Picture Wednesday, Swimming Lessons, and a Scooter

Here's little Finn at 30 weeks old.

 Don't mind his tongue sticking out.  It's always sticking out.  It's like there's not enough room in his mouth to keep it inside, but seriously, check out those cheeks.  There's plenty of room in there.

Finn is a delight, as always.  It's been a busy week and poor Finn is often made to miss his morning nap or gets grabbed before he's done napping so we can go to swimming lessons or story time or to get the oil changed or so mom can get a jog in instead of just doing a workout video once in a while.  It's hard with 2 kiddos and lots of naps to fit into our day.  We either stay home all day or one or both of them misses a nap if we go out.  I feel bad for poor Finn.  He can't sleep when we're out and about.  There's way too much to see.  Lucky for us, he's such a sweet baby.  Even when he hasn't napped all day he rarely throws a fit.  He's a darling.

This morning Tate had his last swimming lesson of the summer.  This was the first time I've signed Tate up for lessons or sports of any kind and it was interesting to watch him figure it out.  A new authority figure, a new structure, new kids to talk to.  He was in a swimming pool but he wasn't supposed to play with toys or just wander around chatting to himself.  He was supposed to listen, obey, and stay by the class.  It took some getting used to.

I signed him up for 2 sessions this summer at the pool just around the corner from our house.  By the end I think he got it.  He was a good sport about trying new things.  He did better listening to his teacher.  His coordination greatly improved and he was able to do a few things being asked of him at the same time.  It was really exciting to watch.  His teacher was named Kylie but he called her Miss K.  She was great with the kids and had a soft spot for Tate, always listening to him as he chatted to her about his weekend, movies he likes, toys he played with, how he's going to get a sticker if he's good during his lesson, anything and everything.

Practicing his back float.

And a little ring around the rosie.

I was a wee bit nostalgic about the whole thing.  The first lesson especially.  So, maybe I'm over-emotional about everything...maybe there's no maybe about it...but there was something big to me about turning over my boy to someone else for the first time...well, except for nursery, I suppose.  Someone else was in charge of keeping him in line and teaching him things.  I'm excited for him to be able to learn things that I can't teach him all through his life.  He'll go to school and take classes and lessons and play sports and try anything he wants.  There was just something a little sad to me that first day of lessons.  It was more evidence that my little boy is growing up and outgrowing his total reliance on me a little bit more.  This parenting business is always bittersweet.

 Aaaand speaking of independence, Finn just became a scooter.  Just now.  As I've been typing this post he figured out for the first time how to scootch across the room and I had to grab my camera and film it.  Oh shoot.