School swimming lesson fortnight

Tavanna’s interpretation of a conversation…

“What stage do you WANT to be in?”

The more likely conversation

“What stage ARE you in?”

Whatever the real wording was, her answer was 4 :)

Hmmmm WRONG… Nothing like doubling your ability with 1 word… try stage 2, and not a confident 2… she JUST passed stage 1 three weeks before.

Partly this was my fault, we had weeks… no it was probably months to hand in the enrolment forms, but I handed ours in the last day of school before the lessons commenced. I’m NOT great doing things if I’m given too much time, I work better under pressure. Add to this... I didn’t make it down on the first day, had great intentions of getting there, but the day zoomed past and I missed it.

I was shocked to hear her tell me about her lesson, especially when she mentioned that she was in stage 4! I asked how on earth they came to that conclusion, so she retold her take of the conversation… They asked what stage she ‘wanted’ to be in, she said 4 so that was where she went. :) Miss T continued to explain how she got to swim in the BIG pool where her eldest sister swims, but she had to use the side heaps more than anyone else.

The 2nd day I made the effort to go down… Obviously they realized quickly that stage 4 was just a random number DD picked, not a reality, she was placed in stage 2 the following day.
The remainder of the fortnight was OK, we struggled some nights with homework, as DD was tired, but overall the fortnight flew past.

Today was the final day, I told Tavanna that it didn’t matter if she passed or not, and in all honesty, she couldn’t care less about passing, she just loves going to the pool! After her lesson she came over and told us that she was still in stage 2, we told her that was great and that we were proud, and she went back to school happy.

3 hours later we were back at the pool to do in term swimming, Tavanna went to her class, and it appeared that her teacher was making her do more than the others, she then got the head of swimming to come over to watch her, then they got another swimming teacher to get into the pool to do a few things with just Tavanna. After the lesson they came over and told me that she should be in stage 3! I mentioned that she had a fortnight of school swimming, and didn’t pass, but they were very sure that she had. LOL
Apparently they are looking for a stage 3 to move her into, but I have told them that I can only do 2 certain days, and that I’m happy for her to stay in this stage…

We told Tavanna that she had in fact passed… thinking that she would be happy… how wrong I was! Her reaction was fear! Fear that we wouldn’t keep coming down to the pool!

Children’s reactions can never be guessed nor guaranteed! LOL :)

Top heavy

Photo - Using arms to help balance.

Coordination can sometimes be hard; most children eventually pick up the basics… learning to walk, run, learning a new skill, etc. Generally I thought most people had basic co-ordination. This was until #6 child proved that some people just don’t gain this ability at all! (Well not yet)
This child is literally a walking disaster … Tripping disaster might be a better term to use, as walking disaster would imply that he can walk successfully.
I feel like the hovering dramatic over protective parent when out with T, I’m forever telling him to slow down, don’t run, don’t climb, Any people that don’t know him they would think, 'Let the kid be!' BUT… I have to time the ‘Let him be’ moments to occasions that I don’t mind a casualty trip or a night up with him screaming from his latest scrape. It doesn’t help that he freaks out if he can see a cut, graze or mark, but has a phobia of ‘man-aides’, (bandaids), so won’t let us cover up his war wounds.
This child, IMO is top heavy; he has a heavy head that gravity likes to plummet to the ground at full speed at any opportunity it can get! He can trip over thin air, so with the thin air tripping talent, you can guess what he is like walking on paths with cracks, grass, or something really full on like gravel or leaves. He walks into any solid item, and likes to prove he is adventurous by climbing objects at any opportunity.
So never assume co-ordination is a natural occurrence, it is a talent that we take for granted, but appreciate its importance when it’s lacking.

On a plus... when the danger is over... he gives us many laughs with is clutsy style of getting anywhere :)

Love of travelling

Been MIA for a LONG time… I swear to god that I am proof that you can speed up time! I know the last few months have passed in a matter of days.
I’ve thought about getting back into blogging, but put it off as I haven’t known where to start. I’m going to just pick random thoughts over the next week and update in an unordered way J
Zamirah is not going to be a seasoned traveler! I know she hates the car, I’m sure most people at school know me as the mum that sounds like I’m ripping Zamirah’s limbs off as I put her into the car seat… That’s what it sounds like, She fights me with a strength that only black belts should possess… not babies, she is so bad that she snapped the seatbelt buckle a couple of months ago, and if I’m not swift and strong, it can be a frustrating long battle to get her securely fastened.

It was NO surprise that she also hates flying. We went to the Gold Coast (from Perth) and it was LOUD! I gained muscles I never dreamed I had, and for once, time slowed right down… it was the longest 6 hours I can remember, but I take solace in the fact that I wasn’t alone, I’m sure at least 30 other people whom I don’t know had the same opinion.. We did get to have a good look around areas of the plane that most people don’t hang out in, and the Virgin staff will probably stay Virgins forever now, as a couple said they don’t want kids any time soon after hanging out with us for the duration of the flight LOL