Baby swimmer no more

Yesterday, a bittersweet event happened... Nora moved up to the big-kid swim class.  This was sort of a surprise as she graduated a little early from the baby/parent class... which means that for the first time in a LONG time, Damon was not needed in the pool.  When Tess made the transition a few years ago, it was rocky to say the least.  Damon wasn't able to be anywhere in sight for her first few swim lessons on her own as she screamed for him, so much that we had to move her back to the old class for a while as it was such a disaster.

Needless to say, we were pretty skeptical how Nora's first time on her own would go.  It seems crazy that she is even ready for this!  Wasn't it just yesterday that she started swim lessons?  Anyway, we got there and she seemed to be okay.  We kept asking her if she was ready to swim like a big girl all by herself and she would answer "yea!"  When it was time to go sit on the edge of the pool, she held Tess' hand and did ok.  And then it was time to get in the pool...

Um, guess who wasn't upset at all?  Not even one bit.  She never looked back.

But guess who was a bit choked up?  I didn't get a picture of him, darn it.  He had sad puppy eyes and everything.  His young grasshopper was off on her own and loving it. 

And to further illustrate how big she is getting:

Happy Easter!

Here are some pictures from Easter.

Ready for the egg hunt

Tess with Papa

With Grandma, Papa and Uncle Mark

With Meena and Papa

Martha Meena Stewart's Easter pavlova

Martha Meena herself

Tess and her Godfathers

This is as close as we got to the Easter Bunny - at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market on Saturday morning

Coloring eggs!

Nora, the swimming machine

Nora is tearing it up at swim class, so much so that they're moving her up to the next class - the parentless class - a few months early.  Dad won't know what to do with himself as it will essentially be the first time in about four and a half years that he won't be getting in the pool to sing The Pancake Song.

With Miss. Mel

Face in!

Scroll through these next pictures fast and it will be like a movie!