The Summer of Chris (week 292)

Chris passed a major milestone this week when the rail on his crib was removed--making it a big boy bed.  Officially, this make Chris a big boy at 2 and 2/3.  We were all waiting to see how he would react to the change since he is a big fan of his crib and the security it brings.  At first he was a bit skeptical, but when he realized he could easily get in-and-out without having to climb over the edge (hanging on to the window sill and throwing himself onto the foot of my bed), he seemed to want to give it a try.

On the first night, he fell out of bed and smashed his nose on the floor so mommy put a bunch of pillows along the floor.  The next night he was up and out of the bed four times.  Daddy had to get him back into bed, re-arrange him, and ply him with milk to go back to sleep.  We were sort of back to the starting point when mommy went to the store and bought a bed rail to keep him from rolling out, but I guess that his how progress is made--incrementally and not always leaps and bounds.

Chris also made a major breakthrough in the swimming pool.  Both of us have yet to take our official swim lessons so we still wear our life vests whenever we go to the pool or the river or beach to swim. I think that it makes our parents feel safer, but it is also good for us because we can  jump into the water and swim around without having to be completely proficient on our own just yet.  Up until this past week, Chris was more of a wallflower--standing on the pool deck or holding the edge as he inched his way around.  Suddenly and unnanounced, he left the edge of the Bower's pool and started swimming through the middle (life vest on).  Soon, he was also leaping off the side; rolling over onto his back; swimming across the pool; and dipping his head under the water.  He was even seen doing a 360 jump off the edge!

I finished my second year of Dirtbags Baseball Camp at Cal State Long Beach this week.  It was 30 hours of baseball--five days and six hours a day--of games, drills, and my new favorite pastime of stealing bases.  Last year I was just a 4 year-old among the much bigger six and sevens.  This year at the age of 5 and 1/3, I had a much better chance to keep up.  We played a lot of pickle, and when the other kids started to chase a squirrel that ran onto the field, I didn't lose my focus and stole third base.  At the end of camp I received one of the five awards.  Out of 120 campers I got the "Most Improved Award"!