Attention Nocturnal Preschooler in the House

My 4-year-old, Daniel, has decided that he would like to explore being nocturnal. A few days ago, he started laying the groundwork with inquiries like -

• If you are not nocturnal, are you tournal?
• You know Mom, if I stayed up all night and slept all day, I would be nocturnal.
• So Mom, do you think on Sunday, I could maybe stay up in the night and sleep in the day?

I really have a difficult time understanding why he is asking these questions. It feels like all I want these days is a bit more sleep. I'm quite convinced that Daniel and I have much different attitudes when it comes to sleep. Sleep comes easy to me, and I really do enjoy it. I love my 7 plus hours of sleep every night, and I'll take a nap any day that I can get one. There is a Nova Scotia exception to this rule. Too much fun up there for naps ;) I have always felt that Daniel needs more sleep than he gets. Recently it dawned on me that, I've had this same thought for four years. Maybe he doesn't need as much sleep as I think he does. Maybe he's nocturnal? Maybe he thinks his greatest thoughts in those hours between being put to bed and falling asleep?

Daniel's primary source of nocturnal knowledge.

Maybe this whole nocturnal thought is just a way to prepare for the dark hours of the late fall and early winter. Maybe he's onto something. So if you see Daniel out and about, you might want to inquire about his nocturnal ways and let me know what he's thinking. For now, I'll just remind him that it's 8:10 pm and it's time to turn off the light.

End of Summer Fun

Our summer has been wonderful. The boys have had a blast. We have done more swimming, biking, playing, gardening than I can imagine. It's so sad that we find ourselves at Labor Day already.This weekend has been a weekend with a little bit of summer and a little bit of fall. On Friday, we resumed our indoor swimming lessons and got haircuts, Saturday makred the start of college football season and apple picking, Sunday was spent enjoying the lake for an outdoor wedding, and today we are headed to the lake to enjoy all things summer. The boys have changed so much this summer. Daniel is becomming more and more independent, and Christopher won't let him get too far ahead without doing his part to keep up.

Growing up in the South, Labor Day had no seasonal significance. Here it really is the transition from summer to fall. This is the first year that we have lived in Wisconsin that we are still experiencing really warm weather on Labor Day. After such a wonderful summer, it's hard to let go. I know that fall comes with so many wonderful things and the boys will enter it with open arms, but a part of me loves summer and the sun and the bountiful fruit and veggies and flowers, and the heat, and the humidity, and the long days. The days are already getting shorter, football is back, and school starts tomorrow. The change of seasons is inevitible; hopefully, I'll slide gracefully into fall instead of going kincking and screaming.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend and a video of the big jogging event. The jogging video is for the true fans out there. Nothing says quality entertainment like some stretching and little kid jogging. One of my finer parenting moments is featured at the end of the video. Usually other people catch those moments, and I did it to myself. Oh well, no children were hurt in the making of this video :)

Refreshing water after the jog.

Caught a lovely wedding during the weekend. Olin Park was an amazing venue. Congrats to Betsy and Chris!

Daniel hard at work Monday morning.

The boys were really enjoying our stop at the beach at Picnic Point this morning.