The Simple Things

It is a wise man who recognizes and has patience with his wife's OCD. It is a remarkable man who helps his wife deal with it in simple ways. Yes, my friends, life really does go much better when the table cloth is locked down. Bless you Don for helping me fix that!

Misc March

Rebekah wanted to use my computer to "type type type." After we sounded out some words (and I helped her with the space bar) this is what she wrote. Very impressed.

I know I shouldn't encourage this, but look how much fun she still has in the baby swing! But what's even better is watching me try to get her out.

Reading time with her friends on Dr. Suess birthday.

Reading (or should I say singing) a book with grammy - "here comes Peter Cotten tail, hoping down the bunny trail..."

Grammy Joins In

I took my computer over to mom's to show her some of Rebekah's swimming videos. Since I had my computer, Rebekah requested some pictures:

With Friends

My mother not only renewed our children's museum membership but she added a plus two, which means we get to bring friends! We asked Miss Sarah, Hannah and Grayson to join us.

Playing in the sand - Miss Hannah gets right down to business!

There was a visit to the carousel. Which animal to choose....

Giraffes it is!

They did some excavating,

Some making of music,

And there was a ancient Chinese warrior to reassemble.

The museum started out crazy busy but by the end most people had gone home and it was a great visit!

Spring break also meant we would be getting together with Clara, Audrey and Miss Jessica. We were able to play with them a few times. The first time they went into Clara's room and tried on all of her clothes. I'm seeing the teenage years coming fast. But the park seemed to be the best time for them.

Swinging in the baby swing was the most popular activity.

But they also walked the baby - well, Clara carried the baby while Rebe pushed the stroller.

They taught dance lessons.

Swinging on their belly was also popular.

Here's one taken with Miss Jessica's smart phone. Yeah, I need a better camera on my phone...

Miss Jessica taught them how to play Follow the Leader. It was a great hit.

And of course we could not forget the best attraction of the park. Most people know it as the volleyball court, but us with young ones lovingly refer to it as the sandbox.

Rebekah is so blessed to have such good friend!

Knightstown

It's March. Basketball season. The movie Hoosiers was set in Indiana and the basketball scenes were filmed in a little place called Knightstown. We had to go.

We got to Knightstown and spent a little while touring the place as we didn't quite know where we were going. Don pulled into a gas station and asked where the gym was. When he came back he announced we were getting a police escort to the building. Nice.

Here's the building. Rebekah was very excited and wanted us to come fast. I just wanted a picture....

She obliged.

Twice.

Did you notice the "Tours Only" paper on the sign? Yeah, not good. But we went in anyway.

Here's the score board from the movie with the movie playing underneath. Pretty impressive I just happened to get Gene Hackman in my shot. 

They also have some Larry Bird stuff. Apparently he is from Indiana: the Hick from French Lick they call him.

So, here's what we came all the way to see:

But here is what we saw:

Very sad. They were having a banquet or something and so the entire gym floor was covered. Don was heart broken: he had so wanted to take a shot.

But the banner was there.

And this little guy too, who Rebekah liked a lot.

The bleachers looked very much the same as the movie.

Then we went down to the locker room. The tour guide is sitting where Gene Hackman sat when he gave them the big "decide if you want to play" speech.

THE blackboard.

(As seen in the movie)

A jacket from the show.

Then we went back up to the gym and took a little time on the bleachers. Although Don was looking out at a covered floor, table, and chairs....

I really think he was seeing this:

Or maybe by the look in his eye, he may have been envisioning....

This:

Sigh....

It was time to go. Our tour guide took our picture by the Go Hickory sign.

Then showed us more movie memorabilia.

It was about here that Rebekah had warmed up to the tour guide. They became pretty close pretty fast. So close that there was even a conversation about her hair. "Mama put it in braids today," she said. He of course complimented how cute they were. "Do you know why mama put it in braids?" she asked. He said he didn't, to which she replied (very loudly I might add), "Because mama hasn't washed my hair in a very long time...."

He thought that was the greatest thing ever. It took him a while to stop laughing but once he did Don thought he was buttered up enough to ask his favor: I have a dream, he said....

The man let him take his shot (tables and all) but only one shot was the deal. One shot was all Don needed.

Dream fulfilled.

Flippers & Friends

Each week during after her swim lesson they invite the parents to come in for the last 5 minutes and see what their child has been learning. Recently it hit me I should be recording these sessions so Don could see them. I truly wish I would have done it from the start so Rebekah could see how far she has come. It it amazing!

The other day the life guard (who just happened to be Rebekah's teacher) suggested she try a pair of flippers. It was so fun to watch I had to get it on camera for Don (and all you Rebekah fans). 

I am usually in the water playing with Rebekah but this day her friend just happened to be there too. I let them play and recorded some of it for your viewing pleasure.

I also managed to get some pictures:

So wish I knew how to take action shots. So sad these two are blurry.

Got to love my little mermaid!

Wearing Her Out

I try to keep Rebekah as physically busy as possible in the hopes that she will sleep through the night better. Swimming is great and she does seem to move a lot, especially now that she is actually swimming most of the hour and not simply playing. Recently her teacher let her try a pair of flippers. She soared through the water and loved it! We decided to race. Obviously I am not a swimmer and don't really know what I am doing but I get by. Rebekah gave me a head start. I turn around to swim on my back and watch her come and oh my! It was crazy seeing her gain on me. She looked like a little shark! She is so graceful how she swims with her face in, arms by her sides, and legs pointed in those flippers. It is simply beautiful!

After the swim she still seemed to have some energy so we went to the park on her bike. She is starting to really go fast thanks to her friend Grayson. We got half way there and realized we had forgotten her sand toys and turned around. We finally made it there (me basically jogging most of the way to keep up) and I complemented Rebekah on how fast she is going and how she is doing so much by herself. She turns to me and says, "It's all about the competition!" I choose to believe she means Grayson and not me.

Then we played for a good long time. 

On the way home we stopped by the "bumpidy bumps" aka the bike circle. She went around and around as fast as she could. At one point I tried to get a picture of her and she said, "no time to stop mom, going too fast! Got to keep moving!" One time around she yells at me, "It's all about speed mama!"

After several times of going around I talked her into going home. We made it almost there (a few houses away) when she slowed down and said, "Whew. I'm a little tired."

I talk her into making it home and she gets right in the door and does this:

If memory is correct she did sleep really well that night.