Swimming Lessons

We just restarted swimming lessons a few weeks ago and Samuel and Shira have both made amazing progress already.

To start with, Shira agreed to go to swimming lessons.  That is a new development in and of itself.  I've been asking Shira every couple of months if she would be interested in swimming lessons and the answer has always been a resounding no.  Then, suddenly, it was yes.

So we looked around for a new place to take lessons, since the swim school we used to go to seems to have ceased to exist.  We ended up at a place that is very close to our house, and has the benefit of being indoors without feeling like an indoor pool.  It is in a warehouse, has lots of windows, and has big roll up doors that can open up a whole wall on nice days.  It is very light, and not humid and chlorine smelling.

I'm especially pleased with how the teachers interact with the kids.  At her first lesson, Shira had me tell the teacher that she didn't want to put her face in the water.  The teacher just smiled and said that she didn't have to.  The next week, Shira had me tell the teacher the same thing.  This time he smiled and said that she would put her face in the water, but that she wouldn't mind it.  Shira was definitely anxious, but he put her at such ease, and had already created such a good rapport with her, that she smiled back nervously, and did everything she was asked. 

And just a few weeks later, look at her! 

 She spends most of her lesson with her face in the water.

I am completely blown away by her progress and the ease with which she went from being terrified of putting her face in the water, to totally comfortable.  And not a single tear!  Much different from Samuel's first swimming experience.  After the first week of class, Samuel and Shira both requested a second lesson per week, which Bubbie happily obliged getting for them as their Chanukah present left over from last year.

 This week Shira's instructor commented on what amazing lungs she has.  He said she can hold her breath longer than any other student he has.  All that screaming is really paying off in lung capacity.

When it is someone else's turn with the teacher (these are group lessons), Shira gets the rings, puts them on the steps and practices searching for them with her face in the water. 

The other great thing about this swim school, is that they have multiple lessons of differing levels going on in the pool at the same time, so Samuel and Shira are both taking their lessons at the same time from different instructors.

As you can see here, Samuel realized that Shira had found diving rings, and came over to acquire some of them for himself, while he was waiting his turn.

Samuel's swimming skills are really progressing, as well.

He is working on side breathing and really getting him arms out of the water. 

  

 So excited for our pool experiences this summer!

May the 4th be with you

The library had a little event for May the 4th be with you day.

 I think Samuel had a pretty good time, don't you?

 

 Oy.  Just what I need, a picture of my son holding an enormous gun.

 

 Some robotics students came to show off a robot they made.

 Apparently it can shoot frisbies at people.

 As you can imagine, they weren't actually allowed to demonstrate it.

They made Yoda and Wookie phone cases.  I thought they were puppets.  Why would little kids need a phone case? 

Bikes!

I've been thinking a lot recently about how I wish I was riding my bikes more, but I haven't taken the time to do simple maintenance, like pumping up the tires.  Which means, of course, that the moment I want to get on the bike, I can't do it, because I haven't built in the time to get the bike(s) ready. 

 

This weekend we were going to a birthday party that was just far enough away, and ended just close enough to dinnertime that I didn't want to take the time to walk.  Since it was a three hour bday party, I had plenty of time to get the bikes out and tuned up, and still not be too late.

 

Samuel rode in the street next to me on his bike, and did such a great job following directions and riding safely, that it really inspired me to ride with the kids more.  But Shira still couldn't comfortably reach the pedals on the trail a bike.  And that thing wobbles so much. Ugh.

 

So today, I finally cleaned the garage up a bit, got Steve's bike ready to ride so that he has no excuses for not riding to work, and pulled the tandem out from under three other bikes.  I figured it couldn't hurt to see if Shira could reach the handlebars and pedal.

 

And boy could she.  What a champ!  We rode the full three miles to Steve's office to have lunch with him today, and the three miles home.  For those not familiar with a tandem, the stoker (the person in the rear) and the captain (person in the front) have no choice but to pedal in sync.  This is one of things on a tandem that requires good communication and paying attention to physical cues.  One person can't stop pedaling, or pedal faster/harder, without tacit permission from the other person.  It becomes a very unpleasant ride if you are fighting with your stoker/captain.

Shira was a natural.  Her communication was amazing.  She told me right away that I was pedaling too fast for her, and asked me to slow down.  She told me when her foot fell out of the pedals and needed me to stop pedaling so she could get it back in (and had no issue with her foot being in a toe cage!)  She told me when she was ready to go again.  She told me when she was going to start pedaling hard. 

 All that was completely unexpected and amazing.  But there's more - she could actually stoke!  When she started pedaling hard, I could feel it.  When she got out of her saddle and started pumping with all her strength she truly helped push us up a couple of little hills.  Wow. 

Six miles on our first real tandem ride.  Shira might spoil me.  I might not be willing to stoke Steve anymore. 

So excited to start riding more with Samuel and Shira!

School

A common occurrence in this house since Samuel started kindergarten and Shira started preschool, the raising of hands at the dinner table.  Of course, the hand raising is frequently preceded by the comment, "I have two people talking to me at the same time, and I can't hear anybody."  Or, "Daddy and I are having a conversation, please wait your turn."

 

Still, adorable.

Sprinklers

We had some gorgeous weather this week, hot enough for a romp in the sprinklers.  Wish I could post the super adorable footage here, pics and video.  I can't because the kids were wearing rain boots and goggles.  And nothing else.

It only took six years, but I have finally become that mother who can just sit and stare at her children screaming and giggling in delight, and have it be the best thing that happened to me all day and week.

Here are a few pics of when Samuel was manning the sprinkler for Shira, before he, too, stripped down and got in.

 

Shira's preschool field trip to the farm

 

 

 Shira's preschool took a trip to farm this week.  Samuel took a field trip to the fire station yesterday, and Steve volunteered to chaperone, so Shira asked if he would also chaperone her next field trip and Steve said "of course" not realizing it was actually the next day.  Ever the thoughtful dad, but also anxious at missing two mornings in a row of work, Steve brought Shira to the first half of the field trip, and I showed up to relieve him half way.

 Shira is holding hands with Marcella, her favorite person at preschool.  In the month of January, Shira went to preschool without me because I was working.  She kept telling me about Marcella, and how much they had played together and how she wanted Marcella to come over for a playdate.  I was confused because I didn't know any kids named Marcella at preschool.  Turns out Marcella is one of the high school aids who had just started.  Shira bonded with her to the extent that they would squeal in delight when they would see each other in the morning.  Marcella was reminded not to let other kids know she had a favorite.   

 

 Getting situated on our hayride.

Shira specifically requested a picture with the chickens, not sure why. 

  

 This guy looks like she is checking out whether she is going to swoop off the fence and eat Shira.

They call this duck "Darth Maul".  That reference would have baffled me 6 months ago.  Now I couldn't imagine not knowing what they were talking about.  Obviously we are not the only family with a Star Wars obsessed child. 

You can sort of see Shira in the shadows of the twisty slide at the top.  Had to take a picture of the playground, this was probably her favorite part of the field trip. 

Samuel's New York Photo Journal (New York, New York Part Three)

When I downloaded all of the photos yesterday, I was surprised to discover, that after this point of our trip, Samuel took Every. Single.  Photo.  Apparently I relinquished the camera, and never got it back.  I didn't know that he had located the camera and had taken to bringing it everywhere.  One day, as we were walking down the block, I realized he had the camera in his hand, and he started taking pictures of Shira and I.  Pretty sure he is a much better photographer than I am.

 The one above, was taken in the hallway of the apartment building we were staying in.  Before I even realized Samuel had the camera.

 Shira and I on the street outside of the apartment.

 And on the subway.

 Steve tells me this one is called a "Selfie"

 We broke Passover a day early with breakfast at Sarabeth's on Central Park.   

 No

 Editing.

 This is every single pic Samuel took.  Except for the really blurry ones.

 Ok, even some of the blurry ones.

 Samuel is going to grow up remembering this look from his father. 

 I'm happy to see that I apparently smile a lot.

 As does our daughter.

 Daddy does not look pleased.

 The beds Samuel and Shira slept in at our borrowed apartment.

 Come on Steve, it's not that bad.

 Daniel at his apartment, with his camera.

 We were hanging out at Aunt Judy's and Uncle Kelly's as everyone got ready to go out to Grandma's 70th birthday dinner.

 The following are 60 some photos that Samuel took that night.  I'm not going to caption all of them, and most of them are probably only of interest to family, but here they are.  We had a wonderful dinner at an Italian restaurant, picked by the birthday girl, but planned by Aunt Judy.  Our family learned the joys of allowing the kids to watch tv shows on phones during dinner.  It was miraculous.  They happily sat through a several hour dinner long past bed time.  Electronic babysitter indeed!

 Not the most flattering picture of the love of my life.

 Daniel and his cute smile. 

 These are the robots we got as gifts for the cousins.

 Samuel was taken with them, but took it in stride when informed they were not for him.

 Talia has her camera too. 

 I'm guessing Talia has an identical picture of Samuel with camera to face.

 

 

 

 What a fantastic photo of the birthday girl and her brother.

 Uncle Micheal starts to teach Samuel about the zoom.