Ruth's Swim Lessons

About a month ago Ruth finished up swim lessons. She went all summer and did such a good job. The first 4 weeks of swim lessons she was scared of the water. She was in the basic level 1 that consisted mostly of 3 and 4 year olds. She wouldn't put her face in the water no matter how much her teachers tried. She wouldn't swim on her own... only with a life vest or clung to a teacher. This is video from the last week of swim lessons in which she is in a class mostly of 4 and 5 year olds who can touch (she is the only one that can't touch but that doesn't stop her!) She left the younger ones behind and jumped right up to level 2! Watch how she holds her breath and swims to miss lisa. Here they are practicing their kicking and are told "rocket ship arms" to glide through the water.

I also want to mention that the swim instructors were great! They came from all over the world to come teach these children swim lessons as well as work as a summer camp counselor. They made absolutely NO money for this and were stuck working endless hours 5 or 6 days a week. They taught Ruth so much and changed her into a new girl in the water... I am so grateful for that. Miss Lisa (in the video) as well as Miss Che Che are greatly missed by Ruth. Not only did she see them every day Tuesday through Friday all summer for swim lessons but they often came over for dinner or went out to dinner with us and we enjoyed their company all summer. Che Che and Lisa.... I sure hope you come back to visit next summer! You are missed greatly by us!!! Have a good semester!

Ruth's first day at pre-school

Ruth started preschool this week. She goes tuesdays and thursdays and seems to love it. I am not so sure about all the kids in her class (or their parents) but she has fun anyhow and the teachers reassure me that she is the best one in the class everytime I see them. Of course that makes me feel good yet I just can't figure out why she isn't such a sweetheart at home.... I guess that is the way kids work???

Before school we went into the front yard for pictures and of course she needed to pose in front of her rinky lemon tree she is so darn proud of!

She was so excited to walk into the school she had such a little strut so proud to pull her backpack behind her!

She found her cubby for her backpack in the hallway and is all ready to start the first day!

As soon as the teachers said "ok you can play" she found toys and was so happy I could barely get her to turn around for a quick picture before I left.

Russell James is here!

Russell James is here!!!! He weighed in at an entire 10 lbs 3 ounces and 21 inches long!!!! I had an all natural labor as I had planned. My doula was great and I had a large support group behind her with Robert, my mom, and my mother in law.

I sat in my recliner after all morning of running errands when I heard a pop-pop. I didn't think anything of it and a second later the door bell rang. Well I got up to answer the door with Robert and sure enough that sound was my water breaking. When I stood up I felt my water but wasn't quite sure. I answered the door and there was my doula, coincidentally. So I asked her "what are you doing right now?" She figured I was going to invite them in for dinner and said "Well we are busy right now as we are about to take a bike ride as a family up through motta." Change of plans for all of us as we got around and got to the hospital. When my water broke it was 3:15 and after struggling through contractions to get a shower and my bags packed I got to the hospital at 4:30. I was just 4 cms dilated so I got monitored for a bit as well as the baby. Around 5:30 I was checked again and had gotten to 5 cms. Since the baby was fine and not in distress they allowed me off of the monitors and up for a walk. This created my contractions to be very close together and very strong. After just a few minutes of walking I was 8 cm's and then just 10 minutes later I hit 10 cm's. A few pushes and Russell was born at 7:26...just 3 hours after getting to the hospital. Because of his "hefty little body and broad shoulders" he got stuck for a bit at the shoulders and my wonderful doctor

worked at turning twisting and pulling while I finished the last push and luckily he came out with no complications.

We are so happy to have the little guy here in the world!