Swim Lessons

Last week the girls took swim lessons at the TP Pool. The pool is a 5 minute walk from our house and unlike how we never walked Ella to Kindergarten, we actually walked to the pool most of the days. Must have been a site: Ella riding her bike, Laney riding the Barbie Jeep with my pool bag beside her, and then Matthew in the stroller with 3 rafts trailing behind him. We definitely pack for weeks ;)

Now, we aren't exactly members at the pool (ok, we are completely NOT members at the pool). And although we will be next year, this year it just didn't make much sense. We were able to take lessons there and since I became friends with the manager (who thought we were members) we would stay for an extra hour after lessons to play. I didn't feel too guilty about it until one day we were the only people at the pool and all 3 life guards were just watching us...lol.

I can not say enough wonderful things about the swim instructors. They were caring, funny, understanding and just enjoyed what they were doing. They didn't mind that the kids all needed goggles adjusted every few minutes, that some kids had to leave to go potty, that there were tears. I was beyond impressed.

Here is Laney jumping in to see Stephanie

This is how Laney looked for the whole 30 minutes.
She was so smiley, waved to the crowd (aka my mom and I) and just swam like a fish.

Yeah, I think somebody liked it

One of her classmates, Claire.
These two will be in the same preschool class which I am so excited about.
They just moved here as well and we instantly hit it off.
Of course in true 4 year old style, Claire and Laney were BFF's after 2 classes..lol

My mom was such a trooper!
It was like 95 degrees and ridiculously hot (even at 10 AM), but she came to cheer her girls on (and to keep MJ from jumping in the deep end).
Thanks for coming, Mom!

Hello ladies...check out that look

If you ever thought that my girls were very different, swimming lessons would definitely solidify that notion. Laney was jumping, loving it, doing whatever was asked. Ella was much more cautious. Yes she listened but if she got uncomfortable she would just hold on to the side of the pool or just not do it (aka, the deep end). All of the other kids would jump in and Ella would "slide" in.

3 days into the lessons, we were at the pool with our friends who have kids 8 years old and 4. Their 4 year old was swimming confidently in the deep end, and Ella came over to me and started crying. She said, "Donnie can do it and he is so much younger then me. Why can't I? I am scared!" My heart broke for her. Now if only we were members, we would get her private lessons :(

Although she was scared of the deep end and going off the diving board, she had been psyching herself up for the last day. She was going to DO IT. I was so excited for her. But alas, we showed up to find out the deep end was closed due to an "accident" the day before. Ella was bummed that she didn't get to try one more time.

Working on treading water

She did love the lessons and looked forward to them but her cautious side is so different than Laney & Matthew's personality :)

A preview of our latest project:

Where do you think we hung this? The winner gets a car!!! Or my forever long friendship :)