Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Slowin down...
I haven't forgotten about the blog... just had to slow things down a bit. So much to do - so little time. :) I put together a photo update of some of our recent adventures. Hope to blog more soon!!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
A few Lina updates...
All who have met Lina know that she is Smiley Sally. Always smiling - melt your heart smile.
June 7th - she laughed her little laugh. So she is a super smiley laughing baby. :)
June 11th - she rolled over (just under 4 months old)!
I am recording these dates on the blog to make sure I don't forget. I am 3 months behind on updating her baby book. Have a stack of things to update so this is my way of sharing in her sweet accomplishments and making sure I don't forget!
June 7th - she laughed her little laugh. So she is a super smiley laughing baby. :)
June 11th - she rolled over (just under 4 months old)!
I am recording these dates on the blog to make sure I don't forget. I am 3 months behind on updating her baby book. Have a stack of things to update so this is my way of sharing in her sweet accomplishments and making sure I don't forget!
What a day!
Luke is taking swim lessons this summer. This week was swim lesson #2 of Aquatots. I sit on the side and watch Luke during his swim lesson (versus a mommy and me class like we did last year.) Well, my son is already showing signs of being a very advanced athlete. I am not the only one who feels this way. Pretty much everyone who is around him (even my mom friends with kids similar ages) feels the same way. We will see... With this said, usually Luke is the smallest one at the top of the highest slide... Or attempting the rock wall meant for ages 8 and up. (And insists on doing it until... he does it.) Or climbing a ladder unassisted... It goes on and on. He is always one to say... see ya later mom and dad - I got this! So, I had NO qualms about swim lessons. I walked in with such confidence knowing that my little guy has got this. I had my camera in one hand, Lina in the other, comfy chair, ready for my son to be the star swimer - swim lessons of bliss...
Apparently this set up could not be more traumatic for Luke. There are two other little guys in his class -one of them is his best friend. At lesson #1, Luke managed to have one of the most serious breakdowns I have ever seen (and let me tell you we have breakdowns often). He continued the breakdown the entire class - and made the other little ones upset too. Class was not so productive and, by the end, the entire club area outside was looking at me with big sympathetic eyes that were also saying - get that little one out of here... geez.
Today at lesson 2 - Luke started to freak out just walking down the hallway to the pool. Sure enough - breakdown began immediately. The teacher recommended I leave and "hide" - we tried this. The other moms had to do this also because everyone was in tears after Luke's breakdown - everyone wanted mommy. Well "hiding" only made it worse. (Thankfully Lina was konked out in the stroller so she was just along for the ride.) So, I was literally walking out of the pool area about to demand a different teacher when I decided to try another approach... let's sit and watch. Luke is a VERY stubborn, I-will-do-things-when-I-am-ready-and-only-when-I-am-ready, type of guy. And, boy did he make that more apparent than ever tonight.
Over the next 30 minutes he watched, ignored, cheered on his little friends, eyed the teacher, clung onto my lap, explored near the pool. Eventually he decided to sit in the pool on the step with his friends but quickly ran away when the teacher asked him if he was ready to swim. This happened about 5 times and then that was it. He almost said bye to the teacher - but not quite. He is really not so sure about this Miss Savannah.
Well the minute we were leaving, he discovers the outdoor pool through gates out back - it a pool that starts at ankle level and goes deep. Filled with slides, fountains, etc... KID heaven! The minute he sees this pool (after refusing to swim in the main pool) he B lines it with a huge smile on his face and run right into the pool. I run like crazy after him. The lifeguard is up ready to jump in... He doesn't have to b/c I jump in - fully dressed - and grab him. He is laughing hysterically after he dunked himself and was about to play in the pool. That quickly turned into sadness when I dragged him out of the pool. You can imagine all the perplexed parents who have just watched 20-30 minutes are periodic breakdowns and anti-pool behavior now see a child screaming b/c he doesn't want to get out of the pool!
I have pretty much lost my patience at this point. I put him under one arm, push the stroller with the other. We walk out of the club dripping wet, kicking and screaming to the car... Wow.
While this will be a funny story one day, I definitely felt a little embarrassed - like I had NO control over the situation. He was just NOT having it - his way or the highway. I am hoping that his little school in the fall will help him establish and understand boundaries a bit more... Right now, mommy, daddy and grandparents seem to have "suggestions." But - I guess this was my true initiation - "Welcome to the toddler years!" My goal is to emphasize he has a choice in how he acts and there are consequences as a result of his choice.
So, we will see how lesson #3 goes next week...
Apparently this set up could not be more traumatic for Luke. There are two other little guys in his class -one of them is his best friend. At lesson #1, Luke managed to have one of the most serious breakdowns I have ever seen (and let me tell you we have breakdowns often). He continued the breakdown the entire class - and made the other little ones upset too. Class was not so productive and, by the end, the entire club area outside was looking at me with big sympathetic eyes that were also saying - get that little one out of here... geez.
Today at lesson 2 - Luke started to freak out just walking down the hallway to the pool. Sure enough - breakdown began immediately. The teacher recommended I leave and "hide" - we tried this. The other moms had to do this also because everyone was in tears after Luke's breakdown - everyone wanted mommy. Well "hiding" only made it worse. (Thankfully Lina was konked out in the stroller so she was just along for the ride.) So, I was literally walking out of the pool area about to demand a different teacher when I decided to try another approach... let's sit and watch. Luke is a VERY stubborn, I-will-do-things-when-I-am-ready-and-only-when-I-am-ready, type of guy. And, boy did he make that more apparent than ever tonight.
Over the next 30 minutes he watched, ignored, cheered on his little friends, eyed the teacher, clung onto my lap, explored near the pool. Eventually he decided to sit in the pool on the step with his friends but quickly ran away when the teacher asked him if he was ready to swim. This happened about 5 times and then that was it. He almost said bye to the teacher - but not quite. He is really not so sure about this Miss Savannah.
Well the minute we were leaving, he discovers the outdoor pool through gates out back - it a pool that starts at ankle level and goes deep. Filled with slides, fountains, etc... KID heaven! The minute he sees this pool (after refusing to swim in the main pool) he B lines it with a huge smile on his face and run right into the pool. I run like crazy after him. The lifeguard is up ready to jump in... He doesn't have to b/c I jump in - fully dressed - and grab him. He is laughing hysterically after he dunked himself and was about to play in the pool. That quickly turned into sadness when I dragged him out of the pool. You can imagine all the perplexed parents who have just watched 20-30 minutes are periodic breakdowns and anti-pool behavior now see a child screaming b/c he doesn't want to get out of the pool!
I have pretty much lost my patience at this point. I put him under one arm, push the stroller with the other. We walk out of the club dripping wet, kicking and screaming to the car... Wow.
While this will be a funny story one day, I definitely felt a little embarrassed - like I had NO control over the situation. He was just NOT having it - his way or the highway. I am hoping that his little school in the fall will help him establish and understand boundaries a bit more... Right now, mommy, daddy and grandparents seem to have "suggestions." But - I guess this was my true initiation - "Welcome to the toddler years!" My goal is to emphasize he has a choice in how he acts and there are consequences as a result of his choice.
So, we will see how lesson #3 goes next week...
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