So I got another wild hair up my ass (that's some hillbilly jargon for ya) this afternoon and took the family back to the lake, except this time we packed a cooler and grilled supper while there. It was awesome. I don't just go there to beat the heat; there's so much wildlife all around, and I *love* the wonders of nature.
I took the girls in the lake while Da Man grilled supper. I was a bit hesitant at first because both girls with floatation devices kind of worried me, but then I realized that I could handle it and off we went. I was so amazed at Grace. Granted, she wears those (this is for you, K, owner of the aerogarden) little arm floaty thingys, but she was incredible in the water today! She was only in the water twice last year after our week of swim classes. I really figured she would chicken out on us yesterday when she got into the lake, but Da Man has such a way with her. This afternoon she said, "Hey, mama, wanna see me go under the water?" Before I could answer her she was swimming with her face in the water. Cool. Totally cool. My baby's not a baby anymore. *sniffle*
She really digs the lake. And do you know why she really digs the lake? Because "I can pee in there," she says. Yeah, that's a lovely thought. *snort* But at least she's honest.
And I had one of those sentimental moments this afternoon. I am a Scorpio and love water by nature. I could simply float in it for hours because it always relaxes me so. And now that Grace is really starting to dig it, it's that much cooler. But Mak. Oh, Mak. She is the anti-Grace. Where Grace is reserved and cautious, Mak is wide friggin' open. This afternoon she learned how to tip her little inflatable floater thingy so she could stick her face in the water. And then she learned how to tip it backwards so she could stick her hair in the water. And then she just flat out wanted out of the thing to play with the big kids.
The sentimental moment came when I was watching Grace dunk herself. She would disappear into the water and Mak would look at me with this, "um, where did she go" expression on her face. And then, when Grace would pop back out of the water, Mak would belly laugh, causing Grace to belly laugh, causing me to belly laugh because they're my girls. The three of us together at times seem to be in our own reality. We have inside jokes, which is a bit difficult to grasp because one of us, at fourteen months, has a very limited vocabulary. But we just get each other, all three of us. It's true that the entire dynamic changes when Da Man--or anyone else for that matter--is around. But anyway....
You could watch Mak watch Grace and see the wheels turning in her head. She wanted to do what her big sissy was doing. And it wasn't long before the inflatable floating thingy was bobbing and weaving. Mak is going to be a child who knows no fear because Grace is a child who knows fear and only does things that she feels are safe. I love to watch the two of them together. And when they join in laughter, that's the best of times for me because there is nothing sweeter than the sound of a young child's laughter. It's real. It's pure. And it's right on. I love the sound of their voices joining together. I swear, at times, its the sound of angel songs.
We spent four hours at the lake today. Grace wasn't ready to get out of the water until it was going on dusk and Da Man and I had to threaten her with not being allowed to go back. But it was a good family day. There wasn't anyone else to appease or worry about, just the four of us. And it was beautiful. I wish for many many more of these days. And an aerogarden. I wish for an aerogarden. *scowling at K*