Swimming lessons - Kaitlin

This year Kaitlin was very excited for swimming lessons. She's been swimming with friends who can swim good so I think she was ready to learn more too. She is very comfortable in the water and loves that she is strong enough to go in the deep end now without a noodle or flutter board. Her hardest thing for her has been to change her kick. She has been kicking with her knees and she needs to kick from her hip. She got lots of practice these past two weeks. She did many laps of the pool everyday and was always eager to do whatever MJ asked. She passed level 4 and is now ready for level 5!! This week she got to go to East Side Park (a water park) and I knew she would have fun knowing she can swim. It's so wonderful to see her exceling at something she loves!

Kaitlin jumping in the deep end!
Trying to swim on her back!
More swimming

Learning to dive!

Swimming lessons - Travis

Well this has been a hard decision again this year...Do we force Travis to do swimming lessons. He is not a water lover at all and has no desire to learn how to swim. When we made the decision to sign him up he has been dreading summer ever since. He had made it clear that he did not want to have anything to do with swimming and insisted he wouldn't go in the pool when he had to. Last year and this year the kids took lessons at a family friends pool who have taught lessons for years. I signed up Travis and Kaitlin together in private lessons hoping to make the experience as best I could for him. When the time came for lessons to start he was not happy. He will put his head under the water and try to swim in the shallow end but panics if he's in the deep end. MJ talked him into using a floating belt which he ended up not mining. By the second week though she started to really push him. Most days we went to swimming him crying all the way and begging not to go. He was sure MJ would let him drown. By the last two days he was crying in the pool or holding the fence and not letting go. This was not a tantrum but him in shear panic. I've never seen him so fearful. You'd swear she was going to beat him the way he reacted to going in the water. (MJ was very good with him. She encouraged him, praised him and pushed him to show him he could do it) By the end of the last day he was done, and I'm really not sure if I can do it too him again. He did get better, but really she put him in the middle of the pool and he had to swim to the side and tread water. He did not do this very well, but she wanted him to know how to get to the side and tread water if he ever had to. I am very proud of him for how hard he did try. I'm hoping that we made the right decision. I think he did get stronger in the water and learned a little. Hopefully our monthly family swim will help him learn to like the water a little more before next year.

Travis floating!
Swimming with his belt.

Swimming with no belt.

Swimming lessons - Dawson

Dawson was very excited to be taking swimming lessons this summer. He had two of his best friends in his class Chloe and Sara so he was happy to be in the pool playing with them. He loved blowing bubbles and kicking, but when it came time to jump in or bob under the water he got scared and tried to talk his way out of it. Here he is debating with MJ on how exactly he had to jump in the pool. All week he's insisted on doing it slow motion while holding both her hands. She made him do it holding one hand. The picture of his jump is the last of this series for some reason! Dawson doing "his bob" by himself! MJ had dunked him before this week, so by today he insisted on doing it himself without her touching him. The only problem was he would only put his face in.
MJ eventually took him and under he went!
Dawson doing what he liked...kicking and making big splashes!
The jump in the pool!
Dawson finished everything to be a "duck" and the only thing he needs to do to pass sea turtle is dunk his head for 3 seconds.

Afternoon fun with friends!

Today we met our friends Tammy and kids, Kim and kids and Janice and kids at the Wingham splash pad. Everyone always loves coming here for a play. Us moms can sit and visit while the kids can run and play on the park equipment or run through the water. Between the four moms we had 16 kids!! 3 of those were extras we were babysitting. Lots of fun.....we seem to always have our own "playgroup" whenever we get together!

Kortney running from water!
Not sure why this is on it's side!
Sara, Shayna, Chloe, Sydney, Dawson and Avery.
Tammy, Kim and Janice.
Turning the water on again!

Riverside Retreat fun

Last Saturday we went to visit Pam, Steve and the boys at their trailer in Auburn. The kids had sooo much fun riding their bikes, going for a hike, swimming and feed the elk on a wagon ride! Here's some pics of the kids in the pool. (since there wasn't a deep end Travis had loads of fun! I've never seen him enjoy the water like he did this day)

Kaitlin swimming
Travis swimming
Chris and Kevin
Dawson and David
Alex, Cheri and Kortney