Swim Lesson Success!!!

I've been really slack about taking pictures this week, but that's just because we've been really busy having lots of fun.  I feel like we've practically lived at the pool this week and it shows.  Not only are we all super tan, but the girls are becoming little fish and they have been so worn out from all the swimming that they've slept until 8 AM everyday this week (such a rare thing in my house for the early risers who are normally up between 6:30-7 AM).  Yesterday I had to wake Harper up after a 3 hour nap just because I was worried she wouldn't go back to sleep that night.  While a lot of our time at the pool has been filled by swimming with friends and enjoying picnic lunches, Handley has also been taking the first 4 of her private swim lesson.  She is taking with the same swim teacher as last year, Mrs. Angie, and is doing SUCH a great job.  I'm so proud of how well she is doing and she's pretty impressed with herself too.  We talked to Gigi, Mimi and Daddy to let them know how well she'd done after her first lesson and she was proud to tell Jen that, "I didn't cry or whine or even freak out at all!"  Ha!  Mrs. Angie agrees that she's come a long way from the scared little girl who didn't want to even put her face in last year.  Today she jumped off the side of the pool and then swam about 10-15 feet alone to the steps.  She's been practicing taking breaths so she can swim further distances, is floating on her back independently and is getting dive toys off the bottom of the pool.

Here's a short video of her swimming yesterday.  You hear someone coughing in the video, but that isn't her. :-)  Also, the video is kind of deceiving because it looks like she can touch the bottom of the pool, but it's too deep for her to reach just yet.  Click HERE to watch.

Harper is not one to be outdone.  When she's not trying to talk me into more snacks, she likes to take her floatie off during Handley's lessons and try to copy everything Handley is doing.  That has resulted in her sinking like a rock a few times, but she could care less and is ready to try to "swim" again and again.

Today was Handley's first ballet class of the summer and she had so much fun.  I was happy to get to peak in and see her dancing away with the biggest smile on her face!

She's also said a few really sweet things this week that I don't want to forget.  One evening as she heard the garage door opening (meaning Robby was home) she and Harper were jumping up and down with excitement to see him.  Handley then told me, "My heart is love full for Daddy." (meant "full of love")

Then, today while we were eating lunch she said she said, "Mommy, I have a great idea.  When I'm a grown up I could be your neighbor on one side and Harper could be your neighbor on the other side."  I couldn't think of a better idea and I'm hoping she'll still think that when she is a grown up. :-)