We made it through

Tonight were the sibs’ last swimming lessons (okay, I know that’s not grammatically correct, but not sure how to make it right)!

Cannot believe we made it through the every-single-day drill of waking at least one up from naps at 4:30, hauling them and all their stuff down to the pool (okay, it’s a 5-minute wagon ride away) (and we only drove once!), getting them in the water, holding GZ as he screamed after slipping and falling numerous times, or screamed because he was afraid of the water, or screamed because his bathing suit was – well, stretchy.  Apparently, he doesn’t like fabrics that cling.  Or crusts on grilled cheese sandwiches.

Sigh.

But the point is – we made it!  Don’t need to swim again until… FALL swimming lessons.  Yes, we carry on with this misery year-round, so nobody gets too complacent or out of practice.  Though I did insist that GZ take a break over the winter season.  I mean,  he was not even a year old, he practically didn’t even know he was in the water. 

The winter session truly is a miserable time to do swimming lessons.  Summer is amazing in some ways – walk home in your bathing suit, if you like!  Whereas, in the winter, what you want to walk home in, if you walk, is a nice furry parka.

Tornadoes in the GTA today.  None here, but lots of wind blowing and trees down.  We made it inside literally 30 seconds before the rain literally FELL down. 

I ran back out to get the wading pool off the grass and I was soaked the second we were out the door.

Ted’s off tonight playing a surprise-party concert at the shul.  What a geeky thing – to have a shul band, to play with the same guys you daven with. 

I am amazed and happy that he’s doing it.  I really think it’s good for him to play, and hope to hear him many times when this year of no-live-music is over.

(okay, maybe I go a bit overboard on how therapeutic I think  it is for him to play – the other band guys are usually so apologetic about taking him away from home to practice, and try to tell me it won’t take long… and I’m always crazed in the other direction, practically begging them to take longer and telling them how good it is for him)

Partly because he’s not doing much artistic stuff these days; neither of us is, really.  And life is kind of heckish sometimes with little kids and big kids and all the screaming in between the moments of laughter.

Then again, I am also overcompensating for being a lousy wife in a past life.  Sure, Jeremy and I got divorced partly because I was such an immature clingy beeeeep at the time.  Sure, now I feel guilty that he’s dead because his life went nowhere because he was sad and frustrated cuz I didn’t let him listen to the music he liked (mostly Alannis) and smoke what he wanted to smoke.  (ahem)

I have learned a lesson or two.  I am by no means an ideal wife, or even a particularly good wife.  But if he wants to play in a band, or go to a movie, or listen to a particular kind of stupid music, well, then, good.  Okay.  Though sometimes I wish the kids didn’t sing his dumb songs, especially that one about the unicorn. 

Sometimes, I’m grateful that they have two parents, and leave it at that.