Swim Lessons Pay Off
Hello to all.
After sending Xavier through four rounds of swim lessons at the local rec centers and seeing no advancement, we decided to kick it up a notch.
We took Xavier for a free lesson at a facility that specializes in teaching and coaching swimmers.
Rebecca called and set up the lesson. She told the staff how Xavier learned nothing from the rec center classes. The Swim Labs folks said, "Yeah, we hear that a lot."
We took Xavier in. I was skeptical.
Half way through his first lesson, I turned to Rebecca and said, "Sign him up!"
In fifteen minutes Xavier learned more than he had in the twenty-four rec center lessons combined.
Today was Xavier's seventh lesson. When we arrived, Xavier was presented with a ribbon. He had obtained all the skills for Beginner 1. Today's lesson was Beginner 2!
So, what skills does Beginner 1 entail?
- 5 safety bobs holding instructor's hands
- 5 seconds face submerged with nose bubbles
- 5 seconds independent front float
- 5 seconds independent back float
- 5 seconds assisted front kicking with face submerged
- 5 seconds assisted back kicking
- 4 strokes assisted freestyle with face submerged
- front to back float with assisted head turn
- back to front float with assisted head turn
- jump from bench to instructor with full submersion
Xavier now swims about twelve feet on his back unassisted and can cross six feet on his stomach unassisted.
Who Knew Denver Had One?
Hello to all.
A college friend of mine (and the Best Man at our wedding) flew out this weekend for a visit. When Googling things to do in Denver, we discovered a surprise.
Denver has an air and space museum. Not just one, but we found two.
Andy (my college friend) loves airplanes, so Xavier, Andy and I headed out to where Fitzsimons Air Force Base once was.
Developers have turned it into apartments and shops, but right in the middle remains one of the bases's hangars.
Kid friendly, Xavier played in a replica of the International Space Station, examined the cockpits of DC-10s and Boeing 707s. Xavier even designed a supersonic aircraft and was able to test pilot it in a simulator.
Xavier made friends on the ISS bridge while Andy and I enjoyed an actual Star Wars X-Wing Fighter they have on display.
Joy Of Cattails
Greetings to all.
The weather today called for a walk outside, so to a park with a lake we went.
Xavier, for whatever reason, does not like to walk the mile circuit around the lake. Often, either Rebecca or I will stay with Xavier at the playground while the other walks the lake.
Today, we all walked the lake. I showed Xavier some things to do with ripened cattails. He was glad to walk the lake today, although I was tasked with supplying him with cattails.
