swim test!

lela's #1 goal for the summer was achieved.  on the first day of fall, we went to the pool in the afternoon (per the usual) and lela lined up to do the swim test.  as i was watching her do it, i was thinking.... "geez...she's doing awesome this time!" sure enough.  she passed.  the smile on her face as she followed the lifeguards into the office to get her wristband and swimmer card will be forever burned into my mind.  SO proud of herself.  and, i must say, one of my proudest mom moments ever. i am utterly impressed and moved by her perseverance.  not once did she even hint at the fact that she couldn't do it.  a beautiful accomplishment.  i'm inspired.

on a littler note....after bath tonight, i buttered estelle up with lotion (doesn't happen often) and after getting her belly, she took her Ariel figurine and slid it across her belly and said, "Ariel iiiiiiiceskating!!!" she is the most funny kid ever.  a true class clown.  we'll find out if that rings true as she just started two year old preschool last week....going on tuesdays and thursdays from 8:45am-11:30am.  she loves it.  fave song from school that she keeps talking about is "wheels on the bus".  adorable hearing her sing it.  the daddy's on the bus say, "i love you.  i love you.  i love you."

girls' convo

L: "mom you know what??? One of my friends from school said at Christmas, she got zero gifts!!  She was naughty and Santa brought her NO gifts!"

E: (with that downward looking "sad dog" look of hers) "That happened to me, Lela."

L&me: "you got zero gifts for Christmas, Estelle????!!"

E: (quietly) "yeah.  Happened to me."

😂😂😂👶🏼👩🏼👯👭

fun times these days...

brant is tdy to alaska for a red flag and the girls and i are kicking it solo here in hawaii.  it's fun.  every day is full throttle action, but they are so.  much.  fun.  since the start of summer we've gone to the pool almost every day (i say "almost" because pool 2, our favorite, is closed on mondays.  sometimes we venture to dinosaur pool, but it's not as fun).  lela has taken the swim test every time we've gone to the pool since that first shot.  she is so driven.  she's an inspiration to me!  every time.  whistle blows, adult swim, lela marches to lifeguard and says, "i'm here to take the swim test".  one day, they were done giving them, she approached a lifeguard and asked if she could have one!!  ha!  the girls are exploding in their swimming.  estelle, just turned 2, can swim about 8-10 feet.  no fear.  loves going underwater and dives in like a mermaid.  it's adorable.  she does it with the ponies too, in the bathtub.  a very theatrical dive under.  lela can do everything in the shallow end (up to 5 feet, i think)... gymnastics underwater, cannonballs, swimming longer distances...

on another note, they are still the BEST of friends.  laughing until they cry sometimes.  lela can entertain estelle and distract estelle better than any of us, and for the most part, no fights that aren't immediately resolved.  they love each other to pieces.  there are a few spats here and there, mostly estelle hitting lela (lela probably ripped a toy from estelle), but that's it.  lela would NEVER hit estelle.  interesting, right?

estelle is in this phase where she'll only listen to books standing next to the rocker.  "me stand here."  i don't like it, so after awhile i'll just pick her up and make her sit on my lap with me.  i need the cuddles.  she's so cute, giggly, and snuggly.  her smart wit is impressive for a 2 year old.  she's hilarious and quick with all the sarcasm.  we were eating pasta tonight and she didn't like that her bread didn't have peanut butter on it (she's obsessed with pbj).  i told her sorry, we're not having pbj tonight.  she said, "mom.  come here.  need to tell you something."  so serious.  she continues looking straight ahead and we are now cheek to cheek looking straight out..."mom.  peanut butter.  jelly.  ta-mow-woa."

lela starts back at montessori september 1st and we head out the next day for michigan, mere's wedding, and then north carolina.  big trip.  she's ready to be back in school with her buddies.  i'll miss having her around, but we'll still keep hitting the pool most afternoons!  no reason not to with this weather!