Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Swim Lessons

Last week I started taking swim lessons at our local natatorium.  Since Mommy still wasn't supposed to be driving (and wasn't ready to get Elliot out in public) my Grands and Daddy took turns taking me to lessons. 


 Poppy took me on Day 1.  When he and I got home, I ran in the house and told Mommy, "I did a really good job at swim lessons!  But I cried the whole time."  The redness all around my eyes was all the proof Mommy needed to know that I spoke the truth.  When she asked Poppy what happened, he looked at her with tears in his eyes and said, "That was the hardest thing you've ever asked me to do."

Turns out, I'm not a big fan of swim lessons.


Gramma took me the next day. When I came home, my report to Mommy was, "I did a good job again! But I cried even worser today."

Mimi took me on Day 3, and that was much better!  The teacher gave me a squirt toy to play with, and her "helper" spent a lot of one-on-one time with me.

Daddy took me on Day 4.  About ten minutes into the lesson, he sent Mommy a text that said, "This is pretty traumatic...for both of us..."  He had to sit at a distance from me and keep his head down most of the time so that I didn't see the trauma on his face (or tears in his eyes).  He later told Mommy that I was doing a terrible, knee-shaking, whole-body-quivering, gasp-filled-breathing kind of cry throughout most of the lesson.

Even with all those tears, though, I really tried hard to do everything my teachers asked.

Yesterday started Week 2 of swim lessons...and it appears that I have turned over a new leaf!

I was a little apprehensive yesterday morning when Mimi picked me up (everyone decided that it would be best for Mommy not to take me to lessons...even though she can drive now), but after an initial sniffle or two I made it through the remainder of the lesson tear free.

On the way to lessons today I told Mimi and Poppy, "I don't think I'm going to need to cry today, guys." 

And I didn't!  Not at all!


Although I'm not about to admit that I'm having any fun (yet).

*All of the pictures above are from today's lesson...which explains why I don't look traumatized in any of them.*

**And, yes, Mommy and Daddy have already decided that Elliot will start "Mommy and Me" swim lessons next summer.  I guess being the second born does have some perks.**

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am soooo proud of you. It takes so much courage to do something that is hard. You are getting better and better too! Soon you will have fun.
Love you, Gramma