Pool Play and Other Ramblings!!

We have had a very difficult time getting our pool clear this year. All of the rain that we have had has just made near impossible. It is at least swimmable right now. We got in it the other day. It felt so good. It was one of those almost 100 degree days. The kids love to get in the pool. I just don't usually think to grab my camera. I did on this day and between Adam and I there were some cute pics taken.

The kids favorite game is jumping off the side and having one of us catch them. I think I was throwing Lily up in the air and catching her here. When she is REALLY happy it shows all over her face. I just love it!!
Adam is helping Avery "swim" here. This was his first time in his life jacket. We have tried a few different PFD's this year. It has been hard to find the right thing. He LOVES the water and wants to swim all over the place like Lily. We originally bought the one that Lily has been wearing (the gree frog one) for him, but it kept falling off of him (before getting in the water) that I was scared to let him get in the water with it on. So, next we got him so arm floatees. That is what Lily ALWAYS wore (until this year), but he moves to much and they just weren't keeping him from swallowing incredible amounts of pool water. So we bought this life jacket, and it does the job. It fits him really well (tightened up as tight as possible). We weren't thinking though, and just let him jump right into the pool before either one of us got in and he went spinning around from his back to his belly. It really scared me. Adam jumped in the pool (he had to push Lily off the ladder into the pool) and "rescued" him. I think it scared him as much as me. I KNOW it scared Avery. Avery just couldn't keep from spinning so he couldn't get a breath. Anyway, it didn't take him long to figure the whole life jacket thing out and he was off swimming and keeping up with Lily. It was so cute!!!

Lily striking a pose!!

Avery loved climbing in and out of the pool. He loves the gate in front of it. He kept shutting it and pretending to lock it. I had to keep an extra close eye on him though, cause he would open it up and jump in before I would even realize it. FEARLESS is a good word to describe him!!

Lily jumping off the ladder. She is not quite as fearless as Avery. She wants to make certain that Adam or I are there to catch her every time. She isn't scared of the water, but she does not want her head to go under. The funny thing is that she will hold her breath and put her head under on her own, but I guess it's different when you jump in?!?!?!?!

Avery was too quick. We never actually get pics of him "jumping". This was as close as we could get, but you can get the idea from it!!!

I have more to post later. My mother-in-law took the kids to a tea party a while back and we all went to the Butterfly Palace last week. My mother in law has the pics, I just need to go and get them off her computer, so I am waiting for that before I make those posts!! I took Lily to a birthday pool party last night. It was for her dance teachers little boy. It was fun. Funner for Lily than me. Being in my bathing suit in public is not my favorite, but I am not going to skip out on it for that reason. I don't want Lily to miss out on fun because of my insecurities, and I don't want to pass my negitive feelings about my body onto her. Anyway, she had a great time. I think it was fun for her to she her teacher, and friends from dance (tumbling in the summer) in a different environment!!! We have been debating on if we should put her in tumbling and dance this year. She has really enjoyed the tumbling class this summer, and it has helped her cooridination. But the delima is that she is also starting preschool this year. I can't believe that my baby is big enough to go to preschool. We have decided to just put her in the ABC school at Alpena. It is a government funded program, so it won't cost us anything which helps. I am just going to send her on Tues, Wed, and Thurs. But the tumbling is on Wednesday at 3:00 and dance is on Tuesdays at 3:00, so that would have me taking her out of school early 2 of the 3 days that she would be going. So I think we have decided to just put her back in dance this year and wait until next year to put her in both. She will take tumbling again next summer, so I think all will be okay. I wouldn't even be considering both if she didn't love them both so much. I just feel like I should encourage physical activity, especially since she is the one who wants to do it and loves it. But, also, this will be her first time to go to school. I think that doing both and school would just be to much for her. I have been taking them both to Mothers Day Out on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-2:30. That has been a great thing for ALL of us. Avery is really starting to enjoy it. He walked into the classroom yesterday by himself and started playing. He didn't even care when I left. I am so glad cause the first time I took them he screamed bloody murder and I stood outside his class and cried. He has continued to scream, but I just drop him off and then take Lily to her class. By the time I get back to sign the papers he has stopped screaming. But the last couple of times I have dropped him off he hasn't screamed at all. It is good for him, I know that, but it has been hard for me to seek help. I always thought that I needed to do it all on my own with no help. I now know that I need help to keep my sanity. It has been quite a summer for us all!!! Lily loves Mothers Day Out. She has always been such a social butterfly. She has never had problems making friends, and this has just been total fun for her. I know that school will be easy for her. She will really enjoy it. I am excited for her about it (not for myself). It going to be hard on Avery and I. We rely on her more than I'd like to admit. Oh well, they all have to go to school sometime, right?!?!?! I know this has been a great big ramble, and I hope it all makes sense. I just had alot to say and it's easier for me to type it out as it comes in my head, so sorry if it is crazy!!

I hope that everyone is well!! I am done for now. I will try and post the tea party and Butterfly Palace later on this weekend!! Love you all!!