I said I would be back...

I promised to come back on Friday to update, but I got sick. I was hit with the stomach flu this weekend. Yuck. My mom was suppose to keep Jake and Izzy overnight on Saturday while we went to a school event.  Our plans changed, obviously, but mom rescued me. She picked Jake up Saturday afternoon and kept him overnight so I could recover.  Dan had to recover, too. He had a mild version of it...some body aches and no appetite. We were both fortunate. It was only a 24 hour thing. I've heard that other family members were hit much harder than we were.

Last week Jake tried his first Tae Kwan Do lesson. This was an evaluation to see if he was ready. He seemed fine when we walked in, but the intensity and volume of the class in session sent him over the edge. He got scared and ended up crying with his head buried in my coat. Once we settled him down, the instructor and I took him to a private room for the evaluation. I could tell that he wasn't ready. He listened and watched and participated, but he got really wound up and silly.  The instructor was fabulous. We will definitely go back, but she felt he needs another 6 months of maturity. I had to laugh when she pointed out the sticker on the floor that was suppose to be his mark. Instead of standing on it, he tried to peel it off! That's Jake!  This summer will give it another try. I really do think he is just the kind of kid to benefit from something like this.

The next day we went to his first swimming lesson. I knew this wasn't going to be pleasant. When I mentioned swim lessons the week before, he cried. He told me he wanted just to play in his baby pool in the yard with the hose. That will be really cute when he's 12, am I right?  The boy must learn to swim, and I told him so. He was all smiles before the lesson started.

I got these shots on the iPhone. I knew I could not handle the camera and a hysterical boy. 

I was pleasantly surprised when he entered the water willingly with the instructor.  The first 10 minutes were ok. For some reason, he lost it after that. He was ready for the lesson to be over. He cried and screamed but kept on swimming.  I walked to the pool's edge and threatened to leave for a cup of coffee if he didn't stop. That did it. He did not want me to leave the pool area, so he got himself under control. The last 10 minutes were fine. He's already telling me that he doesn't want to go back because he's too little for swimming lessons. Sorry, buddy.  You're going.

We are preparing for what will possibly be a historic storm for St. Louis...ice and snow. I don't mind the snow, but I hate the ice. My fingers are crossed that it won't be as bad as predicted.