Frog & Seahorse

"I want to swim with Daddy!" Monkey1 howled.

I decided to ignore this, fortunately, because moments later she said, "Oh, I swim by myself!"

"With your goggles," I added encouragingly.

"With my pink goggles," she corrected me.

Second week of Frog class -- she calls herself a Mermaid in a class of Frogs -- and Monkey1 displayed so much readiness for independent swimming that my head spun. She grinned almost the whole time, floated unsupported for several seconds, and when the instructor gave everyone flotation barbells, Monkey1 went zipping off towards the other end of the pool. The instructor had said, "Go that way," and she did. The instructor had to swim after her and drag her back by the foot to keep the class somewhat together.

Meanwhile, this week Monkey2 moved up into the Seahorse class spot vacated by her sister. She's still with a parent, and while she was initially confused by the lack of nursery rhymes and a rubber duck to hold, once given the flotation barbells, she smiled splits. Her version of kicking right now resembles bicycle pedaling, which interestingly propelled her backwards. She was really excited to be in the water without being held. Remember, this is the Monkey that jumped in the city pool last summer and had to be rescued by the lifeguard. She got away from me before I could get her life jacket on. It may happen again.

Suddenly I have a glimpse of the future, when swimming lessons does not mean Mom and Dad getting in the water, it means Mom and Dad just watching from the upper deck. How they grow.