Vacation highlights: Firsts

We have come here since we first brought Skip home, and I remember well, the first time he swam with Mike to the beach and back. S-L-O-W-L-Y making the 150-200 foot trip each way. This year we anchored much closer than we ever have, and as soon as we gave the kids the okay,they were in the water, swimming to shore. Alone. Such a HUGE FIRST FOR SKIP, and such a HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT for Harry, who refuses to be left in brother's dust!

This was the beginning of something "huge" for them. Each day they'd bug us to let them swim to shore and back alone. Each day we pretended to ponder the question, then "resignedly" gave them the nod.

Funny how as parents we teach our children to be independent, then grieve inwardly each time they let go just a little.

His smile says it all!

Hard to see 'em but that's Skip, swimming to shore solo. Yikes, I'm not I can deal with this freedom!