Our Tadpole

At the very beginning of spring we signed Kaeley up for our city's swimming class. She had never done this before. We've never even stepped inside the pool before. She's been excited for months about this class. On Saturday I told her the class started on Monday. She gasped and told me that she didn't want to go, because she was afraid. She was just sure she was going to sink and no one was going to find her beneath the waves.

I didn't mind if she was scared, but we were going to the class whether she wanted to or not. She could sit on the side of the pool or on dry land at the side, but she had to go. This was in the back of mind; I didn't come right out and tell her she was just out of luck.

Well, thank goodness, she prayed about it, Brad talked about it with her, and I encouraged her until this morning when I told her we had to quickly eat breakfast in time she shimmied down the ladder with excitement. She was thrilled she was starting "school". She asked me if she could call it that, because any time you learn something new it's called "school". By the time we left an hour and a half later she was so loud with excitement I was wishing I had a signed up for a much later class. That was stressful! Oh my goodness, she was bouncing off the walls!

I waited with her at the entrance of the building as the teacher explained what was expected of the parents. When the little tutorial was over with Kaeley made sure I understood I was not allowed onto the pool deck with her, that I was to wave to her from the roof top (where the parents are allowed to wait, and she would meet me later. I was lucky to get the good-bye kiss that I did!

But I'm so proud of her when she bravely goes forth to discover new people and experiences. I would have never guessed from her quiet and seriousness as a baby that she would march into new places without a thought to me. I guess she feels pretty darn secure. I'm very thankful. I was so proud of her today!

When class was over she couldn't wait to go home and swim in our big pool. She was just sure that she now knew how to swim. Well, the water in our pool was too cold for me, so I sat at the steps. Kaeley made it up to her waist before deciding that was plenty for her. She would say, "Okay, Mommy, I'm going to swim to the other side of the pool." I offered her my hand a couple of times, but she always politely refused saying, "No thanks. I know how to swim." She would perch herself on the very edge of the stair, prance a bit as she inched her way forward, and then finally fling herself to the edge of the pool a foot away. Then she'd beam at me and say, "See? I can swim!"

I got a good couple of laughs watching her "swim" today. I thought of Toy Story when Buzz insists he's flying and Woody claims it's "falling with style".

Not bad for a first day.