Captain Carnivore

My sweet little man has a soft spot for animals. Case in point: He thinks tigers eat grass, because he refuses to believe that they'd eat zebra. You see my point.

The other day we were reading an alphabet book. He said to me, "Mommy - what do owls eat?"

Always one for honesty, I decided to bite the bullet. "Daniel, sweetie, owls eat mice."

He thought for a minute and decided against in. "No Mommy, that's yucky. They eat grass."

After another minute of thinking, he turned to me again. "Mommy, what ELSE do owls eat?"

I said, "Daniel, owls eat bunnies."

D: "Like big rabbits?"

M: "No honey... owls like to eat little, tiny, soft bunnies." (I was hoping for shock value to send him back to the "owls eat grass" line of logic. No such luck...)

D: "Okay. I will be the mommy owl and you'll be the baby owl. I'll bring you a bunny to eat."

What?! This had totally backfired on me. He ran across the room, scooped up an imaginary baby bunny, and laid it in front of me to eat. Not entirely sure what to do, I leaned forward and took an imaginary bite.

Daniel completely freaked out. "Mommy!! No!!! Stop!!!! Spit it out!!!!!" I was so relieved that his sensitivity was still in tact. I gratefully spit out my imaginary bite. (After all, I prefer a vegetarian diet even in imagination world.)

Daniel calmed down, still telling me to "Spit it out, Mommy." Then he shocked me with his next line: "I have to CUT IT FIRST." He proceeded to cut the baby bunny into imaginary bites and spoon feed me.

I wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry or vomit... but I think I did a little of all three. Hilarious. And tragic. My little carnivore is growing up.

Two days later we were making french toast for breakfast. As Daniel helped me mix the batter, he peered into the mixing bowl and sweetly said, "Little chickies - are we mixing you?!" Lord help us.

Bad Frank

Farm time again! We had a wonderful week on the Farm, playing with cows/dirt/cousins/golf carts and anything else Daniel and Violet could get their hands on. It truly was a great week.

My Grampa (Daniel's great-grampa) can no longer drive his car, so he very kindly sold it to us (at such a low price it was practically GIVING it to us). It passed all the tests at the mechanics, so we flew to Texas one way with the intent of roadtripping back to Arizona in the Dodge - which we decided to name "Frank". (Grampa's name is Franklin.)

So. We loaded up snacks, toys, kids and car seats and headed West.

All went well for the first leg of the trip - overnight. Mid-morning found us an hour out of El Paso and needing a rest stop. We loaded back up and realized... the car wouldn't start. We called AAA (who couldn't find our card number in the system) and then our mechanically-inclined brother-in-law who offered a possible solution. Thankfully, the car started again after about 30 minutes.

We kept trucking across Texas... then New Mexico... then pulled into a gas stop in Tucson, Arizona. We filled up, piled back in and... nothing. Frank decided he wasn't ready to go anywhere.

We shared a chocolate shake and fries at the burger joint across the street (not a bad way to pass another half an hour) and tried that thing again. Success.

Holding our breath, we headed in for the final stretch. Realizing that Frank didn't like coming to a complete stop, we chose an "out of the way'' route to get back home to avoid the stop and go of rush hour in Phoenix. We vowed NOT to turn off the engine and just keep on going no matter what.

Thirty minutes later... in the middle of NO WHERE... Daniel's little voice piped up. "Mommy... I need to go pee-pee." Contemplating our options, we pulled over but kept the motor running. I ran around to his door, helping him... go... on the side of the road. We all hopped back in and... nothing. The motor died. Bad Frank.

This time it was serious. A swarm of flies filled the car as the motor died, crawling all over us - especially the kids. The heat was pushing 110 degrees, and the surrounding desert was barren and hostile. The motorists sped by, not even bothering to stop or even slow down. Best of all... we had no cell phone reception.

We opened the trunk so we'd have shade, and sat in a huddle behind the car (on five layers of clothing to keep our backsides from burning). I beat the kids with clothing to keep the flies off, and attempted to change a really nasty diaper (thanks, Violet) in the middle of sweat, flies and dirt. Fernando paced, looking for reception to make a call.

Panic started to set in as the minutes ticked away. We sang worship songs to Jesus, and thanked Him for the answer we trusted was coming. Daniel called out a prayer - "Jesus - please take the flies away!" And kept telling me that God was going to help us. There is a certain kind of desperation about sitting on the side of a desert highway holding your two babies that just puts things into perspective: You suddenly know exactly who you are and what really matters to you.

That sun was setting fast, and no one was stopping to help us.

I'm not sure how much time passed, but Fernando found a 6 inch square of reception and was able to make a call letting someone know where we were in case we weren't home in a few hours. At the same time, Daniel turned to me and said, "Mommy - the car works now - it's time to go home." I dismissed it the first time as wishful thinking. But then more insistently, Daniel said, "Mommy - the car works. We need to go home."

I flagged Fernando down, who hopped in and sure enough - the car started. We have NEVER moved so fast, flinging kids into the backseat as fast as possible. We took off and didn't look back.

The short version is that we made it home without stopping. But those final 90 minutes of roadtrip were the 90 most stressful minutes we have ever spent together. There was no AC and it was over 110 by this point. All the water was left in the trunk in our hurry, so we had half a bottle to share. All four of us were drenched in sweat and still covered in flies (who didn't leave the car until we got home). I tried to give them snacks, but it only made the flies even more interested in my babies' faces. The kids cried out of discomfort and over-heating and we did everything possible to keep them distracted and entertained. I think I remember something about a boogar-song we made up to keep them laughing.

We prayed like maniacs, outloud and boldly. Daniel, too. For whatever reason, God kept using him to speak to the family. He was the calm voice of reason letting us know the car was working again. He kept telling us Bible stories about Jesus fixing problems - and would recite Jesus' parts: "Be still!!" ... to the storm that would have killed the disciples. We managed to avoid every red light all the way home and coasted into the driveway. As we stopped the car, the tears finally hit and we tried to pull it together long enough to get everyone inside. We stripped the kids out of drenched and filthy clothing, soaked them in the tub, and kept giving them a salt/sugar/water mixture to rehydrate.

Frank is working fine now. Turns out he had never made a long trip and can't handle the pressure on the engine. He's fine as a city car... but he won't be taken past state lines again.

As dramatic and awful as that evening was, it brought us closer together. I will never forget the desperation, but also the peace. God's hand was on us - our identity as a family is in Him. Even when it feels scary, He is in control and knows what we need.

And together as a family, we will praise Him!

Even in the midst of flies, sweat and dirt. ESPECIALLY in the midst of flies, sweat and dirt.

The B-I-B-L-E

For Christian parents, there are few things as sweet as watching your child learn about God. Daniel has been memorizing verses at church for a while and learning to understand the basic concepts – Jesus is with me when I’m scared… God made me… Jesus loves me… etc.

But we have turned a new literal and metaphorical page in Daniel’s walk with God: He has developed a passion for the Bible. After graduating to a cool toddler Bible (with awesome illustrations involving crazy hair and big muscles) he simply can’t get enough.

For at least a few weeks, he has refused all other books at bedtime – he just wants the Bible. (And when it’s “lights out” time he gets upset – “But Mommy, I just want to read the Bible!” Talk about hard to say no to!) He wants to act out stories constantly and he assigns us roles. Daddy makes an excellent Goliath and wall of Jericho, and I particularly like being the angel that saves Daniel in the lion’s den. Violet is occasionally cast as a lion, which is somewhat fitting given the biting.

His sensitivity to the content is impressive. His eyes flooded with tears the first time we read “The Good Samaritan” and he couldn’t understand why people would hurt someone for no reason.

Today at naptime, I read him the story of Jesus’ death for the first time. He has been asking for it for weeks, but I was too afraid of causing nightmares. Plus, he doesn’t really grasp the concept of death yet. But I gave in, and today we read it. He listened with wide eyes, and careful attention to the painful expressions on Jesus face. He just kept asking me, “Why?” and it was all I could do to not lose it. My heart soared as I read the words of the gospel message to my son – that stone was rolled away. After we were done, I laid with him in his bed for naptime. I asked him if he remembered the story we read today. He said yes. I asked him to tell me about it to see what he retained.

Me: “What happened in the story?”

Daniel: “Jesus prayed to God.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: “Mean guys.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: “Ouchies.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: “They go away.”

Me: “Then what?”

Dnaiel: “Cave.”

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: Big rock.

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel: Another big rock.

Me: “Then what?”

Daniel “Umm… I dunno.”

Me: Do you remember the angel?

Daniel: “Yes.”

Me: “What happened next?”

Daniel: “Jesus body is gone.”

Me: “That’s right, Daniel.”

Daniel: “He came back alive!”

It was one of the most precious and tender moments we have shared. That feeling of sharing the most important thing in the world with your child, and watching him start to understand.

THIS is the whole point of parenting. Forget teaching manners and hygiene – if we can teach him this, we’ll have done our jobs. My heart has never been happier.

SAHM Wannabe

Daniel has been in full-time preschool from the time he was 7-weeks old. Both Fernando and I had to work to make ends meet, and the preschool at our church (and place of employment) was and is a wonderful environment. Christian teachers and curriculum, bright colors, structured days, creative outlets, online video monitoring, and so much more. And honestly, with a few exceptions, I didn’t have a strong desire for life to be any other way. Daniel loved his teachers, formed true friendships that are still intact, and Fernando and I were able to be a part of a fun ministry team doing jobs that have been challenging and fulfilling. It was the right thing for our family.

But something new has surfaced in me: A desire to be at home, all the time. It started when Violet came home. And at first I thought it had to do with her, and wanting to be home more for her during her attachment period. But the more I dug, the more I realized it actually had to do with me.

Like he tends to do, God has been changing me. Softening my preconceptions of what the gender roles in my marriage and my home would be like. Yes, I still think husbands and wives are equal and shouldn’t be bound to what our culture tells them their roles should be. I believe this with all my heart.

But I cannot ignore the piece of me that desires (more strongly than I ever imagined) a new role in my family. One that I had previous looked down on.

So here’s my confession of the “I wants” of right now.

At some point in my life, I want to stay home with my kids. I want to be their primary nurturer. I want to be in charge of forming their character and minds. I want to be selfish with every minute of their days – with each memory. I want to be in charge of our meals, lovingly and creatively feeding our bodies exactly what I know they need. I want to run our home. I want to elevate it to a level of cleanliness and organization that just hasn’t been possible so far. I want to greet my husband at the door each evening with a smile, a hug, two clean and happy kiddos, and dinner cooking on the stove.

But that’s not all. I still want to work – but in a different way. I want to grow my photography business. Take on more sessions than I have been able to with a full-time job. Expand my equipment collection and try new things. I want to contribute to the family income through this avenue in a very real way.

So this is my "someday" dream. Can we do it now? No. The numbers don’t add up, financially. And honestly, I'm not ready to leave my full-time job. But do I believe that it’s something God has for my family in the future? Yes. Absolutely. So, we’ll make a plan. We’ll work hard and dedicate ourselves to being the best stewards of our resources that we can be.

And maybe in a few years, I will be there with Daniel comes home from Kindergarten or first grade, full of playground stories and a backpack full of homework. I will be there, ready to greet him with a hug, his favorite snack and my undivided attention. Because that’s the most important role of all.

End of Swimming Classes

Daniel’s swimming lessons finally ended, after six weeks of daily trips to see Ms. Tammy.

He “tested out” during the last week. During the test week, the instructor flips the student over into the water in a series of different ways designed to simulate the disorientation a kid would feel if they fell into a pool. In each situation, Daniel entered the water, calmly floated motionless while looking around for a solution, then made his way to an exit or a person. It was amazing (and so encouraging) to watch.



Test day one was in regular swimwear. Test day two was in summer clothes – T-shirt, shorts and sandals. Test day three was in pajamas. Test day four was in full winter clothing – Jeans, T-shirt, socks, sneakers, and a sweatshirt. Test day five was one more “parents in the pool” day and we were taught a few more tips on how to keep him learning throughout the rest of the swim season.

If I haven’t said it enough already, I LOVE this swimming technique for young kids. I recommend it to every parent. It has escalated Daniel’s confidence in and out of the water and allowed me to (finally) relax when we’re near a pool. He jumps in at the deep end and swims to an exit. If he is suddenly in too deep, he rolls to his back and rests for a minute to get his bearings. It’s ridiculously cool.

The past few days we have spent lots of time swimming at friends’ pools and have enjoyed every minute. No stress or fear – for him or us.

In a lot of ways, Daniel grew up over these past six weeks. It’s been fun and bittersweet to watch his body change and lengthen, his muscles achieve more definition, and his face continue to thin out. The confidence and pride in his accomplishments only makes him seem even older.

Way to go, little man. We’re proud of you!

As a side note... nearly a month later... we went swimming at Daniel's Mema & Papa's pool. To see how well he had retained the technique, we pushed him in the deep end. He fell in head over heels and upside down. Once in, he paused underwater... checked his surroundings... then swam like a machine across the pool to the nearest exit. He was calm and poised... his technique was PERFECT and we have NEVER seen him swim that efficiently. WHOO HOO!

Adventures in Dentistry

Well, he survived his first visit to the dreaded dentist chair.

He was apprehensive (what kid isn’t when they see all that machinery?) but our dentist is a soft-spoken, sweet woman who chatted with Daniel until he was truly interested in counting his teeth with her. (He has twenty, in case you wondered).

Into the chair he went, and his eyes stayed glued to the hand held mirror they gave him to watch what they were doing. They managed to get digital x-rays, poke around a little in his mouth and even do a quick cleaning. No cavities (which is actually a big relief.He has his TK’s teeth exactly and hers are very cavity-prone!) but they did find a few dark spots in the back that we’ll need to brush extra well.

Violet didn’t have an actual appointment but was happy to let the dentist poke around in her mouth too, after watching Daniel do it.(Funny how that works.She's late on a few teeth, but the ones that are in look good.

Anyway, three cheers for fun at the dentist. :)

What's Gonna Work? Teamwork!

Daniel's latest favorite show is Wonderpets - he loves the concept of animals rescuing other animals and we love the undercurrent of classical music and non-irritating jingles.

Today we got a little creative (and destructive). We busted out the glue gun and raided the house for anything we could use to create our very own Fly Boat - the contraption the wonder pets use to fly out of their cages and off to the rescue. We found an old metal tub, construction paper, flat beads, markers, wooden dowels, and some knit items from Violet's drawers. (Sorry, sweetie.)

The final product is rough, to say the least, and required at least one stick of hot glue, one washcloth and one red bib to give their lives to the project. But Daniel's pretty happy with it, especially the fact that the pets have their own little red capes (thank you red bib). As soon as we were done, he zoomed his new Fly Boat off in search of animals to rescue.

And my favorite part of the whole project was gluing the wheels on the tub... Daniel held the hot glue gun while I held his hand, guiding the glue. He spontaneously broke out into the theme song: "What's gonna work? Teamwork!" Precious.

(And yes, that's the same turtle we used for our little oil spill experiment. Poor guy has been through a lot this month.)

Same Sex Parenting

No, this post isn't about parents of the same gender.

It's about the way parents parent different genders differently. (Say that ten times fast.) And honestly, before now, it's something I hadn't really given any serious thought towards.

Before having kids, you consistently hear general statements like "Oh, there's nothing more tender than the bond between a mother and her son" or "Fathers just can't say no to their sweet little daughters". At the time, I just dismissed them as stereotypes to be ignored.

But lately I have started noticing some patterns in our home. And as much as I loathe fitting stereotypes, the patterns align as follows: Fernando and I both are stricter with the kid of the same gender. The old sayings appear to be at least partially true.

Try this on for size: My theory is that it's easier to afford grace to someone you don't entirely understand - it's easier to overlook manipulation and testing when you aren't 100% sure if that's what it really is.

We both love both kids beyond comprehension - with our entire hearts - past what we thought possible. But the fact remains: Men understand how boys think and women understand how girls think. With the kids of the same gender, we have higher expectations based on what we understand.

For example. I'm more likely to give Daniel that 20th hug goodnight when he comes out of his room (again) saying that he's scared (again) - and Fernando is more likely to be tough with him, knowing that he's playing me like a shiny new fiddle. But Daddy's more likely to pick Violet up and comfort her when she's throwing a tantrum while I'm more likely to make her tough it out and use her manners no matter how much she's crying.

Yes, I realize that particular example just highlights my inability to choose my battles (I'm working on this). But I hold to my theory: Dad's hold sons to a higher standard than their daughters and vice versa.

I have heard these words come out of my mouth numerous times towards Violet: "That is not how we act, Violet. We are nice ladies." We. Ladies. Likewise, Fernando often explains to Daniel what it means to be a "big boy" and what kind of behavior is required. When Daniel suddenly excelled in swim classes, Fernando felt a stronger and deeper pride than I did. Why? Because dads know that their sons need to acquire a type of learned courage and adventure to become the kind of men God designed them to be. And right or wrong, moms would be fine with their sons clinging to them in the pool for just one more summer.

Now I know this theory has all kind of exceptions and caveats (like genetics, how much time is spent with the kids and how much coffee each parent has consumed that day) but for the most part, it's true. And aside from simply being interesting food for thought, it's actually been helpful to consider as we continually "fine tune" our parenting styles.

Now, if you'll excuse me - my kids need me. Violet is crying and Daniel is standing by her holding a big stick. But I know my sweet little man would never hurt his sister, so she must have grabbed it and hit herself in the head. And ladies do NOT hit themselves in the head with sticks.

Holy Swimmer, Batman!

Today, we got in the pool at Daniel's swim lesson. And Ms. Tammy warned us that kids usually don't do as well with the parentals in the pool. So we were ready for some fairly mediocre swimming.

But Daniel (metaphorically) blew us out of the water. Holy stinking cow.

Ms. Tammy kept saying that he will be a swimmer someday. I think the word "Olympian" came out of her mouth a few times. (And she told Fernando a few times that he should teach these courses - he is apparently a natural!)

Daniel just kicked it into high gear and showed what he's made of. He was proud of himself and was not ready to stop at the end of the lesson.

I was proud, but Fernando was prouder. You should have seen him beaming at his son at the end of that lesson. Priceless.

A Tale of Toys: Toy Story 3

We've been preparing for Toy Story 3 for quite a while. In anticipation of the opening, Fernando bought the first and second movies hoping that Daniel would get to know the characters and be excited for the third movie.

His plan worked.

By the time we hit the theaters for round three of Buzz and Woody, "Buzz and Woody" had become household terms.

The movie itself was fun - a little more intense/scary at parts than I had expected. Had we known, we probably would have waited a bit. But it was a fun experience for the whole family - Violet came too and ate her body weight in popcorn.

But more impactful than the actual movie is the new stage of childhood Daniel slipped into without us really noticing. He entered into that magical little boy world where action figures come alive and movie scenes are recited and acted out.

Daniel: "You wanna be Zurg or Buzz?"

Fernando: "I'll be Buzz today."

Daniel: "Ok." (grabbing the sword he made by linking markers together...) "We meet again Buzz Lightyear... for the last time."

Fernando: "Not today Zurg!"

(shooting sound effects ensue... Buzz gets knocked over...

Daniel: (evil laugh)

Fernando: "You killed my father!"

Daniel: "I AM YOUR FATHER!"

Fernando: "Nooooo!"

So maybe we combined a few scenes. But you get the idea.

Fernando is beyond excited that Daniel has reached this stage. In fact, he has to restrain himself from buying out the "Action figure" aisle at every store he's in. I think he's been waiting for this stage for a while. The little Buzz dude that Daniel "gave Fernando" for Father's Day gets played with hard - every day.

Anyway. This is just another snippet of daily life around here. Buzz just happens to be part of the household now.

Project: Oil Spill

I was recently introduced to a very cool blog of a mom/photographer who educated her young kiddos about the BP oil spill in a way that was age-appropriate, hands on and ultimately even helped the rescue effort. (Blog: www.ashleyannphotography.com/blog - thanks for the link, CB!)

This afternoon, we re-created Ashley's project with great success. Daniel is an animal lover and currently is (very) infatuated with sea animals. He is sensitive, so I was worried about this affecting him too deeply. But his interest in "playing doctor" kicked in as well, and he really got into the project. We just used some of his current favorite toys (two turtles and a shark), a couple plastic food storage containers and whipped up makeshift oil from soy sauce and vegetable oil.

First we talked about where the oil spill was located and as always, he loved looking at the globe. I told him that lots of animals were sick because of dirty water and I was impressed and surprised by his immediate response: "Mommy! I can help them! I can go there and clean the animals! I have an idea - those towels can help us!" I hadn't even launched into our plan of attack for helping the animals. Pretty darn cool, little man.

Next I showed him a few photos and brief video clips of affected animals and the rescue efforts to save them. He responded surprisingly well, staying very serious and focused and continually talking about how the animals are all "so sick and so dirty" and need our help.

Then the fun part... we put our animals in a container of clean water, made our "oil" mix, poured it in, and Daniel actually was upset that his animals were sick now. And even though he just turned three, he actually seemed to grasp the concept that there were REAL turtles who were sick like this.

He picked up each animal, lovingly telling it, "It's ok - I will clean you and you can go back to your Mommy". He scrubbed it with clean water and patted it dry.

We busted out the markers and paper and together drew a thank you card picturing a turtle telling the rescue workers "thank you" (Daniel's idea!). We'll head to the post office on Monday to drop off our package of wash clothes for the Craft Hope project that inspired all of this.

I love that Daniel is at an age where his little brain can wrap around concepts bigger than himself - this opens up a whole new world of projects, causes and fun.

The options are endless - my brain is on overload!

Elephants & Puzzles

Another seemingly small (yet actually very impressive) milestone was reached yesterday: Daniel said the word "Elephant" correctly. After years of "Epetent"... I have to admit I got teary-eyed. His words are crisper and clearer than ever.

With the increase in vocabulary comes the continual (adorable) mis-use of some words. His new favorite words to "just throw in there" are: Maybe, Just, But, Because, Kind of, Almost, Like, So, Sure. For example. "I want to watch Dora... she's kind of just my favorite."

He also says in a perfect little sing-song voice, "I no think so!" when he doesn't want to do what you've asked. (It's almost cute enough not to get him in trouble for saying "no" to us. Almost.)

In other news, he has officially done his first real jigsaw puzzles - and loved them. We have two for him: a zebra and a car. They are pretty tough but he loves the challenge, and I love helping him. It's a family tradition on my side and it's beyond fun to watch it developing into yet another generation.

The Summer days are passing too quickly. We are squeezing in every possible minute of water fun, play and family time before we blink and it's gone. My eyeballs are starting to hurt from NOT blinking. (I can try, right?!)

Story Time

Daniel's imagination is running wild. And right now, he loves nothing more than being told stories at bedtime.

Sadly, I am a horrendous story teller. Writing fiction never did come easily. I do my best and have mustered up three or four stories to tell him that I'd be positively mortified to share with anyone else.

Fortunately for all involved, Daddy is a bonified expert. Their repertoire is quickly building, but Daniel's all time favorite is "The Elephant & The Ant". He has it memorized and acts it out through the day, enlisting us as different characters.

Daddy and Mommy have had to collaborate on their story endeavors because Daniel will make specific requests (Can I hear the one about the green rhino?) and the requests are sometimes for the OTHER parent's story. And trust me... Daniel expresses himself when you have messed up a story. Very clearly.

Occasionally, we're so tired that as we're telling the stories, we drift in and out of sleep. And believe me... those stories get really interesting really quickly. Suddenly you hear bizarre things coming out of your own mouth and wonder what's going on. Daniel is usually quick to correct us, unless he's already asleep. And then he's fine if the zebra and rhino are eating pasta on the moon. Really... it's ok.

Sometimes I can persuade Daniel to tell ME stories at night, and he will produce a jumbled combination of a few different story lines. And each time, I wish I had something handy to record him.

But typically when I ask him, he'll just lay down lazily and say, "I no think so, Mommy. But I'm just a little too tired. You tell me one, please?" And good-story-teller or not, there's not a person alive who could resist him at that moment.

"Once upon a time... there was a tiny little ant..."

Week One: Update

Well, after five days of swimming lessons, I absolutely could not be happier with Daniel's progress. (I suppose I'd be happier if he was doing backflips off the high dive, but let's try and stay focused here, shall we?)

He only cried twice all week, and both times were fairly minor. He is strong in the water, a natural floater, and a very fast learner. He is already opening his eyes (constantly) under water, kicking to move himself forward, pulling himself up and almost out of the water, floating on his own, and just enjoying himself thoroughly. He does everything with a huge smile on his face continually echoing, "I want to do it again!"

Daniel talks about his accomplishments all day long - even when he cried when Ms. Tammy made him open his eyes underwater, the rest of the day I'll hear, "Mommy! I go underwater and open my eyes!" And the next day he doesn't protest a bit during lessons.

His self-confidence seems boosted in other areas as well. I can't be sure that it's because of the lessons, but the timing is pretty coincidental. He even helped me vaccum the living room the other day (and used to run to the farthest corner of the house the second I brought it out of the closet). This may sound like no big deal, but for Daniel, it's huge. His confidence is growing.

In honor of him learning to "float like a starfish", we made Jell-O starfish jigglers (each, accidentally, with it's own facial emotion. My favorite is "angry starfish".) They were red... but some details are just lost on black and white photography.

This is only week one of six... that high dive goal might be achievable after all.

I Have Confidence In Spring Time

Ah yes, Julie Andrews.

But I digress. Where confidence is concerned, Daniel is blossoming. He's making huge developmental milestones, both mental and physical.

With the start of swimming lessons, his confidence in other areas of life seems to be boosted. His fears are lessening and his playfulness is increasing. (I wrote more about this in another post.)

He has been dry after naptime for a while, and suddenly he decided to kick the pull-up habit altogether - he is dry overnight too. And he's proud of this fact, constantly telling us and himself that he doesn't have any more accidents - he simply beams.

He is enjoying our company more than ever, constantly asking for kisses and hugs or just crawling into our laps for no reason whatsoever. It's precious though - instead of asking for hugs, he'll loudly declare, "Mommy, you can have a hug!" His self-awareness is growing - he is granting us permission to hug, kiss, and tickle his body. It's like he realizes that it's his choice to make. Subtle shift, I know, but definitely a shift. (And a good one, too.)

The "I love you's" are free-flowing around here, mostly coming from him towards us and Violet. And when he REALLY loves you, he says, "I love you to the sun!" (We have a little routine now. D: "I love you to the sun." Me: "I love you to the moon." D: "I love you to the sun." Me: "I love you to the stars." D: "I love you to the humpback whale and all the animals in the bottom of the ocean." And then we free form.)

Every morning he wakes me up by climbing in bed and laying with (or usually on) me. Talk about pure joy. Forget the alarm clock... this is always how I want to wake up.

Somehow this post shifted from confidence to affection, but I suppose they are related. With the increase in confidence has come a huge increase in affection. Maybe the old adage is true: One must first love himself to truly love others.

Summer Lovin'

Gramma's Toy

Maybe I should have titled this "Daniel's Toy"... but either way, Gramma and Daniel have a new favorite play thing: Each other!

From the second he spotted her at the airport, he had his target marked and he didn't let her out of his sight for seven solid days, save trips to the bathroom (thankfully).

If he woke up before her, he could hardly stand her being asleep. More than once we intercepted him crouched over her soundly sleeping face, whispering (loudly), "GRAMMA! ARE YOU AWAKE?!"

She indulged his world of imaginary play, happily becoming whatever toy animal he handed to her. "Hello Mr. Octopus!" "Hello little Fishie!" "How are you?" "Hungry!" She even bought him some sea animal toys he still plays with daily when we went to the aquarium.

I'm so happy that she was able to be a part of his life during this stage. She was able to witness him playing with his best friends and begin a new adventure for the Summer: Swimming lessons.

And as is to be expected, Daniel tested his limits with her. But aside from a few minor altercations, she was regaled all week with his latest mantra: "Excuse me, Gramma? Excuse me, Gramma?"

A few days after she had gone back to Texas, Daniel woke up early and crawled into my lap. He looked towards where she had slept during her stay here. He said, "Mommy, where's Gramma?" I told him she had gone home. He said, "Mommy, I'm sad."

August come quickly!

The Start of Something New

Daniel's first swimming lesson was this morning. Cue 6 weeks of no apples, pears, no other swimming outside the lesson, daily 10 minute lessons and (my personal favorite), documenting every time he sleeps, eats, poops or pees on a form. I kid you not.

These lessons are not traditional - they aren't "backstroke" and "butterfly" type lessons. These are "how to save myself if I fall in a pool" lessons. Infant Swimming Resource is our weapon of choice, and so far, I'm pleased.

Today we arrived (late) and got our paperwork done, including our "BUDS" sheet where we'll track all of Daniel's... bodily functions... with excruciating detail. (There is something in me that loves doing this kind of tracking - it's rewarding in some twisted way.) Apparently there are some signs of trouble during the lessons that will surface on the BUDS sheet routines and it will help keep Daniel out of any potential intestinal pain during the lessons.

Today he met Ms. Tammy and they spent their 10 minutes in the pool getting to know each other. He took right to her, showing her his imaginary octopus and star fish immediately. She worked on teaching him to reach for the bar/exit in their pool, releasing him from various angles and distances and he successfully lifted himself up each time.

He only went underwater once today - I imagine this will change dramatically starting tomorrow. One of the first skills he'll need to master during lessons is holding his breath underwater with his eyes open - something he absolutely cannot/will not do currently.

It was oddly refreshing to sit back at watch someone else work with my child. Parents are strongly encouraged NOT to give their kids any direction during the lesson and at first it was hard to bite my disciplinarian tongue when Daniel just kept telling Ms. Tammy that he didn't want to go underwater. But she handled it beautifully, winning both his respect and his affection in just minutes.

Anyway. This was only day one of thirty and already his confidence and skills have improved a bit. Hopefully the crazy crying stage I keep hearing about will be short-lived or (please!) non-existant altogether.

A mom can dream, right?

Now if you'll excuse me. Daniel just went #2 and I need to document it on the BUDS sheet.

Just Like Mommy

Daniel, you might look more like your Daddy, but inside, you are so very like your Mommy.

Here is the tip-of-the-iceberg list of our similarities, and the lessons I have learned from 30 years of life:

1. We are both clumsy. Plain and simple. While this is good for constantly making Daddy laugh, it's not so good for our poor bruised bodies. Lesson to learn: Wear a helmet when biking. Trust me on this.

2. Which brings me to my next point: We have the same skin. Different colors, but just as sensitive. We can develop bruises and scratches just from thinking about falling. Lesson to learn: Sunscreen is your friend. (Also, hives won't kill you. You and I both get them every now and then from shellfish... just keep benadryl close by and if your bootie itches, don't scratch it!)

3. We both have slight OCD tendencies. You make lines with your toys and I make lists. Lesson to learn: Don't let this side of you go too far - you'll annoy everyone. But it is very helpful character trait when you learn to channel it into being "detail oriented".

4. You and I are both cautious regarding adventure. Maybe this is a better way to say it: We are adventurous, but initially cautious. You want to try the big slide at the park, but are hesitant at first. You want to leap from rock to rock but want me to hold your hand the first few times. It took me days to work up the courage to jump off the high-dive at the public pool when I was a kid. Lesson learned: Being cautious can be good - it means you are smart, and are calculating the risk. This is a very valuable skill. But don't let it overtake your sense of adventure - sometimes you just need to close your eyes and leap!

5. Puzzles are our friends. We are good at puzzles and love doing them. We feel accomplishment in a completed project and enjoy the process as well. Lesson learned: Puzzles are great "brain developers". Do them a lot and you'll acquire all kinds of mental skills to go with it. Plus, you will have a LOT of fun with Tex, Dodo and your Great-Mema in the years to come!

6. Sometimes we laugh so hard we cry. Especially when we are tired. It's so sweet to watch this happen to you too - I have done it my whole life. Lesson learned: Just let it go. Laugh so hard you cry, then cry hard. By the end of the cry you'll realize what you're crying about... something you weren't even thinking of when you started laughing. But those deep down things have a habit of surfacing during a display of any emotion - even if it's laughter. Let it out, dude. Let it out.

7. You and I are both very ticklish. Lesson learned: Watch out for Daddy.

8. We are people pleasers! If someone is upset with us, it's the worst possible feeling. I have lost a lot of sleep worrying about whether or not someone is happy with me. Lesson learned: It's good to want to please those in authority over us: God, parents, teachers, legal authority. But it's not good to care so much about making others happy that we lose sight of ourselves. Sometimes people will be upset with you - and that's ok. Maybe you will make your friends mad by not giving into peer pressure - and that's ok. It's a fine line for us "people pleasers" to learn to walk - but I know you'll get the hang of it. I learned this principle recently and it's helped me: "I am only responsible for my actions, not for others' reactions." If you act with integrity, don't waste any time or energy on the folks that don't agree with you. Period.

9. We tend to hide what we're really feeling. Sometimes we can make everything look "ok" on the surface when really, it's not. This is something I have worked on throughout my life and have gotten better about. It's always good to express what you're feeling and to be honest with people if they hurt your feelings - especially to your parents. We love you and want to know what you're really going through.

10. We both have unnatural loves of popcorn and ice-cream. There is no "lesson learned" on this - we just have really good taste in food.

I love you so much, Daniel and could not be more proud to have you as my son. It's amazing (and scary) to see so much of myself in you. I hope you can learn from my life lessons and avoid some of the pain (and sunburns) I have gone through!

The Money Talk

Tonight's conversation after dinner:

Fernando: "Would you like to eat Jell-O or ice-cream for dessert, Daniel?"

Daniel: "Ice-cream!! I want to eat ice cream!"

Fernando: "How are you going to buy ice cream? You don't have any money."

Daniel: (thinking) "...maybe Baby Jaguar can buy it."

Fernando: "I hate to break it to you kid, but Baby Jaguar is in the poorhouse. He doesn't even have pants to put a wallet in."

Daniel: "But I want ice cream!"

Fernando: "You're in the poorhouse too. Say "I'm in the poorhouse"."

Daniel: "I'm in the poorhouse, Daddy."

Fernando: "Yes you are. Do you know anyone who has some money?"

Daniel: "Yes... Baby Violet."

Fernando: "No, she's in the poorhouse too. Well, look. I have all of this money." (pulls some dollars out of his pocket).

Daniel: "Ooooh... you're the man!"

Fernando: "So I can buy myself some ice-cream. But how are you going to buy ice cream? Do you have any money?"

Daniel: "I have money... right here!" (reaches for Fernando's wallet).

Fernando: "Do you know anyone else with money?"

Daniel: "Maybe Mommy can help! Mommy, will you buy me some ice cream please?"

Daniel subsequently spent the ride to the ice cream shop repeating to himself: "I want to eat ice cream but I no have any money - Daddy will you buy me some please?"

Let the "responsible spending and saving" lessons commence!

The Chlorine Has Arrived

It's officially swim time again... and Daniel will be starting lessons soon.

We have already clocked some serious pool time though, between Mema & Papa's pool, the pools at the Marriott (some visiting friends invited us over), and the little splash pool in our backyard.

Daniel loves being in the water, so long as his feet are touching the ground. Every once in a while he'll get brave, "catch a bubble" and plunge his head underwater (he then rubs his eyes for about five minutes to get all the water out).

And as usual, after two seconds in the sun, he has already started getting darker. My envy knows no bounds.