Welcome to the Ool - Notice: there is no P in it

The boys have been taking swim lessons this week. On day #2, Sam had to go underwater. I knew this was coming (since Colby took swim lessons with this same woman last year) so I thought I would let Sam in on what was to come. BIG mistake!!!! All morning Tuesday before the lessons, Sam walked around saying, "I don't want to go underwater...I don't want to go underwater..." Along came the lessons and... Sam went under water. We are required to do each exercise 5 times. Sam only held his breath once - but after the 1st time, Sam announced that he had to pee. I quietly said, "Just pee in the pool." (Knowing that I would never get Sam back in to go underwater if I let him out now.) "NO! Pee pee NOW!" My compromise - Sam had to finish his five before heading to the bathroom.

Yesterday, the exercise was to hold them out at arms' length, tell them to hold their breath and kick, and they would kick their way to the surface where you lift them up and congratulate them. I held Sam out, told him to hold his breath and kick and I released. I watched as my baby opened his eyes as wide as he could underwater, reached his arms up as high as he could, but sank because he refused to kick. When the look of sheer panic was too much for me to bare, I pulled him out of the water! (This was all of maybe 3 seconds - trust me I am NOT trying to drowned my child!) The first words out of his mouth were, "Pee pee NOW!" So, I took him. I had to have time to regain my courage to know I was NOT harming my child in doing this exercise. (By the way, Sam did NOT kick once for any of the 5 that we did - each time he would sink slowly and I would pull him out of the water.)

So... here we are at today. Today the exercise was to do the same thing as yesterday, but after releasing them step back two paces. (I think I was the one starting to panic today - knowing Sam hadn't kicked once yesterday.) But before we even got to the new exercise, Sam announced again that he had to pee. "Son" I said, "Just pee in the pool." (I mean this child will whip it out and pee where ever) Sam replies, "No Mommy! It's nasty to pee in the pool" Ah...my own words coming back to bite me!!!

I am happy to report though that Sam did decide to kick today and announced to everyone, " I can swim now, just like Colby!"