Little Fish

I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that these kids were doing swim lessons.  Those high-intensity crazy courses that suck the life out of you every night for two weeks straight.  Gobbles had taken them last year, but the Lobster was in for a treat.  We may have rounded up on her age to get her in, but having spent so much time at the pool this summer, we're glad we did.  I mean, look how happy she was to get started!  Seriously though, after making the decision to join the pool knowing that it would be just me most of the time with the kids, we knew we wanted the kids to be able to "save themselves" should they end up in unfamiliar waters.

Anyway, Gobbles thrived at the second level, where they taught basic strokes and propelling through the water.  We didn't really notice the real fruits of his work until our time at the pool, where he is now diving for sinking toys, jumping of the diving board, and hitting the slide with no problem getting across the water to the wall.  He's even played a round or two of sharks and minnows with the big kids in the deep end, and just recently started actually diving into the water.

I think he's also been aided by the true-to-prescription goggles that we coughed up an exuberant amount of money for but are very worth it since he can actually see now in the pool.  He's still not the most graceful freestyle swimmer, but every time we're in the pool he seems to get more strokes and breaths in before a break is needed.  All that matters to me is that he can tread water like a champ!

Now the Lobster, oh I think we failed her.  Because the swim lessons used to be for any age, we figured what the heck let's try.  She did great, floating herself to the top and passing the beginner test which included "swimming" on her back out to the rope and back unassisted.  The only problem was the jumping in.  Yea, that's tough.  Every.single.time it was her turn to jump in, someone had to throw her.  I think there was one time she tried on her own and ended up bumping her butt on the wall.  This might have traumatized her a bit because now when we swim she demands that I hold her hands when she jumps in.  She's currently using a puddle jumper at the pool (against the swim instructor's warnings that all will be unlearned) about half the time, and with that she will jump in on her own.  She has been improving though, because she will keep jumping in despite me letting go of her hands every time (like charlie brown with the football).  On those times I do let go, she pops right back up to the surface as if the lessons were yesterday.

Each day the Lobster makes me promise that she'll never need swim lessons again, I told her if she can swim across the pool at the end of the summer without her puddle jumper then we have a deal. So far, she's gone about 4 feet.  We still have a month, we'll get there :)

I hate you for making me do this

The jig is up, mom, they probably know I'm not 4!

I DON'T WANNA JUMP!

I hate you for making me do this!

My instructor hates you for making me do this too!

Did mommy mention that she and Di's mom thought my instructor was hot?

Even though he pushed my head underwater multiple times to get me to breathe right!

Swim test (with a pan over to Gobbles) and the deep water swim:

Slow down and just enjoy...

Life has been a blur since the new year began, every time I seem to catch my breath something else comes up.  Work has been insane, I've had to travel every other week since Christmas (an A-B pattern as Gobbles would point out), but I'm hoping the trend is broken next week since the tentative meetings have not been finalized.

Our weekends have been filled with playdates, birthday parties, soccer games, family outings, and soon to be t-ball.  Nothing to complain about at all, we are lucky to have so many options for fun.  It does get overwhelming trying to find balance among the different social circles- family, my friends, daycare friends, hubs friends, and neighbors.  We get so excited to make plans with one group then realize we haven't seen another in too long, and the cycle goes on.  We're thankful to have a packed calendar and also so happy when we have a few hours of straight family time, especially now that the weather is gorgeous and the sunporch is open.  The kids are the perfect age because they can play outside by themselves while we throw the porch doors open to hear them from whatever task we're trying to complete inside.

Every time I've thought about writing a blog (we just had so much fun doing that, or, I want to remember this moment), a last minute fire occurs and my creative energy goes to crap.  I think about hmm well if I write about this weekend then things will be out of order if I ever get to writing about our Disney trip from January, so I need to start at the beginning.  Then I get overwhelmed and decide not to write at all.  F that, I use this outlet more than I realize to look back on the kids' milestones and our happy memories, which I don't want to stop at ages 3 and 5.  Even if I just take 15 minutes a week, I need to prioritize jotting down a few lines it just a little.

This new resolve comes on the heels of very unhappy news from the kids' school, as one of Gobbles' former classmates passed away from DIPG, an incurable form of brain cancer.  This little boy had just turned five and spent the last 10 months fighting the unimaginable.  We followed the journey of him and his family, the treatments, the make-a-wish moments, the scramble to make as many memories with him as they could.  They were amazing throughout their ordeal with their faith and positivity, all the while knowing what was inevitable.  One of the last videos they shared of him was his interaction with his younger sister, just holding her hand and being with her, both of them seeming wise beyond their years.  The news of his passing was not unexpected, but it still sent shockwaves through my heart, as I have been aching for his parents and imagining myself in their shoes, shaking the thoughts as quickly as they arrive then feeling guilty for being so selfish to worry about my own worst fears when theirs became a reality.  

Like most of the school parents we chose not to share what happened with our children.  Since the boy has been sick he was only at school a handful of times, and with the turnover they've had it's hard to tell how much Gobbles noticed his particular absence.  Only time will tell if this protection of innocence with ignorance was the right choice, but it's one subject I try to stay away from with the kids - as of right now, they believe that death is for the elderly.  I'm a coward for lying to them (they even think their turtle wanted to move back to his original owner's house), but I can't bring myself to let them feel that kind of fear, or sadness, especially when I'm not even in the place to process something happening to someone so young.

I don't really know where to go from here, but I know I want to continue making as many memories with my children as time allows, because we only get one life, and we are going to make the most out of every damn second.  That is why it's so important for me to take a little time and jot these memories down, so they'll always be here, a reminder of how much have and will continue to enjoy the gifts of live and love.

And with that, some simple moments of Love from this past winter:

Sunshine and snow and happy kids

my beautiful snowbunny

By the power of Greyskull...

And one more sweet shot

Teamwork

A boy's best friend

Be my Valentine

Pretending to be the bride

Spinning with her "boyfriend" (her label, not mine)

Valentine's playdate.  Hubs brought me a dozen roses and a single rose with baby's breath for his daughter on Valentine's day.
She told all of our guests that the dozen were from her Daddy to her, and the single was mine :)

Loving the conversations and looking like a grown-up

What began as a lunchtime "drop-off" playdate evolved into the parents coming for pickup only for us all to continue the party with pizza and beer well past the kids' bedtime.  Hubs had worked all day and came home to this, stopping to pick up the pizza and some snacks on his way.  He does not mind my spontaneous social endeavors, and I love him for that.  The kids and their friends still talk about this day with smiles on their faces and wonderful memories in their hearts.

If only they'll be this close when they're in their 20s.  Their moms can dream, right?

More snowbunny shots

Partners in crime in everything they do

Keeping cool together

I'll pull you anywhere

And I'll sit outside with you as long as you want to play

Multitudes of snow angels

Cousins ready for one last snowfall

It tastes wonderful

Carrots for breakfast?  Or is Mommy already in PJs at Dinnertime?

Teamwork in the form of a 300 piece puzzle

Making new old friends

Another daytime playdate that continued well until the deer came out for the night.  More spontaneous time with friends and more pizza pickups by hubs.  I love everything about this. 

The sleeves may have holes but those are signs of a well-loved dress.

Recycling hipster threads into princess dresses since 2015.  

A morning campout while mommy and daddy are still sleeping

Sharing her hair with her cousin

And her accessories

Getting close- past his comfort zone

Love from a special admirer from Mommy's work.  

More of a boy's best friends

This kid is so awesome... according to herself too!

Teamwork in "cooking"...

...and a tasty result!

Brother, sister, leprechaun love...

They just keep getting taller

Smiling eyes

And a little dance

Hugs, wanted or not

Our "outdoor pets"

More cooking... and eating

Finally getting outside!

Spring is just around the corner!

*I feel better having gotten some off my chest, so combined with this post and that one, i should only have one more to finish out the winter.  Hopefully before spring is over...