Monday, July 18, 2011

Proud Mommy Moment

Over the weekend I experienced something that is weird and cool all at the same time. My kiddo, Tommy, can do something that I can not do. He can SWIM.

I don't swim. I can't swim. My parents did their due diligence and had me in lessons, but I was a freak and hated every second of it. I literally can't do it. In my twenties I took lessons at the Y and made zero progress.

First of all, I don't like water. I don't like to be wet, I don't like to get splashed, none of that. Secondly, I'm a sinker, not a floater. I don't float. I don't know if my legs are too long or what but when I try to float on my back, my legs sink and drag along the bottom of the pool. If I am really really desperate, I will hop in the pool to cool off, but that happens about once a decade. I just don't like it.

Because of my pool phobia (hydrophobia, I looked it up!) I wanted to make sure Tommy learned to swim. It didn't start off well and we gave up in the middle of the first session. The next year I tried again and I almost grabbed him and ran when he started to cry. That's when I met Jorna, who is now a very good friend. She kept me calm that day, and it got easier every time we went.

Now, just a few years later, he's almost done with lessons. Last night he started a new level and that little booger swam the entire length of the pool several times, doing several different strokes. Crawl, back stroke, some other weird stroke that I can't name, and he can tread water.

Maybe he'll be the next Michael Phelps???

2 comments:

  1. Yay!! Swimming is good. I, too, have two fish children. (For some reason that sounds better than "dolphin children". Not sure why. Can't wait to read more!! :)

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  2. That is fabulous! I will get the life vest ready!

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