Baby Graham: April 2018

Reading to Emerson and Darby

Emerson started official swim lessons. He's totally comfortable in the water, and it didn't take the instructor long to sort him into the more "advanced" learners group. Evelyn and I cheered every time he made it to the edge of the pool, arms working and legs working and a big smile on his goggled face. Won't take this guy long to figure it all out.

He also started soccer, which has been a healthy challenge for him on a number of fronts. First, it's all new. Listening to a coach, in a large group of new kids, in a whole new environment that requires focus amidst tons of distractions. He comes in and out of "fun mode" and you can see him working through it. He and Evelyn are both very prideful and used to being great at everything. So it's good when they have a chance to try something really difficult and fail their way forward.

My yoga teacher always says, "Show up and suck, until you can show up and shine!" and I feel like this is an important lesson for Ev and Em. I don't want them to be as self-conscious and self-limiting as I was growing up - I was afraid to look dumb, and to mess up. Tag and I tell them both, routinely - give it a try! Mess up! It's totally cool! But that is, I know, easier said than done - so we try to find those opportunities for them to practice tough things that they can work out on their own and build that confidence of, "This is tough, and I might struggle through this in a messy way, but I believe I can figure it out."

silly cross-eyed beauty

Evelyn has hit a beautiful stride of confidence and capability. When she feels good, she's so helpful and generous and thoughtful. It's inspiring and fills my heart with yum. Her piano lessons are going really well -- she was proud to share some feedback from Mrs. Esposito that she is the only student who really practices and it shows. She's doing full chords (both hands) and will belt out the words in her unique singing style, fully immersed in her practice. Fabulous.