Sprinkler hopping

We aren't one of those families fortunate enough to have a pool in our backyard, so on hot summer days, we have to settle for playing in the sprinkler to keep cool. Saturday it was HOT HOT HOT (in April!). Aiden had been playing in the sandbox all afternoon and was drenched in sweat, so I pulled out the sprinkler for the first time this year.

Last year, Aiden sort of stared at the sprinkler, would occasionally walk over and stick his hand in the spray, then run away squealing and whining when he got his face wet. What a difference a year can make!! Aiden would back up about 20 feet to the fence line, crouch down into a runner's stance, bolt towards the sprinkler as fast as he could, come to a screeching halt about a foot from the spray, then hop with both feet over the sprinkler. It was hilarious! He had such a blast. His jumps evolved from simple two-footed hops to complex karate-like jumps with the requisite "Pie-yah!!" (Aiden's Karate noise) to all out crazy and goofy twirls. He would occasionally inch up to the sprinkler until it sprayed into his face, then run off giggling.

I had hoped the sprinkler would wash all of the sand off of Aiden before we went inside, but no such luck. He, of course, decided to go back into the sandbox once soaking wet and emerged with sand stuck over every inch of his skin.

At the end of the afternoon, I finally carried a soaking wet, sand-covered, and very tired little boy to the bathroom for a bath, where I climbed into the tub with him, swimsuit and all, feet draped over the edge of the bath, and we enjoyed a frozen Go-gurt tube together. Who needs a pool when you can have fun like this?!