Goggles,certificates and stress!

Well another week of swimming has passed and it's been a mixed bag of good and not so good things!

I'll start with the not so good(get it out of the way) well Chipmunks emotions are running high as he's been tired and hot and so we have had some spectacular melts,some at school most at home!

I'm running on empty as I dash from place to place trying to do it all ( whenever does that ever work )

The food here is getting sparse as I hvnt had time to shop,we have been living on what's in the cupboard and freezer.Having said that,it's not killed us and probably saved a bit of money!

I have had no time in the afternoons to put the final touches to my nursery work and that means pulling it in at night and that in turn means not much sitting down and a pretty shattered me.

Now for the good...

Chipmunks swimming has improved ten fold!

He is getting stronger and can go further now without stopping.He is much more confident in the water and has even enjoyed jumping in today,time after time and even smiling about it!

His front crawl is probably his strongest stroke,followed by backstroke and lastly is breast stroke which he is finding pretty hard at the moment.

And today he has done double swimming and at his lessons he has got two awards!

This thrilled him!Oh and he has been put up into the next class!

18 months we have been in this class and now it's our turn to move!What a achievement ~ slow and steady wins the race so the saying goes.

After talking to his school swim instructor I have decided that Chipmunk can have some goggles and he is so pleased!He has blue ones and can't wait to try them out tomorrow!

So all the ouches are worth it and onward we go,he has a swim lesson everyday next week and I'm hoping he gets even stronger *swimming rules*

School Swimming

Sleep tight little one because today one of my big worries has been sorted ~ I'm going to be allowed to go swimming with you during your school swimming lessons!

I have very good reasons for being concerned about your safety during swim lessons and it seems like the school has understood my worries and responded brilliantly!Infact I couldn't have asked them to be fairer with me and for that I'am sooo grateful.

Your school does block swim

lessons these days.

Every afternoon for two weeks you will be going swimming for a hour.

I think if handled right these daily swim lessons will be so beneficial for you,build those pesky muscles up,gain more upper body strength,have fun with your peers and have a ride on a school bus (I bet that will be quite a experience in itself!)

So I have signed two weeks of my life away and I'am just so happy to do so!It will be work in the morning and swimming straight after!

Now we can start to positively talk about swimming ~ it's going to be good Chipmunk!

A Real Swimmer!

Tonight was Chipmunks first time back at swimming since the half term break.

The class was smaller this time,only 5 children,it seemed quieter and definitely calmer.

And today Chipmunk swam beautifully.

As I keep saying to him

You are a real swimmer now!

He is using his arms more,both arms!

And he is actually getting his legs off the bottom of the pool more and not doing that hop,swim,hop move that he has been doing for ages!

I can see in his face that he is proud!We are both proud!

The teacher asked him & one girl to keep doing different things as some of the children were at a earlier stage of swimming and this made him float ten feet above the pool and this in turn made him try even harder!

Fab Stuff!

We have waited a long time for this and I can finally see lots of signs that Chipmunk is really becoming a little swimmer!

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Swimming

We had fab news at this weeks swimming lesson... Chipmunk got his 5 metres!

A long time coming and perhaps that makes it all the more special.

He did great breaststroke swimming and really tried hard.

His teacher even said she was thinking about moving him to the next stage class!

This was funny because I had only been saying to my mum and dad earlier that afternoon that it looked like Chipmunk was going to stay in the same class forever!

After the teacher and I discussed the next swimming group I decided I would like Chipmunk to stay where he was for the time being.

I think it will give him time to build his strength up and his friend Annabel is in this class.Also it would only be for 6wks and then he would have a 6wks break so I think it will be better for him to wait until September and then start afresh.

He was very proud to get the 5 metres badge and we are all so pleased with him.

Slowly but surely he is doing this swimming lark!

Did you really swim Chipmunk?

Chipmunk today was your first day back at swimming since way before the half term break.

I think you have had a whole month without swimming!

Everybody has been sad that you have missed out,especially just as you seemed to be 'getting it.'

But you were poorly and that was that ~ no swimming for you.

So today was a big day for us and you did so well.

And Im writing this at a ridiculous hour,even when I'm so,so tired because

today I saw you swim without armbands for the first time!

And as I peeped in to look at you before I went to bed I thought to myself "did he really do that!?!Did he really swim without armbands!

My friend was sat at the side of me and I can remember her cheering you on and how happy we both were.

So this must mean you did do it!

And I can picture your face as you swam towards me,I couldn't believe it!

I still can't!

And that's why I'm writing this,when really I should be sleeping.

Did I honestly see you swim tonight Chipmunk?

And in my heart I know the answer is yes.

From your tired but extremely proud mummy xxxxxx




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Swimming

Today we went swimming and it was the closest I have come to see you really start to swim Chipmunk! 

The pool was crowded,it was Saturday and a lot of families where having great fun together.

I had said to you that I was going to pretend to be your swimming teacher and that you was going to try to swim like you do with Jenny on Thursdays and you did seem to take this too heart and do whatever I wanted you to do.

We started in the big leisure pool and you did great swimming on your back and then we swapped to your front and you seemed to prefer this,I guess you could see where you were going for a start and in a crowded pool that's a important thing! 

After a while we stopped the swim practise and played sharks and then the waves came on and you had a good time. It amazes me that when you are at the seaside you run and jump in the waves,go under the sea and get back up for more constantly but the waves at the swimming baths seem to floor you and you back away. I wondered if it was because the water gets on your face and that's what you don't like,so that's why I suggested that you stood up and it seemed to do the trick,next time we will try that first. 

After the waves had finished we went into the teaching pool and this is where you did your best swimming. We played chasing a ball,you threw it and them we both swam after it,the first one to get the ball could throw it again. 

And as they are always telling us at work boys love competition and you proved that theory right today! You swam as fast as you could to get that ball and I made it competitive and didn't let you win all the time,so it became a really good game and without me then encouraging you to swim,you was swimming,up and down the pool you swam until your little face was as red as your Liverpool shirt!

And that's got to be good!

And the best bit was it was all done through play. We all know children learn through play and why should swimming be any different? 

You swam more during that game of ball than I had ever seen you do before,nobody telling you to do it,instead you were instinctively doing it! 

So have I got a swimmer? Nearly I think!

And as you lie there fast asleep I'm sat here smiling,thinking of the possibilities this would bring for you,good possibilities Chipmunk! 

Fun,safety in water,a way to build up your upper body strength,good self esteem when you eventually have to swim with the school,a brill form of exercise,really good stuff!

So sleep tight little one,dream sweet dreams,I know I will be smiling as I drift off to sleep tonight - not quite a fish but getting there!

First Day Of Holidays

This was a swings and roundabouts day but by far the best thing was Chipmunks swimming!

We had a wander round town before the lesson,all the usual haunts,the library,Primanio,M&S for a sandwich (there was none!) and the £1 shop of course!

We brought 3 pairs of swim shorts ( coz we got a swimmer in the family :-) ) and a pink surfer tee-shirt and it was decided that Chipmunk could choose which shorts to wear for swimming today.

We met Mamma at the swimming pool desk and had to get undressed quite quickly because it was nearly lesson time.
Chipmunk chose the stripey swim shorts (these were my favourites) and quickly got in the pool.

For a while Chipmunk complained about his foot hurting him,he did have a fall in town and I was wondering if he had twisted it but after a while he stopped mentioning it quite so much and swam beautifully.

Today the thing that *really* impressed me was how well Chipmunk used his arms!He used them alternately and seemed to be really pulling with them,it looked like he was really swimming and he moved so smoothly too,I was so very proud of him!

He had to jump in as well today and he managed all 3 jumps by himself!The second time all the children jumped in together and Chipmunk did it!He also sneaked a crafty third jump when it was playtime,that thrilled him!

All the children got splashed by Jenny,which they loved and they splashed back excitedly!

Jenny ended the session by saying 'See you in September!'

We have booked for the new session already!

Iam so glad Chipmunk has done these lessons,he is coming along brilliantly and it is such a positive thing to do with him each week!
Swimming rules!


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Duckling 2!

Woohoo Chipmunk has got Duckling 2 award at swimming!

For this award one of the major things he had to do was put his face in the water.This was not easy at all for Chipmunk!He does not like his face getting wet at all!

Last week his teacher told him to practice in the bath just putting his face under the water for a while.
He tried this in the shower but he really didn't like it at all and I did have my doubts wether he would be able to do it.

But do it he did and boy isn't he proud that he got a Duckling 2 award!And so am I!

His grandad came to watch him swim this week,which was lovely.
And afterwards we all went home for sausage and chips!

His Duckling 2 Swimming Badge







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Swimming ~ Almost a frog!

Today Chipmunk was described by his swimming teacher as *almost a frog* :-)

This made me smile and I've been saying it ever since!

*Almost a frog* it has a certain ring to it I think!

It was of course breast stroke week and the children were doing *froggy arms and froggy legs*

Chipmunk tried so hard this week and had quite a serious look on his face for most of the lesson as he concentrated on making his arms and legs move in circles just like a frog.

There was only 6 children this week and the behaviour was good so they all did a lot of swimming.

I always love to see Chipmunk swim and I think he enjoys the lessons too.


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Saturday Fun

Today we went swimming.It is my aim for Chipmunk to go swimming as much as possible,he has weekly lessons and in the holidays I like him to go at least once a week if not more.This holidays he has been twice so I'm pleased with that.

We went to the swimming baths where he has his weekly lesson so it is a very familiar place for us,we are getting dab hands at the swimming lark,we have a designated swimming bag,with talc,armbands,change for the locker,always at the ready just to make swimming easier & not such a chore.

Today Chipmunk had a good go at getting himself undressed which I always like to see and was soon ready to swim.
We went in the training pool as I think that's the best pool to swim & play in and Chipmunk did lots of different things.We did practice swimming a bit but mostly Chipmunk wanted to play,so play we did!
We used a watering can to sink a boat,Chipmunk spent ages working out the best way to pour water on the boat to make it sink,he finally found out that it sunk quickest if you poured the water through the windows.
We then had so much fun with a ball.Chipmunk kept pushing the ball under the water and letting it go,this really made him giggle and he spent ages playing with it.

Chipmunk went on the little slide and was pleased when I caught him and then we ventured into the waves!Well we were bashed about by the waves and Chipmunks face had that squinty little look that I like but we did survive!

On our journey home we sat happily on the bus eating a big bag of fruit pastilles,a rare treat for Chipmunk,it was a lovely relaxing end to a great afternoon out :-)