New classes

We started a new swim class today and we loved it.

Kylie and I attended a swim class a few months ago held by our local Parks and Recs center. But it was more like a singing playgroup in the water. It was nice but I really want Kylie to begin to learn how to swim. The place we went today will teach her. It's a facility dedicated to babies and children. We really got put through our paces in the thirty minutes we were in class. And next week, Kylie will get her face in the water. Hurray!

At this new place, the instructor decides when your kid is ready to move up to the next levels. And it doesn't matter about their age (with some limits) but rather their swimming ability.

The highlight of the class was when the kids get to go down the slide. They learn how to get out of the pool (elbow, elbow, belly, knee, knee....how cute is that? All these parents chanting this to their kids to help teach them) and then the teacher helps them onto a small slide. As the parent, I stay in the water at the bottom of the slide. Here's the thing! The teacher helps swoosh them down the slide. I have to decide whether to let Kylie submerge in the water or to catch her beforehand. The first time down the slide, I caught her before her face hit. But the second time, I let her go under for a moment. She did great! She blinked and smiled like I had taught her to (rather than rub her eyes) and didn't cough. It was great!

We are also in two other new classes. Our Thursday morning class is Tumble Tots for beginning tumbling. We had our first class last week. The best part for Kylie was the animal song that we did at the start of class. She's really gotten into pretending to be animals as she plays around the house. We've seen her hop like a bunny, ribbit and jump like a frog, get on her belly and slither like a snake complete with hissing noises, flap her wings like a bird and butterfly, and roar like all sorts of animals.

Our other new class is a Kindertune class on Friday mornings. Last week's class was wonderful because the instructor was so animated, prepared and experienced. Our focus for the class was the weather and Kylie got to drum like thunder, rattle like rain and swoosh with a pompon like the wind. She got to paint a cloud and there was lots of lovely marching to different tunes. We finished class with balloons and stickers.

While her tumbling class wears her out, her music class invigorates her. Fortunately, the class is held adjacent to a wonderful park so Kylie can run (and scream) some of her energy out. And there are swings which she loves most of all.

So with Gymboree once or twice a week and these three new classes, we have something to do every weekday morning. And Kylie and I are tickled pink.

Speaking of pink, the tulips in our backyard bloomed yesterday. Can you believe it?

And Granna, thank you for Kylie's Easter card and presents. She loves them!