swimming lessons

Well, I had it in mind that this post would be called "swimming lessons = disaster", however today went AWESOME. Here's the recap.

Monday: First day of lessons, I had him all pumped up, he was telling me he'd get in the water, he could splash me, etc. We get there and he still wanted to get in water, thinking this was a good sign. As SOON as we start walking down the steps into the pool he freaks out. "I get out mama, I get out mama" over and over and over again. Half whining/half crying. We (my mom came with) were able to divert his attention for about 9.3 seconds at a time, then it went back to "I get out mama". We did suffer through this for the entire 30 minutes. When asked if he wanted to come back tomorrow it was a stern "no".

Tuesday: Go to pick him up from school. I see him in the corner playing with some cars, he lights up like normal when I see him and I ask him, "should we go to swimming lessons?". "NO, mama" and went back to playing with his cars. He finally succumbed but the entire way to St. Peter he was saying 'No swimming lessons mama, no water, no swimming lessons, no water, repeat'. So, I met my mom and she then took him to the lessons (she's graciously helping me out by taking him about every other day, I will bring him to her and then head back to work). I wasn't there, but they lasted 10 minutes in the pool and finally left because mom was certain the non-stop crying child was annoying the other parents with their children who all seem to LOVE the water.

So, yes, I was getting to be disappointed and sad. My niece is a FISH in the water and all of the other kids were doing fantastic. Is there some traumatic experience that I don't recall? What's the deal?

Today: Enter fruit snack bribery. I let him eat fruit snacks on the way to the pool. He ate some more while I was changing him into his swim trunks (also, for whatever reason he hates the swim diapers). Then I promised him MASSIVE amounts of fruit snacks AFTER swimming lessons. We went through this a few times. "When can you have fruit snacks? Do you get fruit snacks if you go in the pool with mama?", etc. And ladies and gentlemen, it WORKED. He did say once that he wanted to get out but we had smartly brought his skid loader and new truck and trailer along into the pool so he was scooping up water and pouring it on me, or he'd throw the skid loader and we'd race to go get it, etc. He went from being all scrunched up in our arms avoiding any body part touching the water to doing front floats, spins, blowing bubbles, even got his entire face wet a few times and we just laughed it off. You have no idea how happy I was (and I'm pretty sure he had fun, too).

So, hopefully this wasn't a fluke and tomorrow goes just as well!