Swimming...

This year I decided that even though we don't have money for dance lessons it would be very appropriate to spend some money on swim lessons for the kids. It's just one of those skills that will actually save your life some day! You never here about how dancing saved your life. You can't dance your way out of a lake if you fall in.... anyway - now you know how a conversation went with Daija about this....
So far I don't have any pictures (cause I'm awesome like that...) but the last two weeks Daija and Kyla have taken Level 1 swimming. Daija has taken swim lessons before and not done very well. She sinks like a rock. And Kyla has only attempted to do swim lessons once before but never made it into the water because she was terrified. And let's not even talk about Chase yet....
So I put the two girls in the same class. Best. Idea. Ever! They did so well and supported and encouraged each other! Not to mention the loving sisterly competitiveness of it as well! They worked so hard to do well. Daija has really taken to it this time and has been amazing! It is very refreshing to see because she is usually so uncoordinated. She does NOT have ball handling skills at all so to see her do well in a physical activity is quite encouraging to me and Chad but also to herself! She has really enjoyed doing well and not being outdone by her younger sister. Kyla did extremely well too. She wasn't afraid at all this time and improved drastically - considering she couldn't even get in the water before hahaha. By the last day of class they were both really nervous about passing the class and moving ahead to the next one. (I hope that wasn't me being pushy. I'm trying to be more encouraging and less focused on pushing them. Do your best! And reach for good goals. That's my angle. :) The night before they went to their last day they both prayed they would do really good and pass their class. Kyla was still struggling with her back floats a little bit. I was worried she wasn't going to pass either....but I didn't tell her that! After class was over, they met at the side of the pool and received their little certificates of "graduation" to the next class!!! The both passed! Kyla started crying on the way into the locker room and I asked her what was wrong??? She said "I don't know..... I am just so happy I did a good job!" OMGOSH I almost cried with her! I'm so glad she did a good job too!!!!
Today the girls started Level 2. Their teacher said they did excellent. Kyla even did her back float and fishy swim all by herself. The whole class is way ahead and she's going to review everything for their class but probably go through Level 3 stuff too! If they all do well they may just skip ahead to Level 4. CRAZY! But we'll see. It would be way cool.
Chase started is very first Pre A class today. (well - technically the VeRy first time we tried I was prego with Collin and we did a Mommy and Me class. NIGHTMARE!!! Enough said.) He was very hesitant at first which made me have flashbacks to before. Which doesn't make sense cause he'll swim in our backyard just fine! After I let the teacher take him from me and he was in the water he did fine. By the end of class he was blowing bubbles with his mouth and nose in the water. He was saying "hi" to all the fishies in the bottom of the pool and grabbing the toys they were throwing around. I'm excited to see him get into it and love it. I know he'll love it once he's not afraid anymore. I'm just grateful he's not the kid SCREAMING and CRYING anymore. LOL :)
I just love my little fishies!!!!!