The Gym

The kids started swimming lessons at the end of July.  They go every Saturday morning, and then they usually stay and swim a little after.  Michael also takes them during the week while I'm at work.  They usually go swimming on Tuesday nights and then sometimes they go other nights as well.  It's good exercise and it reinforces what they are learning.  Plus, it's just fun and it's something special that they get to do with Boppa.

But since they usually go while I'm at work, I don't get to see the progress they are making.  I happened to be off on a Thursday earlier this month, so we went to the gym so they could show off. :)

I got a picture while I was at MOMCON of Olivia climbing the rock wall.  She had wanted to do it for a while, but there are limited hours.  She finally got a chance and she loves it and wants to do it every time they go to the gym.

That is a look of pure joy, because previous to this night she had only climbed as high as the turtle (where her right foot is).  She was so proud of herself for moving past that!

She likes the "fall" down too, so she might have given up early a few times just to fall. ;)

I just kept calling out other animals I wanted her to try to get to.  One of our Bible lessons for school was "I don't quit.  I persevere."  I said the first part to her to encourage her.  She finished the quote and it pumped her up! She got to this point (or just past it) a few times.  I think she shocked everyone--including herself.  But she was so proud!

We went from the rock wall to swimming.

Olivia has been dying to show me how well she's doing.

And I wanted to get a few videos for their grandma

I had heard so many good things about a local swim school--but it was so expensive.  I heard some not so great things about taking lessons through the Rec, so I wanted to avoid that.  I hadn't heard too much about the gym, so I just wasn't sure how it would go.  It was the cheapest option out there for us, and it is the most convenient so we went for it.  I have to say, we have been so, so impressed and pleased with the progress our kids have made.  It has been the absolute best choice for us and for them!

Olivia's confidence has grown by leaps and bounds and she's no longer scared of the water.  Her progress has been slow and steady, and this past weekend she passed the 8 points she needed to. She moved up to the next class!

Logan is apparently the star of his class.  I'm not even lying when I say that when he started swim lessons 3 months ago, he had only been in the pool a handful of times and it was all the month or two right before that.  We just never had much opportunity the first two years of his life.  The teacher uses him as the example for every class and all of the other parents are just in awe and impressed.  I guess he's just a natural.  They've been talking about moving him to the 3 year old class (with no parent in the water) for awhile now.  The only thing that was holding him back was that he hates to float on his back.  Hates. It.  But after this last month's assessment they decided to move him on.  So even though he won't be 3 for 3 more months, they are going to move him on.

I'm so thankful that Michael's job pays for his membership to the gym, and that we are able to use it to help our kids grow and learn new things.