Swim Lessons 6-8

Lesson 6:
It rained.  I know, in the middle of June when we'd been having hundred degree weather!  It was cold and rainy, and I really debated going out or not.  But I didn't.  Baby had been up all night coughing the night before, so she ended up taking a nap in the morning.  She woke up and we still could have made it in time, but I really didn't want to be cold.  When Baby is old enough to understand that she makes a commitment to something, I will probably make her go.  Until then, Mommy can be a bad example (C'mon, I hate being cold!).

Lesson 7: 
Today was a little colder out, so the water felt warm getting in, which was really nice.  I bobbed Baby up and down, she fell into her Superman pose, and away we went.  We found the kickboard and paraded up and down the lane.  The instructor (who had looked familiar this whole time and actually went to school with my little brother and lives on the same street as me!), came up behind Baby and kicked her little legs for her.  Baby loved it.  She said, "Wheee, whee!" the whole time.  (I think I started that because I tend to put sound effects to everything.  I love that she copies me!)

Lesson 8:
Our last lesson.  Where did the time go?  The instructor had a basket of toys the babies could play with in the water, so Baby chose to play with a floating boat.  Then she also chose to play with a diving ring.  We paraded up and down the lane, her in her Superman pose, one hand grasping the ring, the other the boat, and her legs trailing behind (she still refuses to kick, so the instructor came up behind her again and moved her legs for her).

At the end of class, a little water park was opened for every kid in the place.  It had shooting water, falling water, a lake of water, all around slides, stairs, etc.  I held Baby and walked into it, but no way would she let me put her down.  We even watched another little girl from her class laughing and splashing in the water, but Baby shook her head no, that she didn't want to join in.  That was okay with me.  That water was colder than the pool.  

Another couple was there with their son (who happens to be two days older than Baby), and they were taking pictures.  I was mentally kicking myself for not remembering to at least take a picture of her with her swimsuit on, or one of her and me.  Remember, I'm not too good at the whole memory book thing.

One thing we did get  was a report card.  Baby's first report card!  I was so excited!  It had all the different techniques we had focused on for the past two weeks, then a rating for each one.  The best rating was Got it.  Then there was Almost.  The last rating was Not Yet.  Husband did the math and was disappointed to see that Baby had about a C average.  He told me I should enroll her in the next class so she can improve.  This brought up the issue of school report cards, what we think about grades, consequences, rewards, etc.  I can tell you that her school years are going to be interesting.  Let's just hope school comes naturally to her because Husband and  I have some very differing ideas on grades.

Anyway, swim lessons were fun and I'm glad we did them.  It was neat to see Baby come in shy, then start to open up (like knowing to get into the Superman pose).  The instructor said Baby was one of the happiest, most compliant babies she had worked with (really, my child?), which I thought was nice of her to say.  I think she was that way because I didn't force her into anything, so therefore we didn't have any screaming fits.
Next year we'll try again.