!

Amaya spent many nights crying herself to sleep because she wanted Charlie. To help ease the blow of the end of our visit, I got Amaya a pillow with a picture of the two of them. We got one for Charlie, too, which Amaya wants to give to Charlie when we go back to NY.

On Friday, Penni and Gabby took the kids to the pool where Amaya PASSED THE DEEP END SWIM TEST! Earlier in the summer she said she was going to do it. She worked hard, she kept her eyes on her goal, and she did it!! I am so proud of our girl. It’s the first time I can think of one of the kids setting a personal goal of this nature and working hard to achieve it.

To pass, she had to swim across the pool and back using a semi-consistent swim stroke and then tread water for 30 seconds.

Now the diving board is all Amaya’s!

On Saturday, Sammy hung out with Jason building new art cabinets and Amaya, Steven and I went to the pool. I had my own opportunity to see Amaya jump and dive off the diving board. The kids even convinced me to practice my diving. “You can do it, mommy! I know you can!”

It was a big swim week for Steven, too. For the first time, he jumped in the pool! (“Say that it was in the shallow end and I was in my life jacket.”)

He was so nervous. He kept standing on the edge of the pool and trying to jump, but just jumping in place. Amaya showed him that he wouldn’t go under water if he jumped in. I got in the pool, too, and we put together a plan. First he jumped into my arms. Then I stepped back a bit but caught him as he went into the pool, lowering him slowly. Then I caught him but bought him into the water as quickly as if he’d jumped. And, then, he did it!

He started in the most shallow area and moved further down to where it got deeper, bit by bit, using the same routine. Amaya would do it first, then I would catch him, and then he’d do it one his own. He was, rightfully, very proud. Another goal met!

Dinner in downtown Northville again! The city has relaxed the open container rules as long as you’re drinking beverages from specific restaurants and in designated areas only. It’s a nice touch.

Blue hair, don’t care.

So nice with the road closed to vehicle traffic.

Cocktails-to-go!

Last night I agreed to stay in the kids’ room until they fell asleep. They all arranged themselves so they could see me as they fell asleep. (The only light that was on was a nightlight. The extra exposure feature on the iPhone is pretty awesome.)

This morning Steven made “two-person double puppets”. They were “feeling puppets” because each one had a different emotion – happy, calm, sad and angry.

Displaying one of the emotions on our puppets. I’m sure you can guess what emotions we were going for.

Steven spent a good part of the morning making smoothies for the family with his Melissa & Doug smoothie set. It surprising to me, and very cool, that he can still spend that long engaged in imaginary play. (That outfit is a jumpsuit of mine. We knotted it up and he wore it all day long. Ridiculous, and also adorable. All day Steven talked about how much he liked his red belly.)

Trading ball cards with Jason.

Making slime – no one I know loves making slime as much as Sammy does. It’s been a consistent interest of his for well over a year now. He’s probably gone through 7 or 8 different slime kits by now, plus homemade slime.

Through a confluence of events, I ended up in Plymouth with the kids on a treat-walk. We started at Starbucks where Steven got cake pops. Then we walked to the Cupcake Station where Sammy got a cupcake. We rounded it out at Kilwin’s where Amaya and I got ice cream.

We also stopped by a pottery shop in Northville – The Bee’s Knees – to pick up to-go pottery kits. Amaya got a unicorn, Steven got a tank and I got a hedgehog. (Sammy wasn’t interested.) They gave us all the supplies we need and we can bring the pieces back any time for them to fire for us. It was all done really well. You can complete the order online with a set time for curbside pick-up. I got really into it. Maybe I have another new hobby.

We rounded out the night at Shiro for sushi and some rounds of “Two truths and a lie”. It was fun to hear what the kids came up with. One of Sammy’s lies was “soy sauce takes like swamp water” lol. One of Steven’s was “I didn’t go into Nana and Papa’s house when I was in NY.” (He did, masked, to use the bathroom.) One of Amaya’s, after a previous related lie of Jason’s, was “three hundred pounds of chopsticks weigh more than 300 pounds of Daddy”.

It was a great week. Now were on to our two week countdown to school!

It was an amazing week in New York. It was actually hard to believe that we hadn’t visited in 6 months. Everything felt so normal, including our stay at the Airbnb across the street from Nana and Papa.

Having the pool was amazing. The kids were in it every day and they all dramatically improved their swimming skills while we were there. Besides Amaya diving, the boys both got comfortable putting their face in the water which is huge. Steven was willing to sit on Chase’s shoulders in the pool and Sammy let Chase toss him forward, with a enough force to go under. It was such a successful swim week that we signed the kids up for lessons at AquaTots starting 10/1. Steven and Sammy are grouped together in a class where the focus is swim safety and Amaya is two levels ahead in a class that will focus on developing proper strokes.

We had 6 full days in NY (plus half of two Saturdays) and made it to the beach four of the six days. This was the first year that we didn’t have the cabana at Nickerson but, at the kids’ age, it wasn’t even needed.

All three kids went in the ocean, hunted for shells and dug holes on the beach. Amaya loved jumping over the waves. They all tried boogie boards, too. On this trip, it was Sammy who was the most hesitant in the ocean but he created his own fun in the sand.

Checking out the surf with Savta.

Shell hunts and games with Nana

Auntie and Dod Shuki were able to come by a few times to see the kids and dip their feet in the pool. It was perfect.

Photo credit: Dod Shuki

Tuesday was overcast, but warm, and it was the day all 3 Clines tried out the boogie boards. On Monday Amaya rode into the waves but, on Tuesday, the kids learned how to ride the waves into shore.

Sammy tried it – didn’t love it. But he tried!

Steven had an absolute blast. I think he was actually surprised at how much fun he had.

Ready for a shell hunt. (We brought home many, many shells.)

Waiting for a wave to fill a hole I dug. It was fun when I was a kid and it’s fun at 44.

Amaya loves Charlie so much. I love watching them together. Charlie engages so well with all three kids and does a great job including the boys. On Tuesday Charlie ran a calisthenics class on the beach which included push ups and races.

Thank you, Nana, for walking a mile each way to take the girls to the bathroom!

Back in the pool!

We ordered Chinese food and each of the kids got fortune cookies. Sammy said he was excited to see what his “luck ticket” said. I shall forever call fortune cookie fortunes “luck tickets.”

This was Steven’s fortune – It’s fun being a kid. Sammy said that it’s not true but Steven insisted that it’s 100% true because adults have to go to work and take care of kids and can’t play as much. He still has it and I said I’d take a picture so we could print a new one if he loses it.

Wednesday was our NYC day. Papa wasn’t joining us so we got in some cuddles first.

The big plan for the day was to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was HOT out but we did it and, despite the heat, the kids thought it was really cool. So did I, actually. I don’t think I ever walked over the Brooklyn Bridge prior to this.

We drove into Manhattan and parked by South Street Seaport and then walked to the middle of the bridge and back. Steven was particularly excited by the view of the Statue of Liberty.

It was so hot that, multiple times, I dripped water on the kids’ heads.

It wasn’t quite as empty as the photos make it appear but I do think the heat helped keep the crowds down.

Lunch!

The whole gang.

We rounded out our visit with a trip to Pier 17. Amaya and Sammy were happy to run around. Steven was very interested in learning about boats that are also museums.

It was a really nice (hot) day that ended with more time in the pool.

Thursday morning, Rachel came to visit for some socially distanced breakfast bagels. It was a real treat for me on this trip! I still can’t believe we’re taking pictures together in masks.

Thursday was our quiet day. Chase, Charlie and SSA played with legos for a long time and then took turns cooking with Nana – which mostly turned into Amaya cooking with Nana.

Steven, Sammy and Amaya (or some combo of the three) had been asking about Poppy Steven’s grave so I offered to take them. One of the kids asked if we’d see his bones which was particularly interesting to me because Chase asked the same thing when he was about their age. Chase and Charlie made the trip, too, so it was all five of my father’s grandchildren together at his grave. We didn’t stay long, but we talked about his parents (Nanny Sylvia and Poppy Irving) who are buried in the same spot, and talked a little bit about Poppy Steven.

It was so meaningful to me that they were interested in going and that my father has a presence in their lives. (Of course, when we were home later, Steven said, “Wait a minute. Poppy Steven is our grandfather? So there’s still some work to do on familial relationships. 🙂 )

Uncle Dave! Uncle Dave!

My three little fish!

Rowing with lacrosse sticks.

Steven, floating on his back. I know he’s in a life jacket but he wouldn’t even do this prior to our trip to NY. He and Sammy have come so far.

Friday was our last full day and our final beach day. We got a gorgeous one.

On Friday SSA spent more time hunting for “rare” shells than they did in the water and they had lots of people willing to look with them – Savta, Nana, Uncle Dave and, of course, their cousins.

Around 3pm high tide came in fast – as fast as I’ve ever seen. It created this little marshy area in front of where the waves were crashing and Sammy was all about it. He spent a good chunk of time watching and cheering as Chase and Charlie rode their boogie boards.

Trio

Watching his cousins

You’ve got to be a kid to just plop down in the sand like that, without a care.

Like every other day, we spent late afternoon / early evening in the pool.

Last night! This is what happens when you go for a selfie with the kids in the middle of She-Ra.

On Saturday morning Chase, Charlie and Aunt Sara came over and the kids all swam in the pool for a couple of hours while I finished packing and Nana took her stuff (toys, art supplies, food) back to her house.

Amaya also had time for a visit with Papa. I think the pool helped distract the kids from the fact that they didn’t spend time inside Nana and Papa’s house this visit.

Off we go!! The goal was to drive 7 hours of the 10 hour trip on Saturday. We left at 1pm and got to our hotel at 10:30pm. It was a long day full of long rest stop visits but the kids were total troopers the whole time.

Running around at a Pennsylvania rest stop. Sammy ran and ran and ran.

This girl.

Steven had an issue with nausea on the way to NY and it reared its head again on the way home. This time the poor kid actually got sick. He’s such a trooper. Once we got him cleaned up you’d never know. I gave him some benadryl and, for future trips, we’ll go with benadryl and sea bands.

Made it to the hotel! Steven and Sammy fell asleep abound an hour before we arrived and Amaya slept the last 15 minutes of our trip.

Steven: What’s this blue thing?
Amaya: I think it’s a surf board.

I picked our hotel location so we could have a final vacation adventure this morning. Before we set out for home we visited Brandywine Falls at Cuyahoga National Park. It was awesome. We spent about an hour walking around. It was so beautiful. The kids loved the trails but we weren’t in proper foot gear and needed to get home. It makes me think they’re ready for more trails, though, and I’m making a mental note to take them to the trails at Kensington Metropark.

Early afternoon we got home! The big deal in the house is the new bedroom decor for the kids – beds!! Jason worked his butt off to get this ready while we were gone. <3 Sammy will start on top and Steven will start on the bottom bunk and they’ll change every other week. Amaya’s bed has a trundle that she’s reserved for Charlie. Good bye beanbags on the floor!

After the kids got settled Jason said, “I was thinking I’d take the kids-” and I said “yes” before he could even finish his thought lol. They all went to Ikea to look for an art supply cart.

We wrapped up our evening with a family dinner together in Northville. (Amaya is tired. Perhaps that’s obvious.)

And that’s it! We had an amazing week in NY and we’re all happy to be home together. <3

It’s really weird to go back to Monday because so much has happened this week, but hello Monday and Steven, Sammy & Amaya’s first baseball game. Go White Sox!

The kids did great. Steven didn’t love playing outfield but they all tried hard, listened to their coaches, ran, ran, ran and, most importantly, had fun. If I recall correctly, Amaya even got a hit.

Amaya on first.

Coach Mommy watching Steven at bat.

Bobes on Base

Penni and the kids had fun with Amaya’s face painting kit.

On Wednesday, Penni took SSA to Kensington Farm Center. It’s been ages since they were there and a perfect day for it. When they were in line to see the baby pigs, Steven got a compliment from someone who overheard him saying that they had to stay 6 feet away from everyone. It makes me happy that he understands and sad that he needs to.

Steven and Amaya have such fun together. They each have fun with Sammy, too, but it’s a different kind of fun. Less physical, perhaps.

At this game, I believe Sammy and Steven got hits. I should really write this stuff down. They struggle with the rules of the game when they’re in the field, but are definitely having fun with the game.

In an attempt to distance at the games, the kids sit with their parents when they’re not actively batting, on deck or in on the field. The first game was a little hit or miss but we (the coaches) got our act together for the 2nd game. Jason brought the perfect travel seat for a rotation of Cline kids.

I absolutely love this picture of Jason and Amaya.

Coach Mommy

Gabby, Penni and Penni’s boyfriend came to watch the kids play. It was so nice of them!

On Friday afternoon, after almost 6 months away, Steven, Sammy, Amaya and I hopped in the van and started making our way to New York. It’s been far too long and I’m so glad, when we said goodbye in February, that I didn’t know how long it would be. But nothing was going to stop us once it was safe enough to go. Not even our hesitance flying. If driving was what it would take, driving it would be.

Our trip to Petoskey was a good test for this trip. It helped us build a routine and learn what works for us. For example, Sammy said that we should stop every two hours because, then, it helps him feel like it’s a new trip every time he gets back in the car.

We left at 1:30pm and drove until 10pm making three stops along the way and covering 7 hours of the trip in the 8.5 hours of travel time. We hit up a service stop in OH, a McDonald’s in PA and then a gas station in PA. I wasn’t originally sure when I wanted to stop driving but my mom was on hand to help. I called her at 7:30pm to say I wanted to drive for another 150 miles and she found a hotel for me in just the right spot.

Made it to the hotel at 10pm!

Ready to get back on the road just after 9am. It was scheduled to be a 2.5 hr drive and it was the hardest part of the trip thanks, in large part, to all of the anticipation. Also because traffic between the George Washington Bridge and Throgs Neck were a nightmare.

Somewhere in New Jersey we saw a sign for a scenic overpass so we followed the sign to check it out. Totally worth it. I think it was the kids’ favorite part of the whole trip.

Taking pictures just like their mama.

WE MADE IT!! <3

After so many nights where she cried herself to sleep asking for Charlie, Amaya got her wish. I got my wish, too.

Cousins.

My heart is so happy.

Nana!

Not the usual pic with her grandkids but, perhaps, one of the most fulfilling.

My wonderful Savta.

Miraculously, the house across from Nana and Papa is an Airbnb that was available for us to rent this week. We’re trying to keep and appropriate measure of distance which includes not sharing a house but, honestly, this is a phenomenal second best to staying at Nana and Papa’s house.

The house even has a pool! We checked it out on Saturday afternoon. It was a little cold but Chase found the heater and it will be smooth sailing from here on out.

Post swim soak.

While we’re in NY, Jason took a quick weekend trip to Iowa to see family and remember the wonderful Aunt Bonnie. Grandpa Homey and Grandma Betsy now have Amaya Originals on display.

Today we went to the bay at Jones Beach. For those that know the area, it’s right by Jones Beach Theater. Small and clam, very different from the beach proper. When we arrived I wasn’t sure how long the kids would want to stay but after 4.5 hours we were practically dragging them out of the water. It was calm, warm and full of hermit crabs, minnows and other bits of sea life that thrilled SSA, Chase and Charlie. They spent hours upon hours looking for creatures and they were not disappointed.

Do you see those huge horseshoe crab shells at the bottom of the picture? Incredible. They even found some smaller living horseshoe crabs that spent the afternoon in a bucket of water with us until the kids released them back into the bay before we left.

Sammy was gifted a flag from Chase which he brought with him to see if it would blow in the wind. Another opportunity that did not disappoint.

There, in the distance, is Savta pulling Amaya on a boogey board.

We got back to the house around 4:30 and spent a couple of hours in the (now warm) pool. We also added a new friend to the mix thanks to Jason who picked up this llama before our Petoskey trip.

Amaya saw Chase diving and Charlie learning and was absolutely determined to join in. I can’t believe it. I want to say that she can’t surprise me but she totally does. She absolutely loves the water and keeps pushing herself to learn new skills. It’s amazing to watch.

A perfect day. <3

Have a great week!

It was a relatively quiet week. As time moves on, we’re more and more likely to enroll the kids in full time distance learning for the first semester of school. There are a tot of reasons. Safety for the kids and our family. The reality that there are bound to be closures through the fall and we can not support their distance learning while we work. We need to know that we have available child care and that’s not feasible on demand – especially if they’re at home due to an exposure at school.

As much as I’d like to see the kids back at school with their friends, in an environment they loved, school isn’t going to be what they’re used to. For Steven, Sammy and Amaya, desks placed 6 feet apart with little interaction between the kids isn’t what they miss. They miss what they know. Going back isn’t going to be that. But I truly can’t wait for that day. I accept the reality but my heart is gutted for what they’re missing.

These are impossible choices in unreal circumstances. We’ll all do our best this fall and hopefully this will be behind us soon.

On to the week…

Amaya’s blue tips lasted just a few days. Between showers, the pool and the lake it faded fast but it’s easy enough to redo.

(Like his mother) this child loves crab legs. He asked us to put them on the grocery list so that’s what he had for dinner on Monday night. It’s cool that he’s now in a place where he can crack them on his own.

We’re about a week away from finishing Avatar The Last Airbender. Steven has noticed that there’s a bunch of (PG) kissing between the teenage characters in the show. All of his reactions are perfectly 6 year old boy. (Amaya, on the other hand, sometimes pretends to swoon.)

Tuesday was a pool day with Penni. There seems to be inconsistency between the life guards regarding kids in the deep end with life jackets. We get “yes”, with guardians in the water with the kids, and we get “no”. Tuesday was the first “no” which was a blow for SSA but Penni got them through it.

Back to baseball practice on Tuesday night. I’m earning my Assistance Coach title, for sure. No sitting on the sidelines for me (which is good and bad). SSA have their own gear now which was helpful. (Which reminds me that we need to figure out how Steven can wear his batting helmet with his glasses.)

Three 6 year olds and their decaf coffee lol. Amaya’s the real fan around here but I think the boys like the novelty of it. Plus they think Splenda is sugar and they want anything with sugar lol.

We had an issue on Friday with or plumbing. It seems to have involved Amaya’s treasured lovey, Hoppy. For a variety of reasons I’ll leave it at that but it did afford Steven the opportunity to track a plumber around the house. He was, not surprisingly, totally fascinated.

Snake! First time we’ve ever seen a snake on our property. The kids thought it was awesome.

Making clay = baking your toy.

With Hoppy gone, Amaya was so sad. It was really heartbreaking to see. She loves Hoppy. To help, I told her that from now on my childhood blankie could be both of ours. I also had a Hoppy replacement that had been hanging out in Amaya’s room for some time but New Hoppy was too soft and fluffy. On Thursday Amaya said she rubbed Hoppy in a certain way that helped her fall asleep. We talked about what made it feel good and it turned out that her favorite part of Hoppy was a piece that I had sewed a while back after she got a hole. I took New Hoppy and did some of the same stitching to create a similar feel and it worked!! Relief – for both of us!

Friday was the first lake day in a while. It gave Sammy a chance to try out his new flippers. He wanted them so he could swim faster and, wow, did they work. Penni said she had to rush to keep up with him once he got going. The flippers also help him keep his body in a better swimming position which will help him learn and gain confidence. Flippers are now on the way for Steven and Amaya, too.

Friday was our last practice and the kids did a trial game 6 vs. 6. During catching practice I hit Amaya right in the face with a ball but, after a few tears, she was back at it.

There’s Coach Mommy, with Steven up to bat. With Coach Pitch, the kids get 5 pitches each and then can hit off a tee. At two at bats, I think the Cline kids each had one pitch hit and one tee hit.

Check out Amaya at bat with some cheers from her brother.

Saturday pool day! We were only there for 2 hours because it was overcast and a little too cool for no sun, which worked well because it started raining not long after we got in the car.

Amaya had a major milestone at the pool. She swam across the length of the deep end unassisted! I had no idea she could do it. She said she knew she could. <3

Before she tried we practiced her breathing in the shallow end and she carried that with her. She needs to remember to keep kicking and to use her strokes so that her swimming is consistent from start to finish (necessary for the swim test) but she did it – four times!! I love her persistence.

“Mommy, you’re going to do ‘x, y, z’ for me. Got it?”

Saturday cooking lesson was using the griddle. Amaya and Sammy made us pancakes for dinner and did a great job. They’re getting better and better at cracking eggs.

Erin, of the Bitcherie, got married on Saturday evening! I’m so sad I couldn’t be there in person. (As Steven would say, “Stupid Coronavirus”.) But we did get to join via Zoom. Amaya, of course, got dressed for the occasion.

She really liked seeing herself on the tv.

Congratulations Erin and Tim! LNVE!

Today we resumed a Monopoly game that we started yesterday afternoon. It’s really nice family time and great skill building for the kids. Steven won for the THIRD time in a row!

The kids went with Jason to do the grocery shopping and Sammy came home with some flowers. <3

Cuddles with Daddy

The kids wrapped up the weekend with a quick tutorial on their stance for batting and fielding. The White Sox are ready for game 1 tomorrow!

These are back from early July, but I want to capture the kids’ stats from their 6 (and a half) year well check. Their pediatrician, Dr. Heinen, thinks that Amaya was measured a little short, either from slouching or something else, because she’s been so consistent in her curve and still looks tall. But, either way, they’re all growing well!

First Steven, then Sammy and then Amaya. Steven made a big jump on his height curve.

Have a great week!