She Swims

 

Ever since the first time she went to the Aquatic Center, Eva has been calling the pool "Swimming Lessons."  Last year she climbed on the playground equipment and covered herself with sand and hung on her mommy while Sam completed Level 1 swim lessons there twice.  And this year Eva got to play in the water a few times during family trips and daycare trips.  So when I told her I had signed her up for real swimming lessons, she jumped up and down and clapped and squealed that she was going to go down the big slide at her lessons.  Three years ago I spent many days in the hot sun redirecting Sam to the water when he did pre-school swim lessons, so I wasn't sure what to expect with Eva.  She has never been afraid of the water, but she's also never been in a class of any kind, never been expected to sit in a circle and listen to directions and take turns.  During the last few days every time she told me she was going to go down the slide at swimming lessons I told her she needed to pay attention and listen to her teacher, do what her teacher told her. 

 

Aside from the weird peeing-on-the-cement-while-waiting-for-class-to-start incident, Eva's swimming lessons were unexpectedly delightful.  She sat in the circle on the cement as the instructor told them the rules and they all shared their names.  She followed the children in front of her as they lined up like ducklings along the side of the pool.  She raised her arms and pretended to be a tree as the instructor chopped her down and lifted her in to the water.  And when they gathered in a circle to listen to instructions on the proper way to make scoops out of your hands, Eva stepped in to the middle of the circle and faced the instructor and paid close attention as if she were the only child in the class.  She laughed through the bobs and kicked her legs fast and slow during red light green light and yelled for Sam to watch this watch this watch this as she collected the rings tossed out by Mic The Pirate.  When we got in the car at the end of the evening she was sad it was over because she wanted more lessons and she couldn't believe she had to wait a whole day until she could do it again.  "Did you see me Mommy?  Did you see?  I listened to my teacher.  I was a good listener. I listened to me teacher."