28Jan2009: Day 247: Crocka-dider

Where to began - so many new things happened today. In the swimming class, there are many toys (balls, swimming boards, swimming noodles, plastic toys such as seal, ducks, crocodile, walrus, etc). Makenna decided that she wanted to play with the crocodile but she kept saying "crocka-dider," like a mix of crocodile and spider. I couldn't help but chuckle at this. I also got extremely lucky in that she agreed to wear the arm bands after much protesting and a little re-direction from me so she forgot they were on. It was a good thing as the instructor decided to do a swimming badge today and they really helped her to do well.

First off, she had to know who Sharon was (the instructor). I didn't even remember that was her name so I find it funny that Makenna "passed" this part. Then she had to be able to enter the water safely, which was to go down the stairs. She had to be able to kick her feet while sitting on the pool side - no problem there. She then had to do the monkey crawl, which again is hold on to the side of the pool and move hands side to side to move along the pool. Since we've been working on that, she did pretty well and I didn't even have to hold her while she did it. She also had to swim across the short length of the pool, swim being a relative term. She basically had to kick her way across with or without help from me which she actually was able to do because of the arm bands. She looked as though she was just walking towards me as she didn't really use her arms. I just walked backwards in front of her and told her to come towards me. She did this a couple of times.

It wasn't really on her certificate that this was required at this stage but I think the instructor was trying to cover the wide range of the different levels that the kids were at. The other things required for her level was to be able to bob up and down while holding on to the rail. I don't really remember the instructor covering that and the last thing is leaving the pool safely - by the stairs I assume. Even though she got this badge, I think that the testing was a bit lax. The instructor does know what the kids are capable of at this point so she may have taken that into consideration.

Also, before class began, different kids were jumping in the pool. All of them older than Makenna and with more swim experience. Makenna decided that she wanted to also jump in. Again, the arm bands helped as I didn't have to worry about catching her so much and they stopped her from going under, too much. She really enjoyed this and I was glad to see that she was willing to try it.

After swim class, I take a quick shower and put Makenna on a bench where I can see her while I shower. She doesn't like the shower as I've tried taking her in, so she doesn't mind sitting on the bench. What's funny is she is really good at remembering the things we tell her as she will start to tell us the whole "scenario." So for this, she'll say, "mommy shower" and I reply, "yes, mommy is going to take a shower." She then says, "bench." "Yes, you'll sit on the bench while mommy showers." This back and forth happens about four or five times. She does the same thing when it comes to lunch. She says, "ooze" (noodles). "Yes, you can have some noodles for lunch." "Hot, no touch, blow, put away." Now she's just run through the typical routine of me saying the noodles are hot and not to touch them and to blow on them. Then when we're done eating, I put away what's left over and put away the dishes.

Well, on to the afternoon. I had to go pick up another car. The car we got when we returned from the states after the holidays was smaller than what we had been driving, plus it's an unleaded car. So Chris wanted the same model that we had prior to leaving. I had to go to the car rental place in Chatham to switch cars. I called the car rental place before Makenna's afternoon playgroup and asked them for their post code. When I later put it in to the Sat-nav, as they call a GPS, it didn't come up. So I called them again and they agreed it doesn't come up in all sat-nav's. So then I asked them for a street name and was able to put that in. The Sat-nav then took me to the place where all Royal Mail trucks park - basically, it was the post office. I was then a bit frustrated. I drove around eventually found it on my own. It was not in the easiest of places to find or get to. We did get a bigger car but not the same kind we had. When I told Chris later - he was not too happy. I'm already nervous about hitting things with this car and rather liked the small car - it had heated seats.

What was funny was both times that I called the rental place, Makenna assumed I was first talking to daddy. When I told her it wasn't daddy she then said, "Bob." I really laughed at that. Bob is a guy from Chris's church back in the states who Chris has talked to quite often lately on the phone. I find it funny that she assumes if it's not daddy, it's the next person who we're on the phone to the most.

Makenna was not in a good mood for dinner tonight - just whining and crying and she couldn't tell me what the matter was. I assumed it was that she was missing daddy or that she was tired. I kept trying to ask her if she had a "boo-boo tummy." But she would just reply no to everything I asked. So when Chris called, she had a very long chat with him and then when she finally let me have the phone back, she ate some dinner. I added a very short video at the bottom of her chatting away to him. The batteries to the camera died so that's why it's short. But you get an idea of how she monopolizes the phone now, like she did yesterday, and again today. What's also cute is she's reclining in her chair. I have a comment in the movie that I was saying for Chris to hear so he could understand what she was saying.

One last thing was during tonight's reading of a Dora book and she was copying some of the Spanish words. Such as Gracias was pronounced "grasses," Delicioso was "disioso." Can't wait to see what tomorrow's excitement may be - hopefully that we have clearer, unstuffed heads from these stupid colds.