Swim Team!

At the end of last summer, Cal was getting to be a pretty good little swimmer.  He loved it and was getting stronger and better every day. The head coach of the swim team did a little "mock league" towards the end of summer for kids who were on the team and wanted to get better and for kids who didn't do it to give it a shot.  Cal did that and loved it.  He was able to keep up (for the most part) and he swam his little heart out! There weren't meets or anything like that, but it was fun for him to have little practices.

Fast forward to our cruise back in March.  Cal jumped in the pool and all of his swimming skills were thrown off the boat-- he sank to the bottom.  After fishing our kid out of the pool, we were slightly worried about his ability this summer. He was showing improvement by the end of the cruise, but he still wasn't where he was last year.

I ran into the head coach of the swim team who asked if Cal would be doing "real" swim team this year.  I told him the cruise ship story and he assured me that it is so so common for kids that age to totally forget that they know how to swim.  I promised him I would bring Cal to swim team to try it out. 

The first practice was last week-- he put his goggles on and was ready to roll...or, uh, swim! Jackson, my nephew, was also there so they had fun doing it together. 

 I think Cal was a little nervous, but he did great for his first practice! He hung in there the whole time.  They did a lot with the kick boards since there were a lot of kids a little rusty in their abilities. 

They jumped in with the boards and kicked their way to the other end! They have older kids from the team stand in the water halfway down the lane for kids who might struggle a little bit-- smart thinking!

The next practice we had was after a tennis lesson-- Cal recruited from friends to try it with him.  Brad and Will made practice even more fun!

A fun group of boys!!! This is one way to wear them out!

 Practices are every day-- and meets are once a week.  We have our first mock meet next week-- let's hope and pray it goes well!!!! I am sure there will be a post about that one!

On a side note-- I grew up swimming on this team so it is really pretty cool to have my little guy doing the same! Hopefully he will enjoy participating in another sport......


 

#carriedaway: week 16

Week 16:

 Day 127: science magic and 900 nails.

 Day 128: how they stood while singing happy birthday to sweet Virginia. They fight a lot....and these sweet moments are rare....but gah are they sweet.

 Day 129: happiest of birthdays, SALLY!! Love you soooo much!!!! (and love this picture. and social media!)

 Day 130: last soccer game of the season! These two loved it all!

 Day 131: HAPPY Mother's Day!!

 Day 132: operation stop finger sucking.  Today we are trying bandaids.  Next week, the bad tasting stuff comes out...

 Day 133: not bad for a Tuesday night workout. Sorry for the lame picture- literally did not take one the whole day so I took this... fail.

 

Surf's Up, Nug!

Continuing on with Andy's birthday celebration....!

Can't believe it's been THREE years since this:

I feel like the past three years have flown by, but then I also feel like Andy has been a part of our family forever!

We woke up Sunday morning and Andy spotted his presents.  He was a SLOW opener.  Where Cal rips through gifts and moves on to the next immediately, Andy would open one and then just sit and look at it.  He didn't care if he didn't open another gift the entire day! He was thrilled with whatever he was holding at the time!

We told the birthday boy he could pick whatever he wanted for breakfast and he picked Dunkin Donuts! I added some candles and he was happy!

After a morning of playing hard with new toys, Andy crashed on the couch downstairs and Cal had some snuggle time with Hank upstairs.  

When they all rested, I loaded the car with the help of CB and Patty...lots of beach balls! And then headed over to the club to get set up.

I loved the cupcakes.... we frosted them and then covered them in crushed graham crackers to make them look like they were covered in sand.  Then CB sprinkled the extra sand on the table-- I thought these were super cute! Loved the umbrellas too :)

I made a banner of little board shorts-- it was impossible to get a good picture of it since they were hanging in front of a window.  The back light was hard, but I thought it turned out really cute! Each one had a different print on it.

Once all the decorations were set up, the rest of the fam showed up.  Andy was super excited to come check out his party! I have a pic similar to this one from his party last year-- love it.

The boys immediately got in the bounce house-- I tried to get a pic of them (similar to last year!) in the there-- they really just wanted to run and play though. 

A few more pics of the decor-- little short tables with leis for everyone...

The drink area with fun straws...

 Before the guests arrived, we got a family shot (minus my dad! He was on the way still!)

And Eddie and I had to celebrate surviving another two year old boy! Holla!

 The birthday boy!!!

CB and Nug

My party assistants!!!

 Nug made me promise to not have them sing happy birthday to him.  Whatever.  So I got a cupcake for him, put some candles in and I sang it to him- just me.  No one at the party had any idea he blew out candles.  I just started passing out cupcakes...maybe next year Andy will like it.

These kids love a pinata.  Love it.  I guess they love having permission to hit something as hard as they can...? Who knows? But they love it! I handed the bat to kids and my friend took pics with my phone until it died... I am so bad I didn't take any with a real camera.  Oh well!

A family shot... momma and daddy and a 4 year old and a new 3 year old!!

It was a fun party and I am thrilled to have it behind me! ha! Now I can focus on other things that need my attention..... several people have already asked me what Cal's theme will be for his party in September.  Ohhhhh, Lawd!

Happy birthday, Nug!


 

THREE!

How in the WORLD can I have a 3 and a 4 year old? Where does the time go? I hate that stupid cliche, but I honestly feel like time is going so quickly.  Wasn't Andy JUST born? Wasn't he just having his first birthday party at the pool?

I love my little Nugget.  He is wild. He is moody.  He is hilarious. He is SO SO much fun.  He is difficult. He is trying. He is SO SO loveable.

We had a big weekend leading up to the birthday!

Andy is still sucking his left two fingers.  We talked to the dentist about it and she wasn't concerned-- his teeth still look fine and he was cutting all 4 molars at the same time, so she said to give him 6 months or so since it was probably soothing him.  That was a few months ago and his finger sucking has taken on a life of its own.  He was only sucking them in bed and in the car...but now he is sucking them ALL the time.

We told Andy that 3 year olds don't suck their fingers. We gave him ample warning that the time was coming when the bad tasting stuff would be painted on--- I don't have the heart to do that yet... solely because that is how is soothes himself to sleep in the night when he wakes up...I am not sure I am prepared for him to be up even more than he already is (still basically nightly).

So, I put two bandaids on his fingers in an attempt to remind him to keep them out of his mouth- he thought it was pretty fun:

 ...until he tried to suck his fingers.  Then he got mad and ripped them off! Well....it's a start! The bad tasting stuff is coming.... be warned, little nug.

Andy had his three year well visit and he did great! I love going to the doctor when kids are healthy-- so much more fun than being in there with a sick kiddo! They measured his height and weight and then did an eye test.  He thought that was hysterical, so he didn't exactly rock that test, but he thought it was fun!

with another set of band-aids on the fingers....

When did my baby turn into a little BOY?? He looks so so old to me now.

 The check up was great- he chatted nonstop with the doctor.  She was cracking up at his complete sentences and how he just carries on and on (and on and on and ON!!!)

Andy is in the 87% for both height and weight-- we were a little surprised by this since he is currently wearing a size ELEVEN shoe.  We feel like he is going to be a big one!

Andy's birthday party was Sunday, and I was hard at work prepping for it.  We gave each kid a beach ball with their name on it.  As I blew them up, I stacked them in my front window-- this was our view as we pulled in the driveway!

Eddie's parents arrived Thursday night and the boys were SO excited! It didn't take them long to wrestle Poppy and "hop on pop" for a horsey ride!

We went to dinner Thursday night and then Friday morning, the boys woke up to the rest of the balls being blown up! (yes, i put my in laws to work!).

Friday, both boys had school.  We celebrated Andy's birthday that day so I brought in cupcakes! Eddie and his parents came with me so we had a crew for the class party!
Clearly, he was over the paparazzi by this point:

He was VERY anti-people singing to him this year.  He did not enjoy it one bit.  He's a finicky somebody, I tell ya! He let his classmates sing to him and he blew out the candles, but he promptly informed me he did not like them singing to him one bit.

Eddie's mom and I stayed until the end of the day as I was "parent of the day." We played with kids and then when it was time to go outside, the kids all sat on the rug with a book.  I thought they looked so sweet sitting there "reading" quietly.

Before Eddie left, he and Andy had a little heart to heart... I adore this picture. And the man in it. And the kid in it. 

Saturday morning, I taught a popup class from 9-10 and then the family met me at the pool! It was the opening day and we were soooo excited! It was a little chilly still, but it felt great to be out there.  I know we will be spending a TON of time there this summer!

Saturday night we went to my parents house for dinner and presents from them-- I can't believe I didn't take any pictures! And then we came home and got to work! I had party prep to do and presents to wrap and of course I had to decorate the table for the birthday boy!

 Mimi and Poppy and CB put off of their presents by the fire place-- it was quite impressive for Nug when he came down stairs!

Sunday afternoon was PARTY day and it was a big success! Instead of overloading this post with too many pictures, I am doing a separate post on the party!

He went to bed a two year old.  He woke up a BIG THREE YEAR OLD!