Emily had a small line in our church's primary program today. We have been practicing in primary for the last 4 weeks on all the songs and parts for all the kids, but for the first 2 weeks Emily would not come within 2 feet of the microphone. I was almost willing to give up on her speaking as a lost cause when her teacher convinced me to get Emily to pray for courage. Well, I must admit I did not really think that would work, but was willing to try it since nothing I had done had worked either. So we included that in our prayers every night.
Last week in practise she got up there and mumbled her part very nicely into the mic, then fell on me(I was sitting net to the stand to prompt little kids) and gave me a big hug before galloping down the stand to jump on her 60 year old teacher and give her a giant hug. Emily is a good solid 55 pounds, but luckily her teacher said she saw the twinkle in Emily's eye as she charged and knew something major was headed her way so she did not get knocked over.
Today was the program and there was an audience watching her so I was worried about her freezing at the mic, but she did a wonderful job-minus the bear hugs though. She was justifiably very proud!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Stage Fright
Emily had a small line in our church's primary program today. We have been practicing in primary for the last 4 weeks on all the songs and parts for all the kids, but for the first 2 weeks Emily would not come within 2 feet of the microphone. I was almost willing to give up on her speaking as a lost cause when her teacher convinced me to get Emily to pray for courage. Well, I must admit I did not really think that would work, but was willing to try it since nothing I had done had worked either. So we included that in our prayers every night.
Last week in practise she got up there and mumbled her part very nicely into the mic, then fell on me(I was sitting net to the stand to prompt little kids) and gave me a big hug before galloping down the stand to jump on her 60 year old teacher and give her a giant hug. Emily is a good solid 55 pounds, but luckily her teacher said she saw the twinkle in Emily's eye as she charged and knew something major was headed her way so she did not get knocked over.
Today was the program and there was an audience watching her so I was worried about her freezing at the mic, but she did a wonderful job-minus the bear hugs though. She was justifiably very proud!
Last week in practise she got up there and mumbled her part very nicely into the mic, then fell on me(I was sitting net to the stand to prompt little kids) and gave me a big hug before galloping down the stand to jump on her 60 year old teacher and give her a giant hug. Emily is a good solid 55 pounds, but luckily her teacher said she saw the twinkle in Emily's eye as she charged and knew something major was headed her way so she did not get knocked over.
Today was the program and there was an audience watching her so I was worried about her freezing at the mic, but she did a wonderful job-minus the bear hugs though. She was justifiably very proud!
Super Swimmers
So the girls started swimming lessons at the begining of the month. They are in seperate classes but bith at the same time which is very nice for me! Emily is doing very well and has enjoyed her lessons since day one, although she did remark the other day, Mom why do we have lessons every day? "Every day" is of course a loosly used word usually meaning often. But in thsi case every week.
So anyway...Sydney was excited the frist day but as soon as she and Emily split up, it was a,ll over. There were tears, there was sobbing in a ball on the floor, and snuffling into my neck. You name it. Finally I sat on the floor and got her to put her feet in the pool, to kick a tiny bit, and to get sipped in the water. She ended the lesson with a jump into the arms of coach/lifegaurd and I thought we were problem free. The next week she went just with Karl since I could not make it and never even got her toes wet. It was a pretty frustrating thing for everyone which was a big shock to me since she loved going to the pool this summer.
So the following friday she mentioned to me she wanted us to go and buy some playdough. I jumped on that and ran with it! I offered her the chance to get playdough if she cooperated in class and did evrything the teacher asked in swim lessons.
The next day she walked into class, sat on the edge of the pool and beamed at the teacher. No fear there! The teacher looked at me a little puzzled and could not figure out what happened and I explained the playdough request. Sydney was a perfect angel in class! And of course she got her playdough. This week, after another fantastic performance in swim class, Emily hoped out of the pool and said"Ok Mom, let's go to walmart and buy some toys!" Poor thing was a little bummed when I did not immediately follow through on that suggestions. Luckily, a trip into the YMCA Child Watch seemed to go over just as well!
Emily is doing quite well, she can swim a little on her side now without a floaty, but does quite well with a floaty. She still has issues jumping into the pool and getting her head under water though, but hopefully we can work through those.
Sydney seems ok with wetting her head and blows bubbles beautifully. She also is doing a great job kicking and working her arms, but it will probably take a few more sets of lessons before she is a "swimmer"
So anyway...Sydney was excited the frist day but as soon as she and Emily split up, it was a,ll over. There were tears, there was sobbing in a ball on the floor, and snuffling into my neck. You name it. Finally I sat on the floor and got her to put her feet in the pool, to kick a tiny bit, and to get sipped in the water. She ended the lesson with a jump into the arms of coach/lifegaurd and I thought we were problem free. The next week she went just with Karl since I could not make it and never even got her toes wet. It was a pretty frustrating thing for everyone which was a big shock to me since she loved going to the pool this summer.
So the following friday she mentioned to me she wanted us to go and buy some playdough. I jumped on that and ran with it! I offered her the chance to get playdough if she cooperated in class and did evrything the teacher asked in swim lessons.
The next day she walked into class, sat on the edge of the pool and beamed at the teacher. No fear there! The teacher looked at me a little puzzled and could not figure out what happened and I explained the playdough request. Sydney was a perfect angel in class! And of course she got her playdough. This week, after another fantastic performance in swim class, Emily hoped out of the pool and said"Ok Mom, let's go to walmart and buy some toys!" Poor thing was a little bummed when I did not immediately follow through on that suggestions. Luckily, a trip into the YMCA Child Watch seemed to go over just as well!
Emily is doing quite well, she can swim a little on her side now without a floaty, but does quite well with a floaty. She still has issues jumping into the pool and getting her head under water though, but hopefully we can work through those.
Sydney seems ok with wetting her head and blows bubbles beautifully. She also is doing a great job kicking and working her arms, but it will probably take a few more sets of lessons before she is a "swimmer"
Super Swimmers
So the girls started swimming lessons at the begining of the month. They are in seperate classes but bith at the same time which is very nice for me! Emily is doing very well and has enjoyed her lessons since day one, although she did remark the other day, Mom why do we have lessons every day? "Every day" is of course a loosly used word usually meaning often. But in thsi case every week.
So anyway...Sydney was excited the frist day but as soon as she and Emily split up, it was a,ll over. There were tears, there was sobbing in a ball on the floor, and snuffling into my neck. You name it. Finally I sat on the floor and got her to put her feet in the pool, to kick a tiny bit, and to get sipped in the water. She ended the lesson with a jump into the arms of coach/lifegaurd and I thought we were problem free. The next week she went just with Karl since I could not make it and never even got her toes wet. It was a pretty frustrating thing for everyone which was a big shock to me since she loved going to the pool this summer.
So the following friday she mentioned to me she wanted us to go and buy some playdough. I jumped on that and ran with it! I offered her the chance to get playdough if she cooperated in class and did evrything the teacher asked in swim lessons.
The next day she walked into class, sat on the edge of the pool and beamed at the teacher. No fear there! The teacher looked at me a little puzzled and could not figure out what happened and I explained the playdough request. Sydney was a perfect angel in class! And of course she got her playdough. This week, after another fantastic performance in swim class, Emily hoped out of the pool and said"Ok Mom, let's go to walmart and buy some toys!" Poor thing was a little bummed when I did not immediately follow through on that suggestions. Luckily, a trip into the YMCA Child Watch seemed to go over just as well!
Emily is doing quite well, she can swim a little on her side now without a floaty, but does quite well with a floaty. She still has issues jumping into the pool and getting her head under water though, but hopefully we can work through those.
Sydney seems ok with wetting her head and blows bubbles beautifully. She also is doing a great job kicking and working her arms, but it will probably take a few more sets of lessons before she is a "swimmer"
So anyway...Sydney was excited the frist day but as soon as she and Emily split up, it was a,ll over. There were tears, there was sobbing in a ball on the floor, and snuffling into my neck. You name it. Finally I sat on the floor and got her to put her feet in the pool, to kick a tiny bit, and to get sipped in the water. She ended the lesson with a jump into the arms of coach/lifegaurd and I thought we were problem free. The next week she went just with Karl since I could not make it and never even got her toes wet. It was a pretty frustrating thing for everyone which was a big shock to me since she loved going to the pool this summer.
So the following friday she mentioned to me she wanted us to go and buy some playdough. I jumped on that and ran with it! I offered her the chance to get playdough if she cooperated in class and did evrything the teacher asked in swim lessons.
The next day she walked into class, sat on the edge of the pool and beamed at the teacher. No fear there! The teacher looked at me a little puzzled and could not figure out what happened and I explained the playdough request. Sydney was a perfect angel in class! And of course she got her playdough. This week, after another fantastic performance in swim class, Emily hoped out of the pool and said"Ok Mom, let's go to walmart and buy some toys!" Poor thing was a little bummed when I did not immediately follow through on that suggestions. Luckily, a trip into the YMCA Child Watch seemed to go over just as well!
Emily is doing quite well, she can swim a little on her side now without a floaty, but does quite well with a floaty. She still has issues jumping into the pool and getting her head under water though, but hopefully we can work through those.
Sydney seems ok with wetting her head and blows bubbles beautifully. She also is doing a great job kicking and working her arms, but it will probably take a few more sets of lessons before she is a "swimmer"
Saturday, September 22, 2007
AHHHHHH
Today in the car on the way home from the store & swimming lessons, Emily uttered the worst words possible! "I'm bored." Where did she learn that awful word? What are they teaching her in school? I asked her if she knew what it meant, and of course she didn't but she still said it. I told her that if she said that to me, I would tell her to go and find something to do.
AHHHHHH
Today in the car on the way home from the store & swimming lessons, Emily uttered the worst words possible! "I'm bored." Where did she learn that awful word? What are they teaching her in school? I asked her if she knew what it meant, and of course she didn't but she still said it. I told her that if she said that to me, I would tell her to go and find something to do.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Let's hear it for the neighbors
Can I just say how much I love having kids nearby to play with. Some days my kiddos disappear after school/before dinner-after homework of course, and then go for more after dinner right up until bedtime. We have a few houses on this street with kids Emily's & Sydney's ages. The biggest challenge is getting them home. We have been working with Emily to not get quite so dramatic at the anguish of leaving her friends.
I want to invent kid pager that can be worn on their shorts/legs/wrist so it is easier to get them to come home-maybe one with an alarm clock feature, or if I could page it and set it off that would be nice.
Thankfully we have very kind neighbors (with a trampolene no less) who don't mind the invasion. Even if Emily invites herself over for dinner (Yikes. Never thought to discuss that in the never ending Manners 101)
I want to invent kid pager that can be worn on their shorts/legs/wrist so it is easier to get them to come home-maybe one with an alarm clock feature, or if I could page it and set it off that would be nice.
Thankfully we have very kind neighbors (with a trampolene no less) who don't mind the invasion. Even if Emily invites herself over for dinner (Yikes. Never thought to discuss that in the never ending Manners 101)
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