Water Bug & Some Tough Questions

Any guesses as to which boy was the first to plunge into that giant muddy puddle in my previous post??  If you guessed ADAM, you're correct!  It had rained all day and finally it stopped so while I got ready to go to Zumba, Mike took the boys for a "walk".  A few minutes after they left I got a call to hurry and come outside to the alley to see the boys.  I grabbed my camera because I  knew it had to be something picture worthy for Mike to call me.  I guess as they were walking, Adam spotted the puddle and figured puddles were for walking through and playing.  Before Mike could stop him he was already knee deep and Owen followed right behind loving every minute of it.  Oh those boys!

That was Adam's second swim for the day.  His last swimming class was Tuesday morning.  I'll miss our time together at swimming lessons.  Adam loved the water and no matter how tired he was, the minute he got in that pool he was happy.  He had no fear (not sure if that's a good thing).  He would kick, splash, and blow bubbles like a champ.  At the end of every class the teacher lets us take our babies to the ramp to play with water toys.  The water is up to their chest.  She likes us to let them explore floating toys, sinking toys, and encourages us to let them stand without holding on to them so they can feel what it's like to be standing in water.  She said as long as we are right there to pull them up,  it does not matter if they go under.  Well, I finally felt comfortable enough to let Adam go under the water.  He would jump up and go straight into the water.  He would kick his legs and paddle a little with his hands and I'd pull him out of the water and he never once swallowed any or choked.  He was all smiles.  I was blown away.  He did this over and over again until I finally made him get out because his eyes were so red.  I think he kept his eyes open under the water too.  I told the teacher that my first child would have NEVER done this and she said her first would not either, but second children are different.  I am a firm believer in birth order playing a huge role in personality development, but I also think it has to do with the parents.  I don't think I would have EVER let Owen go under water at 14 months old.  I would have been scared he would drown and I would have been afraid he would lose trust in me to keep him safe in the water.  I think I've loosened up a little more with Adam.  I love how different both of my boys are from each other.  I am excited for swimming lessons again with Adam in the fall.

Owen has been asking some really tough questions lately.  The other day he pointed to the number 91 on his number chart and asked me if I would still be able to hold him when he was that old.  Break my heart.

On Tuesday at daycare one of the ladies was joking around with the kids telling them she was going to call her mom if they did not start to listen to her.  The kids all laughed and said, "You don't have a mom!"  She told them she did and showed them her picture on her phone.  Owen then asked her where her dad was and she told him that he was in heaven.  Owen started crying saying, "I don't want to go to heaven."

Then, today he grilled Finny for 5 minutes in the car about where her mom was.  Finny's mom died from cancer before Owen was born.  She told him that her mom was in heaven and he had a million other questions for her.

Poor guy.  His little mind is growing and he has so many questions and wants to figure all this stuff out.  It's a lot for a 4 year old to handle.  I just hope we are answering his questions appropriately.  This is another time where I wish there was a parenting handbook with how to respond.  We are trying to use an honest, faithful, yet lighthearted (if there is such a thing) approach.

I better get going.  I have to pack.  We decided to go to the beach over Easter break, afterall.  I can't wait to get my feet in the sand!