Claire swims on Wednesdays. I usually pack her bag and get everything ready but recently we were on a cleaning spree. Mom was washing suits and figuring out what stayed for class and what went on vacation. When I got up, her bag looked packed. Her towel was already folded in the bag and her wrap was sitting across the top of the bag. We were running late from karate (check the punch my kid in the face post below!), and we got there with two minutes to spare. When we cut it this close, she changes in the truck of my truck. Well, we pulled everything out for the suit, and there was NO Suit!

I immediately called Mama, and she said of course there wasn’t a suit because I [me not her] didn’t pack it! She told me to just run in, buy one, and get her into the water. I dragged her naked, only in her wrap, inside. The manager gave me a list of sizes and then the swim coach came over. I quickly asked what size, he looked down at her, and called out a number. I quickly picked the really cool green and black designed suit and knew I was going to be paying an arm or leg for my first born. He scanned the suit, I handed him my card, and she ran into the locker room.

The photo below doesn’t do it justice, but she loves her new, sleek competition suit.

Last summer Claire graduated from survival II swim lessons and entered Bronze Jr level where she began her final training to graduate from survival swim school. She started out really well and excelled by Halloween, but then she began to regress. Her teacher, Miss Maribel, and we were concerned about how she was doing, as she’d have some weeks when she was really on and then weeks where she was a nightmare. Eventually she switched teachers, lesson times, and pools to see if the change would “jump start” whatever was going on. I also stopped sitting in on her lessons. Now I’d go out by the reception area and read, grade or watch TV. Because her lessons were after the regular work day, Donna could come sometimes and would sit in the pool area. She said Claire was doing better in the large pool with Miss Elena at a later time when there weren’t so many students.

Last week Claire was told to wear her shirt, and she did very well going back and forth down the pool. After class Miss Elena told me to have Claire wear pants this week and maybe she could test again. I’d heard this story about half a dozen times since early November but I was still eager because I’d seen her really grow over the last month.

Mama was able to come tonight and we brought the camera and video camera. Claire did the length pretty well for Mr James, the deck manager but she still needed to prove herself a little more. Mr James asked Miss Elena to work with her on some of the basic Silver Jr things (which she’d need to do in the next level), and Claire did very well there. Miss Elena said Claire’s balance in the pool with the new techniques was better than some of her regular students! Eventually Claire convinced Mr James she was ready to move on, and a huge weight was off my shoulders when he finally nodded in agreement that she was safe in the water, could get to the side in a panic situation full dressed, and she was ready to move up to the Silver Jr level where they begin to teach the student proper swimming form, which will eventually lead to the swim team! Donna and I shot several pics on Flickr here, and we also have video to edit and upload later.

Claire and Miss Elena are going to continue on this journey together as Miss Elena agreed to teach Claire Silver Jr as well, at least until summer.