Thursday, June 11, 2009

Hot fun in the Summer time....

So as you all know my kids are involved in whatever passes across our paths. Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, church production and now swim team. Which I thought would be great. Gabe had lessons when he was 5 and Abby is self taught. But they are both self motivated so I knew they would be fine. As a matter of fact when I signed them up they told me it was the best way for them to learn to swim. So we started with our first meet on June 3rd. Gabe did well, he came in 3rd in his heat but Abby was terrified of how large the pool was and how deep (5 1/2 feet). Now mind you we had to beat her to keep her out of the 8 foot diving well last Summer. So last Wednesday she had to have a "swim buddy" help her in the pool and hold on her until she knew she was going to be able to touch. Our team (Sherwood Park Sharks) won the meet last week by 101 points! This week we swam against the Lily Flagg Cows (LOL) I had been giving Abby pep talks since last Wednesday hoping she would be able to go by herself. She swims against 4,5, and 6 year olds and she was the only one that had a swim buddy. Tuesday I took her to swim practice and she worked out with her kick board and when it came time to practice her dive in she stood and watched everyone and finally told her coach, "I know that it is silly, but I am afraid I will drown if I dive in here in this deep water." So he explained she was going to have to do it. But he didn't break her and I didn't say anything. On the way home she informed me that next Summer she doesn't want to be on swim team. I felt horrible I wanted her to enjoy it so much.

So this week we prepared for our meet. I bought posters and one of the girls at worked worked with Abby and Gabe and they were terrific! Abby was very excited to go. She loves the team suit and wearing a swim cap...but I think it may also have to do with the concessions and the bake sale that we have at all of our home meets.

I missed their warm up and when Abby come to dry off she said that she had swam by herself but I wasn't sure, and I didn't know if she had inched herself down the ropes or what. So we got our supper and sat down to wait on our events to be called (13, 22, and 88! it was a LONG night)We watched our buddy Harrison fly with his amazing backstroke and then we all waited for Abby's event. (a quick back story there are 140 kids that swim on our team but we have a clique of 6 kids that have played baseball/soccer with us. So we have a cheer squad of at anyone time of at least 12 adult members and 3 younger sibling strong.) They lined up the little girls and our little cheer squad got into position. I could see Abby trying to get some adult's attention and they were dismissing her and telling her to get ready. Finally SOMEONE listened and I could see them making concessions for her. They blew the warning whistle and she slid into the pool in the dreaded "deep end" ALONE. Then they shot the starting gun and they were off...there she went as hard as her little body would carry her ALONE in the DEEP WATER. For the whole 25 meters! She did it! (She would tell you she did have to rest on the ropes 2 times) She did it! All by herself!! All of us adults were going BANANAS! You would have thought Michael Phelps himself was swimming the last lap of his 400m IM! We were on our knees screaming "GO ABBY! SWIM!! YOUR DOING IT" I yanked her out of the water when she touched the wall and soaked myself as I squeezed the life out of her! I was so proud of her I could have bust and she was smiling and panting! You could just see how proud she was. All of our friends surrounded her and hugged her and high fived her! It was amazing! She came in 5th place which is 1 place improvement from last week!

Now not to leave out my oldest I want you to know that he has been a fish since he was born. He has always, always loved to swim. Swimming is Gabe's thing! It is all him. He loves it. He has improved since last week as well. He came in third last week in his 8 and under 25 meter freestyle. He was fast but he wasn't sure of himself. This week he was ready! He knew what was going on and he was helping his buddies so they were where they needed to be. He was entered in 25m freestyle and a 100m freestyle relay. It clicked this week for him and he flew! He was several strokes in the lead until the end and he slowed as his stamina gave way and the other little boy pulled ahead. But he improved his time and improved with a second place finish.

I love Summer! Swim team is fun even if the meets do last forever!! I couldn't have had a better time than I did last night. Good friends, wet kids and lots of excitement! I LOVE IT!!!

2 comments:

  1. I am so proud of Abby! Literally, my eyes are brimming with tears!! YAY!!
    And we have a friend who swims on the cows and I've already given them a hard time about it... just so you know... :)

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