Sunshine and Fair Skin

Out of our family, Sam is the one with the fairest skin of all.  We have been working hard to make sure Sam doesn't get sunburned.  So far he has only gotten a sunburn once, so we are pretty lucky considering how much time we spend outside at parks, on hikes or just in the backyard playing.  Now that the weather is getting warmer, and the sun is beating down for longer periods, we are trying hard to stay on top of the fair skin protection.  Don't get me wrong, James also needs protection from the sun...less for sunburn...more for protection from all the harmful rays that can have long-term effects on one's health, so James is also included in the protection regime, but not quite to the same degree...if that makes sense at all.

For example, yesterday we went to a play date at a park with our moms group.  Before we left the house I lathered both boys up with sunblock on their faces and exposed arms.  James decided he didn't want to wear a hat, and I didn't really push the issue.  Generally Sam refuses hats too, and there isn't a way to force him to wear one, but I was surprised because yesterday I managed to have Sam keep his hat on almost the entire time we were at the park.  The last fifteen minutes or so Sam absolutely refused to allow the hat on his head, but all things considered, I was greatly pleased and considered it a success.  I need to remember to put my sunblock in the diaper bag, so I can reapply the sunblock to Sam's fair skin.  Luckily one of my friends allowed me to borrow some of hers for which I was grateful...especially since she uses the same pricey stuff we do.

I am a little nervous as summer is approaching, and it will start to get really hot here because then it will be wrong to keep Sam in pants.  Every once in awhile I have put Sam in shorts, but for the most part, I have put him in pants even on the warmer days when James is wearing shorts...mostly for the sake of exposing his poor, fair legs to the brutal sun.  I am just going to have to stock up on sunblock this year, I think and continuously slather up my two boys.