Michael Phelps In Training.

This morning started yet another session of swimming lessons. Both T and M, are in Red Cross Level 4 now and are really good swimmers. While T wasn't very excited about still being in swimming lessons I think he understands why it's important that he keep working on his skills.

M, on the other hand was ecstatic that her and T are now in the same level. She's come a long way from her first few years of crying on the side of the pool and repeating the same level several times.
H, had a morning that was just short of a train wreck. Last session, H "graduated" from parent/child lessons to preschool lessons. I was a little concerned about this considering most kids in the preschool lessons are 3 and up and by that time, have a slightly more engaged attention span. But I talked to the director who ensured me that they'd work with us and if H wasn't ready they'd give us a credit to try next session.

Getting ready to swim without mom. For the first time. I'm not sure who was more nervous, him or I.

H was initially very excited about going swimming and having his own teacher. But he didn't really like that his teacher had a lot of things to tell him (and the other four kids) before getting into the water. They finally entered the water. Using the ladder. H had never done that before so was thrown off and climbed right out and ran over. J and I spent most of the 30 minute class trying to re-direct H to his teacher, his classmates and what he was supposed to be doing, but he wasn't as interested as we'd hoped.

Listening to the teacher. He had already gotten up and come over to me three times before I took this picture.

Having fun in the very, very shallow section. But lost interest soon after this picture was taken and decided it would be more fun to play with the ropes on the side of the pool.

I'm sure we provided some fun entertainment to the other parents watching on the pool deck as I waddled out of my chair several times or J and I sat squatting next to the pool for minutes at a time, hoping, praying, that he would just stay put with class and follow suit. But he didn't. Not this week at least. I'm reminding myself that he's only 2, and the others in the class are 3 and 4. And there is no really no comparison between H and these other kids in my book, he is himself. A busy, constantly moving, intensely curious boy.

So next week is week number two and I'm completely torn on what to do, do we call the director and throw in the towel, planning on trying again come January? Or do we stick out another week and see if things click better next week?

And please tell me, these are the same issues Michael Phelps had when he was 2, right? I'm kind of counting on that Wheaties box.