We started this blog a few years ago to try to get our followers to share their Love and Life moments with us. This week I have one to share with our followers. Breaking from tradition because normally I feel like Facebook and blogs are reserved for bragging about our children, I have to admit that this loud, obnoxious, extravert, has a total introvert which I find difficult to comprehend. Rebecca is gorgeous and lovely (two things I most certainly am not), but she is so quiet, that after 6 weeks of swim lessons, her instructor asked me if she spoke. So I've said it, my daughter is 5 and can't swim yet. I see a lot of people posting swimming certificates and awards, but I think I failed her as I didn't start her as a baby, but it's too late to change that now, and more importantly, she loves going.
About three weeks ago, after Rebecca had been progressing at swimming, she got water up her nose in an underwater hoola hoop drill. There were tears (mostly hers, but maybe a couple of mine) and defiance that she didn't want to go under water ever again. That one small episode has caused two consecutive weeks of tears before and during lessons about going under the hoola hoop. Yesterday, we reached crisis point where I resorted to bribery by the pool side. I said, as she was crying, "if you go under the hoola hoop, you can have both cake and ice cream for dessert tonight". Clearly not my proudest moment, and it totally didn't work so I figured she must be terrified. I quickly came to my senses and told her of course she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. The swimming lesson is for her to learn at her pace and when she's ready she'll do it again.
As I returned to the sidelines, it was the dreaded time of the lesson to move to "the big pool" where she can't touch the bottom. I felt sick. There was tension in the air. The other parents were afraid to make eye contact with me as they could see I was a bit emotional. To my utter shock and amazement, she jumped in and went completely under the water. Not once. Not twice. But three times. I don't know if the tears in my eyes were from Finn's cheers from the sideline, sheer relief, pride, or happiness from seeing her little face come out of the pool full of her own pride. Most likely, its a combination of all of them. It just amazes me how in a matter of minutes, life with kids can change from challenge to triumph.
We'd love to hear from you and one of your Love and Life moments when life doesn't feel so perfect, but then as it turns out, it is. By the way, she did only get cake, no ice cream - mean mommy!
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