BLUE!

Eli hates the backstroke, and during meets, he is painfully slow for the last 10M or so. Last week he was only half-way when the other three swimmers finished the heat. This week, however, on his last event of the season, he swam the best backstroke of his career and finished first. His ONLY first place of the season...he was so proud of himself. I think he talked Grandpa Jim's ear off for 15 straight minutes on his ride-home phone call....

Oh My!

Eli's speech still cracks me up daily. You'd think now that he's well beyond baby-talk and even toddler-ese that I would no longer be as amused. But I am. His use of the dramatic element, and his sometimes mis-use of everyday words, just cracks me up!

• Last week I had a photo shoot for a baby named "Howe" (pronounced 'how'). When I got home, I told the kids. First Eli thought it was neat, because he misheard me and assumed I said, "Pal". Eli told me, "That's cool. It's like he's a friend." I corrected him with the real name and his response was, "Oh MY!", complete with a 'taken-aback' look on his face.
• This week the kids have been attending a VBS at Maddux's school. Eli has learned a lot about Joseph in recent weeks through his Bible at home and a study in his class at church. (He even got to 'play' Joseph in a mini-reenactment in the Elementary Kids' room a few weeks ago.) Eli thought it would be really cool if they learned more about Joseph in this week's VBS. I told him it would be cool, but unlikely as the theme was "Walk through Nazareth: When Jesus Was A Kid". I tried to explain to Eli that Joseph was Old Testament and Jesus was New Testament, so they weren't walking around at the same time. He said, "Oh...that's cool. I guess this VBS will start on Palm Sunday then?" Love that he's aware of that holiday and that he knows to tie it to Jesus!
• Speaking of the same VBS, the kids were wondering if they'd be placed in the same group. I told them I didn't know, but they'd find out first thing on Monday. Maddux said that she thought it would be cool if there was a Princess group for her and a Star Wars group for Eli. Eli could not hide his shock and disbelief as he told her, "MADDUX! This camp is about Jesus! He died on the cross! There will be NO princesses or Star Wars there."
  

Swim Season

What a crazy and fun summer it's been so far! Our days have definitely not been slow, mainly due to hitting the pool first thing every morning for Swim Team practice. Add the once/week Swim Meets to that (lasting at least 4 hours each time) and we are never bored!

Eli started off loving to swim freestyle, but detesting backstroke. That is still the same. He improved both strokes from the first to second meet (shaving 10 full seconds off his 25 Freestyle!), but since then has declined a bit. He is holding about the same for his Freestyle, but his backstroke gets a bit slower each week. It's not that he doesn't try; he practices at swim practice and on his own each day. That is his last event each Meet (around 8:30PM), and he still doesn't love it. This last Meet found him barely using his arms at all the last 10 or so of his race...he was just plain tuckered out. But in general, he loves the practices, he loves the Meets, and he LOVES the 'uniform'.

Speaking of that, the navy blue spandex-type swim shorts are almost never dry. Eli wears them to practice, to the pool for fun, and to all of the Meets. At least once a week I sneak them away to wash them, but even that is a task because they are usually on his person.

My favorite thing so far has been Eli's attitude about swimming. Much like in baseball, he doesn't seem to place too much importance on his ranking or winning. Last week he got a 4th place ribbon for the first time (he'd gotten only 2nd and 3rd before that). He looked at me with a huge smile and said, "Sweet! I've almost got one of every kind now!"

Here is a quick video of the kids jumping off of the diving board and then a clip of Eli's backstroke event from last week.



Maddux is too young to participate, but she loves the meets as well. As many of you could guess, she is out there, chatting it up and cheering on her friends the whole time. She plays with the big girls when they're not swimming, but when they're on the blocks or in the pool, she's standing on the sidelines with Lehr and I, yelling, "Go! Go! Go!", or wishing them luck before they hop in the pool, or giving them a high-five when they pull themselves out at the end. She seriously amazes me more and more each week. The little bit of encouraging, positive, outgoing energy that I exhaust each morning at boot camp (leaving none for my 'real life') absolutely oozes out of her pores. Maddux never fails to congratulate someone or encourage someone. Where she gets it, I don't know, but it's totally who she is.

We find a similar trend when we leave each Meet. Maddux has to say good-bye to everyone, even (and especially) her older friends. Ones she sees occasionally at the pool, ones she knows through Eli, ones she's said 'hello' to only once... Social butterfly, extraordinaire!

The Missing Bible Book

I've been trying more than usual to help the kids learn and recite the Bible verses they learn at church lately. Maddux picks them up quickly, and her class usually waters down the wording to a very appropriate length for her age. Eli surprised me by (mostly) remembering and reciting his right away this Sunday. However, when I asked him what the verse was, his response was, "Umm....I think it was Heyward 11?"

That book must be in the New Testament. I'm fairly certain there wasn't any baseball B.C.

In The Driver's Seat

A few weeks ago, Maddux drove home (in the neighborhood) with Daddy. She sat on his lap and he let her believe she was driving the car (even though he had his hand on the bottom of the wheel where she couldn't see). The outcome is hilarious to me. I love her little 'oh no' and 'ohhh!' when she gets nervous.

The Budding Actress

Last week found Maddux at CYT camp each morning (Christian Youth Theater). This was a no-brainer to me. Maddux loves to sing, she loves to dance, and she is nothing if not theatrical. So each morning I schlepped her across town, only to rush back and pick Eli up from his swim team practice, just in time to do something quick with the boy before we raced back to our church to pick her up before lunch. Maddux loved every second of it. She got a CD after the first day with her 5 songs; we played it in the car every time we drove anywhere. She sang, she showed us the dances, and she ad libbed where she wanted to. The greatest part for me was her Wednesday night dinner outburst. She spit out 1 Samuel 16:7 like she'd written it herself. Luckily I caught it on my phone's camera.


Friday was the last day and Eli and I were invited to go watch the performance. Maddux sang the songs and swayed with the music, but she was so comfortable up on stage that she kept showing interest in her friends, or in getting Eli's attention, or in just being there and itching her nose. She did raise her shirt at one point (deja vu, anyone?), but I didn't catch it on camera. Check out the first few seconds as all kids are walking to their spots and little miss bull-in-a-china-shop stomp-runs to hers. Classic Maddux.

Perfection

Maddux was sporting this look most of the weekend; I have to agree with Lehr that this short clip sums her up better than any other moments. Great soundtrack, Daddy...couldn't have picked a better song if I tried...

Second Swim Meet

This one went much better than last week. Not only did Eli not get a bloody nose, but he was faster and stronger in his events. I got to work as a lane manager this week, so I spent 90% of the time with Eli by my side. (Another GREAT thing about this meet.)

Before the meet, Eli reminded me to draw a few things on his back. Since his team is the Sharks, we discussed drawing one on his skin with a marker. I am not an artist, so I chose to try and print a stencil. Unless I was willing to pay, the only stencils I could find were tiny. No problem: I printed and cut one out and Eli used it as a 'model' to draw from. Five minutes after I gave it to him, he came back to me with a perfect shark, drawn and colored in by my boy. He cut it out and I traced it on his upper back. And when we arrived at the pool, the uniforms had finally arrived, so Eli got to swim in his 'tight baggies'. He was over the moon about this!

Eli only had two events this week: 25 Freestyle and 25 Backstroke. He was very nervous about the backstroke. Not only does he not enjoy that variety, he did not get to compete in it last week, so he's never actually completed a full 25 on his back. Lehr was on camera duty, but he will be pulled from it next week as he taped most kids Eli's age, but then turned the camera off when it was Eli's turn to swim the 25 Freestyle. (DOH!) Eli swam even better than last week too! I haven't been able to compare the times yet, but his pace was consistent and strong.

A few hours later it was Eli's chance to try the Backstroke. I'd never seen him practice this type of 'entry' during his team practices, but he'd been watching the last few heats, and he set up like a pro. Again, no clue what his time was, but he made it all of the way without grabbing the rope or giving up. So proud of that little shark!

Love Those Kids

This week started out rough. We're still in the transition of school being out and all three of us being together all of the time. Until today, each day has been filled with lots of whining and bickering between the two kids. Joy.

Earlier in the week, I threatened that if they couldn't get along, several things would happen. One of which was us cleaning all of the toys out of Eli's room so that we could pull her bed in there. Yup, I made that awesome ultimatum of 'if you can't get along, you'll have to live together'. I'm a rock star, I know. Thankfully, they haven't called my bluff, and they've been much better since.

Today was an AWESOME day, actually. Not only did they not fight (at all, I'm pretty sure!), they really really got along and played together. We ran a few errands and they were nice to each other, we ate meals and they had pleasant conversations, and most of all, while I asked them to play quietly independently for 30 minutes while I edited, they begged me to let them play together. And they did. In harmony. With love. And (gasp) sharing. Eli pulled out a bunch of legos to share with Maddux cuz she only has a handful. Then he GAVE her a green baseboard to have for her use. Thirty full minutes of non-bribed, non-forced sibling awesomeness.

The other day we went to the pool with friends. Eli played with the boys and Maddux played with the girls. At one point, Maddux was trying to learn how to get down to the pool floor to retrieve a dive stick. We went through this last year and I'd shove her back down so she could reach it. But she wasn't picking that up this year; she couldn't seem to figure out how to get her body totally upside down. Eli came over and demonstrated it for her and explained it again. She got it on the first try after that. I praised the heck out of him for being an awesome big brother who just taught his little sister something. Wow.

First Swim Meet

Eli had his first swim meet this Wednesday. We were all sooo excited. Maddux and I set up our chairs to watch while Eli got his assignment. The coach wrote all three of his race numbers (and heats and lanes) on his arm: big time. Lehr was signed up to work on a lane, so he would be back with Eli most of the time and I'd be watching with Mad Dog. She and another younger sister from the neighborhood sat and played SO well the whole meet. It made everything much easier! Eli raced the 25 Freestyle, the 100 Freestyle relay and the 25 Backstroke. He did really well for the first two races; it was amazing to me how well he adapted to the race day atmosphere and madness. Calm, cool and collected. Wow. Unfortunately, right before his last event (Backstroke), he got a bloody nose. The bullpen was a little out of control and another boy's head got pushed into Eli's face. It was a big mess, but it stopped bleeding right away and Eli was fine. He missed his last race, but by the time we got home, all was forgotten.

My Two Fish

We've been enjoying swim team for two weeks now, but only really enjoying the pool for about one; it was COLD the first week! Since it's warmed up, both kids are having a much better time and learning a lot more. Maddux is still too young for swim team, but she learns so much watching the practices and then hanging out with all of the older kids at the pool the rest of the day.

Eli's strokes are improving, as expected. His back stroke started as a stationary, 'water-treading', back float, but he's got some motion to it now. The newest thing for him is diving. While we started on it last season, and he even 'fell in' the correct way a few times after I spent some knee-sessions with him last August, he never really got it. The other night we were at the pool and Mr. M was helping his daughter with diving off of the blocks. Eli sidled up next to them and got in on the instruction. He must have listened well because the boy is head-first, feet-last, almost every time now. Very cool.

Maddux is swimming right along, mostly dog-paddle-ish, but never tiring. And she loves to jump off of the diving board like all of the older kids. She spends at least as much time talking as she does swimming each day at the pool; I'm often amazed she has enough energy to do both at the same time!

Happy Trails

We took our first camping trip as a family over Memorial Day weekend. Lehr and Eli have camped half a dozen times, but Maddux had never been, and I hadn't been in years. We planned on a more mild hike out, one with flatter terrain, and a one-night stay. The trail we chose was Panther Creek; I've hiked it several times, but not in close to five years. Eli and Maddux were super-psyched to go, especially because D would be accompanying us. They each packed their camel-backs with water, a snack and a few toys or books (small ones, of course). Lehr and David suited up about 25 lbs worth of gear on each of them and I hauled the food and more water.

We arrived at the trail head around 3PM on Sunday. We figured we had about a 3mile hike to the spot we had in mind, so we'd be safe with daylight. As we went, the kids did great, stopping to ask Daddy for food every few minutes, and chatting us up the whole time. We passed several great spots, but we held out for the main waterfall. Around 6PM we passed yet another great spot, and it was starting to show signs of decreased light. The group decided I should run ahead for about 10 minutes to see if I could get a better feel for how close we were to the waterfall. I ran, didn't feel any more confident, and had to hurdle a snake. About this time I was ready to go home.

We turned around and hiked another 20 minutes back to one of the good spots we passed and set up camp. The kids had a blast 'helping' D and Daddy cook the food while I set up some of our tent. We dined on red beans and rice (from a bag) on top of a huge rock. Try as they could, the boys couldn't get any wet wood to light for a fire, so the kids had to roast their marshmallows over the 'stove'. We all fell asleep pretty quickly and soundly, due largely to the loud, white-noise producing waterfall next to our camp site. (BTW - we had the site ALL to ourselves!)

We rose about 7AM on Monday, well after light came. D and Daddy tried to make pancakes, but they weren't great. Eli still ate three. We packed up and hiked back out, a little slower than we'd come in the day before. Monday found more whining by Eli, but Maddux was still amazing. She played "Animal, Animal", yelled out "Pe-CAWWW!" whenever we got separated, and sang and danced her way back to the parking lot. What a trooper!

Ballet Buddies

For Maddux's last ballet class this week, she was allowed to bring a friend along to participate in the class with her. Maddux chose Anni, a slightly older friend we hang with whenever we can. We picked Anni up on the way to class and Maddux was SOO excited to have it just be the girls in the car. (The stars aligned and Lehr ended up with an appointment at the house at the same time, so Eli stayed with him.) The girls were so cute, dressed almost identically. Since I'm not allowed to watch the class, I couldn't see all they did, but the laughter was indicative of a good time. Maddux assured me that she stayed with Anni during the class, "cuz she didn't know anyone else".

Championship Game

Eli and his team (the Twins) had their last game tonight: the championship game for the Shetland league. Up until that point they were undefeated throughout the season and the tournament. Pretty crazy, but the boys were really good in fielding, and I think that is what held other teams off thus far. The team we were playing was the one that caused us extra innings just about a week ago; they were tough! The boys flip flopped the score with the other team a few times, winning and then getting behind. Eli had a few great throws from center field; his arm is getting much stronger. Eli smacked the ball every time he got up there, getting a double, scoring two runs, and getting out at home one time. After five innings of battle, the Twins came out on top. Such excitement. For the parents, it was relief too; had they lost, the boys would have had to play the same team again immediately. A double header, at night, on the last day of school. None of us wanted to go down that road!

Trophies for both teams followed, and our coach was great with his short speech, complimenting the other team as well as all coaches and parents involved with both teams. When we got to the snack table, he awarded two game balls and had some words of praise for a few key players. He called Eli a 'double machine' because of the way he was hitting. That was really cool. Later, when I emailed pictures to all of the parents, one of the dads (who is an assistant coach), had this to say about Eli: "... Eli is such a wonderfully fun kid and I enjoyed helping coach him. He is always smiling and no one had more fun than him. Plus he is turning into one heck of a good baseball player." Mommy was pretty proud of that. As we'd done before, we praised Eli up and down for always keeping a 'happy heart' during the game, even when it looked like his team would lose. And we reminded him that his effort was what caused us pride, not the outcome of the game.

Last Day of School

Today was bittersweet. Eli loves school, but we're all excited about pool, park, family, fun times in the next two months. Lehr shot a quick video of Eli walking up to the bus, without his backpack, for the last time as a Kindergartner. I met them at the bus stop to give him a big hug and a high five. When Maddux and I met him there after school, a friend had brought Popsicles to celebrate the day. Also, a neighbor was graduating from Elementary School, so her family was waiting to bomb her with water balloons and squirt guns; awesome! We had a fun afternoon talking about all of the things we will fill our days with now. Eli is most concerned about our 'school time' at home....he's already got a plan of action for us!

Last Week of School

Hard to believe, but this is Eli's last week of Kindergarten. He has 1/2 days this week and will finish the year completely on Wednesday. I can't even describe how impressed I am with the progress he's made in such a seemingly short time. I know it happens to most Kindergartners, given that they usually start out as pre-readers and limited writers, but wow. Eli writes 'books', reads anything he can get his hands on, adds and subtracts, remembers random facts about things he reads (space shuttles and baseball, specifically)... He's already asking when I am going to start 'school' with him over the summer. I guess that means he doesn't want to wait until next week as I'd originally planned!

Swim Team

Eli is finally old enough to join our neighborhood swim team. He was so anxious last year as he watched the older kids, including a few of his friends...this summer could not get here fast enough for him. We've had a few weeks of practices and Eli is already improving in endurance, big time! He can know swim a 25 and about 1/4 of that back without stopping to grab the side and take a breather. (Better than Mommy!) His first meet (a practice one) will take place this coming week. I'm pretty sure he will not compete against other kids, just against his own time.

Holy Roller-Coaster, Batman!

Wow. Eli's baseball season has been amazing, but tonight takes the cake. The Twins finished the regular season, undefeated. Even through a few tough games, even when three key players were gone for Spring Break, even when they didn't have their "A" game. So far the difference Lehr and I have seen setting this team apart from any others we've been a part of is the consistency across the board with the boys. We have two or three older, better players, as each team has, but what we don't have is a big drop-off to the rest of the team. These boys are all at a very solid playing level, on the field and at bat. It's been really fun to watch in amazement at some of the fielding that happens with the Twins.

Saturday's game was so crazy; we only played three innings because at that point we were so far ahead that the other team couldn't come back to win. Eli hit TWO doubles in that game. Tonight was the second or third tournament game (I can't remember!).We started out getting five (the max allowed) runs in the first and the other team matched us. Then we shut them out and they shut us out. Then we got two and they got four. Then they got a few more runs ahead (maybe a total of six?), and it wasn't looking good. Unfortunately what a winning season has done to a few boys is given them a false sense that success is only found in a "W". There were several tears by a few, but we rallied back and ended the fifth inning tied up again. Now we're in extra innings and we played two solid where we matched whatever they threw at us. The third extra inning went to tournament rules which meant the other team started at the beginning of their line-up and batted through. They could score up to 11 runs, but outs still counted. We held them at three runs. Our turn and we had two runs on the board before they got the first out. Eli smacks it outfield and advances to first. Then third, and we're tied. One of our sluggers hits it deep outfield and Eli gets to score the winning run.

Adrenaline. Emotion. We were all drained...I can't stop smiling and yet I feel like crying in pride. Even when the few boys struggled to keep an optimistic outlook, they STILL played their best. The fielding on this team is amazing. At least three innings started with one of our players catching a pop-fly or line drive. One was a diving catch!! When it came time for coach to talk to the boys, he held up two balls. He reminded the team that he really needed 12 game balls because each and every boy had contributed so much. The first went to one of the kids who hit solidly every time at bat and really helped us advance the runners. The second went to Eli for his outstanding hits. (I forgot to mention: Eli hits HARD now, usually to the grass or beyond, and he hasn't been tagged out in several games.) Coach said he was 'just so proud' of Eli.

This was very unexpected and reaaaaallllly cool to me. During the regular season, it works out so each player gets a game ball; the coaches make sure of it. But the tournament games are 100% based on who showed up and put the work in; no quotas to fill. Eli has never received a tournament ball before, and we've played many tournament games. Life is good.

I was way proud of Eli, but what I reminded him the whole ride home was that I wasn't proud of the win - I was proud of the playing. The boys never played like they were giving up; they left it all on the field each time and THAT'S why they ended up with the win. I also drilled into Eli's head that I was proud of his hits, but I was even more proud that he listened to his coaches and kept the love of the game in focus. Eli has yet to get down or beat himself (or the team) up when a play doesn't go right or when they are losing. He has a happy innocence about it that I hope he never loses; Eli loves baseball and that's all that matters to him right now.

Jazz Fest 2011

What a weekend! The four of us drove to New Orleans on Thursday, and arrived just in time for bed. We were staying with friends who were awesome enough to offer up TWO rooms for us to sleep in. I got Maddux, the Twister-player through the night, while Lehr stayed with Eli, teeth-grinder extraordinaire. We did not sleep much.

Friday morning we woke up and hung out with our friends and their twin boys all morning before heading to Jazz Fest in time for the first show just before noon. Satchmo, the dog, was a big hit with the kids. Maddux does not understand that dogs don't all know her well, so 'gentle' was something I had to remind her often.

Of course, red beans and rice was on the menu as soon as we arrived at Fest. Maddux got her face painted almost immediately by a traveling artist. Just before our second show started we ran into friends from Atlanta, and Eli ASKED to have a nap in the BOB. The rest of the day we visited a few stages, ate a few helpings of awesome food, and took in some great music. Dinnertime found us at a great restaurant we visited last year. Both kids opted for red beans and rice...AGAIN.

Saturday morning was great; we had awesome weather and spent most of it on a trolley. The twins had never been before, so Eli and Maddux got to show them the ropes. Once at fest, we hit a few tents early on in anticipation of a few stage (outdoor) shows to come. One of the tents we visited early on was the Economy tent where we dance and 'second line' every year. It was a blast until Maddux took a kick to the shoulder. She was fine, but yikes!

From there we went to a stage and Eli got to ride Daddy's shoulders up front to see Trombone Shorty really close. Maddux napped most of that show, so I remained towards the back and just listened. We didn't last long after that show. Dinner was really close to our friends' house, so we walked there once we returned home. Grilled oysters, fish, cornbread...we had it all. When we finished, we walked to a gelato shop and the kids were beside themselves with excitement over a sugary treat. Eli even commented, "This is the best day ever...I'm gonna dream about this tonight!"

Our last day included beignets...yum. We stopped off for the sweet dough before fest; Happy Mothers' Day! Sunday was another awesome day of music. We saw some brass bands, Michael Franti, and closed out with Robert Randolf. Maddux napped hard at the end, but Eli lasted the whole day. Both kids rode Daddy's shoulders during the Franti concert; they had a blast!

Maddux's Year-End Songs

The day we left for Jazz Fest, Maddux's class had a performance including their favorite songs from each month of school. Quite the medley of yell-singing, but it was fun to see. Maddux sings these songs (and MANY more) every day at home, so none of them were new to us. The highlight for Maddie? Daddy taking her to school and attending the performance.