Happy Birthday Mom (YaYa)!

Today my mother is turning 60 years young.  I say young because she simply amazes me with all she does.  In fact, just last weekend she went camping....like real camping (digging a hole in the ground as a restroom, sleeping on the ground, etc).  She teaches full time, and also works at a bookstore part-time.  In her free time she loves to exercise, enjoys working out in her yard on her flowers, spends time with her grandsons that live in the area, oh.... and she travels the world:-)  Whew I get tired just thinking about all that!

She is the most amazing mother, as well as grandmother. 

When I speak about "YaYa" the boys light up and ask when we are going to Chicago next.  I asked Drew what his favorite thing about YaYa was, and he said her hugs.  Ethan simply said his favorite thing to do with YaYa is watching the ducks with her:-)

Mom exudes love when you are around her, and she is the most caring and giving person I know.  I can only hope to be half the mother and grandmother that she has set an example as.  Thank you mother for all the love, sacrifice, time, respect, and advice you have given me over the years.  You are the best listener in the world, and that is such a wonderful characteristic!  Not only are you my mother, you are also a great friend. 

I get the privilege of flying to Chicago later today to celebrate with her.  I am sooo excited to be able to spend time with my awesome mother on her birthday.  Love ya Mom!  Can't wait to see you and give you a big hug!

Random Videos

Well, I haven't posted videos in a while, so I thought I would give you a peak into our lives. 

Little lady has wanted to feed herself lately, so I decided to give her the spoon the other day...knowing I would have a mess on my hands.  She loved feeling like a big girl....dipping the spoon into the yogurt all by herself.  I have a feeling she is going to grow up way too quickly....

While Elise is growing up way too quickly....the boys are having difficulty with their swim lessons.  Before you watch this video and you form the opinion that I am a heartless, mean mom....please let me explain!  This is the second swim lesson they are at....the first one they screamed/cried/threw fits through the whole half hour.  Drew has a lot of fears, one of those being going under water at all, so I can understand his tantrums.  But Ethan, he knows better.  He has no fears in water, he swims around the whole pool confidently with a noodle, and was the oldest child this swim class of four. This video is the second swim lesson, where each of my boys promised they would try hard, not cry, and make me proud.  That's all I ask!  I don't want my boys to be professional Olympic gold-metal swimmers, I just want them to be able to stay afloat for safety's sake.

Needless to say that went on for the whole half hour again.  I felt awful (despite my laughing all the video....that's what I had to do to keep the situation light!).   What do I do?  Do I give in and not make them go back?  Will it get better?  If I give in and not go back, is that teaching them to give up?  Or I am causing my children to go into therapy when they are adults at the horrible memory of their mother making them go to swim class, despite their fears?  Help me, help me, help me!

****Update:  We took the boys to the pool Friday evening and Saturday morning, and they swam like fish.  Drew swam all over without any floating device.  Ethan was a bit more scared, but we finally were able to get him to swim as well without any floating device (with a few screams).  I am sooo proud of my two boys.  I'll have to get new video of them at swim lessons today NOT crying (cross my fingers).