my last ISR post...until next summer when we go back.

Swimming lasted 5 weeks for us.  We were done at the end of June.  Oh my.  I think this program is AMAZING.  (And when I say amazing I mean like - AMAZING!!!)

We've had such a wonderful summer and I believe ISR played a huge part in that.  Before we started, I was waking up in a panic because I was worried about the kids and the pool in the backyard.  After lessons, it was like a huge weight had been lifted.  Our first time in the pool with the 5 of us, we actually had FUN in the water.  I don't think I've had fun in the water since Eddie was born.

Eddie went from not wanting to get his face wet to a little fish.  Seriously, that kid is all over the pool.  Mr. Michael told him that he could swim in any depth of water because he just needed to float on the top.  Ed took that to heart!  That boy is always up for swimming.  He actually mastered all his skills in 4 weeks, so the last week, Mr. Michael taught him elementary backstroke (or monkey, airplane, soldier as Ed calls it), how to get dive toys and how to snorkel!

Dani didn't like the water at the start and I wouldn't say that she loves it now, but she enjoys playing by the steps and in the shallow area.  She does float as soon as she gets in the water and will swim with/to us, but without prompting, she will stick close to the edge.  When you ask her what you do if you fall in the water, she responds with, 'you float'.  (she has the cutest little voice)  Often when walking by the pool with her aunts, she will walk between the pool and them.  So they don't fall in. :)

 

Eleanor...well, she didn't have a lot of water time before lessons.  She cried everyday of lessons - but started to crack smiles on the LAST DAY!  In the last month she has been enjoying the water a lot more.  She loves to splash and does great when it is time to float.  Her favorite is to actually be out of the pool and drop in dive toys for Eddie to get.

 Mr. Michael gave the kids tattoos...they were quite excited and showed them off a lot.  Like, to everyone they met & in front of church.

During the last week of swimming Mark went in the water too.

He learned how to reinforce what the kids were taught and a lot of water/pool safety.  We felt ready for the summer.

Look who is smiling while in the water!!

Looking forward to our refresher lessons for Eddie and Dani and Ellie learning to swim to the side next summer!!

the ladies' turn...

Monday the girls went swimming in their summer clothing

...and Tuesday was their full winter gear!

(or for El, a coat, 2 pairs of pants, along with hat, mittens & boots that we learned are all a tad too small!  She has been busy growing!!)

ISR swimming - girls in winter gear - 6.25.13 from jniferjoy on Vimeo.

They both did AWESOME!

So proud of them!!!

I asked Dani what it was like to swim in her snow suit.

Her answer:

"it feels like purple!"

ummmm. Okay! :)

Eddie's SUPER silly swim day...

aka : swimming in FULL winter gear!

 on Tuesday Eddie went in with his hat, coat, mittens, snowpants and boots

after wringing everything out and putting it in a trash bag for the ride home we realized it had to weigh at least 25lbs with the water still in it!!

Ed said floating was easy and that his mittens bothered him the most.

SO PROUD of him!

Swimming - Week Three

Week Three Highlights

Eleanor

• doing SO well!!  
• will still get caught up on her leg at times - but is able to get it over while floating on her back
• had her first experiences 'falling' into the pool.  Went into the water & came right up on her back floating!  AMAZING!!!!
• still cries through her lesson...but she flips to her float! :)
• Michael said next week may be her last week!!  We'll see how next week goes - but she's floating!  (next year she'll learn the float & flip to swim that the other kids are doing now)

Eddie

• LOVES SWIMMING!
• floating and swimming - doing awesome!
• worked on swimming to the side of the pool and pulling himself up and out.
• had his first experiences of being dropped into the water in different positions - and came up floating and TOTALLY CALM each time!!  He even had one where he was flipped into the water & came up with a smile!!  My heart was in my throat & I was SHOCKED!  I can only imagine the screaming and panic that would have taken place just a few weeks ago!  
• has been enjoying floating and does his own mini version of the backstroke to get around
• wanted me to buy him a swim shirt so he could be like Mr. Michael
• Monday he is swimming in his summer clothing and maybe Tuesday will be his winter gear!!  Going to have to get his snow pants and boots out of storage!

Dani

• LOVES SWIMMING!  (we go after nap time & today when she asked if it was time to get ready for swimming & I said no - she said, 'awwwwwwe', in her super disappointed voice)
• our speedy little swimmer.  When she gets moving, her head pops up out of the water!  
• doing awesome with her floating and flips - they are smoother and less awkward than the ones she did last week
• sometimes she will try to just tip her head back instead of floating onto her back so she ends up vertical instead of horizontal...sounds like breaking that new habit will be part of next week!

 (this is her goofy float...that really isn't floating)

• working on swimming to the wall 
• still finds it hilarious when she gets people wet with her big kicks
• worked on her 'pops' into the water from the side of the pool - doesn't phase her a bit, she swims to the bar or Micheal's hand - total calm.  It's AMAZING!!

(can you tell I am LOVING these lessons??!?!?)

Swimming - Week Two

Week Two Highlights

Eleanor

• changed to being 1st in the pool instead of last.  Before she would watch her brother and sister swim and cry more and more as it got to her turn.  Going first is helping her be a little less worked up when she get in (still cries...but now she isn't whimpering for 20 min :)
• while she doesn't love lessons, her actions are showing that she is getting more comfortable.  She is no longer thrashing as much and waving her hands as much in the water
• her shoulders and hips are turning in the same direction.  This is HUGE!  Last week her shoulders went one way and her hips the other.  She isn't fighting herself anymore
• she is twisting herself around in the water...AWESOME!!! 
• still gives me the stink eye that breaks my heart.  As much as I want to 'rescue' her - her lessons are just too important.  Totally falls into the 'I'm doing this for your own good' category and 'you'll thank me later'.  A few phrases I remember thinking I'd NEVER use once I had kids.  Oooo! I also heard 'you're building character'.  I've already used that one on Ed. :)

 Eddie

• can we say SIT DIVE?!?  He is so unbelievably proud of himself for this one!!  
• Last week he was doing floating-flipping-swimming, this week it was diving-swimming-floating-flipping-swimming!!!  He swam almost the entire length of the pool!
• LOVES swimming.  (We even have been playing swimming at home...see below :)

 

 Dani

•  last week was floating and swimming...this week...FLIPPING!!  She is now working on her float-FLIP-swim
• finds it hilarious when her splashes get Mr. Michael wet
• She also LOVES swimming and has been disappointed when we haven't been able to go this weekend

 ---------------------------

Eddie and Dani were also super excited to show off their skills to Grandpa & Grandma on Friday.

 And as the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest for of flattery...

Grandpa asked Eddie if he can walk on water yet.  

Eddie said 'no...but Mr. Michael can'.

floating lessons...

the kids took along some dive toys on Friday

after their lesson, they were showing them to Mr. Michael 

& Eddie asked if he could show how Superman could swim.

of course Superman started to sink.

Mr. Michael then gave Superman floating lessons...

next up was Ariel...

you'd think for a mermaid she'd do better...Superman's cape really helped him out!

It was SO much fun to see the kids progress last week.

We are so proud of them...but more importantly, they are proud of themselves.

ISR lessons

So my parents have a pool.

Most people say, 'how awesome!' when they hear that.

I thought that too...until we started to have kids.  

Then it struck fear deep in my core.

When we first talked about moving in for awhile between houses, I started to wake up with panic attacks in the middle of the night.  They would often end with me waking up Mark to calm me down and pray.  (he usually didn't remember this in the morning...but I really appreciate how kind he is after I shake him awake)

After moving in, they kept happening. 

We have special locks on all the doors that go to the pool, don't allow the kids on the pool deck alone and are trying to teach the proper respect, but......my plan of keeping them away from all water just isn't possible.

When my Aunt Jenny posted some swimming lessons on our family FB page, I looked into them.

And signed all three kids up.

Oh my.  We are one week in and I am AMAZED!!!

Amazed in the program & AMAZED at our instructor.

Okay - on MONDAY none of them could swim.  

Eddie was the best in the water...but...I wouldn't call him a swimmer.

By FRIDAY they could do this:

OH MY!!!!

Mark and I are beyond proud of them all!!!

The program is ISR (Infant Swim Resource).
And our awesome instructor is Michael Petrella.

I can not believe what he taught in a week.

This doesn't mean that we are any less vigilant by the water and that I no longer worry, but I am sleeping through the night again.

We are SO excited to see what they learn in the next few weeks!!

(If you can't tell...I HIGHLY recommend this & am SO glad we are doing this.)

And because I am so proud...a few more pictures.

gotta love the STINK EYE she gives me during lessons ;)