Last Summer Swim Lessons

Andrew and Ashley like swimming so much, and it's been easy to do swim lessons this year, so I signed them up for a lot. They finished their last two-week session and it was well worth it. 

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Andrew could already swim last summer and spent this summer learning some new strokes, building endurance to swim far, perfecting his double somersault and back flip, being able to retrieve several dive toys in one breathe, floating on his back forever and he even learned to tread in place for a bit. 

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AND now guess who else can swim ALL ALONE-Brave Miss Ashley! Amazing! I don't know exactly how it happened. During her swim lessons in July she could swim several feet but, that's it. Then, just before we started these lessons in August I took them swimming a few times and found out she could could swim the width of the pool, and even several feet further if she was swimming to my arms. And not only that, but, she loved it and wanted to do it over and over again. 

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Here are the cuties bright and early, ready to make the quick ride to lessons up the street. 

Each morning Ashley would jump in the water and tell her teacher she needed to warm up for a minute. Then she'd spend 5 minutes swimming around in circles or she'd climb across the pool wall and swim back to the steps over and over again. When I had my camera she wanted pictures, so I took at least a hundred that look pretty similar to this. She has a great natural stroke and nice hard kicks, and if she'd ever come up for air she could probably swim even farther. Ashley has even gotten better at her back float, which she doesn't like. What scares her in the water is....her brother. If he comes near she either swims faster to get away or comes up screaming in fear!

 Andrew is as comfortable as a fish. 

 Trying to work on the "froggy" stroke

 Perfecting his backflip 

Each of our instructors this year is either entering college or their senior year, so I'm pretty sure none of them will teach again next summer. I sure hope I can find more lessons in a back yard pool nearby! 

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I'm always so impressed and proud of my kids, and swimming is no exception. We've had a wonderful summer of swimming, and I hate to see it end.