The first swimming lesson

Well, today was the day!   Togs were put on 20 minutes before we had to leave, hair was french plaited to keep it off their faces..it was all very exciting.  Daddy gave them a wee pep talk on the way there about being good and listening to the teacher, trying our best and not being silly together.  We got to the pool, and watched the classes before us finish up their lesson.  First signs of things to come - Jaimee watched wide eyed and interested....Kate turned her back and hid in daddy's knee.   Hmm....

 Kristy (their teacher) came over and introduced herself, and the girls happily went with her and sat on the side of the pool.  No tears so far, yay! Marty and I settled back to watch the fun.  Jaimee hopped in the pool with the other little girls when asked, all confidence and full of bounce.  Kate burst into tears.  Poor Kristy ended up with Kate wrapped tightly around her waist for the first half of the lesson.  I think the depth of the pool might have put her off a bit - it took a while before she would venture off the 'shelf' into the deeper water at her daycare pool too.

We looked at each other is disbelieve...then sighed and off I went over to the side of the pool for cheerleading duty.  Kate sobbed, but  I managed to pry her off Kristy's hip so that she could do her job with the other kids, and then Kristy took my lead, encouraging Kate to walk beside her.

 Jaimee, on the other hand blew us away with the way she joined in!  I think she quite liked the other little girls in the group, and took her lead from them.  She was bouncing around in the water like a kangaroo, and everything Kristy asked her to do, she did with not one complaint.  Who is this child?!
It made us laugh when the teacher was getting the kids to starfish float serenely, as she pulled them along by their hands.  The other kids starfished beautifully, but not our Jaimee: she was going to show off her best kicking skills (and by kicking, I mean hitting the water so hard that the parents got wet on the sideline)!


Kate didn't put her face in the water, but eventually she did let Kristy pull her along in the water.  I guess that's one small step right?! Our plan backfired really - we had only booked Kate in because we thought she would give Jaimee the confidence to participate if her sister was with her.  And now the tables had turned completely! If Kate doesn't do better next week, we will pull her out until she turns 5 like plan A was.  Hmm..

The Art of Rolling

Luke has finally mastered the art of rolling - watch out world!  He thinks he is the most clever 5 month old ever.  

 Here he is doing his sit ups - trying to find me...but nope, not that way Luke!  He soon spots me at his head after his look around.

Hmm...how can i get to mum? Oh, thats right - I CAN ROLL!  Swinging his legs around with a lot of huffing and puffing (hard work, this rolling), he finally gets enough leverage to get himself over.

 Check out the grin he gives me when he masters the roll...utter pride right there!

The "I-am-so-cool,-I-did-it!" proud look says it all!

 ..and now that he can get on his tummy, he is seeing the world from a whole new point of view.  Toys become accessible! Mmm yummy....

..so now we wait for that baby fat to roll itself away!? My Lukey-duke is so clever.

Labour day bliss

Labour day for our family felt like something out of a disney movie.  Or an Enid Blyton book.  

We were off to a good start when the night before, the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup in a nail biting, intense final which had even me (and that is saying something) gripped to my seat yelling at the screen.  The relief when we won after all the build up and anticipation was awesome for the whole country.  It took a while to wind down from that one!

So when we woke up to one of our famous Hawkes Bay sunshining days, I just knew it was going to be great.  All the kids piled into our bed and eventually managed to get daddy up to make yummo waffles and smoothies for us all.  It is such a treat to have a day where we can chill out like that in the mornings, have breakfast after 9am and eat together....ahhh family bliss.

I suggested the park since we hadn't really done any outings the whole school holidays (the weather didn't behave and the kids wanted to play at home).   Sitting on a picnic blanket with Luke looking very spunky in his sunglasses, watching Marty play with the girls....as I said, it felt like the perfect family picture.  Love it.

 Should have taken my book, but actually it was nice just to watch the girls with Marty by my side and my beautiful baby cooing beside me.  We giggled together as the girls decided to hold hands and skip around a tree, playing "Here we go round the mouldy bush"!  Next it was sweeping with old branches and then climbing trees.  I love the park.

When we got home, the girls got into togs for the first time this season and played on the slip 'n' slide while I paused the family time and raced into church for a quick meeting.

As soon as I got back home (and fed Luke), it was off for our next family adventure - to the driving range (yep, Marty suggested that one!).  The girls LOVE the driving range - they get to use wee little golf clubs and daddy shows them how to whack the ball with it....Jaimee can make contact with the ball and hits a few metres away now by herself...this is a great way to get Marty to spend time with the girls, because he is holding on to the dream of them turning pro and earning a fortune.  I had fun too, I beat my personal best distance a few times, and my girls watch with big eyes and think mummy is the best ever...if only they knew!  100 balls is only $12, so it was a great cheap outing for us all.

I was not ready to end this fantasy family day just yet, so I spelt out to Marty what I wanted to do next so the kids couldn't whinge if he said nope....I do realise eventually Jaimee is going to be able to spell, dreading that day!  So to end the day, we headed over to Napier for hot chicken on the beach.  Half the Hawkes Bay was in this favourite haunt, I don't think anyone wanted to be inside at home on this glorious day.  We ran into a few friends we hadn't seen for ages which was really nice.  

It was a great day....here's to many more!

Swimming Assessment Meltdown

Oh. My. Goodness.

Marty and I had decided ages ago that when the kids turn 5 we will start them in swimming lessons, being the great parents that we are.  Well, Jaimee turned 5 and so I, being the wonderfully organised mummy that I am, rang the swimming centre.

"I want to book my 5 year old into lessons please"
"ok...can she float on her back"
"ummm....."
"why don't you bring her in and we will do an assessment on her"

Right.  So we gathered the new togs, the goggles and the towel up and off we went (dropping Luke off at Granmas on the way - 2 kids is bad enough to take to the pools, let alone 3!) for a swimming assessment.

Let's just stop right there and explain something about Jaimee.  She is not so great at coping with anything new.  For example, this is how the first few weeks of school went:
First time doing PE outside.....Cried, wouldn't do it.
First time going to assembly..... Cried, teacher had to hold her through it.
First time going to the library.....Cried, would only go with the teacher aide, not the buddy.
Cross Country.....Cried, daddy had to run with her the whole way round.

....you get the picture.  So I gave her a lovely pep talk on the way to the pools.  I kindly explained that she would be in the pool and the lady would ask her to do some things and that she was to try her best.  We discussed a "can do" attitude, and that even if she couldn't do it, she must try her very best.  Jaimee agreed happily all the way this speech happily.

So she gets to the pools, gets changed and the lovely lady shows her how to get safely in the pool.  All good, and I start to relax.  Then the lovely lady asks Jaimee if she can blow bubbles in the water.

Pause here: Before Jaimee had her hip operations, I took the girls to the pools every week.  Jaimee was able to swim with a kickboard, head in the water, blowing bubbles etc - all the way down the ADULT length pool.  After her casts came off, she had physio in the hospital pool and she went to a daycare which had an indoor heated pool (i know, that is SO cool eh?).  So basically blowing bubbles is nothing new for this girl....

Back to the story: Jaimee looked at the lovely lady and burst into tears.  And that was that.  The teacher looked to me with a "help" face.  I got down and encouraged Jaimee to blow bubbles, just like at Rascals.  Wailing, Jaimee replied "ITS COOOOLLLLD".  I felt the water.  It was like a bath.  More encouraging followed.  The lovely lady suggested to Jaimee that she show her what she did at Rascals in the water.   Jaimee ignored her and continued the loud sobbing. The lovely lady and her peer looked at each other.  I could tell they weren't quite sure about this child.  I apologised profuslely, and started some other tactics.  I tried the old bribe (I will give you a lolly bracelet if you do as she asks).  More tears.  I tried being firm (Come on Jaimee, do as you are told please).  More tears.  I almost tried threatening that if she didn't do as she was asked then there would be no lessons....but then I remembered that I really want her to do lessons.

In the end, we got her out. Lovely lady suggested that they would pop Jaimee into a preschoolers class to begin with( since they had no clue what she could do).  Lovely lady also suggested a Saturday morning class with only 2 other kids in it (since she is clearly going to be a handful for the poor teacher).

We went to get dressed, Jaimee still in tears because, after all, she really did want a lolly bracelet.  "Mummy, I will do it, I will listen this time".  Back into the togs.  Back in the pool.  The lovely lady tentatively returned and asked her to duck under the water.  No problem.  LOTS of "Good girls" from lovely lady.  Now Jaimee swims across the pool with a kickboard. Great!  Ok, so she didn't hold the kickboard at the bottom like she was asked, but we have progress. I start to relax.  Lovely lady asks the big question next.....can you float on your back.  Jaimee looks at her.  Lovely lady says that she will support her, just to try.  Jaimee bursts into tears. Sigh.  Out we get again.

I think you get the picture.  Stay tuned to find out how her first lesson next Saturday goes....I bet the swimming instructors are looking forward to it just as much as I am!!!

Ramblings of a housewife

Yesterday Marty woke me up with a grin "Off to work, you are the breadwinner today!".

He had lovingly decided to take the day off so he could hang out with the girls (plus their friend who was coming over) during the school holidays while I worked.  Now, Marty taking a day off means just that.  A day off.  At home. Relaxing, spending time with the kids.  I actually go to work on Monday to do the same thing as he stays home to do (I am blessed to be in a job where Luke is one of my charges!).

Anyway, so when I asked him to turn the vege garden over and pull out a pesky Ivy...you would think I had just asked him to paint the entire house in a day or something. Seriously! I don't think men really realise just how much us housewifes do when we are at home.

For example, so far today (I am on a lunch break) I have fed and dressed all three kids, dusted the house, moped the floors, cleaned the bathroom, washed and hung out 2 loads of washing, ordered the groceries, helped the kids on their internet games, fed the baby (again) , sorted out at least 2 arguments...oh and I did manage to shower and feed myself by 10am!!!!  I still have to get petrol, purchase vegetable punnets and then plant them, make lunches and dinner, update the photo albums and fill 300 loot bags tonight for the kids event I am running in October.  Whew!

Well done Marty though - he did attempt the vine, turn the garden over and gets bonus points for edging the lawns without being asked to.  He also took the kids to the park so daddy rocks big time....Oh and he made dinner while I sorted the kids clothing out for the zillionth time. Not too bad for a man really!

 I did giggle though when I asked him to read the kids bedtime stories while I folded the washing and his reply was "Don't you want to spend time with your children after being at work all day?!".....
HAHAHAHA talk about role reversal eh?!

Sunday with Gum-Gum

Ahh I love Sunday afternoons, they always have a nice lazy slow feeling to them.  This weekend my Gum-Gum (translation: Gran-mum) was here from Masterton, so it was lunch at my mum's house today with her. Here is Gum Gum and her great-grandson Luke (looking very related with matching slight frowns here!)

 I asked Gum-Gum today what she does during her week, and she told me she is always frustrated because she likes to read the paper, but everytime she picks it up she nods off to sleep.  So she gets up with her walker, goes to the kitchen and potters around to wake herself up.  Then she sits back down to try again and immediately starts drifting to sleep once more! I had a giggle at this, the drama's of being 85! 

Meanwhile, the kids went out to the back porch and had turns being "Hi-5", singing and dancing on the 'stage' while the other one copied the actions from below.  The next Mariah Carey? Perhaps not, but they had lots of fun!

 

The lyrics were a mixture of the Hi-5 theme song and their own songwriting skills: "click your fingers...yeah yeah...if you can't click... then just hop or do whatever you waaannt"... very meaningful songwriting there!

Then It was off home with 3 very tired little ones to watch Bambi again - they are fascinated with the part where the hunter kills the mummy deer - seriously, Disney movies are a bit terrifying!  It is making me laugh though - Bambi is calling "mother, mother" with that sad music playing...and then Jaimee yells out to the TV "She's dead Bambi!" hehehehe.

And now I am gearing up to watch the All Blacks play Australia in the RWC quarter final tonight on the big screen at church...I don't know the rules (i just know they need to break through the line of buff guys in the other colour and then run like mad with the ball across the line) but am loving the team spirit in NZ right now: GO THE ALL BLACKS!

Two girls and a sunny spring evening...

I got sidetracked on the computer (like I often do!) and realised that the girls hadn't demanded me for the last  hour... all was quiet in the house....where were they?

I walked outside and found this adorable scene...

 hhDay 5 of the school holidays, and the family play is still going strong in our house.  This time it involved everything from the playroom being transported outside (never mind that it was 5pm at this stage!) for a lovely dinner party.

   Jaimee spotted me, skipped away to the swing set singing "It's a lovely day...lalalala" and performed her favourite gymnastics trick for the camera.

This is the conversation I overheard:

 "Mum, can I eat now" asked Kate (obviously the child). 

Meanwhile, Jaimee does her hair while grumbling (in an american accent - her favourite mummy voice for some reason):"why do you always take your hair out".

 I love how they are best friends, it is like having a friend over every single waking moment ...if they are both at home, they are together. Always. Long may this friendship last! 

Luke's New Tricks

Luke has been working hard on two new tricks.  He is almost rolling over - but apparently it is much easier to just bend around double, with your head almost to your butt, to reach things or to take a nosy at the TV.  

 His other new "extreme-concentration-required" trick is that he is attempting to control his hands.  It is always one of my favourite things to watch, as a baby suddenly cottons on to the idea that his hands are attached to his body and (gasp of wonder) he can actually tell them what to do!!!  Here he is looking in a mirror and trying to touch that handsome baby inside.

 Look mum!!! I can hold a toy!! And it tastes good too!

Below is magical though: a combination of two toys.  Luke worked out that if he wacked the snail mirror with the wooden toy in his hand, it made music!  His eyes went so wide the first time he did this...it was priceless!  

Cool tricks huh? My baby boy is growing so fast....

My babies

Here is my "Lukey-Duke" (4 and 1/2 months old) and here are the best buddies, Jaimee and Kate, on Jaimee's first day of school.

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School holiday bliss

Jaimee declared last night that "she hates school mummy"....translation: she loves the holidays!

It is day 3 of our first "school" holidays, and not one big fight between the kids yet....Jaimee and Kate are loving the chance to just chill out at home and play together - there is an ongoing game between them that has lasted two days now..it seems to be a cross between schools/families/animals/shops!  Anyway, they are having a great time which is all that matters....and the best bit is that Luke is loving the chance to sleep in his own bed without being dragged out for school runs - he is sleeping 3 hours at a stretch!  Meanwhile, I still have housework to do, but I have managed to start this journal and read the odd chapter of my book too.
...Pity i still have to work in the holidays, but Jaimee is excited because she is coming with me tomorrow, going to a friends house on Friday, and has daddy staying home with her on Monday! Ahhh the joy of being 5!

And so it begins....

I have been enjoying the blogspot that one of my friends writes on her family, and I love her reasons for writing one: so that she has a record of all those precious moments to keep for her and her family to look back on over the years.  So I thought I could give this a go too.....