Hi. My Name is Michael, swimmer!

Hello. We can swim. (We is Michael). We have had the honor of being taught by the best in Tyler. Her name is Ms. Laurie and we love her. We started swimming lessons last Monday. The lesson was about 40 minutes and all of it was spent screaming (mom and kids) and chasing children. (Thank you to Ms. Amanda for helping hunt down the big one...)

So we started out by screaming and crying. (Because obviously this specific pool was full of ACID...it must of been. Just putting our feet in the pool HURT!!!) About half way through (after returning Katelynn to the pool AGAIN), Ms. Laurie suggested that I be G-O-N-E (spelled out) to the sun room so I could watch this spectacle without being seen and she could get the bad kids (my words not her's), a.k.a. Lewis kids, to pay attention.

About 5 minutes into my absence (told the kids I had to go to the bathroom) another mother came in. We noticed that Michael was starting to run from the lesson around the pool. Ms. Amanda was following patiently requesting Michael return to the lesson. And although this was entertaining, Ms. Laurie requested my return to get the bad kid (my words not her's), a.k.a. Michael, back to the pool. I did it (in my mad Wal-Mart mom voice and arm grab). I really apologized to Ms. Laurie for wasting her time. She promised that this was okay.  After 20 years of teaching, she was willing to stick it out with the Lewis kids and was confident we would make it through.

Whew, on to Tuesday. The "good" news is that Katelynn could not go to swimming lessons so it was just Michael. Only Bear was there, so it was was just the two of them. And we didn't cry. And we didn't run screaming from the pool. And wait, yep, I just checked. I brought the right kid from the day care to swimming lessons. FACE IN WATER and NO TEARS. Did I mention that Ms. Laurie was amazing?

Wednesday - rain. Thursday - rain. Nervous mother that all our progress had gone to waste. My garden loved the rain, but I was not sure about us "bouncing" back and being ready for swimming lessons again.

Friday - sunny day and swimming lessons. I picked them up from school and they both went potty. (This is the key to Friday). We get to Ms. Laurie's lessons. After the long drive there - 10 mintues - we have to potty again....and again....and again... So, sister went 6 times in 15 mintues.  I think she may have figured out a way out of the lesson. Humph....what to do. I had to ask myself - do I let her be that kid that potty's in a stranger's pool out of principle? -Well, chasing her to the bathroom and nearly falling on the concrete was my natural (mature) reaction to this. And yelling really made it all better..... *Proud mother moment*.

Michael picked back up (after a bit of reassurance from Ms. Laurie). Katelynn, well, she is really pretty. And a tan is better than knowing how to swim when you are 18, so she is just ahead of the curve. Tan now, swim later!

Reschedule for missed days - Monday and Tuesday this week. Michael figured out that goggles help. Likes them. Our awesome dad bought both kids goggles. Michael is pretty much swimming. The only threats were when Ms. Laurie wanted him to jump of the side. We are not really sure about this. I mean, she has not let us drown yet, but what if she was saving it for when we jump of the side. You never know and always have to be on your guard.... (that's the best I can come up with for why this is such a challenge).

Sister, sweet sister, is still hanging on to the bathroom excuse and using it to her advantage. But - being the awesome mom I am - I am not buying it today. No, you don't have to go potty multiple times in 10 minutes. I don't care if you are SCREAMING "I am going to poo-poo every where". Do it, I dare you!! *Proud mother moment*. We finished the day - no poo-poo. Michael doing even better and Katelynn alive.

Today. Yes Today - what a difference a day makes. Have I told you how awesome Ms. Laurie is? We have Little Man jumping off the side and swimming to the steps. Jumping off the deep end (by the diving board) and after Ms. Laurie catches and reassures - swimming to the ladder. My SON. Michael Lewis. Swimming. AWESOME! (Sister did not die this week from getting her face wet - we are making progress).

After Friday, I asked Ms. Laurie about additional lessons. For Michael she could see the benefit. For Katelynn she did not see the benefit. But, we love Ms. Laurie. (Michael's favorite teacher today).

Hi. My name is Tiffany. My son Michael can swim after 5 days with Ms. Laurie and Katelynn can get her face wet without a mental breakdown.