Okay, I Can Admit It...

I can admit it.  I am sooooo competitive.  I watch my daughter at swim lessons and want her to be good at it without the teacher even telling her what to do.

There is a glassed in room at swim lessons for parents to sit and watch.  The class is 30 minutes long and it's one on one instruction with the teacher.  Erin does pretty good for an almost 3 year old, but there is a lot of action as there are other kids getting lessons too.  She sometimes has trouble concentrating.

I sit there willing her to do amazing with each new skill she learns.  What is wrong with me????

She hasn't mastered floating on her back yet and I want to coach her from the sidelines.  I really and truly feel compelled to cheer her on and tell her to do better.  It's the strangest feeling.  I never thought I would be one of those parents who pressured my kid into doing things, but I am going to have to watch myself in the future.

I wasn't really like this in gymnastics unless it was a skill that others were getting and she wasn't.  For the most part Erin is always on task for her age and will eventually get things.  I just want her to be the first and the best!!!!  

I know I'm making light of it here, but it really worries me about myself.  I can't believe I want my 3 year old to swim like she doesn't need lessons.  I want her to master every skill the first time.  If she could do all that we wouldn't be in lessons!!!!

Add this to the long list of things I'll probably do to her to put her in therapy later!!!

Swimming With the Fishes...

Erin's first swim lesson was a success. She liked Miss Kara and the one on one training was good for her.

We'll go everyday this week and next and then we're going to do another session with a different company later this month. I wanted the better lessons to come first then the group lessons to refresh what she learned right before we go to Florida.

Sorry the video is dark. I was filming behind a glass wall. The audio is not from her lesson. You can't see her face in the video but she was smiling and very happy when she came out of the water from being dunked. The teacher kept looking at me, but I knew she would be fine. She loves the water.

We're Back...

We're back from vacation and it's bittersweet...

I'm sad that it's over but I'm elated to get to be with Erin again.  I didn't realize how much I missed her until I picked her up in that first big bear hug.

The best part of the trip was not worrying about her at all.  I bought the internet plan on the ship and took my ipad.  We got nightly updates and pictures on what she was doing.  I think she possibly could have had more fun then we did.  It was ice cream and popsicles for breakfast and sleep was done in Gram and Pawpaw's bed right between them.

We have a very relaxing time.

First stop was Honduras.  We'd never been there.  It was very pretty.  The sand was like sugar.  The people were very nice but like any of those islands, you see so much poverty getting to the nice resort where we stayed on the beach all day.  It makes me very thankful for all that I have. It worked out fine for us.  Tommy had booked some tour off the internet and they picked us up right from the dock.  We spent the day at the Bananarama Beach Resport.  The wind blew the clouds away and we end

We then went to Belize.  We've been there twice before and loved it.  This time it wasn't quite as nice. The tropical storm in the Gulf make for a very windy day there.  It was overcast most of the day.  It actually turned out to be a good thing because it was so hot the day before in Honduras.  We needed a cooler day before tackling Mexico.

Next stop was one of our favorites.  We love Cozumel.  I highly recommend it if you've never been.  The water is beautiful and the diving and snorkeling is supposed to be some of the best in the world.  As for us, we sat on the beach again.  It was 3 straight days of beach breaks for us.  It was so nice to just sit and relax and get in the water to splash around.  This resort Tommy booked on line and they limit the spaces to us 100 people.  It was so nice and calm.  And, in Cozumel they don't walk the beaches trying to sell you crap.  You can lay out without being bothered.  Love it!

Updates...

Erin is doing great with the potty training.  We're down to most days with no accidents.  She hasn't quite gotten big business down, but we've only been at it a week and a half.  She will tell me after she goes, so I guess that's some sort of progress.

We got her hair cut last night.  They took off about 2 inches.  It was getting scraggly after a full day at school.  She looked pretty worn out and beat up when I would pick her up and her hair was crazy.  So, off it came.  She looks super cute with this new little Page Boy look.  She wouldn't cooperate and give me a picture of the front.

I did however get a picture of the back.  The only problem is our hot pink hair extensions got in the way.  I think you get the drift anyway...

Stage Mom Anyone?

Who you calling a Stage Mom?  Tots and Tiaras...I totally get that now.  I could be one of those people.  Someone stop me if I ask my Daddy to build me a runway/stage for the garage...

I signed Erin up for her first ballet class yesterday.  It's for the Fall session so it doesn't start until August but I'm already super excited.  I really want her to love it.  I never did ballet but always wanted to.  So, as Tommy said, I am living vicariously thru her on this one.

Not sure if we'll keep up with gymnastics.  She loves going but she doesn't listen a bit during class.  She runs around like a crazy girl hitting every apparatus.  The teachers try to keep them in line, but there are about 20 2/3 year olds in that class and it's impossible.  Daddy thinks she is going to get hurt because she is fearless jumping off the high beam and mats.

I'm hoping ballet will be a little more calming and that they limit the class size so that she can be a little better behaved.  Plus, I think there is no mommy and me time in this one.  I think she goes in there by herself and she's always better when I'm not there.  Of course I'll be outside watching her, but it's different then having me in there.

If this goes well, then we may sign her up for ballet and tap next year.  Tommy nearly croaked when I told him she was going to be in a recital.  He thinks she's too young.  But, it will be around this time next year, so I think she can handle it.  She is never shy on stage at her school performances.  Of course, she doesn't do the "routine" they have planned but improvises her own show!  Maybe a solo performance is in the making....

My thoughts on this class were to make it after school so it will free up our Saturdays.  We loved taking her to they gym because she has so much fun, but man, it really stunk to be there at 10:00 on a Saturday.  It was hard to plan anything because it butted up against lunch and naptime.  This ballet class will be Monday nights at 5:00.  

I already have a plan on how we're going to do it.  Gram and Pawpaw to the rescue.  They will pick E up from school and take her to class.  I'll go straight from work and meet them there.  Tommy will come when/if he's able with his schedule.  

Now we just have to wait for August!

Last Potty Post...

So proud of Erin.  But I swear this will be my last potty post.

She went all day yesterday at school without a single accident.  I packed 4 sets of clothes and dry panties and they all came home with me.  I was shocked and thrilled to pick her up and see she was in her original outfit.  Way to go Erin!

Dry All Day...

Well, day 3 and we didn't have a single accident today.  

Erin has really taken to the potty training.  We went for donuts this morning as a treat and she didn't have an accident.  We napped and she kept her pull up dry.  (Yes, we wear a pull up when we sleep with panties on the inside.)  They were dry when we got up!  Yay Erin!

We went to HEB this afternoon and then played outside.  She didn't have a single accident.  I am really impressed with her.  It's taken a while to get it, but once she did, I think it stuck.

William came over today and played this morning.  They had a great time.  

Potty of One...

We're tackling potty training this weekend. 

So far, so good...

I stayed home from work yesterday to get a good start.  It was rough at first, but now she's going and hasn't had an accident since yesterday afternoon.

We have a sticker chart and a bag of prizes.  We're actually down to just 2 prizes left!!!  Tommy had to make a Kroger run and he's buying some little prizes there.  (Yes, that's low rent... but our Kroger just remodeled and they have a pretty big kid's section now and even sell clothes.)

Now, if we can just keep making progress.