This week is a new session of swimming lessons for Zoe. I paid $80 for 2 sessions, so I would hate to miss a day. Well, today I did the craziest thing. It had been raining all morning, but the rain let up a bit right before the time we had to be in class. I really, really contemplated not going today, but I know how much Zoe loves the class. When I put on her bathing suit, she got really excited and started beating on the front door. When we stepped outside, it wasn't raining, so I was confident that we could make it to the swimming pool and not get caught in the rain if it started again.
I was told that they will not cancel classes unless there is lightening and thunder. Well, there was neither, so I assumed classes were still going on. When Zoe and I started our trek to the pool, a light shower started. I thought about turning around and going home, but I just kept thinking about how disappointed Zoe would be, since she already new we were heading to the pool. Anyway, I kept on going and by the time we were close to the pool, the rain started pouring. Zoe was so good, she didn't complain a bit.
When we got to the pool, there was no one at the pool. I was so mad because they are supposed to call if they are cancelling classes. I just kept thinking, "damn, I dragged this girl all this way in what seemed like a typhoon, and they are not even having classes?" I asked the lifeguards, who were all huddled under a tent trying to stay dry, if classes were cancelled. They said that they decided to do a safety day instead, since it was raining so much. A FREAKING SAFETY DAY???!!! Why didn't they call us and tell us about the change in lesson, so that we can decide if we wanna come or not. Zoe is far too young to even understand anything about water safety.
So, we were there, but it was pouring and the wind was blowing ridiculously hard. Zoe still wanted to get in the pool, so at the slightest let up of the rain, we made a quick break for the kiddie pool that had a tent over it. Zoe was thrilled to be in the pool, even for only five minutes. When we got out of the pool and prepared to go home, the rain started again. Again, we waited for it to break a little so that we could hurry home. It was fine for a little while, but then it poured again while we were walking. I couldn't walk fast enough in my flip flops, so I took them off and walked the whole way home bare footed. Zoe, again, was cool as a cucumber in the rain, which made me not feel as bad as I would have if she was throwing a fit about getting wet by the rain.
My friend, Melissa, and I gathered the kids and took a trip to Nago to visit the Okinawa Aquarium. Melissa has been in Okinawa for over a year and has not been. We've been here for almonst 4 months and have been once already. Since both of our husbands are deployed right now, we thought it would be a good time to explore on our own. I, having never driven that far on the sland before, decided to drive us there, since Melissa doesn't like to drive. Finding our way to the aquarium was very easy because the road signs were written both in Japanese and English. The kids all crashed in the back and Melissa and I just had great conversation in the front. 
There is still so much more to see at the aquarium and they are adding to it as well. We also have plans to go to the Okinawa Butterfly Garden and the Pineapple/Fruit Land.
Zoe went through two days of unexplainable tantrum episodes. They say that tantrums don't usually begin until around 24 months, but I guess she thought she'd go ahead and test the waters. On one morning, she decided to start as early as 0630. I just let her do what she had to do to get it out of her system. I have also started using time out, which seems to be working really well. She hasn't had another one of those episodes for 2.5 weeks now.
Zoe started taking swimming lessons 2 weeks ago. She loves the water very much, but she doesn't like to be on her back in the water. She loves when we sing songs and play games in the water, so we started singing "I'm a little pancake on my back, I'm a little pancake short and flat, I'm a little pancake on my back, Flip me over just like that." It worked wonders because she is so much more relaxed on her back now, yay!!!