Swim Day 2

Our El, the little swimmer. we had our second lesson today. We practiced getting out of the pool; elbow, elbow, knee, knee, and "monkey climbing" along side the edge of the pool. The kids are learning water safety, how to get out and if they can not get out, how to get to someplace where they can get out. It was fun. At the end of class, our instructor invited all the students that had been in the class before (2 of them) to have their kids go underwater, he left it open for the rest of us (5) and said next week everyone would be going underwater. Well, to make a long story a little shorter... if everyone let their kid jump off a cliff, I guess I would, too.

One by one, all the other parents let their kid go underwater. So, of course, when he came to us, I passed El to the instructor and he counted, 1 - 2 - 3 and El was pushed sideways underwater where an eternity later (in my estimation), she popped back up in my arms (The instructor basically pushed her under to me, never letting go). Her mouth was opened the entire time (it usually is) and when she came up, I could hear the water go all the way down to her tummy. She sputtered a little and then... was OK. She really was. No tears, no screeching, she did cling to me and I reassured her, but she did it! Jeff and I were so proud!!!

We all got out of the pool and I wrapped her up nice and tight in her warm towel. Jeff took some footage of her and after I praise her for underwater swimming, she growls. She has been doing that lately, if she isn't super happy about something, she tenses up her little body and growls from the pit of her stomach. I know it is a mad type of thing, but darn it all if it isn't the cutest thing... sorry, El. Also, it sound a little like Katy growling, another dog thing El is learning... got to get around more humans!

The video is of the interview when we got out of the pool. Jeff didn't know El was going to swim, so he didn't video tape the event, but, as you can see, even immediately after the event, El is not sure about things.