Pardon my silence over here friends! I’ve enjoyed a week off from blogging. I put myself under enormous pressure to get regular posts up each week but in the past 8 days, I haven’t felt compelled to share stories or take pictures so I’ve just closed my laptop and taken a break. And it’s been really great!

Last week was not my favorite. I waisted a ton of time scrolling social media, felt cooped up in our house, and beat myself up for not living in the moment. I felt like a dog waiting for its owner to get home, counting down the hours until Eric returned from work. I was restless. It came from the realization that our summer heat is here and I can no longer do much in the afternoons outside. It’s just too hot for Charlie in the stroller. I do as much as I can in the morning and then those afternoons tend to feel really long. Especially with two high-energy dogs staring at you and giving you guilt trips even after you’ve taken them on long morning walks… I love them, but man, their ranking on my priority list sure has changed…

After a really productive and fun weekend, I felt really really happy. Life is so good and I just need to be better about embracing it in the moment. So I decided that I was going to have a better week this week. Period. Eric has been out of town and I knew there would be lots of time to myself. So instead of sitting on the couch at 3pm scrolling my phone or gazing out the window wondering how I’ll pass the next few hours (does reading inside on a sunny day make anyone else feel lonely?), I decided I’d take Charlie to the pool!

It’s funny how the most simple things in life can bring us the most pleasure. After a great nap, Charlie was all game for the pool. In fact, I almost felt like we had to be in the water the entire time because he loved it so much. He was splashing and kicking and watching the bigger kids frolic around. You forget that this is all new to them, you know? Now that the heat is here and sun is hot, the natural waters of Deep Eddy Pool warm up more and it’s the perfect temperature for a refreshing swim. And it’s an amazing way to spend that long 4 o’clock hour with a little baby.

 I have been in this odd swing lately of feeling either completely stressed out or a bit bored and stir crazy. I hate to admit that I sometimes feel bored, especially since staying home with Charlie is the greatest gift and I don’t want to sound ungrateful. But those afternoons can get long sometimes when you have no reason to leave your house and I’m glad I’ve found a fun activity for Charlie and I do together this summer. Even when it’s absurdly hot. Thank goodness for SPF, shaded pools, full body baby swimsuits, and our swim hats! We are happy campers.

What are your favorite activities to do with your babies?

-XO-

austin summers happiness pool days