Progress in the Pool

Full transparency: this is a #latergram of a post - I wrote most of it in one sitting, but wasn't able to finish it till about a week later.  I’d also like to preface this with an acknowledgment of the level of privilege with which I write this - privilege of time and resources and proximity and connections.  Now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming:

In this season of life, it seems that as soon as I have an inspiring seed of a thought that might blossom into a blog post, it is quickly blown into the wind of a need to be met, question to be answered, or outside thought to be heard.  And then it's gone for good.  Sometimes, these thoughts resurface in the place where I do some of my best thinking: the shower (Can you relate?).  So here I sit, after everyone else has gone to bed, to record my "shower thoughts" before they get buried by another day's worth of compost comprised of needs and questions and thoughts.  

I am blessed to have a front row seat to my children's nearly every move.  I get to watch their brains develop, their bodies become increasingly strong and able, and their senses hone.  Even then, however, milestones and new skills seem to sneak under my radar.  The kids surprise me with new abilities, expanded vocabulary, and unexpected tricks.  Whether I miss these because I’m distracted by everything else happening in our day-to-day or I’m just not looking for these developmental markers, I do not know.  Perhaps a little of both.

One skill area I have found myself keenly attuned to, however, is swimming.  For now, this is something that requires my undivided attention to them and also something we have sought help in developing (i.e. swimming lessons), so I suppose it makes sense that I would be extra aware of every glimpse of progress.

All these thoughts were put into motion earlier this evening when Jacob and Lydia jumped into the pool, unassisted, at the same time.

Jacob did not jump in unassisted and without a floatie till about a year ago.  He was hesitant to jump in to the instructor without his puddle jumper during his swimming lessons and required a floatie or someone to catch him when we swam elsewhere.  When we went to a friend's pool that had a 3-foot section, however, he was much more comfortable and gained a ton of confidence and skill after just a few swims there.  He was still pretty attached to his floatie the rest of the summer, but was ok to jump in without being caught.

Lydia, on the other hand, would've liked to jump in "all by myself" and without a floatie the first time we got in the water this season.  That said, the video of them together was taken the day she had first successfully jumped in unassisted with her floatie on (though she still would've preferred to not have to wear it...), and it happens to be at the same pool where Jacob jumped in unassisted/no floatie for the first time last year.

This summer, and esp. at this pool this past week, Jacob has gained even more confidence and skill - in jumping, swimming, surface-diving, floating, and more.  He has typically requested to have his floatie on more than not, but when we went this evening, he didn't use it at all!

I do not take for granted the fact that we rarely pay to go swimming and are often some of, if not the only, ones at a given pool.  It's difficult to say which is more valuable: the opportunity for exposure and practice or the fact that this is an activity we ALL enjoy.  Either way, I'm extremely grateful to spend so much of our summer in the water.

I am not sharing all this to brag on my kids or the fact that we have amazing, generous, and thoughtful friends with great neighborhood pools.  Rather, I share it to exemplify the vast difference in children and a caution about comparison.  Observing kiddos like Lydia when Jacob was her age made me feel insecure about my parenting and unsure about what to do to help him more quickly succeed in this area.  Knowing what I know now, though, I realize there is only so much you can do, and simple patience is required for the rest.  I always said I was thankful Jacob was (is) so cautious, because I worried less about him doing something reckless.  Not the case with Lydia...but I'm not having to coax her into the water.  🤷🏻‍♀️

All this to say, we love the water, we love making these summer memories, and we love our Bentgo lunchboxes that make post-pool picnic and/or car lunches super easy. 

Summer lovingly,

Kensy

Favorites of the day:

The spontaneous welcome home party Jacob planned for our neighbor who had been away for work for several weeks.  There was a meal, cake, gifts, games, and decorations.

Lydia reading Amelia Bedelia: 

Side-by-sides like this... 🥰
(I realize the irony in sharing this at the end of a post cautioning against comparison…haha.)

Summer '22

When asked how our summer was, my answer was often "unexpectedly chaotic."  Chaotic seems to carry a negative connotation, but I do not mean for it to in this context.  We just had a lot of things going on - every day was different, as was every week!

These pictures are not in chronological order.  I don't quite know how they got out of order, but at this point, it doesn't really matter and is not really worth correcting.  Hope you don't mind.  😉

Jacob was invited to attend VBS through my piano student's church.  The theme was "Food Truck Party," and we've been singing the theme song for months, now.

Lydia got glasses this summer!

It has not been easy to document her sweet hand-me-down outfits, because she doesn't typically have patience for pictures, but this one was a win.  ☺

Family date!

Sweet time spent with CO cousins.

We attended a family reunion - one I've attended biannually in the same church my entire life (with a handful of years missed here and there).

A baby deer spotting while I was mowing.

The kids and I have hiked this trail several times, and Jacob was so thrilled to get to show Daddy the teepee (he pronounces is tee-PEE...maybe likening it to tee-VEE...?).

We made a trip to OK for a special birthday celebration and got to do a little sight-seeing while there.  The Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve was very interesting - lots of cool things to see!

Her first pressed penny!

While in OK, we also fully enjoyed the neighborhood splash pad!  I so appreciate photographers more talented than myself who capture these sweet moments so beautifully.

Isn't a trip to Nanny's without a tea party breakfast.

Daddy made "fish biscuits" for them to enjoy while watching Octonauts (a show on which they make/eat fish biscuits).

We spent lots and lots of time at the pool this summer, and were so thankful for friends who generously shared their neighborhood pool passes!  Jacob began the season being hesitant to jump in by himself - even with a floatie on.  He ended the season proudly jumping in on his own - in shallow water without a floatie AND in the deep end with his floatie - without being asked to do so.  Lydia has no hesitancy and delighted in any and all water activities this summer.

The kids and I took a short trip to visit "the girls" in Omaha.  We enjoyed lots of quality time, yummy food (including Runza, of course!), and a trip to the Wildlife Safari Park (a drive-through zoo)!  Though long-distance friendship is not always easy, I am thankful to have these friends close enough to easily make the solo drive up during naptime.  (Also thankful for Marco Polo!)   

This picture still makes my heart swell months later.  It's the sweetest thing to see your friends love your kids and your kids love your friends.  ♥

This one, too.  ♥

Lots of baseball to be watched and fetch to be played!

The garden was mostly fruitful this year - esp. these potatoes grown from unintentionally sprouted store-bought ones!  These three were a lot of help, and the smallest one initiated pulling weeds on more than one occasion.  (She also immediately ate about half of every cucumber she picked...which was nearly a daily occurrence.)

Not all moments are this idyllic, but we sure do soak up the ones that are. ♥

She refused the baby umbrella in favor of the "big one."

The church parking lot makes for excellent bike-riding(striding) practice!

My whole side of the family took a trip to Omaha for a first family vacation!  We spent two days at the zoo and two nights at a hotel (with a pool, of course).  The kids did pretty well at the zoo (watching the train go by was a highlight), but mostly loved the pool, breakfast, and adjoining rooms at the hotel.

Obviously the highlight of his trip.

♥

And this was the highlight of hers!  Haha - kidding.  It was delicious, though!

I wasn't much older than them the last time I visited this rainforest.

There was a (ridiculous, amazing, insane, overwhelming) candy store across the street from our hotel.  Everyone got to pick one piece.  😉

How is this look innate to glasses wearers?  She figured it out all on her own, and declared, "Look at me!"

Attended one last library Storytime with these sweet friends (whom we met at library story time) before they started kindergarten; a full-circle moment that brought a tear to my eye.

Our thoughtful neighbors took Bryant and the kids fishing and showed up with a new fishing pole for each kid!

He has spent lots of time practicing casting in the yard since this trip.

Bryant and I got some lake (and tube!) time with his boss and several coworkers.  On-the-water is one of my very favorite places to be, so this evening was such a treat.

 

This summer may have been a crazy whirlwind, but it was all so fun and special.  There were several playdates, pool dates, garden work times, and plenty of other activities dispersed between these "bigger ticket" items.  (Speaking of big ticket items, check out my post about our trip to California!)  While we were sad to see the warm weather go, the routine and slower pace of the fall and winter seasons on the horizon were welcome.

Sunkissedly,

Kensy

Favorites of the day:

mowing the lawn (Yep. An hour+ of uninterrupted time during which I can listen to a podcast and complete a task start to finish - what could be better?!😉)

Jacob's progress in the pool

meeting new people and making new friends