"Swim Lessons are....."

OVER!!!   We both survived!  Elijah Brooks has been in swim lessons for the past 2 weeks, every day. We have certainly had our ups and downs, but I am happy to report that we ended on a very positive note. Overall, he is much more confident in the water than he was 2 weeks ago.  He has gained an incredible amount of balance and core strength, being able to hold himself up on his "noodle" alone and kick from shallow end to deep end and back again, several times.  He has learned to balance on a kickboard and keep himself afloat. He still does not like to go under the water, but he was made it to it every single day and I am so glad for his teacher's persistence in this area.  There were tears when he knew what was coming, and he learned quickly to anticipate when it was coming.  He has a true, legitimate fear of going under and was never trying to manipulate the situation - I know him, and his teacher knows him now too. I was even talking to him yesterday on the way home about what happened when he got so upset, and in his precious 2 year old little voice from the backseat he said, "Mommy, I just got so nervous".  I nearly had to pull over on the side of the road.  I didn't know he knew that word, much less understood what it meant to use it in the right context. But, it indicated to me that he did know exactly how he felt and was able to verbalize it.  We have prayed more prayers together over the past 2 weeks before lessons, during lessons, and prayers of thanksgiving after lessons. The child has definitely been covered in prayer!  It has been such a wonderful learning experience for both me and him. It stretched us both more than I thought it would and I am thankful for that.  Just like EB, I had to push through and persevere through some of my own fear. 

He is very confident on his "noodle" and kickboard, and enjoyed his newfound freedom of being able to go where he wanted to in the pool - of course, with someone right beside him should he slip off of it. He never cried on his noodle - just kicked his strong, long legs and motored his way around the pool. She worked with him a few days this week with treading water and she let go of his hands in the shallow end to see if he could kick and bob back up to the surface. He wasn't able to come right back up, but we were both encouraged to see him kicking his feet instinctively underneath him. He just forgot to move his arms at the same time.  So, there are definitely areas that we will work on together this summer in the pool, but overall I am so encouraged.  I am just so proud of him for pushing through it for 2 weeks and sticking with it even though it was by far the hardest thing he has had to do. He never once fought me about going to lessons.  He cooperated so well each morning getting dressed and in the car every day, and seemed genuinely glad to be there.  The only time he was ever fearful was when he knew he was about to go under.  Both his teacher and I knew that we could keep pushing him because of that - he wasn't fearful to come to lessons.

We are both tired, but I am so thankful for these 2 weeks, for the progress made both physically and emotionally, and for the times when I heard, "Mommy, did you see me? I did it", from the pool. Just to see him gain more confidence was thrilling for me. I am also so thankful for the time that we were able to pray together about specific fears and character issues (obedience even when we don't want to etc.....). 

I am so proud of my boy!

She made them hold onto the noodle a different way to increase their strength and balance

Such a look of concentration!

Talking to him before she let him go to try to tread water

On the kickboard.  That boy was working hard!

Blowing bubbles in the ring. 

It's OVER!!

I think they are happy!