24/52: A Weekly Photo Series

The summer days are flying by, aren't they? I've been busy soaking up every minute with Tory and Aden, and blogging's gotten away from me a little bit. No regrets here, though; Minnesota summers are over with the blink of an eye so we're living in the moment.

Semi-related: This weekly photo project has really changed the way I interact with my iPhone and social media on a daily basis. Since I'm now more inclined to grab my "real camera" versus my iPhone to capture a moment during the day, I find myself less connected to my phone and social media in general. Sure, I'm behind the lens of a camera and not fully engaged with my kids for a brief second, but I find myself picking up my cell phone (and its camera) less often, therefore am more engaged with Tory and Aden overall. Anyway - it's just interesting to me. Cutting back on screen time wasn't something I set out to do when I decided to teach myself how to use a dSLR, but I don't mind the side-effect it's having on my daily life.  

In other camera-related news, Andi surprised me to a new Canon EOS-M camera last week which is sort-of a cross between a point-and-shoot camera and a dSLR. It has a smaller body than our Canon 7d, for example, but it still uses all the same lens. I love how lightweight my new camera is to carry, so it's been even easier to snap pictures of the kids during our daily adventures to the park, summer concerts and swimming lessons.

I have several groups of photos from last week, but decided to share Tory and Aden's first day of summer swimming lessons. The first day of swimming is always one of my favorite moments to photograph. It never ceases to amaze me how much the kids grow over the course of a season in both physical looks and skill set. I like comparing photos from the beginning of lessons to the end to see the changes.

Now that Aden's mobile on two feet, he does nothing but RUN all the time so I had a difficult time capturing a photo of him doing something other than trying to nose-dive into the pool. I finally trapped him in a shower stall long enough to snap a photo of him. Aden's getting so big these days, I can hardly believe my eyes. I'd forgotten how fun (and exhausting!) 1-1/2 year olds are.

I have no other swimming photos of Aden because I'm in the pool with him during his lesson. This summer, I took a leap of faith and booked Tory and Aden's lessons back-to-back on the same day without any other adult help. Aden and I swim together first while Tory sits on the side of the pool with her iPad, some snacks and an activity workbook. So far my rule-follower of a 3-1/2 year old is perfectly well behaved while I'm in the pool with her younger brother.

Aden's a rockstar in his Baby Backfloat swimming class. He super comfortable in the water and jumps off the side of the pool, swims underwater and floats on his back like it's no big deal. He both scares and excites me because, seriously, the boy has no fear.

Tory has lessons immediately following Aden's class. This summer, she's advanced to the Little 2's level, which is definitely a stretch for her. Swimming doesn't come naturally to Tory (ahem, just like her mother) so while she's not afraid of the water per se, she's also not sure about putting her face underwater. She does it ... but she doesn't like it, and I don't blame her one bit (I don't like it either). I have to hand it to her though, she never stops trying. She listens to the instructor well, and gives me the cutest thumbs up on the side-lines when she accomplishes a task. I couldn't be more proud of my little girl if I tried.

Little Swimmers

I sign Tory and Aden up for swimming lessons every spring and summer in an attempt to prepare them for life at the lake cabin around open water. I'm not confident lessons will actually save them from drowning at their young ages, but at the very least I hope the instruction familiarizes them with the water and lays the groundwork for safety. Plus, they both really enjoy splashing around in a pool once a week, especially when it's still too cold for outdoor play.

Lessons started last week for both kids. Tory is now in the "Little Ones" class which means she gets to swim in the pool without me. Wahoo! My fellow swimming BFF Lindsey and I used to dream about this day for our girls -- the day we'd get to sit on the side of the pool and drink coffee together while our daughters swam in the pool without us. Unfortunately, Lindsey has since moved away to Kentucky and I had to experience this milestone day without her [insert the emoji symbol for one sad tear cascading down my cheek]. I'm fairly sure mothers of the other kids in Tory's class were giving me the side-eye as I excitedly sat on the side of the pool with Aden taking pictures of myself and texting them to Lindsey. I'm sitting on the side of the pool, and I'm wearing shoes! Wish you were here! 

   
In Lindsey and I's fantasies, we forgot about the part where we'd be sitting on the side of the pool entertaining our younger children for 30+ minutes. That part was a bit of a fun-killer. Actually, I took a page from Nicole and brought Aden's blue push-car toy which helped in keeping him (and gobs of other kids) occupied on the sidelines.  

Tory did amazing at her first swimming lesson without me! I was nervous how she'd react when I didn't get in the pool with her, so I prepped her ahead of time by talking about what to expect. Her swim instructor is fantastic and did a great job of earning the kids' trust by making class fun and engaging.

Aden attends swimming lessons on a different day of the week while Tory is at preschool. I still have to get in the pool with him for his Backfloat Baby class, but it's fun having something special he and I do together. And, to be clear, it's not the actual swimming class I mind so much; it's the getting in the pool / dressing a toddler while I'm dripping wet / having to shower afterwards / part that's a pain.

He (mostly) enjoyed swimming in the pool until the part of class came where the instructor held him during a back float. Aden's still going through a separation anxiety phase where he does not appreciate someone other than Mom, Dad or Grandma holding him, so he was a little less than impressed with swimming class after that. He'll become more familiar with the instructor and the routine of class though, and all will be fine eventually.

Once again, people around the pool probably think I'm crazy but one of my favorite things to do is take pictures of my kids on the first day of swimming class / last day of swimming class each session. It always amazes me how much the kids have grown over this short period of time! 

The Best Summer Nights

The best weekday nights happen when Andi sends a late afternoon text message to let me know he'll be home from work early. I'll have dinner ready when he walks in the door, or sometimes we'll put food on the back-burner and seize the last bits of evening light while we can. When the stars align just so, these are the perfect way to spend an evening together.

Yesterday was one of those glorious summer nights. Andi walked in the door around 5:45pm and said, "Let's do something fun." We wolfed down a meal of baked chicken, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes, then scurried out the door to Crystal Cove pool.

We'd not been to this pool before, but I'd heard good things about their zero-entry children's area. A bit pricey for a small window of evening swim time but, eh, nights like these don't come around very often. Tory was so excited to swim with Daddy - so excited - and splashed and played in the water with Andi while I sat poolside with Aden. I could've taken Aden swimming too, but sometimes it's nice to spend peaceful time snuggling my baby boy on the sidelines.

Not to be a creeper, but doesn't this little boy behind Tory look identical to a future Aden? Big blue eyes and bleach-blond hair. Adorable. I couldn't stop staring.

Tory requested ice cream on the drive home, and why not oblige? I'd just picked up the makings for root beer floats the day before, so Andi whipped up a few cups to share when we got home. Between bites of root beer-flavored ice cream Tory said, "Can I have more Minnesota, Dad? (She meant "soda" since that's what Andi called the root beer as he filled her glass). So sweet!

A not-so-ordinary summer night. Pool time + family time = a perfect time.

Little Swimmers

Yesterday was the first day of summer swim lessons for Tory and Aden. Tory's been swimming in the "Backfloat Baby" program at the swim school we go to since she was 6 months old and after she turns three in August, she'll move up to the program's "Little Ones" class. Hard to believe our little peanut will no longer require a parent to swim with her in the pool -- during lessons, at least. It's a day I've been looking forward to for quite some time!

Proud mama alert! I've mentioned before, Tory likes to swim but she's not one of those maniac kids in the water. She's excitedly cautious in the pool and usually says things like, "No more for me?" after things like "zooming" under the water per the instructor's request. She can do it, but doesn't love getting her face wet and honestly, I sympathize. I can swim and I enjoy being in the water, but I don't like to get my face wet either and I always have to plug my nose if I'm going under. My hope in enrolling my kids in swimming lessons at a young age is they'll hopefully learn better swimming skills than I have.

Anyway, I was proud of Tory during swimming class yesterday when she courageously jumped into the pool from a standing position (vs. sitting on the side of the pool), did awesome back floats, etc. Then as we were waiting our turn to "zoom" under the water, Tory closed her eyes and took a deep breath on her own before submerging her face in the water. She came up, took a breath and did it again. My heart swelled with pride! It doesn't seem like much, but Tory's instructor is always encouraging the kids to "hide their eyes" in the water as they swim, but Tory will never do it. I gently coach her to close her eyes and try it, but until this moment she never seemed ready. Yesterday, she did it!

Aden started his own "Backfloat Baby" class yesterday and will continue in that program (on and off, I'm sure) over the next three years. He liked the pool and didn't fuss once during our 30 minute session. In his class are my friend Lindsey's littlest girl, Taylor, a one-year-old boy and another 6 month old just like Aden. They're so cute splashing and kicking their legs together - all so excited to be in the warm pool.

Aden and his friend Taylor

As soon as one little guppy moves up to the big pond, another one begins. That'll make 6 total years of assisting my kids in the pool every week. Dang. I can't say enough wonderful things about the place we take swimming lessons though, and the skills they're teaching my kids. Tory has become quite the swimmer thanks in large part to their instruction and I hope Aden loves the water just as much as she does.

Day In The Life: Spring 2014

As I lay in bed last Wednesday night browsing social media on my iPhone, I noticed someone's Day In The Life post announcement on Instagram. I quickly clicked over to Navigating The Mothership's blog to see if I'd missed the chance to join in Laura's quarterly blog series. Phew, I hadn't. I've participated in her DITL series for three years now (!!) and I'd hate to sit out now. I decided to recap the next day, Thursday, April 17 so it'd give me a few days to pull everything together before the deadline.

Tory is 2 years, 7 months old
Aden is 4 months old

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Midnight: Ack. I'm up way too late tonight. I glance at the clock and I'm already dreading morning. Andi is traveling this week and it's been a constant go-go-go taking care of our two kiddos. With an infant who's still waking frequently to eat, I'm getting little sleep these days but I also crave my own down-time to blog, surf the Internet, read and catch up on some of my favorite TV shows. There's never enough hours to fit everything into a day. Last night (Wednesday), I fell asleep around 11:00pm, Aden woke up at 11:20pm to nurse and now it's 12:00am Thursday and I can't fall back asleep for the life of me. I grab my iPhone off the nightstand and continue reading Freeways to Flip-Flops: A Family's Year of Gusty Living on a Tropical Island. Andi and I are dreaming of the day we pack up our family and travel the world, so I've been into books written by those who've taken the plunge into similar adventures. 

12:47am: Tory runs into the master bedroom, which is just next door to hers, screaming "Mommy!" It seems like she's had a bad dream as she's shaken up and half-delirious. I pull her into our new king-size bed where there's plenty of room for the both of us. For some reason, she still snuggles right beside me leaving half the bed empty.

1:44am: I wake to hear Aden coughing from his crib in the nursery across the hallway. More coughing and then crying. I look at the clock, do the math in my head and decide he's not ready to eat. I get up to plug his pacifier back in his mouth, hoping that'll do the trick.

1:55am: More fussing from Aden. Another pacifier plug.

3:02am: Aden awakes again, I retrieve him and bring him back into bed with me to nurse.

4:19am: I'm jolted awake, sitting up in bed with a seemingly broken neck. I must've fallen asleep while nursing Aden. I glance over at Tory sleeping spread-eagle beside me in bed and Aden snoozing peacefully in my arms. I get up and put Aden in his crib to sleep, then crawl back into bed myself.

5:00am: I wake up to Tory shouting in her sleep. She's moaning and saying something like "don't get me." Another bad dream? At two-and-a-half years old, I wonder and worry what she could possibly be dreaming so vividly.

5:22am: Aden wakes up coughing and crying from his crib. I get up and move him to his swing in the living room which is usually our routine early morning. He seems half-awake, but usually falls back asleep in the swing giving me a few more minutes of sleep. Oof, I'm tired.

6:39am: I wake up to a chipper Tory inches from my face, asking for yogurt and a television cartoon. I can hear Aden cooing and chatting from his swing in the living room.

6:45am: After Tory's tenth request for yogurt in the span of minutes, I pry myself out of bed. Outside the kitchen window I notice 7 inches of freshly fallen snow covering our backyard. I bring back Tory's beloved Chobani squeeze yogurts -- first blueberry, then strawberry; always in that order (never deviate from the routine or there's hell to pay) -- to her laying in my bed. Next, I wish Aden good morning, change his diaper, lotion his body and dress him for the day. He's beginning to achieve the awesome milestone of holding himself in a sitting position while I pull his onesie over his head.

7:00am: I nurse Aden and play with him in bed while Tory eats yogurt and watches Curious George beside us.

7:30am: Aden's already fussy and tired, so I lay him back in his swing to catch some more zzz's. Tory and I head to the kitchen to make breakfast. I brew coffee and make instant oatmeal for me while pre-heating the oven to make bunny cinnamon rolls for her. We've been making our way through a series of activities in anticipation for Easter and this is one of them on our list. Meanwhile, Andi and I exchange a few text messages. He's in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee this week, scouting for an ATV event he's producing for a client later this year.

8:00am: I do a series of morning chores -- unloading the dishwasher, clean up breakfast, pack our bag for swimming class later this morning, make the beds, etc. -- while Tory plays doctor in the living room. Next, I dress Tory and myself while texting my mom, friend Lindsey and one of our babysitters.

8:30am: Tory plays dollhouse while I run around the house, throwing in a load of laundry and loading the car for swimming class.

These two - I'm so in love. Tory begs to watch a show for just one minute while Aden practices tummy time beside her.

9:00am: On our way out the door, I draw Tory's attention to the snow on the ground. "Don't worry, Mommy. It will be gone soon," she says. I must've sounded less than impressed with the weather on this mid-April morning.

9:20am: Aden cries during the entire drive to swimming class. He's dropped his pacifier and given the snowy roads and backed-up traffic, I need to focus on driving instead of doing mama acrobatic moves to find his missing pacifier. Tory's chattering away while buckled in her car seat. She tells me she's caught some (imaginary) tiny fish and asks if I'd like to hold one. "Careful! It's flippery (slippery)," she says. She's un-phased by Aden's cries beside her in the car and praises me "good one, Mom!" as I cruise through a slushy puddle of melted snow on the exit ramp. If she isn't her father's daughter....

9:50am: In the locker room before class, Tory and I change into our swimming suits and I also change Aden's poopy diaper. Tory entertains herself by washing her hands a million times at the sink.

What DITL post is complete without a bathroom selfie?

10:00am: Out of five children in class, Tory is the only student at swimming today. I knew her best friend Ashley would be absent as my friend Lindsey (Ashley's mom) text me earlier saying Ashley is sick with the flu. On Thursdays, Lindsey and I hired a college-age babysitter to care for our two littlest children, Aden and her daughter Taylor, while we swim with the toddler girls (Tory and Ashley) during their class. Babysitter Kayleigh sits with Aden in the swimming pool observation area nearby.

During Tory's (now private!) swimming lesson, the instructor gives her a pair of pink goggles to wear. It's the first time Tory's ever worn goggles underwater. She's a little apprehensive at first, but quickly figures out water won't get in her eyes if she wears them and instantly becomes fearless. Tory's not one of those kids with a natural love for the water. She likes swimming class, but will strategically figure out a way to reach for colored rings without submerging her face while other kids dive full-steam-ahead into the water. Now with goggles, Tory is diving and swimming underwater. I'm so proud of her!

10:30am: After swimming class is over, Tory and I quickly shower in the locker room while Kayleigh continues to watch Aden. I pay Kayleigh for her time and together we walk to our cars in the parking lot.

11:15am: Back at home, I scramble to make lunch for Tory as she whines at my feet from hunger. I prepare Tory's request for "orange soup" (tomato soup) and grilled cheese and a turkey and cheese sandwich for me. Aden's sleeping in his infant car seat and I know as soon as he wakes, he'll also be ready to eat. Of course, Aden cries out just as I'm sitting down to eat, but as least Tory's settled with her lunch and an episode of Super Why! on TV.

11:30am: I nurse Aden, then move him to the Johnny Jump-Up in the living room so I can quickly eat my lunch. I'm still hungry after my sandwich and a few White Cheddar Cheetos, so I make myself a spinach salad with cottage cheese, boiled egg and leftover chicken cut up into pieces on top. The appetite of a breastfeeding mama is truly amazing. I eat twice as much as Andi does during dinner most nights. Over lunch, I can't help but reflect on the last DITL post I wrote this winter shortly after Aden was born. Our everyday routine is definitely getting easier four months into life with two kids.

Noon: I clean up lunch dishes and play with the kids on the living room floor. Aden practices rolling over from tummy to back on his activity mat. He's not a big fan and screeches and squawks while he lays there. Tory's sweet with him and keeps him company with toys and her face mere millimeters away from him. "You can do it, buddy! You can do it, you can do it," she coaches him.

12:30pm: Aden's demeanor heads south, and he's ready for his afternoon nap. I lay him in the baby swing with his pacifier and favorite blue blankie. Tory becomes engrossed in an episode of Word World on PBS so I seize the opportunity to change a load of laundry and tidy up the spare bedroom downstairs. Andi keeps his clothes in the spare bedroom closet down there and that room's ... always a mess. Ugh.

12:50pm: I turn off the TV and tell Tory it's time for books before nap time. She whines something about not being tired. I tune her out and head down the hallway toward her bedroom. Eventually she climbs into her bed ("Tory do it! Don't help me!"), she snuggles under her pink covers and together we read Hello Kitty Easter, My First Easter, Are You A Cow? and a nursery rhyme book. Big time stall tactics from this girl today. She demands to have her night light unplugged from the wall, says it's too dark when she closes her eyes and wants to sleep with a photograph of her and best friend, Ashley. Tory makes a last-ditch plea for squeeze yogurt, asks me to rub her belly and "pinch her eyes" which basically means she wants me to rub my fingers over her temples. Grrr. Go to sleep, child!

1:25pm: Tory's asleep and Aden literally wakes up the moment I'm quietly exiting her room. Seriously, why does this happen? It's like they're in cahoots with one another to prevent Mama from having even one moment alone. As I walk down the hallway to retrieve Aden from his swing in the living room, I pass by the dog near-barfing on the baby's bedroom carpet. Gah. I scoop up Chloe and get her outside before she does any damage. Then, Aden and I play on the floor in the living room. I pull out my camera and take some photos of him. He starts fussing shortly thereafter, so I feed him and put him back in the swing to rest.

2:00pm: Aden acts tired, but won't fall asleep. Eventually, he poops ... ah-ha. That must've been the problem. I change his diaper, take the opportunity to lotion his skin while he's undressed and play with him on my bed for a while. Baby Boy just found his hands and it's the cutest thing.

2:30pm: Suddenly, I'm exhausted and desperately want a cup of coffee but I resist the urge to drink caffeine so late in the afternoon. Aden and I play some more and I fold clothes on the bed beside him. We're driving to Nebraska tomorrow for Easter and I'm trying to get all the laundry caught up before we leave.

3:00pm: Aden falls asleep in the baby swing. I hear Tory stirring but she doesn't emerge from her room, so I leave her alone to wake-up fully on her own. I use this rare moment by myself to check my e-mail and upload photos from the day.

3:30pm: Tory greets me in the kitchen just as my mother-in-law, Janie, arrives at our house. Earlier in the week, Janie offered to come play with the kids while I pack for our trip to Nebraska. Thank goodness for Janie! She makes my life easier. I attempt to talk to Janie over Tory's increasing demands for Grandma's attention, so I leave them be and set to work.

4:00pm: More laundry, picking out outfits for everyone and packing the suitcase.

5:00pm: I ask Janie if she'd like to stay for dinner and she agrees. I pull a meal out of the freezer and begin to cook it while Janie plays with the kids. Tonight, I make white fish, green beans and mashed potatoes (a far fancier meal than I'd make if Janie wasn't visiting and it was only Tory and I eating).

5:30pm: Janie and I eat the dinner I've prepared while Tory has macaroni and cheese, as she's refused to eat any fish, mashed potatoes or vegetables. After dinner and a quick clean-up of the kitchen, I return to packing while Janie plays with the kids.

6:00pm: We're driving Andi's vehicle to Nebraska, so I load car seats into his back seat. I ask Janie for permission to drive down the street and fill up the SUV with gas while she continues to watch the kids. After I return home, I pack snacks for the road trip and finish the laundry.

6:30pm: DONE! I'm seriously thankful for Janie because without her, I would've had to do all that packing tonight after the kids were in bed.

7:30pm: Janie reads books to the kids and Aden falls asleep in her arms. Shortly after, I take Aden to feed him once more before bed while Janie continues to play with Tory in her bedroom. I hear them playing "Sparky the horse" and "tea party" together. I put Aden to sleep in his crib while Janie gets Tory dressed in pajamas for bed. She reads her a few bedtime stories while I upload the remainder of photos for this post to my computer and pick up the house for the evening.

8:00pm: Janie summons me to Tory's room to finish her nighttime routine. I go into Tory's room to tuck her in (aka: sit next to her bed on a stool and rub her belly while she falls asleep -- our greatest parenting mistake to date by establishing this ridiculous routine with Tory). More bedtime stall tactics from Tory and lots of questions asked. Every answer I provide her is repeated back to me in the form of a question. For example:

Tory: Where's Grandma?"

Me: "She went home."

Tory: "What she do at home?"

Me: "She's going to sleep."

Tory: "Why she go to sleep?"

Me: "She has to work tomorrow."

Tory: "What she do at work tomorrow?"

Me: "She takes x-rays, remember?"

Tory: "Why she x-rays?"

OMG, child. Go to sleep! I love my Tory Girl, but I have few patience for bedtime. I'm thankful for Andi who usually takes care of this part of our nightly routine when he's home.

8:45pm: Tory's finally asleep. Thank goodness I've already packed for our trip tomorrow - I'm exhausted and immediately collapse into bed. I hear some stirring from Aden in his room, but he doesn't wake up. I pull out my laptop and play around on the Internet for a while, all while reminding myself the need to go to sleep ... soon.

9:15pm: I shut my computer lid and force myself to go to sleep. I pull up Freeways to Flip-Flops on my iPhone via the Kindle app and read until I fall asleep.

10:30pm: I wake to both kids crying for me at once. I get up and bring Tory to my bed, then I go get Aden from his crib and bring him back to nurse in bed, too. I fall asleep while feeding Aden and wake up at 12:30am with a sore neck. Tory's sprawled out beside me in bed and Aden's sleeping soundly in my arms.

And, here we go again ...

Modern-Day Mom's Meet-Up

This spring marks two years Tory and her best friend Ashley have known one another. We met Ashley and her mom, Lindsey, in the very same swimming program we started again last week. It's crazy how much the girls have grown and matured in those short two years. Of course, I had to snap a few photos before they hit the pool. It's pretty obvious how much Tory and Ashley adore one another.

Tory and Ashley do nearly everything together (swimming, music, gymnastics, etc.). Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that her mom Lindsey and I love getting together to socialize as often as our schedules allow. Ahem. I guess you could say it's our version of the modern-day Mommy and Me meet-up. We don't live close enough to swap stories over the backyard fence, so we sign the girls up for fun activities together to get in our (near) daily dose of friendship and peer support.

As a SAHM, I enjoy having one activity a day to keep Tory and I busy. Our daily routine usually consists of a morning class or play date followed by lunch at home, afternoon naps for the kids, then free play at home (or laundry, dinner prep, baking a treat together, etc.). But, truth be told, I completely over-scheduled myself this winter. I'm not sure what I was thinking given I was adjusting to a newborn at home on top of it all. Tory was enrolled in toddler preschool on Tuesdays, gymnastics on Thursdays and music on Fridays. Some of my other household duties were slipping because I wasn't home enough to do them. Plus, it's a lot of work bundling the kids up in their winter garb and hauling them outdoors everyday. I will say it kept my mind distracted from the long winter because we stayed fairly busy throughout the week and we're always at the cabin on the weekends.

This is a total princess problem I realize, but I told Lindsey the other day I needed to dial things back this spring. She agreed, and we came up with the fantastic idea to schedule a rotating calendar of activities to do with the kids every other Friday. That way, on the opposite Fridays we'd each have a "free day" to run errands or do things on our own. We'll still see each other often and get in the "gab time" we love while having the chance to do fun (and many times, free!) activities around the Twin Cities. We came up with a great big list of things to do this spring / summer. I can't wait to get started!

Swim Time

In an effort to beat the never-ending cold weather, we took Tory swimming three times last week. Tory likes the pool and it's a good way to burn off some toddler energy. Plus, it's a warm place for Andi and I to seek refuge if we can't find the same outdoors.

Tory is currently enrolled in swimming lessons on Wednesdays, so that's a nice retreat every week for us. Our class is at 11:00am and the whole process burns through a good chunk of our day, which I love. There's a Panera Bread across the hallway from the class, so I've made it a special treat to grab lunch to-go after our class. If I don't, we've both starving and Tory's in full melt down mode by the time we get home and I have a chance to pull something together for lunch. Now when we leave class, Tory points toward Panera and ok, fine, twist my arm! I'll buy us yummy warm bread and soup and salad and macaroni and cheese for lunch.

On Thursday last week, Andi came home from work early and we visited a community center in the next suburb over from us. It was a little pricey to get in ($7 a person - even for Tory!) but worth it for a  warm place to play for the evening. Andi volunteered to swim with Tory so I vegged out on the sidelines for an hour which was glorious.

Tory was a maniac swimmer in the pool. Once she learned there was a zero-entry place where she could stand up in the water and go down a kiddie slide, she was in heaven. She gave Andi a run for his money! They were all over the pool, swimming and splashing and doing "Humpty Dumpties" off the side.

On Saturday at the cabin, we were going stir-crazy from the dreary winter weather (it snowed there the entire weekend - ugh!) so Andi called around and found a pool in the nearby town of Cumberland. It cost about $6/per person again to use one of the hotel pools, but it was worth it for something to do. Andi and Tory swam in the pool again and I watched from the side. We had the entire pool area to ourselves so we tried out Tory's new summer life jacket and the pool toys that most community centers don't allow.

True kid-style, Tory's lips were purple by the time we left the pool. Girlfriend loves the water, and threw a fit when it was time to get out. She'd swim forever if we let her.

My Little Swimmer

Since Tory turned six months old, I've been itching to sign her up for some kiddo classes. Getting her involved in an activity will be something fun for her to do, especially since her weekday excursions usually peak with trips to Target and the grocery store. Plus, I'm looking for ways to meet other moms in our area with similar-aged babies. I started doing some research and found lots of options to get involved including EFCE groups, swimming lessons, story time at the library, baby music classes and more. We decided to start with baby swimming since cabin season is upon us and familiarizing Tory with the water is something important to both Andi and I. We also thought swimming would be something fun for Andi to do with Tory so whenever possible (when he's not traveling for work) he'll participate in the class with her.

Friday was Tory's first swimming lesson at Foss Swim School and she did fantastic! She's signed up for Back float Baby 1 which ranges in ages 6 months - 3 years. There are two other kids in her class and both are much older than she is, but that didn't stop her from getting right in on the action. In fact, I almost think her younger age is an advantage as she wasn't as anxious to put her face in the water or get splashed a little bit. Her instructor at Foss was so patient and fun and Andi and I both loved how much importance they stress in creating a routine in the pool (how to get in and out, etc.) so young babies/toddlers become familiar with safe ways to play. Tory never shed a tear during her 30 minute class. We were so proud of her!

More interested in what the other little kiddos were doing than taking a photo with Daddy, obviously. Come on, Tory! It's your very first swim class! (She could care less about making memories).

The kids sing Humpty Dumpty before falling off the wall into the pool. We just flew through the part where Humpty cracks his head. Minor detail, not to concern you children ...

Miss Tory had to be bribed with a toy to chew in order to put her elbows on the floating bar. (Even at 6 months she has a mind of her own)!

Andi's traveling during next week's class so it'll be just Tory and I at the pool. Logistically, I think it'll be a little more difficult to wrangle a wet baby in the locker room when I, too, will be dripping wet but I'm sure we'll manage. I'm just glad I had one week to get the lay of the land before I have to conquer swim class solo with her!

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I'm curious to hear what other activities you've signed your kids up for? Any suggestions on what class or activity Tory should do next?