Summer Splashing

We were on our way to Lithuania Park one day, when Noah noticed the sprinklers were on in front of the building across the street. He begged to run through them, and I caved, even though the kids were all in their clothes and we didn't have swimsuits with us. Living in an apartment building means we have to rely on others for the "sprinkler experience", so we have to take it wherever and whenever we can get it!

Before long, however, the building's landlady kicked us off the property, in a very polite manner. She was worried about liability issues (perhaps she had just witnessed Aidas take a spill in the mud, from inside).

The next day the sprinkler was on behind our building. Nobody stopped this party, and the kids delighted in the sprinkler until they had had enough. I had to shake my head though, watching them. It wasn't enough for them to simply run through the sprinklers. No. The game somehow evolved into catapulting toys into the air, using the pressure of the sprinkler water.

Leila and I hung back, of course, watching the show. We were soon joined by Sammy, who quit the sprinklers after a few runs. Sammy has joined our daycare, temporarily, for the months of July and August. He is a delightful almost 3-year-old who adores trains and music.

The wading pools are finally open, and the kids are so excited about this! The water starts out frigid, but with the extremely warm daily temperatures, it warms up quickly. I was even able to dip Leila's feet in to cool her down.

We always bring a picnic when we go to the wading pool. When they periodically close the pool to add more chlorine, we sit on the towels and blankets and eat our lunch, until the pool is ready again.

You can clearly see Sammy hanging out with Leila here, but if you look in the background, you'll also notice B. running down the hill. He and Aidas were busy watering the tree on the hill with the water from the wading pool. It was was a task that kept them busy for quite some time!

It is very hard to drag them away from all this fun. One day we stayed so long we had to skip naps. The kids weren't too broken up about that. I now buy Popsicles to lure them back home!

And back to the sprinklers! The kids yet again got to run through the sprinklers behind our building. Noah and B. particularly enjoy running through the frigid water, and getting soaked.

It would be nice to actually plan for this and have them in their bathing suits, but alas, I never know when they are going to be on, or for how long.

Aidas repeatedly claimed that he lost his "friend" in this puddle, but I never did figure out what he meant by this. Was it a bug? A piece of chalk? A stick? He wouldn't elaborate. What a great sense of creativity this child has!