Letters to Jack & Audrey: 98 degrees

Jack,

This title will mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to you when you get older, but has SOOOOO much meaning to me. Such deep, deep meaning....

Yesterday was a scorcher, so we went to the pool in the Shrews for the first time this year. It was SO frigging bright out that my camera just couldn't cope!

You were so involved in the pouring and the dumping and the collection and discarding of water from various sources, that you didn't look up at me for at least 30 minutes.

Does this mean that I had a break? Not quite.

You were so thrilled with the many options of the pool that you would run to the water with a toy, try it out for 2 milliseconds, tire of it and throw it down - running off to find another toy. It didn't matter if it was yours or someone else's as long as it wasn't the same one you discarded 2 milliseconds earlier.

AHHHHH, that toddler decisiveness! :) BREATHE IT IN!

Also, in an effort to increase your confidence in the water, we practiced you climbing up and down the steps of the pool into and out of the water over and over again. You realized that your feet could reach the bottom of the pool where we were and you walked around, gaining confidence as you went. I blew bubbles as I swam towards you to make you giggle but also to help you be less scared of maybe SOMEDAY putting your head under the water.PAYPO TOWEL! PAYPO TOWEL! (PAPER TOWEL, PAPER TOWEL!)

Just kidding! By the way - this is what you call out anytime water gets on your face.... Oh, my god. I am going to hell for making fun of you!

(Let's get real, here, though. You just KNOW "Making Fun Of Mommy" will become a favorite sport somewhere in the not-so-distant future, so I'm only being a little defensive here).

You climbed up the stairs to the small water slide and really did try to go down.

You climbed on it a couple of times, got really nervous and got off.

I think if someone else had been there, you would have tried it, but - hey! We have all summer!

Finally, we stumbled back to the car with all of our water toys and paraphernalia that I insist on taking with me (curse ME!) and you decided to give driving a try.

You must be watching me pretty good because you were a whiz with the buttons and knobs.

Emergency flashers? Right HERE!

Windshield wipers? TUNES?!? NO PROBLEM!

How about we crank up this A/C a little, huh? It's TOASTY!

Hey, Mommy - do you want me to rotate the tires while I'm at it?

We played in the "Pool Park" for a good 15 minutes. The "Pool Park" is pretty pathetic and consists of two children's swings and two adolescent swings and is very rusted, but the swings have LOOOOOONG chains so swinging on them is fun for you because the arc of the swing must feel like you are on an up and down ride forever. Your face was fantastic.

Finally, you told the "Pool Park" - "I WUB OOOU" much to my frustration because you barely tell me that, but you confess your deepest love for the rusty old pool park... Chill, Mommy! Gosh!

Last night was hard. Your latest stall tactic at night is VERY HARD for me to resist. You say "MOW BIIIIII HUUUUH, Mommy!" (More big hugs, Mommy) and I'll give you quite a few and then you say "MO TIME" and I say "Okay - one more time and then we go to sleep, Jack" and we snuggle a long time and then I say "Okay - now it's time to go to sleep". Then to hear the desperation in your voice as you reach your little hands in the air and plead: "MOOOOW BIIIIIII HUUUUUH! MOOOW BIIIIIH HUUUUH! MOW TIME! MOW TIME!" and then sob with your hands still extended and starting to wilt like you feel so rejected. Oh, my god. Just shoot me. I want so badly to scoop you up and hold you till you fall asleep. I have been trying so hard not to give into you on this because I think it interferes with you falling asleep and it's not very comfortable for me, but....