Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Okay, y'all. I'm just going to brag.

I think any Mom with a blog struggles between capturing your children's milestones and sharing them without coming across as bragging. I have always tried to walk a fine line between being so proud of my kids and what they are doing and flat out bragging.

All that is about to change in this blog post. There is no fine line to be walked. I am just going to brag. Feel free to walk away now or read on at your own risk.

Here I go. I warned you.

My baby is an AMAZING SWIMMER!!!!!! I mean, like amazing. And I am so so so so proud of him!

Let me back up. Bennett has been taking swim lessons since January. Normally Will just goes with me and sits patiently in a chair and waits. Lately Bennett has started doing open swim after her lesson. She plays in the water with her classmates for half an hour and now poor Will has to sit every week for an hour patiently and I have to struggle to keep him supplied with water, snacks, and books. Not fun.

Then I noticed that the lesson right after Bennett's was for beginners. I hadn't planned on starting Will this early, but I thought why not? We're there anyway, he wanted to, there's a class available..... let's do it.

And ummmmm..... he's a natural. He is so good. On his very first lesson his teacher was able to let him go and swim unassisted with only a bubble. She said it normally takes about many many lessons to do this-
And then he SWAM ACROSS THE POOL! Granted, with a bubble flotation device on his back, but still.... I've sat through 10 months of Bennett's lessons. I know how long it took her to do that, and Will is only 2 years and 3 months. Look at this.
Normally they hold on to them and keep them by the edge of the pool for the first few lessons. Not Will. He swam across the pool many times without holding on to his teacher on his very first lesson!! I was SO proud of him. So was his big sister who swam over from her play time to give him a big hug.

Okay, fast forward a week. He asked every single day to swim. We had to wait a week. So, guess what happened on his 2nd lesson?


He began jumping off the side of the pool into the water! What? And keep in mind, these aren't intensive 2 hour lessons. They are 30 minute lessons. This was his 2nd 30 minute lesson.
And now his teacher wasn't even in the water. She could sit on the side and instruct him. She said that she had never in all of her years of teaching had a child pick it up this fast. Especially a 2 year old. A barely 2 year old. She said sometimes older kids who practiced in pools got it quickly, but never a 2 year old who has only been in a pool a handful of times in his life. She was amazed. By this point she was standing and just talking to him.
She then called the owner of the Aquatics Center out of his office to watch Will. I told you I was bragging. I don't care. I am about to burst with pride. And then she took OFF his bubble! She didn't take any bubbles off of Bennett's class for months and they were 3 years old. She took off Will's on his 2nd lesson. Look at him here swimming without any flotation device whatsoever.



I am so incredibly proud of my fearless boy who is a natural in the water! Way to go, Will!


9 comments:

Erin said...

Girl, you brag away!!! It's your blog and your scrapbook, and your kids!! GOOOOOOOOO WILL!!!!!! That truly is amazing. My child still screams in the bathtub when water is poured over his head!! Will is definitely a natural - so proud of him! And proud of you too for saying what you want to say on your own blog! :)

Stacy said...

Super-boy!!! I'm so proud of my nephew!

starnes family said...

Go on and brag. Totally fitting here!!!!!! Such a great kid.

The Khans said...

wow, that's great. And who cares if you brag, it is your blog and your children afterall. So fun you have an indoor pool to go to for this.

Carmen & Eddie said...

That is AMAZING!!!
As for bragging, who says you can't? I sure do not subscribe to that rule and neither should you!

Anna said...

Hey! Real friends can rejoice with you when your (rockstar) child has a great accomplishment! Brag away friend! Amazing!

Caroline Armstrong said...

You do deserve to brag and I actually have heard that the best time to start swim lessons is 10 months old, so it may go to prove that they younger they are to start the easier it is for them....OR you just have a swimming prodigy!!! AMAZING!!!

Unknown said...

Wait. That is just mind-blowing.
Love it!

Miss you and love you!!

Nik

terrymary said...

Move over Michael Phelps!