Little Guppy

Yesterday was Grayson's first day of swim lessons.

I only took four pictures, jumped up and down clapping like a circus poodle twice, and hyperventilated when he put his face in the water once.

I am proud of both of us but mostly I am proud of him.

"He is strong," said the swim instructor in a thick Russian accent.
"He is very determined too," he added on his way back to the office. The instructors probably say that about all the children, especially on their first day. But when I hear it from him I smile in acknowledgment because I feel it is true.

My son is strong and he is determined. He is also uncomfortable in the water but spent 30 solid minutes acting like he wasn't. Strike that. He spent 30 solid minutes NOT acting, but being brave and trying new things even if it made him nervous. These lessons have already proven to be the best money spent on a sport activity because they are giving him the confidence to push himself beyond his comfort zone to discover what strengths might be hiding beneath his surface. Strengths that will mean more because he finds them than just when his mom or dad say they're there.

Oh, plus, did I mention? That swim instructor? Is a Bulgarian Olympian. 2000 Sydney, Australian Olympics. I didn't even know that when I signed Grayson up! Thought I was just talking to a foreign exchange student here to earn a few bucks from our local yocal pool for the summer. I found out after his first lesson. Thank God too. There could've been real potential for me to ask for his autograph, thus putting me in the complete Spaz-of-a-Mom category till the end of time. I'll ask him at tomorrow's lesson instead.