He Swims

On becoming a parent, you dream about how you are going to raise your child to be very well rounded.  I wanted my kids to be tough and shake things off easily.  All the parenting books will tell you that your kids will react the way you do.  So, if they fall, you don't overreact or they too will go off the hook with each bump and bruise.  Garrison is clearly my guniea pig child...isn't every first born??!!  If he fell, we would pause to let him gather himself, comfort him if needed, and move on.  I thought that this would be how it would go down in the bath tub as well.  Not fret too much about water in the eyes.  When I would wash his hair as an infant, I gently let water fall on his face...and continued to do so as he got older.  But somewhere along the way, he developed an aversion to water in his face.  Parenting fail.  And with that said, he is over dramatic when he gets a bump, bruise, scrape, etc.  Parenting fail #2. 

I tried taking him to the pool and a splash park with friends last summer, however he was not one bit interested in getting water in his eyes.  He proceeded to whine to the point where it was no fun for either of us.  I hated it!  I wanted so badly for him to be a fish.  I grew up swimming everyday as a kid.  I loved it.  All I could see were summers spent in doors with my boys because G was miserable with water in his eyes. 

Goggles and a swim mask seemed to help though.  For our vacation this summer, we went up to Ohio to visit Brian's family.  Aunt Katie and Greg have a beautiful pool in their backyard that we had access to for the entire week.  Garrison sported his goggles and got more brave each day.  He started with his floaty and mask in the shallow end.  Then he moved to adding a snorkle to his ensemble and ventured to the deep end. 

He eventually went without the floaty and hung out with us in the shallow end...even jumping off the side...with NO mask!  {He still got out the pool each time, eyes closed, and made his way to a towel to wipe his eyes.  sigh!}  Before long, he was swimming small jaunts in the shallow end.  Bribery of ice cream could not convince him to swim with me in the deep end sans the floaty.  So, being the super awesome mother that I am, I took him out there and told him to swim to me.  And he DID it!!!  I think he surprised himself.  No mask.  No floaty.  Just the water and arms and legs a kick'n! 

I hate that I do not have a better picture of him actually swimming.

It was a wonderful moment for me.  He is a cautious kid (which I'm sure I will appreciate in the next ten years), so this milestone was huge!!!  He loved the water and has a rock'n little tan to prove it.  Too bad we do not have easy access to a pool to continue on for the remaining blistering days of summer.  But at least I can proudly say, He Swims!