Not so Swimmingly for Some

I enrolled Christian and Gaby in swim lessons. Christian swims quite well underwater and loves using his mask as he glides through the pool.

Here is Gaby swimming with his class playing. 

I went through the Five Stages of Grief within three days in trying to get Gaby to join his class. 

Stage 1:  Denial ("I know Gaby really wants to go swimming. We'll try again tomorrow.")

Stage 2:  Anger ("Why me?! I just paid for him not to go swimming!  &@&! You are going swimming, Mister!")

Stage 3: Bargaining ("I'll buy you an ice cream if you'll go swim with your class! We'll go to the Dollar Store and buy some toys!")

Stage 4: Depression ("Why bother trying to encourage this child to have fun and swim?")

Stage 5: Acceptance ("This child will always test my outer limits. Just accept it calmly when he does not want to do something and he will come around eventually.")

And he never went. He is that stubborn.  But he did want to go on the last day, which was when they turned on the sprinklers in the pool playground/slide.  I told him too bad he didn't want to go swimming because he's now missing out on the fun. Gaby did have a slight twinge of regret in his eyes.  I hope his first soccer experience this fall goes a little better.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Our good neighbors moved back to Arizona a couple weeks ago. We were sorry to see them leave and had only known them for a short while. Derek and Christian became friends at kindergarten this past year, and Derek's twin brother and sister, Kevin and Paige, were Gaby's playmates. Here's the adorable and youngest sibling, Darci, with Jojo.

We hope we will cross paths again someday.

Goodbye friends, until we meet again!

Summer Break Begins

Christian 'graduated' from kindergarten last week!  Watch out first grade -- here comes Christian!  His class had a nice party and they sang a song for all the parents and siblings who came.  Gaby is sitting next to his big brother along the back wall.

Grampa, Yaya, and all of us went to the cabins in Colorado Springs last Friday.  Here is the welcoming bear at Marillac cabin.

We took the kids to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on top of the hills of Colorado Springs.  It reminded us of the zoo in Roanoke, VA, close to where we once used to live during our early years of marriage (pre-children).  Now it's so much more fun bringing the zoo to the zoo!  They were able to pet the tall giraffes who stuck out their long blue tongues.Mommy rode on the train with a cautious Jojo.

We hiked the 1/3 of a mile up to the top of Helen Hunt Falls.  Jojo made it, too!  Mommy did not wear proper shoes, though.  Yaya stayed behind and people-watched.

Daddy took the boys to City Park in Denver where they harassed/ honked at (Gaby)/ fed the geese and rode the paddle boat on Ferril Lake.

We visited the Air Force Academy and the Cadet Chapel.

And the weekend came to an end all too fast.  Summer break has begun!

Cheers to Me!

Summer 2009 - Jojo, age 1.5 years

We were reading a counting book together.  First, Mommy would count the ducks or the fish, and then Jojo took his turn. 

"One, two, fwee, two, fwee!"

"Very good, Jojo," I said.

Then I turned the page and counted the geese.

Jojo clapped enthusiastically and said, "Good mo-may!"

(Joseph Sebastian, age 2 years; 8 months)

Springtime Fun

Recently our neighbor gave us a twig (piece?) from her lilac bush, and the boys helped Daddy to plant it. Hopefully it'll do much better than the rose bush that had occupied that same spot.

Last weekend Mike, Christian and Gaby went camping with our neighbors Tad, Derek and Kevin.  Unfortunately, Tad couldn't find the posts for the tent.  And Mike forgot to bring their pillows.  It was just as well: it hailed and rained so much that the ground was too wet.  They all made the best of it though.  They started a campfire and then came home around 11:00 that night exhausted from their adventure.

Nothing like bananas and Hi-C around a campfire.  I'm pretty sure they also had S'Mores and roasted marshmallows, too.

The boys enjoy camping in our living room most weekends with Daddy. They watch movies, play the Wii and have 'boy talk'.  This summer their cousins Daniela and Anthony are coming to visit.  Christian and Gaby can't wait to use their indoor tent and camp out with them!

Potty Protest

Everyone knows that our middle child, also known as weasel tot #2, is a handful. But this time Gaby, urine big trouble. He's been marking his territory and leaving his mark wherever he goes.

For the past several months we've caught Gaby peeing in various places besides the toilet. It's been frustrating to say the least! Mike caught him about to pee in Aunt Patsy's closet on her new carpet a few months ago.

I became upset when I noticed the stench besides Christian's and Gaby's beds recently and it reeked of pee. Could Gaby have done that I wondered? It was too late to find out unless he was caught in the act. My mother also noticed some yellow stains behind a chair in the study room and behind her night stand. These are just a few examples of what we have noticed lately.

On Sunday I trimmed some bushes outside and as I was admiring my work I noticed a little boy's bottom through the branches of a bush, right next to the sandbox.

I ran back outside and caught Gaby peeing by the bush. Luckily, he hadn't urinated into the sandbox.

"Gaby, why are you not using the potty?!" I asked/yelled.

Gaby replied, "I forgot." This seems to be his standard reply when he is caught.

And last night as he changed into his pajamas I reminded him to use the bathroom before bed. Did he do that? No. When I was distracted by Jojo I caught Gaby in his closet. He quickly ran out when I found him there.

"What are you doing, Gaby?" I asked.

"Nothing," he quickly said and off he ran.

I took a closer look and noticed a wet keyboard toy and wet carpet! Oh. My. Gosh. Steam came out of my ears and Mike took over.

Mike and I began to think about it and we know that Gaby seems to really be bothered by the flushing sound. Many times we find surprises in the potty and we have had to remind Gaby to flush. I guess he knows better than to go #2 anywhere else. His right ear tube is also coming out of his ear drum and the sounds could be a little louder than normal, too.

Gabriel's new instructions are to NOT flush the toilet and to let one of us know so we can do it for him. If this doesn't work I will have to find a Potty Whisperer.

Now these adults should know better! They actually contacted the TV station to protest the lack of port-a-potties at a local park by allowing them to film footage of their potty breaks.

More Funny Quotes

Gaby got tired of Mommy reminding him to stay away from the rock fountain at her favorite coffee place.
"Mommy! If you keep telling me to stay away from the fountain, I will do it. So stop telling me!"
Gaby (4 years; 3 months) 5/14/10

When Jojo heard the music in the movie we saw last night at the theatre he exclaimed,"Lady Gaga!"
Jojo (2 years; 7 months) 5/14/10