Learned to Swim!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Walker learned to swim! I had Walker wearing his float suit to swim since last summer and he always did great putting his face in and kicking but I never enrolled him in swim lessons. Just thought that as long as he was comfortable in the water that was good for now considering I couldn't get in the pool because of Elle this summer. He was doing such good kicking lately that I thought maybe we should see what he did without his float suit. So on Saturday Adam, Walker, Elle and I went up to the pool together - I stay in the shade with Elle and Adam gets in the pool with Walker. Adam backed away like 5 feet from Walker sitting on the stairs and told him to swim to him. We had no idea what he would do and he definitely surprised and amazed us. He pushed off the side put his face in and swam right to Adam and then proceeded to swim to him and back to the wall for the next 3 hours included using his arms for "freestyle". He even jumped off the diving board a couple of times and swam to the ladder.

It reminded me a lot of potty training with Walker. I never wanted it to be a struggle so I put it off for some time just waiting for him and one day he was ready and we went from diapers one day to underwear the next and never looked back! So we had a happy child and happy mama!

Walker then proceeded to go around the pool and tell anyone within 5 feet of him that "I can swim without my float suit" (yelled in a high pitch excited scream).

I'll post a photo once I am brave enough to lug a 4 month old, 4 year old, stroller, pool gear and my camera to the pool by myself!

Way to go Walker we are so proud of you!

Doesn't everyone have to get in one last skateboard before bed?

Fresh and clean post bath and skateboarding in the house one last time before nighty night...

4 months already!

There are times that I wish time would stand still and this is definitely one of those times. 4 months is such a blessed age. She pretty much adores anything that we do and smiles constantly at us. Just this morning Elle was giggling up a storm and I look over the kitchen counter to see Walker swinging Elle in her jumperoo - a little too high for me but Elle thought it was probably the most fun she has had EVER! I guess little girls with big brothers learn quickly to be tough and adventurous.

My sweet Elle how wonderful you have made the past four months...even with the sleep deprivation I am just over the moon in love with you.

You are starting to sit up and have become good at pushing your self up on your belly. No rolling yet. If you have had too much tummy time you bury your little face in the blanket and eat it or eat on your hands until I come and plop you onto your back. You love to breastfeed and recently decided the bottle was just not going to happen even though you have taken one occasionally since about a week old - hopefully that changes before mama's girls' weekend in July! You are such a trooper hanging out in the heat at the swimming pool as big brother swims and swims the day away. You still love to be swaddled to sleep and like your soothie pacifiers when you are falling asleep. You chew on your hands but either haven't found your thumb or aren't interested in it.

Love you my little angel!

Like brother, like sister

Walker

Elle

Elle Belle!

my little blue-eyed drooler !

gerber baby!

my little roly poly! oh how I love those rolls!

1st time in jumperoo

Oh my sweet little Elle! We got down the exersaucer and jumperoo this past Sunday to "try" out. Little did I know that once you were able to play in them you would refuse sitting in the bumbo, bouncy or papasan! Yes, sweet girl you LOVE to stand and would probably stand all day if I would hold your hands. You are slowly getting the jumping part in the jumperoo but mostly you twirl around in circles and eat your hands or the seat. You love when we pant like a dog and laugh with the sweetest smile every time we do it! You love when momma sings you "bushel & peck" and daddy sings you "over the rainbow". You are definitely a momma's girl and tend to cry whenever anyone else has you - usually you are fine with daddy but sometimes momma is the only one you want. I love being the one that is there to comfort and snuggle you but do wish that you would allow all of your aunties and grammy to love on you too! You still love your bath time and have become quite the expert at soaking the countertops, cabinets and momma during your bath time. You just started to really notice Walker in the past month and laughed at him for the first time last week - he was hitting a balloon in the air over and over and every time he hit the balloon you would just belly laugh like it was the funniest thing! You also thought it was really funny the other day when we were outside teaching Walker to swing and every time I said "kick em out and back" you would squeal with laughter. I just can't get enough of you sometimes. I want to snuggle on you - which I have been lately because you have decided its fun to wake up in the middle of the night 3 sometimes 4 times lately so I pull you into bed with me and you sleep the night away not waking up. I went in to get you at 1:30 last night and you had escaped one arm out of your miracle blanket and were so proud! The minute I peeked over at you in your crib you squealed with delight and kicked your legs. It was cute and would have been even cuter at around 7:30 instead of 1:30! :) I love you my sweet elle belle!

Walker's 3 year old preschool class

"Mom maybe Elle got a pricker (sticker) in her foot." - why she woke up crying from her nap per Walker

"Dad, look at this lion puff" - lion cub

"I have this weapon - look at me wep things with it mom."

"When I get to Valley Oaks my mom is getting me a helicopter" - told to his cousin Jack.

"Momma your brown eyes are beautiful too." - told to me after I told him how beautiful his blue eyes were

"I spy with my little eye something brown eyes and its on your face. Can you guess it momma?"

How I love you Walker! Mrs. Walstead wrote you a thank you note from the last day of school and my favorite part of it was how she told you that she loved your imagination - and boy do I too! You always have a story to tell us and you continually look outside of the box to describe things. I hope that this stays with you sweet boy!