water CAT turned water FISH

I love the water. I love swimming be it in a lake or pool. I love being in the water. I believe that there is no purer joy that a child can show you than when they are in the water. Their smiles and shrills of excitement just don't get any better.

Dechelle and Trevon (Michael's niece and great-nephew). Look at those smiles. Pure joy.

I have been working on Michael, Mikey and Catherine for the last year---doing everything I can to convinve them that swimming is a fabulously fun family activity. Catherine kind of enjoys the water and can swim pretty well. Unfortunately, that is not true for the two Michael's. Mikey really doesn't know how to swim or keep himself above water very well, so he clings to a water noodle, the ledge and doesn't venture far past the 4ft. Michael, he can do a lap or two and doggy paddles very well. He really prefers to be a land dweller.

Since Michael's car accident at the beginning of June, I have been trying to convince him to go swimming with me. He has cleverly declined for quite a while. I went to a few therapy and doctor appointments with him and questioned the doctors about swimming. They both told Michael that swimming would be a very good thing for him to do. Needless to say, I was beaming with joy and an "I told you so" smile!!! I finally had him! There was no way he could talk himself out of swimming now. I had the support of two doctors!

Now, how can this be a stressful or non-relaxing activity for an injured body???

We checked out two public pools around here. Both were inside, which I think is just INSANE---who wants to swim INSIDE when it is 90 degrees outside??? NOT ME!!! After a few fits and insiting that I hate this city because all the pools are indoors, we went swimming for an hour. And, I did enjoy myself, despite the fact that I had to swim inside. And another thing that is silly about swimming pools in this city---they are only open from 1-3 or 1-4 in the afternoon and maybe for another hour in the evening. What is that??? Just ridiculous and silly rules if you ask me.

In another attempt to get some good swim time in, we called Dechelle (his niece) and Marlene (his sister) to see if they would take us swimming on Post. We made plans to swim on Ft. Carson but to our dismay, the pool was closed. So...to Peterson Air Force Base we went. They have a very nice Aquatic Center. It is indoors, but is well vetilated so you don't breathe in the chemical fumes as much. It a huge pool and has a diving board, water slide and seperate baby pool area---where it was over 101 degrees (today). We got to swim for about an hour yesterday and went back again today and were able to swim for almost two hours before a storm shut the pool down.

Marlene (Michael's sister) and Michael. He was a good little brother and took her for a floating stroll in the deeper water (Not being able to swim well or not liking the water must be a family trait for them).

Catherine and Mikey chasing me (in the shallow water).

Mikey, Dechelle and Trevon in the baby pool.

Anyway, to get to the point of the post title...Yesterday, Mikey hung around the shallow end of the pool and hung on his dad most of the time because he couldn't swim very well. Today, however, was an entirely different story. Mikey was determined to learn how to swim. We showed him and told him he had to practice. And that he did.

Today, he was a little aprehensive to go in the deep end, but he did. He was able to swim underwater a short distance. He could do a few strokes above water and is getting much better about tredding and keeping his head above the water. But the realy hum-dinger of the thing is that yesterday he stayed in the 4ft area and today he not only spent most of his time in the deep end, but he went down the water slide and off the diving board. He even did flips off the diving board. He would come up out of the water with the biggest smile on his face. He told me he'd go swimming with me anytime I wanted. He also told me that I was right---that swimming is the best activity ever!!!I have succeeded! The boy who once was a cat in the water is now fish in the water. When it comes to swimming, it is now three against one! HA!

Relaxing at the shallow end.

Marlene and Mikey haning out on the wall.

I love my Mikey!!! Now I can throw him in the water and dunk him without having to worry about him not making it up for air.

Mikey showing off that he is in the 12 ft! He is quite proud of himself.

Mikey going off the board!