"Shwim Clash!"

Several weeks ago, G started attending some "Mommy and Me" swim classes at the Y (the Mommy and Me part is in quotations because, adorably, it's usually the dads who take the kids to class). The instructor sings songs and the kids bob in the water and learn to kick their legs and "scoop" their arms. G wasn't sure about it at first but has really grown to love it! He can even jump off the wall like a pro, now!

It was my original intention, since the classes were Erik's idea, that he be the parent that took G for the class on Saturdays, but given his hectic spring schedule we've ended up basically switching off  each week. On Erik's weeks to swim though, I can't help but take my big camera in and clicking away. (Did I tell you my father-in-law upgraded his DSLR and gave me his old one? I could have cried!) Anyway, I sometimes wonder if other parents mind that I'm photographing their kid, but I guess it's no different than taking pictures at a school program. I 'spose I'll just keep shutterbugin' it until someone tells me I shouldn't.

So, without further ado - pictures from swim class! Or "shwim clash!" as G calls it!

This is my favorite one - they have so much fun together!!
(Notice the red marks around Erik's neck and back from where G hadn't been so sure about things earlier on in the class period.)

They have the funniest facial expressions!

If you tell G to close his mouth, he opens it as wide as he can. This is about as close-mouthed as he gets during class time.

We parent by demonstration around here. :)

I love this one too! Look how proud Erik looks!

Grammie's Visit

G absolutely adores all his grandparents, but I've always felt that he has a special bond with my mom. Even when he was teeny tiny and she'd come to Hawaii for a visit, he always seemed to know exactly who she was. She is the one who brought us home from the hospital after he was born and stayed with us, helping me with G while Erik was away for the first two weeks of G's life (don't get me started on the reason for this. The Army is *still* on my list for doing that to us.). She cooked for us, cleaned, snuggled, and when G would wake up in the middle of the night to nurse, my mom would then rock him back to sleep. She never batted an eyelash when I woke her up to rock him so I could get some rest. She was so happy to see him - even at 3AM! I've said it a thousand times - THAT is the best gift someone can give a mom with a newborn!

So my mom was here last week for a visit and I'm dead serious when I tell you that she only brought 2 outfits and some jammies because the rest of her suitcase was full of presents for the kids. Among other things, she brought G a cape and mask - and literally as soon as G got his "outfit" on, he took of running saying "zoom zoom!" and calling himself Superman. I have NO idea where he learned that, but I have to say - few things in the world are cuter than a little boy in a cape. I wish I had better pictures, but it's pretty much impossible to get good pictures of my sweet little moving target. Grant and Grammie played outside for hours each day, playing soccer, baseball, hockey, chalks, planes, trucks, running, walking and petting every dog that cruised past our house (G is on a first name basis with all of them).

Grammie (usually pronounced "Graw-mie," and occasionally still "Plane" since she comes on a plane) joined us for music class, where G was a little too excited and didn't want to participate because he preferred to sit with Grams. It was sweet, but a little irritating to mean old mom. And afterward, G batted his eyelashes and Grammie bought him a stuffed crab from a local department store. G calls it "Crabby" (he named it on his own!) and likes to take it everywhere. It's the first time he's really been attached to an animal, especially enough to give it a name. It's a cute crab, but a tiny bit creepy with his big eyes - and I think G notices it too, because he only gets to sleep in G's bed every couple of days. Otherwise, he has to spend the night tucked in on G's rocker.

Of course, after the visiting grandparent leaves there is a 2 week recovery period for G. He is so used to the grandparents jumping when he says jump that he is furious when Mom and Dad don't do the same. Erik and I call it "Grandparent Naughty," but we're happy they're all so much closer and can see him so often - so it's (mostly, haha!) worth it. Each time the grandparents leave, they all say they are in need of a vacation from their vacation - and I can absolutely understand why - Grant keeps them on their toes!

 

Big G and Little G

Woah! An Update.

It has been awhile since I posted. Once again, we've had a slew of company and (somehow) my 2 year old has enough extra curricular activities that 2-3 mornings a week (mornings = blogging time) are eaten up at swim class, play group or music class.

Erik took off a few days ago for Kentucky and then in a few more days he'll be off to Thailand. He's taking some ROTC students from across the country to work for a few weeks at the Thai Military Academy (apparently you have to speak English to be in the Thai military). It's funny, of all the "exotic" places the Army has sent him, this is the first time I've ever really been jealous. Except for maybe his 3 hour layover in Ireland on his way home from his first tour in Afghanistan, but I 'spose the 16 months he had to spend in country before his 3 hour Irish-layover negate any fun that might have been had. I have a list of goals I hope to complete while he's gone, and the Army graciously extended his trip by a more days, so we'll see if I'm motivated enough to get them complete.

Over the last few weeks, I have grown increasingly concerned that G has the same heart condition as my mom (called Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome - which is an extra electrical system on the heart that sometimes causes it to beat incredibly fast. This is suspected to be the reason we occasionally see news reports of teenaged athletes dropping on playing fields and dying suddenly). Just some things he's said, some times I've felt his heart beating super hard for no reason, etc. made me worry and after speaking to my mom I decided to call the Pediatrician. Thankfully she took me seriously and sent him in for an EKG. We found out last Thursday that his EKG was "normal for age," and we are SUPER relieved. Though it's a pretty easy fix, it would have still been a heart surgery, it still would have put limitations on his life, and it still would have been scary, so we are thrilled that he's A-Okay! To be honest, I was pretty worried about not only the health aspect of this syndrome for G, but also the psychological aspect. Erik and I have absolutely NO intention of pushing the Army on any of our kids, but to have a Syndrome like WPW would have meant it was impossible for G. I think there is a heavy burden among military kids (especially boys) to follow in dad's footsteps, and I can imagine that the only heavier burden is *not* being able to. Anyway, we're incredibly relieved for many reasons.

I suppose this post is less exciting than others, since there is no comedic anecdote or real point to the post, but I have to get back in the swing of blogging the little things so I don't forget them! Point is: Don't everybody sign me up for BlogHer all at once or anything.