Bubs swimming lessons

I believe in MORGAN SWIM SCHOOL!

For those of you not from Richmond you probably have no idea what I am talking about. It's the boot camp of swim lessons. They don't believe in using any type of flotation devices, kickboards, noodles, etc. We had heard of them through the Down Syndrome Society and we knew they were pretty successful! You cannot stay with your child so I have hesitated up until now for fear of the hysterics that might be involved with our decision.

BUT...the time came we felt Benjamin needed us to pull out the big guns! He's had two rounds of your average swim lessons but still had not learned to swim...or to be safe in the water. Now...the kid LOVES the water and always has...but I need to feel like I could trust him not to drown himself!

So...yesterday was his fourth lesson. I have nothing but good things to say! He can now float on his back (got a ribbon for that already!) and will put his head in the water for 5 seconds and can jump in and "swim" to the side of the pool. I am impressed. How did she teach him to hold his breath?? I have been trying to do that for four years now. I have no idea how they did it (you cannot stay for the lesson!) but I am a believer. He is so much more confident in the pool now. Sometimes I think we underestimate this kid!

The thing that is even better than him holding his breath and "swimming" is that he is so proud of himself. I think he likes having something he does that is "all his own." He talks about it all night long! He demonstrates even out of the water how he has "rocket" arms and can lay like a soldier! It's one of the cutest thing to watch! I think he has made his brother and sister jealous of him, and for once I think that is a good thing! He needs his time to SHINE!

We have four more lessons left and then we will see how far he's come...but I think it's been a success even if he doesn't have the best strokes or dives...it's been a lesson for the rest of us!

Milestones...

Our first summer trip this year was a momentous one. For those of you who do not know we just returned from a five day trip to Ft Lauderdale. It was quite a memorable time...not just for the fun we had but the major steps we took as a family transitioning from being a family with diapers, formula, nursing, and babies to a family with some really "big" kids! I have to admit I do sometimes miss the "idea" of another baby. But right now it is becoming really nice to be able to travel and do some things that although are possible with tiny ones just aren't as enjoyable.

Well...here are some milestones we accomplished with this trip.

1.Traveling 16 hours in a car without having to make frequent stops to "nurse" or feed the baby!
2.Traveling through the night!
3.Traveling with two kids old enough to play video games to occupy their time so they didn't ask a hundred times "are we there yet?" Now it will really be nice when Gracie can do that. For now...we just watch A LOT of Dora!
4.Being able to go down to the beach/pool without anyone in a swimmy diaper! Those things are gross!
5.Being able to go to the beach with three kids and have a enjoyable and somewhat relaxing time!
6.Being able to sleep in a hotel room together without someone waking the other one up! This is huge for us...most of you know what BAD sleepers my kids are. This brings me comfort that this summer in Hilton Head...Brian and I might have a room to ourselves! :)
7.Being able to go out to a relatively nice restaurant at a "normal" eating hour and not feel like the entire restaurant is staring at you...and hoping you are leaving really soon! AND also not nervous that your children will have an emotional meltdown if they are not fed the minute they complain they are hungry!
8.Being able to get home and think about the fun we had...and want to take another trip again! :)

So...all in all it was indeed a fun time. Now don't get me wrong...it was tiring and since Brian had to work a lot of the time we REALLY missed him! But all in all a really memorable time!

Here's some pictures!

ten years

This past weekend Brian and I were able to head out of town to celebrate our tenth anniversary. We went to the mountains near C'ville and a town called Orange County. Having forty eight hours to talk to my husband without any interruptions was my highlight. It's amazing how life with three kids makes it hard for us to really connect sometimes.

The fact it's been ten years really blows my mind. Sometimes I think it has had to be that long to accomplish what we have done in ten years. Other times I am truly amazed that it's been that long. I remember when I first met Brian. I wasn't particularly nice...although I thought he was cute. I had my eyes set on some other boy. 5 months later and three requests for a date later...I finally decided to give it a chance. Truth is...I really liked him all along. Everyone could see it. I just needed the time for God to work in my heart to make me ready for him. Our first date I think we both knew this was headed somewhere. Almost nine months later we were engaged. 5 months later married. And the rest is history.

I just cannot believe I was able to meet someone so supportive, caring, loving, mature, funny, God fearing, sexy, and by far my best friend in the whole world and that he could love me!!!

Thank God that he brought us together and I with only His strength I feel certain it will last forever.

I love that man!!!!

More Gracie language

I am so impressed with how quickly Gracie's vocabulary has exploded...she says the cutest phrases.

Here's a few...

"I real Hungy, tired"...etc...then she follows it with I am REALLY hungy, tired... ZI guess she wants to get that point across to us.. the other day she said (after about 5 minutes in the car...she really tired of riding).

"helpey me" for help me

She's really obsessed with counting EVERYTHING!

She tries to spell...it's more like "a, e ,b, c" just random letters but it's really cute.

She calls the TV a TVD.

I know I will think of more but I don't want to forget these cute "Gracieisms."

More questions...

Here's a couple more Samuel questions...

Why do we have some body parts that don't do anything...

Like your eyebrows...what do they do?

Like your belly button...or your toes.


So I had to think hard and try to remember anatomy class and then think of a way to explain all that to my six year old...

Mother's Day

I think that every Mother's Day just gets sweeter and sweeter...does that really sound too cheesy? Well...I honestly think it's true. My wonderful husband does so much to make sure that I have a special day and the kids truly know how to make me smile.

This year was no different. We spent Sat night going to dinner as a family. The kids then went shopping with their dad while I was able to sit quietly in Starbucks...listening to the conversations of others. Something I am embarrassed to say I love to do but now with kids I cannot even hear the conversations in my own head much less those around me.

The next morning the kids brought me breakfast in bed and each one delivered their present. For those of you new to the Kaman gift giving tradition...each child is allowed to pick one thing (within reason) they want to buy for a gift. It's really cute to see their personality come out in their decisions. So...here's what I got...Bubs got me a new green T shirt...very comfortable, soft and versatile (now doesn't that sound like Bub??) Gracie got me some new purple shorts which I think I will wear to workout at the gym ...BUTshe really HATES the childcare ...so she says they are for "night night" and they do make good sleeping shorts too! Well my sweet Samuel ALWAYS gives me jewerly...it's really so thoughtful! This time I also got the matching earrings which he was ever so proud of. He seemed very excited that they came in a box together and that the box was so pretty he didn't need to wrap it! He also had two cards he had made for me that he has been hiding in his room all week! From Brian..I got a pair of much needed shorts and then a "day" date this Friday (he's taking the day off)! He even made sure several times that day to remind the kids to tell me "Happy Mother's Day!"


We ended the day with dinner off the grill and the kids playing outside. Then movie and game night. Couldn't get much better than that.

I feel so very blessed that I was given a constant reminder of God's faithfulness to me. I cannot believe they can make me laugh, cry, and sometimes scream...but what would my life be like without them. Thank you God for my three very special gifts!

Berry pickin'

Gracie and I went strawberry picking this past week. She loved picking the strawberries, taking off the green stems and putting them in her basket, although she wasn't as fond of eating them. (Unfortunately my kids are not big fruit eaters!) But...it was a fun time and here are some pictures I took.