Family Vacation!

Some of our good friends here ended up inviting themselves [a welcome invite] to our family vacation and rented a condo in the same complex that we were in. We had a great time spending relaxing hours by the pool, cooking and eating dinner together, playing games and talking.

We spent many hours out on our balcony reading, eating and people watching. We could see gorgeous sunsets over the mountains from our balcony.

Jonas spent time in the pool for the first time, and really really enjoyed it for the most part. He lounged back in his floatie at times, splashed all over the place at other times.

The only picture we took of all of us together. We all look pretty rough!

The guys hung out and played games some.

Elijah watched to make sure they were playing fair.

Jeremy, Bruce and Zach. This is out to eat at this yummy fish restaurant in town.

Jer Bear loving on Jonas. Bruce and I played Settlers of Catan (Cities and Knights version) SIX times on vacation with Jer. Morgan won 4 of those times, and Bruce won 2 times -- only because they ganged up to keep Morgan from winning every time!

Morgan and Tina. This little town right down the road had Christmas lights up all over the place. It was beautiful and got us in the mood for winter! And I'm pretty sure they don't call them Christmas lights. :-P

Elijah had fun hanging out with sweet Sparrow and borrowing her Clifford books and Winnie the Pooh ball. :)



Elijah, Jonas and the Bird.

What's been crackin' with you guys? Any favorite ways to vacation in your family?

Fear of Water: Vacation Results

We had a great vacation! More posts to come about all the fun and relaxation we had. But first, I know you all are wondering how Elijah did in the water.

Elijah has a major fear of big bodies of water (pools, beaches, lakes, etc) where he sees water in the distance and just stands there whining and crying about it and won't go any closer. When you press him as to why he's crying he says "I'm crying a'because I'm scared'a 'da wadter". Poor guy.

We've done the whole "We are right here with you." "I won't let you go." "Just put your toes in the water." thing. We've begged. We've forced him against his will, holding him while we dip his toes in. He's screamed. He's cried. We've begged more. We may have even bribed. "Do you want to go to McDonalds? Just put your feet in the water." We've distracted with toys, gradually inching him closer and closer to the water. He's no fool, I tell ya. He catches on pretty quickly to our ploys.

So we were really praying for breakthrough with this vacation, and by golly we made some steps. Baby steps, but steps none the less.

We spent a week at these condos about an hour from our house:



And spent most of every day out by the pool. We said, forget the beach. We can go to the beach anytime at home, but we don't have a pool!

Do you want to know the key for Elijah? Cool floats!



We got him all excited about riding in the big blue whale boat, let him sit in it away from the water for a while, then moved it to the water's edge and let him play with toys leaning over the side of the float.



Then gradually, we pulled him into the water while continuing to focus on the toys we were playing with. Before he knew it, he was having fun in the middle of the pool!



He even interacted some with the other kids around him, which is good for the raging introvert around new people and new situations.



OK, so he wasn't wet in the whale boat but he was playing and mingling with a big body of water. Progress!



It seemed like each day we had to start all over with the progress we made the day before, but eventually by the end of the week he was in the water!


How?


He would play with beach toys on the first step of the kiddie pool, and then one day Mom was in a float and pulled him onto her lap and we chased a ball around the pool. Grabbing it, throwing it and chasing it. He had the comfort of Mom (he was clinging and had his legs wrapped tight around mine) and realized he was having fun. He even said "I'm having a'fun at the b-big p-pool." One time he actually stood up on his own in the kids pool (wearing water wings) and another time floated around in a round floatie on his own, again chasing a ball.


Baby steps, but steps none the less! We were excited.


We are just praying that since it is likely we won't see a pool again until next summer that we will not have to start ALL OVER from square one with water fears.





Anything you have done to break your kids (or your own) fears of water? Send your help our way...we need it!