Keeping a Toddler Busy During those Hot Summer Days

Somehow, even though there was no school for Andrew just yet, our summer has turned into a watch-a-movie-every-afternoon-then-make-a-summer-snack type of thing. That's exactly what we have done. Over the weekend, we had the movie channels for free during some special that DirecTV had going on and so far this week we have watched the Toy Story movies on Disney XD after Dino Dan (because Heaven forbid we miss that...lol).

Pretty much this is Andrew's day:

Breakfast and read 4 books at the table while Alex eats.

Build stuff most of the morning with books read during Alex's feedings (Andrew wants to sit right in my lap, too, whenever Alex needs me - kinda cute, but one leg falls asleep faster than the other haha)

Insert a mid-morning snack and watch Olivia or Looney Tunes (I know, I know...Looney Tunes? I grew up loving Bugs Bunny - don't hate).

Lunchtime and mommy's countdown to glorious nap time for 2 very energetic boys (yep, even the 9 week old!).

NAP TIME!!! 2.5 wonderful, quiet hours of MEEEEEE!! LOL I gotta recharge my batteries somehow. And, trust me...it is much needed to the rest of the day.

This is usually where the chaos begins - you know, the witching hour is making it's appearance very soon. QUICK A MOVIE, DINO DAN, AFTERNOON SNACK, SOMETHING!

Oh, those things don't work? Laundry helper? Help Mommy make dinner/dessert? How about a pillow pile? A fort? When in doubt, the human train on a "world tour" usually works out pretty well. Except for the occasional derailing due to a giggling toddler. Gotta love it! Today the pillow pile worked out quite well.

Keeping a very active toddler busy is hard work! But it is so much fun. If I do run out of ideas, though, luckily I have a "busy box" in the laundry room for those days that you just can't keep up. In the busy box there are bubbles, coloring books/crayons, paper, playdoh, mini trains and a train map, leftover paper towel tubes... Anything that I think he could use as something magical is in that box. I love the busy box.

And, of course, when all else fails - we get in the car. We take a ride to the post office or grab our afternoon snack at Sonic. Love me a watermelon slush! YUM! Or, we head to the library, the zoo (when it is not so dang hot out...), McWane Center, or whatever we can find! But those places are all last resorts. Us mommies with little ones really can't stand the obnoxious summer camp kids (you know the ones I'm talking about...), or the moms who let their kids just do whatever they please at the parks because they are "Real Housewives of Jefferson County" - Lame. Just saying...

Luckily, once a movie is on that he just looooves - time goes by quicker and his best friend is home from work - Daddy!! Sometime they go play outside. Other times they are rolling around on the floor. Whatever they are doing, Andrew is loving it :)

Keeping Andrew busy is hard work, but he is totally worth it!!