Why am I so excited to have dirt for a yard? Well, because it's no longer weeds! Better still, I now have an operating automatic sprinkler system for said dirt....
Our yard is finally being put in. Dare I believe that after having lived here a year we are actually within days of having grass... trees... bushes... a real yard?! (Last year's focus was finishing the basement, and this year it has been building the new house and preparing the rental to be sold - not much time for the yard.) The kids will now have their own yard to play in - no longer having to go to Grandma's when we want to enjoy a yard.
"Kids, why don't you go outside to play?" Ahhh, music to my ears!
I just may survive this summer after all!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Breakthrough!
I was ready to throw in the towel on Kylie's swimming lessons. She cried huge alligator tears at the very mention of them and begged me not to make her go. I tried to be very understanding of her, validating her feelings and telling her how wonderful it was that she was being so brave to try something that scared her so much. I reminded her that Carolyn was afraid at first, too, and Kylie is well aware at how much Carolyn loves to swim now.
Nothing I could say would console her. I resorted to shameless bribery. I offered her all sorts of goods. There is a swimming suit at Target she has had her eye on for months! However, she already has about four suits, so I have resisted spending money on yet another when she doesn't need it. Still, I told her she could earn that suit by continuing her lessons. I think she was oh-so-briefly tempted by this offer, but nothing could persuade her to willingly continue her lessons.
I had to wrestle her into her suit today and strap her into her car seat as she cried buckets. By the end of the ~7 minute drive I had come up with a solution that sort of worked. I was going to ask Debbie, the teacher, if Carolyn could take Kylie's spot in the class (even though Carolyn passed Level 1 long ago). That way at least I would be getting something for my money (more pool time - which equals fun - for Carolyn).
When we got there I told Kylie I would see about letting Carolyn take her place. Debbie understood my position, but she encouraged me to keep Kylie in the class. I told Debbie if she was up for it, I could give it one more day.
As a bonus, one child missed class today, so Carolyn was invited to join them in the pool as the eighth student. Pure fun for Carolyn, and certainly a source of comfort for Kylie.
She cried a bit today, but overall we had a breakthrough! She (willingly!) did everything, and she actually relaxed and seemed to enjoy herself.
At the end she asked if she could go get the new swimming suit from Target, so that's what we did on the way home! She is planning to wear it to class next week. (Yes, that's right - she plans to attend class next week!)
Wahooo!
Nothing I could say would console her. I resorted to shameless bribery. I offered her all sorts of goods. There is a swimming suit at Target she has had her eye on for months! However, she already has about four suits, so I have resisted spending money on yet another when she doesn't need it. Still, I told her she could earn that suit by continuing her lessons. I think she was oh-so-briefly tempted by this offer, but nothing could persuade her to willingly continue her lessons.
I had to wrestle her into her suit today and strap her into her car seat as she cried buckets. By the end of the ~7 minute drive I had come up with a solution that sort of worked. I was going to ask Debbie, the teacher, if Carolyn could take Kylie's spot in the class (even though Carolyn passed Level 1 long ago). That way at least I would be getting something for my money (more pool time - which equals fun - for Carolyn).
When we got there I told Kylie I would see about letting Carolyn take her place. Debbie understood my position, but she encouraged me to keep Kylie in the class. I told Debbie if she was up for it, I could give it one more day.
As a bonus, one child missed class today, so Carolyn was invited to join them in the pool as the eighth student. Pure fun for Carolyn, and certainly a source of comfort for Kylie.
She cried a bit today, but overall we had a breakthrough! She (willingly!) did everything, and she actually relaxed and seemed to enjoy herself.
At the end she asked if she could go get the new swimming suit from Target, so that's what we did on the way home! She is planning to wear it to class next week. (Yes, that's right - she plans to attend class next week!)
Wahooo!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
My Fashion Consultant
Kylie is quite into fashion and apparel. She regularly comments on my hair, clothes, shoes, etc. Generally, the reviews are positive and usually are accompanied by a request to borrow a particular item when she is big like me. LOL.
On a recent morning, after I had gotten dressed for the day, Kylie looked me over and said, "I don't like that shirt, Mommy."
I was a little amused and said, "Oh, you don't?"
She said, "No. You look adiculous (ridiculous)."
After a few moments of consideration, I changed my shirt.
On a recent morning, after I had gotten dressed for the day, Kylie looked me over and said, "I don't like that shirt, Mommy."
I was a little amused and said, "Oh, you don't?"
She said, "No. You look adiculous (ridiculous)."
After a few moments of consideration, I changed my shirt.
What will she think of next?
One very beautiful day a few weeks ago, I took the kids to Thanksgiving Point so we could enjoy the lovely weather outdoors. We have an annual pass for the full property, and I decided we would go spend a good chunk of the afternoon and evening visiting the different venues there.
We started at the children's gardens, followed by the regular gardens, and then the farm. Since it was Monday evening, we took the opportunity to participate in the "Family Night at the Farm" activity, which was a cute little craft and some trivia.
We had been planning to go to the dinosaur museum as well, but the other activities had taken us longer than I anticipated, so due to time constraints we had to cut that out of our itinerary. I did promise Carolyn that we would go back soon, though.
She was devastated to skip the "Museum Monday" activity and begged me to let her just go do it really quickly. As it was beyond dinner time (and I was hungry!), and the kids were already loaded into the car, I stuck to my guns and told her not tonight.
When she realized her begging was in vain, Carolyn became so mad! For the entire drive home she threatened me with everything she could think of. Her threats escalated until she got to the point where she was telling me that I would NOT be invited to her wedding, and I would NOT be allowed to see her in her wedding dress. Further, she was NEVER going to bring my grandchildren to visit me!
Do you think I can somehow make it up to her in, say, the next 15-20 years? I would really hate to miss her wedding.....
We started at the children's gardens, followed by the regular gardens, and then the farm. Since it was Monday evening, we took the opportunity to participate in the "Family Night at the Farm" activity, which was a cute little craft and some trivia.
We had been planning to go to the dinosaur museum as well, but the other activities had taken us longer than I anticipated, so due to time constraints we had to cut that out of our itinerary. I did promise Carolyn that we would go back soon, though.
She was devastated to skip the "Museum Monday" activity and begged me to let her just go do it really quickly. As it was beyond dinner time (and I was hungry!), and the kids were already loaded into the car, I stuck to my guns and told her not tonight.
When she realized her begging was in vain, Carolyn became so mad! For the entire drive home she threatened me with everything she could think of. Her threats escalated until she got to the point where she was telling me that I would NOT be invited to her wedding, and I would NOT be allowed to see her in her wedding dress. Further, she was NEVER going to bring my grandchildren to visit me!
Do you think I can somehow make it up to her in, say, the next 15-20 years? I would really hate to miss her wedding.....
Swim Lessons
Jeremiah and Kylie swimming at the West Yellowstone condo
I remember when Carolyn first began taking swim lessons a few years ago. She was briefly traumatized on the first day when the kids were to stand in the shallow end with the teacher and play ring-around-the-rosie. At the end they were to "all fall down" in the water - the point of this exercise being to get the kids comfortable in the water and, in particular, with putting their faces in the water.
After she recovered from the initial shock of what she was expected to do, she went on to LOVE the lessons, and now she looks forward to them anxiously each year! She has become a very accomplished little swimmer.
I had planned to enroll Kylie this year, but she was clear that she did not want to do swim lessons this year. She hated the idea of having to put her face in the water. In fact, she let us know that she would not be getting baptized because she did not want to be dunked under the water. (I told her she had a few years more to think about it....) I was fine with letting her wait one more year, especially since she is just turning four this summer, which is the minimum age for these classes.
However, while we were on a little family getaway in Yellowstone a month ago, the kids and Jeremiah LIVED in the pool at our condo, and Kylie decided swimming was a lot of fun, afterall! She told me that she did indeed want to join the class. I asked multiple times if she was sure, and she was. By this point all the Level 1 classes were full, but as a favor to me the teacher bumped us to the front of the wait list and got Kylie in one.
Tuesday was the first day of classes. This year our classes are late in the afternoon, so I had to endure an entire day of the girls excitedly and anxiously asking if it was time yet! I literally had to count down from seven hours, and they asked multiple times per hour how much longer.
Kylie's class was first, and she excitedly got into the pool when the teacher was ready for her class. She smiled as she participated in the first few exercises (though they did not do ring-around-the-rosie, which I had prepared her for and she was looking forward to doing). Then when the teacher started taking the children one by one and helping them glide through the pool with their faces in the water, Kylie suddenly started sobbing, "I don't want to. I want my mommy."
The teacher has been a preschool teacher for years and deals with children very well. She was able to keep Kylie calm enough that she didn't bolt from the pool, as I was expecting her to, but Kylie did cry a fair amount throughout the lesson. It was heartbreaking.
At the end of it I told her how proud I was of her and that she had been very brave. She informed me that she did not want to do swimming lessons anymore. (One of those things you wish could have been mentioned yesterday.....)
Since I have paid the non-refundable tuition, and since the teacher went to great lengths to squeeze us in, I feel like I need to keep her in the class. But she pleadingly tells me each day that she doesn't feel like swimming, as I pry her from my body and place her in the pool. I do wonder if this is going to make her stronger or if it will end up scarring her for life.
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