Swim Camp

This month we enrolled Owen in a swim camp. The goal of the program is this:

This program introduces water exploration and works to develop a level of comfort in the water with an instructor.  The goal of this program is to develop the young child's confidence and comfort in the water with someone other than a parent to prepare the child for group lessons. 

We want Owen to learn how to swim but first he must be less fearful in the water. This is a great program because it is one-on-one with the instructor.

First day of O's swim camp went like this: 

Scared. Happy. Happy. Crying. Happy. Puke. --- I called this one a win only because he said he wanted to go back tomorrow.

He was scared and then happy when he got in the pool. Then after a few minutes decided he was done and cried hysterically in the pool for the rest of the session. Several instructors and the director came over to help calm him down. I was so proud of myself because I sat in the "parents area" watchign him but did not go pull him out of the pool like I wanted to. I kept telling myself, "The GOAL is for him to stay in the water without you." So hard though.

Aftewards he asked for a Popsicle and since he did stay in the pool (albeit crying) for the entire session I gave him lots of praise and the giant Popsicle from the snack bar... which he promptly puked up into the grass. Parenting FAIL. (note to self: Do not give your nervous child a popsicle after getting out of the pool)

Day two of camp he sat on the ramp the entire time. Again, at least he stayed in the pool....

 The next few classes were cancelled due to lightening and they had to reschedule the week. This is what the following week looked like.

 {practicing kicking}

 Full week finished! Freezing cold (did I mention the pool isn't heated?) but proud of himself!

 

Our Week in iPhone Pictures

When Daddy is home the first thing Owen asks for in the morning is chocolate chip pancakes | Daddy made a special one for O (that face kills me!) | We headed to the pool to enjoy a sunny day | Owen fell asleep in the car so we drove to Ikea while he napped | Another morning with Daddy wearing matching DUKE shirts! | Took our kid grocery shopping at Super Wal-Mart. No shoes and the three of us shared a bag of chocolate covered donuts for dinner. We are AWESOME PARENTS | Mama and Owen went to the library to return books and check out new ones (O's *favorite* thing) | and then we sat in a comfy chair and read our bounty | Daddy was home from work early so we picked up a pizza and had a picnic in the park.

A small boy with lots of thoughts

This boy is the light of my life. Every day that I am home with him he does something to amaze me. He is speaking in full sentences now and cracks us up with his requests and constant negotiations.

Owen is very descriptive and most of his descriptions involve being immensely positive about one thing or another. "I really, really like this!"  "It's SO SO good!" and my personal favorite, "It's not good, IT'S DELICIOUS!"

I think he gets this little bit of (exaggeration?) enthusiasm from his Mama ;)

Today a Katy Perry song came on the radio in the car (because let's be real there is only so much kid music one Mama can listen to) and Owen says, "Oh Mama I like this song! Makes me so, so happy!"  While his taste in music is a parenting FAIL on my part, I almost died from the cuteness.

I've been trying to do some extra special things with him, treasuring our time before Baby Brother comes. Today after I took him to the pool for toddler swim he said he was hungry. I knew we could go home for lunch and have sandwiches but I decided to take him to McDonald's instead. He loves to sit next to me in the booth like a big boy and eat his meal. At the counter after I ordered Owen looked at the lady and said, "Owen will have a hot dog."  I laugh just typing this because the cuteness NEVER STOPS.

Whenever we tell him, "No." about something as in "No you cannot have another ice cream sandwich" he looks at us and says, "Well, maybe." In his mind, everything is a maybe ;)

There are a few things that make my heart break a little.

He used to call banana's "mee-mas" and recently he started saying "banana" plain as day.

He has started saying, "I don't like it" at the dinner table, which he has never said before.

He also says, "I don't want to." --- and every time he says it I have to hold back my frown-y face

He also says, "Owen can't do it." which I am trying to reinforce with only positive feedback and encouragement. He gets easily frustrated and it makes me so sad when he says this.

He still calls tomatoes "baby-TUR-TALLS" which I absolutely LOVE.

His growing up only brings more joy, never less. Endless streaming thoughts, nothing withheld. And MORE love and sweetness than one Mama can take on a daily basis.

Our First Trip to THE POOL!

The pool is open for summer so we spent Jeremy's day off enjoying the sunshine. Unfortunately, the baby pool was closed for repairs so we had to brave the chilly big pool this trip. Owen was shivering the entire time, but didn't seem to mind.

Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming

Last week was Owen's first swim lesson! You have to be 6 months old for baby swim class, so this was the first session he was eligible for. Jeremy was a swimmer in high school and feels very strongly that Owen is comfortable in the water. Swimming isn't necessarily my thing, I can swim - I don't have any awesome strokes or anything but I'm fine in the water. We signed O up for the evening session from 6-6:30 with hopes that Daddy might get off work in time to make it. Unfortunately, he had a killer day last week and missed it. Jeremy was totally crushed. Not only did he miss the lesson but we didn't have any pictures because it was just me.

I think I did pretty well for a novice swim Mama. Owen was one of the youngest in the class. They started with some songs in a circle and then everyone swims with their child independently until the instructor comes around and works with you. She took O and swam around with him for a little while to feel him out. It was actually really cute, when she swam up to meet us she asked what his name was and when I told her it was Owen she said, "Alright Mr. O - lets see what you got!" She commented on how mellow he was and she even had him swim underwater to me. She says, "ONE...TWO...THREE.... SWIM!" and he HELD HIS BREATH AND SWAM TO ME! She said you have to be very consistent and always give the 1,2,3 cues. At the end there is a toy basket full of water toys to play with and a few more songs in the circle. I was very proud of our sweet boy, and Daddy would have been too!

This week Jeremy was post call - so after working a 32 hour shift he stayed awake so he could take Owen to swim class. He was so excited to swim with our little guy - it just melted my heart. I went to cheer them on and take pictures. The light was terrible and they didn't stop moving so pictures were difficult - but you get the general idea. Our boy is a fish.

Proud Daddy

"Welcome back Mr. O!"

Swimming with the instructor

taking a break to catch his breath

1...2..3...

SWIM!!

aww just-came-up-from-underwater face!

Watching the big kids swim - Owen's favorite part ;)

backstroke

found a toy he liked

Happy Daddy and his little fish baby