Swimming, Swimming

Over the last two weeks, Adair and Emalyn have been taking swimming lessons.  Adair took last year, as well, and it was a test of my sanity.  Last year, Adair cried every single day for two weeks for at least an hour prior to leaving and through the entire lesson.  She negotiated with her teacher over how many times she would swim and where she would swim like it was her job.  We stuck with it, although I wanted to give up many times, and Adair learned to swim.  I was truly amazed that despite the tears, she was swimming and willingly going under the water.

This year, I fully expected Emalyn to be my tearful swimmer and for Adair to jump in ready and willing to learn.  Boy, was I wrong!  While Emalyn was weepy in the water, she went willingly each day and didn't cry alot in the water.  I actually think the worst part for her was the cold pool.  Adair, on the other hand, was terrified and screamed and cried.  She loves to swim and would beg to go to our pool to swim, but was very anxious about the lessons for some reason. 

Again, we stuck with it.  At the beginning of the lessons, Emalyn was doing the "dead man float".  She would hold her breath (very well, actually) and just float face down in the water.  A few days ago, she finally started kicking and moving her arms.  Her kick is adorable and looks alot like a frog.  On Wednesday (after seven days of tears), Adair was finally excited about swim lessons, went willingly, stopped crying and spent the entire hour in the pool.  Today, she begged to go first and was swimming long distances in the pool by herself and learning to take breaths in the water.  Both girls came so far in two short weeks!  We are so proud of our little guppies!