First Swimming Lessons

Getting ready!

They had been talking about it for quite some time. Finally, Tuesday January 14th arrived, the first day of swimming lessons. It was the only time slot I could find where both girls could simultaneously attend swimming lessons. I signed up our almost 2-year-old for a parent-tot class, and our oldest daughter was signed up for White, the first level of the Olympic-Way Swimming Program.

We arrived 20 minutes early. Thankfully, the aquatic center in question had a wading pool for splashing around before and after lessons. The girls thoroughly enjoyed this smaller pool before heading over to the larger pool for lessons. I wasn't sure how my oldest would react. I would be in the pool at the same time with her younger sister. Would she be calling out to me? Would she attempt to swim over to me?

In the end, my fears were unfounded. She listened well to her teacher, and was the first to do everything...including jumping in, and swimming to an inflatable boat.

My almost two-year old enjoyed her class as well. She held on to me very tightly, sang the water version of a few nursery rhymes, and slid down a bright yellow slide.

The 30 minute class flew by, and before I knew it, it was time for a shower. As we were getting ready to leave, both girls were particularly whiny..."Why are you whining so much?" I asked. To which my oldest daughter simply replied "we want to stay!"

The Wading Pool

Swim Lessons

The Visitors II

Last week, my children received some very special visitors from China. This week, they in turn became visitors, along with their parents.  We departed on December 27th, and returned on January 2. We spent 5 full days with family and friends in Cambridge, Ontario.

Were it not for the record-breaking snow-storm on the 27th, it would have been a near-perfect trip. As it happened, 47 cm of snow-fall led to many flight delays. Our door-to-door time was 8 hours, when normally it would have been a little over 3 hours. Thankfully, our daughters travel relatively well on aeroplanes. Out toddler had her own seat for the first time, and enjoyed playing with her tray, and in-plane magazines. The baby fell asleep during the flight to Toronto, and our toddler followed suit as soon as we landed.

There were many fun activities for out children in Cambridge. Foremost amongst them playing with their cousins, two very sweet girls ages 9 and 12. We also went swimming a number of times at the local Y, and our toddler went sledding for only the second time in her life.

Here are a few photos:

Climbing up mountain

Sledding with her cousins

Playing with the child-proof gate at Grandpa's

Swimming at the local Y

At an indoor playground