Swimming Lessons

Jaxon had his first real swimming lessons this summer. We went to the Roy Complex and took lessons with his cousins Jeffrey and Lauren. Aunt Cindy (my aunt) is the instructor for the instructors (did that make sense?) and helped teach his class a couple of days. His main teacher was Tyler, who is my cousin Greg's friend. Jaxon loved him! Tyler did such a great job with him. Jaxon told me that "the very best part of everyday is swimming lessons!"

These four pictures are of the ring game.

1) practice your swim arms while Tyler hides the rings

2) jump into the pool

3)go under to retrieve as many rings as you can

4)give Tyler a high-five

Jaxon's little 4-year-old self learned how to do a back float and went across the deep end of the pool (12 ft deep). Being his very concerned and ultra protective mother, I had a very hard time watching my guy in the deep end. Brian's job was to keep his eyes on him at all times so he could jump in and save him if he needed to! I watched him too, but I had to look away a few times or else I would have had a panic attack!

His progress report stated he could:

*Enter and exit water safely *Submerge mouth, nose, and eyes * Exhale underwater through mouth and nose, 5 seconds *Open eyes under water, pick up a submerged object * Front float, 5 seconds recover to standing position *Back float, 5 seconds recover to standing position, * change direction of travel while walking or paddling *Roll from front to back and from back to front * Jellyfish float, 5 seconds *Bunny Hops 5 feet, bob 5 times, and hop back 5 feet *Fining on back with alternating leg action *Combined stroke on front, using alternate arm and leg action, 5 feet *Water safety rules

His teacher said: "Jaxon did awesome :) He got his back to front floats down great! Good luck and keep swimming :)"

Jeffrey, Lauren, Jaxon, and Jayne

Air Show 09

We took the boys to the Air Show at HAFB this year. The show comes every other year, and for some reason or another this is my first time attending. Brian has been 3 or 4 times and is excited to go again in 2011.

The walk through the parking lot took forever considering I had to stop every few steps to put Ryker's hat back on his head. It took some convincing that hats are for wearing and not eating or throwing, but in the end I am happy to report that the parents won the hat battle. Phew!
The stroller battle was a different story. He was content in the stroller as long as we were moving, but when we stopped to stand in a line he wanted OUT! As you can see from the pictures he is the happiest when he is held.

Jaxon's Air Show experience consisted of seeing lots of "really cool jets and stuff". Most of them he was just able to look in through the windows to see the controls. They had a jet there that they let the public walk through. This thing was massive! When we got up to the cockpit there were a couple of pilots sitting outside the door. Jaxon peeked his head in to look and one of the pilots offered to let him come in and sit down so he could pretend he was flying. He asked a lot of "what's that thing for?" type questions. The pilots were cute with him and let him play with most of the controls....just not the ones that could seriously injure the people on the outside of the plane!

We stopped for some lunch in the shade of a building (note to self...next time don't forget the chairs!) and watched some of the stunt planes doing tricks.

The highlight of the day were the Thunderbirds. They were amazing and so fun to watch! Since Brian had seen the show before he was able to tell me when something good was going to happen so I could get a good picture. I was really happy I got one of the two Thunderbirds as they mirror each other. I was shocked at how the sky looks so different in the 4 pictures I posted. They were all taken at the Air Show and none of them were altered.

Jaxon had fun putting on his own show with jets he got at the Air Show. If you missed the show and would like to see one, come on over. Jaxon will give you a show with a play-by-play and sound effects!



At the end of the show Ryker was asleep on Brian's shoulder and Jaxon was in the stroller.

Word Up!

I will be the first to admit that I let Jaxon watch too much TV. Way too much. Fixing the TV problem is near the top of my "How To Be a Better Mom" list, right between eating more vegetables and being more patient. I do, however, have to give credit to PBS and Word Girl for Jaxon's blooming vocabulary. It is simply amazing to me the words he has learned from that cartoon.

Today, for example, while eating lunch Jaxon turned to me and said: "What does considerate mean?" After I explained it he said "Oh, like when Martha wipes her paws after digging in the mud that's being considerate?" The rest of the lunch conversation continued to revolved around his new word. As he carried his plate and cup to the sink he stopped and put them both on the counter. "If I just leave all my stuff out of the sink then I'm being inconsiderate, huh mom?" Right again.

Here is a sampling of other things Jaxon has said to me over the past couple of weeks:

"Mom, your flowers are very fragrant. Fragrant means it smells good. Not Ryker's diaper though. That is a stench!"

"Wyatt is my favorite sidekick!"

"It's sweltering today. Do you know what sweltering means, mom? It means it's really, really hot!" Said while wiping his brow and laying his head on the table. No drama there!

"My favorite words are repentance and exceptional!"

A good example of the not-so-good things he's picked up from who-knows-where:

"What the he** are they doing out there?!?" Yeah, that didn't come from Word Girl. We asked him where he heard it and he was quick to blame Uncle Brady. Shame, shame Uncle Brady. We thought the mission would teach you to use nice words!

Besides being educational for Jaxon I find Word Girl to be quite entertaining. In fact, it is my favorite cartoon. When you've got characters like Captain Huggy Face, Lady Redundant Woman, Dr. Two Brains, Granny May, and Chuck the Evil Sandwich Making Guy what's not to love?

Word up, it's Word Girl! Word UP!!!