The summer holidays have always been something that have filled me with excitement.

The endless blue sky, the opportunity to relax and take a step back from reality, the prospect of wonderful things…..ok ok it’s never quite that good but it still has that magical idealism that I used to have at school as I do now at 33.
I think I’m very lucky as since school I thnk there has only been a couple of summers that I have worked throughout! 
When I was 18 between A-levels and dance college I temped in an office-pretty much the only time I’ve ever worked in an office, theres a first and last time for everything right?
At 2o I spent a summer season working as entertainment at a holiday park in Newquay and at 22 I spent my summer working in Tenerife in a dance show-though I’d hardly call it work, it was one of the best time of my life, where i learnt so much and made the best of friends.

Since 23 I have owned my dance school and therefore I have had summer holidays the same as schools. I would do a couple of weeks of summer school but that generally meant I still had 4 weeks off somewhere within that 6 week break and it was easy enough to keep on top of the paperwork and still feel like i had time to myself.

In the past, my summers would have involved time for me!
Reading, chilling, catching up with friends and family, holidays, being productive, keeping up with the schools admin work, lazy mornings, afternoons in a pub garden and dreaming of the future.

Now here I am 10 years down the line with a husband, 3 yr old and baby #2 on the way.
Is it what I dreamed of……..yes but it’s different too!
Some days it’s amazing, you feel like you’ve nailed a perfect day where everyone has had fun, the suns shone, theres been no tantrums and e’ve even managed some time to ourselves to feel productive or relaxed!
Then there’s the other days where you feel like everyone has spent the day shouting, on edge, driving each other bonkers, pushing boundaries, where we’re all tearing our hair out and begging for bedtime!

As LB has been at preschool for the last term it has meant I have got used to that little bit of me time 3 days a week, its only 3 hours but its nice. Its usually spent cleaning the house or working so hardly me time but it’s been productive and that seems to soothe my soul.
I get anxious when I haven’t been productive and I must admit that’s something I’ve been struggling with this summer.
I’ve not been ticking things off the to do list, its been growing non stop
and thats got me a bit panicky.
Unproductivity leads to procrastination and guilt in my life.

It’s the first summer I’ve really had to keep LB entertained fully’.
In fact he has hardly left me alone, I’ve had to be by his side constantly or he’s wanted to help me, which although lovely, means every job takes 4 times the amount of time. meaning I’ve been trying to get out the house a lot as there is only so much cars, puzzles, Lego, marble run, football etc I can handle, especially at up to 33 weeks pregnant when he wants you up and down off the floor.

It’s meant my business and admin work has gone out the window as by the time I have got him to bed-normally closer to 9pm than the normal 7.30pm I am exhausted and ready to crash myself. I had plans to update my blog and get some more posts out there and some ideas down on paper, to sort my school website, do part of a course and so much more but it’s gone out the window!
This has made me feel anxious and guilty but at the same time I really have spent some quality time with LB, though admittedly I could have put social media down a bit more.
That has been wonderful and we’ve really had a good giggle.
Yes we have bickered on days and especially the evenings when we’ve both been tired its been hard to keep our patience with each other. Generally though he has been a pleasure, his sleeping has got much better, he’s been wonderfully cute around everything to do with then new baby. He’s been understanding as he’s had to wait around in doctors and happy to go to his grandparents when its been time for me to be at the hospital. His language and mannerisms seem to be maturing by the day and he has me in awe of all the things he’s interested in doing. Sometimes i wish i didn’t need to be there for every little thing and could just take 5 minutes, but he’s demanded I’m with him before I’ve even boiled the kettle.
I have been desperately trying to make sure he gets as much of my attention as he needs, as i know in the next 7 weeks thats going to change and although i am excited its also scary to think that my big baby is going to feel pushed out slightly, and may not take to this change as much as we hope.
He has been our world for the last 3.5 years and i don’t want him to feel anything other than loved.

Anyway over the last few weeks we have enjoyed the following together…..

We have met up with friends and family.
We have seen both sets of my grandparents (LBs Great grandparents), Aunties and Uncles, Cousins (both mine and his), Friends from preschool and friends of mine with children similar ages as well as facetimed plenty with my cousin in Australia.

We’ve been to parks galore with friends as well as just the two of us.
Its amazing to watch how high he can climb, how strong he has got and how he decides to interpret the equipment.

Eating so much ice cream in the lovely weather (well he has-I’m not allowed).
Its hard to pass an ice cream van without him demanding one however we’ve managed to avoid the one that comes down our road, even though he does ask what that song means.

We went on the Stick Man Trail at Wendover Woods which is only about 30 minutes away, with my sister and LB’s cousins.
It was a lovely day for them all to explore and wear each other out.
LB loved it as he knew the whole story, its one of his favourites and one we’ve had to read most nights since. It has got him talking about Father Christmas more now though (i’m not sure he understands that 4 months really is a long time to wait still).
I couldn’t believe my sister had never heard of the story though!!

We went paddled down at the Hurley Riverside Park where LB goes with his grandparents a lot. We both went with them for a day chilling in the sun, watching the boats go by, attempting to catch fish and eating a lovely BBQ. One of my out relaxing days as my in laws kept LB busy while i watched on.

We’ve spent some lazy mornings cuddled up in bed, talking about the baby and reading books. Although LB loves to be out and about he does like to have lazy days too.
They tend to be at the weekend funnily enough. We go out on our adventures during the week and then when daddy is home at the weekends (to be honest this doesn’t happen very often at the minute-self employed plumber in demand) we spend time all together playing at home, pottering around the house etc.

Using the joys of Thomas to keep LB entertained while shopping for baby bits-the car seat and pram is finally ordered! Yippee!

Football evenings with Daddy have become a given before bed . Made even better now we’ve been given a goal by my cousin-even though at 20yrs old and currently travelling the world with his uni placement year, he was still reluctant to give it away!
LB tries to score against Daddy who doesn’t give it away that often, he then dives on top and they bundle, while Daddy commentates the whole thing.
Its hysterical to watch.

We’ve had quite a few Family BBQs, though unfortunately everytime we try to get other people round it doesn’t seem to go to plan.
LB loves to help and he gets a little emotional that he can’t do it all himself.
He’s been loving hotdogs and burgers and corn on the cob is a firm favourite but unfortunately however we try to mix up the salad its generally avoided apart from the cucumber and tomatoes.

The odd lazy start to a day has been lovely too, though this is mainly at the weekend. Sometimes i feel guilty that we aren’t getting up and about and making the most of the day, but i see how it makes us all feel relaxed and realise sometimes this is exactly whats needed.

We have had some wonderfully sunny days and as we’ve spent a lot of time and money on making our garden looking so beautiful we have tried to make the most of it too.
One of our favourite Games in the garden includes making slow motion videos of cars ‘romming’ down the hot wheels tracks which have been hung from the goal.

I’ve managed a few sneaked evenings in the bath with a book and face mask when i’ve had a little more energy. I have been known to fall asleep in the bath so i have to be reasonably awake to even attempt this. Other nights have been spent clearing out the junk room, watching the olympics and chatting baby bits with B.

We’ve had some paddling pool fun, which we’d have loved to continue, if only the sun had stayed for longer periods.
We’d have a few days of scorching weather followed by a few chilly or rainy ones.
The paddling pool is quite big and needs refilling and moving around every few days so B got fed up and put it away. I wonder if it’ll come out again before the end of the summer?

I’ve also spent far too long at the hospital having numerous checks, but at least I know I am in good hands and they are keeping a close eye on me. Its had me worried at times but also got me more excited about the fact that in less than 7 weeks baby will be here.

Well theres a bit about our summer so far what have you all been up to?
Thanks for popping by and having a read!

Linking up with Katie at MummyDaddyMe for this weeks #OrdinaryMoments