Sleepover and Zoo with Cousins

Aunt Lisa is about to have another baby.  To help her out, Timmy and Leah spent the night last night along with Mimi to help out.  The kids had a great time playing in the playroom and then watching a movie.  I was happy to see that they go along so well. 

The boys putting puzzles together

Leah colored after putting her own puzzles together

The next morning after breakfast of four pancakes each, we headed to the zoo.  I thought we might be there 2 hours or so but ended up being there over 4 hours.  Despite the on and off rain and humidity that followed, we all had a good time.  The exhibits were great as usual but the landscape was especially gorgeous.  I don't know if it's because of the rain in the last week that made the landscaping stick out but it was beautiful wherever we turned. 

Collin wanted to be the leader and show us where to go.  We stopped at the reptile center first before seeing the Meerkats, Elephants, Bears, Tigers, Giraffe, etc.  He was a really good guide for us.  The kids listened and were really well-behaved for the most part. When we stopped at the small gift shop in the back to cool down, Leah had a little meltdown.  I was surprised she was the only one. They all really liked watching the Chimpanzees and the monkeys.  The boys like the reptiles better than Leah.  She was bored quickly walking around the reptile house.  We had to stop at the sea lions on the way in and then the way out.  All of the animals were really active this morning instead of hiding because of the rain. 

In the Reptile House looking at mice

Stopped to play on the lady bugs

Leah and Timmy not fighting.  It does happen.

Collin not getting his way

Checking out the elephants who were loving the attention

This little guy was really posing for us.  It seemed like he knew what he was doing.

Leah trying to find the Leopard

Collin found it!

Leah was worried about the Leopard biting her

Great way to get a breeze on this humid day.  It poured while they rode.  Great timing!

"What are they doing?"  Glad nothing sexual that I would not want to explain.

Playing on the drums near the African Safari habitat

Me, Collin and Leah.  They are soaked because they rain through the water in the rain forest. 

Swim Team Party

Tonight was the swim team party and awards.  Collin got an trophy for being on the team but did not win the special awards for each age group:  Team Spirit, Most Improved and .... not sure what the other one was. 

While walking back to the car, we talked about the trophy and noticed that it looked like the person on the trophy did not look like a swimmer but, instead, like someone squatting to take a poop.  This cracked him up so much that he could barely walk back to the car. 

When we got home, he was excited to add this trophy to his growing collection.  "Now I have 10 trophies!"  He proudly put this new trophy next to the other ones in his redesigned room.  He does still hang out in there more than he did before.  After putting the trophy away, he and I kick the tiny soccer ball back and forth while Mimi watched and talked to us.  She came to the awards and is spending the night to help me while Daddy is out of town....and to be with us.  We have not seen her as much lately so it was nice to have her all to ourselves.

Boys and Frogs

Because it has rained so much in the last two days, there are tiny little frogs in our front yard.  Collin found one and wanted to bring it in the house to keep as a pet.  He put it in the butterfly container we have and then ran to the refrigerator to get so lettuce for the frog.  The little piece of lettuce was still 3 times as big as the frog.  I explained to Collin that I doubt frogs eat lettuce especially if it's big enough to squash it.  He said that he learned during his nature camp two weeks ago that worms eat lettuce so frogs must too.  Poor, tiny frog was captured and already in the butterfly container so I thought there was not any harm in seeing what the frog did with the lettuce.

That evening, we had the last swim meet that I posted about previously.  During the Meet, the kids found the same type of frogs and wanted to play with them.  One boy squished a frog between his fingers.  Collin did not like that the boy did that.  However, he did want a frog to hold and take home.  I said he needed to concentrate on the swim meet and not worry about the frogs.  Plus, I was not going to hold the frog while he swam so he was going to lose it anyway.

After the Meet was over while walking back to our car, he found a frog.  I pleaded with him to leave it but he wanted to take it home.  We had a used soft drink cup and lid in the car which is where the frog stayed on the way home.  While on the way home, I explained that this frog did not want to live in the cup or the butterfly container at home.  He really needed to be outside.  Frogs don't eat lettuce either.  "Do you see lettuce outside for frogs to eat?  What do we have at home for frogs to eat?"  I told him that he could keep the frog but it would likely not be alive when he woke up in the morning OR he could let the frog go in the yard and we could watch it happily hop away to find food and new friends.  He was torn between these choices and started to cry a little.  I thought he might be faking until I saw real tears.  I asked him why he was crying and he said, "I want to keep the frog but I don't want him to die.  I guess I need to let him go but I can't to it."  I told him I would help him and said that he made a really good decision.  We knelt down in the grass, took of the lid and turned the cup on it's side in the grass.  The frog eventually hopped out, stopped to look around and hopped away.  That's when the tears REALLY started to flow.  He was so sad that the frog was gone and he did not get to keep him.  That is my sweet, loving little boy.  I knew some of this was because it was past 8pm after a long day of camp and a swim meet but also knew that my kind-hearted little boy just made a tough decision.

When we went inside, he saw that the other frog he captured just 3 hours before was dead.  That made him feel better about letting the other frog go...but now he was sad that the first frog was dead.  Hard lessons to learn but all part of growing up.  I guess I will have to see what he does when he finds his next frog.  There is rain in the forecast for the next two days.....

Last Swim Meet

Tonight was the last swim meet of the season.  Collin was actually said that this was the last one and I was surprised.  He made the best of it by enjoying playing with his friends on the team while waiting to race.  We were not sure if we were even going to have a Meet today because of all the rain.  It cleared up about an hour before we needed to be there and did not rain at all during the Meet. 

Collin's results were:

Mixed Medley, Heat #3 - 6th.  He said he thought he swam fast and was 2nd.  He did make up time for the other team mates and touched the wall 2nd but he was not the last swimmer in the medley in his lane.

Free style, Heat #3 - 2nd.  Based on the video I took below, it was REALLY close.  I thought Collin got first and so did he.  I was not upset about this by the time we walked back to his chair to wait for the next race.

Back stroke, Heat #1 - 5th.  He was last off the wall again.  We talked about this before to not look at the other swimmers and push off when he hears the horn.  He has a habit now that is hard for him to break.  He also swam more crocked than he usually does which make him hit the rope. 

His main priority tonight was to eat and play games.  Just like a boy!

Here he his during the free style race.  He is the swimmer in the lane at the bottom of the video.

Here he his during the back stroke race. He is the swimmer in the lane at the bottom of the video.

First Sleepover Birthday party

Collin had his first sleepover birthday party at a friend's house.  While he has spent the night with friends MANY times, he has never spent the night with several kids at the same time AND for a birthday party. When I was packing him up for the party, I said we needed to pack a sleeping bag.  He wanted to know what a sleeping bag was.  I pulled out my sleeping bag from when I was in Girl Scouts.  It's in great condition for being an antique so I thought it would be fine for Collin to use at the party.  Daddy had to make fun of it because of the mustard color fabric inside and the orange and blue on the outside.  Collin was so excited about using it that he had to test it out in the living room using using Monkey and Puppy along with his Star Wars pillow.  He looked so tiny in it.  Looking at him brought back so many memories of camping when I was younger.  Oh....sorry....on with the story.

We dropped him off at Jacob's house around 6pm.  They were planning to walk to the neighborhood pool to swim and have pizza.  After swimming, they came back to the house, changed into their PJs and then got into their sleeping bags to watch a movie.  After the Lego movie, Collin was the only one awake, so Miss Susan put on another movie for him.  He lasted until 10:30pm which is around the time he has been going to sleep while I was on medical leave this last month.  He was probably also the last one asleep because Daddy told him that he could not be one of the first ones asleep because the other kids could mess with him.  He asked what they might do and Daddy gave some examples.  After that, I knew he would try his hardest to not fall asleep first.

Collin is on the top left next to the chair in the sleeping bag with the orange stripe

The next day, the kids had either pancakes or waffles for breakfast. Collin said he had waffles.  Then, they played video games until their parents picked him up.  Collin was the last to be picked up because we had a bike ride this morning for Team Wonder Woman.

Collin is on the couch second from the top.  The birthday boy is standing playing the game.

Collin said he had a great time at the party and wanted to do this for his birthday.  He has been saying the same thing after the last several birthday parties we have been to because he knows his birthday is coming up. 

Knowing that he is still in a Pull Up at night, I asked if anyone noticed.  He said no one did.  "Because we all had the same boy parts, we changed in the same room.  I put my Pull Up in my PJ pants and then pulled them on.  No one saw."  What a smart kid and great idea!
After picking him up, we ran an errand, came home to rest before going to the neighborhood pool, coming back to swim a little in our pool and then play some kid golf outside.  On our way to Grandma H's house at 6:45pm, Collin fell asleep...and stayed asleep the rest of the night. 

He starts Museum Camp tomorrow with a friend, Ford, for the week.

Alone?

After a great evening of swim practice followed by 1 1/2 hours of swimming at the pool with several different friends, Collin and I were walking to the car when he asked, "Are my friends always going to ask me if I am alone?"  I asked him what he meant by that and he said, "they ask me if I have a brother or sister.  When I say "no", they ask me if I like being alone.  I tell them I am not alone because I have Burke."  I was initially sad hearing the first part of the conversation because he will have this question asked throughout his childhood as long as he is an only child.  However, I do love that he did not let the question get him and considers Burke not just a dog, but a brother.

Swim Meet #3

We are getting the hang of these swim meets now.  Packing is quick and I actually look forward to the "down" time relaxing, watching Collin play with his friends and talk to Daddy between the heats.

This time, Collin got 3rd for the Mixed Medley.  He got 4th for Freestyle only because one of the kid's did a false start so Collin did not jump in.  The guard never called it so the race was on and Collin jumped in last.  He caught up but came in 4th instead of likely 2nd or 3rd.  He did really good on the Back Stroke but was not awarded the ribbon he earned.  He should have gotten 3rd but was given 5th place because the lane judge was not paying attention.  Daddy tried to make this right but no one else saw it, even both sets of side judges.  Even one of Collin's buddies came over to ask where his 3rd place ribbon was.  Fortunately Collin did not care.  We were winning the Meet so we did not need the 3rd place points that Collin really did earn for the team so we did not push it further.

Lining up to get ready for the first race

Googles on!

Collin getting ready for individual Freestyle

Lining up for individual races

Collin after he finished Freestyle



Receiving his 5th place (but should have been 3rd)

Best Buddies - Brody and Collin

Back stroke time!