Swimming lessons

Charlie started swim lessons this week. We talked these lessons up a lot before hand since they were going to be his first without a parent in the water and we weren't sure how it would go. We managed to get Charlie in a complete frenzy over his swim lessons - the car ride over to the pool from his school is absolutely comical. I wish I had a tape recorder to catch the non-stop chatter coming from the back seat.

"Green light mom, green means go, why you not going mom? Lightning McQueen! (red car ahead of us), catch him mom, where is Lightning going? ice cream! did you see that store mom? ice cream. do we need gas? yellow light means slow down, slow down mom, red, stop, why you not stopping mom? i'm thirsty. give me some water. i want the sippy bottle. that daddy's car? fountain! that my favorite fountain! mom. mom. mom. why you not talking mom?"

I kid you not.

Charlie has done excellent in swim class, much better than I expected. He listens to the teacher, does what they tell him, and only looks for me every once in awhile. The class is for 3 and 4 year olds and there are several kids that have yet to get in the water and leave their parent's side. Way to go Mr. C! You are going to be swimming in no time. One of the kids from school is in his swim class and that totally helps (the little girl in pink beside him, above). All is good if she is sitting right next to him.

This is the beginning of the difficulty of working in summer activities for us. Getting to a 5:00 swim class, about our only option because the Saturday classes fill in January (come on, who thinks of it then??) after work and school is not easy. I leave work early, pick them up from school and we head over to the pool to change. By the time we get to our designated lesson spot, I'm wiped out from rushing two squirming little ones into their swim suits and lathering them with sunscreen.

Something I hadn't bargained on was that this bathing beauty would be the most work of all. Keeping her entertained outside of a beckoning swimming pool for the 30 minute lesson is no small task. I end up chasing her all around the pool, plying her with food, letting her suck on the sunscreen bottle if it keeps her quiet (I see you parents judging me, I don't care), and picking her up after her umpteenth fall and skinned knee. Next year I will have to schedule (in January!) a class for both of them at the same time.