To my two

M.Y. Chi:

The summer time, with its lazy days and clear calendar, is always my favorite time of year.  It is during this time that I realize just how much I miss when I'm at work and you are busy at school and day care.  You both are absolutely incredible young people.  Wow.  I have people  - individuals with their own thoughts, dreams, ideas, memories, personalities, talents, and interests.

Yesterday we decided to go to the pool later than usual.  The sun was slowly making its way away for the evening and the water was still warm from the day's intense rays.  As is your custom, Chi, you were first in the into your swimsuit and you stood in my doorway with my swimsuit and Ya's saying, "It's 4:07, are you going to be much longer?"  Give you a time for something you want to do, my darling, and you are never ready late.

And Chi, without the benefit of swimming lessons, you have figured out how to swim across the pool.  Now, you are working on floating - a skill that most of the Joneses cannot profess to having.

At the waterslide, you easily recover and return to the side of the pool without fear.  And you've mastered what Mommy never has - the essential ability of breathing between strokes! 

Even though I put Ya in his safety suit, you are never far from him just in case.

You never complain that I have my camera on the deck and am taking pictures instead of being in the pool.  And when I asked you to run toward me so I could get a great shot of Ya, you didn't hesitate to oblige the request.  (Of course, the picture has him elated because he is playing with you, Chi.)

Baby girl, I'm still trying to get a great shot of you jumping into the pool from the edge... it just hasn't happened yet.  But, you can be assured that you do jump - all the way in the 4' area, where you have to swim to get out of the pool.

At home you are the ever-present play mate. 

If Ya cries, you come running.  When he awoke today from a nap crying and calling out, "Laura?" You came to comfort him quickly saying, "What's wrong, did you have a bad dream? Curse those bad dreams. Now tell me what happened. You're all right, now, right? Nothing's going to happen to you. Give La-la a hug."

Though he always destroys the composition of your room, sometimes breaking treasures in the process, you welcome Ya into your sanctuary.  And he is studying your every move.  He's your little mimic (even though it gets you in trouble sometimes when he copies your covert activities at inopportune times). You always prepare snacks to share and make sure he is comfortable in your space.  You even dabble in microwave and toaster cooking, sharing your concoctions with Ya.

As for you, little man...

You are a constant surprise.  You inherited Chi's observe and copy qualities (and, we have discovered, her intuitive ability to sense Mommy's reception of said copycat-ing). 

Just this morning you picked up that blasted marble I've tried so hard to hide from you.  [You always find that thing and set it in your mouth. Then you smile wide and show it to me in between your teeth - completely thrilled to have bested Mommy.] You had the marble clutched in your hand this time, and made it a point to call attention to your prize by calling out, "Bye-ee Ma-Ma. Mom-eeee, bye- eee."  When I asked what you had, you smiled and giggled, held the marble between your fingers to show me, and then pivoted quickly to flee from my room.  Really?

At the pool, you love to drink the chlorinated water.  You refuse to listen to our warnings to keep your mouth closed - even if it leaves you coughing and sputtering.  In your float-suit, you are fearless.  You were fearless in the arm floaties, too, until you bit one of them and it permanently deflated.  When the life guards blow the whistle for break, you sit on the steps as if being in the water there is your personal "so there" to the rules. (Chi encourages this, sitting nearby and slipping to progressively lower steps until fully immersed or I catch her and remind her it's break time).

Once free of the float-suit, you stay on the deck and are busier than ever... Mommy regrets taking the thing off immediately, of course, because Chi was not ready to leave.  And you entertain her by tossing various toys into the pool, saying "uh-oh, get it!" and then pointing at the sinking entity all the while knowing Chi would recue it from the depths.

Yes, the summer is a lazy time, but there is nothing lazy about how each of you is changing before my eyes.  Time is not waiting for me to notice the people you are becoming.  And trust, my beautiful, incredible, amazing joys, Mommy treasures every moment she shares with you.