Cautious Zachary learns to swim!

My parents have given Zachary & Elliott a very important gift.....it's one-one-one swimming lessons. My mom & dad have ALWAYS valued the importance of swimming lessons. My mom & dad had my sister and I in the swimming pool when we were 9 months old. Every summer we would take swimming lessons from the sweetest girls Kathryn & Lynn. Once we knew the fundamentals of swimming we were in the pool from 9 am until 4 pm.  We were literally like fish. 

Kevin and I took Zachary to Water Babies classes from the time he was 6 months old to two years but that was not technically lessons it was more of a water awareness/play time.  So on Tuesday, Zachary started his lessons with Coach D.  Coach D is the PE teacher at "my" elementary school.  She was "MY" PE teacher so it is great that she is now teaching my boy how to swim. My mom, sister, and I all warned Coach D that Zachary was going to be super cautious and very quiet.  He is nothing like Elliott is in the water. Elliott runs and jumps in...sometimes when he is not supposed too. In fact we joke that Elliott's name is FEARLESS and Zachary's name is CAUTIOUS. Elliott loves the water and took lessons last summer from Coach D because he was three.  This year both boys are taking them...different times and days so that they do not distract one another :).

Anyways, back to my story. So we get to Coaches pool early.  Not necessary intentional but it worked out great. There was a 'big kid" learning how to do flip turns and swimming laps.  Zach immediately looked at me and said, " Mom I am only three....I don't know how to swim like that". I comforted him and told him that Coach was going to teach him how to swim. When it was finally Z's turn he just walked right on in and acted like he knew what he was doing.  I couldn't wait to call Kevin and tell him.  During his thirty minutes, Zachary learned to put his entire face in the water, how to float on his back, how to use a kick board (aka motor boat), how to bounce like Tigger and go under, and how to jump in from the side without being caught.  Coach D & I were shocked!  Both of us thought that we would be coaxing him off of the side and that he would just put his feet into the water.  I was so proud of him!  I feel like I should send the "big kid" a thank you note for being such a wonderful example to him.  I really think that is why he did so good!

 

Standing all by himself and going under to get rings

Making White Water

Zachary using his "windshield wipers" to wipe off the water

Playing with the fun noodle getting Coach D wet....Z's favorite part

I was so proud of Zachary.  He can't wait until his lesson next week. I can't wait too because when he came home from the lesson he crashed for two hours. He was exhausted! 

Thanks Mom & Dad for his swimming lessons.  It is a gift we will treasure forever!