I know I am really behind on the posting so here is my attempt to catch up! Although, I will hopefully have some updates for Swim Class (including some pictures) from tomorrow's class, I'll tell you about our first class as well. We had an absolute blast!! Emma did great and completely loved being in the water. The instructor was fabulous as well! He was really nice and explained everything that we were doing and why, which helped us understand what Emma was learning through each exercise. Thankfully, the pool is heated so we got right in and Emma didn't even blink an eyelash. We started out with some singing and simply dripping some water on Emma's head to get her used to the sensation of water running down her face. Although it was a little shock at first, she didn't seem to really mind and didn't make a peep when it ran into her eyes. The majority of the class was really based around three different parts of swimming:

• Propulsion (kicking)
• Buoyancy (floating)
• Breath Control (holding their breath)

Our next activity was to hold Emma in the water, kind of on her tummy and wait for her to kick. When she kicked, we were supposed to pull her through the water to hopefully get her to realize (eventually) that kicking means moving in the water. She didn't really get it at first, so we were told to move their legs and say "kick". Next, it was time to practicing kicking on her back and then trying to float on her back. The first part of trying to teach them to float, is to try to get the body to be in a straight line. The instructor said that more often then not, it takes them a little while to get used to the sensation (and sound) of having their ears in the water. So we all went off in our little corner of the pools, to sign to the babies and try to get them to relax while on their backs. Emma did okay here, but this wasn't her favorite. She never cried, and was able to get really straight, but didn't really like holding her head back in the water. So she would try to strain to lift her head up, until she saw the handsome instructor swim by. As soon as she saw him come over, she immediately put one hand behind her head like she was relaxing on a couch, stretched out and started cooing at the instructor. I think we are in big trouble for the future...what a little flirt! So needless to say, the instructor was very impressed (especially since she was the youngest in the class and most kids were fussing or fighting it). Of course he may not have been so impressed if he came by 30 seconds earlier haha.

During each activity we would sing songs and Emma just had a blast. We sang 'If you're happy and you know it.." and would splash and kick and twirl around and that's pretty much when Emma started demanding the attention of the entire class haha. In between songs when the instructor was speaking she started yelling and splashing as if to say "Um...stop stealing my thunder Instructor!!! I'm over here everybody!!!!" The last part of the class was the breath control portion and I think Mommy was more nervous then Emma! On the count of three, we dunked the babies (you always count before doing it to not surprise them). The first dunk Emma wasn't such a big fan of and definitely swallowed some water. But she learned after only that one dunk what was going to happen on the count of 3 and could already hold her breath! By the third dunk...she came up like "Do it again Mommy!!" I think she was also showing off for the Instructor again because he swam by to watch her and she was just eating up all the attention. At the end of the class, we had about 5 minutes to just play and I was bummed to see it end so soon! I have been looking forward to tomorrow's class all week and can't wait to see how Emma does again!

I expect that Micheal Phelps will be calling any day now begging to be Emma's swim coach in preparation for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics based on her performance at Mommy and Me Swim Class. Haha!

For a little prize for doing so well (and because the fact that her current bathing suit is skin tight), we stopped by Target with a friend and got her two new swim suits for this summer. So we are all set!!

Crazy Baby Alert!!

Bath Time! (Rated PG)

Emma has been talking more and more everyday now, but she tends to do this really odd "grunt" whenever she is in the bath! So I had to try to capture it on video and I did! She does this all the time in the bath and "talks" much differently when she is playing (not in the bathtub). She is crazy!!

I tried to keep the video Rated PG so I wouldn't embarrass her too much on her wedding day. :)

Is It Summer Yet?

I have officially had enough of winter and I think Emma is thinking the same thing!

We are super excited (okay, so it's probably just me) about our Mommy and Me swim class next weekend that we decided to try on Emma's bathing suit just in case. Well, even though its a medium, from 18 - 22 pounds, it's a tight squeeze! Hopefully it will get us through our six weeks of swimming and then we can wait until this summer to get a bigger one. Maybe it's the swim lessons or the fact that Emma's Mimi and Pop are in Key West, but we are both ready for the summer!! Emma's Best Friend from daycare, Meredith, is going to be in her swim class too!




I am really looking forward to this weekend. Friday is my 30th Birthday (HOLY MOLY) and Wes and I have a date night planned, thanks to Ms. Holly, one of Emma's daycare teachers. Ms. Holly is awesome and probably Emma's favorite teacher there! She also babysits on the side so she is going to watch Emma while Wes and I head out for dinner and a movie. It's been forever since we have done dinner and a movie so I am really looking forward to it. Then the next morning is swim class and after that, who knows!

It's back to a normal work week this week, unless we get even more snow on Monday night (which they are calling for). Enough snow already!!

Must.Restrain.Myself

It's things like this that really test my willpower and my inability to resist cute baby items...

Come Again?

"Come again" was my official response after hearing the news that we are once again expected to get snow tomorrow night, through Wednesday. How much you ask? Oh, just an additional 10 - 20" that's all.

"Come Again"?

3:13PM 2/8: A WINTER STORM WARNING WAS JUST ISSUED FOR MOST OF THE COUNTIES WEST OF THE BAY IN MD. THIS WARNING STARTS AT NOON TOMORROW AND CONTINUES TIL 7PM WEDNESDAY. THIS ALSO CALLS FOR 10-20" OF SNOW. PLEASE CHECK ALERTS NOW AND GET PREPARED!

New PJs!

Okay, so I know this post isn't very exciting but what else am I supposed to do under 2.5 feet of snow when cabin fever starts to set in other then take more pictures of Emma?!?!

Besides...she wanted to model her new PJs!

Blizzard of 2010!

Wow! I am sure almost everyone has heard about the Blizzard that just hit the East Coast so I am sure it's no surprise, but here where we are, got a total of about 26"! Crazy! It started yesterday evening and continued all through the night and finally ended about 2:00PM today. Although snow tends to be a lot of work, it can also be a lot of fun!! I was reminded today about how good it felt to come into a warm house after playing in the snow, having a hot shower to warm up and smell something delicious baking in the oven. You really can't beat having that great of a feeling and day!!

Here are a few pictures so far! This is Mommy and Emma getting ready to go romp around in the snow! Daddy had just come in from playing with Shamus so he was on camera duty!

And yes...that is three hoods on Emma. :) Her winter hat, her fleece hoodie-hood, and her state-puff winter jacket hood.

Something to keep in mind...although the pictures below don't look like the snow is THAT deep, keep in mind that we were actually standing on about a foot of snow that was packed to the ground. Shamus couldn't walk anywhere in the yard because he came up over his head, so we had to pack down a few areas so he could actually go outside. Check out the picture further down of the grill...you will get a good idea there. :)

Although Shamus had JUST come in, he couldn't get enough of the snow, so back out he came with Mommy and Emma! Gee...I wonder why he was snoring on the couch at 6:00PM this evening haha!

Although we did spend some of our day cleaning, it didn't seem to do too much good for this part of the house. Which every time we picked up, it ended up getting another pile of snowy clothes!

This is a view down the street...


Somewhere underneath all that snow is our grill. We have a 6' fence..and you can see about half of it here...


After the snow finally stopped in the afternoon, it turned out to be absolutely gorgeous! Although snow can be a pain, there isn't much out there that can make the view outside your window this pretty.

Warning! Serious Laughter a Foot!

Okay, so I have to apologize in advance for this little video and my daughter who has picked up a naughty little habit from daycare. I just couldn't help but try to capture this on film to show everyone.

I know Emma's Pop and uncle's will be very proud!

Hold Your Breath!! Mommy & Me Swim Lessons!!

Away we go!! I'm not sure what I am thinking signing up for something that will require me to fit into a bathing suit after having a baby and in the middle of winter but here goes nothing! Emma is all signed up for her new Mommy and Me (or Daddy and Me) swim class! It's a 6 week class that is every Saturday morning (starting in two weeks) and it's a beginner level program that puts Mom (or Dad) in the water with their infant/toddler as early as possible. The goal is to develop the natural instincts that a child has for the water, as well as the primary skills of buoyancy, propulsion and breath control.

There are mixed feelings about starting swimming so young so I am sure you will hear a lot of different opinions on this but being in the water whether it was in the Chesapeake Bay or the swimming pool in Ocean City are some of my favorite memories as a child. So, I would love to have water a big part in Emma's life as well (as long as she likes it obviously). I was thinking that it might help to introduce her to water and swimming before she is old enough to develop a fear of it, and that is exactly what this program is designed for.

I tend to agree with the people that say that children are born with a natural affinity for the water (heck, that's pretty much where they start from in the womb, so it's no surprise). The sooner they are started back in the water, the quicker they learn and the less likely it is that they will grow afraid of it.

Each half hour session is supervised by a specially trained instructor who will lead us through a series of exercises and activities that will be both fun and instructive for Emma. The weekly routine teaches kids their primary skills of buoyancy, propulsion and breath control. To top it all off, its just something fun to do with Emma instead of being cooped up in the house in the cold weather!

So stay tuned for our first review! Our first class is in two weeks! Actually the day after my 30th Birthday! Wow...so a bathing suit the day after I turn 30. That's going to be a rough day haha!