Not Like Me

I see myself in my kids in so many ways.  Sometimes it’s something they say or something they find funny, a look or a habit.  There is one way it seems, that at least three of them are NOT like me and how glad I am.

We finally got them into swim lessons again.  Swim lessons took a back seat to other things when I was pregnant with Elias and was put on activity restrictions which prevented me from lifting or doing anything strenuous and included being in the water.  Rob continued solo for a session or two but it has still been a while since they’ve been in the pool.

Last weekend was the first lesson day of this session and I wondered how they would do after about a year on dry land.  Not only have they picked up where they left off but the break seemed to be just what they needed.  I don’t remember any of them being as confident or skilled as they have been showing this week and last. 

Gabe is diving for rings and swimming underwater for about 8 feet or so, Zion is dunking herself like a mad woman and Gideon wants me to keep my hands to myself in the deep end of the toddler pool so he can walk around by himself in water that hits him right at the mouth (sorry, kiddo, I’m not quite ready to let go in water that deep yet).

I have never been confident in the water and to this day really hate to get water splashed in my face.  I don’t recall anyone trying to teach me how to swim or being given the opportunity to be in the water much as a child.  I started wearing glasses in the second grade which didn’t help because I either couldn’t see to play in the pool because of water splashed on my glasses or because I tried to play without them.  It’s no fun to play when you can’t see (had the same problem with bouncy houses, they make you take your glasses off to go in).

So while I very much enjoy looking at the water and getting in to wade and even to play with the kids I am nothing like them.  They are nothing like me, in this area at least.  How cool is that?