Surfin'

I tried to get this video uploaded a few days ago, but it just wouldn't complete. Things are working much better right now, so even though it's almost 3 AM, I think I'll give it a shot.

It's another video of Gage and Zane swimming. I think I mentioned in another post that they were pretending to surf by pushing the boogie board to the bottom of the pool and then standing on it, holding arms out to balance as a surfer would. At the beginning of this video, Zane wants to step on the boogie board, when Gage starts to leave, saying he has to go to the bathroom. Because Zane isn't big enough to be able to push it down by himself and then step on it, he asks, "Then who'll push it down?" So Gage comes back and says he'll push it down for him and tells Zane where to put his feet and helps him stand on the boogie board. Zane is clearly so happy to be "surfing". He ought to really enjoy Schlitterbahn this year!

Seals and penguins, among other things

I went to Wendy & Kelly's house for a short visit this morning. Of course, the boys saw me coming and were quick to hide before I got in the house. If I don't go look for them right away...within 15 seconds, they can easily be found by following the talking and giggling. If I don't start looking for them within a minute, I hear little voices calling, "Cookie...". The favored hiding place is under the dining room table, although sometimes Zane is hiding under a blanket or sometimes inside the basket filled under a pile of stuffed animals. Today they were under the dining room table.

Kelly was outside watering trees, so after watching the boys show off karate kicks, etc., we persuaded Gage to read to Zane so that Wendy and I could visit for a while. They gathered a few books and had read for quite a while before I went in to take this video. I think Gage has inherited the family trait of falling asleep while reading aloud, because he was barely moving his mouth by the time I got in there. Luckily, both of them enjoy books...so this is a good way to settle them down when they start getting a little wild.

Their inflatable pool was filled to the brim, letting the sun warm the water before they go swimming this afternoon. Wendy said they both had a good time at the tee-ball swimming party at the Elks Lodge yesterday afternoon. Gage would go off the slide into water that was over his head and swim to the side, kicking and using his arms properly. Zane is starting to be more comfortable putting his face in the water and getting his eyes wet. They have been taking swimming lessons since last week in preparation for our annual Schlitterbahn trip.

Wendy just called for me to go down and watch the boys "swim" at their house. I'll take some pictures...I know you're all excited about that...and save this post until then.

Im back from the swimming exhibition. Gage needs a larger venue to really show off his stuff, but he did show me that he could float on his back and do the American crawl (maybe they don't call it that anymore). He also has several kicks in his repertoire: dolphin, seal, flutter.

Zane has really come a long way this year. After just one lesson he will dive forward and swim a little way with his face completely in the water. He also does the different kicks that Gage does. He likes to swim like a seal. They pretended to be surfing by pushing the boogie board to the bottom of the pool and then standing on it, mimicking a surfer's stance.

Out of the pool Zane was pretending to be a penguin. He held his arms down, slightly extended from the sides, fingers together like a fin and walked with the side to side sway characteristic of a penguin. At one point he was facing away from us just standing very still with his arms like that. Wendy asked him what he was doing. I had to tell her he was being a penguin (just standing there looking at nothing in particular, like penguins seem to do) and that might be a good thing to suggest to him when he's being wild.

Hula hoopers

Zane found a sunny, windless spot to warm up. One minute he was sitting on the step, but then as we watched he sort of slid off, rolling himself up in the towel; he looked like he was making a cocoon.

After the slipping and sliding, the kids got started with the hula hoop. Unfortunately, my camera somehow transformed itself into the macro mode (surely not due to any wrong button pushing on my part!) and the video is out of focus. It's getting posted anyway, but this is my disclaimer...the fault is not with your computer. It looks like I've run it on fast speed, but Gage is just quick like a bunny. Zane has his own technique for spinning the hula hoop, unfortunately, however, it must be considered flawed...as you can see.