Our little swimmer

Kate accepted our challenge to add 2 new activities to her schedule with flying colors.  She continues with guitar each week and in April, started swim lessons.  She is already part fish based on the fact that she swims in our pool most days but needed to put some time into learning the different strokes in order to make the swim team.  We signed her up at the YMCA since it is most convenient and she has proven to be a quick learner.  We had to miss 2 lessons because of the 1/2 marathon and the trip to the lake so in just 4, 45-minute classes, she learned the back stroke and is improving in freestyle.

She loves the water and I hope she always will.  When I watch her I have one of those parenting instincts that she might be pretty good.  Now I know as her mom I will always be biased but it just seems to come so easy.  We have advanced her to private swim lessons with the same coach, which provides her 45 minutes of undivided attention.  Last Sunday was our 1st private and boy was she tired by the end of it.  Swimming laps non-stop for 45 minutes is tough, even for a 5 year old.

Here is a video of her backstroke.

Here is a video of her freestyle.  I will try and get some more video tomorrow as she is learning to breath to the side and is doing it now without the kickboard.

Lastly, here is a reality check that she is only 5.  I looked back the day as we were on our way to her lesson and this is what I saw!  So innocent, silly, and sweet all in the same picture.