There are some moments in time that just no pictures can capture. Tonight as I put Lj to bed was one of those moments. We’ve been growing as a family spiritually over the last 6 months. We can’t say enough about the guidance and support we have received since attending Savannah Christian. One of the things we have taken to heart is to pray with and for our children. So tonight as I put Lj to bed, I once again let her pray her prayer from her school and then began to pray over her. I prayed that Jesus would ease her fear over swimming and bring her peace as well as let her know how much we love her. As soon as I finished praying with her, she asked me “Why are you talking to Jesus?”. It was a special moment for us. I was able to tell her that she can talk to Jesus anytime she wants and that Jesus loves her as much as we do. My parents raised me loving Jesus and trusting in the Lord. I feel so blessed to pass this on to her and of course even if I had a picture, nothing could do capture the spirit of the moment. I felt very blessed to share this moment with Lexi and then share it with her Dad.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Swimming Lessons Day 2
I have to say trying to figure out a 3 year old is a challenge! Lexi was very excited to go back to swimming lessons but did not want to go unless I went in the water with her. I’ve been trying to adhere to the YMCA rules and stay back but needless to say that has NOT happened. I don’t really feel bad about it because once I broke the rules yesterday, today there were 3 parents in the pool with their scared children (including me) as opposed to the other 3. Lexi responds well to me but not Drew. She really does not like him although he has a friendly face and means no harm. I had not planned to go in but after I sat her down by the pool and she cried and cried for me, I went and changed into by swim suit and headed in. Then it was much better. She kicked for me and made bubble in her mouth (something I picked up from the kindergarten teachers at school). She never did go under or try to swim to me but she would kick and even smiled. She even let me get out and snap a few pictures. Drew and one of the other parents both told me that it was progress and I agree judging from her smile. My main goal is to help her learn a valuable life skill of swimming but enjoy it as well.
One thing I know is that we can’t force her to do it but we can encourage her and let her know how proud we are of her when she does make a milestone.
After swimming lessons, I called Geoff and got him to stop by WalMart on the way home to pick up an inexpensive above ground pool. It’s not so deep she can’t stand up in it but yet it is deep enough for her to kick her feet and use her arms. She is very excited about the new pool even though we need to get it up and full of water. I hope to do that tomorrow and our Southern heat wave it will warm up in no time at all!
I hope to take her back to the pool tomorrow morning after my water aerobics class. I missed my spin class this morning since last night my summer insomnia took over and literally kept me up most of the night. These are the days of each year I dread the most. I can sleep like a baby during the day but at night there is no such luck! If I believed in vampires, I know for sure that I’d be one!
Monday, June 20, 2011
And one more catch up… it was a nostalgic day!
One day last week… suddenly Geoff hears a familiar sound from childhood… THE MUSIC FROM THE ICE CREAM TRUCK! I told him he had to let her experience something we had from our childhood so out they went to greet the “truck”. Needless to say it was not as cool as our day in time but still it had ice cream and she loved it!
Yea… Geoff said the guy looked like a “carnie” and I agree.
She was still happy with the sour popsicle! And most of it got melted away anyhow!
But she still got a green tongue!
Backtrack to yesterday… Father’s Day and our 12th Anniversary
Yesterday was our 12th Anniversary. We have decided to celebrate it next weekend together since it was also Father’s Day and not to mention that Geoff’s back started acting up on Saturday and we ended up in Urgent Care that afternoon. But it was still a very nice Father’s Day and Anniversary. God has brought Geoff and me together and together we will raise her to love and cherish him as we do.
I did manage to get a few pictures when Mom and Dad brought Lj home from church with them. I love to see Lexi with her grandparents. I miss my own grandparents and am so happy Lexi has all of hers to love. I just wish that Lexi could have spent her day with her YeYe and Grandma as well.
(And on a side note… Thanks Lanie for the dress! It’s two years since you gave it to us but the wait was worth the wait! She was so cute in it and just thought she was a princess for sure!)
And then a pictures with Nana and Papa!
And finally with her dear Daddy!
What did any of us do without her? Thank God he brought her to us!
Swimming Lessons 2011
Last Friday, I signed Lj up for swimming lessons. We played in the pool on Friday after my water aerobics class to make sure she was okay with the pool. She thought it was “beau-T-ful” and was looking forward to swimming lessons. So today we got ready and headed to the YMCA (Or ABC as Lj sometimes calls it!) She was doing just fine testing the water before lessons until the instructor Mr. Drew came over and took her into the deeper water. From then on it was just horrible! I struggled as I watched trying to figure out where real fear came from, whether it was the unfamiliar man holding her or her fear of being away from her Mommy who is her protector. I eventually let mother instincts take over and headed into the pool. I did not want her to leave the pool afraid. I wanted to make sure she knew that I would be there to soothe her and protect her so we stayed at least 45 minutes after I took her out of the class. No way am I willing to give up on her learning to swim. With us living so close to the water, it is so important and I know our little miss will be an awesome swimmer one day with patience and time.
Here she is before she got scared by Mr. Drew testing the water without a care.
T-ball
Okay… so Lj and Brennen are on the Reds Team. We missed all pre-game practices and began with the first game. Lexi immediately began with her “nervous” look (i.e. tongue hanging out of open mouth). During the first game she would virtually do nothing. Geoff had to help her bat and pretty much drag her from base to base. She does not like her uniform. In NO way is it a pretty dress! We had practice last Thursday and she did a bit better. On the other hand, the shy Brennen came alive and was the star of the practice! So last Saturday on game two, Lj announced that she could do it “all by myself!”. That lasted until we arrived on the field. She and Brennen took turns deciding who would participate. Needless to say they were not the only 3 and 4 year olds who had moments of showing who was really in charge! We were actually proud that by the end of the “game” Lexi was running more on her own. One thing is for sure, Brennen can whack that ball with the best of them! Lexi on the other hand would probably do better if she could wear a pretty dress while hitting and running! She is the smallest player on any team that we have seen so far so we just take that as one reason to be intimidated! LOL! Game 3 is coming up on Saturday… maybe the third time will be the charm!
A few picts to help catch up
I’m beginning to think catching up is just impossible! I’m going to attempt to post a few pictures of our vacation and do an update. My computer is bogged down to a pace of beyond slow most likely due to the enormous pic files that I have loaded.
These are from our Sesame Place Visit:
Cookie Monster Breakfast:
Meeting Ernie
Meeting Burt … (he definitely is NOT her favorite!)
Meeting Abby!!! (Lexi’s favorite!!)
Meeting Big Bird! (He is really big!!)
And after breakfast we went on the coolest Carousel with Grandma and YeYe…
And later having a tea-party with YeYe and Daddy…
And finally meeting Elmo!
We had a GREAT time at Sesame Place and can’t wait to go back. Of course there are more fun photos but if I’m really catching up… I have to stop somewhere!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Welcome June, even if it is already half the way through!
Gracious where does the time go?? I officially began the summer vacation on June 2nd. We flew off to Virginia that day and spent a week with family and having fun. We have been back a week now and slowly things are settling in for a summer schedule. I’ve now been to the YMCA 3 whopping times! Lexi loves it and now thinks of it as her new school. I guess it is especially appealing since she only spends a little more than an hour there but nevertheless, she really loves it! I’ve been working out and trying to get into a routine. I already have shin splints from over working but am not letting it slow me down.
However, we have been slowed down by car issues! On Saturday right after Lj’s first t-ball game, our Xterra just shut off while driving. We learned today that it was the timing belt and a few minor other issues and $593 later, we now have the old truck back. This leads me to my story of the evening…
Yesterday on the way to the Y, Lj got into Uncle John’s car (my old Mercedes) and very dramatically said, “This car is BEAU-tiful!!! It smells like Apple Pie!”. Okay… so have we ever fed her Apple Pie??? That would be a NO! But yet the story continues…
The next time we get in the car, she no longer likes it. Now she does NOT like it because it “smells like Apple Pie”. Trust me it does not!! If only we could figure out where she gets this stuff!
I’ll post pictures of our vacation in VA and PA as well as first t-ball picts in the next few days! Needless to say, the entire summer so far has been memorable Lj style!