I remember vividly driving home down I-435 one day in 2003. I was pregnant with Brayden and talking to Karen on the phone. Just before I hit the Grandview Triangle, Karen says, "So what are you going to do if the baby doesn't like the water?" Now let me pontificate for just a minute. This is what I love about our dear friends. They call it like they see it. No holds barred. If your best friends can't be straight up with you, then who can? I know that many people don't understand this, for instance, the time Shawn told me I was not holding off my baby weight very well (in fact, I was pregnant with Beau and Shawn just found out). And Karen trying to help me come to grips with the reality that I may have children that don't like water. . .
So I remember that day my immediate and very matter-of-fact response was, "That's not an option." Seriously, people, can you imagine Nate and me having kids who DON'T like the water? It's a way of life for us. Really, this is not an option. And it's nothing I had thought about before. Obviously, though, it's something I've thought about a lot since then.
So you're probably wondering, "Why am I reading this and what does it have to do with the year 2009, Arkansas and two children who are not babies anymore?" I'm getting there. This is what you call a narrative story (thank you, and rest peacefully Mrs. Gugel, my high school English teacher and beloved cheerleading sponsor). It's not a breaking news story in which I'd get to the point immediately. So keep reading. Or not. Your call. It's a free country.
The best day EVER!
Now that we live less than two hours from Springfield and Table Rock Lake, the weather is warmer and the boys see MiMi, Pa, Ele and Mazy more often. Unfortunately, we see Grandma and Grandpa Zellers, Granny, Grandma Patty, Maga, Courtney, Shelby, Rhonda and Grandma less often.
Last Sunday, we were driving to Branson so that the boys could go to Splash Country (an indoor water park) with Pa, MiMi, Ele and Mazy. When Brayden woke up Sunday morning, he ran into our bedroom as fast as the Batman PJs would let him go, and the first words out of his mouth were, "This is the best day EVER!" And that's what got me thinking about that conversation Karen and I had six years earlier.
He couldn't wait for the indoor water park. The boys started swim lessons when they were 8 months old. They have never had a washcloth held over their faces to keep the bath water out of their eyes. They've never held their noses jumping into the water. They have never thought twice about liking the water. They went to the ocean for the first time when they were 14 months and 2 1/2. They were born half fish, half boy.
The fiboys (fish/boys) we are raising spent six hours - count them - six hours at the indoor water park that day with their MiMi and Pa and cousins. And they cried when it was time to leave. Just to be clear - this place is not huge. I have dimension problems, but I'd say it's not as big as a football field. It may be as big as two basketball courts side-by-side. And they had a ball!
In the meantime
Since the weather is warming up here, we're hoping to open the pool in April. I won't be surprised if they jump in the first day they can. And they'll freeze their little bottoms off. But they won't care.
So until true lake and pool season gets here, they are both in gymnastics still. And they are both starting baseball next week. We're going to see Aunt Jenny and Uncle Jason in Springfield tonight and the boys will hit the circus in Springfield tomorrow. I'm afraid the circus may recruit Beau the monkey (not Beau the fish). Stay tuned for that one.
Spring break is the last week in March, and Beau can't wait to take the camper out. So we'll be camping around here somewhere that week. And we just booked a trip with Pa, MiMi, Ele, Mazy, Aunt Steffy and Dusty to Destin for June. Nate, Dad, Debbie and I are looking forward to diving; Nate and I may check out the surf school; Brayden can't wait to build sandcastles; I hear that when Ele and Mazy found out about the trip they screamed so loud the entire restaurant wondered what was going on; and we're glad that Dusty is an active, fun, nice family member who wants to join us.
Oh, and Nate started school again today. He has to take "the history of Arkansas" in order to keep his certification and his job. It'll be interesting to see what this class brings. Be sure to watch for your afterschool specials in which you will also be learning about the history of Arkansas.
P.S. - For those of you who were so entertained by most post months ago reliving the drive through the hills and Brayden threatening to throw up, it happened again. And this time he did throw up. We have since invested in some Dramamine.
So I remember that day my immediate and very matter-of-fact response was, "That's not an option." Seriously, people, can you imagine Nate and me having kids who DON'T like the water? It's a way of life for us. Really, this is not an option. And it's nothing I had thought about before. Obviously, though, it's something I've thought about a lot since then.
So you're probably wondering, "Why am I reading this and what does it have to do with the year 2009, Arkansas and two children who are not babies anymore?" I'm getting there. This is what you call a narrative story (thank you, and rest peacefully Mrs. Gugel, my high school English teacher and beloved cheerleading sponsor). It's not a breaking news story in which I'd get to the point immediately. So keep reading. Or not. Your call. It's a free country.
The best day EVER!
Now that we live less than two hours from Springfield and Table Rock Lake, the weather is warmer and the boys see MiMi, Pa, Ele and Mazy more often. Unfortunately, we see Grandma and Grandpa Zellers, Granny, Grandma Patty, Maga, Courtney, Shelby, Rhonda and Grandma less often.
Last Sunday, we were driving to Branson so that the boys could go to Splash Country (an indoor water park) with Pa, MiMi, Ele and Mazy. When Brayden woke up Sunday morning, he ran into our bedroom as fast as the Batman PJs would let him go, and the first words out of his mouth were, "This is the best day EVER!" And that's what got me thinking about that conversation Karen and I had six years earlier.
He couldn't wait for the indoor water park. The boys started swim lessons when they were 8 months old. They have never had a washcloth held over their faces to keep the bath water out of their eyes. They've never held their noses jumping into the water. They have never thought twice about liking the water. They went to the ocean for the first time when they were 14 months and 2 1/2. They were born half fish, half boy.
The fiboys (fish/boys) we are raising spent six hours - count them - six hours at the indoor water park that day with their MiMi and Pa and cousins. And they cried when it was time to leave. Just to be clear - this place is not huge. I have dimension problems, but I'd say it's not as big as a football field. It may be as big as two basketball courts side-by-side. And they had a ball!
In the meantime
Since the weather is warming up here, we're hoping to open the pool in April. I won't be surprised if they jump in the first day they can. And they'll freeze their little bottoms off. But they won't care.
So until true lake and pool season gets here, they are both in gymnastics still. And they are both starting baseball next week. We're going to see Aunt Jenny and Uncle Jason in Springfield tonight and the boys will hit the circus in Springfield tomorrow. I'm afraid the circus may recruit Beau the monkey (not Beau the fish). Stay tuned for that one.
Spring break is the last week in March, and Beau can't wait to take the camper out. So we'll be camping around here somewhere that week. And we just booked a trip with Pa, MiMi, Ele, Mazy, Aunt Steffy and Dusty to Destin for June. Nate, Dad, Debbie and I are looking forward to diving; Nate and I may check out the surf school; Brayden can't wait to build sandcastles; I hear that when Ele and Mazy found out about the trip they screamed so loud the entire restaurant wondered what was going on; and we're glad that Dusty is an active, fun, nice family member who wants to join us.
Oh, and Nate started school again today. He has to take "the history of Arkansas" in order to keep his certification and his job. It'll be interesting to see what this class brings. Be sure to watch for your afterschool specials in which you will also be learning about the history of Arkansas.
P.S. - For those of you who were so entertained by most post months ago reliving the drive through the hills and Brayden threatening to throw up, it happened again. And this time he did throw up. We have since invested in some Dramamine.
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