I only work three days a week, Tues-Thurs. While our weekends are filled with family activities, that leaves Cora and I with two days, to ourselves, to get into trouble. Right now, Monday’s tend to be our wind down day at home to relax and Friday’s are our errand running day. In between, on those days, we spend a lot of time outside. Whether that means hikes with the dog, picnics, walks in town, going to the park or swinging on the porch, we just love to be outside.
As fall is fully upon us here in the Midwest, we are now needing a sweatshirt in the morning, and I’m realizing our schedule will change as winter creeps in. Meaning, we are going to be stuck inside if I don’t find something more fulfilling than wandering Target every Friday and Monday this winter. Fun for me, not as fun for the kiddo.
It may also seem crazy to be so worried about impending winter with beautiful fall currently surrounding us but I truly hate winter. Hate the weather, hate the cold, hate being stuck inside, and hate my husband gone for long days plowing the snow. It gets harder on me each year and I find planning things to look forward really helps. So yea, protecting my sanity.
We don’t have crap in our small town besides the YMCA. A quick search shows story time at the library is on Wednesdays and doesn’t offer much more for her age. So we broadened our search into the city. After a talk with a few other parents, we decided to look into swim lessons for Cora. The kid already swims all over the bath tub and has no water fear! We talked to several places, went last week to check one out and got her signed up to start the day after her birthday. Every Friday morning, this winter, her and I will plop in a 90 degree pool to learn how to kick, blow bubbles, and who knows what else, with a few other Mom’s and their babes. Very exciting!
While we already have a zoo pass, that is even quite useful in the winter, we are also looking into a pass for the children’s museum. Ours really rocks here and that place is a bit easier for me to take her to by myself, so she can burn off energy when it turns to complete winter shit outside. After that we have a little kiddo gym that we would also like to visit where she can safely climb her heart out and jump everywhere.
I even tried, once more, to look for any play groups to join. Fail. I just can’t. I’m kind of hoping the more we get out to these places maybe both Cora and I can naturally make friends instead of forcing ourselves into a group that we probably won’t fit into.
Anyone else have go-to ideas to fend off winter before it hits us?
Through My Mistakes 
my coworker has her 1 year old twin boys enrolled in a gymnastics class. they go once a week. she said that, even though they aren’t walking yet, it’s a great way for them to get involved with other adults giving instructions to them and having them focus on learning instructions, even if the instructions are for fun jumping around stuff. just learning to take direction. she said they absolutely LOVE it and are learning so much. it’s probably along the lines of the kiddo gym you will be taking Cora to, but if not, it could be another option 🙂
That sounds a lot like the gym we are looking into! It is so good for them to have other adults give them directions and I think it helps to see other kiddos doing the same.
I recently joined Stroller Strides and I LOVE! We both get outside and I’m actually working out, instead of attempting to do workout videos with a baby crawling all over me. We signed up for swim class, and there are lots of local indoor playgrounds we plan on taking E to but I found it will be easier when he’s walking steadily rather than stumbling. Although we don’t really have to worry about winter too much… Also, sad to hear about Bear. Hope that whatever is going on, you guys find a resolution that brings you peace.
I have heard of stroller strides and the like but I haven’t found any around here:( That would be awesome, although not so much in the winter. Ha! We only have two indoor playgrounds. Our city is not as big as one might imagine! And thanks for the Bear comments. We have a long, hard road ahead of us.