Music to my ears

Jonathan continues to amaze me. After church on Sunday, Kerri-Ellen came up to me to share a cute Jonathan story. She said that he was giving his teacher a hard time in Sharing Time, and then the pianist started to play "I love to see the Temple". She said Jonathan sat up and said "I love this song. I went to the Temple with my mommy and daddy". She said he then sat reverently and sang the entire song :) So cute. We listen to the primary songs a lot in the car and I have really noticed lately how much he is enjoying singing. While we are on the subject of Jonathan singing, here is another cute story. Benjamin was upset when I was putting him to bed the other night. Jonathan suggested I sing him a song. I sang him "I am a child of God" and then Jonathan asked me to sing it to him. After I finished I said good night and left their room. Benjamin was getting upset again and I heard Jonathan say "don't be upset Benjamin", and now for the best part, then I heard him singing "I am a child of God" to Benjamin. Doesn't that just make your heart melt!!! I have heard him sing to him a couple of times since then. It is nice to know that he loves his brother despite all the trouble he gives him.

Swim test

The new Newcastle pool opened up this week. I took the kids swimming on the first day. One of the lifegaurds came up to me and said that next time I brought the kids, I would have to bring another adult (the child to adult ratio is 3:1), unless one of the kids can pass the swim test. I was pretty sure that Hannah could pass the test, so she went and tried. In order to pass the swim test, kids have to be able to swim from one side of the pool to the other without stoping. They also have to swim with their face in the water for a few strokes. As she was swimming the lifegaurd kept trying to give her instructions, so Hannah stopped. The lifeguard said she didn't pass the test b/c she stopped a couple of times, but didn't realize that she had only stopped b/c the lifeguard was talking to her. We went for public swimming on Wednesday and I had Hannah try the swim test again. This time she passed with no problem. It is so cute to watch her. She is an amazing little swimmer. At the end of last summer, she could swim by herself a little bit, but at the beginning of this summer she wanted to use a lifejacket or water wings again. I think she just lacked the confidence to go for it. We swam alot over the summer (once a week at the Bailey's, plus sometimes at the outdoor pool or at Gramma Burnfields pool in Wilmot Creek) and she got her confidence back. When we went to Palymra, she swam with Joel in the deep end, and fell in love with doing cannon balls into the pool. Now she can swim all over the pool by herself. She can even float on her back! Jonathan has been doing great with his swimming lately. He uses the water wings and can swim all over the place with them. It is so cute to watch his legs go :) Lately he has been swimming under the water a lot and sometimes he doesn't even plug his nose.