Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Odds & Ends

Last week the kids started swimming lessons. The first day they both had some problems with being "good listeners." The teacher offered to teach them privately for the same price. The next day it was just the two of them and Drew did much better. Ava cried the entire time she was in the teachers arms. The teacher offered to split them up again and teach each of them individually. The third day Drew did even better and Ava cried the whole 25 minutes of her lesson! We decided maybe we should wait to do lessons with her until next year. Drew is still a little fearful, but makes progress each time. I don't think he's very close to swimming on his own yet, so I am trying to decide if I should put him in another two week session or just wait til next year.

Drew swimming with his teacher

Ava enjoying not swimming

This weekend my cousin got married in Berkeley. The whole family was there so we drove out on Friday and joined in on the "rehearsal" dinner. My parents stayed with the kids so that Dan and I could go down to the bar and have a drink with one of my other cousins. Saturday morning I got to help decorate the venue while Dan and the kids went to the local mall. The wedding itself was fun and it was great to spend time with family, but it was also a little stressful trying to keep the kids entertained in a not-so-kid-friendly space. I can't believe this is the only picture I took all weekend:

Aren't they cute though, all snuggled up together in the hotel bed?

Today I took the kids to a fun park with a neat water feature. We brought picnic lunches and played in the park and got soaking wet. Here's the cutie pies saying "Cheese."


While it's wonderful to be doing normal things like swimming lessons and weddings and park days, it still feels weird to me. Maybe it's just that I haven't fully processed through our time in the hospital. Even though I've been waiting all summer to do fun, normal summer things, now that we're doing them, it doesn't feel quite right. I just feel different. I suppose I am different. I don't think I can explain it more than that and I hope it goes away soon. I guess we'll just keep doing fun, normal things until it does feel right.

4 comments:

Paige said...

It will happen Andrea...give it time. I'm sure you hate to hear what you are feeling is all normal but seriously you just spent a long time waiting for the other shoe to drop.... now he's being a normal healthy kid and you guys are doing normal healthy things... hugs girly....

Leslie said...

i'm amazed at how much you guys are able to do now. hope the "normal" state will feel just that so soon for you. as far as ava + swimming, keep trying! taught swim lessons for 6 years in s.cal....the little ones who cry the whole time end up the ones who love it the most by the end of summer. don't let her fool ya! :)

Kate said...

i like you. LIKE you like you. :-)that is all.

The Portas said...

I know what you mean about feeling different. I think this experience has probably changed a little part of who you are as a mom/wife/friend/person, but that's not necessarily bad. I think that with time things won't feel so weird and it will turn into more of a positive feeling.

Thanks for the pics! I want to reach in and hug those cutie pies. :) xoxo