Little Dipper

Kate got her "dipper badge" at swim lessons!! She even got it a week early...I couldn't believe it, and I am still not certain how she earned it. I think she just freaks out when she gets in the pool with Chad and me. There is a list of about 10 things that she has to do before she earns her badge. For example, she can jump off the side in the deep end then swim back to the edge. After a bit of screaming and tears at our pool, we were able to get her to do it for us. I know this is not how it went down at her swim lessons...This is just an example of one skill that she has learned that she won't do for us. Probably just like going under water, it is something that just has to click with her. She knows how to do it...just has to work up the confidence. I just wonder why she will do it at swim lessons and not for us. At 4 feet, our neighbors pool is too deep for her to touch after she gets off the step. Do I let her wear a life jacket so she can play with Claire over there, or do I make her sink or swim so she has to use what she knows. Her teacher discouraged me from letting her use the jacket. Maybe we do 10 minutes off then 5 minutes on or something like that. I want her to be able to swim and have fun, but I also want her to learn to swim on her own.
Also over the weekend...Kate fell and knocked a tooth loose, and Ryan fell and got a bloody nose. Of course it all happenned on Chad's watch while I was at a VBS meeting. Glad I wasn't here to see the drama, but I feel bad Chad had to deal with it by himself. The kids weren't doing anything dangerous...just playing outside on the deck and in the kiddie pool. Poor things.
We also went for our 18 week sono...we are 100% having a BOY who looked very healthy by all reports. I have started feeling him kick and move. I think I felt him for the first time on the way to Barb and Brians. If felt Kate for the first time on a road trip with my mom, too.
We are headed into another wonderful week of summer. I love the way summer feels. Long warm days, the sunscreen smell from the pool, playing in the backyard and eating popsicles outside, Chad gets off early on Fridays, no schedule except vacations and swim lessons, lazy mornings, trips to the library, the list could go on and on! It took us about a week to realize that school was out, but we are definitely in our summer groove.