Watch Out Water World, Here I Come!

What do you do when your mom finds a wetsuit just your size for $2 in the Anacortes Soroptimists' thrift shop? Join a Water Babies class, that's what!
I've been attending the weekly class at our pool most weeks since I was six months old. That's when they let you in -- something about that being the age when you're not likely to poop in the pool! Well, I've never done it; I don't know about all the other kids.

The adults (usually my mom, but this time Grannie Annie) hold us in their arms and circle up to hear the instructor Nancy call out the water moves. We sing little songs about motorboats (blowing bubbles) and pancakes (flipping over from front to back). It's kind of like library storytime, but without the books and with swimsuits.
And, yeah, I'm learning to swim -- sort of. I haven't dog paddled on my own yet, but I can kick and float on my back and I "reach and pull" with my hands toward floaty toys that maddeningly float out of my reach. And at the end of the class, I take a spin in an inflatable boat. When I'm older, there's a water slide I can try.
But for now, I'm just chillin' poolside in my wetsuit, checkin' out the babes -- I mean, other babies!

Making Music With Dad

Just wanted to report I continue to practice a medley of musical instruments so that one day I can be in a bluegrass band.

Here I am playing five-string banjo (with Dad's help) in a performance for my Grandma Gloria and Grandpa Jim, about a month ago. (Hey, can I help if if my mother just got around to downloading the video?!?)

My First Parade on Rhody Weekend

Well, first off I'll have you notice that I can twist my tongue sideways. This is a move I've been practicing for the last couple of weeks. Secondly, note my red and grey baseball outfit, which inspired Mom to dress me up as a ballplayer last Friday for my VERY FIRST PARADE.
Here's my "costume": Dad's leather glove and Mariner's cap. Mom tried to strap a pair of size 12 cleats to the stroller so it would like like my feet were sticking in them, but that didn't work. I just wore my socks. It was a warm day anyway.
So what kind of funky parade is this? you are doubtless wondering. I was wondering, too. I was told it was called the Kiddies Parade, and it's one of the amusing and popular events scheduled during our county's annual Rhody Festival, now in its 74th year. View the schedule here and notice events such as the Trike Race (I'll enter when I'm older) and the Bed Races (which we watched later that day -- they didn't make me a bit sleepy).

At the organizing area behind the start of the route, there were hundreds of children swarming around in colorful and sometimes crazy costumes. Some of their parents were there, but also there were hordes of kids in groups with only a few adults attempting to keep control, like this gang from a local preschool (above).
Soon enough it was time for all of us to stroll down Lawrence St. and past the crowds. The parade was about six blocks long, and I couldn't believe how many people were watching on the sidelines. I guess I'd gotten a feel for Rhody Fest attendance at the Pet Parade the day before, which Mom took me to watch. (I liked the sole lamb entrant the best, although all the dogs were nifty.) But still, it felt different being IN the procession.
Here's Mom and me (both "ballplayers") at the end of the route. She let me in on a little secret. It's a tradition in our family to be involved in Rhody Fest parades because she and Dad were in the Grand Parade (that happens on Saturday) right after they were married SEVEN YEARS AGO on Rhody weekend! They rode in a friend's convertible decorated with rhododendrons and lilacs that sported a banner saying "Just Married" and was dragging strings of tin cans.

Sounds fun. Wish I had been there. Why did they wait seven years to have me...??