Artie and Pico

The kids have been spending the late afternoons in the pool. Last summer, Stuart and I swam with them quite a bit but I guess their closeness overwhelmed us so we don’t swim so much this summer. When I watch my swimmers from the deck, they occupy every corner of the pool but as soon as I tiptoe my way into the shallow end they clump up around me like curdled milk.

For a few minutes I tolerate this kicking, splashing mob but after a while I shake them off and seek solace in the deep end. They follow me. “Back off you guys! Why do you insist on sticking to me?!”

“We have to stick to you, Mom. You’re a dead elephant and we’re the flies.” Faith giggles and gets as close as she dares.

I turn around and pretend to ignore their jabbing knees and elbows. John scooches up right behind me just shy of touching. I turn around quick to give him what for. As soon as we’re face to face, John shoots backward across the pool. Ah, blessed space. But not for long. A second later, I can feel him breathing on my neck.

“John! What are you doing?!”

“I’m pretending we’re magnets, Mom. When my face is to your back you’re the south pole and I’m the north but when you turn around we’re both north and you know north can’t get near north.”

“Fine. Keep pretending we’re the same pole then.” He does until somebody calls for a biggest splash contest and I spend the rest of swim time as the judge for our backyard Olympics.

Last week, my friend Stephanie passed the Arte y Pico award my way. I went to look it up and discovered the blog where this award originated is written entirely in Spanish except for a short little blurb that explains that Arte y Pico means something about creativity. I decided I must have received this award for the crazy shenanigans that my children pull. I am also convinced (because Spanish is not my strong suit) that somewhere in that blog, the author describes life with her own children, Artie and Pico, who no doubt make her daffy with their creative antics.

I’m passing this award along to Mama JJ at Mama’s Minutia. She’s my real life sister-in-law. She speaks Spanish so she'll actually be able to read Arte y Pico. Drop by her blog for some great recipes. She’s a whiz in the kitchen as well as the garden and I’m sure, like me, you’ll come away with a few ideas. She has some Picoes and Arties of her own, mainly Baby Nickel, my little butter boy. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and put your feet up because just reading about that boy will wear you out.