Seashells, Treasure and Pirate Daddies

Oh... so much to discuss, I don't even know where to start.

This month Hailey started new swimming lessons. We moved her up into the 'Seashells' class because our last instructor told us that Hailey was swimming just as well as some of the kids in the higher class. So being the parents of a child who is obviously aquatically gifted...we advanced her. Sure...she does swim just as well...

listen...mmm... that's another story.

The big difference in the Seashells class is that her daddy is not with her, she is in the pool with the instructor and 3-4 other kids by herself. In all honesty, she is actually doing really well and it is extremely good for her to have to learn how to take instructions. It was a little nerve-wracking for me that first day...having to watch her basically alone in water over her head - literally and figuratively. However, I found that I enjoy being able to sit there with Nathan next to me (a new experience) so we can watch her together. It can be pretty amusing. I have moments where I am really very proud of her - and those are generously sprinkled between those 'that's not my kid' moments. This might seem to be an odd comparison, but it reminds me of when we used to take Harley to puppy class.

Earlier this month, I did have my first pure and 'untainted' moment of pride in my daughter's behaviour and it came at the single most unexpected of places.... the dentist! On the 12th of November, we took Hailey in for her first dental check-up. I wasn't sure what to expect - we took her to Nathan's dentist, so that was my first time even at that location. I knew that he was going to get his teeth cleaned first so that she could watch (I was there to run interference). She was interested in what the lady was doing to her daddy, but also spent a lot of that time putzing around the room, playing with a mirror. When it was her time to get in the chair, there was no real fussing - even though she wasn't too sure about the chair reclining. They gave her a pair of blue sunglasses to wear (which I had never seen done before) and she willingly..... willingly.... opened her mouth for the hygienist. She let them do everything - the metal pick, the buffing with the pasty gunk, rinsing with the suction tube (got her tongue stuck once), even flossing! I was not only proud, I was amazed! She took it better than most adults I know. It helped that the hygienist told her she could pick a toy from the treasure chest. That suggestion ended with Hailey asking if the hygienist could loan her some money (treasure chests equate to money and from there the conversation took on a life of its own).

Lately, Hailey likes to give people pretend roles. We watch a lot of Scooby Doo and she has declared that she is now Shaggy. You can often hear her saying "Zoinks!" and she is obsessed with ghosts. Her daddy is often referred to as 'Freddy', I landed the role of Daphne and of course... Harley is Scooby Doo. How I avoided the Velma label, what with her fascination with my glasses, will be my own personal mystery for years. Even one of her favorite treats are 'Scooby Snacks' (they're delicious). I'm just waiting for her to ask Nathan to paint the car green.

She also like to take on other personas. She's often a ghost, kitty or baby. Last night in the car she announced that "Daddy is a boy, Mommy is a girl and Hailey is a princess." ~Of course she is~ After we finished laughing...she changed her mind and said that "Hailey is a princess, Daddy is a pirate and Mommy is a tube." ........ A tube??

'Jinkies!' there is another mystery that will never be solved.