June 2

The summer is here, and that means we are spending time at our neighborhood pool again. Caleb took swim lessons all winter and spring with the goal of being ready to join the swim team, and he succeeded! He is still working on the mechanics of his stroke, but he can swim the length of the pool and is confident in the water. Swim team practices three evenings a week, or every weekday morning. I prefer the morning practices, with one caveat: the pool is only open to swim team members, so my little ones don't get to swim during practice. It is torture for them to be so close to the pool, but not in it!

We're figuring things out, though. Here is what practice looked like this morning:

Thankfully, there is a swing set in the pool, with two big kid swings and one baby swing.

Eli was delighted.

(Those toes!)

Yes, he's still in his pajamas.

Yes, they are Christmas long johns. Don't judge.

Yes, I am including three very similar pictures. Look at how cute he is! Can you blame me?

Daisy blames me. Daisy always blames me. Look at that smoldering stare. Adolescence may be challenging with this girl.

This one, too. She's already got the disgusted face down.

Our house is a 7-10 minute walk to the pool, so we typically prefer to walk to swim practice. The little ones ride in the BOB, Caleb runs, and Daisy alternates walking and riding. 

There is one shallow wading area that the kids are allowed to play in, so I stripped Eli's jammies off and let him go crazy.

This is the funny gorilla walk he has started doing when he doesn't like the texture of something. Usually it's grass, but in this case the concrete and aggregate were too rough for him, so he gorilla walked to his bal.

Cutie pie! His curls have been getting curlier and curlier, and we get lots of comments on them now. I love them.

Gorilla walk again! I love that right in front of him it says "WALK".

That's right, child. It's time to start walking!

Later, Lily "read" Eli a book. She is a devoted big sister.