Coloring

Isabele has become a colorer!  She found a very old coloring book that was mine in high school.  She sits quietly and colors away.  Maybe next time we go to the store for a treat, I'll let her pick out her own coloring book.

First Week of Swimming Lessons

Isabele's class is Monday mornings.  She went to her first class without me and made it through the whole class!!  (with only 1 bought of crying).  Poor girl was expecting the same teacher from Mommy and me classes last spring.  To her (and my) great surprise, she has Spencer, a very nice young man.  If you know anything about Miss Isabele, you know that men are not her favorites at this age.  But, she made it through.  I had to dry her off about 15 minutes into her lesson because she was cold.  Then I coxed her back in the pool with "why don't you show Spencer how you can use the marshmallow stick.  I bet he doesn't think you can."  That worked and she finished the lesson all smiles!

Titus' class is Wednesday afternoons.  We decided to move him up a level to Eel, since he progressed so well this summer in the lake.  He also has Spencer for his teacher.  I prepped him A LOT, in hopes of getting him to do as well as I know he can.  It worked.  He had a great time and even told me, while shivering at the end of the 30 minutes, "that was pretty great". 

I don't think I'm going to have to bribe either of them to get them to go back next week.

Swimming Progress!!

Titus swam on his very own, without flotation devices of any sort yesterday, August 19, 2011!!!!!  He has come so far this summer with his comfort level in the water and his swimming abilities.  I am so glad that I pushed him when he didn't want to get in the lake.  We did not do any formal swimming lessons this summer, just lots of time in the lake at Bia's and a little bit of time at Pike Lake.  Titus will also run from the seawall, all the way down the pier and jump in without any flotation devices (the lake is low and he can just touch at the end of the pier right now).

Formal swimming resumes Sept 12th at the Y for both kids. 

Isabele is continuing to learn with her swimming also.  She's very comfortable paddling around with 3 bricks on her bubble (down from 4).  She willingly puts her face all the way in and will float on her back with help.  She's working on jumping in, but still needs at least 2 fingers to help.  She's just starting to be able to jump on dry ground and get both feet off the ground.

And Evening of Crying Kids

This happened 2 weeks ago, and I'm just now getting around to putting it in the blog...

Just came downstairs to bed. I had heard Isabele start crying while taking out my contacts and brushing my teeth. By the time I got downstairs she was sobbing, in her bed, "mommy mommy mommy".  She had my nightgown. She must have been really scared after going in my room to get me and only finding my empty nightgown on the bed. Poor kid.
Brian was out of town for the night, so I just put her in bed with me since she was so upset.

Swimming

It's been hot this last week.  "Heat Wave" in the papers.  So, we have been swimming every afternoon for over a week.  Once at Pike Lake and the rest of the time at my mothers. 
On Thursday, swimming finally clicked with my kids!!  They are now pretty much fearless of jumping off the pier and putting their faces in the water.
Titus will run and jump off the end of the pier without being caught, just retrieved!  He jumps in, and then comes doggie paddling back to the top.  No tears, no fussing about water in his face.
Isabele runs and then needs hands to jump (she can't jump and get both feet off the ground yet).
Isabele will swim about a foot underwater in the shallow areas.  Titus does a great job of putting his marshmallow stick behind his head and floating on his back.  He also does a super job with front kicking with his face all the way in the water and kicking his feet and blowing bubbles! 
I think Isabele's favorite thing, after jumping off the pier, is to float around with the marshmallow stick under her armpits.
It is amazing how comfortable they have gotten in the water in this past week.  Having the lake warmer than bathwater this week has helped a lot.

Isabele's Take on the Crucifixion

Isabele rode to church with me today.  Titus went with Brian.  So, Isabele had no competition for the ride.  She had her "Bible" (Jesus for Children) with her.    Here's what I heard from the back seat:

Peter James and John.
Jesus didn't want to be alive anymore.  He wanted to go to Heaven and Hell.  So he died and went to Heaven...He didn't want to be there.  He wanted to go to Hell...
(At least I know she pays attention.  And I know she will get the details sorted out as she gets a little older.)
I love the voice she uses when she is "reading" the Bible.  She acts very serious and really works on explaining what's going on in the pictures.  Her favorite story is Jesus Loves the Little Children.

Description of a Fruit

Keep in mind, this is Titus' description at age 4 1/2 to Isabele (both are oblivious to my listening in).

It's kind of like an apple and a pear.  And the inside is like lemonade.

You can have a bite, but don't eat it all. 
The sticker is kind of yucky, so don't eat that.


And the answer is.....(I'd put it upside down and backwards, but not sure exactly how that would work on the computer)...PLUM