Update on the Kids

Swimming Lessons....
The girls have been taking swim lessons for about 10 weeks now. Lacey has taken group lessons in the past without much success. I’m not sure how much of this was due to her being shy or her being able to see us there or what. I had been trying to find someone to come to dad’s house to teach them – thinking that in a familiar place, it would work better. I had no luck with that – after looking around since last year. Then a friend told me about Kids First Swim Schools. The closest one is 45 minutes away. They can do private & semi-private lessons. We love it. The pool water and air temperature are 90 degrees. Parents watch from behind a window (that the kids can’t see through). Both girls are doing really well with getting used to water in their face, learning to float, etc. We’re going to keep them in lessons through July, then we’ll likely stop for this year.

Last Sunday, they got into Dad’s pool for the first time this year & they loved it. Leah still can’t touch the bottom of the shallow end, so she needs a float or someone holding her. But, she’s all about jumping in. Lacey was floating all around the deep end with a ring on….no fear. They both were doing great with getting their faces wet or going under.

At swim lessons last weekend, Lacey started putting her head under for 5 seconds. That’s one of the things that she has to do to go to the next level. She did it over & over. It’s so awesome to see her confidence grow. After they spend about 20 minutes in the (very) shallow end (which is maybe 3 feet), they go to the deep end (5 feet or so). Miss Holly has 1 of them sit on the side while she works with the other one practicing supported swimming. On Saturday, Leah fell in. Scared me to death. Holly was with Lacey and didn’t see her at first, but then grabbed her & pulled her up. Leah didn’t cough, cry or anything. And, when it was her turn to get back in, she did without any problem.

Our lessons have been on Saturday afternoons and it makes for a crazy day. We are in La Plata at 10:00 for Leah’s dance/gymnastics class; then drive an hour from there to Bowie for swimming. We’re gone from the house for 5 hours. Starting in the summer, their lessons will be on Thursday mornings and I’ll be happy to have our Saturdays back!
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Dance/Gymnastics....
Leah still loves her dance/gymnastics class. Their teacher has taught them a little ballet routine and next weekend, they are supposed to perform it for the parents. I’m thinking that might be an experience! Leah does it fairly consistently, but she prefers for Butch or me to be right with her. The other little ones do their own thing for the most part. Gymnastics is her favorite part, I think. She’s such a little monkey. Last week, she did amazing with all of it. She did the dance everything she was supposed to, did everything Miss Kristen had them do, then did everything (really well) in gymnastics.

Lacey’s recital is coming up at the end of June. I’m hopeful that she’ll actually dance in the recital this year. Last year, she wouldn’t even do the dance or any of the practice drills in front of us when Miss Nisha would call the parents in to watch. This year, she has done it every time we’ve been invited in. She still tells me that she doesn’t want to dance in front of anyone, so who knows what the recital will bring!! She’s told me she doesn’t want to dance next year, but she does want to do gymnastics. If she still feels that way after the recital, I won’t push her….she can do whatever she wants to do. But, it will be hard to let her quit since I can tell she enjoys it. So You Think You Can Dance is one of her favorite shows….party because she dances along with them while watching.
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School...
Lacey’s last week of pre-K is this week. I can’t believe the school year is done already. I had a conference with the teacher last week & he was very complimentary of her. He said she is a role model for others in class and called her a “high flyer”. You know that makes me proud.

Next year, she’ll be in full day kindergarten. We’re hoping to be able to avoid paying for before and after care. If she stayed where she is, it would be $100 a week and she’d only be there for an hour in the morning and 40 min. in the evening. Butch can get her off the bus every day. And, since I work at home 2x a week, I can get her on those days. Unless I find someone in the neighborhood, I guess I’ll have to work later hours and head in after getting her on the bus.