Busy!

This summer has been crazy busy for us.  After Calli was out of school I waited about two weeks to get the activities going, but ever since we have been going nonstop!!

The girls have been in swim lessons at the YMCA.  I am so grateful for this because I can take Jameson to the childcare there while I head out to the pool with them.  Calli has lessons Monday-Thursday from 10:45-11:30 and Serena has them Tuesdays/Thursdays from 11-11:30.  I have to actually get in the pool with her because they are Mommy and Me lessons.  She has really excelled in this short amount of time and I am so glad that I signed her up.  Ever since Serena was an infant taking her first bath she has hated the water.  Finally when she was about 1.5 she realized it wasn't the worst thing in the world, especially considering we live in the hottest place EVER!!  Nonetheless she was still intimidated by the big pools and preferred baby pools or running in the sprinklers.  She is now completely over any fear she had and loves to go swimming.  She is always disappointed on Mondays and Wednesdays when it's just Calli's turn because she wants to get in the pool.  She will even jump into me and let me catch her!  And the instructor has us tie a noodle around them for part of the class and they can float on their own.  At this point Serena lets me know that she can do it herself and she doesn't need me!  This prompted me to sign her up for preschool swim lessons starting next week.  So she will get to go Monday-Thursday for two weeks for 1/2 hour sessions and I don't have to get in the pool with her.  I am so excited because this is such a huge step for my shy little Serena.  I can't get over how much she has grown and changed in the last year!

And Calli has done amazing in her swim lessons too.  She started the class being able to doggy paddle and hold herself above water for short periods of time.  She has been learning how to do the proper freestyle swimming strokes and even a butterfly stroke.  She has learned how to hold her breath for a much longer period of time and retrieve the dive rings from the bottom of the pool.  Instead of just doggy paddling she can swim with her face in the water doing the proper swim strokes.  She still has lots of practice to do but I'm confident that these swim lessons have been enough and all she needs is practice.

The girls are also taking dance once a week.  Luckily I was able to get classes that are back to back so I only have to make the trip to the studio one day a week.  Poor Jameson gets a little bored being there for an hour and forty-five minutes, but what can ya do?  He does enjoy watching a hip hop class in one of the other classrooms.  He will sit by the open door, sitting completely still, totally enthralled by the dancing.  The girls have been enjoying their classes and once again, Serena has totally surprised me.  She is so good at listening and following the teacher's instructions and has told me that she really loves her dance class.

And lastly, we have soccer!  So far they've had two games and Calli is still my soccer star.  She's scored a few goals and just has fun.  Serena is still getting the hang of it.  She tells me that she likes it, but playing at this age is so difficult.  There are way too many other kids on the team and parents constantly interferring and it makes it hard to see what's going on.  The ball goes out  so often and then it takes a really long time for them to get it in play again so there's not a whole lot of action.  Serena has actually done better than Calli did in her first games.  I remember Calli would just get out there and kind of run after the big pack of people and not really know what to do.  Serena will get in there sometimes and touch the ball.  She did almost score a goal her last game!  It's super hot though, even at 9:00 in the morning so I know that doesn't help.  I am thankful at least that the girls have the 8:00 and 9:00am game time slots.  I think we would all die if it was any later!

Swimming, dance, soccer, friends, movies and all the other day to day chores make me one very busy Mama lately.  I'm not complaining though; I would rather be on the move than sitting at home listening to my kids bicker all day.  I can't believe Calli will be starting school again in just over a month!  They just posted the class supply lists online.  It sure is sneaking up fast.  I can't say I am thrilled to have her going back.  I think the elementary school hours here are ridiculous.  The kids have been really good about getting up on their own in the mornings and I can sleep/lie in bed until 7:15am!  But no more come August 22nd; I will be waking up at 6:30am to get everyone ready.  And then I get to drop everything and wake Jameson up from his nap to pick Calli up at 2:30pm.  I don't know who thought of these school hours, but they are just awful!  I think the earlier hours are better suited for the older kids and the later hours for the younger ones.  Instead, the high schools go to school around 9am and get out after 4pm!!  Can you imagine?  If you have after school activities you are not home until 6-7pm, at which point you have to eat dinner and cram all your homework in before going to bed.  I'm guessing there's not a lot of high schoolers who can have jobs around here with awful school hours like that.  But I digress.

As always, I'm rushing off to somewhere...today it's swim lessons again.  Next week Calli has a soccer camp at the YMCA and Serena will start her preschool swim lessons.  I'm happy I won't have to get in the pool with her at least ;).  Busy kids are happy kids and, more importantly, TIRED KIDS...so here's to them getting a GREAT night's sleep!