Underwater
Wednesdays are our swimming days and I think they are my favourite day of the week. Anna has been swimming since she was 13 weeks old and I really recommend it to any new parent. We swim with Oceanic Waterbabies who have a great philosophy about babies and swimming and have a very gentle instructing method (good for someone like moi, i.e. a big fat scaredy cat in the water) but I think that anywhere you go where you and your babe feel comfortable and have fun is OK.
Yesterday we parents donned goggles so we could go underwater with our babies and spy on them. Anna looks great, albeit kinda spooky – babies have this mechanism thingy where their air passage closes automatically in water (so they don't drown in amniotic fluid, presumably) which means they don't need to keep their mouth shut, and their eyes have a special film across them to keep water out so they don't need to keep them shut either; all this means that while we are holding breaths and puffing cheeks out and looking like land lubbers, babies underwater cruise around looking pretty much the same as they do above water. It's cute but freaky.
Our instructor, Elvira, says to be 'right there' with the babies so as to maintain eye contact but although I follow this advice dutifully – don't want my little precious bundle to think I've left her in the deep end and have issues for the rest of her life – Anna really doesn't notice because she very rarely looks at me. She's too busy checking everyone else out, and keeping an eye on the floaty toys we use for some of the activities. Thankfully, unlike her completely useless mother who still can't dive – I'll be honest here, I still can't even keep my head under the bloody shower for more than a minute or two without getting panic flushes – Anna seems to have the water thing sorted. This is exactly what I was aiming for – I know for a fact that growing up in Australia, surrounded by some of the best beaches in the world, is a total bummer if one is psychically allergic to water.
In fact I think I might be in danger of raising a geek, because we have become the teacher's pet. We do everything to the letter. I listen to every single instruction because I irrationally believe if I miss anything, it will probably be an integral cornerstone of the whole experience, and Anna will drown without it. I am also fully aware that I get anxious in the water, so I deliberately leave all my personal judgements poolside and trust completely and absolutely what Elvira is telling us to do. It's the closest thing to a spiritual relationship I've ever had. If she says totally submerse Anna and let go, I ignore my Inner Hydrophone, go with the higher power and do it. Consequently, Anna is now going deeper for longer than the other babies who have mothers who have retained their protective maternal instincts (and to my surprise and great relief, she has not drowned even once). Even I am starting to get a bit tired of hearing Elvira telling me how well Anna is doing.
I'm pretty sure I heard all the other babies whispering about how they were going to get us in the parking lot after class.
Yesterday we parents donned goggles so we could go underwater with our babies and spy on them. Anna looks great, albeit kinda spooky – babies have this mechanism thingy where their air passage closes automatically in water (so they don't drown in amniotic fluid, presumably) which means they don't need to keep their mouth shut, and their eyes have a special film across them to keep water out so they don't need to keep them shut either; all this means that while we are holding breaths and puffing cheeks out and looking like land lubbers, babies underwater cruise around looking pretty much the same as they do above water. It's cute but freaky.
Our instructor, Elvira, says to be 'right there' with the babies so as to maintain eye contact but although I follow this advice dutifully – don't want my little precious bundle to think I've left her in the deep end and have issues for the rest of her life – Anna really doesn't notice because she very rarely looks at me. She's too busy checking everyone else out, and keeping an eye on the floaty toys we use for some of the activities. Thankfully, unlike her completely useless mother who still can't dive – I'll be honest here, I still can't even keep my head under the bloody shower for more than a minute or two without getting panic flushes – Anna seems to have the water thing sorted. This is exactly what I was aiming for – I know for a fact that growing up in Australia, surrounded by some of the best beaches in the world, is a total bummer if one is psychically allergic to water.
In fact I think I might be in danger of raising a geek, because we have become the teacher's pet. We do everything to the letter. I listen to every single instruction because I irrationally believe if I miss anything, it will probably be an integral cornerstone of the whole experience, and Anna will drown without it. I am also fully aware that I get anxious in the water, so I deliberately leave all my personal judgements poolside and trust completely and absolutely what Elvira is telling us to do. It's the closest thing to a spiritual relationship I've ever had. If she says totally submerse Anna and let go, I ignore my Inner Hydrophone, go with the higher power and do it. Consequently, Anna is now going deeper for longer than the other babies who have mothers who have retained their protective maternal instincts (and to my surprise and great relief, she has not drowned even once). Even I am starting to get a bit tired of hearing Elvira telling me how well Anna is doing.
I'm pretty sure I heard all the other babies whispering about how they were going to get us in the parking lot after class.
posted by Helen at 10:11 pm
1 Comments:
you have a wonderful way of writing that lets the reader see and imagine everything you're describing....its amazing...i even got alittle freaked out at the baby image swimming...lol...but I agree with you...living in Florida, surrounded by OUR wonderful beaches, children need to learn how to swim..I personally hate the beach, but for some reason, all my kids love it...teach them young, I say, and they will do well...good for you...
and watch out for those babies that are waitin to attack...heheheh..too funny
have a great week
:)Just me
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