Lake Day 2013

Last Friday we were invited to the Lake to hang out with our friends. With Mr. JCrew's school schedule, we haven't been able to see them as often as we use to.

Little JCrew loved Baby Marley.

Georgia Grace showed love to Little JCrew, but he had moved on to trying on hats.

Little JCrew has gone with us every year. His first year was in my belly. Last year he loved the boat.

Little JCrew had no fear of going on the boat ramp.

I was nervously watching.

This year was Mr. Brigglesworth first time seeing the water. We haven't gone to the beach yet with him, so he's only seen the pool water, but he loves water in general.

He was not fond of the life jacket.

He kept arching back.

He'd eventually fall asleep, but not without fighting.

Neither of the boys wanted to nap with all the excitement going on. They finally crashed while we were floating by the dock.

I got Little JCrew to go out on the tube with me.

He never cried, but you could tell he was nervous.

Most of the time he stared back at the waves we were making.

Mr. JCrew got his turn out there. 

He was sweet to let me go first, because he knew that was my one and only chance.

It was a really fun day creating memories.

Little JCrew looked so cute in his life jacket.

 

That boy can tan. He’s got the Jenson skin!

I feel so at home on the water. It brings Florida a little closer to me.

When the day was winding down, the kids came in to watch a movie.

They were glued!!

Thank you, Julie and Robert for being such great hosts. Our ‘Small Group’ just keeps getting bigger!

Swimming Lessons 2013

Little JCrew took swimming lessons this summer at the local YMCA. 

Thank you, Erica, for the great picture!

We just wrapped up the last lesson this past Saturday.

I signed up for the once a week on Saturday’s class for thirty minutes. It ended up being eight weeks of classes.

The first week did not go so well. He was all excited about the water. He walked into the kiddie pool just fine. 

But I made the mistake of taking off his water shoes and he fell. He bumped his head and I think it got him upset. This all happened BEFORE the class started!

So, the first class was a mess. He was getting over strep throat and we were forcing the potty training, that he was just not happy about being told to do things in the water. There were a lot of upset children, but mine was the one screaming!

It was a battle of wills. I whispered to him that he was not going to win, so he needed to stop screaming. During his screams, I noticed he had three new teeth coming in! Score. Add that to the list of reasons to be unhappy.

I dreaded going to the lessons the next week. Yet, I was hopeful at the same time. Maybe he would remember how much he loved the pool last year. When swim lessons started, our neighborhood pool was not yet open. I knew if I could get him in our pool I could remind him how fun the pool is.

Sure enough, my mom and I took him to the pool the week it opened and Little JCrew loved it! 

He let me help him practice all the swim tricks we learned. I was smiling so big, and so was he!

The pool didn’t open until we were four weeks into lessons, but the next four weeks were great!!

He performed all the tricks and didn’t scream!

The week that they put on life vests and got in a boat was my favorite. While everyone else hated the boat, he loved it!

It was a proud moment.

He looked so cute in the vest.

Mr. Brigglesworth came every day to watch his brother.

He was always on his best behavior.

On the tough days that Little JCrew screamed, I thought of switching which kid was taking the lessons! Mr. Brigglesworth would have loved it.

On the very last day, they got to go down the slide.

This slide peaked Little JCrew’s interest since Day One. I always had to tell him it was closed. He was the first one to go down the slide.

He immediately turned onto his stomach.

Mr. JCrew didn’t realize he could go down the slide after Little JCrew. Instead, he walked back down the stairs. Darn! Fun opportunity missed.

I think Little JCrew liked the slide, but didn’t, all at the same time. 

After the slide, it went downhill.

For Graduation Day, they turned on the water features in the kiddie area.

It was slightly scary. Waves and falling water from buckets… he was not a fan.

We liked the class and are glad we attended. Yes, we have a pool, but that doesn’t mean we know how to rescue a child correctly. I know how to swim and can teach my kids, but now I know how to carry a child in deep water without drowning myself in the process.

And Little JCrew has an appropriate level of fear for water. I’m surprised he doesn’t just jump right in. It’s kind of funny to watch pool goers get nervous when Little JCrew walks around the pool. They think he’s a wild and curious fellow. While he may be both, I have yet to see him run into the pool. 

And speaking of running. When he DOES start to run at the pool, all I have to say is, “March, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.” He immediately starts marching! It works every time!

I hope you have a great weekend!