metro mama

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Summer With a Toddler

Though it’s only May, I’ve come to the conclusion that summer with a two-year-old is much more fun than summer with a one-year-old. Here’s why:

· Now that Cakes is walking and climbing like a monkey, I no longer have to walk around bent over, holding her hands and hovering all the time. Instead, I can sit on a park bench, work on my tan and chat with people, giving Cakes the occasional wave and thumbs up (I do however, have to keep an eye on the gate—she likes to try to escape.)

· We can kick the soccer ball around.

· Instead of chucking her hat every time my back is turned, this year she loves wearing hats and insists on choosing one herself. When I forget to bring one, she’s pissed at me.

· Ditto for the shoes.

· Ditto for sun lotion.

· She loves to water my plants for me.

· She’s warming up to the car. She’s finally made the connection that the metal prison is a means to go places that are fun. Now we can’t walk by the garage without a hopeful, “car!? car!?”

· We can sit on the patio and have a civilized snack together.

· We’re starting to be able to peruse our reading materials separately, side by side. Hooray! Here’s the TV guide Cakes, now pass me the travel section.

· Toddler clothes are much cuter than onesies.

· Now that we’re down to one nap (getting later and later), we can actually do fun outings like the zoo. Good thing—circle time’s getting tired for both of us.

What other good stuff do I have to look forward to?



***

The summer season is also reminding me how glad I am to live in the city, even though I get down on it sometimes, like I did two nights ago when I watched the cops remove the freaks across the street at gunpoint (seriously). But it’s worth the occasional drunk passed out on my sidewalk to have so many different parks to go to and things to do. If I feel antisocial I can go to the-park-nobody-goes-to-except-the-crazies. Or I can go to the busy park where everyone knows Cakes and helps me keep on eye on the gate. We were there yesterday and I came home to a promised email from one of the moms with book and blog recommendations. Today we did errands. The friendly lady at the local wine shop gave Cakes a bag of crackers to tide her over. When we got to the deli, Cakes offered one to the man-who-pinches-cheeks. We went to the cheese shop and she finished her crackers while I asked forty questions and sampled as many things as I could get away with.

There are lots of good events coming up in the city (I must do a post for MBT on this soon). There’s a festival in Yorkville this weekend, and an art festival in my ‘hood. Pride and Fringe are coming up. We haven’t been to the island yet this year. So much to do. Love it.

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19 Comments:

Blogger Chicky Chicky Baby said...

I completely agree! This is the first summer that I've enjoyed in three years and I've got toddler-aged Chicky to thank for that.

(btw, love Cakes' skirt! So cute.)

2:24 PM  
Blogger Bea said...

So true about the clothes. The whole time Pie was a baby I just looked longingly at the 12 months and up racks, full of bright colours - and now I find myself looking at sizes 4-6x, because they have really great clothes over there.

2:24 PM  
Blogger SciFi Dad said...

gotta be getting close to Taste of the Danforth time, no?

2:27 PM  
Blogger Run ANC said...

So cute!

I agree that I'm having much more fun these days, and there seems to be a lot to do.. Do put that post up about local events. I'm always looking for something fun and new.

4:07 PM  
Blogger Jennifer said...

This is definitely something for me to look forward to!

9:20 PM  
Blogger Beck said...

The clothing fun stops after 6x, tragically, when the clothing manufacturers apparently have decided to dress our daughters like strippers. Shopping for that age is GRIM!
But hanging out with the little people is SO much fun as they get older. The Baby and I were blowing bubbles, drawing outside with chalk and gardening today and she's such a good little companion now!

9:28 PM  
Blogger Steph said...

Oh, the fun has just begun for you! Enjoy the summer with her.

9:56 PM  
Blogger Girlplustwo said...

it's totally better and better, isn't it....snacks on the porch.

i love snacks on the porch.

and dude, i got the book today...thank you!

10:00 PM  
Blogger kittenpie said...

I love summers. Going to the park, meeting other kids in the wading pool, hanging on the front porch with neighbours while the kids play together, snacks and meals outside... So good.

11:56 PM  
Blogger petite gourmand said...

I totally agree!
summer with a two year old is soooo much better.

art festival??
when and where?

11:37 AM  
Blogger Mad said...

Yes, summer is grand. They just want to be outside all day long. Such a treat after the winter claustophobia. Miss M has that same shirt, btw.

12:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't comment about living in the city as I'm a country type of gal, but I can tell you summers only get more fun as they get older.

I love when my kids are at home with me in the summer. We swim, we frolick and we laugh.

Makes all the whining and crying and sleepless nights worth it.

12:54 PM  
Blogger metro mama said...

Here are the details on the art walk:

http://www.artistsnetworkofriverdale.org/raw/index.html

2:08 PM  
Blogger ms blue said...

Plus at two there is way more communicating going on than the previous year! All that fresh air tuckers them out.

3:30 PM  
Blogger Gwyn said...

Happy birthday Cakes!

5:13 PM  
Blogger crazymumma said...

She looks far too good in purple.

oh Simon, how I love that your mum probably cringes at the sight of you....you are a very very grey bear.

9:48 PM  
Blogger Karen MEG said...

Now that I'm shopping in the 3-4 sizes for my 2 year old, I can't stop cooing over the tiny, tiny baby outfits under 18 months. They grow up so fast! I've recently discovered that I tend to dress my little one a lot like me -- thank goodness I don't dress like a 'ho!
The toddler times are a very special period - keep enjoying it! Your little one is so sweet!

We love the city and try to bring the kids down as much as we can. We moved to the burbs just before the big kid was born, but I really long for those days where we could just walk everywhere. Although with the highway we're really only about 20 mins away from downtown.

9:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hear you! The Happy Boy is much more fun this year. We went to the zoo (to see the monkeys!!) and it was great. It's a bit harder with the baby brother in tow, but at least I have a glimpse of what the future holds!

1:52 PM  
Blogger Multi-tasking Mommy said...

I so hear ya about summer with the toddler--I'm so excited that the good weather is here. I am loving all of the activities with my bunny--the interaction and the knowledge that she even knows/understands what we are doing or where we are going is so great!!! They're turning into real little people. It's so much fun!

2:12 PM  

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