Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Swim Lessons



My kid is actually swimming...seems like a small feat - right?? NOT!!!!!!!!! No easy accomplishment with this one. Let me first say that I was a swimmer, as in competitive swimming for years and years. My older two kids were raised in a pool. I have met adult people that did not know how to swim, and I always found it a bit wacky - and thought to myself, "how does that happen???" Well, I have learned how it happens, they were probably petrified and never learned.

I should back up, first of all, I spent 90% of Lizzie's first 4 years of life in bed. So, obviously swimming was not high on the list of priorities...we were all just trying to survive. She has never been around or in a pool much. Last summer we began going to the pool and realized our then 5 year old was PETRIFIED of the water. We did private swim lessons then...she never progressed beyond clinging for dear life to the poor girl's neck.

So, this summer I listened to other people and heard that the Bozeman Hot Springs had the best swim lessons. OK...it is a 25 minute drive from us, and how could it really be that much better???? Well, guess what, it has been AMAZING!!! Three private lessons later she is swimming on her back and on her belly! I actually CRIED today when I watched her actually swimming with her face in the water, but don't tell anyone, OK? I would hate to look like a sap. I truly did not know if she would ever be able to learn to swim... and I now have hope! She is still afraid of the deep, but hey, it has only been 3 lessons, right??? Imagine where she will be in 3 more! Hope is such a grand thing!! YEA LIZZIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 comments:

Friar Tuck said...

You are the sap and what did Sean call himself....squishy?

Jen said...

Tears of Joy!

Anonymous said...

My younger son was alwsy freaky about water getting in his eyes until we went to Costa Rica when he was 6. A wonderful white water rafting guide who had young children himself took Sam under his wing and sat him at the front of our raft, face in the waves, and had him call out the directions. Magical end of water fears!

Shelley said...

All the best to your little girl - she's off to a good start!

reliv4life said...

friar - yep, I am still a sap and sean is still squishy!!

Jen - absolutely!

Citizen - I LOVE that story! Isn't it cool such a small gesture from that guy impacted your son's life in a big way? I LOVE it!

Shellmo - thanks so much, looks like it.