Summer, week one.

Who gets a stomach-bug-slash-head-cold in summer anyways?  I'll give you one guess.  It's the same person who usually never gets sick...I even amazed my nurse practitioner during all three pregnancies because I never caught a cold.  Not even the sniffles.

But this year--my goodness.  I've had more bouts of things here and there...too many to count, really.  And I've had it.  And so has my family.  I am a horrible sick person.  I want to be coddled while simultaneously left alone. 

Luckily this round hit me the first week of summer vacation with all the kidlets home full-time and looking to me for entertainment.

But I'm better now and here are some highlights of the week (trust me, you don't want the lowlights).

Max joined junior swim team.  It was not planned and the gusto with which he approaches practice is rather shocking--they practice every weekday.  A couple of weeks ago, this child could barely doggie paddle from short end to short end of the pool.  And that was only if you forced him--he much preferred hitching a ride on Charlie's or my back.  And the deep end?  Forget it.  He wouldn't even stick a toe in unless an adult  went with him.  Yet after practicing for 2 and 1/2 weeks, he swam his first meet.

Since nothing was planned, we had not yet bought him his team's swimming gear (that stuff is expensive!).  And he kind of stuck out.

It didn't help that he had no idea how to stuff his mop of hair into a cap...

or that he happened to be lined up with some bigger kids...

or that he had no idea what to do at the start line.  When the announcer said, "swimmers, take your mark," I could almost hear Max's mind saying, "who's 'mark' and where, exactly, am I taking him?"

He had no idea how to dive in, but once he saw what the others did, he just gave it a shot (a good two seconds after everyone else launched)...

Charlie and I weren't sure he could make it the entire length of the pool and exchanged some nervous glances.  But we knew they'd throw him a paddle board or give him a lifeguard (this was a B meet) if he needed it...

But he made it.  All on his own.

 

I know many folks have kids who take to water like fish.  But our two oldest have not so this is thrilling.  Leo starts swim lessons next week.  And we are very hopeful that Max's enthusiasm rubs off.

As for the crafting front, I did manage to cut out and prep some fabric for a little project I've hand in mind (for myself!) for ages.  Here is a sneak peek...

Happy Friday!

xxxx, Sandra