Mr. Joe-wy

The powers that be at the y approved for Kirby to take preschool swim lessons before he was three. I'd like to say that I haven't gone all ex-swimmer-gone-mom crazy, but I was so excited and looking forward to it. I figured he'd have big Big BIG problems with mom not being in the water and with following instructions. I was pretty much right. 

When we got there, I dropped him off and walked out thinking that he would do better without mom hovering. They got him a toy to help him warm up. I was dropping SR off at childwatch when one of the girls came in to tell me that Kirby was not having it, and I became a helicopter and hovered by at the pool. (Looking back I wish I had just stayed away but there is always next week). When I got back in the pool, he was crying. He eventually warmed up, stopped crying, and sat on the side of the pool.  Then he sat on the side with his feet in the water. 

And then he kicked his feet with them while they played red light green light and tries to get his face in the water to blow some bubbles.  

He wanted so badly I get in, but he wanted to get in with me not with the instructor. Finally I just lowered him into the water, and he stayed for a while. 

We said bye bye and thank you, and of course, when we were getting cleaned up, he wanted to get in the pool with Mr. Joey. 

He did pretty good for a 2.5yo whose mom stuck around when she should have gone "to buy strawberries". Hopefully next week there will be even more progress.