It's all going swimmingly

You blink and another fortnight passes. Blink twice and Grace has burst our of her four month long swimming regression to chalk off a few widths without batting an eyelid and proudly claiming her first Certificate and badge. Brimming with pride she clutched it to her to chest for most of the day. 

I'll ignore the episode in the pool this week where I hauled her out half way through the class for refusing to let go of my cossy and being generally obstructive... we can't win them all. Avoiding all eye contact with parents in the pool and more on poolside waiting to go in, I'm still torn over whether it was the right thing to do. The ensuing tantrum lasted long enough to make me feel guilty and smart sufficiently for Grace to promise to behave in the pool next week. Little madam.  

Sanity and patience back intact, we've been out to the local village charity event for Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Enjoying the last of the summer sun and a late birthday present from our dear friend Wendy, Grace redeemed herself and I felt human again. 

  

Water Confidence

Back to basics

Grace got off to a great start with confidence in water as we decided to take her to swimming lessons early on in her development. From around 3 months old we joined a swimming class and Grace began to look forward to the weekly dip in the pool but I soon got bored of the commitment to be in a certain place at a certain time and by the time she hit her first birthday we'd stopped going. We did go to the local pool a few times but typically without the impetus of joining a class it dwindled out altogether. By the time we hit Turkey in May this year, she'd lost all her confidence and although she wanted to be in the pool ALL the time, she would not submerge and had no interest in assuming the swim position. Oh-oh!

Eager to get back on track we've signed up for lessons again starting in September and it's my mission between now and then to work with her making water fun. Thanks to the two days of summer we had this week, we made a start with the paddling pool. Thank you mother nature!

The Swim Nappy

To take or not to take, that is the question. When taking Grace to swimming lessons of course she wears one, all mother's dread the swimming pool floaty. But sat here on terra firma preparing the list of things we need to take for Grace on holiday I'm really in two minds.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I wouldn't be mortified if she pooped in the hotel swimming pool - I would. The vision of the sun bed crew glancing over as people run screaming from the pool. I get it.
I just can't decide how many of the little critters to take, and at around 50p a pop (pardon the pun) I don't want to take a mountain load if only a molehill will do.

Decisions, decisions. You'd think I had better things to think about? (and frankly better things to blog about)...

Tips gratefully received.