Just Keep Swimming

Just over a year ago, Makaela went to swim lessons and was so scared.  She wouldn't even stick her mouth in the water to blow bubbles, and forget about sticking her whole face in the water.  She went home so discouraged after her first lesson.  I hadn't ever really seen her beat herself up like that.  She knew she didn't even try and was very upset with herself.  I suggested that she practice blowing bubbles in the bathtub and it worked!  Little by little she got braver and braver and before you know it, she was slowly but surely improving in swim lessons.  During the last lesson, all of the kids were strapped into life jackets and taken up on the diving board.  Her instructor was right behind her and Makaela was so scared that she reached back with both hands and wrapped her arms around her instructor's legs!
Makaela was fortunate to spend a couple of months at our friends' house during the summer months and gained a lot of swimming instruction and confidence.
Fast forward to July 2011- she is completely comfortable in the water and loves to go all of the way under.  She is learning to float and swim as well as how to be safe in the water.  This year on the last day of swim lessons, the kids were again put into life jackets and taken to the diving board.  There are 3 diving boards at this particular pool, with the middle one being a high dive.  Makaela marched right up to the high dive, climbed up and bailed off!  No hesitation at all!  Zero!  Zilch!  Nada!
I was so proud of Makaela pushing herself when she was scared and overcoming her fears.  I hope and pray with all of my heart that she will take this lesson and apply it to every situation in her life!

Makaela on the high dive!

A Foot Farkle

Makaela still has a few words she hasn't perfected yet.  Call it baby talk.  Call it a lazy mom.  I call it CUTE!  (I can't let go, she's growing up too fast!)  She calls freckles "farkles".  Maybe she's confused with the dice game she can whip any adult in.  Anywho, she came running up to me the other day and exclaimed, "I have a farkle on my foot!"  Sure enough, there is a freckle right in the middle of the bottom of her foot!  Thanks to the summer sunshine, she also has a couple dozen farkles on her nose!  I love my sweet little Farkle!

Where Do Babies Come From?

Makaela has been asking me for 3 years about how babies are born!  I've told her things like, "At the hospital" or "The doctor just gets the baby out".  I've always known she didn't really buy it, but I've been hoping it would satisfy her curiosity for awhile.  So this morning on the way to school she says, "Mom, how are babies born?  Does the doctor just cut the Mom's tummy, then get the baby out and then just stitch it back up?"    She would not put up with any kind of conversation redirection, so finally I just concede and say, "Yes, that is one way."  Then I'm thinking she's going to be traumatized that she's going to have to have her tummy cut open to have a baby some day.  She's too quick for me...she says, "If that's one way, then what's the other way?"  I tell her a long story about how our bodies are magical when we're pregnant and it makes a way for the baby to come out.  Not buying it.  I tell her we'll talk about it when she's older.  Nope.  So finally I say that our magic bodies have a hole for the baby to come out and then it all goes back to normal.  Holy crow!  She says, "Where is the hole?!?!  Is it in my back???"  (Opposite of cutting open the front, right?)  I say no, but I'm really freaking out by now.  Is it in the arm?  Leg?  Forehead? (Really?)  I'm speechless at this point.  I manage to get out that it's by the tummy, since that's where the baby is.  She decides that the magic hole is thru the belly button.  And I let her believe it.  I know it's wrong, but I couldn't help it.  I've heard all about the things her and her little friends discuss at school and I'm not going to have it be my child announce to the class 2 days before school is out that babies come out your bum!  (Yes, I know that's not where they come from, but I know my daughter and that's exactly what she would think.)  Makaela's Kindergarten Teacher just had a baby a week ago and I'm sure she's imaging poor Mrs. Anderson going thru all of these things.  

She's a smart kid.  She just can't figure out how those tricky little green leprechauns steal all of her cookies!

Talking about a Beaver

Makaela, who is in Kindergarten, is rapidly learning things I would rather wait until she is at least 25!  The other morning she tells me, "I don't get Lexi and Rachel (from school)!"  I asked why and she said, "Because they're always talking about a beaver!" I will spare you the things that ran thru my mind just then... I said, "WHAT?"  Makaela said, "Like a Justin Beaver." "Ooooohhhh..." I was so relieved.  I laughed about it all day.  Of course she was referring to teen idol Justin Bieber.  Thank goodness!  My baby is still safely sheltered.  For another day.

Blonde Moment

Now that we're in a new town, a new state, and many other new things in our lives, Makaela has been wondering what things are different and what things will stay the same. She asked me if her birthday was going to be the same "number". I told her that her birthday was always the same day, and that it could never change because that was the day she was born. She hesitated slightly and then shouted as only a 5 year old Drama Queen can do, "I was born on my birthday?!?!" LIGHTBULB!

Thanksgiving Chicken

I picked Makaela up from school yesterday, and as we were driving off she burst into tears as she realized that she forgot to bring home her Thanksgiving Turkey that she had made at Kindergarten. I know she had been working on it for a few days as she mentioned it often and she was very excited about it. I assured her that her teacher would save it for her and that we wouldn't forget it the next day.

This morning as we were pulling into school she remembered and asked, "Mom, do you think Mrs. Anderson still has my chicken?" She caught me laughing out loud...oops.

Moving On

Makaela has had quite a month! She left the only home she's ever known in Colorado to move to Washington State. New school, new friends, new home, new spiders...(we won't talk about that one!) She was an angel during the 1100 mile drive! She's been pretty brave in our new adventure! I want to be like Makaela when I grow up! Brave, adventurous and confident!