What a Change!

So we started the summer with swimming lessons at Schlitterbahn. I had great hopes of Landry loving the water and thriving as a swimmer. I loved to swim as a kid (and still do) and was excited to share that with him. Also, we were leaving for vacation in 10 days and would have a pool on site and I wanted Landry to be able to get to the side of the pool should he fall in. Well my great hopes quickly turned bleak. We participated in the daily ritual of tears and chasing Landry around the pool area to get him back in his lesson. The chase (walking of course) usually ended with me picking him up and either handing him off to the teacher or throwing him in the pool to the teacher, not to mention me getting soaked. It was definitely a tough love experience. I just prayed that the other onlooking parents were not dialing CPS on their cell phones.



Well, after 7 lessons it was time to head to Florida. Landry was confident swimming with a noodle but still would not put his face in the water. As we swam in Florida he got more confident and by the time we left Papa had convinced him that putting his face is was not too bad. Thanks Papa! Landry was having fun swimming and playing in the pool.



Once back home we were scheduled to take lessons with an icon in town - Ms. Bucky! Bucky Smith has been teaching lessons for 30+ years in a pool that she and her father built by hand in the 60's. Landry was very excited and kept asking when he would get to go to Ms. Bucky's. I on the other hand was reluctant and not looking forward to 2 more weeks of tough love.



Day 1 started as Landry followed the other 4 kids into the pool. They all started playing around and before the lesson ever started he was already putting his face in! Hallellujah - we were off to a great start! In the first hour (day 1) the kids learned the dead man float, how to glide on thir stomachs with their face in the water, kicking, and two different arm movements. I was AMAZED at the things LAndry was trying and doing without any fight or hesitation. By day 3 he was swimming across the pool and getting better everyday. The mom's joked that if al this was happening on day 3, it must be olympic tryouts on day 10! Well, we finished 2 weeks of lessons and never once did Landry complain. In fact, each day he asked when it was time to go to Ms. Bucky's. It was such a great experience for both of us (except for sitting in the 105 degree heat every afternoon!)



Well, here is some video of the things Landry learned. I will try to make the day of the lesson if I can figure it out.



The first video is from Day 3.

This next one is from Day 6.

This is from Day 8 or 9.

Here's the "frog" stroke.

OK - so I could go on and on with videos of my new little fish! I am so proud of him.

When we started swimming lessons he would not jump in without holding on to the edge of getting Ms. Bucky's hand. Look at him now! Not only is he jumping in and doing has favorite - cannon balls, but he learned to dive and has even invented his own Superman dive/jump.

I guess I have used all my luck in getting these videos to load becuase I can't get the jumping or diving videos to work. So for now, thanks for reading and watching. Hopefully I'll get the other videos to load for those that want more.