Isaac's Swimming Lessons 2010

Another Summer = more swim lessons! We have been taking at Lehi Legacy, but it is seriously ridiculous getting signed up for their classes. Especially if you want your child to be in the same class with a friend. This is the 2nd year I had to sign up at 2:30 AM on the dot to ensure him a spot. Luckily I didn't get home until 1:30 am from Kenzi's graduation, so I just stayed up. I'm glad I did because within 5 minutes his class among others were booked. My friend tried to get her little boy in his class and she woke up one minute to late and had to sign her little boy up in another class. Ridiculous! But I think swimming lessons are important especially because Isaac has had 2 bad drowning experiences in his short little life time. Luckily, with all the practice it's not a fear anymore.

Isaac and his cousin Zander did manage to get signed up in the same class!

1st day of swimming... oh so exciting!

Isaac had the same teacher from last year, who he really liked. This year we signed him up for the Pre-K level 1 class. 

Jamie taught him out to float on his back and do a backstroke. But instead of having the kids flare their arms around backwards she teaches them 3 actions, 1st - Monkey, where both arms are tucked into the side. 2nd- Airplane, where your arms fly out. And 3rd, Solider, where there arms go around a come back down. This was such a fun technique and has really helped Isaac remember how to swim on his back.

He was so brave and learned how to hold his breath under water, breathe through his nose, open his eyes under water and many more things. I'm so proud of him! 

Isaac and Zan passed their class and have a bit more experience. Until next year...

Here's a little video for your viewing pleasure of how well he did in swimming. He continued to get better and learned to close his mouth a little sooner so he didn't swallow any water. Yeah for swim lessons! 

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming....

Now what could make my son make a face like this?

SWIMMING LESSONS OF COURSE!!!!

This is Isaac showing me how he holds his breath before he goes under the water. (And incase you were wondering, in real water when he comes back up there are no tears. He ducks his head under voluntarily!)

Swimming lessons was money well spent this year. Isaac is such a little fish and learned so much. I'm am just tickled pink on how well he did. This year we went to Lehi Legacy Center. It was double the fun because we got 5 of Isaac's cousins to take lessons with him! I decided to put him in the Mommy and Me class one more year. My sister Liz took the same class with her son, Josh and my sister-in-law, Emilee took the class with her daughter, Squiggle. It was so much fun to hang out everyday for two weeks. Acacia was in level one and Lulu and Buddy were in level 2, but we still got to spend plenty of time with them. 

Here they are all excited for their first day of swimming lessons!

L-R: Acacia, Isaac, Buddy, Squiggle, Lulu, and Josh

This is Isaac and Squiggle showing off their "moves" they have been learning.

Isaac is very much into routine. Everyday he walked by the lap pool to get to his class and he HAD to dip his toe in the water. If he did this, he was happy. If he didn't, well we would end up walking back to do it anyway. He liked his teacher and enjoyed that she brought them a toy everyday to play with. One day, she forgot. This threw off Isaac's routine. We are working on him trying to be a tad more flexible when life doesn't go as planned. 

Isaac loved the water but he was a little nervous at first. He's never been one to put his face in the water and getting his ears wet was definitely out of the question! He refused to float on his back because inevitably, he knew his hair and ears would get wet. Let's just say, washing his hair in the tub hasn't been a walk in the park up to this point in his life. 

We started out with the basics: kicking, ice-cream scoops, blowing bubbles, singing silly songs, climbing on the wall, jumping into the pool... all things he loves to do and things he learned last year at swimming lessons. But all it took was one magical day of life jackets and life in the water has changed forever. Earlier in the week he had gotten comfortable dipping his little ears in the water. Then he decided it wasn't so scary to lay on his back because he could float and I was right there next to him. After that, he had no fear! He laid on his back, flipped to his tummy like a pancake, kicked his legs, scooped his arms forward and backward and the biggest accomplishment, he learned to hold his breath, put his little face in the water and come back up not sputtering or freaking out. 

Everyday in the bathtub he would show Brett all of his amazing tricks he had learned that day. We went from a boy who wouldn't even consider laying down to wash his hair in the tub, to a boy who jumps in and lays on his back immediately! I even have had a hard time getting him to sit up to get out! It's amazing! He could care less his ears are getting wet and as for washing his hair, it's been pure bliss! Like I said, these lessons were worth every penny!

The older classes got to bring goggles on certain days. Isaac loved Acacia's goggles and discovered quickly that he could put his face in the water and leave his eyes open. Thanks to Acacia telling him he "needed" them, I am still hearing about how my son NEEDS goggles. He was even ready to take Brett's snow skiing goggles to class because he wanted some so bad!

I had so much fun being with Isaac as he learned his new swimming skills. I knew this would be my last mommy and me class with him, so I really enjoyed every minute of it. My baby boy is not a baby anymore. He's really growing up too quickly! He was so proud of his little certificate saying he graduated swimming lessons. Occasionally he will ask me if it's time to go back and take swimming lessons again. I'm so glad he loves the water. In the meantime, he's keeping busy splashing and swimming in his outdoor pool.

Isaac's swimming certificate!

All the kids with their certificates - they all passed! 

(Really, who wouldn't pass all these adorable kids?)

While everyone was changing after swimming, the lockers became a big part of "fun" for everyone. All the kids got a kick out of being able to squish themselves into a locker. To celebrate the end of swimming lessons, we took the kids to get a nice cold snow cone. They were pleased as punch! Thanks for doing lessons with us guys, it made swimming lessons even more fun!