Swim lessons, the Essence of Summer

So, since I do not like the water and don't like to swim, I insist that the girls learn how. They are Swinnens; they were born to be in the water. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were sprouting gills somewhere soon! I didn't have to convince or even bribe them to take lessons. In fact, I think they would have picketed the house if I didn't let them in the pool!

The girls are in swim lessons every day for at least 30 minutes at the pool in the neighborhood by Marc's house. They walk...more like run...down the street. They enter through the white gates to be greeted by nearly all the life guards and instructors. (Gracie impressed, or rather grossed, them all out on the first day when she picked up a cockroach from the sidewalk!) After getting goggles on, they half walk, half run to their perspective ends of the pool for their lessons.

Emma started swim lessons when she was 3 1/2 and was in the beginner class the whole first summer and part of the second. But then she gained enough motor skills to be able to advance to adv beginner and now is in intermediate, soon to be in advanced! She can do freestyle, back stroke, breast stroke, and is starting to do the butterfly. She has the dolphin kick down, but the arms and legs together.....

This session, Gracie only had one other girl in her class, Kylie. Both girls are at about the same level so it was good for them to be together. And they have become friends, too.

That's Gracie swimming towards the steps while Kylie gets ready to  go!

Emma is in the intermediate class this session and has two teachers to teach her! How lucky is that? One gets in the water with her while the other gives commands from the sidelines!

I love watching them swim because I know they love to be in the water. I think one day they will both be on the swim team and become even better swimmers. Only time will tell....

Even when the Emma and Gracie aren't in swim lessons, they still want to be in the pool. Marc takes them on Saturdays or Sundays, and the babysitter has a pool, so they swim there as well. And they run through the sprinklers at my house all the time! I don't think they even need a bath anymore! We wash their hair and make them rinse off after each swim!

We'll be in Hawaii next Monday. It'll be fun to see the girls swim in the ocean; maybe even with the dolphins and sea turtles. Those will be fun pictures to post.