Anywho, I thought today would be a great time to go into the kids version of summer essentials here at Clark Manor. These are the things that are an everyday occurrence when the sun is out:
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| .Swimsuit from Janie & Jack, sunglasses from Janie & Jack, fedora from Nordstrom, sunscreen from Ulta but you can get it anywhere. |
The first group is the "bare minimum" for us. These are the things that we have/need/use for days spent in the backyard playing in the kiddie pool or sprinkler. I'll post some photos of her modeling the new retro-cute swimsuit tonight or tomorrow for ya. As you know I'm a big BIG believer in sunscreen and if "Mr Burny" {my nickname for that firey orb in the sky} is out then I go on anti-wrinkle/burn/cancer patrol with KGB-like gusto. The Neutrogena spray sunscreens are my favorite, this one is what we use all summer because it's super easy to use when you have a squirmy toddler that's in & out of the water a lot. I also think a hat & sunglasses are essential for similar anti-wrinkle/burn/caner reasons, someday when Amelia has beautiful skin and looks 10 years younger than all of the other biddies at the senior center she'll thank me!
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| .Sterns Kids Puddle Jumper life vest from Amazon, personalized beach towel from Pottery Barn Kids, Kylie's pre-swim conditioner from Ulta, L'Oreal 2-in-1 swim shampoo & conditioner from Ulta, Thermos Foogo insulated cup with straw from Amazon. |
The second group here is what we have on hand for days at the local pool. We spent a ton of time there last summer {Amelia's like a fish} and we plan on getting a family pass this year as well.
The life vest is a pretty obvious safety choice I think, there are tons out there and of course you should shop around and find what works best for you and your child. That being said, I really really recommend the Puddle Jumper, unlike water wings it'll actually keep your little ones head above water while still allowing them to feel like they have some control of things.
Since we aren't one of the fortunate folks with a pool of our own we go to the community pool just around the corner from our house. We love it and have nothing but praise. However, I'm on the paranoid side when it comes to my stuff and I also like monograms so of course I had to get the personalized beach towel with Amelia's name on it from PBK. I'm sure that you can/could find personalized towels elsewhere if PBK isn't your bag - but it is nice to have that extra touch when you're at a busy public pool and don't want to keep one eye on your stuff the whole time.
After splashing around and jumping in the water for hours in the sun it's almost guaranteed that there will be a snack/drink break. For me, that consists of ice water. However, for Little Miss Skinny the pediatrician demands whole milk. That's all well and good except that milk in the sun has a VERY limited shelf life and it's not something to be messed around with. I get a bit more leeway/time with an insulated thermos-style bottle/cup that keeps her milk nice and chilly, it's easy for her hands to grip and has a straw so there's no risk of a "I can do it myself" style tantrum.
And last, the hair stuff. Amelia has a TON of hair. Just...so much. And it's long. And curly-ish. And light in color. And she's two so sitting still while I work out tangles ends up being a nightmare for both of us. Any help I can get is a godsend. Before jumping in the water I spray this "pre-swim" conditioner on her hair. It helps reduce the tangles and discoloration from the chlorine. Once home We take a shower together {yep, I'm that mom. I don't have time or patience to do it any other way} and I wash out her hair to remove all of the chlorine and sunscreen {I spray her head with the Neutrogena to make sure her scalp doesn't burn}. But of course Homegirl H-A-T-E-S having her hair washed {if you have any advise on that one I would sure love it} so the 2-in-1 L'oreal after swim shampoo & conditioner helps me skip the extra step.
All of these things are taken with us when we go to the coast as well though the Pacific ocean is so cold when you get as North as we are that we rarely have to worry about the life vest or after swim shampoo since no one in their right mind is going head deep into the water without a wetsuit!
That's pretty much it, add some lightweight playclothes, sundresses, and sandals and you have everything ya need to get through the summer with a 2 year old little girl!
I'll post a {pregnant} mom version in the next day or so.
Get out and enjoy the sun!
1 comment:
I used little rubber critters (about an inch and a half long) to wash Cara's hair. She loved her frogs and crickets doing the scrubbing and she says she still has them in her room!
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