Swimming lessons – day two

Well, Eli really did not want to go to swimming lessons this morning. Not because of the swimming parts, but because he didn’t want to be cold. I felt bad for the kid, because there was no way I would want to go swimming at 10:30 in the morning when it was 65 degrees out with a breeze. However, he still had to go. There was a only a minute or two of whining before we left, and he, once again, didn’t cry during lessons. I think there was one point where if I had been outside and he could see me he would have because he was SO cold. But he didn’t. He soldiered on.

Today they worked on kicking and floating, and then came the head under swimming. Eli, being so tall, had to be taken farther out in the pool after the first time when he could just stand back up when Miss Anne put him under. Then it was on to the throwing in part of the morning. When we left Eli asked me, “Is she going to chuck me in the pool today?” and I said that I didn’t know. Well, yes, Miss Anne did chuck him in the pool today. About 6 times! Including off the diving board! Eli did awesome and swam like a little fish right to the side each time! I was so proud of him!

He was pretty proud of himself too, and was pleased to report to Daddy and to Grandma that he “jumped” (in it’s loosest definition) off the diving board and swam right to the ladder. Second day down!  Eli asked on the way home if tomorrow he could wear his warm swim suit. :) I better start praying for warmer weather for my cold little fish!

Kicking his little heart out.

Floating! I never thought he’d do this!

Swimming to the side again!

Airborne! Getting chucked off the diving board!

Swimming lessons – day one

We enrolled Elijah in swimming lessons at the home of a family who goes to our church. We knew it was more of a “survivor” style class – meaning that at the end Eli would be able to get himself to the edge of the pool if he fell in. Nothing fancy, just the ability to save himself. :) I knew there would be faces underwater, throwing them in to the deep end, etc., and no flotation devices or goggles. Oh baby!

I had prepared Eli the last few weeks for the “worst case scenario” of what they were going to do to him. He knew they were going to put him underwater, he knew he’d have to swim with his face in the water, etc. But he also knew that Miss Anne would not let him drown.

Tiny terrified children . . .

He seemed excited and said he wasn’t going to cry, but I thought that was going to not be the case. The first day they asked us to go inside the sunroom so the kids could focus on Miss Anne and her directions instead of searching out mommy and pleading for her to take them out of the pool.

Well, Eli did awesome! True to his word, he did not cry at all! The first thing they did was have him hold on to Miss Anne’s hands, then look at her toes, and then he went underwater for about 3-4 seconds (it felt like an eternity that first time, to me at least!). They did that a few times, and then Miss Anne had him swim, with his head down in the water, to the edge of the pool a few times.

*splutter splutter*

SWIM! SWIM! SWIM!

After the dunking and the swimming, Miss Anne took Eli to the deep end of the pool, placed him in the water and he had to swim with his head down to the ladder. He did great!!! I was very surprised! The did that another time or two, and then Miss Anne took him about halfway between the board and the side and THREW HIM IN! I yelled, “She just threw him in the water!” and I couldn’t believe it. But the little fish just motored to the edge of the pool! She did that to him one more time and he did awesome.

Eli’s biggest complaint was that it was cold. He did not like that at all. He asked if he could wear his winter coat to swim lessons. :) I did feel bad about that because it is very cold in the morning this week for some odd reason. He’s doing awesome though! I can’t wait to see what he’s doing at the end of the week if he’s already being thrown in the deep end on the first day!

Matea’s Birthday Bash!

Matea’s official birthday bash was the weekend after her birthday (you can pull off that kind of delay when they are only two). Grandpa Bob and Grandma Sherry came in for the day, and Uncle Scott and Aunt Jill and the boys were also up from Ohio to join the festivities. As usual we had lots to eat and lots of fun.

Matea’s present opening was a little chaotic, as she had a 5 year old “present boy” who wanted to help her opening everything as quickly as possible. She made a haul, once again, and they kids are having fun playing with everything.

Matea got a personalized bag, which she now carries everywhere, and a baby that play peek-a-boo. You have to touch the forehead to make it work, and Uncle Jeff discovered that head butting the baby works great too. Good thing my kids are past the baby stage, right? Or else no more kid-watching for Uncle Jeff. :) 

Let the party begin!

Pretty bag for a pretty girl!

“Baby out!”

I don’t have any bottles, so I’ll feed my baby sprinkles.

She looks old enough to drive, don’t you think?

Matea also got a motorcycle ride-on toy, which she was all excited about and now won’t ride (she’s too short to make it go and then it just tips over).

Matea is now ripping with gusto!

I’m going to be a biker babe!

And Eli bought Matea more sidewalk chalk and chalk tools to play with, since Matea loves loves loves chalk. He picked out the chalk himself and even wanted to pay for it, but Mommy and Daddy subsidized it for him.

Chalk, chalk, and more chalk. 

All the way from California, Uncle Jeremy sent Matea play food for her kitchen. Nice sturdy play food since she has trashed all the cheap plastic and cardboard ones Eli had. And Uncle Jeremy sent a children’s book written by his friend from college! 

I’ve discovered where food comes from. From Uncle Jeremy in California!

Almost as tasty as the real thing!

And from Grandpa Bob and Grandma Sherry came a grocery store/lemonade stand (the sign reverses)! The grocery store was the hit of the party, and Matea LOVES LOVES LOVES it!

My store is sweet!

Lexi and Matea start arranging all the food.

“Mine!” Sharing is not one of my strengths.

The last gift of the party was a pink battery-powered quad from Mommy and Daddy. Matea had played on one at Catherine’s house the week before and seemed to like it, and, quite frankly, we were out of ideas of what to get her. Since it was on sale at Target we went for it. I think so far Eli has enjoyed it more, but Matea does like it. She’s still getting the hang of holding the button in to keep going. Right now she just presses the button, moves about one foot, smiles and squeals, and then says, “no, no, no,” when it stops. She’ll get the hang of it soon though I think!

Daddy explains the finer points of operating her quad.

This is fun! Here I go!

I was simply too busy to make Matea a cake this time, so Costco came to the rescue with a princess birthday cake. It still served it’s purpose and tasted great, and she seemed to like it! She couldn’t quite get the candles blown out, so Daddy helped. At first she ate all dainty with a fork, and then she dug in once she figured out that she liked the taste!

Our princess, eating so daintily with her fork . . .

Squish, squish, squish. This is fun!

SUGAR RUSH!!!

Happy birthday, pretty princess!

We had a great day celebrating our precious Matea. We love princess! Happy birthday!

Matea’s Birthday Party on Her Birthday!

On Matea’s actual birthday this year we just had a family dinner with Jeff and Lori and the kids. Cupcakes for singing, and only a present or two. Her big party was coming up in a week so we kept it a low-key affair.

For Matea’s gift, she had a tub toy that we had found in Rockford when we went to the summer celebration a few weeks ago, and then had a stuffed Dora and a stuffed Boots. While at the toy store Matea fell in love with them and I told Jon I would just put them back on the shelf once he took Matea around the corner. But Matea, at that instant, snuggled them, cocked her head to the side, looked up at Jon, and said, “Daddy.” And he melted like a stick of butter on a hot day. So, Daddy bought her Dora and Boots. :) She loves them, so they are worth it.

Unwrapping her presents (that the toy store wrapped for free!)

I see Boots’ boot!

That smile was worth the puddle that she reduced Daddy to.

Everyone is singing so I’m disassociating from what is happening.

I’ll reintegrate to eat my cupcake!

Happy birthday, Matea!

I can hardly believe it, but it was two years ago today (tonight, but who’s checking) that precious Matea came in to the world! Two years ago today I was still pregnant, having contractions on and off during the day, rushing to get Eli’s three year old pictures taken since I hadn’t yet, telling the photographer that I was okay, I was just in labor (you should have seen her face). Then after dinner Jon told me to get in the car, even when I still wasn’t sure. I thank God I actually listened to my husband, because I never want to get to the hospital so late again! 9 minutes in the labor and delivery room and sweet Matea was born!

Two years later and our Matea makes our life more interesting and more joyful every day (sometimes more frustrating too, but that’s okay). She is opinionated and knows what she wants, and very independent. She loves purses, shoes, hats, sunglasses, hairbows (but not getting her hair combed), anything her brother is playing with, and her red blankie and pacifiers. She is in to everything, yet also very organized at the same time. She gets very upset when people take their shoes off when they are not supposed to, and when people leave the bathroom door open.

She is also very helpful and puts her toys away when asked – completely! And the minute you say we are going somewhere she brings me my shoes, then Eli his shoes, and then gets her shoes. She loves to be on the go, and is happiest when we are out and about. When we come home from a day running she starts to cry when we turn in the subdivision and says, “No! No! No! Go! Go!”

She also loves to read, but longer books like Cordoroy, etc. She has not interest in the shorter baby books that talk about colors, numbers, etc. And she MUST pick out her own books (don’t try to circumvent this, it is just not worth it). She also firmly believes every color is blue. When I tell her something is a different color she tells me, “No. Blue!” And just so you know, every shape is now a circle, people.

Matea is talking more and more and saying two words together now. We haven’t heard three words together yet (since I don’t think “No! No! No!” counts), but I’m sure that’s coming! She is very polite saying, “Cheese!” for please, and usually saying “Elcome” for you’re welcome (but she says it when she’s supposed to say thank you). She is also very good at giving directions – right here, this one, that one, no, no, no, no, that way. And she has the cutest little lilting “uh-huh” to confirm that you deciphered what she requested through all her, “This one. No. That one. No.”

She is still a bit of a peanut. Her two year stats were 25 pounds (it kept going between 24 pounds 8 ounces and 25 pounds), which is the 25th percentile, and 34 inches tall, the 55th percentile. She jumped up percentiles in both measures this last few months, which the doctor was very pleased about.

She is our little blessing and is living up to her name - “gift from God.” We can’t imagine life without our precious princess, and can’t wait to see what the next year holds. We love you princess Matea!