MomLife Louisville || Bear Paddle Swim School

I know we just got through Christmas, and spring break may not be the next thing on your mind, but the only thing that is going to get me through this cold weather is counting down the days until we are on the beach again.

As the boys get older and more active, I am beginning to purge some of the toys they no longer use. So for Christmas, I asked my mom to buy less "stuff" and give more "experiences". Nolan had a few trial classes at Bear Paddle Swim School here in town and after the first class I was so impressed that I suggested my mom consider gifting the boys lessons to prepare them for all our time by the pool and in the ocean in a few months. Can't beat the practicality!

Aiden, Hudson and Nolan were THRILLED when they opened their swim package at Nana's. My mom recruited my niece to make super cute certificates which she included inside along with a skill-patch towel, a Bear Paddle teddy bear and a hooded beach towel. They are so excited for their sessions to begin in January.


What makes Bear Paddle so great? 

I had never heard of Bear Paddle until just a few months ago when they reached out to me about their new location in Louisville off Hurstbourne Ln. When we went for our first visit I was impressed with the facility. It was clean, bright, welcoming and warm. We were greeted by their friendly staff and given a tour. Afterwards we headed to the family changing area to get Nolan ready for his class. There were numerous private stalls for changing, a large grouping of lockers to keep belongings and a few swim suit dryers for after class so you don't have to toss dripping trunks into your bag to bring home. And because I'm a moderate germophobe, I'll mention again that it was very clean, which is always a huge plus in my book.

Before getting in the saltwater pool, kids are supposed to walk through a "Kiddie Car Wash" - a water shower area - but Nolan refused, so I wasn't sure he would even step foot in the pool for the lesson. Luckily, he warmed up to his instructor pretty quickly and got right in.

The gentle and fun approach that Bear Paddle uses to teach basic swim skills was perfect for Nolan. They sing songs, splash, and have the kids pretend to push the instructor in the water which always got a lot of laughs. The small lanes have a platform at the other end so the kids can stand up and catch their breath when they turn around. Genius! They worked on putting their faces in the water, getting their heads wet, floating on their back, kicking and paddling, and even getting out of the pool on the side by themselves, something I never really even thought of needing to teach!


At the end of the first class Nolan was sad and couldn't wait to come back. And once the other boys heard Nolan got to go swimming, they wanted to get in on the fun. Ethan, my oldest, swims independently, but if he ever wanted to participate, Bear Paddle also offers classes beyond the fundamentals, helping them learn and master swim strokes, flip turns and other competitive skills.

Bear Paddle also offers swim camps and pool parties. Nolan turns 4 February 1st and he has already decided he wants to celebrate with friends at Bear Paddle.




I highly recommend you check them out! For more information, visit Bear Paddle's website or give them a call and ask for your free trial class today. Only 3 months left before spring break, so get those little ones ready by helping them become confident swimmers, and helping give you peace of mind!

**I was given complimentary Bear Paddle swim lessons in exchange for social media sharing. As always, my reviews are 100% honest. 

2017: Facing Many Changes

I clearly remember the anxiety that overcame me the minute the ball dropped last New Year's Eve. Once we said goodbye to 2016, it meant we were entering "the year that Aiden would have his midface surgery". It became real. We had to start saying "this year" rather than "in the future" when discussions on the subject would come up. The anticipation for this part of his journey had lingered for so long that the build up almost broke me.

In February we got a date confirmed for the mid-face advancement procedure and an official countdown began. My emotions were strapped in tight on the scariest roller coaster you could ever imagine. Most of the time I would be okay to function normally, participate socially, smile freely. But underneath the surface my nerves were shot. 

My health suffered. I felt like a failure as a mom because there were so many moments I had to lock myself in my room to cry. The stress took a toll on my body and I bounced around from doctor to doctor begging someone to figure out why I felt like a 36 year old woman trapped in an 85 year old's body. 

And yet time didn't stop, May 19th still steadily approached.

As someone with a type-A personality, always wanting to plan things and control the outcomes, the unknowns that surrounded the major procedure my 9 year old son was going to undergo left me feeling completely out of sorts. I found a wonderful therapist who was worth every penny, but even that was no match for the craziness that swirled about my head on a daily basis. I used to be someone who kept a clean house, stayed on top of the laundry, meal-planned and cooked healthy dinners several nights a week. Someone who loved to write. Someone who felt pretty confident in her abilities to be a decent mom and manage the chaos that is mothering 4 boys under 10. 

In April, we went on spring break with a group of friends. For the second year in a row we had 14+ kids and 12 adults sharing a large beach house. It was totally crazy and definitely fun, but every second felt like I was watching it happen through the lens of "what-ifs". Every photo I took of the boys playing carefree in the sand was snapped with a lump in my throat and the gruesome thought "what if this is the last time we are on the beach together as a family of 6". 

My friend Cara happens to be an amazing photographer so when I asked if she would take our family photos that year in Destin, she happily obliged. I remember applying makeup to my sunburned face and having to put my mascara on last because of the tears I cried thinking that these would be the last professional pictures we would have as a family before Aiden's surgery. The last photos we would have of Aiden the way he was then. My mind raced, "What if these were the last family pictures with Aiden we had...ever?" 

 
Photo Credit: Caroline Couture Photography


May began and we tied up loose ends. Everyone rallied around our son with Super Aiden t-shirts, care packages and lots and lots of visits with friends and family. And then, on a sunny morning in mid-May, we said our good-byes, kissed the other boys and piled in the car careening towards the biggest unknown of all. "What if Aiden doesn't come home?"
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Handing him over was still just as difficult as it always is. Ricky and I sat silently in the family waiting room but our hearts spoke through the worry on our faces. "Please let him come back to us."

In just 4 short hours the surgery was complete and although we still had several weeks of enduring the RED device, my biggest fear subsided. I started to breathe again. He was okay. We were going to be okay. The first few weeks were the hardest. He was sad, not himself. Who could blame him. When he began doing cannonballs into the pool we knew we would make it through this too. The days were slow but the weeks flew by and before we knew it we were heading back to Dallas for the removal of the device. The final weight to be lifted off our shoulders.
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Adjusting to Aiden's new look was slow at first. We had so many mixed emotions as we stared at a boy who looked one way 8 weeks earlier and totally different now. He bounced back quickly and had a new sense of confidence which made it easier for us to accept the change.

It wasn't long after things settled down that I finally took time to care for myself. I was eventually diagnosed with Hashimotos thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that affects the function of your thyroid. I had been on medication for hypothyrodism for years but the underlying issue was (and may have always been) Hashimotos. With a clearer diagnosis, a new endocrinologist, some new medication and significant diet changes, I started on the right path to feeling better. 

Although the surgery was behind us, I think I underestimated the time it would take for my mind and heart to heal. For many more weeks, months even, I felt like I was treading water, never able to make it to the edge for a break. I wasn't drowning anymore, but I was definitely still having trouble keeping my head above the splashes that even just a back to "normal" life surrounds you with.
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My 2017 "Best Nine" photos from Instagram (the pictures with the most "likes").
Clearly indicates what our biggest event from this year was!
Visit @MoreSkeesPlease on Instagram to follow our family.
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Looking back, this entire year has mostly been a blur. There were so many good moments - wonderful friends that lifted our family up in ways that I'll never quite be able to adequately express gratitude for. Family who literally put their lives on hold to help us sort ours out. And the overwhelming relief of a successful surgery and smooth transition from Aiden before the RED to the new Aiden after the RED. 

My strength and resolve was tested for sure, but with the love from those closest to us and even the support from complete strangers who prayed for a little boy they have never met, I'm happy to say I have found a renewed faith in God. My mind feels clear and my heart at ease. I am ready to take on 2018. Oh so grateful for the both the valleys and the peaks. Oh so grateful for this crazy beautiful life.

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