Busy Kids, FRG, and a Friend Deploys

I simply cannot believe we are already halfway through August.  Where has the Summer gone???  I mean, I'm glad it's NFL Preseason has started and all, but this Summer has flown by much too fast.  It was been a very exciting summer, though.  In July, E-Ray turned 5 and was a very handsome ring bearer in my brother-in-law's wedding.  This month he learned how to swim thanks to the local recreation center's swimming lessons.  At the beginning of summer he wouldn't even jump in the pool by himself and it would take me 10 minutes to convince him he could let go of me and touch the bottom with his feet in 3 foot deep water.  Now, he will jump in all on his own and can swim and tread water.  I cried the first time he swam.  I was so overwhelmed with pride.

Here is the video of the very first time my big boy swam:

Here is the video of him swimming on the last day of swimming lessons:

He also started playing tackle football this month.  I mentioned this in a previous post.  He really seems to enjoy it, even though it's very disciplined and more physical activity than he's ever done before.  I'm so glad that he's taken such an interest in sports.  He already plans to play basketball in the winter, and next Spring will be his 3rd season of baseball.

Here's a video of the first couple of tackle practices he had:

On top of the sports, he has been working on his schoolwork all summer, as well.  His handwriting has really improved and he's almost ready to start reading.  I couldn't be more proud of him.

As for Lulu, she decided last Friday that she wanted to start using the toilet.  She used the big potty and then I got out the little training potty for her.  She has gone on the potty every day since then.  This morning I heard her exclaim "I did it!" while I was in the computer room. I went to the living room and she had pottied in her toilet all on her own. She even pooed in the toilet yesterday!  She's not even two yet, so I wasn't expecting to potty train her this early, but I guess she's ready!  She's been such a chatter box lately, too.  Her vocabulary has really taken off, and she's such a little copy cat.  You definitely need to watch what you say around her.  Her favorite phrase to say to her "bubba" is "That's not nice!"  It makes me laugh every time.  :)

Thing's with the Hubs' ship are OK.  Since passing INSURV they had a change of command.  The new CO and CMC both seem really great and I've heard nothing but good things about both of them.  The ship is scheduled to deploy early next year, so I'm in the process of trying to revive the FRG.  A short recap; the ship came home from deployment in June of 2010 and immediately went into INSURV preparations, which meant insane working hours.  They then failed INSURV in December, so the ridiculous working hours continued until they finally passed INSURV in June of 2011.  So, during the past year none of the spouses have really wanted anything to do with the command or FRG.  Now that we have a lot of new sailors on board, along with a new Commanding Officer and a deployment just around the corner, I'm hoping people will regain interest.  We held a meeting last week and had a fairly decent turnout.  Most of the FRG board members are transferring before or during the next deployment, so my number one goal is to find replacements as soon as possible so that the FRG can get back on it's feet and have a strong following by the time the ship deploys.  Wish me luck!  :)

Lastly, one of my very best friends just saw her husband off to Afghanistan yesterday.  He is an HMCS stationed with the Marines down at Camp Lejeune.  Sending your spouse off on a deployment is never easy, but this time was especially hard because it is the first time their kids have had to say goodbye to their Daddy, and vice versa.  Please keep Senior Chief Thomason and his family in your thoughts and pray for his safe return.