Monthly Archives: June 2012

Night Stand, Blanket, Broccoli

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I have about a million unfinished projects right now.  The biggest one being Cupcake’s big girl room, which has a long way to go.  Although there’s really only one step that needs to be taken to make it liveable and that is getting a mattress for the bed!  I’ve priced out a few mattresses, but I really don’t know how to decide on one.  I can only narrow it down by delivery options.  We need it delivered since we don’t have a vehicle it will fit in.  My current project in the room is the night stand.  I’ve been checking resale stores, garage sales, and Craigslist for a night stand, but have come up empty handed thus far.  Well, I made an IKEA trip the other day and I think I have a winner!!!

Oh, and now you know what color I painted the bed frame!!

I fell in love with a different table first, but it had a glass top.  Momma thought “glass top table + 2 year old = disaster!” so I went with my second choice.  This cute little metal table only comes in black-brown, which is NOT going to work in this room, so I need to make a date with some spray paint.  But what color………………..?

Suggestions?

Update: To see the fabric of the bedding check out this post.  I’ve already got a can of the Berry Pink spray paint and a can of green paint that is a wee bit darker than the Apple Green that I originally posted.  Both have been used on small pieces that will be in the room.  The dresser is white.

While at IKEA I picked up a comforter and some pillows, a few pictures frames (one of which also needs to be painted) and I fell in love with a lamp that would look so cute sitting on that table, but it was sadly temporarily oversold.  We also had lunch while we were there because Kids Eat Free on Tuesdays!  :)

Also in the unfinished project department is this blanket I started on in the winter.  You know, a much better time for crocheting a thick blanket.

My original vision of Cupcake’s big girl room was a dark shade of purple.  This was the color scheme I wanted.  I didn’t find the dark purple bedding I had pictured in my head, so I went another direction with the room and balled this blanket up into my tote bag and forgot about it.  Now that the room is coming together, though, I feel like this blanket can still live in her room, so I’ve dug it back out, picked up a few more skeins of yarn and gotten back to work on it (during a heat wave!).  Having this blanket on your lap while you’re working is quite like having a dachshund on your lap.  Ask me how I know.

And now I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  I hate cooking.  Yep, I hate cooking.  Baking?  I LOVE baking.  Cooking, not so much.  What’s worse is cooking when it’s too dang hot to move, or turn on the oven, or wear more than just a bathing suit (if that!).  It was 99 degrees outside yesterday (felt like 103).  Ugh!  Not comfortable. Pregnant or not!!  Thank goodness for simple suppers.  I went super simple with this one!  I found a yummy looking recipe for Broccoli Salad over at The Naked Kitchen.  And after making Southwest Chicken Wraps for dinner the other night hubby declared we should have wraps more often.  Yes, sir!  That sounds like a good dinner for a hot summer night to me!

And it was.  The broccoli salad was delish!  You could taste the tang of vinegar, but it played off the sweetness of the honey.  The same goes for the onion and raisins.  Hubby said that a salad with bacon in it is his kind of salad, so I guess that means two thumbs up from him.  I kept the wraps simple; thin sliced turkey, green leaf lettuce, colby jack cheese, diced tomato, and ranch dressing on a whole grain tortilla.  You’re looking at my wrap above, so don’t strain your eyes trying to find bits of red in it.  I don’t eat tomatoes!

 

Now I’m off to start another project while I debate (a million times) in my head what color to paint that night stand.  Seriously, though, if you have a color suggestion let me know!!!!!

No Post on Sunday

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errrr……..I mean Wednesday.  Seriously, after getting home from 3 days out of town, I’m trying to get back into the swing of things and I have realized that I have about 10 unfinished projects laying around.  So, when I can finally finish one of those (or start and finish a new one, which is what I will likely do) I’ll be back.  I’m tired.  I’m still trying to recover from horrible sleep in a hotel room with a bedmate that I had never met before (seriously, I do NOT sleep well at all when someone other than my hubby is in the bed with me).  And did I mention I was afraid for my life because she punched me in the face the first night?

 

OK, toddler is napping.  I finished my ice cream.  I should get working on one of those unfinished projects, now.

A Day in the Life: After a Weekend Away

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I was out of town all weekend at a sorority conference.  I was tired!  I was really looking forward to sleeping in my own bed!  Unfortunately that sleep only lasted until 5:15 when someone started pounding on the door.  I convinced Cupcake to get back in her bed (with two blankets, 2 books, a stuffed bunny, Bubba, and her nightlight) and go back to sleep.  Or so I though.  At 5:45 she was back at the door fussing.  Hubby was out of bed and getting ready for work so I thought she just needed some momma snuggle.  Yeah, no more sleep was had.

Cupcake ate 3 bowls of Cheerios for breakfast!  Chugged her milk.  Did not eat her cherries.  She colored on her MagnaDoodle while I finished up yesterday’s blog post and my oatmeal.  I tried to catch up on my Google Reader, but it was a bit overwhelming and Cupcake kept trying to lick my laptop.  I opted for some play time instead.  We changed some baby doll diapers and she took the babies for rides in the stroller while wearing daddy’s sneakers.

Sun was in the forecast so I put the diapers out on the line patio furniture.

And even though we got up extra early this morning we still somehow managed to run late for Stroller Strength.  Maybe it was the fact I had to chase a naked baby around to get her dressed.  Maybe it’s because Oscar needed to sniff every inch of the yard when I took him out to do his business.  Maybe it was because Cupcake saw me try to sneak snacks into the diaper bag and she decided she needed them right that moment.

And then I remembered because I went out of town by myself over the weekend the carseat and stroller were not in the car.

We finally got all buckled in and off we went.

Have I mentioned class starts at 9:30?  Oh, and I need to dust my dashboard!

Let’s stroll!

I was the only pregnant momma in class today so I felt like the slowpoke and I probably should’ve skipped one of the exercises as I felt like I pulled a belly muscle afterward.  None of my momma friends were there for class, but one showed up after to play (she just had a baby 2 weeks ago, so she’s got a pretty good excuse!).  So Cupcake was very happy to have a friend to play with. But then the girls got hungry, so it was back home.

Apparently this kid was also tired.

I gave her an option of a nap or lunch.  She chose lunch first.

And with a full belly she was off to bed and I was off to shower, unpack from my weekend away and start laundry.

During her nap I got working on my grocery list (which always takes longer than I think it should) and dug into a mint chocolate chip marshmallow.  With the ridiculous heat this week I’m trying to avoid turning on the oven, so if I didn’t struggle enough my grocery list already I just made my job a wee bit harder!

And then I took a nap!  Gasp!  Yeah, I did that!!!  :)

Cupcake took a super long nap so I could no longer ignore the pile of dishes in the sink.

It got this guy out of his comfy spot.

She woke up on the wrong side of the bed (she was all sweaty because apparently she thought she needed to sleep under her comforter!), so some momma snuggle was necessary.  I don’t mind.  :)

I made Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps for dinner.  They were tasty!  Even the toddler agreed.

After dinner we made a family trip to Sam’s Club and the grocery store.  Bunny came, too.

By the time we got home it was time to start the bedtime routine.  Cupcake was rubbing her eyes, so the long nap apparently wasn’t quite enough.

Hubby helped me unload the dishwasher.  I cleaned up the kitchen.  I prepared my oatmeal for the next 2 days.

I sat down on the couch, propped my feet up on a pillow, started a blog post (this one!), and watched an episode of Drop Dead Diva on Netflix Instant Watch.

This momma was then off to bed.  Early.

Yum! Mint Chocolate Chip Marshmallows

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The day has arrived!  The day I finally got to make a recipe out of one of the new cookbooks I got for my birthday!!!  Oh, to narrow it down, though!  Such a hard decision to make!  I’ve been wanting to make marshmallows for a while now, so when I saw the giant mint chocolate chip marshmallow cubes recipe in Joy the Baker: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes I knew it was the winner!

Thank goodness for nap time.  That’s when momma gets her baking done!

I’ve never made anything with gelatin before.  It kinda looked gross after a few minutes.  ;)

And I’ve been looking for something to do with that bottle of corn syrup that’s been hiding in the pantry…..

I can also confirm that a watched pot will indeed boil.  Seriously, when I’m using a candy thermometer I watch my pot!  And look!  It boiled!  Although I admit I did step away for a few minutes because she who was supposed to be napping was streaking her hands down the door, making an awful noise, so I had to put her back to bed!

Fun is pouring liquid hot magma into your mixer bowl while the mixer is running.

You must whip it!  Starting to look marshmallowy!!!!!!

Who wants to lick the beater?  Me, me, me!!  I was seriously super excited about this kind of recipe.  No raw eggs = pregnant momma can lick the beater!!!!  Sleeping toddler = more for me!!!!

Chocolate makes everything taste better.

Look at that thick marshmallow goodness!  And enjoy that arm workout as you hold that heavy bowl and scrape out that sticky, gooey mess.

This had to be the worst part of the process.  Look how lonely that pan looks sitting on the dining room table to cool overnight.  That’s right.  Cool over night.  What torture!!!  And I could still smell it’s minty goodness!!  And now I’m going to make you wait overnight to see the rest of the process.

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding.

That’s a big hunk a burning love marshmallow!

Those are also big chunks of marshmallow!!

Is your sweet tooth aching, yet?

How about now?

I might have eaten that one and one other before Cupcake woke up from her nap.  :)

And when she woke up I let her taste test a small one.  Her response? “More, more, more” while waving her arm in the air.  I think that means she approves.

And now I have this big batch of delicious mint tasting marshmallows and only a 2 year old to share them with (have I mentioned hubby doesn’t like mint?).  The good news is they keep for up to 2 weeks, so I don’t have to play chubby bunny to finish them off.  And I like to share.  I was off to a sorority conference for the weekend, rooming with 3 sisters who I’ve never met.  And I’m a suck up.

So I cut them in half (they didn’t fit in my cello bags as big squares) and packaged them up complete with a hand stamped bag topper.  I think they’re pretty darn cute!  And I think my roommates agreed.

 

Giant Mint Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cubes

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold water
3 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Grease and 8-inch square pan and shake powdered sugar through the pan, coating generously.

Pour 1/2 cup of the water into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Pour the gelatin over the cold water and let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a medium saucepan over medium head, add remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt.  Stir gently until sugar dissolves then attach a candy thermometer and heat mixture until it reaches 240 degrees F.  Mixture does not need to be stirred once the sugar is dissolved.

Turn the mixer on low speed.  Carefully drizzle the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin in a steady stream.  Try to prevent the stream of hot sugar from hitting the whisk attachment.  That will only spatter hot sugar across the sides of the bowl.  Once sugar is incorporated, gradually increase speed to high and whip mixture until white and thick, about 12 minutes.  Stop the mixture, add mint extract and beat for another 3 minutes.

Feel the bottom of the mixing bowl with your hand.  The mixture should be slightly warm, but not hot; just warm to the touch.  The sugar mixture will have cooled slightly during the mixing process.  Add the chocolate chips once the mixture has cooled slightly, so as to not completely melt the chocolate.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan.  Smooth the top.  If you’re fighting with the sticky mixture, use a wet spatula to smooth everything over.  Dust powdered sugar over the top of the marshmallow and let sit, uncovered, overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Lightly dust a cutting board with powdered sugar.  Turn the marshmallow block out onto the cutting board and slice into 16 large squares.  Toss each marshmallow in powdered sugar to coat all sides.

Marshmallows keep, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Joy the Baker: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes

24 Weeks

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I hit 24 weeks this week.  16 weeks to go?  Eek!  That seems like no time!  I had an appointment this week.  Weight was on track, blood pressure good, blah, blah, blah.  I asked my OB about paying for a 3-D ultrasound to determine gender.  The poster advertising the 3-D ultrasounds in their office and on the website says they don’t do gender determination, but for me we could!  :)   But, she said she was going to request another ultrasound through insurance first as even though my weight gain is right on track I am measuring ahead of what I should be.  Yay!  Oh, wait, maybe I shouldn’t be excited about an overly big belly!!

Not only do I get another ultrasound at my next appointment it’ll be excitement overload as I also have my glucose test and rhogam shot that appointment!  So, here’s hoping the glucose drink (I chose fruit punch) will get baby moving so he or she will show us “the goods.”   And that I don’t almost pass out after they draw my blood (like I did with Cupcake).

I tried to take my belly shot by myself (and with the assistance of my remote) but a curious (and clingy) toddler kept crashing my photo session.  She’s cute, though, so I’ll keep her.

The kicks are getting stronger.  You can see and feel them on the outside these days (so fun!!!).  Hubby’s felt a few here and there and it totally freaks him out!  He’s the queasy type (don’t tell him I told you).  Cupcake likes to tell (and show) everybody where the baby is.  Yeah, she flashes people for me.  Ain’t she sweet!?!?

I’ve been feeling pretty good.  Occasional hip pain, which I had with my first pregnancy, too.  I can no longer sleep on my belly, which means I’m not sleeping well.  Even though my OB is happy with my weight gain I don’t think I am.  I’ve gained a little bit more at this point than I did with Cupcake.  I guess I should slow down on the hamburgers and ice cream.  But baby really wants hamburgers and ice cream!!!!!

New goal, eat ice cream only every other day instead of every day (guilty!).  Go back to stroller strength class now that swim lessons are over.  And not worry about the number on the scale (easier said than done).  Oh, and enjoy all the kicks because they’re the last ones I’ll get to enjoy.

DIY Cornice

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I’m almost done with the guest room redo (and I promise I’ll show you pictures when I’m done).  I only have 2 things left on the to do list now that the room has window treatments.  My first thought was to make some fun curtains, but I was afraid of overwhelming the room since it’s kind of small.  So I decided on fresh, white curtains and a fun cornice!  We don’t have any cornices in the house, so this is a first for me.  OK, I lied, we had those plastic, cheep “cornices” on the windows.  This window included.  I wanted a  real, fabric covered one, though!  Time for some DIY!

So here’s what I started with.

I decided to use foam insulation to build my cornice.  It’s much lighter than wood and I wouldn’t need to get out the power tools (not that I have anything against power tools!).

Step 1: (We can have lots of fun – whoa 80′s flashback) Build the cornice

I measured my window and added 6 inches to that, so I would have a 3 inch over hang on either side of the window when finished.  My (double) window measured 75″ so I needed 81″ of foam board.

I marked my foam board at 10″ and cut.

This made a fun mess!!

I had to do this twice and then trim because my window is much wider than the foam board. Because I had to piece the boards together to be long enough I put down a strip of Duck Tape and hot glued the two ends together.

I wrapped the Duck Tape around the rest of the way.  I then found two paint stirring sticks in the back of the basement and used them to add stability to the pieces.

So I now have a piece that measures 81″ x 10″ which will become the front of my cornice.

I had also cut two pieces that measure 3″ wide and pieced them together to have a top strip.  Again I glued two pieces together, wrapped them in Duck Tape and glued a paint stirrer for stability.  I then glued it along the top of the cornice front.

I had also cut two pieces measuring 3″ x 9″ to use as the side pieces.  Those were also glued into place.

And because it doesn’t matter how ugly the foam looks I went ahead and added a bit more Duck Tape on the corners to help hold it all in place.

Step 2: (There’s so much we can do!) Cover the cornice

You’ll want to cut your fabric large enough to cover the whole cornice leaving enough fabric to wrap all the way around it and to the back. You’ll also want to cut your batting large enough to wrap around, but not quite as big as the fabric.

We can start wrapping it!

Pull your fabric up and over and pin it into place.  Fold neatly around the corners and continue all the way around the bottom, top and sides.

The best part about pinning the fabric on is if you want to change it out later you quickly and easily can!

And your done!  Ignore the messy floor.  There was no point in cleaning up before this project because I made a huge foamy mess!  Oh, and I had originally planned on doing this in the garage, but I’m so glad I did it in the basement instead as my cornice is so long I worked on the floor.  Much more comfortable on the basement floor than the garage floor would have been.

Step 3: (It’s just you and me) Prepare your window

I started with a blank slate. Ignore the ugly blinds.  I really would’ve like to replace this old ratty things, but it’s just not in the budget at the moment.  At least I get to hide that ugly top piece (whatever it’s called).

I added a simple cafe curtain rod to hang my curtains since it won’t be seen.

It’s a big improvement, but I’m not done, yet!

I had hubby help me hold the cornice up so I could figure out where I wanted it.  You can place it high or low, just depends on the look you are going for.  I wanted it a little high.  I then added 4 corner brackets across the top of my window at my desired height.

Then there’s just the simple matter of resting your cornice on top of the brackets!

And there you have it!  An inexpensive, simple, great looking cornice for you window!

I wish I could find my receipt but I think I paid about $10 for the foam (I bought the 6 pack precut pieces because I didn’t have a means to get one big sheet of insulation foam home from the hardware store).  The brackets only cost me a couple dollars.  The batting I already had and the fabric (Crazy for Dots & Stripes) I got for $8.98 a yard at fabric.com.  I still have enough fabric left to make some throw pillows for the bed!!  I also still have enough foam insulation to make another cornice (which I might do for Cupcake’s big girl room – haven’t decided, yet).

The cornice has been hanging for a few days now and looks great!  I’m super happy with how it turned out (and I can’t imagine how heavy it would’ve been had I used wood!!).

Are you a cornice type of person or a pretty curtain rod type of person?

 

Toddler Lunch Time

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It’s so easy to get into a PB&J rut with a 2 year old.  If she won’t eat the dinner I made the night before I can’t possibly force the leftovers down her throat for lunch the next day!  And after PB&J a few days in a row I can’t even shove that down her throat.  I needed to try something new.  I tried ants on a log (you know, PB and raisins on celery), but it didn’t go over so well.  Celery is too stringy for a 2 year old, I suppose.  New plan!

Let’s start with something I know Cupcake likes.  Apples!!

I picked up some delicious Cameo apples.  I don’t recall ever having a Cameo apple, but they looked pretty.  Core the apple.  You don’t want to use an apple wedger (is that what those things are called?) for this job.

Because you want apple slices.  These are now your “bread.”

Slap a little peanut butter on them and some raisins and you have a better than PB&J lunch.  You could also add a little granola if you want (but my pantry is currently lacking in the granola department).

After you’ve spent this few minutes coring, slicing, spreading, and sprinkling, turn around to discover what your 2 year old was doing behind your back.

How did she get so tall?  Oh, she scooted a chair to the island.  What is she doing with those apples?  Let’s take a closer look………

Yeah, she took a bite out of each one.  Awesome.  That girl cannot be trusted!

Plop her in her chair and serve her lunch to occupy her while you prepare your own lunch…….

……….to discover she has picked all the peanut butter and raisins off her apples.  And taken one bite of the apple.

Oy!  This girl is a goof ball!  She then finished her apples while I ate my lunch (leftovers from last night’s dinner).  I’m pretty sure they would’ve been yummier had she eaten them the way they were intended, but oh well.  I guess I shouldn’t complain because at least she ate her lunch!

I’m curious.  On the days that you don’t have leftovers what do you typically have for lunch?

Premonition – Big Girl Room Update

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pre·mo·ni·tion [pree-muh-nish-uhn, prem-uh-]

noun

1. a feeling of anticipation of or anxiety over a future event; presentiment: He had a vague premonition of danger.
2. a forewarning.
No, I’m not psychic, but I am feeling the anticipation.  We all are.  I’m talking about Cupcake’s big girl room!  I’m making progress!  Remember this disaster?   Well, the good majority of the junk stuff in that room belonged to the hubby.  I cleaned out as much as I could, but I didn’t even make a dent.  Thankfully the hubby found some time in his busy schedule to clean it out!!!  And I didn’t even wait a day to get priming after that!

Two days later I painted during Cupcake’s nap time and did a second coat that evening!  It’s a new Hawkins household record.  I painted a room in 3 days!!  THAT NEVER HAPPENS!!!!!  But, wait, premonition, what was that about?  That is the color Cupcake picked for her wall color.  Remember how I said I was going to paint the room Lavish Lavender.  Yeah, I changed my mind.  I had several purple colors to choose from, some more of a pinkish purple, others more of a blueish purple.  Both shades of purple are in her bedding and I couldn’t decide which way to go.  I liked a pinkish purple, hubby liked a blueish purple.  What’s a girl to do?  Let the big girl decide!!  So, this is the color Cupcake chose.

I’m so happy with how it turned out!!!  I think it’s the perfect background for her bedding and the bright accessories to come.  I think the light color won’t compete for attention with all the colors I want to bring in.  Oh, this room is going to be so fun!!!  Oh, and remember that dresser?  My $50 score from Salvation Army looks a million times better!  It got a good scrub, 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of satin paint.  White on dark wood is time consuming!  I went with option #2 on the drawer pulls since they were available at Home Depot in a 10 pack at a discount (but I needed 5 extras).

And that lamp…….that was a brass lamp I bought from Goodwill for $1.99 sans shade.  I actually painted it a lighter yellow to start, but I wasn’t happy with it, so it got a few coats of Sun Yellow and I love it much more!  I also had to cut some felt for the bottom of the lamp, which was a quick 5 minute job thanks to my sewing stash and hot glue gun.  And that IKEA shade?  I bought it before I bought the bedding and it turns out that it’s the same flower print!!  What a happy surprise!

 

So here is what is left on my to do list to get this room put together:

Bring in the bed

Purchase mattress and box spring
Buy sheets
Find/refinish a night stand
Find/refinish another lamp to put on the night stand
Make a reading nook
Make art for the walls
Find frames for the prints I already had printed
Change out the curtain rod
Find/hang curtains
Accessorize the dresser
Move Cupcake in!!!

 

Here’s a side by side top and bottom before and after of the dresser.  It’s amazing what a little paint and new hardware can do!

Momma’s Birthday

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Birthdays get less exciting as you get older, but I still really like my birthday.  Yesterday was my birthday.  It wasn’t too exciting, but it was just right.

I woke up a bit earlier than usual.  I ate my breakfast and caught up on my Google Reader while I waited for Cupcake to wake up.

She ate breakfast and we read about 10 books snuggled up on the couch.  I got the ironing board out and finally got around to ironing the bedskirt for the guest room.  I then managed to get the bedskirt on the bed by myself with a little help from my four legged friend.

And threw some laundry in.

Then we were off to swim lessons.  She did much better in the pool yesterday than she had done all week.  There was barely any fussing and even some smiles as she floated and kicked!

We came home, had leftover ravioli for lunch, played trains, unloaded the dishwasher, straightened up the kitchen a bit and got the mail.

It was a good trip to the mailbox!!  I received two birthday cards and a box!  Cupcake insisted I open the box right away.  She probably thought it was for her since lately they have been with her birthday and momma ordering some new diapers thanks to the BumGenius Buy 5, Get 1 Free sale!

Cupcake went down for her nap, I showered and did some more laundry.  Then it was “me” time.  I curled up on the couch with my new books!

Yeah, I was happy to lay on the couch reading a cookbook or two in my free time.  I can’t wait to start making some of these recipes!!!  I didn’t get around to reading the sewing book, yet, but I’m sure it won’t be long before those pages get flipped.

Post-nap Cupcake had a fruit and veggie smoothie (peaches, strawberries, sweet potatoes, yogurt, honey).  Apparently swimming makes her hungry (she had two helpings of ravioli at lunch!).  We snuggled up on the couch and watched some Curious George.

I was not going to cook dinner on my birthday!  And hubby and I had had a conversation earlier in the week about wanting some delivery (or carryout) pizza.  Darn that movie we watched that had a scene or two at Pizza Hut!!  But I thought it’d make a good birthday dinner.  So hubby got some carryout.

I hadn’t had Little Caesers in who knows how long!

And my requested dessert………..

Again, I can’t remember the last time I had a Dairy Queen cake!  It was everything I hoped it would be!!!

We shared the evening with friends (Thanks for coming Mike and Joanna!).  Cupcake reluctantly shared her toys with Sweety Petey.

I did some diaper stuffing and Cupcake was off to bed.  Hubs and I settled in in the cool basement to catch up on Mad Men (we’re 5 episodes behind!!), while being whined at by a dachshund because he’s not allowed to chew on his rawhide (which is his favorite basement past time).

And that is how a stay-at-home mom spends her weekday birthday (this one anyway).

Little Fishy

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We’re wrapping up our first week of swim lessons today!  This is Cupcake’s second year participating in swim lessons and I’m not sure if it’s going any better this time around.  Mean mommy thinks it’s important to keep trying, though.  The water is a little chilly when we first get in, so we never get off to a good start.  And then she has to jump…..

The first time she’s all for it, but it typically takes some convincing there after.  If I can get her off of me and on the wall she’ll jump just to be back on me.  :)   Sometimes we get good jumps, like feet off the ground jump, but other times it’s just kind of a fall into the pool.

Check out that cutie in her teeny bikini!  That’s not the bathing suit daddy would pick!  :)   And check out her little Bummis Swimmi sticking out!  We love this reusable swim diaper, so if you are in the market for one check it out.

 

 

 

We finally get over the freak out about the jumping and then we move on to floating.  Here’s what happens when you try to make her belly float.

She hangs on for dear life!

And then we attempt a back float.

Even with the encouragement of kicking it’s a no go.

Singing songs ain’t so bad, but don’t try to get her to blow bubbles.

Sometimes hunting for treasures is fun, sometimes it’s not.  It just depends on how deep the water is.

But the reward at the end is sweet!  The frog slide!!!!

This is a big improvement!  Last year she refused to go down the slide.  This year she looks forward to it.

After class the kids get a little bit of playtime with the water features.

And this girl is in heaven!  She would prefer to do this the whole time.  We do have a bit of an issue getting her out of the pool when time is up, but the sticker she gets at the end of class is usually enough to cheer her up (and because she knows momma packed a snack for after class).

I don’t know if we’ll get the opportunity to do swim lessons next summer, with H2.0 here.  In this class level I have to be in the pool with her.  Next year she’ll be old enough to move up a level, but I don’t think she’ll be ready, even with her superior floating skills.

Next week she’s got some friends coming to play with her after class, so that should be extra fun.