Last Friday was a pivotal moment in our house. Addie took her maiden voyage across a pool, by herself.
She can swim. And we are all so proud of her – including her biggest cheerleader, Em.
At the beginning of the week, when she started lessons, it looked a little grim. Her instructor said, “Wow, she is really stubborn, isn’t she?” as she handed me back a writhing, screaming, temper-tantrum throwing mess, that sort of resembled my daughter.
But the difference between Tuesday and Friday is simply astounding! This weekend we had use of our neighbor’s pool and she practiced and perfected her little seal-like underwater sprint. And mugged for Daddy and his underwater camera…
Why didn’t someone tell me that this swimming thing is just so easy!
Both of those shots are amazing. Congrats Addie!!!!!
Great photos!! That first one is fantastic!
Love it! That’s quite an accomplishment. I’d like to have your instructor here. Our Emma had lessons last week, and aside from having fun, I don’t think she really learned anything. She certainly can’t swim.
what a great underwater shot! congrats on the new swimmer in the house
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Hey Matt -
Yeah, we had an *incident* last year and I vowed that she would learn to swim this year…so I was not so paranoid. The instructor is actually her preschool teacher from last year — everyone calls her the “Swim Nazi” – her methods are a little harsh (depending on how you look at it) and she is very expensive. BUT OH.SO.WORTH.IT! I’m really pleased. I don’t want her to be trying out for the Olympic trials – I just want her to be able to save herself – get somewhere safe. And she can now do that!
So Cute!!! Congrats to her! And, great underwater picture!
Congrats on Addie’s swimming abilities!! I think it’s nice and pretty necessary to invest in the money for a good swim teacher and the confidence to know she can now save herself and is safe in/near pools
Must have made Hawaii that much more fun, too!
Oh that is SO exciting!!!!!! Well done Addie! And what you said Carrie…it is so important that they know how to save themselves. In Australia, drowning in backyard pools is one of the most common causes of childhood mortality. Nowadays all pools have to be fenced and you have to be displaying CPR instructions somewhere in your backyard (in NSW anyway). The BA’s swim lessons were a bit of a story. She didn’t take well to the ‘Swim Nazi’ that was her first teacher and in fact went backwards but once we changed teachers she (being a bit of a water baby anyway) made huge progress very quickly. In fact at one point we joked that she and her friend never heard the instructor much because they spent most of the time under the water!
Those two shots are brilliant. They tell such a story.
Yay Addie!! That shot of her underwater is so cool!!
Great job Addie! Your caption for that last shot is simply perfect. I can see her all non-chalant about her achievement. So cute!
Yeah! Addie!! I missed the swimming lesson window for the summer – gah! Harrison is SO ready! I’ll email you in a bit – we’ve had a lot going on here (not like you and fun vacations!) so I’m trying to dig out – we have got to get together!!
Yay Addie! Wow, what an accomplishment! Mama and girly both must be SO proud. She sure looks it!
Those are great! Looks like she had lots of fun eventually!
Yay Addie! And that underwater shot is so cool — now I want an underwater camera!