Kids' Photo Shoot 2009

More Summer Fun. . .

Anika and Andrew are so excited to have Nathan, Anne, & Trent (our neighbors) available more now that school is out. Nathan even made kites for the kids. Since they could wait to try them out they run up and down the street this morning "flying" the kite.

Kathryn enjoys being outside with her brother and sister:

Sunday Sleepies!

Kathryn just couldn't stay awake to join the family in Father's Day lunch. . .

Daddy's Darlings

Happy Father's Day, Daddy! The kids were able to celebrate the day by having Daddy home after a long week away. Dad was able to celebrate with a gift made especially for him by Anika (w/ some help from our neighbor friends) and no preaching responsiblities in the evening. We had a great day together enjoying a steak dinner, a nap, and some game time.

Dadd opens his gift (a homemade "photo album" -- a book to put two pictures on):

Daddy & his darlings:

Pre-Lesson Swim Fun

The Sat. before we began swimming lessons, we were at the pool of some friends. I think the next time we go we can lose the floaties :-) On this day, Kathryn got to use her new flotation device and she LOVED it. And Anika loved pushing her around in it.

Andrew has developed a new challenge for his teacher. Instead of clinging to the wall screaming (like a week ago), now he keeps pushing away from the wall to swim out into the pool, making his teacher stop to tell him to go back to the wall. He doesn't like waiting his turn. . . Is anyone surprised by this? However, it makes me so happy to see my kids using skills that I know could save their lives.

Swimming Lessons III

"Mommy, I'm having fun" are the sweetest words I heard this week, especially coming from Andrew. Anika & Andrew are SWIMMING!!! I can't explain how proud, relieved, excited I am. The difference in just one week is absolutely amazing. Anika is learning swimming strokes, jumping in the pool by herself, back floating, and racing WITHOUT her kickboard. Andrew is hopping in the pool to the instructor, hanging on the wall and even letting go to swim and bob by himself, kicking with the board (by himself), and having FUN!!! This has been an amazing week for me. Ever since I became a mom, I've worried about my kids around water. This week has done great things for my blood pressure:-) I'm confident that at the end of lessons next week by kids would be able to pop up and swim to an edge if they fell in a pool. Whew! I'm so proud of them. (Watching Andrew conquer his fear was particularly touching for me!) Here are some pictures. (I don't know if these young instructors know what a life skill they are teaching but they are doing more than just a "summer job"!!)

Ready to go! Swim fins & kickboards! (This is the first day that Drew tried with his goggles and they were full of water at the end, oops!):

Bobbing with Megan:

(Blessings on this young lady for her patience! Now the crying has been replace with "WATCH ME, MEGAN!)

Kicking with the kickboard and blowing bubbles (by himself):

Anika backfloating with her instructor Alex:
Circling her arms to swim by herself:

Raspberries!

Nope, not the fruit. Kathryn LOVES blowing raspberries. Her shirt is wet from a combination of thrwwwppp-ing and cutting teeth. I found a molar yesterday!!!!

Comparison

Kathryn - 1 year old: Kathryn's Mommy - 1 year old

What a face!

This post is a little bit out of order but here is Kathryn enjoying some of my birthday cake. She really gets into her food:-)