Next Attempt

We decided to go ahead and try swimming again ASAP. We went to Rebecca Lee's neighborhood pool with her and Alex on Thursday. It started as a similar scene to Monday's drama, but calmed much faster. She got upset as soon as she saw the water. She was crying and did not want me to put her down. As I was taking her shoes off, she kept saying, "Back on, back on." But, I just picked her up and went and sat in the water with her (it was a little Kiddie Pool). She only cried or wimpered for about 15 minutes this time. Then she started throwing a ball with Alex. She sat up, then a few minutes later I moved her out to my knee. A few minutes after that, I stood her up with my knee touching her back. Then I pulled away completely. She wasn't too crazy about that part. But, by the end she was walking across the pool and interacting with all of the other kids too. I was very proud of her. We are not giving up on the water!!

Reagan's Kryptonite

I've found the one thing that terrifies Reagan: swimming pools. For the most part, she is pretty fearless. But, swimming pools . . . uh, uh, no way!!

When we went to Wild River Country a few weeks ago, she cried the entire hour & a half we were there. She had a death grip on me and would not let go. I thought maybe she was tired. It was really loud and there were lots of kids. I made lots of excuses.

Monday afternoon, we decided to go play in the swimming pool at my parents' hotel. (Yes, they stayed with us most of the trip, but they got a hotel the last night.) Reagan was so excited as we put on her Elmo swimsuit. She was running down the hall of the hotel. Then, we came to the glass doors that lead to the pool. She froze, then turned and ran the other direction screaming. What?! Who is this child? I caught her and took her outside. She ran to the corner of the area - as far from the pool as possible - screaming and crying. She got so worked up she started choking and gagging. I picked her up to try to comfort her and she started throwing up! I have never seen her so worked up about anything. I climbed into the pool with her clinging to me for dear life and bawling her head off. Her head was glued to my shoulder and her fingers were digging into my arms, but we were in the water. She stopped sobbing after about 30 minutes, and actually started interacting some with Nana & Pops. Now, don't get me wrong, her head was still stuck to my shoulder, but the tears were gone. My parents would push a floatie across the water to her and she would gently nudge it back to them. This was major progress!! She even started splashing (or pretending to splash) them. After another 20 minutes or so of this, her head came up off my shoulder. Hallelujah!! Then, she really started having fun. She wouldn't go to either of my parents, but she was laughing, splashing and blowing bubbles. We ended up playing in there for another hour after that, and she had a great time. She wouldn't leave my hip, but that was okay. It was major progress compared to the beginning.

Shots from the last hour - you'd hardly know how rough the first hour was from these pics

Reagan & Pops

My parents were in for a bit this week. Reagan loved every minute of it! She got to see her Nana last weekend, but it had been a while since she had seen her Pops. She and Pops had lots of fun!

Pops, Reagan, & Nana at the zoo

Pops & Reagan getting fish food at the zoo

Pops reading to Reagan Pops & Reagan on the deck in the morning
Pops, Reagan, & Minnie playing

Reagan started out helping Pops eat his cereal, then she decided she wanted it.

Ortho Weekend in Hot Springs

Jason & I had the opportunity to get away to Hot Springs for the weekend. My mom and grandmother flew in to stay with Reagan. I think the three of them had a great time! She wore them out, but they enjoyed it.

Grandmommy Mary, Nana, & Reagan The Ortho residents had a meeting Friday afternoon, then we got to play the rest of the weekend. We spent all day Saturday on the lake - from 10am - 11pm. The weather was perfect and we had a great time. We applied and reapplied SPF50, but to no avail. We are both a nice lobster red from the shoulders up.

Jason putting on sunscreen The pregnant Ortho wives
We went down to Coldwater Dam, where the water temperature is near freezing. And, of course, the fellas (and a few ladies) all had to demonstrate their manhood by jumping in. Thier reactions were priceless. Here is Jason climbing back into the boat as fast as he can.
Jason & I out on the lake
Jason driving the boat with his cigarPart of the group hanging out in the water

Kekoa & Gracie!

Some of our good friends had 2 new arrivals last week. Matt & Iris welcomed little Kekoa on Monday, June 2nd. And, Clay & Jennifer welcomed little Gracie on Friday, June 6th. We have been anxiously awaiting their arrivals, so we are all thrilled they are finally here.

Kekoa Daniel Ramil HowKekoa, Iris, & me
Grace Lillian Glasgow (check out that hair!)
Jason & Gracie
Reagan, Gracie, & me

What a mess!?!?

Mommy: "Reagan, what are you doing?"

Reagan: "Pen write. . . leg."

Mommy: "Reagan, what are you doing?"

Reagan: "Bees!"

I let her use my Burt's Bees chapstick all the time. She found this one (a nice tinted one), and knew just what to do with it. So pretty!?!

Reagan "reading"

Reagan loves to climb up in the rocking chair and "read" her books.

She rocks so hard that the rocking chair starts moving around the room. I think that's her favorite part. She'll "read" a book, tell me she's done, and ask for another one. And, not just any book will do. She'll ask for an exact book everytime. This girl knows what she wants! Right now, she's loving "If you give a Moose a Muffin" and "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus."