Howard Trio Plus One: Michigan Last Summer

This post is extremely belated as I wrote it on the drive home from Michigan in July, but I forgot about for awhile and then I got too busy to finish it. Thanks to the COVID-19 Stay-At-Home orders, though, I have some spare time. It's sad to think that there's a chance we won't make it to Michigan this summer because of the virus, but we are trying not to think too far into the future right now as it feels overwhelming.

The kids spent five weeks in Michigan last June and July, and I was there for all but the 10 days I spent in Italy with Micah. Our summers in Michigan are always wonderful as we enjoy our time with family and friends that live there. We also enjoy the weather as it's the best time of year to be in Michigan. Here are just some highlights from our time in Michigan:

All three big kids became great swimmers! We took advantage of having access to a friends’ pool and we went there at least 8 times in five weeks, which helped the kids become so much stronger. All three can swim two lengths of the backyard pool in a row, and Alexis can even swim to the bottom of the deep end to get a diving ring (which is 8-9 feet deep). They can also tread water. They have zero fear about going down the slide or jumping into the deep end.

Faith

Alexis

Jack

All the kids spent hours riding their bikes in the driveway and around the loop in the condo neighborhood. The big kids took turns riding along while we ran, which proved that they could bike 4-5 miles without stopping. Graham learned to pedal the small tricycle that my parents found at a garage sale.

My parents took the kids and their bikes to Dutch Village

Graham

Alexis

Jack

My parents driveway becomes a bike road when we're in town

Alexis estimates she ate about 20 ice cream cones, which was one of the top items on her Michigan bucket list.

Some cones were from ice cream stores, and some were eaten at home

Faith lost two bottom teeth, which were the first teeth lost by the triplets except for the teeth Jack had pulled.

Graham stopped sucking his fingers! We started him on the finger guard a few days before we left for Michigan, and after about two weeks of wearing it we stopped putting it on for his naps and at night. He hasn’t even tried to suck his fingers since!

Graham with his finger guard

Graham learned many new words and he started putting two words together more frequently! I have to admit that I was hoping for him to be completely caught up with his speech by the time we left, which was unrealistic, but spending more time with other people and seeing new things seemed to help him.

As our earliest riser, Jack spent many early mornings snuggling with Grandma and looking at the photos and short videos on her phone. He loved the 1-on-1 time.

Graham’s affection for Grandpa seemed to only increase during our time in Michigan. Although I seem to still be his top choice, Grandpa is a close second.

Jack, Faith, Alexis, and Graham

All three big kids tried tubing behind the pontoon boat at the cottage. Faith decided it wasn’t her favorite thing, but Jack and Alexis loved it and couldn’t get enough. We went to my family's cottage for two different trips that were a few days each, and we had a blast.