Swim Time.

We may have named the wrong one Small Fry, as Fawn has proven himself to be a great little swimmer this summer.  He loves the water and would happily go swimming each morning and afternoon if I would let him.  We usually limit it to one swimming activity per day if the weather cooperates.  We joined a gym that has a fabulous, zero-entry pool for the summer.  Not only does the zero-entry (plus the other water features) make it much easier to keep both boys content, we have many friends who also swim there.  While we usually plan to meet Fawn's best buddy up there, even if we don't coordinate we know others swimming -- such fun!  My grandparents also live about a mile away with a wonderful pool in their backyard.  It's a great place to meet my mom or take friends and enjoy a morning and a lunch picnic.  Plus, there's something about it just being us that is so relaxing and carefree.

Fawn's in the middle of a month of private swim lessons, which he loves.  Again, if I would pay for a private swim lesson every day of the week he would go with bells on.  He has made great progress in only three sessions.  He was already doing great at the beginning of the summer, but is doing even better and learning to backstroke.  (It may or may not also have something to do with impressing the pretty lifeguard who is his teacher.)  He is so proud!

The ever present goggles -- not a fan of water in his eyes (or nose!).

Loves to jump in repeatedly.

As in constantly.

As in over and over and over again.

This guy cannot swim.  But thinks he can.  And tries to.  Without flotation devices.  Unsuccessfully.

When we can wrestle the swimmies or puddle jumper on him, he does great and gets excited about his freedom.

He usually ditches the pool for some playtime.

Hats are a current obsession.

And he wears our dive rings as hats -- more like a crown, though.

Ridiculously cute.

And crazy.

Fawn is not amused by the shenanigans and focuses on new water tricks.

Like jumping off of rafts and swimming back under them.

After much begging he indulged me in a picture sans goggles.

One of his nicknames is H2.  I have suggested H2O.

Now that's just silly.

These Two.

...are the cutest boys I've ever seen.

...Small Fry adores his big brother.

...and Fawn thinks Small Fry's pretty funny too.

...and just when they've pushed you "up to here" they do something like this.

...the games and mischief increase daily.

...and sometimes they even have a buddy in time out.

Seventeen Month Update.

Another busy month -- two beach trips, lots of swimming and summer fun, and Vacation Bible School.  Small Fry ate his first popsicle, went on his first boat ride, and grew two new teeth -- molars that I didn't even realize were coming in.

He's becoming more and more mobile by the day, now insisting on walking up and down the stairs (which we have a ton of in our house) with limited assistance.  One of his favorite things to do is push my hand away and say "no" when I offer to help him climb.  He thinks he can do it himself!  He's physically crazy and exhausting, but at the same time the most loving child.  He loves to give hugs and kisses.  When he gives kisses, he makes a funny smacking sound.  He also loves to snuggle, especially when he's sleepy.  And, he still wants to be held a good bit of the time.

He's talking more and more and is quite the mimic.  He's completely lost all of the fat rolls on his legs, which kind of makes me sad.  He's getting longer and thinner by the day (though he still sports a pretty awesome belly).  Sleep has been more of an issue, but I'm hopeful we can chalk it up to teething and travel and we will quickly get back on track.  Right now he's back to getting up around 4:30 each morning.  I think he might be going through a growth spurt too because the boy is hungry all the time and is eating much better.

His hair is a point of contention between Buck and me -- it is so long and I will pay money to anyone brave enough to cut it.  Buck thinks it's hilarious long and has no intention of cutting it anytime soon.  It fits in pigtails, and I may just have to give that hair do a whirl because between food, dirt and sweat by day's end, his hair is a mess!  When we ask him to "shake his mane" he shakes his hair; it's a pretty cute trick.

Small Fry is a loyal Daddy's boy.  He thinks Buck hung the moon and chooses him over anyone -- even me -- unless he really needs his mama.  He also is obsessed with Fawn.  They are really "playing" together these days, though playing quickly turns to rough housing and being wild, crazy boys.  I'm honestly not quite ready for this step, but they are enjoying each other's company which is great.

I can't believe next month is the big half birthday!  We love you precious boy.

June 2013 iPhone Pics.

Sleepy sweetheart.

Getting ready for Wild West Vacation Bible School.

Full heart.

Cowboy Fawn at VBS.

My world.

Heavy load.

Sunday afternoon snooze.

Mosquito 1, Small Fry 0.

My dad came over on a Thursday night to help me set up a scanner/printer on my laptop (technologically savvy, I am not).  After serving as my own personal "Geek Squad", he helped me feed the boys dinner and then headed home.  Buck was still at work and it was a really pretty evening, so after we said goodbye to Pops I told the boys they could play in the front yard for a bit.  A few minutes into play time, I noticed a mosquito on Small Fry's face.  I swatted it away and took the boys inside for baths and bed, not thinking a thing about the mosquito.  I mean it's summer.  In Alabama.  Bugs happen.

But, the next morning, when Small Fry looked like this, I thought about that stinking mosquito.

I talked to the doctor's office and administered Benadryl before waiting the requisite hour for it to take affect.  We went to Magic Muffins for breakfast as a treat before a babysitter arrived for the morning.  It was the first time this summer I'd lined a sitter up to get some work done.  Of course we would have a minor medical emergency the one morning I had a sitter and a big work project!  Just the way part-time working seems to go!  It's teaching me to roll with the punches.

Small Fry's eye was getting worse, not better so we were instructed to see the doctor.  I left Fawn with the sitter and my mother-in-law pitched in to pick him up when the sitter had to leave because I was still at the doctor.  By the time we got to the doctor's office (where we waited more than an hour before being seen, as I panicked about Small Fry's eye) my little buddy looked like this:

By this point, Small Fry's eye was hot and he was clammy.  The left side of his face was also starting to swell.  The doctor said, "I don't want to upset you but you need to be scared."  Uh oh.  Not what you want to hear.  She was worried about the swelling/pressure on the eye and showed me how to check his eyeball.  You can imagine how much he loved that.  She was also concerned about the apparent infection and put Small Fry on ten days of antibiotics.

Two hours later, when we finally got home from the doctor and pharmacy, Small Fry looked like this.  Getting worse by the minute.  I was one nervous mama, but knew he needed sleep and rest so his body could fight the infection.  While I really needed to work on my project, I was so worked up I couldn't think straight.  So instead of reviewing regulations, I watched HGTV while Small Fry snoozed.  

After his nap I headed to my mother-in-law's to pick up Fawn.  It was obvious that Small Fry just felt puny.  I got teary on the way home just feeling bad for my baby and wanting to make it better.  Sweet soul Fawn asked me what was wrong.  I told him I just wanted Small Fry's eye to get better and for him to feel better.  Fawn suggested that we should pray, and I heard his voice call up to the heavens:  Dear God, Thank you for all of our blessings.  You are our great healer.  Will you please heal Small Fry and make his eye better so Mommy doesn't have to cry?  Okay?  Thanks.  So, then I was crying for two reasons -- Small Fry's health, and Fawn's sweetness.

We let Small Fry stay up late until he crashed because the doctor told us that if he was upright it would get better faster.  This is right before bed and he was looking better.  What a relief!  We had been told by the doctor that if it got any worse after the first dose of antibiotics we needed to head to Children's Hospital for IV antibiotics.  That was not on our ideal "to do" list -- while we of course would have taken him if he needed it, we didn't want him to have to go through that and were so thankful that things started improving.

The next morning the swelling was much better.  The red and purple infection was still there, but Buck and I could both breathe a sigh of relief that we had avoided a hospital stay.  So, we headed back to Magic Muffins.  When Small Fry will eat nothing else, he can always be counted on to eat an apple mini muffin.  We needed to fill him up to absorb the yucky medicine!

It's still summer.  And, it's still Alabama.  But, I am now a bit freaked out by the bugs.  I'm hoping this scenario doesn't repeat itself.  A happy ending, but a scary few hours!