Swimming with Kyoko!

Well, I tried signing the kids up for regular swim lessons but I am just so darn picky that after three VERY disappointing lessons I gave up and switched them to private lessons with Kyoko.  I used to work with her at the pool and I KNOW she will really push the kids and that she is FANTASTIC.  So each kiddo got four sessions with her all to themselves.  The first lesson she had them back to where they were last fall and by the end of our last session she had both Kayda and Dillon doing great glides and back floats as well as working on their "reach and pull" arms (beginnings of crawl stroke).  I don't think I will ever be able to convince myself to go back. 

Dillon is a great little "reach and puller".  I don't have any pictures because I was video taping part of the time but he gets those arms nice and big as well as keeping his body lined up straight, no floppy swimming here!

Kayda has a harder time staying straight when doing "reach and pull" arms, though by the end of the lesson Kyoko had her doing pretty darn well.  Her glides on the other hand are BEAUTIFUL.  She was doing back glides with kicking on her own going as far as (I'd guess) 15 feet. 

Considering we don't get to practice swimming all that frequently I'm very happy with their progress, now I just need to work really hard to keep them in the water.  Fortunately Auntie Kina offered to work with them until I can get back in the water with them, since she was also an AWESOME swim teacher I figure I should take her up on it.  Hopefully she won't regret offering!

Baby is full term!

I never did get a prego picture of the other two so I figured I should do one now.  I'm 37 weeks today.  Daddy and I were trying to get some pictures and Dillon wanted to be in there too.  Course, I very much prefer the pictures with him in them (Kayda was at Grandma H's still from her sleep over).  He was giving my belly kisses.  The kids are very sweet and very excited to be big siblings.  I told them when the baby got to where he could hear and Kayda will sing songs "for the baby" and they talk to him.  They LOVE to feel the baby move!  This baby will know it's older siblings for sure when he's born.

Play dates!

In the last few weeks we've gone kind of play date crazy...  Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of all of them but here are a couple. 

The girls that live just down the street (Kylie and Tazzmine) like to come over and play with the kiddos.  They LOVE to play in the pool.  Tazzmine wasn't here this particular day but they were having a great time none the less.

We had a play date at the park with Joshua and Jacob, the kids all had a great time so we planned a trip to the lake.  We lucked out because the weather held out just long enough for us to enjoy the lake before the rain came.  Kayda played in the water for a bit and then just wanted to snuggle.  Dillon swam until he was shivering with Joshua.  Once he dried off and warmed up a little the two boys went on to play with the sand. 

We also went and played with Madelynn and baby Joshua.  We had lunch with them and then they played with Madelynn until Joshua woke up from his nap.  Then there was pretty much no way to separate them from the baby!  They were fascinated and wanted to hold him and help him play in the exersaucer.  It was so fun to watch! 

I'm working on setting up some more play dates, I'm trying to get as many in as I can before the new little one comes and it gets harder to get out and about.

Swimming with Grandma H and some cousins

Today Kayda and Dillon got to go swimming at Grandma H's neighbor's pool.  Ella, Aileena and Chase were all going swimming too!  The kids had a great time kicking around with noodles and float rings.  Grandma was in heaven surrounded by grandkids and in the water. 

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium with Grandma H!

Today after swim lessons we took off to the zoo with Grandma H.  The kids had a great time wandering around to see the animals, Kayda even got a zoo map and was telling us where we should go.  Dillon's favorite were the sharks.  Kayda had two favorites, the cloud leopard cubs and the red wolves.  We saw a lot more of the animals up and moving about than we usually do, the elephants were right in front of us, the leopard cubs were actually awake, the polar bears were swimming around right in front of the kids...  It was a good trip.

 The kids were both much more open to actually touching the sea animals in the zoo's "marine discovery" center.  They touched the sea anemones, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and muscles.

 They loved watching animals swim around from the underwater viewing areas.

At the end of the trip Grandma was nice enough to treat them to a carousel ride.  Dillon was so excited to choose a wolf and Kayda chose the prettiest horse she could find.

Independence Day!

It seems that where the Fourth of July is concerned we change what we do most every year.   It has been years since we were able to celebrate it with Grandma and Papa G so that's what we decided to do this year.  Our day started with Kayda accompanying Daddy and Papa to buy fireworks (we procrastinated big time this year), and then abandoning Daddy to stay with Grandma and Papa.  Dillon stayed at home and played with the neighbor girls, Tazzmine and Kylie.  They played with some fireworks with Dave from across the street and played in the water until it was time to head out.  We had a nice little barbecue then Daddy, Kayda and Dillon headed off to Uncle Pat's to do tank wars with that side of the family.  When they got back we had a great time with the fireworks, especially when it finally started to get dark.  We also carried on an old tradition of homemade ice cream!

Dillon was doing interpretive dances based on what the fireworks were doing.  It was quite entertaining!

Kayda returned from tank wars with a lovely butterfly on her face, compliments of her cousin Aileena.

Papa and his propane torch!

The roman candles were definitely a BIG hit with the kiddos!

Having fun in the waning light.

Flash bombs!

Papa apparently saw these at the fireworks stand and had to get them!  They are floating lanterns like in the movie "Tangled".  We had to tie a piece of thread to them so they wouldn't fly away in order to get Kayda to agree to actually use hers!

The kids spent a good portion of the fireworks lighting them (with Daddy's help) and running quickly away to safety in order to watch them go off.  When they weren't doing that they were snuggled up in Grandma and Papa G's laps!  Talk about high quality snuggle time!  Dillon's favorite fireworks were the ones that crackled and made sparkles.  Kayda enjoyed the big ones that fly into the air and explode, she was getting very frustrated with Daddy when he kept lighting fountains.  They had a great time with the fireworks and both fell asleep quickly despite the ongoing noise from nearby firework users!