swimming lessons 2013...

I was worried that we would not be able to fit swimming lessons in this summer with everything going on, but the swim program that we take lessons with is fortunately very easy going and let us come the end of one week and the first part of the next week so we could fit them in.  We also like our swim program because the kids are put in a # level based on their ability (usually 2-3 to a teacher), and as soon as they pass the requirements for that level, they move on to the next.  You can pass 3 levels in one lesson, or stay in one level for 2 weeks (like Grace last year! =).  This year we had Grace, Willem and Carsten take lessons.  Willem had taken one week last year in level 1, but this would be Carsten's first time.  They were SOOOOO excited and Carsten really talked big talk about how good a swimmer he was going to be, but when he actually got in the water with a teacher, this is what happened:

He was scared, clinging to the side or the teacher, crying, it was almost more than this momma could handle!  But after his lesson he was all happy and big talk about how he loved swimming lessons again so we went again the next and the next.  Still same thing every day.  Until the last 2 days.  Then the teacher told him that they were going to do a dunk just once and showed him exactly how to blow out underwater and really talked it up.  I was shaking my head thinking it would NOT work.  But...

He did it!!!

Look how proud and happy he was!!!

And he did it again and again and again and soon did all the requirements for level 1 so that on the last day he passed into level 2 (they get to bang a gong when they pass a level and all the parents and kids clap...awesome).

 Now this boy?

Went from not knowing how to swim at the beginning of the week to floating on his front and his back and kicking and basically swimming.  That is a HUGE accomplishment for them and an awesome realization that they can swim.  He grinned all week.  And passed to level 3 on the last day.

Grace was proud to pass to level 5 on the first day (after being in level 4 ALL 2 weeks last summer) and be on the big kid side of the pool.  She worked hard all week and passed to level 6 on the last day!

 And Henry loved watching all the action every day.  Seriously he never got bored of it! 

Since it was such a great last day with all of them passing levels, we stopped and got Panera smoothies (their favorites! we always split them though to save $$) to celebrate.  So glad for another year of swimming lessons...