“My burps are like a song!”

I have a fish.  And I'm thrilled!  

Jake started swim lessons when he was about 4 months old.  We went every week for a year before moving to Okinawa where I was SURE we'd have tons of opportunities to continue Jake's swimming education.  Unfortunately, for some inexplicable reason, an island that is warm all year round only opens their pools for about 10 weeks every summer.  AND the swimming lessons are set up to be EVERY day for two weeks, which will kill even the most DEDICATED parents.  

Of course, there is the ocean.  But if you've ever talked to Brent or I about the ocean (the part of the ocean that touches the shore) you'll find that it's not our favorite place.  Which is a little embarrassing given that we dated and married in Hawaii, we then lived in the surfing capitol of the UK and now on another tropical island in the Pacific!  We just have this small, itsy bitsy problem with sand and all the ridiculous amounts of crap that need to be taken to the beach for a visit with little boys.

Now, put us on a boat in said ocean, throw us over the side with scuba gear, and we're in heaven.  Just keep us away from the tiny, grainy, cream-colored stuff!!

All of that to say that Jake's swimming education hasn't progressed quite as I hoped, and last summer he didn't seem to love it.

But that has all changed!  Over the last couple of days (as we've been TWIDDLING OUR THUMBS waiting for baby) we've gone to the pool several times.  And magically he's swimming!!  He's making it a good 8 feet from me to the wall on his own.  And then jumping in and swimming to me! 

But the funniest is how much water and air he is obviously ingesting.  The number of burps coming from deep inside his little body is hysterical.  And the best part is that they are LONG and melodic.  After one such burp today he came up with the line, "My burps are like a song!"  I laughed so hard, my water almost broke…

Hmmm…

I think we'll be going back tomorrow!

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend

Swimming Lessons

Ahhhh… the memories…  chlorine stinging my eyes…  the aerobic activity of putting on a wet bathing suit…  water up my nose…  holding my breath…  JOY!  I loved (and still love) all things water related and it has been so fun to have the boys in swimming lessons this week.  They are both thrilled with it and Jake spends more time underwater than above it I think. 

J Jo Ready for Class

J kicking Jo

J under Jo

J diving Jo

We have a new babysitter from our new church.  She's only 10 (11 in August) but every time we've been to church she has attached herself to Quinn.  I talked to her mom who offered to bring her to the pool and be there to "help."  Can't beat that!  The boy's classes are back to back, so she watches the one I'm not in the water with.  She also happens to be beautiful with these gorgeous freckles!  Believe it or not, Jake took the following pictures of her:

D & Mom

D 2

D 3

Quinn loves his class, too.  He just kicks and kicks and giggles and giggles.

Q Jo bubbles

Q Jo playin

Q Jo Singin

Q Jo Diving

And goes under! 🙂

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend

Pandas and Snorkels

Jake taught me another lesson today: There is no reason to watch a scary movie.  

Even if there are friends in their seats with whom we'd arranged this movie date.  Even if pluggedinonline.com said it was good for kids (though they probably weren't thinking of 2 year olds).  Even if we'd bought the tickets and candy and popcorn and had Quinn safely at home with our dear babysitter, Mikie.  No matter who it might inconvenience or embarrass (me?) or frustrate.  There is nothing he would learn by having his mother and father MAKE him sit through a movie that was scaring him.  He will not be retarded or social inept or fat or bad at baseball because he didn't make it through the first 11 minutes of Kung Fu Panda.

He had the same response to Ratatouille with my mom last summer… course that first scene with the lady & the shotgun is a bit on the loud side!  But I thought maybe a year older would make things better. But I have to admit that as I sat there and watched with HIM in mind, I was scared, too.  I think it's that the shots change so fast and it's so loud.  How do we stand it??

Lesson learned.  

Maybe I'll take him to another movie on his twelfth birthday.

So we left (they gave us return coupons) and went to the BX and he picked out a DVD instead.  Winnie the Pooh.  If that doesn't just sum it all up, I don't know what does.  He's watching it now in his new "gear."

Watchin’ Pooh

We also bought goggles and a mask as they start swimming lessons this week (thanks, Grandee!).  We went to the pool on Friday for the first time since last summer and by the end of the hour, Jake was in the kiddie pool leaping up, splashing down to "sit" on the bottom (water covering his head) and just sitting there for SECONDS before jumping back up.  And doing it all over again.  And again.  And again.  How all that will translate to the BIG pool, I don't know.  But I figured the goggles might encourage him to stay under even longer.

So that was our father's day.  Hope yours was full of lessons as well.

Father’s Day Brunch

Read and post comments |
Send to a friend