First Swim Class for Elijah and Mommy!

Elijah and I had our first swimming class together this morning – and boy did we have fun! Class started late, because they couldn’t let people in the pool with lightening going on outside (it is an indoor pool, but its Michigan law apparently), so we didn’t get going until about 9:30. Eli didn’t like being held by another mom while I got in (and out) of the pool, but he warmed up really quickly to being in the water, and was all smiles and giggles after that. Once class got underway we had lots of fun singing and playing. Eli’s favorite activities were:

• Singing Humpty Dumpty – Elijah sat on the edge of the pool until Humpty "falls" at which point all the kids get to be lifted in, with lots of splashing of course.

• Singing the motorboat song – We spun in a circle in the water slow, then fast, and then you "step-on-the-gas" as you spin super-fast. He loved this!

• Singing the Little Fish song – I can’t remember the song now, but at the end I counted 1-2-3 and then lifted Eli up in the air and splashed him back in the water. He went nuts. It was adorable.

• Playing with the lane marker – there was one lane marked off on the side of the pool for people to do laps, and whenever we got too far away from the lane marker Elijah wanted to “swim” back to it (I’d hold him on his tummy and he’d kick/squirm until we reached it). He really liked spinning the marker and trying to “swim” back and forth over it while I held him.

Once the class activities were done we had about 10 minutes of free time where we could play with the toys, rings, water noodles, kick boards, and balls that they brought out for us. Elijah and I got a kick board and a squishy sea horse toy and he thought it was great fun to throw the toy, then swim after it and scoop it up with the end of the kick board (as Mom made the appropriate motor boat sounds of course). What a fun way to spend a Wednesday morning! These swimming classes are going to be lots of fun!

Stuck!

Jon and I were awakened around 2 am last night to hear Elijah screaming. This isn’t exactly a new thing over the last few weeks (he’s been having some sleeping issues, which the doctor says is because his molars are coming in), so we waited 2 minutes to see if he would stop on his own (he often does and goes right back to sleep). Well, he didn’t stop, so Jon got up to check on him.

What Jon found was that Elijah was stuck in his crib! He had gotten his arm out one of the slats and back in a different slat, and now couldn’t pull his arm free. Jon couldn’t get his arm to budge either, so he called me for help. Jon held Eli down while I wiggled his hand up and out of one slat and then back in the crib. I have no idea how Eli got his arm stuck that one, but it sure looked uncomfortable! Hopefully that won’t happen again!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there, but in particular Elijah wanted me to send love and happy wishes out to Daddy (okay, Eli said Da-Da. But I translated), Grandpa Bob, Grandpa Doug, Grandpa Terry, Uncle Scott, and Uncle Jeff!

Jon, Elijah and I enjoyed a nice relaxing Father’s Day this year, with a visit from Grandpa Bob, Grandma Sherry, and crazy Uncle Jeremy. We had a lovely dinner, and had fun playing cards together afterwards. Jon and I kept saying all day that this was his first Father’s Day, even though it’s really his second. Last year Eli was so little and we were so tired though, that I don’t think it even registered with us that is was Father’s Day (Jon did get a card from Elijah, but we didn’t have a big to-do about the day). So I think we’ll probably always remember this as Jon’s first Father’s Day! Any day spent with family is a good one in my book, so I’ll speak for Jon in saying that we had a great Father’s Day!

Dinner, and then cards, with Dad, Mom,
Uncle Jer, Grandpa and Grandma!

They're all still having fun, but
I'm bored. I'll just lay down.

This is more like it.
Now I'm part of the action!

Look at all those good-looking Schneider boys!

Say Cheese

Over the last few days Elijah and I have taken quite a few pictures together for some reason. I thought I’d share them so everyone could see what an adorable Mommy and Baby combo we are. :)

Make it quick, Mom, I've got packages to play with.
It's easy to see where Elijah gets his blue eyes.

Snuggling on the couch together.

And look who got a haircut!

Packages!

Friday I received a package with a bunch of swimsuits to try on, and had neatly taken everything out and checked the invoice to make sure everything was there when disaster, in the form of a tiny testosterone tornado, struck. Within 10 seconds Elijah reduced the neatly stacked piles of clothes on the couch to a giant jumble of clothes on the floor. He then proceeded to play with the packages for at least 20 minutes - just throwing them up, down, forward, and backwards, squealing with delight at how clever he was. And he hadn’t even discovered the big box they arrived in yet! Oh what fun a little one can find in the simplest of things. :)