The Incredible Mr. Limpet

Today I was a very proud mother.  Brady has been taking swimming lessons. He swims once a week for thirty minutes.  Last week there was a break from swim lessons. He asked me everyday about twenty times a day, "Mommy am I going to swim lessons today?"  After his first lesson he yelled out in front of everyone "I am never coming back here again!"  He hated it so much. He cried for days after the first lesson.  He made sure he told everyone he saw for the next week that he doesn't like to go under water.  But I had him signed up for a 7 week course. So the next week we went back.  I unbuckled him from his seat and he literally got him self wedged under the seat and I had to pry him out of the car and get him into the pool area.  Then he proceeded to run like mad around the pool and no one could catch him.  The instructors insisted I keep bringing him.  I thought they were all crazy.  But I did as they said and each week we went back.

I was a competitive swimmer and I want my boys to be good strong swimmers.  We have a pool and live close to the beach. I want them to be good swimmers for their safety and also because it is fun.  Well Brady was not having any fun at first, but then something magical happened.  Miss Alicia took him under her wings and started working with him.  I later found out that Miss Alicia works with the kids that do not want to go in the pool and she also works with the handicap.  She is the director so she doesn't do group classes, so we lucked out that she choose Brady to work with. The next thing I knew Brady was telling everyone he loved swim lessons.  Now when we get to the pool he runs (even though I yell at him the entire time to walk in the pool area).  He gets his shoes and shirt off faster than I can find a seat and he is in the pool and at the end of the session he refuses to get out of the pool.

I was amazed today when his teacher let him go and he swam across the pool! He looked like a pro. Kicking and full strokes with his arms and face in the water.  My eyes filled up with tears I was so proud of him.  On that note Shea's eyes were filled with tears. He started swimming lessons today too.  He screamed his head off, but Miss Alicia worked her magic.  I'm sure next week I'll be prying him out from under his seat in the car, but hopefully he will love it as much as his brother in just a few weeks.

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Today I went to the beach for a run.  While I was there I wanted to stop by the surf shop to pick up a copy of Stand Up Paddler magazine.  I am not a SUP, but I follow Lori's blog and her husband took the photo that is on the cover and her daughter-in-love is in the picture.  I wanted to show my support and also I thought it would be a fun magazine to have in our new guest room.

But it was closed...

How funny is that sign?  No the surf was not up, they just happen to be closed on Tuesdays.

I also ran by this guy sleeping on a bench.  I ran past him four times and he didn't move once. He had on a cowboy hat and I thought it would be a perfect picture for the prompt "In the Sun" for this week's Scavenger Hunt Sunday.  I really wanted to take the picture, but I was a chicken. I was all sweaty and gross from my run and now I had a camera to make myself stand out more.  It would be totally obvious I was taking a picture of a guy sleeping on a bench and I'm sure that would have been strange to the dozens of people standing around. I could hear Debbie in my ear saying just take the picture Andee!  I couldn't do it, but as I crossed the street I turned back and took the picture.

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After dinner we went to the park.  The boys are finally at the age where we can sit on the bench and they just run off and play. They don't need help anymore and it is amazing to watch them from a distance just being themselves.

Notice Tiny in the blue car and Brady in the red car.

Clearly he is plotting something.

What a nice red car.

Victory!

Okay so maybe we can't always sit on the bench.  Freddy kept the boys playing nice and held Brady's alpaca toys for him.

This post is being shared on This or That Thursday debduty.com