ISR

Last Friday Derek graduated from his swimming class. It took five days a week for five weeks (minus snow days...I mean what is with the weather this year?) Which was pretty intense for all of us. The lessons were through a program called Infant Swimming Resource. The program focuses on water survival skills for infants and toddlers from 6 months through 4 years.
Instead of learning specific swim strokes Derek learned how to roll over in the water and float on his back when he needs to breath and then to turn over and swim to an exit or wall if one is available. Our stubborn boy cried in almost every single lesson. I was starting to worry we were creating a serious water complex but then, miraculously, one day toward the end of his lessons Derek took a cup and dumped water over his head in the bathtub!
I know, this doesn't seem significant, unless you understand that Derek never sat in the bathtub. He never splashed. He screamed when you had to rinse his hair, no matter how much you tried to keep water out of his face. He just didn't care for water unless it was in his drinking cup. Bryan and I stared at each other in awe on this momentous bath-time occasion. As Derek poured and giggled we sighed with new confidence that maybe Derek wouldn't hate us for the rest of his life.
The last week of the lessons Derek wore his clothes in the pool, including cloth diaper and shoes. One day he wore a summer outfit, another fall, and finally a winter outfit with a coat. I was terrified that the coat would sink him but he did amazingly well and even stopped crying for once. Wow. Unfortunately we only took video on the fall clothing day when he was still crying.
On the last day I got in the pool with him and we just had fun. He didn't cry and was thrilled to play with me in the water. He was actually yelling "Go, go!" when we didn't launch him into his swim fast enough. Bryan had to go to work right after the lesson so he didn't get to come in with us. Now I'm really looking forward to swimming weather so we can all jump in the pool together.
On a side note...we used cloth swim diapers. Surprise, huh? Just so you know they are absolutely amazing! Not squishy and disgusting like disposable diapers...I still shiver when I think about the disposable Derek wore last summer at Mud Island (gag). He and I both had a bath when we got home. Anyway, the cloth swim diapers were a dream and I'm looking forward to having those this summer as well. It only makes it better that when Derek grows out of them his little brother will be growing into them, no extra cost.Sweeeeet.