My Sweethearts

(The last one is a new alpaca at the Museum of Life and Science, whom I have lovingly named Tina Turner. She is my best friend.)

Swim Lessons, Pike Edition, Class One

I signed Sam up for swimming lessons at the Chapel Hill Y. Now that he's a BIG BOY (read: 3yo), he participates in a group with a teacher, and Mommy is relegated to the sidelines. Sam has had two sets of swim lessons in his short life, and it is safe to say he is a bit cautious when it comes to large bodies of water, as he is with most things (except for large dogs, which he thinks are nicer than little dogs).

I honestly didn't let myself have any expectations, but after the hour unfolded, I would say it went about as I would have expected. Sam showed equal amounts fear and bravery, gravity and levity. He cried three times, refused to do two of the drills, but he also gave the teacher vigorous high fives, giggled hysterically any time he got splashed, performed a water rescue on both a giraffe and a zebra, and did his best to buck up when I reminded him that we were going to Foster's Market for a special treat should we both survive the lesson.

He and I are both committed to him learning how to swim -- me for obvious safety reasons, him because he is desperate to go down the water slide at the pool this summer. Honestly, I'm super proud of him. He was quite anxious but really showed some heart and stuck with it. Here's hoping I can get him pumped up to return for lesson number two.


A rocky start.


Hey, kid screaming next to Sam, you're NOT helping.


Putting on a brave face.


Kicking like a pro.


Look at that form!


Making a train! This was his favorite part.


The train went down the whole length of the pool!