Dear Dutch,
You love playing outdoors! In fact, “ow side” is your new favorite word, you’ve learned to jiggle the door handle and repeat it over and over again. We took a family walk to the park today and had so much fun!
On our way we found a lizard perched on a wall, sunbathing. We also spot a hummingbird, she led us right to her nest and I had fun capturing her on camera. At the park we played in the sand first, Daddy helped you dig a hole. Then we played catch with your red ball. You practiced throwing and fetching it with Dad for quite some time.
It was a busy day at the park and a little girl was taking a private soccer lesson up the way. You caught sight of the plastic orange cones they were using for drills. At first you listened well about not touching them, but the temptation was great. You gave in, swooped one up and put it over your face like a mask, giggling all the while. 😂 We ended our outing with juice, snacks and a lazy walk home.
Playing outside with you is the best way to brighten my day! ☀️
With So Much Love,
Mommy ❤️
Our family loves spending time outdoors and we are thankful to live in an area with moderate climate, beautiful walking paths and an abundance of parks. It’s my goal for Dutch to spend a minimum of 3 hours in sunshine everyday, mostly due to his temperament. He is an exceptionally active, energetic toddler. Dutch mastered crawling by 7 months, walking by 10 months and now runs circles around me. Meal time and sleep time are just about the only times you’ll see him not moving. For this reason, I find that being cooped up makes him fussy and irritable. It’s when he’s outside that he is happiest. The freedom to run, jump, climb and explore thrill him like nothing else.
We use SPF 50, organic sunblock on Dutch and always encourage him to wear sunglasses and a hat (although we’re not always successful). I personally struggle with a sun allergy. That’s right, I’m allergic to the sun. If my skin is left exposed too long I break out in a painful, itchy rash that lasts for days. For me, covering up and seeking shade often are the safest ways to enjoy sunshine.
And lastly, did you know that sunshine makes us happy? There are numerous studies showing the emotional benefits to sunlight exposure. It not only boosts our Vitamin D levels, but it also regulates our biological clocks and increases seratonin levels. For all of these reasons, spending time outdoors is critical to the wellbeing of both Mother and Child. ☀️
I’d love to hear your ideas! What outdoor activities do you share with your family?
Creatively Yours,
Lindsay ❤️
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