Fish Whisperer?

Swim Whisperer? Whatever. Let's just call him a great swim instructor. My kids have started taking semi-private lessons from a friend from church and he has been AMAZING! The first day, Hazel screamed and cried as usual. I just went inside and let Holden do his thing. She stopped crying about 1 minute later and by the end of her class, she was excited to tell me what she had done and was actually WILLING to go back next time. It's been so great. She is still progressing a little slowly and not necessarilly thrilled to put her face under, but she does it! And she does it without screaming and fighting. That's all the progress I need!

She wouldn't even let this position happen with the last teacher...

much less this even less secure one.

He had them swim together and even "race" each other across the pool. I think that helped her get excited about it.

She even let THIS happen for a fraction of a second...
and came up with a smile on her face!!!!

Owen needed the most practice on backstroke and floating on his back. His progress has been amazing! He actually even floated on his back all by himself today without any help. I don't know why that part has been so scary for him, but I am so proud of him for overcoming!

And you should see his breaststroke! Here he is learning the proper leg movements. He made it across the whole pool today doing his breaststroke without holding his nose. What a man.


And this was my favorite poolside picture yet from this summer.

Owenisms

I have barely recovered from Girl's Camp. It was insanely fun and I will post about it later.

In the meantime, here are a couple of Owen's latest:

1. I had a horrible morning the other day. It was just one of those mornings where I was so lacking in sleep that my puffy eyes were only allowing a tiny slit of vision.....resulting in me dropping everything I touched. I was running late and grouchy that I had to work. I finally got over-frustrated and marched into my bedroom to yell at my peacefully sleeping husband "I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM LATE AND EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG! GET UP!"

Probably not the nicest way request his assistance.

Anyway- just a couple of minutes later, Owen came in the room to announce, "Mom. I just said a prayer that everything would start going RIGHT!"

Holy preciousness. I love that boy. What a good example.

2. Reaching behind himself, Owen proceeded to stick his hands into an undesirable crevice. I said "What are you doing?! Does your bum itch?" and he said "No...I am just trying to give myself a wedgie."

3. He was trying to describe a cartoon to me and telling me how this kid was jumping up to catch a cloud but he couldn't jump very high. He paused for a long time to try to think of an appropriate way to explain why the kid couldn't jump high enough, and finally said, "He had a weight problem."

I don't recall ever using such politically correct terminology. I thought it was a little odd and gave him an intrigued look. I guess he thought I didn't understand, so in an exasperated voice he said "You know......he was.....the "F" word."

pause....

"Eeeefffffff..........Aaaaaaaaa........T! Fat, Mom. He was fat."

I just never could think of a response.