Kay-yee...High Five!

Ready for a swim!

Several months ago Lily and I started taking Mommy and Me swim classes at the Y. Lily really loves being in the water. It seems that not only is Lily part flamingo she also has a little bit of fish in her, too! In January, I enrolled the two of us in a Mommy and Me class at a local swim school. The pool and the pool room are heated to 90 degrees so no more purple lips and chattering teeth!

On Tuesday, Patti (aka Aunt Pappyrazzi) came with us to swim class and took a ton of pictures...87 in total! Don't worry...not all of them are in the slide show below....only my 25 favorite! I'm not sure what Patti did to my camera but somehow she found the 'Make TJ look like Mom' setting. All my life people have told me I look and sound like my mother. When I look at these pictures I really see it, too!

Aunt Pappy, aren't you coming in?

Miss Katie (Kay-yee) is Lily's swim instructor and Lily absolutely LOVES her...and so do I. Katie is wonderful with the kids and the parents. Katie knows all the kids' names and interacts with each one of them during class. Katie gives out tons of high fives and Lily gets the biggest kick out it. Hence Lily's version of Katie's name....Kay-yee High Five. When we pull in the parking lot of the swim school Lily starts her Kay-yee High Five chant. It's hysterical!

Katie is very patient with the parents, too. She gently reminds us that if we want our kids to be comfortable getting their faces and heads wet and with going under water maybe we should, too. Katie also encourages us to not be nervous and to loosen up the vice like grip we have on our little ones. It makes sense that if we're a nervous wreck our little cuties will be, too. However, sometimes that sounds easier then it actually is. I am really trying to work at it since Lily is so comfortable in the water...which is both fun and frightening!

Katie manages to teach important skills while making sure the kids are having fun, too. We sing familiar songs with unfamiliar twists. When we sing, "It's raining, it's pouring..." we pour water over our child's head. When we sing "Ring around the rosy" we change the words to "splashes, splashes we all go under!" We do each activity 3 times. This method really seems to help enforce what Katie is trying to teach.

Lily's absolute favorite part of class is Humpty Dumpty. The kids sit on the side of the pool and when we get to, "had a great fall" the kids fall into the pool. The goal is for the kids to be able to turn around in the water, swim back to the wall, hang onto the wall, and get themselves out of the water safely. Lily can get back to the wall (with a little help) and can hang onto the wall by herself. In fact, she gets a little testy if you try and help her! Lily is working hard on getting herself out of the water, but still needs Mommy's help. It is so cute to hear her say, "Elbow, elbow, tummy, knee, knee." That is what Miss Katie says when she works with them on climbing out of the pool. Lily loves doing Humpty Dumpty and 3 times is not nearly enough. When we are finished Lily says and signs...again, again, again!

My Favorite...Humpty Dumpty!

Mommy, don't even think of helping me!

Lily is also learning to float on her stomach and back, kick, splash, swim under water, blow bubbles, and to simply love being in the water.

Patti was not the only one who came to class with us on Tuesday...we ended up having a mini family reunion! Dad Dad, Aunt Mary Beth, Sadie, and Christina came to watch our little fish, too. It's a good thing the Observation Room is so big!