Swimming down at the river was Ryder's favorite activity this month. Both kids had life vests and they began bringing them down to the river so that they could swim. Ryder was absolutely pumped that the life vest allowed him to swim more independently. He would splash around, trying to learn to swim, let the current pull him along and then run out and jump back in. He would stay in that river until he was blue if we let him!
This month we went camping up near Stowe, VT. Janda found a campsite on Lake Elmore on an earlier trip, so we headed to that same campground and got the same great campsite that was right on a little river/stream. Ryder loved camping- he loved the campfire, sleeping in the tent, exploring the stream and hiking. In the morning while we were cleaning up, Ryder found a newt in the stream. He carried it around and picked it up a million times. I had to follow him around to make sure that he was gentle enough, because he was soooooo excited about the newt. After we released the newt, we hike up the small mountain next to the campsite. There was a fire tower on top and Ryder climbed up most of the way to the top of that, even though it was quite scary. He made it up farther than I did!
Then after the hike, we went down to the beach at the campground for some swimming before we headed home. The kids enjoyed the lake, but Ryder really enjoyed the monarch butterfly that was hanging out at the beach. It kept landing on the sand and Ryder would quietly come up to it to examine it. The butterfly was really very nonchalant considering that Ryder was right on top of him! I can't believe he didn't fly away.
This summer Ryder has been obsessed with playing with his Army men and their equipment. He found some Army men at the dollar store and has been adding to his supply over the past few months. He loves to set up battles, including the Army men, his Playmobil soldiers and the little Risk soldiers and then knock them over one by one as the battle goes on. He will take over the entire living room floor with these battles sometimes.
Ryder has been going to the skate park a lot this summer and now he feels comfortable on all of the elements and can some mini tricks now too. He has been practicing "fakeys" and "bunny hops," which are very hard tricks to do. He can't quite do them, but he has the idea down and keeps practicing them.
Ryder loved swimming in the river with his life jacket
Fun camping
At a waterfall in Stowe, VT
Following a butterfly at the beach in VT
Down at the river
Enjoying the last vestiges of summer!
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