We WERE NOT a Swim Team Family

And then came the spring of 2012.  Nora instigated the whole thing. "Can I be on swim team this year?  Pleeeeeeaaase?"  This went on for awhile, and I successfully denied her the coveted swim team because it was too much of a commitment for one kiddo.  But then she got Walter on board. 

"Please.  Please.  PLEASE can we be on swim team?!?!?!?!"

Fine.  You can be on swim team.

They were ecstatic.  I signed them up, and reassured a concerned Alek that he did not have to be on swim team.  Then, three days before the first practice, Walter asked, "Can you unsign me up for swim team?"  WHAT?????  "Ummm... I'm not putting my face in the water, and I only want to swim with a live vest, and I am NOT jumping off any high things."

Forget it.  I am not unsigning you up.  Tears.  Begging.  Nope.  But I played it cool.  "Walt, you have to be on swim team, but you can just watch.  You have to put on the swimsuit, but I don't care if you get in.  You never have to put your face in even if you do get in, and I don't mind if you never jump off of anything.  You just have to watch.  Okay?"  Okay.

So I guided him over to the gaggle of under 6's and walked away. The top two pictures are the first ten minutes of the first day. The middle is the end of the first day. The bottom two are the third day. He wakes up every morning and excitedly asks... "Is it a swim team day!!!???" Yes. Yes, every weekday from 4-4:45. Yes.

And the instigator?  Well, she happily went the first day.  And then at dinner that night announced, "I'm not going back tomorrow.  It's hard work."  ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!  YOU ARE SO VERY MUCH GOING BACK TOMORROW, little chickie.  And she did.  And loves it.  Every day.  Yes, every weekday from 4:45 - 5:30.

And then on Wednesday, Alek asked to come along and watch.  And before Walt was even done for the day, Alek had me signing him up.  Seriously.  So, he started that evening, and loves it.  Yes.  EVERY WEEKDAY from 6:30-7:30 Alek is swimming, too. 

Keeping track?  Yes, that's EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY for 3 and one half hours.  Apparently, we ARE a swim team family.  They love it.  They are exhausted.  And they have ridiculous appetites.  They literally swim back and forth the entire time they are in the pool.  And Walter, who could not swim on Monday, is swimming.  Nora, who knew one stroke, knows five.  And Alek, who missed two days and knew only one stroke, knows four.  And that is Week 1.