Big, Brave BOY!

Oh, swim lessons! Oh, the drama! …But, honestly, I can’t say much! I can remember being TERRIFIED in the same way that my little man was! Sorry…you got it from your Momma, little boy!… It all started the week that Daddy was out of town! Mammer and I would courageously take Quinn to his swim lesson every afternoon.

Day one started off good! He was excited…until he had to get in the water and his coach wanted him to go under. Things turned ugly FAST! … Tears, sobs…he wanted Mommy and he wanted out. But, surprisingly enough, when we left, he talked fondly of his lesson. Day two he was a little more skeptical. But, he went…and Mammer and I waited in the locker room for him. He just did better when he knew we weren’t there! We heard him cry about 3/4 of the way through his 30 minute lesson…and we knew he had gone under and hated it! It was sad…but, he still talked fondly of his time and was ok going back the next day!

Every day, we’d walk past the trophies in the foyer before we got into the pool. And, one day, Quinn said… “Do I get one of those?” And, I brilliantly said, “YES…if you’re a BIG BRAVE BOY for swim lessons!” He seemed motivated!!!

But, on day three, as Mammer and I were walking to our spot in the locker room, we hear him yell, through a few tears, “I’m NOT A BIG BRAVE BOY!!!” Bless his heart! But, thankfully, day three was better…and days four and five were even better than that! We were making progress! He was sometimes going under without screaming and was learning to kick and move his arms better every day! We were so proud of our big brave boy!
  Then, Week two came! He was now with Coach Chelsea and seemed to respond so well to a sweet girl! Day one was NOT good…but at least Daddy was there to help talk him through it. He must have said “Mommy” 100 times during his 30 minute lesson. It was annoying! I was afraid that the weekend had caused us to start right back at square one. But, at the end of the lesson, he went under…and came up with a SMILE! WOW!!! On the way to his lesson on Tuesday, Daddy and I had a BIG pep talk with our swimmer! We REALLY talked up the trophy and about how he could do ANYTHING through Jesus who gives him strength. We talked about specific things he needed to accomplish to get his trophy and how he needed to not say “Mommy” and not cry! …

And, it worked! The rest of the week was a DREAM and our little man was SO big and SO brave! He would leave his lesson each time talking about how proud he was of himself… and we agreed that he should be! During days two through five of week two, he went under ALL BY HIMSELF numerous times at each lesson…he learned how to kick and give Coach Chelsea high fives while he had the noodle (‘yellow car’) around his waist…he would “jump” in from the side from a sit and from a squat…he’d blow bubbles in the water…and jump from her arms to “swim” to the side of the pool. (about 3+ feet)!

And, after all of that…it FINALLY paid off, and our BIG BRAVE BOY earned his trophy! After a hilarious “it’s so little" remark (when I ordered it, I figured it would at least have a tower…oh well), and reassurance that it was HIS size, he was SOOOOO very proud of his accomplishment! He couldn’t quit staring at it…and was so proud to pose with it next to the big trophy case! 
    We truly are SOOOO very proud of our brave swimmer! It was HARD on a momma to watch her little boy struggle through something like this, but I was so proud of him for pushing through and learning so much! …I feel that it was SOOOO much progress for a three year old swimmer and am sure that next year will be even greater!!!

Bye-bye “That!”

Last Monday night, while grabbing a few things at the store, Quinn requested to look at the toys! (what else is new!) And, while browsing, he came across the cool, new Toy Story 3 section. When he found one that he was extra interested in, Matt and I spontaneously said that he could have that toy if he slept without his “that” (his beloved passy) for FOUR nights!

Immediately, the little ploy didn’t get the most positive feedback, but after I talked about the chart I would make and how HE COULD DO IT, he started to seem a little excited.

So, that night, we came home and I made the chart. And, that very same night, Matt put him in bed with NO that! I must admit that it did break my heart a little bit. “That” has always been his only consistent “lovey” and I hated that we were taking it away. Honestly, the fact that he still used it didn’t bother me…even thought I knew he was WAY too old! But, it was now (before Nash’s arrival) or WAY later…because I knew myself too well to know that I WOULD NEVER take away his “that” when his baby brother had one all of the time!

Anyway, after less than 10 minutes in bed that first night, he started to fuss a little bit. So, Matt went in there and he said, while sitting up to look at his chart, “I know I really want that toy…so, can I at least have a drink of water!?” Bless him! Good thing Matt went in there…I may have caved!

But, HE DID IT! He woke up twice in the night, but easily went back to sleep…and, when he woke on Tuesday morning, he put his first sticker on his chart!!!!

With each nap/night, it seemed to get a little easier and he seemed more and more proud of himself. During the four days, he learned Philippians 4:13…I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength…and he would tell EVERYONE he saw that he had slept without his that. He’d say, “I did something that made Mommy & Daddy REALLY proud!!!” And, he was right!!! We were SO proud of him and his determination!!!

The third night he had a hard time going to sleep, and when I went in there to encourage him, he said, “Mommy, it’s kinda tough to sleep without my that!” But, he never asked for it and never cried! Such a big boy!!

During the third afternoon, while we were working in Nash’s room, he said, “Can we just bring my basket of that’s in Nash’s room? I don’t need them anymore!!!”

…And, after pushing through…and REALLY wanting that toy, on Thursday after naptime, he added his last sticker!!! He was SO excited and danced around (which explains the blurry pictures) for a long time! We called friends and family and celebrated his accomplishment! Then, when Daddy got home, we went to the store to claim his prize!
You deserve it little boy! We are SOOOOO proud of you!!! …
… And, if I’d known it would be this easy, I would have done it a lot sooner!!!

Masterpiece

A few days ago, my little man told me that he wanted to draw a fire truck. So, I gave him some blank paper, markers and watched him pull himself up to the table. As I went about my business, he soon ran over to me showing me his masterpiece. My jaw dropped!!! I could actually tell it was a fire truck!!!!…the red body, the yellow lights and the big black wheels! He was so proud and so was I! The paper quickly got covered by more fire trucks and more drawings, but I was so happy to have captured the initial attempt!

Our 15 seconds of fame!

Months ago, we got an email from the photographer that did Quinn’s 2 year photo shoot asking us to sign a waver. Why? Because we were going to be in the Aaron Brothers ad on President's Day weekend!

Needless to say, we were very excited and couldn’t wait to see our faces {or legs} on the printed page. So, when we got back from Abilene on Sunday, we stopped and got a paper so that we could relish in our 15 minutes seconds of fame.

I know that NO ONE besides us and the grandparents would have even noticed our tiny (and even somewhat blurry) pictures on the back page, but it was fun…and will be a great addition to the baby book!  :) Here it is from the website!!!…  

Prouder than Proud!

About a month ago, my little man was so proud of his very first “all my myself” Q when we were eating at a restaurant in Abilene. But, that Q quickly got covered up by many other Q’s and circles and we were unable to capture his brilliant letter. Since then, he has written many Q’s, but the same story often unfolds…more Q’s, more circles, and more scribbles cover up the masterpiece. But, yesterday, after he wrote a “perfect” Q, I stopped him and took a picture before he could do much more!!! Isn’t it brilliant? This momma is proud, to say the least! …Now it’s time to work on the u, i and n! :)