First swim lessons

Last week Thomas had his first three swim lessons. They seemed to go really well. Every day he asked if he could go have another swim lesson and when it was time to go, he wanted to stay. Now he is noticing the pool in our neighborhood and I guess I'm going to have to brave taking both boys and go!


He is taking swim lessons from a lady at her home. Two days there were two other children there with him (one was his good friend Lily), and one day it was just Thomas & Lily (the day I took my camera). The moms sit on the screened porch and watch from afar (though the children are told not to pay attention to us). That's why the pictures are a little funny...they are taken through a screen. But you can get the idea of the fun he had and what he was learning!

At first the kicks were small and not overly noticeable...


Then they started to figure things out...


There was time to learn to blow bubbles in the water...


And with the help of a few inflatable "Nemos," they kicked their way across the pool...




And then she helped them practice their form...


And had a little fun with a little bit of Superman flying...


Thomas did great and I was very proud of him. His teacher said Thomas really wants to go and try to swim, so we've been trying to find the right contraption to suit him best. The flotation suit I bought was a tad bit large, but I think he still liked it.

Not that I think he is ready to swim, but I do think he has learned a good bit in his first week. On his last session of the week, he was playing with another student while Lily was in the middle of the pool with the instructor. I was watching him carefully because he was walking the length of the step, but I knew he was getting close to the edge. Sure enough he walked off the edge and went under. I immediately called out his name to the instructor to get her attention and she made her way over to him as quickly as she could and helped him get back on the step. While he didn't manage to get above water by himself, he did hold his breath and when she got him, he was fine. He wasn't even crying (that's what he has done before when something similar has happened). He was a little startled and shaken, but he wasn't terrified. So that was good. And I didn't freak out either! :)

He'll have more lessons this week, so we'll see how he does!