Five and ready to dive

Bubby loves the water. For several years now, my oldest grandson has taken swimming lessons.

He's enjoyed outdoor lessons:

And he's enjoyed indoor lessons:

What Bubby has not enjoyed was being restricted by Mommy and Daddy from jumping off the diving board on his own. Bubby has begged Mommy and Daddy again and again to be allowed to jump off the diving board like the big kids. Their response was always, "You'll get to do that when you're 5 years old."

Well, guess what? Bubby turned 5 years old this week.

Which meant the waiting was over!

The much anticipated dive attempt was planned for Bubby's official birthday.

So on Tuesday, Bubby's official birthday, a visit to the pool was the highlight of the day.

Bubby stepped right up, and he jumped right in:

Mission accomplished!

Another milestone met, another big-boy achievement checked off.

Today's question:

When did you last jump off a diving board?

Progress

Bubby started swimming lessons this past summer.

He has progressed from this...

and this...

during his outdoor lessons in June, to this...

and this...

during his indoor lessons in August.

Progress, for sure!

Megan and Preston hope to purchase a house with a pool in the next few months, so the swimming lessons will surely continue—swimming lessons, I'm thinking, in which Bubby is the teacher, teaching Gramma all the right moves.

I'm crossing my fingers Gramma progresses from guppy to surfer dude as quickly as her grandson has! Well, minus the "dude" part of it. And maybe the "surfer" part, too.

Today's question:

What is one new thing you learned over the summer?

The things we do for love

I can't swim. Legend has it that as a toddler, I was found floating face-down in the lake where relatives owned property and we spent many a summer day. I naturally don't remember that, but my sub conscience seems to. Or at least that's what I blame for the many swim lessons I've taken not sticking.

I took swim lessons as a child. Didn't stick.

I took swim lesson as an adult. Didn't stick.

Nope, I can't swim to save my life. Not even a doggy paddle.

When I learned that Bubby would be attending swim lessons during my recent visit, though, I was determined to not let being a loser non-swimmer stop me from enjoying some time in the pool with my oldest grandson.

And it didn't.

Together we splashed, dove, attempted to touch bottom, and did a few practice rounds of "chicken...star...rocket" moves he'd gleaned from the day's swim lesson.

 

 

 

At his age, Bubby has no idea Gramma can't swim. As he gets older, though, I'm pretty sure he'll figure out why Gramma won't go in the deep end.

Unless, of course, I attempt another round of swim lessons ... and this time they stick.

Photos courtesy of Megan.

Today's question:

How would you rate your swimming skills?