Talking and Growing

Last week (or a week and half or so ago) the little boys started saying "Mama." I was so excited and thrilled! Joel said it first, and Seth a few days later. Joel is louder than Seth, so his is a loud "Mama." Seth was a very quiet "Mama" but so sweet. Probably 3 or 4 days after that, "Dada" finally had a name. One night they started saying "Dada" while I was putting them to bed. When I called Will in to listen, they would stop.

Nathaniel tried out for a made a neighborhood swim team. He had to swim 25 yrds (from one end of the pool to the other) without stopping or holding onto the side or lane rope. I was a little (or a lot) nervous for him. We had tried it before, and he could backstroke from one end of the pool to the other. His freestyle was not as good. One the day of try-outs, the coach asked the kids who were lined up on one end of the pool who wanted to go first. Nathaniel raised his hand and said "Me, me!" So he went in one lane while 2 other swimmers went in other lanes. He backstroked across the pool just fine and made the team. I was relieved. On the way home, he asked what it meant that he made the team. He said "I didn't put the team together, or anything." I chuckled. Being 6 is so fun.

The first week of practice (this week) has been rough. It's everyday after school for 45 minutes. He has struggled with the endurance and the strokes, but he hasn't complained. He even has blisters on his toes from pushing off on the bottom of the pool. Today is his last day for the week, and he's done really well.

A few recent pictures. Last week he had an early release day, so it was nice to have all 3 brothers home together. We even tried a little coloring at the table. It was fun until Joel tried to eat the colors then wanted to stand on the table.

Nathaniel snuggling with Joel

And snuggling with Seth

Another funny Seth and Joel story: Seth sometimes sleeps longer than Joel (usually never the other way around). If I go in to pick up Joel from a nap and Seth is still sleeping, I guess I say "Shhhh" very quietly. One day I came in to get Joel and he was pointing at Seth saying "SHHHH" in a loud whisper. This just goes to show they watch everything I do. It's happened a few more times, and each time I go in to pick Joel up he is pointing at sleeping Seth saying "Shhh." Hilarious.