SUMMER!

It's 83 degrees outside right now - it feels like summer!  We are all in heaven!  Since Wm has outgrown naps, he now has a 2 hour "quiet play time" in the afternoon.  Which, basically, means he needs to go someplace else and play by himself instead of harassing us...it maintains our sanity sans nap.  Usually, quiet play happens in Wm's room, but since it is so nice out, I gave him the exciting news that we think he's old enough to have quiet play in the backyard.  I expected this would be awesome news.  Not so much.  First, Wm insisted that he just wanted to play in his room.  I enticed him by giving him all the equipment to make mud pies and informing him that he could get as dirty as he wanted and make as much mud as he wanted.  Not interested.  So then I tell him he could go on a worm and/or bug hunt.  Nothing.  I suggested he try to dig a giant hole.  Vacant stare.  Finally, I got exasperated and said, "BEING OUTSIDE IS GOOD FOR YOU, MAN!"  Seriously.  What kind of kid doesn't want to play outside?!?  So once he's coerced into agreeing to play outside, then he seems freaked out to be out there by himself and kept coming to the backdoor and staring forlornly inside and going, "is someone watching me?"  Using my keen intellect, I decide that having Lego guys out there will increase his fun.  So I collect a ton of them in a truck and take them out.  That, coupled with the sandbox, finally hit pay dirt.  Wm played happily and quietly on his own for quite a while.  I went out after an hour and asked him if he wanted to come inside and he goes, "no, I'm having fun now - I'll tell you when I'm ready."  About a half hour later, he trouped in red-faced and sweaty.  He's now playing Xbox.  We had a good run...