julianna finds her happy place

Julianna had her first swimming lesson today. She was thrilled beyond words.

jumping for joy

Julianna has been saying she was ready to start swimming lessons since she could speak. She has been tagging along to the Y for Drew and Lily's lessons for her whole life. I remember when Drew started his first round of lessons and Julianna was so small that she wasn't even walking yet. It was quite an event to get Lily and Drew showered and dressed with a baby on my hip. (Wow! How did I ever even do that?!)

and laughing wildly

So today was the big day. Today was the very first lesson. She has been talking about it for days now. I wondered to myself if the enthusiasm would wane when we arrived at the pool. It did not. I then wondered if she would become cautious when I left her at the door to make the trek across the pool deck by herself. It did not. Lily was there for a lesson, too, but in true Lily form, it didn't occur to her to wait for her baby sister. No matter, Julianna stepped out there with the "I got this" attitude. I wondered one more time if Julianna would get nervous about getting in the pool. She did not. She was flying high and having a great time. I'd venture to say that Julianna is a true water child.

The showers and dressing after the lesson were worlds easier than back in the day. Drew is sitting out this session of lessons and is annoyed at the rule that everyone must take a summer session of swimming lessons in our family. Lily obviously can take a shower and dress herself no problem. The one locker room development with Lily is that she now dresses herself in the bathroom stall rather than in the common area. Modesty is definitely a new concept for her.

Julianna

Lily had her lesson today too. I was relieved that she didn't bother too much about her earplugs. She still insists on wearing them, but they do not disrupt her lesson. Her strokes looked good and she was obviously glad to be back in the water. She was looking so forward to her lessons today that she tried to wear her swimming suit to school. I caught her just in the nick of time as she was crawling into the van to leave I noticed a swimming suit ruffle peaking out of the top of her pants. She has been known to remove unwanted (but required) clothing once she arrives at school. I'd hate to think about what would have happened if she'd made it to school with her suit hidden under her clothes. That would have been an awkward call from the principal.