Fun in the Sun: Backyard Activities to Try With Your Baby
It has been such a cold summer that the heat wave that dropped down upon us late last week was a welcome surprise. We finally had several days of truly hot weather, and nobody complained about it. Over the weekend it seemed that everyone was out enjoying the unbearable heat and humid air.
My family was no exception. We left the comfort of our air-conditioned home and set out in search of some fun in the sun. What we found were crowds of people. The park was too busy for me to play safely, and there wasn’t even an empty bench in sight.
Much to my dismay, we retreated back to the safety of our house. I was looking forward to adventures! I was even perfectly willing to battle crowds if it meant having some fun. Sadly, Mommy didn’t think it was safe for me to do so. Mommy thinks I’m too small to run around in a crowd.
A Most Unexpected Thing
I was feeling disappointed as Mommy carried me upstairs to my room and got me ready for a diaper change. Then something strange happened. Mommy put a weird diaper on me. It didn’t feel like my usual diapers, and it didn’t go on the same way either. Instead of being fastened at the front like every diaper I have ever worn, I had to put my feet into it like pants.
Next, Mommy brought out an outfit for me that I had never seen before. It was one piece like a bodysuit, but the fabric felt strange, and it had funny straps at the top. Unlike all my other bodysuits, this one didn’t go on over my head. I had to put my feet into it first, and then Mommy pulled it up, got my arms through the straps, and pulled the straps up onto my shoulders.
I was somewhat confused by this process, but once I was in there, the outfit felt quite comfortable. Then Mommy put me in the crib while she searched for something in my closet and then my dresser. I’m not sure what was going on. I was too busy investigating the strange outfit I was wearing.
Finally, Mommy scooped me out of my crib and put me on the ground. That’s when the strangest part happened. As I stood there, Mommy began to slather me in a white, creamy substance. How very bizarre!
Mommy and I went back downstairs, but once we got there, Mommy didn’t even slow down. She simply carried me to the patio door, and before I knew it, we were outside on our deck. Mommy carried me down the stairs to the backyard and set me down on the patio. It had been so long since I’d had any backyard activities that at first I wasn’t sure how to get started.
Time for Backyard Activities
I began investigating the two patio chairs and the large umbrella with its stand. That’s when I noticed the blue circular thing behind me. I’ve been on the patio before, and I am sure that wasn’t there before. Mommy called it a kiddie pool, but nobody explained where it came from.
I didn’t have much time to investigate. Mommy scooped me up and put me inside it! I was very surprised to find that it was full of water. Having suddenly found myself submerged waist-deep, I did the only sensible thing I could think of. I began vigorously slapping my hands down on the surface of the water.
Splashing is fun! After a good ten minutes of furious splashing, I began to calm down. Mommy brought out a few of my waterproof toys and deployed them around me. She set up the umbrella above me and sat in one of the chairs. We spent a fair bit of time relaxing and playing.
After a while I decided I wanted to get out of the pool and do some exploring around the yard. Certainly there were other backyard activities I could do. Mommy helped me out and dried me off with a towel. Shoes were put on my feet, and I was set free. While I was busy running around, Mommy placed a blanket on the grass underneath our tree, and she sat down on it.
Once I was done stretching my legs, I came over to see what Mommy was up to. She was just sitting there. I got onto the blanket with Mommy to keep her company. We played with leaves and pieces of grass for a while. It was very interesting. I had never really looked at grass that way before.
A Second Dip and More
I started feeling a bit warm, and I thought a nice dip in the pool would refresh me. Mommy helped me get back in the water, and it was indeed very refreshing. The umbrella needed adjusting to keep me in the shade, and we spent a while longer on the patio together. It felt so good to be splashing around in the water on such a hot day.
When I got bored with the pool for a second time, we decided to end our backyard activities for the day, pack things up, and go back inside. I was starting to get a bit hungry, and Mommy promised me a snack, so I didn’t fuss about going in. After my snack, I had a great nap. It was such an amazing day.
The best part was that the following day was another hot and humid one, and we did the same thing all over again. Our backyard activities were just as much fun as the first time. Maybe it was even more fun because I knew what to expect, and I wasted no time jumping into my pool.
We ended up spending a good portion of our weekend in our own backyard, and we felt great about that. It turns out, you don’t have to go very far for a good time. Sometimes the best place to go is just outside the door.
Family fun is a great way to spend the weekend. Sometimes families need a bit of help to stay strong. If your family could use a tune up, why not consider counseling? It’s a great way to improve the most important part of your life.