Swimming Lessons: Day 2

The teacher has a pet turtle that wanders around her back yard. The kids love it...Brynn just doesn't like getting to close of course. (you can see the turtle under her chair)
Brynn couldn't wait to go swimming, didn't even need her usual warm up period, and was excited for her turn "to learn how to swim". For anyone who was missing her bellyflop jumping here you go...after this first flop the teacher was trying to get brynn to jump legs first into the pool and so of course Brynn couldn't jump at all and ended up basically being tossed in...we'll have to work on that...

Tyler didn't even cry today. He was so "mellow" as the teacher kept saying. He still refused to kick when she let go of him so she has knicknamed him SuperMan because of his form.

Swimming Lessons: Day 1

So my not even 4 year old daughter crawls into bed with me early this morning, rolls over, and with a raspy voice says "Mommy I really have a tummy ache." I respond very sympathetically, trying to figure out what would have given it to her, and ask if she wants to cuddle.
"Mommy," she says, "you know you can't swim when you have a tummy ache."
OH MY GOODNESS ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!
"Brynn," I say, "your tummy will be just fine once you get some breakfast in there. And yes, you ARE going to swimming lessons today."
At least we'll know all her tricks by the time school starts...geez...

Ready to Go!!!
Brynn did have me a little worried even though we've been talking about this and getting her ready for some time now. But she did amazing! She actually even got pretty excited once we got there, even slightly hyper, and got right in the water. She didn't cry or get upset once. I only took one little video of her and its the first time the teacher put her under to see what she remembered. She did so good that they spent the rest of the time learning to dive down and pick up rings, swim across the pool taking breaths in the middle, and jumping off the diving board and swimming to the side. I'll get more on her later.


Tyler was pretty excited too until it was his turn and he learned what he was really there for. But he actually did well because he only cried while it was his turn. Then he stopped right away and floated around the pool like this until it was his turn again:
Obviously he was working so hard he needed to rest for a while :) Hopefully he'll actually start kicking his legs and using his arms...

Update for Daddy:

Before PJ left he took Brynn to the Build-A-Bear Workshop where they picked out a stuffed animal - Pokey the Turtle - and put a voice box in it that had PJ telling Brynn how much he loved her. She LOVES this turtle... It was totally my idea. And not that I'm starting to regret it or anything...but I'm pretty sure the voicebox isn't going to last until he gets home.


"Hi Daddy! This is just me playing with Mommy while Brynn is at pre-school. Isn't she fun??!?"

Another ouch! We made brownies - yes in my new Kitchen Aid :) And Tyler was so excited to have one that he fell out of the chair he was trying to climb into. He busted his lip and blood went everywhere. Of course he is tough and that didn't stop him from devouring the brownie.
One night the kids were being so good and cute so they didn't have to go to bed. Brynn decided she and Tyler were going to the Ball and she needed him to be her prince so she had someone to dance with. I guess we need to teach her that the princes are suppose to do the leading...

We all have things that drive us crazy...

...or things about us that drive others crazy.
Well my friend, Jaimi, has now informed me on several occassions that I've been tagged by her. So I'll take the hint, and even though for some reason I've never done a tag before, I'll just do it.

Unfortunately, this tag requires me to inform you, the reader, of 6 of my idiosyncrasies. I really don't think I'm all that wierd so I didn't think I'd be able to respond to this tag. However, I decided to ask PJ what he thought and boy was he all too helpful (hmm....) Many of these will probably come as no surprise, but maybe you'll learn something new about me.

#1 issue...Bananas - I can't stand bananas, never have never will. Mom couldn't get me to eat them as a baby or all growing up. Several people through out the years have forced me to try them. I don't like their smell, I don't like their texture, I don't like them, not even in stuff. They ruin whatever they are in, especially fruit salad because they leave this nasty banana film on everything they touch. However, I have made a concious decision to be the better parent and have decided to buy and feed them to my children. They like them. I don't know why. I hate cleaning up after them so I was kind of hoping they would follow in their moms footsteps but no luck there.

#2 issue...Birds - Yep, don't like them either. I can't handle their wings and all that flappyness as they dive bomb your head. And once again, I try to be brave and strong for my kids which is why I could handle taking them to that awful park (see post below). And the whole time we were there I tried not to scream or let my kids know I was dodging the birds because I don't want them to be scared.

#3 issue...Locking up - I used to think my mom was crazy how every night she went around and checked every lock on every door and on every window in our house. She would even open up the door and check out into the garage. She would even get in trouble for locking my dad out of the house when he went out to do yard work or something like that. And now I am exactly the same. I even do it with our car - everytime we get out of it I have to ask PJ if he locked it before we walk away and leave it all alone.

#4 issue...Being the Passenger - PJ felt it was important that I stress what a bad passenger in the car I am. I am very jumpy and nervous - but mostly on the highway. People are stupid and distracted and bad accidents happen even if you are safe and paying attention. I happen to think I wasn't that bad until my accident a few years ago when someone badly rear ended me when I was stopped at a stop light minding my own business and they totaled our car. But whatever, cars and streets are dangerous...so really I can't say I'm that much less jumpy being the driver.

#5 issue...Feet - I think feet are always dirty, even right as you step out of the shower. So I never dry my feet off with my towel because I wouldn't want to get it dirty and then rub that all over my body. And so they get to drip dry and never get lotion on them. Oh and sharing towels is a big NoNo because, to name one reason, other people do dry their feet off.

#6 issue...Backup - I always have to have plenty of everything. If I am using one thing, I already have another one in a closet somewhere ready for when I need it. I make a shopping list off of what I'm running low on, not what I need. For example, I use my box of dishsoap or laundry detergent or deoderant or shampoo or salad dressing or whatever, but I have two more of them in the house somewhere so that I always have enough. For another example, my kids clothes are bought ahead of time so that right now I already have clothes for them for the next whole year (or two).

K, I hope we all still love me!!! Anyone care to list some of my great attributes?!...PJ?!...maybe you should say three nice things about me since you came up with this list so fast :)

Park Outing

We went with some friends to this park where they have a ton of chickens, roosters, peacocks, pigeons, etc. running around. Here is just a random video of Brynn trying ever so hard to chase down a chicken - however, she is definitely not running her fastest 'cause I don't think she really wanted to catch up with him. I think she even changed chickens mid-chase.

In the picture below you can also see a cute bunny. She was pretty brave this day - don't know what got into her.

Here Tyler is protecting our stroller from the really friendly birds.

Uncle Steve Visits!!!

Uncle Steven was forced to come visit us :) due to weather conditions driving home. And we LOVED having him here. We went to his favorite store Cabella's and Brynn and Tyler loved the animals but most especially the fish. He got to have sleepovers in Brynn's bunkbed and did a great job keeping her quiet at 5am in the mornings so mommy could sleep.
We also tried to do some dutch oven cooking which was a disaster - it took so long the kids didn't get to stay up and try it - but we still had fun with it.

Steven thought it was pretty funny how Tyler "talked"...for example...here is another sideways video and in it you can hear him saying Steve's favorite thing..."thank you".

Helment Head

We are finally good parents. After going on a Sunday stroll/bike ride with Brynn the other week we decided she needed a helmet. We haven't really had any problems before (not that we should wait for one to force us to make the purchase) but this time I think she crashed into the rocks/bushes about 3 or 4 times because she was trying to smell flowers or look at lizards and just couldn't seem to pay attention.
So she is now the proud owner of a helmet. I happened to pinch her neck with the clasp while trying it on in the store and she got really mad and I didn't think she was going to wear it. My bad!? But she is doing quite well. Probably should have just gotten Tyler one too...hmm...not sure why we didn't think of that one?!