No Volume Control

Both Ellie and Kat got to enjoy the last few months learning how to swim.   Last night was the final night for this session.  The next session starts in January.

I'm so very proud of both of them.

Let's start with Kat.  When she started the swimming lessons, she was very nervous around the water. She would enjoy going into pools, but only liked areas where her feet could touch.  Going down slides into even shallow water was questionable if there was a chance her head would touch the water.  After enjoying a big pool visit we rarely had to dry her hair because it just wouldn't touch the water.
Going into these lessons was a big step for her because she knew her boundaries would be tested and she would be pushed to try new things.  And she did great.  She trusted her coach - which wasn't hard for Kat to do - and she tried very hard in everything she did.  Her coach was very proud of her as well.  And by the end, she was dunking her head, opening her eyes under water, getting things off the bottom of the pool. She was jumping off the side into chest deep water, jumping into deeper water with a PFD.  And she was trying really hard with the floating and kicking. 

From her report card :

Katryne did a really good job this session. She always worked hard and tried her best.  Katryne needs to work on feeling comfortable with her face in the water so she can kick on her front.  Keep up the hard work.

 Technically she didn't graduated from the level she was in, but it doesn't really matter because w
e had already made the decision to keep Kat in the same level. 

Now Ellie.  She was in a level that was probably very easy for her, but because it was her first lesson and she was in the preschool group, she technically couldn't get into a higher level until we had her tested, but knowing she was moving up to the age 6+ levels in January, we figured this round it was more important to get her into a convenient class and to get her use to the whole water / coach thing.   So she was the oldest in her class, and the bravest in her class, but it was fine.  She had a great time, and she did learn alot of things  (and I think it helped alot of her classmates as well).  She went into the class loving the water, and wanting to learn how to swim, so it wasn't that hard for her to get comfortable in the water. 

From her report card :

Great Job Elyse!  Your floats on your front and back were awesome! Keep up the great work!  I hope to see you soon!

Last night was a "fun swim".  They turned on the waves and let the kids float on boards on the waves. And played games.  Kat survived the waves right in the deepest end.  And Ellie jumped off the diving board into the deep end (Twice!) - without being caught at the bottom.  She loved it, and would've done it a few more times if her coach would have let her.

So in January - on Ellie's birthday - they start up again.  Ellie and Kat in Swimming level 1 (Beginner), and Dany in Preschool A.  Should be fun!! :)