Every year I am shocked by the intensity of our heat waves. I feel that it’s early this year, usually happening later in July, so I hope that it doesn’t happen twice. It’s usually this five or so day stretch with temperatures heading into the 90’s and beyond. While the rest of the country swelters under MUCH HOTTER temperatures, there is something sinister about our heat, here. Or maybe it’s the lack of AC in any of the houses, so we’re all forced to deal with skyrocketing temperatures…in our bedrooms.
To beat the heat during the day, I’ve been spending time with a good friend and her two sons. And for all my uncertainty about being a mom, let alone a good mom, there is something so refreshingly nostalgic about watching my kid run in the sprinkler and eat blue otter pops. And we sit in the grass sunning ourselves, drinking beer and watching the two kiddos splash in the kiddie pool. If only I could sleep in the kiddie pool, that would be cool enough!
Potamus is definitely weaning. He’s not happy about it, and neither am I (in some respects), and napping and sleeping is super hard for all of us. It’s taking about two hours to put him down at night, and the other night, after nursing, he fell asleep drinking from his water bottle…after wiggling and playing tent and wanting to dive off the bed to start playing with legos. It’s a challenge to my patience, to say the least, and it’s worse because I’m sweaty and wish that he could just nurse to sleep like when he was a wee baby. I feel like my milk is drying up and he’s frustrated that my boobies aren’t working like they used to. But the night he fell asleep drinking water he slept really well, so I think that we’re in this place of transition and both aren’t wanting it to end, but I think it’ll actually help. Sigh, I’m so torn.
There have been a few years where Boof and I head over to his parent’s house to sleep for a few days to save our sanity. They have air conditioning plus all the bedrooms are in the basement, so it’s almost TOO cold over there. But we’re actually heading on up to a local island to stay in some cabins for a few days with my parents. While it’s not going to be cool, hopefully it’ll be cooler by the water. In India when it was hot I slept with wet woolen socks and a wet dupatta pulled up to my chin. Not sure Boof would want me to re-create that scene in our bedroom now!
boof & monk-monk 
About a million Popsicles during the day. A wet cloth behiind my neck while I sleep (We have air conditioning which the kids think works TOO well but I always complain the upstairs is still hot – you can hate me now as I sit here in 72 degrees of air conditioned comfort).
I tried the wet washcloth on my neck, and it worked well enough for me to fall asleep. I also did one on my bare belly (shiver), but it helped…some… 🙂
Dude. Most everyone was flabbergasted that Seattle doesn’t have A/C. They also may not realize the stereotype of ‘rain’ because A/C is unnecessary the entire rest of the year. We are dyyyyyying over here! We go swimming, drink lots of water, and are basically nude when we’re home.
Yeah, buying an AC just doesn’t seem worth it for a few days…(I mean, check the weather today, it’s like 50’s on the 4th!).
People laugh, but I try to keep my hair wet all the time during the warm weeks 🙂
I live in Southern-ish Texas. Beating the heat is a way of life for at least 6 months of the year. Years ago, when my AC went out in the middle of a pretty rough summer, I took some old sheets, doused them in water, and hung them up over my open widows and screened doorway. The water on the sheets cooled the breeze and it was wonderful. I found out that the Romans used to do that.
My favorite way to enjoy the summer with kiddos without having to stay inside all day is to put a pop up canopy over a pool on the back deck. The hose water is nice and cool compared to the heat and no one gets sunburn because we stay shaded. (goggles and water guns make for hours of fun).
Love your blog by the way. Cheers!
THANKS! Yeah, we’re big fans of the bucket of water and hose trick outside, but I might look into the wet sheets idea! My parents used to do that in our windows when driving because our AC didn’t work that well, and even when working, the sun beating into a window on a kid can get HOT!
Ha! I can imagine. Love your Gravatar image, btw… 😉
I was JUST going to say something! Yay Wonder Woman 🙂
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