She had her first "all-by-herself" swim lesson.
Okay, that's an overstatement.
Back story: Last June I did a mom-and-me swim lesson with Natalie at the indoor community pool. We both got "suited up" in the locker room, spent 30 minutes in the pool splashing and singing songs, and then made our way back through the locker room - five days a week for two weeks.
For this round of lessons, Natalie will be "solo" in the pool ... with an instructor and three other little swimmers. Except, remember I said, "overstatement" ... well, Natalie didn't actually get in the pool. She sat on the side with her feet in but refused to join the lesson. Because ... her toe hurt. That was her reason for missing out on this fun experience. (See the instructor and the two happy swimmers ... and Natalie planted on the side.)
The big toe on her left foot has a tiny scrape just above the nail. Not sure the age of this wound, but she apparently re-injured it just before leaving for lessons. We tried adding a band-aid to the toe, which only made matters worse. She treated that band-aid like a cast - hobbling around like she needed a cane or something. I swear an on-looker probably thought her toe (or perhaps her entire foot) was broken!
We insisted that Natalie stay for the entire lesson. I gave her a choice of sitting on the side (like a grouch) and watching the other kids and listening to the teacher ... or ... getting in the water and having a good time and learning how to be a good swimmer. She went with option A for the entire thirty minutes.
Chad and I watched from nearby lounge chairs and shook our heads and tried to figure out how something so seemingly insignificant could keep her from enjoying the pool - she loves the pool! We also wonder if this was just a one-time detour down "that kid" road or if we'll be traveling there again tonight ... and for the remaining seven lessons.
Natalie then burst into tears, had a meltdown, called for her "moooommmmmy," and requested her binky just before the lesson was over. We left the pool without even saying good bye to the teacher. Not good!
At least CPV (with a new haircut) and CJV (with her baby mohawk) were looking pretty darn cute!
9 comments:
At first glance of the initials I thought CJV got a haircut and I was thinking, WOW, NHV didn't get a haircut forever and CJV already got one??? Then looked at the pic and it all came together.
Sorry lessons didn't go as planned. Frustrating when they get so fixated on something that seems so insignificant to us. Sometimes I wish I could climb into B's brain to understand the thought process - avoidance, true fixation, manipulation? Here's hoping tonight is better. Maybe momma and CJV need to hit up Starbucks instead of the pool, or call Auntie Laurie or both?
Sorry to hear that. I really hope tonights session will go much better. XOXO
Oh, no! I hope that she cooperates tonight!
awww bless her heart momma that toe really hurt lol.. and lovin themohawk on little one
Bummer. Hopefully she does better tonight.
it must be a "3yo" thing. Sam has been testing me & Randizzle ALL WEEK! UGH! Hope she "dives in" soon!
Oh my dear, let me share with you! My 3 year old is on a developmental swim team (yes training them for the swim team 2 years out, truth be told i wa cheaper this route than lessons somewhere else)
My son pulled that on day, the sitting on the side, I told him he couldn't wear his swim team shirt that week so what did he do... My fully potty trained child pee'd on the pool deck! Yes, I have THAT child!
Hope she gets in tonight, I am sure she will have a blast!
I am sorry about that. Its tough...but keep taking her.
My daughter was "that kid" at her no-parent swim class last winter, but she didn't sit quietly on the edge, she cried for me from the steps. It KILLED me but I made her sit there until class was dismissed.
Because of this, I thought she'd always hate the water. But this summer, she finally learned that she can go under and still see when she is wearing her goggles, and now she is a freaking fish.
Anyway, I digressed, but I couldn't not comment because I could have written your post (minus the band-aid and adding some crying!) :-)
Your girls are gorgeous!
Post a Comment