Swimming

One HUGE benefit to living in Texas is that when it’s time for swimming lessons, no one complains about having to get in the water. If anything, the child not scheduled for swimming lessons cries about having to sit on the deck chairs, because on the deck chairs, temperatures reach 112 degrees.

On our first outing to the pool last summer (Will was three-and-a-half, Hallie was one), both Will and Hallie cried for an hour straight – no joke – and refused to even stick a toe into the baby pool. I called my mom on the walk home, nearly in tears, because I was so frustrated; I’d taken both kids swimming multiple times throughout the past year, and Will multiple times before Hallie was born, and I felt like all my hard work had been in vain.

I was determined though, perhaps more determined than I’d been with anything kid-related since I’d taught my kids how to sleep, so despite the protests, pleas, and tears, I packed those two up and marched them to the pool at least three times each week for the entire summer.

They were both making progress, but the real strides began when we started meeting Will’s friend Alex, who’d had similar struggles in the water as Will, at the pool. Suddenly everything in the water – playing with toys, searching for diving rings, venturing into deeper water, jumping off the side of the pool, and yes, actually swimming – became a competition between the two boys, and soon they were no longer afraid. By the end of the summer, Will was “swimming”. Or at least kind of dog paddling while gasping for air.

Though I’d taken the kids swimming a few times between the end of last summer and the beginning of this summer, I was worried about how they’d do when they hit the pool this year. I needn’t have worried though – Will picked up exactly where he left off, and Hallie, though it took her a couple of dips in the pool to remember that water can be fun, is doing really well. And because I think it needs to be said, Will is actually swimming this year. He jumps in off the side into water that’s over his head and swims about 15 yards. I am SO, SO proud.

Will swimming (this was about three weeks ago, right as he was getting the hang of swimming - now he can swim about three times this far before he gets tired)


Hallie jumping in - and going under!


And a few pictures from Will's swimming lessons:

He looks so little!


Practicing with his teacher.


Getting ready to slide...


...And sliding in style!


Future swimsuit model. :)


And yes, Will wears his sunglasses all the time, for every lesson.