June 20, 2013

(click here for today's pictures)
Swim Buddies!

Swim Buddies!
  • I mentioned yesterday that my kids were tired...and they sure were.  The first ones to wake up this morning stirred around 8:45 and the next 3 started waking up at 9:15.  That never happens!  Too bad it wasn't a weekend!  
  • Poor Graham coughed last night until we just brought him into our bedroom and made him a pallet on the floor.  Robby, Graham and Campbell all have a bit of the crud-Graham probably has it the worst though.  But after being in our room, he slept fine-or at least he didn't keep us awake.  He did ask for me to cover him up one time and I said "do it yourself."  Kidding, actually he scared me standing by my bed in the middle of the night so I jumped up and then happily covered him up!
  • Other than breakfast, we didn't really have any time to do anything else before it was time to leave.  We loaded up and dropped off Keaton and Whitman at Grannymom's house and then to swim lessons day 3.
  • I gave Campbell a good reminder of proper behavior.  But I really should have given that reminder to Graham.  I could tell that he really wasn't paying attention, shaking his head no and continued to flick the water with his fingers.  I went to the edge and told him to work hard but soon he was in front of me asking for his goggles.  I took them to him and told his teacher that if I needed to talk to him to let me know and she said that she was a kindergarten teacher so no worries.  After a potty break a few minutes later, Graham was then on his A game and back to his self.  I assumed that it was his cold but after swim lessons his teacher told me that on Tuesday the helper had him swim across the pool without telling him (she thought he had been doing that) and this bothered him (I hadn't noticed).  So she said that she had to gain his trust back this morning.  
  • Next up was Reagan and Anderson's lesson.  Reagan spent most of her time working on swimming the freestyle.  Reagan had been telling me that she wanted to learn how to swim on top of the water and I told her to ask her teacher.  Now, I don't know if she asked or if this was just the next step for her.  I saw Reagan once stop swimming today and grab at her goggles.  Later she said that it happened 3 times and continued saying that the lady had to grab her because she couldn't swim with the goggles messed up.  I tried to explain to her to not stop swimming until she reached the edge!
  • Last swim day, I had been worried about Anderson and his asthma.  Today I sat there worrying about his self esteem.  That boy told the lady "I can't" more times than he tried anything.  He would eventually do what she asked but it would take him 5 minutes to work up enough courage to get off the edge of the pool.  Later swim teacher told me that he has it and knows how to do his breath.  And she continued to say that she just had to convince him that he could do it. 
  • After lessons, I quickly dropped the kids off at Grannymom's house and ran to Walmart and Kroger.  First stop was to pick up snake away powder.  There were 2 choices so I obviously bought the larger and more expensive kind-I don't want to take any chances with my snake friend coming back!  Then it was grocery shopping time and then back to get the kids.
  • The kids had eaten lunch, played outside and even had a snack or two while I was gone.  Lilly and Cash were there too so the house was busy with 8 kids-I really tried to hurry on my shopping trip since that is quite a few kiddos!  
  • Back at home the kids helped me unload the van and then watched a movie.  Yesterday when they started watching a movie, Whitman was in the room sleeping.  He woke up so I quickly moved him to the bathroom thinking he might go back to sleep.  He didn't and started fussing.  Since he was in his bouncy, I just moved him back into my bedroom with the kids.  I put him where he could see all the kids because he likes watching everything.  A few minutes later, I walked back through the room and  his bouncy was turned so he was sitting in front of the tv in between Reagan and Campbell.  Soon everyone started migrating outside and Anderson and Whitman were the only ones left in the house.  Anderson is great about always turning off the tv and turning the lights off when he leaves a room but when I went back in the house to check on Whitman, the lights and tv were still on.  I figure that Anderson just assumed Whitman was watching tv and left it on for him!
  • Today we all ended up outside as well-I think that Robby and I love our yard just about as much as the kids do.  Everyone was pushed on at least one swing, lots of bike riding around the entire house, a bit of rock picking up and even a game of "horse" before popsicles.  
  • Back in the house, it was baths and showers for all.  Then we had supper-well, the kids had supper and then they cleaned while Robby and I had supper.  "Cleaning" is probably a pretty strong word-they picked up the toy room and school room.  
  • And then the highlight of the day for Reagan was watching the The American Baking Competition-the kids sat oh so quietly (well, 4 out of 6 is pretty good) watching that show.  Reagan begged me to have a competition like that at home.  And Anderson said that he wanted to be a sampler!