The Swimming Machine

Geordie loves to swim. Since he was a baby he's been in pools, oceans, lakes, bathtubs... okay not lakes!!! I really don't like lakes, they gross me out for some reason.

Geordie's first time in a 'pool', 2 minutes later he went head first into the water as Callum thought that he was strong enough to sit up on his own. I don't know who was scared more, Callum or Geordie?!?! 5.5 months.

Once Geordie was able to keep his head up (as in when you do not have to support his head day in and day out) we started 'swimming'. We would just carry him around in the water. Every so often we would put his head under. I was told that if you blow into a babies face that they would hold their breath; I don't know if it's true or not but it made me feel better about doing it.

Geordie's first time in the ocean. 7 months, Wrightsville Beach, NC.

By the next summer, when Geordie was around 16 months we started putting 'bubbles' on his arms and let him practice swimming on his own in the pool. (side bar; we did not leave him to swim on his own, we were either right beside him or still holding on to him).

Geordie with his flippers, goggles and 'snork'. summer 2007

Last summer, at age 3, Geordie was doing so well that we decided to put him into swimming lessons. We first put him into a Pre-school (3-5) class. That one didn't work out too well. He was the youngest as well as the most experienced in the class. At that age, that equals disaster!!! So, the next session we put him in a semi-private class. It was only $15 more and you get 10 minutes more each class. Well worth the money!!!!

This was last year...

This was last week, Geordie can now do the front crawl...

...and this is his 'trick'. He made it up all by himself!

Funny thing about the trick; yesterday Geordie was in a new class with a new teacher and the instructor didn't know about the trick. While they were out in the middle of the deep end with their 'boards' Geordie started doing his 'trick'. You should have seen the teacher move!!!

Meanwhile, Geordie can now swim above water, although it looks like he's drowning. He can also semi-dive for things. His instructor needs to give him a little push to get down to the bottom of the pool.