Swimming Lessons!

Last week was CRAZY here. I really do enjoy being a stay-at-home-mom, mostly the part about staying at home. I am a homebody, and getting out and about with two small children is completely exhausting for me, so I try to keep it simple around here. It also tends to save money, like a talked about in a previous post. So when I say last week was crazy, it means I had to be somewhere all five days of the week. Last week I had to be a true soccer mom, toting children around town to multiple activities every day. We all had VBS, where I taught a class of just-finished-Kindergarteners. Then we went directly to Caleb's swimming lessons, home for naps, and then back to town for Carly's swim lessons. We all three ate breakfast and lunch in the car every day. (Not thrilled about that at ALL.) Doing all that every day wore me slap out! The best part about it was mid-week when it rained out both swim lessons, so I felt like we got a break.

Caleb's first experience with swim lessons were really sad. He has never been a huge fan of large bodies of water, by which I mean pools larger than the bathtub since he's never seen the ocean, but he put on a brave face and we talked about the lessons for weeks beforehand. When the big day arrived he even acted brave up until the point where I started to leave... then I heard his instructor whistle to get my attention, I turned and saw Caleb sprinting toward me. He latched his whole body onto my leg and begged me not to leave. Screaming, crying, panicking. He took my shirt in his fist and twisted so hard that I thought I was going to have to take my shirt off to get him off me. It took the instructor pulling on him and me prying his fingers off me to get him away.. let me tell you, a 4-year-old boy in panic mode is VERY STRONG! But we finally got him in the water and I basically ran out of there. By the time I came to pick him up from the 50-minute lesson he was calm and participating and SMILING! Praise the Lord!! Those were the longest 50 minutes for me!! This was Tuesday. By Friday, after three lessons, he is having a great time swimming with Ms. Linda and she tells me if he would put his face in the water, he could swim. He does everything physically right, but won't put his face in the water. I vaguely remember hearing that a lot as a kid.. am I right, mom? Now, he hasn't been in a big pool without Ms. Linda so I'm anxious to see if he'll still be so brave when that time comes, but what an improvement! We have five more sessions with her and I can't wait to see how he improves.

Carly's lessons are quite different. Her age is one thing, but she is also seeing a different instructor. She is a no-nonsense, you-WILL-do-what-I-say kind of lady. (I LOVE her!) Carly is not a fan of having water in her face either (they are both SO much like me) and so she cries the entire 30 minutes. Ms. Debby gives her no choice. She stands about 6 feet away from the side of the pool, gives Carly a little push-off and Carly swims to the side. Under water. By herself. With no floaties. Or so I've heard, because I can't watch, so I stand in the garage and listen. As soon as she comes up to the side the screaming starts again. She hates every minute of it, but she is swimming. She has only had two lessons, so far, and we are going back in a few weeks for two more (with Caleb this time) so I'm hoping a little peer pressure will have them both swimming underwater.

Both of their teachers are excellent, but different. I haven't decided who I like more. I like both of them a LOT. Swim Lessons are fun!!