Swim Lessons

Dawson first took swim lessons from the YMCA in Alabama when he was 2.5.  Then he took lessons after we moved to Tennessee from the Wellness Center before he turned 3.  I knew I wanted to sign him up for something at the beginning of this summer, so back in February I signed Dawson up for the two week session class through Parks and Rec.  It's great because it is every day for two weeks, and the kids spend 30 minutes working one-on-one with an instructor and then 30 minutes practicing what they worked on with Mommy or Daddy.  Also, it's outside where as all of our other swim classes have been in an indoor pool! 

We have all enjoyed his swim lessons.  John got to take him two different days that he was off over the course of the two weeks, and I have gotten to swim with him the other days.  Dawson loves it, and has looked forward to it each day.

Dawson is very strong and a good swimmer-but he still has to have 1 noodle or float to grab on to.  We worked a lot on getting his eyes wet-he would get his hair, ears, nose, and mouth wet and blow bubbles in the water, but when it came to his eyes, he never wanted to do it.  After this swim class he is A LOT  better about it (I think it helped that we went every day, so he got really comfortable and used to it).  Today he was laughing and saying he wanted me to put him under again and again!  Then he yelled to his teacher to watch him go under!  He knew it was the last day of lessons, and he got really brave and went under a ton today!  Now I wish we were doing lessons for an additional week, so that he could work on swimming with his face in the water!

He's way more comfortable in the water than before (not that he wasn't before), and I can tell he's an even stronger swimmer.  AND we all had fun, so it was well worth it!  Now we're ready to swim in the pools and lake this summer!

 

 

Here's Dawson on Day 3 of swim lessons with his instructor Alexis.

Day 5 of swim lessons!  Dawson was so excited each day to go!

The second time John was off work and got to do swim lessons with Carter, Carter and I tagged along and had fun splashing around in the baby pool!  This picture was taken as soon as Carter got in, and I think the cool temp was a little surprising to him.  After he adjusted, he loved splashing around in it though!

Carter, Mommy, and Nora Kate (30 weeks) in the baby pool while Dawson was swimming in the big pool for his lessons.