Happy Independence Day!

We had a great weekend at the lake for the 4th of July. Our little family of three join three other families of four at the lake for a whopping eight adults and seven children ranging in age from five months to four years. Oh yeah, and we can't forget our fantastic neighbors and their two kids, as well. It was a fun-filled and kid-filled weekend.

Cooper is swimming in the lake without a life jacket... which is, admittedly, a little scary. And he likes to push his limits. He will walk right out until the water is lapping into his mouth before he tries to turn around... and sometimes, not even then. When he is in the water, Danny and I have to be right on top of him. Last weekend he was just getting used to it and testing his boundaries. This weekend I was telling him to push off with his feet (jump), blow bubbles, don't swallow... all the little tips. He actually listened and was practicing his jump/kick as he moved into the shallow water... which was funny because the water was now at his waist and he was still jump/kicking.


He also started jumping off the dock into the water. Another scary achievement. Danny would catch him and try to let him stay under water for a second or two longer. He is getting better at holding his breath, I think.


When I told my Mom about all this, she was aghast. She is haunted by memories of me at Cooper's age walking off the end of my Nannie's dock and having to be pulled out by hair by my uncle. I am a little worried about that too because Cooper is fearless. But, he is also big on following rules right now. Several months ago, GrandMother kept Cooper and took him with her to the lake. She told him that he can not go on our dock without holding a grown-ups hand. Now, whenever he wants to walk on the dock, he will stand at the end with his hand in the air saying, "Hand! Hand! Hand!" So, I told him that he CAN NOT go in the lake without Mommy or Daddy and I make him repeat it to me over and over and over and over in the hopes it will stick. Please stick!