swimming, a Love Note, and Almost 1

Sasha started Blowfish swim lessons on Monday at the Y. She goes twice a week through mid-July. There are 5-three year olds in the class, two girls and three boys. The other girl, Kaitlyn, wears a purple polka dot tankini with her hair in a ponytail. She is the most of advanced of the five; she can actually kick. There are two blond boys that look younger than the rest, they are both quiet. There is an Indian boy whose mom and dad both come to watch and hover, in a cute way. Last evening at the end of class, it was Sasha’s turn to get in the water, so she lifted her arms for the teacher. I saw the teacher motion to Sasha to stand and then for Sasha to jump in the water. I cringed, though this is what we had paid for, Sasha cannot stand water in her eyes. She innocently jumped in not knowing what would happen. The teacher let her head go under and then helped her surface. I held my breath to see if Sasha would cry and she didn’t. She wiped the water (and her hair, since she pulls out any hair accessory I put in) from her eyes and climbed back onto the pool’s edge. The rest of the kids had watched Sasha, so they were all prepared. I was proud of her for trusting the teacher, trying something new, and not crying. She is one cool chic. See? Colin called this her Madonna look.

After we get home, eat dinner, and get Juliet to bed, Sasha and I settle into some So You Think You Can Dance. Being summer, she is staying up a little later. This show is her first ever primetime television watching. I hear knock knock and who is standing at our front screen door, but little Raymond, our street’s own Dennis the Menace that grows on you. He says to me, “do you think Sasha would like this?” I look and see this:

I cover my mouth to look serious - so he can’t see my smile. I tell him yes and ask if he would like to give it to her. He says yes. So I call Sasha to the door. As she comes over in her princess pajamas, I ask him if he wrote it himself and he said yes. He tells Sasha what it says, and she smiles, holds it to her chest, and says thank you. Raymond runs off and Sasha shows her love note to daddy and then wants to put in on the fridge. Raymond comes back to hangout outside our front door (a typical thing of his) and he compliments Sasha on her pajamas. I cracked up on that one. The whole thing was too cute. Raymond is 6.5 and a recent kindergarten graduate.
Last Friday, Colin took the both of them to see Kung Fu Panda. Raymond’s grandma, our next-door neighbor, had watched Sasha several times, so we did it as a thank you. We’ll keep you updated on these two!
Here is an extra shot of Sasha playing with a Barbie (or garbie, if you're Sasha). Garbie is getting ready to ride a horse in heels.




Getting Ready to Party and Talking

Juliet’s first birthday is quickly approaching! We’ll have a family party on the 29th, her birth day is the 22nd. This is the invitation that I made:


She is still not wanting to fully let go to walk on her own, but I’m trying to get her down to just holding one hand. She does have a good array of words. Definitely, mama, daddy, and Sasha (daada), but also dog, ball, milk, and tree. Pretty good, I think! The two bottom teeth are in, and it looks like a good 3-4 are popping in all over the place now. She gets a little irritable and she is at the age where you have to watch her like a hawk. But lots of sweetness in between, she gives good kisses! We installed a gate at the bottom of the stairs, because she was loving to climb them.