Infant Swim Rescue classes

A little over a week in and I'm very impressed.  Days 3 and 4 were tough...lots of tears from Reese, but this week has seen a shift and while Reese isn't loving it, she's going without any fuss and talks about Mr. Chuck constantly.  Even when she was sobbing in the water last week she would tell Mr. Chuck she just wanted a hug.  When she's done with her lesson she's so incredibly proud of herself and bragging to anyone who will listen that she 'went underwater'.  And if you could see the petite little 24 month old who goes before us full on swimming, you'd be a believer and all but throwing your cash at the man.   Yesterday's session via collage:

Emerson is enamored with the man too... He's already eyeing her up for lessons next spring!  And at a swim camp across town, while Miss Ryan is having a ton of fun, I'm not sure she's progressing as fast as her parents would like.....she'll go underwater but she's still struggling with keeping her head under water and gliding.  Good thing she'll be accompanying me for the next four weeks to watch Reese and you bet your swim goggles, I'll bring the girl in her bathing suit so she can sit in the water and see Reese whiz by.....and Mr. Chuck rocks in the sense that he will always take a minute or two to work with siblings if they are along for the ride.  

Oh no!

 Was yesterday an important day around here?  And mom forgot to post about it?  Mom, are you aware of this oversight?

 Ahhhhhh - you planned to post about Father's Day (or 'daddy's day' as my sister and I like to call it) on the Monday following the all important day.   Phew.  What a relief you don't really suck as a mom.

Happy day late 'daddy's day' to two particularly close to my heart awesome dads!

And as Reese was getting ready for bed last night she so sweetly turned to me and said, "mom, enough daddy's day, it's over....it's time for my day tomorrow".  There you have it dads, you're done.  Back to the daily grind.

Wake up

Remember that baby stage when your little nugget first started waking up contently laying there in the crib?  No maddening hunger screams that could wake your neighbors, just oh so precious baby squeals?   We had that yesterday with Emerson.   Instead of trying to alert the whole house with her crying, I spied her on the video camera just chillin' - and past 7am at that.  Crazy behavior in these parts....I'm used to a steadily increasing cry between 6 and 6:30.  Anywho, I videotaped it.   She's all cute until the last seconds when she's over the camera and all mom, feed me already.

Swim Camp

This summer we're tackling swimming from two different angles....traditional swim camp for Ryan (same place she went last year) for two weeks (about 5 hours per day) and because the jury is still out on whether Ryan is going to become a water star (or hell, just get herself to the side of the pool should she fall in), we're taking a different approach with Reese.  I've read on some of my usual blogs of folks having success with ISR classes (infant swim resources self-rescue classes) - you know, those hard core deals shown on the Today Show where they throw an eight month old in the water and the baby turns himself around and floats.  You are forewarned Emerson, should this take, you are on deck.  Anyway, ISR classes are a commitment:  10 minutes a day, every day, taking usually 5-6 weeks to work.  We're lucky to have an instructor fairly close to us (in Clayton) so only about an hour round trip.  I'll have to recap my thoughts on the two styles at the end of summer and see which we have more success with.  But for now, we are in full blown washing of towels and bathing suits each afternoon.
Obligatory 'first day of' shot on the front door....

I was worried about dropping Ryan off right at 9:15 (the starting day window was from 9:15-10am) but as we cruised down the street, all of Kirkwood appeared to be waiting in line right as camp opened.  I do love the old-school-ness of this camp....please, oh please, translate into a swimmer this summer though.  Please.  

Thank goodness we got there when we did because the oft coveted pink laundry baskets (one becomes your 'locker' for the rest of camp to store your stuff) were almost gone.  You may breathe a sigh of relief as Ryan got one of the three remaining.  

Next up was Reese....she was very excited to do her 'door shot':

All smiles as she hasn't had to get in the water yet. 

And this is Mr. Chuck - Reese did pretty darn well, went to him fairly easily but towards the end of the 10 minute session her lip was starting to quiver and she was asking to get out.   They didn't even work on anything it was more a 'get to know you' lesson.  

Mr. Chuck making it fun...

And guess who got in on the action....he couldn't have been cuter with her and Emerson was intrigued - I think she was fascinated with his facial hair.   

 The one bonus to swim camps?  Ridiculously easy bed time routine...the girls were wiped out last night.  Day 2 here we come.....

Patio Art

On a good day,  Reese and Emerson will go down for afternoon naps at the same time leaving Ryan and I with a few hours (if we're lucky, Emerson likes to mess with this rosy scenario a bit) to get some stuff done around here......art being one of them.   The cute table and chairs were sent up to us from Ella (they've been in the family forever) and after a quick little sprucing up with some green spray paint and dark stain, they are a new fixture in our living room and patio.  So perfect as they are lightweight enough to move easily and the girls LOVE dining, doing crafts, rearranging the chairs into a 'movie theater', etc....

The many faces of Reese and the pool....

Reese makes me laugh.  She makes a lot of people laugh.  Yesterday they squeezed in some pool time (even though it never had a chance to really warm up so they basically waded in 6 inches of freezing cold water until the clouds and rain rolled in).  Ryan was playing the role of 'lifeguard' who threw pool toys at her 'customers' - some kind of lifeguard she made.
 Proof that it was cold.  Notice Ryan is in for a split second....

And then out....

But the strong (and/or crazy) remained...

 The face below always makes me smile....it is her mischievous 'watch out' face.  You know how you can detect when an animal may attack based on certain behaviors (or Grant if he is uber-hungry)?  Well, if you see this look on this child be forewarned.  Something will happen, I promise you that.  You are about to be splashed, tackled, danced on, etc....

 And then just as quickly our little Jekyll and Hyde turns all sweet again.

 Hula lifeguard

5 months!

The little lady is getting bigger and bigger by the day.  Still awesome/amazing/adorable - we're gonna keep her.  She is fully capable of sleeping from 8:30pm - 6:30am if she wants to....the key is 'if she wants to' - a few times a week I hear her crying out well before that.  We'll chalk it up to teething but let's not make a habit of this, got it girl?  We started out on rice cereal and oatmeal and those were just meh.  She didn't protest but didn't love.  Then we started adding mashed up bananas to the cereal and the attitude improved.  Lately I've just been doing mashed up bananas and the girl is mowing through them.....I'll start adding in other fruits here shortly and some sweet potatoes, because good lord do I love sweet potatoes and the rest of my roommates don't get my obsession so it'd be nice to have a partner in potato crime for once.  Considering I'm still nursing (and the girl is pretty stubborn when it comes to trying a bottle, more my fault than hers for lack of giving her one) and she's anti-anyone other than mom once she starts crying, she and I are basically siamese twins.  Fun 95% of the time but good heavens if I want to get my hair both cut AND colored or run anywhere for longer than an hour.  But hey, I'll take being glued to this chick any day of the week:

The girl is looonnng and thus struggling with her wardrobe....in order to get onesies that can snap, she's wearing 9 or 12 month sizes which then are clearly a tad too loose up top.   That and her hand-me-downs have certainly seen better (and cleaner) days.

 My buddy.