NEW ADVENTURES

While the sickies haven't completely left our house (basically I am the only miserable one left coughing and unable to breathe) the Peanut could not be bothered by her cold (she also got some antibiotics, lucky girl).

She has been back at school this week (despite a double ear infection) and today started a new adventure! Swimming lessons!! Friends have recommended the Steve Wallen Swimming School and since we have a pool now, I wanted to make sure she felt comfortable near water and was taught properly. Both Vans and I know how to swim but it is always better when someone else more qualified teaches you how to swim. Plus their pool is heated to 90 degrees and with ours, the Peanut wouldn't be able step foot into the water until it was warm outside making it too late to really enjoy it AND be safe in it.

On Monday her doctor approved swimming lessons even with the recent ear issues (it isn't like she would be deep sea diving, just getting her face wet). I think I was more excited for her than anything.

I picked her up early from school and drove out to EDH. We arrived early giving her a chance to see the pool and then into the changing room we went to put on the new swim suit that the Peanut picked out all by herself this past weekend.

new suit!

Then we went back to the waiting area to sit and wait our turn. The Peanut wanted some fuel before her big swimming lesson.

fuel

When it was our turn to enter the pool I walked the Peanut in and hung up her robe. We waited for her teacher to appear and then came the part I was dreading. At Steve Wallen, their policy is no parents allowed near the pool during lesson. You leave your child with the instructor and go back to the waiting area to watch behind a glass window. Instead of crying and clinging to my leg the Peanut opened her arms and was gone. Poof. Just like that. My little girl is growing up!

Off to the parents area I went quite visibly the only parent whose child was doing this for the first time tonight with my camera and iphone camera clicking away followed by repeated text messages to Vans with status updates. Vans: "Is she crying? How did it go?" Me: "Fine. She just left me. In the water. No tears!"

The glass I thought was only one sided, meaning I could see her but she couldn't see me but later I realized that might not have been the case. Regardless, my photos are rather poor in quality. Sorry.

practicing her kicks!

kick kick kick

post swim appetite

Even though the lessons are 30 minutes long and there were a few tears initially when she was forced to put her face under water a few times, the Peanut thoroughly enjoyed herself and said she wants to go back and would like it if Daddy could come watch.

The real test will be whether or not the Peanut sleeps great tonight. We were told swimming will exhaust children and have them sleep great . . . only time will tell. My flippers are crossed.