Swimming

I am a terrible swimmer. I grew up with a mom who couldn't really swim and so we didn't go to pools or the beach very often. When we did go we usually were told to play in the shallow area so she could keep an eye on us. I have this annoying nervous energy about swimming and really really want my kids to be able to swim. I have signed Abby up for swimming lessons two different times and both times she ended up quitting because they were trying to get her to go under water. She absolutely refuses to go under. Both times she quit, I totally supported it because I did not want them to force her under and then ruin her love for playing in the water. I find it rather annoying that every swim place feels it is mandatory to go under before a kid can learn to swim. Why not just let them do what they are comfortable with and work with them at their level!? Anyways, we recently found an indoor community pool that has half price Mondays and have been going as much as possible. It has been awesome to watch Abby evolve over the 3 or 4 times we have been there. The last time we went she put her face under and jumped in with the water splashing over her face and loved it. I asked her if she was interested in taking lessons again now that she was comfortable getting her face wet but she said NO! I think she is still nervous about going under often and probably doesn't want to feel like she "has to" do it. I am so glad that I didn't push the lessons on her and very happy to see how proud she is of herself. I overheard her telling a friend of mine that she can now go under water and she learned all by herself and that she doesn't need lessons :)

I love EC'ing

Joe has been in undies now for 4 or 5 months and I am really happy that EC'ing has worked so well for us. I just thought I would share a funny moment that happened tonight. We were done eating dinner and I took Joe out of his chair and he ran off to who knows where. I went to the kitchen to clean up, a few minutes later I went to check on him and he was in the bathroom sitting on his potty going poop. When he was done he got up, picked up the potty and dumped it into the toilet and then waved goodbye. It was awesome!
Here is an old picture of him on his potty.

Questioning homeschool

Whenever we go somewhere and meet someone new one of the first questions people ask Abby is if she goes to school (it is amazizng to me that so many adults know of nothing else to talk to children about!) Of course, Abby says no and that she does homeschool. Lately, I have noticed that after she says that she does homeschool they say "oh really and WHAT do you do in homeschool?" I am realizing that that comment makes me annoyed and I wonder why they ask her this. I don't usually hear people ask school kids what they do in school. I wonder if it is because they are truly curious or if they are sort of talking down to her and questioning her to see if she is REALLY doing homeschool. I don't really know where I am going with this post or why it even bothers me but it does. Off to do some more pondering . . .

Conversation between Abby and a friend

This morning we went to the Children's Museum with some of our friends. On the way home I overheard Abby asking her friend, who is 3 1/2, if he still nurses. I love the fact that she would ask her friend this and that it wouldn't be strange to her if his answer was yes. They then went on to discuss how they both use to nurse but now they are big kids so they don't do it anymore.

Sibling love

I love to watch Abby and Joe together. Especially when they are both being sweet to one another :)

Homeschooling "stuff"

Tonight my mom babysat the kids while Shawn and I went to a friend's place. When we got home we were getting ready for bed and this is the conversation we had
Abby: mom we have to start doing homeschooling stuff again
Me:what do you mean?
Abby: you know the stuff we used to do
Me: your numbers and letters?
Abby: yeah, but I am off Mondays and Wednesdays and Thursdays and Tuesdays and oh yeah I am off on the weekends too.
I love it! She is hilarious.

Maple Tree Cottage

So, Abby has been going to Maple Tree Cottage since September. It is an in home waldorf inspired preschool. She has absolutely loved it and always looked forward to going. I think one of the biggest reasons she truely enjoyed it so much was because she went when she was ready. I also enjoyed her going and really valued the two mornings she was there. I think it was really nice for both her and I to have that time to ourselves. As of last week, she is an official Maple Tree Cottage "drop-out." One day at breakfast she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said she no longer wanted to go. It was so sad! Turns out another kid has been mean to her and other kids too and she was fed up. I did lots of questioning with her and offered different options and she was adamant that she no longer wanted to go. Shawn and I both agreed that it was important to listen to her and to honor her needs. It is so nice to be in this place and to know that we don't have to force her to go somewhere she does not want to go. I could tell she was so relieved when we told her she did not have to go anymore. I've had others question me on not making her go and say things such as, "how will she learn to get along with others, this is just teaching her that she can quit whenever she wants" etc. etc.
I have to admit there is a selfish part of me that is bummed that she is no longer going but I could never imagine forcing her to go. I can only hope that what she is learning from this experience is that dad and mom will listen to her and honor her needs.